Writing Informal Letters and Emails for ESL Students

The Importance Of Being Earnest By Oscar Wilde And...

Oscar Wilde was a 19th century poet and playwright, well known for works such as The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest. One of Wilde’s famous quotes claims that, according to history, disobedience is a valuable human trait that promotes social progress. Disobedience is defined as the refusal to obey rules or someone in authority; in society, it is fueled by the free will of the people and their desire for freedom and justice. There have been both altruistic and malevolent leaders at every point in history, as well as those who follow them peacefully, or stage a rebellion. The ability to disagree with one’s government and to act upon this discontent is the core skill of the people when attempting to dethrone†¦show more content†¦Prior to her act of defiance, Park was active in the civil rights organization, the NAACP, so she fully knew the personal and political consequences of her decision. Disobeying the Jim Crow laws nonviolently was a key technique in the civil rights movement; in this instance Parks’s rebellion resulted in her being arrested and fined. In both the civil rights movement and the holocaust, laws were put in place to put one group of people unfairly above another. Through perseverance and courage, people have fought against the law and those enforcing it, to create racial tolerance in society. Some may think that disobedience is a dangerous action because laws are in place for protection and guidance, and if they are broken, then society would be damaged. In many cases, the damage is obvious, such as with the Las Vegas shooting on October 1st of this year. Over 600 people were injured or killed by a man who decided that the law, and all of the people that he hurt, didnt matter. One could argue that violence is the inevitable outcome of people thinking that obeying the law is conditional. However, applying this assumption to every situation would be unreasonable; breaking the law may heal so ciety, instead of harming it, such as when someone kills an attacker in self defense. There will always be those who break the law for selfish reasons, but to make it impossible for anyone to ever break any laws would require the absence of all freedom; it is necessary forShow MoreRelatedGender and Class in Oscar Wildes Play1575 Words   |  6 PagesGender and Class in Oscar Wilde’s Play A Marxist critic uses an approach that treats literary texts as material products describing them in broadly historical terms. In Marxist criticism, the text is viewed in terms of its production and consumption, as a product of work that does identifiable cultural work of its own (Chaucer, 297). Gender, is in other words, a construct, an effect of language, culture and its institutions (Austen, 427). Many gender critics are interested in how a culture constructsRead More Escaping Social Rules in The Importance of Being Earnest Essay2220 Words   |  9 Pagesfreedom, are able to create alternative physical lives. Jack pursues a double life due to the pressures of rural, family responsibility. Algy does the same due to the authoritarian influences of his relatives and his financial troubles. The Importance of Being Earnest was written in the tradition of the well-made play, fast paced and almost farcical plays peopled by stock characters, as described by Peter Raby; two pairs of young romantic lovers, a pair of older grotesques, separated orphan brothers

The Impact of Daycare on Infants Free Essays

55% of American mothers now return to work by the time their children are one years old — out of either financial, professional, or personal necessity. In today’s society, there are concerns as to whether attending daycare during infancy produces negative or positive effects on the development of children. Many of these concerns are influenced by the fear that separating an infant from its mother may cause emotional harm to the child or disrupt the mother-infant bond. We will write a custom essay sample on The Impact of Daycare on Infants or any similar topic only for you Order Now No study finds that children of employed mothers suffer solely because their mothers are working. Research has shown that mothers who work spend as much time playing with their babies as do mothers without outside jobs (Huston Aronson, 2005). It has also been questioned as to whether home-based maternal care or nonrelatives day-care provide the child with more opportunity to develop cognitively and socially (Belsky and Steinberg 1978, Field 1991, Lamb 1996, Peisner-Feinberg et al. 2001). There has been research that has found positive effects of day-care on children’s social and cognitive development and suggests that perhaps child-care centers encourage more social interaction than the environment of a home-reared child. There may be more stimulation in day-care and more communication and sharing to be learned, therefore enhancing these abilities of the children who attend them (Peisner-Feinberg et al. 2001). Evidence shows that a good preschool education is beneficial to young children. Children who attend preschool have a head start when they begin elementary school having learned basic concepts in a preschool center. Some of the negative effects a child may experience while attending a child care center include high child to adult ratios, insufficient materials and equipment, staff with inadequate training and experience, and caregiver burnout. There are truly some wonderful and caregivers and daycares out there. Choosing the best one is a very important decision that a parent has to make. How Do You Choose A Good Day Care Center Choosing a day care center is one of the more important decisions parents can make on behalf of their child. While it may be tempting to be swayed by a center based on rates, location or even decor, there are several other factors to consider. When visiting a center there are several questions one can ask the director of the facility to determine if it’s the right one for your child or if you should keep looking (Maughan, 2008). 1. What are the operating hours of the facility 2. How are the children grouped in classes 3. What is the teacher to child ratio for each class 4. What is the centers check in and check out procedures 5. What is the centers policy on disciplinary action for children In addition to these questions a parent should tour the facility and go over the safety procedures for the facility. Word of mouth is also a good resource. Talk to family and friends and find out if and where their infant went to daycare. What would you tell a parent of an infant who is concerned about harming their baby by placing them in Day Care, but must work because of economic necessity? I would tell a parent who must place there infant in daycare to not worry. It won’t cause any harm to their child. As long as they put them in a good quality childcare facility the infant will be ok. The important thing for the parent is to do there homework ahead of time when looking for a facility. The parent can call the facility to see how there child is doing throughout the day. Some facilities even have cameras so the parent can actually see what there child is doing. This may ease the parents mind throughout the day so they won’t be so worried about what is going on with their child. According to the NICHD daycare seems detrimental only when the mother is insensitive and the infant spends more than 20 hours a week in a poor quality program (NICHD, 2005). How to cite The Impact of Daycare on Infants, Essay examples

Obie Trice “Second Round’s On Me” free essay sample

Obie Trice was brought up like many rappers: in the ghetto of an industrial city, in his case, Detroit. His hard-knock life taught him at an early age that determination and hard work could lift him from his struggles. Marshall Mathers, a.k.a. Eminem, inspired Trice with his success in the underground scene of Detroit. Trices own career skyrocketed after an introduction to the Detroit rap legend; Eminem was so impressed by Trices sampler (as well as his work ethic) that he signed him on the spot. Three years later, Obie released his first album, â€Å"Cheers,† which received universal praise. Trice just released his second album, â€Å"Second Rounds On Me,† which clearly demonstrates his talents at the microphone. Obie Trice has a presence and style all his own, plain and simple. Nobody with rap music experience could mistake him for any other rapper. His incomparable voice has the ability to take center stage, but not overshadow the music. We will write a custom essay sample on Obie Trice â€Å"Second Round’s On Me† or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He can also blend with the music for a good boost. Obie Trice proves that not all rap sounds the same. Since 2003, Obie has matured as a lyricist and in production. As a child, Trice wanted to connect with his icons. As a rapper, his goal is to connect with his listeners. He achieves this through unparalleled lyrics and song structure. His great flow and rhythm complement the beats of Eminem and other producers. This album can make anyone feel all types of emotions. For example, â€Å"Lay Down† is a song designed to amp up the listener as Obie displays his skills and rhymes. The chorus contrasts Obies quickness with a slower, power-punched feature that can bring anyones heart rate up. Trice brings down the curtain on his sophomore album with the heartfelt â€Å"Obie Story.† The tone goes from upbeat to depressed and then ends with an optimistic feeling. What makes this song incredible is how its mood changes as the lyrics and beats change, showing how the music can affect a listeners perception of meaning just as easily as lyrics can. Obie Trice was determined to avoid the curse of the sophomore slump and has succeeded in style. â€Å"Second Rounds On Me† shows all the fine qualities that Trice possesses in the rap business. If you enjoyed â€Å"Cheers,† then you are bound to love this album. Even if you have never heard his work, you should give this album a listen it is truly phenomenal.

Never Just free essay sample

â€Å"I love you.† Three words†¦three little words hiding somewhere in me. I was honest†¦for once. And things would never be the same. Have you ever had someone who, you thought, would stay with you forever if you asked? I did. But she’s gone. Everything we did, we did together. Phone calls dialed before noon turned into late night conversations. And although we were hours apart during the week, on weekends we were inseparable. Everything was just fine. Just†¦what a terrible adjective. No one should ever have to be just anything. But we were friends. Just friends. And now she’s gone. When her dad moved, we still had our phone calls†¦but what was once every weekend turned into every other. Every other turned into once a month. And now†¦it’s been almost two years. How did it come to that? Those three words. Just eight letters†¦just†¦there it is again. We will write a custom essay sample on Never Just or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If only things didn’t happen the way they did. If only I hadn’t lied to her†¦if only her dad hadn’t moved away†¦if only†¦if only I hadn’t used those three little words. Now she’s gone. And I’ve changed†¦thinking in some way it might bring her back. Was it the way I looked that pushed her away? Probably not. But I lost 75 pounds for her. Was it because I didn’t have academic goals? No. But I went from a 1.5 GPA one semester to a 3.875 another for her. She’s gone. And I’m glad. People grow. We change. Now, I focus on what matters: an education. Making a life for myself†¦one I’ll decide. I’ve always had goals†¦but never a way to reach them. Now that she’s come and gone, I can live the life I’ve always wanted. Whether it’s because of her or not, I’m happy with where I am and where I’m going.

George Orwells 1984, Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange, and Siegfried Sassoons The Hero Essays

George Orwells 1984, Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange, and Siegfried Sassoons The Hero Essays George Orwells 1984, Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange, and Siegfried Sassoons The Hero Paper George Orwells 1984, Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange, and Siegfried Sassoons The Hero Paper Essay Topic: 1984 George orwell Literature A dystopia does not pretend to be good, while an anti-utopia appears to be utopian or was intended to be so, but a fatal flaw or malefactor has perverted it (Maven Word of the day). Far to often these two terms are thought to be synonymous. Although they are similar, as said in the quotation above, there is a difference between dystopias and anti-utopias. The concept of an anti-utopia is quite prevelant in George Orwells 1984, Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange, and Siegfried Sassoons The Hero. The lifestyle somebody leads may seem to people to be acceptable, fun, or even create the illusion of a utopia, when in actuality their actions either wind up hurting themselves or the ones they love. The danger of false allies can also tie in with this concept; somebody who is making a character feel safe, may actually be a person who would do nothing to hinder the characters demise, or even be the one plotting it. Characters take actions that they think will improve their situations, but deluded by hubris they often cannot. Rather than free them their actions put them in jeopardy. : The protagonist of each work I discuss, Winston in 1984, Alex in A Clockwork Orange, and Jack in The Hero deludes himself that he can create a utopia when in reality in each case misguided actions lead to death or imprisonment. The feeling of leading a self-beneficial lifestyle is often a misleading one. For example in the poem The Hero, Jack, who is the war hero in the poem, decides to go away to war. Jack fell as hed have wished, the mother said. (Sassoon, S. The Hero) This quote is expressing Jacks patriotism, and how he wished to die for his country. This also implies that Jack was excited to go to war, and viewed it as a positive thing, or even fun, to go and fight for his country. When he got there he was nothing but horrified, this is made obvious in this passage from the poem: He thought how Jack, cold-footed, useless swine/ Had panicked down the trench that night the mine. The battlefield was initially viewed as a glorious place to be, and an excellent way to serve your country, but in actuality is a horrifying, dreadful place that will do nothing but generate violence, and many senseless deaths. In saying this, this was is a place made out to be a utopia, but in actuality, it is an anti-utopia. In A Clockwork Orange the main character, Alex leads his life of crime knowing that nothing bad will come happen to him, because he has his droogies behind him. Not only his close circle, but also people around the town willing to create an alibi for him and his friends. He loves his criminal lifestyle simply because it feels good. It is not for the money that he does these horrible things, it is simply for the pleasure it gives him. Anything that gives somebody that much freedom, and that much pleasure is clearly a perfect world to them. This was Alexs perfect world. Oh just keep walking I said. And viddy what turns up, oh my little brothers. (Burgess, A. 6) Here Alex is assuring his droogs that they will be able to perform some ultra-violence that night. This illustrates how much they love this life of crime and that the four of them get gratification from their violent acts. While being violent, committing rape, and dishing out horrorshow tolchocks, these kids feel invincible. Little to Alexs knowledge, his acts will eventually lead to him being beaten by his victims, and tortured by the very people he hurts to in the construction of his own apparent utopia. This of course would change his little world from a place where everything is perfect, to a place where things only seem to be as such, and actually are horrible for little Alex. People begin to turn on him, and he loses his control over his droogies and society. At this point even his closest friends are contemplating a mutiny in their group. Once Alex is reformed, and unable to commit the ugly deeds that used to give him so much pleasure, he is still viewed by society as a hell-raising monster. People that he has done wrong unto in the past seek out revenge upon him. Even his parents have replaced him, and have a lodger living in his bed. Alexs actions that used to bring him such great joy are now the cause of his great emotional and physical pain. In 1984 the protagonist Winston Smith, is a very depressed fellow, due to the oppression of his government. He, much like Jack from The Hero, and Alex from A Clockwork Orange, chooses not to follow a boring lifestyle. Instead he searches for something that will bring them some excitement and happiness, something that will give them the illusion of a perfect world. Winston however seeks love out as his saviour from the cage that is life in 1984. He meets a girl named Julia, and he falls in love with her. Of course he never shows this in public, out of fear that a telescreen, or the thought police may see him. Once he meets this girl, she changes him; she gives him the incentive to rebel and have fun. He becomes very interested in the secret brotherhood, and the demise of the INGSOC party. When speaking to OBrien, whom Winston suspects runs the brotherhood, Winston says: We believe that there is some kind of conspiracy, some kind of secret organisation working against the party, and that you are involved in it. We want to join it and work for it. We are enemies of the party. (Orwell, G. 177) This only shows how intent he is on escaping his life of imprisonment, and to attain some amount of freedom. He spills out his beliefs in hopes that OBrien shares them, when if he didnt, it would be the end of Winston, the thought police would take him away. He wants so badly for this brotherhood to be real that he acts as though it is, even when the consequences could be fatal. When the telescreen is turned off, Winston feels free to say what he wants. This has created an anti-utopia. This is an anti-utopia because Winston thinks he is safe from the eyes of the party, but really he is being watched, and OBrien is a member of the thought police. This belief in his temporary perfect world leads to his capture by the thought police. Just as Jack believed his world was perfect, and Alex believed his world was perfect, their over confidence in their lifestyles leads to the end of them. Often individuals can be lured into anti-utopias by people who give them a false sense of security. These people are called false allies. In all three of the pieces of literature being discussed, the protagonist has false allies who lead to their demise. In The Hero Jack went away to war, with hopes of serving his country, and making a difference. During WWI there was a lot of propaganda making going away to war look like a fun thing to do, and not only that, but the right thing to do. There were no warnings that one may die at war, or that it was a dangerous thing to do. The government, and the army, who are ones who created this propaganda, created a anti-utopia for the soldiers, making them think that they were going away to have fun, and to fight for their country. In reality, these men were going away to live with diseases and poverty, and would most likely die. how hed tried/ To get sent home, and how, at last, he died/ Blown to small bits. And no one seemed to care (Sassoon, S. The Hero) This quote shows how little the government and the officers cared about the soldiers, all they cared about was getting a lot of them. They had no interest in their well being. They led the young soldiers to their deathbed, by advertising the war as something positive and glorious, and not warning people of the risks. In A Clockwork Orange, Alex encounters many false allies; probably the best example of this is Dr. Branom and Dr. Brodsky. Prior to Alex being exposed to the awful films and torture that they give him, they make this new treatment out to be nothing but a quicker way to get out of jail and to be reformed. When Alex asks what is in store for him, they never tell him that it is going to be painful, or how it will affect him. Alex asks what the new treatment consists of and Dr. Branom simply answers Its quite simple, really. We just show you some films. (Burgess, A. 73) Although this is not a lie per-se, because they do show him films, it is very misleading. Branom makes it sound as though he is just going to watch a couple of nice movies. Really the films Alex is going to watch are ones that will torture him, make him sick to his stomach, and take away his free will. The two doctors did not care about the mental or physical health of Alex; they only cared about making a name for themselves, and making advancements in science. The misleading information that they gave to Alex made the treatment appeal to him, and so he went through with it. He had trust in these doctors, and believed they had saved him from the awful prison and brought him to a better place. I lay on the bed thinking this was like real heaven (Burgess, A. 74). This is a quote by the narrator, Alex, speaking about this new facility he was in, the doctors made him think that this place was great, in hopes that he would help them in their research. Their plan works. They had duped Alex into thinking that they were his allies, thus an anti-utopia was created. He had signed papers and now he was theirs to do with whatever they wanted. In 1984, Winston finds a junk shop where he can buy things from the past, and try to figure out what went on before the rule of INGSOC and Big Brother. Inside this shop, was a humble, and caring little shop owner, by the name of Mr. Charrington. This man seems to support Winston, and his rebellious life-style, and empathises with his hate for the party. He gains Winstons trust by showing him the room upstairs. When Charrington takes Winston to the upstairs. Winston observes: Theres no telescreen! he could not help murmuring. Ah said the old man, I never had one of those things. (Orwell, G. 100-101) By telling Winston that there is no telescreen, he implies that Winston is safe, and this room could be somewhat of a sanctuary for him. This leads Winston into later renting the room out and living there with his mistress. In actuality there is a telescreen in this room, it is just hidden behind a picture. Also, M r. Charrington is actually not the kindly old man he makes himself out to be. He is nothing more than a deceitful, dishonest pawn used by Big Brother to catch Winston and Julia. Charrington pretending to be a comrade and an ally of Winstons leads him into becoming over confident thinking he is free from all worries in his room, and eventually being detained and brainwashed by the thought police in the ministry of love. Going away to war can be viewed as an act of confidence. You would never go anywhere where there were to be deaths, if you were thinking you were going to be the one dying. Therefore I can conclude that when Jack went off to war, he probably was confident that his country was far superior, and he was to come out unharmed. Overconfident people are more likely to wage in war, but fare worse in the ensuing battles mentally healthy people can have highly optimistic predictions, or positive illusions in present day, optimism may wreak havoc on international relations (Khamsi, R. Overconfidence is a Disadvantage at War) When Jack was in the trenches, it was not at all what he had expected. He was not prepared for such a gruesome experience. The fact that he was ill prepared for war, made him panic. Had panicked down the trench that night the mine/ Went up at Wicked Corner; how hed tried/ To get sent home, and how, at last, he died (Sassoon, S. The Hero) This passage tells about how Jack panicked in the trenches, and died because of it. Since his ill preparation was due to his over confidence, and his panic due to his ill preparation, and his death due to his panic, it was Jacks own hubris that killed him. He had created a perfect world of heroic adventures for himself in his mind, and then when he was actually in this world, it was one of horrible terrifying experiences, thus an anti-utopia. Jack, like Alex, and Winston, had embraced the utopian idea that he could control the world around him and, like the others, is destroyed when it becomes clear that he in fact has no control over his situation. Alex, after having his authority questioned the night before, in a heated discussion sparked when he struck the largest of his three droogies, he wanted to show why he was the boss. He and his three droogs had decided to do some ultra violence on an old ladys home. After a failed attempt at getting her to open the door by pretending they had a wounded man with them, Alex decided he would gain entry another way. He told his droogs he would get in, and then open the door for them, so they could all partake in the ultra violence. Once Alex got inside, he was having second thoughts about his plan. I thought to myself that I would show these fickle and worthless droogs of mine that I was worth the whole three of them and more. I would do all on my oddy knocky. I would perform the old ultra-violence on the starry ptitsa and on her pusspots if need be, then I would take fair rookerfuls of what looked like real polezny stuff and go waltzing to the front door and open up showering gold and silver on my waiting droogs. They must learn all about leadership. (Burgess, A. 46) This is an example of Alex getting cocky, which he did quite often, however, this time Alex did not achieve the outcome he expects. Without his droogies with him, Alex had no backup. When he tried to attack the homeowner, he slipped in a saucer of her cats milk, and he was caught off guard. He was beaten about the head, and it was quite hard for him to overcome the woman. Although he did win the battle, when he went to flee, the police had shown up, and his so called droogs had left him all on his oddy knocky for the police to pick him up. Had Alex not been so cocky, and let his droogs in as planned, the job would have gone smoother, and he would have gotten away in time. Instead he figured things would be perfect if he went in all alone, and did this by himself. He failed to see the downfall of his plan, all he saw was what could go right, making this situation seem somewhat of a utopia, he would get to perform ultra violence, and he would gain the respect of his droogies back. What Alex didnt see was what actually happened, he was blind to the downfalls of his plan, making this situation actually an anti-utopia. Alexs own hubris led him to being incarcerated by the police, and eventually brainwashed. Unlike Alex, who delighted in brutal, theatrical public self-assertion, Winston had always been a very secretive person. Winston had always been a very secretive person, living in the shadows, fearing and knowing, that the telescreens would one day catch him either writing in his diary, or perhaps doing something even more severe. Winston could hide from it long enough to write in his diary even though he knew he would get caught eventually(No Listed Author, Satire In 1984) After he learned of the room above Mr. Charringtons shop that had no telescreen, he believed he had found a safe haven. He and Julia knew that they were safe there; because there was no way that the party could be watching them. They did everything and anything the party was against here, they were free to do whatever their heart desired. This room was their getaway place, somewhere where everything was perfect, they believed it to be their utopia. But we must remember that the word Utopia comes from the Greek word meaning no place or place that does not exist. This was far to good to be true. One day while having a conversation in the room they heard a voice, a cold strong voice saying You are the dead. This startled them, and they were instantly stiff with fear. It was then that the picture of a church fell and they saw a telescreen. They then realized that this whole time there had been a telescreen present, they were being watched this whole time. They also then realized that Mr. Charrington was part of the thought police. The two lovers were then brought to the ministry of love, and brainwashed. There little room was an anti-utopia, it seemed to be a utopia, but it was actually quite the opposite. Hubris led to the inevitable demise of these two lovers, they were too confident in their safe haven, and too content to realize it was too good to be true. Confidence was their tragic downfall, just as it was for Alexand Jack Is utopia a place where crimes against humanity are committed? Is utopia a place where people cant choose what to do with their lives? Is a utopia a place where there is no love? Every attempt humans have made to reach a perfect world, has been pointless. Perfection doesnt exist. Utopias dont exist. (No Listed Author, The Strange Utopia of The Giver) This supports what is said in the above essay, utopias are true to their Greek meaning, place that does not exist because they do not exist. If one disagrees and believes that they are living in a utopia, it results from either over confidence or being misled by the false claims of others or both. Rather than striving for utopias we must strive to be as aware of our surrounding as possible to prepare for and ideally minimize the dangers that are always a part of human existence and exist within any social system.

The movie 13th Warrior Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The 13th Warrior - Movie Review Example There are also references to the Cain killing Abel â€Å"this unhappy being had long lived in the land of monsters since the Creator cast them out as kindred of Cain.   For that killing of Abel the eternal Lord took vengeance.†( Heaney, 165).   Beowulf has taken 12 men to his last fight, just like Jesus had twelve disciples at the table during the Last Supper.   Probably, the author was trying to put Beowulf on the line with Jesus.   Beowulf went to kill the dragon in order to stop killings on innocent, just like Jesus has sacrificed himself to give salvation to the whole human kind.     The same elements of Christianity can be traced in the movie â€Å"13th Warrior†, however, with some differences.   For example, the movie starts with Arab meeting with his people to go on a quest.   This Arab is the narrator of the story, and, therefore, he is Muslim, not Christian.   However, all of those Christianity elements mentioned above (twelve people, referenc e to one God not many) still remain.   Such difference in representing religion is a bit confusing, because it is believed that Muslim religion belongs to the Pagan.   The Vikings (members of the Arab’s bang) showed in the movie were the part of the culture according to which there are numerous Gods and they reside on Mount Olympus.   The similarity between Arab and Beowulf is that both of them believe in one God.   From the other side, mentioning of the trolls, giants fighting ogres and elves which are plenty in the poem, are not part of the Christianity (Beowulf, 164).. Moreover, the mentioning to the idols is also part of the Paganism. These Pagan symbols and creatures are also present in the movie. Therefore, the depiction of Pagan religion in the poem and in the movie is the same. Another theme covered in the poem is the traditional funeral of that time. Both the movie and poem start with the funeral of the king which is described very vividly. As it is written in Beowulf, the warrior and king are set a float with all the possessions and then the raft is set on fire. â€Å"13th Warrior† presents this scene exactly the same. Afterwards the great feast comes to celebrate the death of the old ruler and the life of the new ruler. It is a very interesting historical tradition to make the celebration of the king’s death and life of new king at one day. It seems that joy and sorrow stand at one line. Further, the personality of Beowulf is depicted differently in the poem compared to the movie. For example, Beowulf has led his warriors in the search for glory (not because of his desire to be good) and decided to help the town only because this act will add up fame in his life. In the movie, it is presented differently: the warriors traveled to the village in order to relieve distress and for this reason they have offered their assistance. However, the courage of these warriors is equally appraised in the movie and in the poem: not a single person went to sleep

Legislation and social policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Legislation and social policy - Essay Example The nature of their duties are multifarious concerning the patients’ health, social security, psychological support to the patient and the family, ensuring support to the patient and the family at the community level, resolution of the uncertainties involved in the treatment and the support services. In fact the gamut of community care is very wide and it varies from arrangement of financial support though the NGO’s to the patients and their families to bereavement and follow-up services in coordination with the support groups and bereavement groups. Therefore, in order to make the services more effective, they need to interact not only with the families of the patients but also with the medical professionals of various disciplines to provide a comprehensive treatment to the patients and at community level for the resources that may be required in this connection apart from counseling to the patients and their families. 2. ... . Attlee announced the introduction of the Welfare State as outlined in the Beveridge Report. This included the establishment of a National Health Service in 1948, with free medical treatment for all. A national system of benefits was also introduced to provide social security, so that the population would be protected 'from the cradle to the grave'†. (BBC) In 1948 the Poor law, passed in 1598 was abolished through National Assistance Act, with provisions for welfare services. Spicker says that the 'Welfare State' was not intended to respond to poverty; that was what the Poor Law had done. The main purpose was to encourage the provision of the social services on the same basis as the public services - roads, libraries and so forth - an  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœinstitutional’' model of welfare.   Therefore, the concept of community care is wider in principle and application. 3. NHS and Community Care Act 1990 Reports of the various committees such as Working Party on Joint Planning, P rogress in Partnership (1981), House of Commons Social Services Select Committee Report (1985), Audit Commission, Making a Reality of Community Care 1986) and Griffiths Report, Community Care, Agenda for Action (1988) during the 1980’s had culminated into this legislation after considerable debate. Powel (2001) states, â€Å"Griffiths (1988) proposed that local authorities were strategically placed to oversee the delivery of community care within the matrix of policy, professional practice and older people themselves involved in the process†¦ The White Paper Caring for People which followed in November 1989 accepted most of Griffith’s proposals and approved the threefold matrix of user choice, promoting non-institutional services and targeting†. 4. Main Aims

Spirituality in Organizational Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Spirituality in Organizational Strategy - Essay Example Senior leaders of the organization should be able to embrace it strategically and use it as a determinant of organizational performance. A leader should have emotional intelligence which will help support the spirituality of an organization. Casey claims that if a leader does not have emotional intelligence, it will be hard for him of her to embrace spirituality in his organization (34-46). Recently, there has been a major debate on business and spirituality, where many leaders have advocated for a link between issues of the soul and corporate success. However, there is some irony in this spirituality and business juxtaposition if a leader decides to reflect upon the signs of corporate scandals that have been brought by multiple legal and ethical lapses that occur in any organization. However, one would be cynical to think that spirituality phenomenon is a reason of many contradictions in organizations. This paper aims to explain why spirituality in an organization is strategically i mportant and how leaders can use it as a determinant of organizational performance. Leaders often doubt spirituality that is used outside any religious meetings, and therefore, this paper will discuss useful objectives that can be internalized into an organization strategy and how organizational leadership can affect their success. A leader is someone who is capable of influencing his followers to behave or think the same way. Spirit on the other hand, can be defined as a vital force within living beings. If we combine the two terms, it suggests that a leader is someone who can understand and seek out his inner self as well as fosters the same meaning to his employees. Srivastra asserts that spirituality in leadership is an approach in leadership where a leader will strive to influence a sense of interconnectedness and significance among his employees (45-67). Spirituality in leadership therefore, involves principles and spiritual values in the workplace. If a leader is spiritual he will understand the significance of employees finding meaning in the work, which demonstrate a genuine concern for the particular person and not just workers. Spirituality in leadership will help assist employees find meaning in their duties by addressing important questions like the great purpose of their work as well as the worth of their work. Additionally, it will help them in defining their ethical values and principles, legacy and who they are in the organization. Therefore, a spiritual leader will try hard to make his workplace a community, consisting of employees with shared beliefs, values and traditions. Such leadership will also focus more diversity and transformation, rather than on people and power as well as controlling. It will also focus on inspiration and collaboration (Nandam 23-46). However, this does not mean that being a spiritual leader, a leader should adhere to a particular religion or attempt to convince his employees to pursue specific religious set of pri nciples. It is concerned more with the growth of the workers as an individual person, people who show off their compassion to their customers, superiors, employees and subordinates (Bubna 34-88). Spirituality in an organization is important because the employers in the workplace will be able to find the meaning of their lives. In the world today, most of the employees look up to their workplace as one of the ways of defining their lives as well as give meaning to their lives that is torn apart by modern way of living. For example, back then people lived as close knit family, including their extended family, but the world today has changed because nuclear family is not enough to give an employee emotional support and

Telenor Group Case Study

Telenor Group Case Study CASE STUDY TELENOR 1. General information about the Telenor Group The Telenor Group is the leading telecommunications company in Norway and one of the leading mobile operators in the world in terms of subscription. The company is also the biggest provider of television services in the Nordic region, while at the same time being present as the mobile operator in some of the fastest growing markets. Headquarters of the Telenor Group are located in Oslo, Norway. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. With the end of the third quarter of 2009, the Telenor Group has achieved 172 million of mobile subscriptions worldwide and it currently employs approximately 40.000 people in thirty countries. As it is widely familiar, Norway, as well as other Scandinavian countries, is known as extremely developed technology market in the beginning of the 21st century, achieving some of the highest penetration rates for new technologies, such as mobile phones and high speed internet. This actually represents a kind of tradition of the country, having in mind the fact that in 1855 the first telegraph line has been built, followed by the first telephone network connecting the cities of Arendal and Tvederstrand in 1878. Furthermore, Norway was one of the first world countries to introduce mobile telephone system in 1967, which was analogue based and manually operated. In order to understand business operations of Telenor, it seems necessary to make a short historical overview of the companys origins. Beginnings of the Telenor Group date back in 1855 when it was established as a state operated monopoly, bearing the name Norwegian Telegraph Administration NTA (also known as Telegrafverket) and offering the provision of telegraph services. In the last decade of the 19th century, development of the Norways early telephone network was handled by private companies. Norwegian Telegraph Administration, which was in the ownership of the state, gradually took over the privately owned companies in the market and gained control over the sector. Since then, Telenor gained more than 150 years of telecom experience. In 1969, the NTA changed its name to Televerket, also known as Norwegian Telecommunications. With the purchase of Andebu, the last privately owned company in the sector of telecommunications in 1974, Televerket obtained control of the monopoly of t he services of telephone and telecommunications and retained that position till the beginning of the last decade of the 20th century. By the beginning of the 1990s, the company pioneered a new generation of mobile telephone services based on the GSM protocol, which was later accepted and implemented thought Europe. GSM service was launched in 1993 and was followed by the expansion of the company in the field of television broadcasting. This strategic decision provided the company with the opportunity to position itself as the dominant provider of satellite based broadcasting in the Scandinavian region. Since the Norwegian authorities had a tendency to deregulate the telecom sector in the country, the process of deregulation commenced in 1994 and lasted till 1998, with a partial deregulation sector by sector. Even before the government deregulation began, Televerket started with the company restructuring which lasted for four years and included the transformation of the company from a state owned to a public company, as well as the change of the company name to Telenor in 1995. Additionally, the company was a subject of partial privatization in 2000, which gave it a substantial boost of 15.6 billion NOK[1] of new capital and listed it on the Oslo Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. At the beginning of the privatization process, the Government remained the owner of 77.7% of the company, while this percentage was reduced to 53% by 2006. The company was rankedtop performer bythe Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes in 2007 and 2008. The main services which Telenor provides to its consumers and companies worldwide include the following segments: voice, data, content and other services. * In the segment of Voice, Telenor provides people to talk to each other by using fast and reliable networks. This segment focuses on the conversation on the phone, including fixed line, mobile or IP telephony. Fixed voice communication services are provided for users in three countries of the Nordic region and mobile voice in twelve different countries in Europe and Asia. * The segment of Data encompasses of the Internet and broadband services. The company offers fixed line data services like ADSL and fiber-optic communications in the countries of the Nordic region, and mobile data services such as mobile broadband, GPRS, UMTS in 12 countries. From the beginning of 2008, the company has started 3G based mobile broadband services inseven of its markets. * In the field of Content, TV services and mobile content, Telenor offers TV services via cable, digital terrestrial and satellite networks in four Nordic markets. Furthermore, the company also provides mobile content services in several markets, such as mobile TV, sports, ring tones, music and movies. * As far as otherservices are concerned, Telenor has a diversified offer that consists of services, which are telecom related, and the service portfolio is different from one country to another. Depending on the market, the company provides services in the filed of maritime communications, IT consulting, and aircraft communications services. In several markets the company provides Net-centric services, which refer to the IT security for individual consumers and enterprises and machine to machine (M2M) services for enterprises. The major part of the Telenor`s activities is organized in three regions and includes thirteen countries: Asia: Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand and India. Nordic countries: Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Centraland Eastern Europe: Hungary, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine. From the beginning of the 1990s, Telenor begun with its international expansion in the field of mobile communications, penetrating the markets of the following countries: Russia in 1994, Bangladesh, Greece, Ireland, Germany and Austria in 1997, Ukraine in 1998, Malaysia in 1999, Denmark and Thailand in 2000, Hungary in 2002, Montenegro and Pakistan in 2004, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Serbia in 2006. Operations in Greece, Ireland and Germany were sold and the money obtained from this sale has been re invested in the emerging markets. Additionally, in 2005 Vodafone[2] in Sweden was acquired by Telenor. 1.1. Mission and Strategy Telenors primary objective is to create greater value for its shareholders, customers, employees and partners, and for the society in general. The company is dedicated to being at the forefront in creating, simplifying and introducing communication and content solutions to the marketplace. In order to comply with the given goal, Telenor bases its strategy on its customer oriented vision, Here to Help, as well as its core values, Make it easy, Keep promises, Be inspiring and Be respectful. Telenors main strategy is to upgrade the performance of the local mobile operations by combining Groups industrialization with local drive and responsiveness, in the regions where it conducts its business operations: Nordic region, Eastern and Central Europe and Asia. Furthermore, the company plans to maintain its leading position in the Nordic region with a diversified portfolio of communication services. This strategy could be defragmented to the following focus areas: Strengthening of the position of the company as an international mobile operator. Telenor plans to continue the process of strengthening its industrialization of the mobile operations by gaining control over chosen mobile companies. Control is crucial in order to benefit from synergies obtained by cross border activities, such as scale in procurement, development of new services and implementation of best practices, improvement of operational efficiency and the increase of the overall profitability. Telenor plans to manage the non-strategic investments as financial investments and to exit from international mobile operations where the company cannot obtain control over time. Strengthening of the companys position in the Nordic region. Telenor will continue to upgrade its services in the field of mobile and fixed telephony in the Nordic region by using the benefits obtained from economies of scale and cross-border synergies. The company strongly feels that its Nordic presence will improve support to the customers by improving upon its expertise both mobile and fixed services. To find itself at the forefront of communications services providers in Norway. Since the company is the leader in a broad range of services in both the residential and business markets in Norway, Telenor will try to obtain better results in the sense of its profit in the mobile and fixed fields of activity, through the introduction of new services and through various cost-cutting measures. Maintaining of the position of the leader in field of distribution of TV services to consumers in the Nordic region. Telenor additionally insists on finding new possibilities and solutions which will contribute to the strengthening of its strategic position as the leading distributor of subscription based television in the Nordic region. The company will dedicate its activities to contact and attract new users and increase revenue per user through its attractive content and new interactive services. Non strategic companies. Telenor will enhance the value of those companies, which are not strategic for its main business areas and dispose of all or part of its interest in such companies. 1.2. Regional presence Even though Telenor is present in the three dominant regions of the world, the Nordic region is the one where Telenor group has been present since 1855, and the company has held a strong position in the Scandinavian region ever since. The Nordic region is the one from which the majority of Telenor`s income comes from. As it is shown in diagrams 1 and 2, in the first quarter of 2009, 41% of total company revenues came from this region, as well as 37% of EBITDA[3] distribution. The three markets out of which the Nordic region is composed of, in fact represent specific markets with unique differences. For example, although Sweden still has a high use of fixed line telephony, it finds itself at the forefront of the mobile broadband services. Denmark is the market whose customers are the keenest users of SMS and are most interested in content services. Finally, Norwegian customers show growing interest in digital music services and Telenor Group has a high share on this market. The Nordic region is also significant since Telenor combines present and future technologies in the telecom field. As a supplement to existing offers, Telenor provides new broadband technologies, such as Fibre to the Home (FTH) and Long Term Evolution (LTE), the 4th generation mobile broadband standard. The strong distinction between fixed and mobile telephony is slowly vanishing in these markets. According to the data obtained from†¦..there is an evident transition from fixed to mobile networks. The data implicate that the mobile share of voice traffic has increased from 20% in 2003 to 60% in 2008. This is one of the reasons why Telenor acquired Vodafone in Sweden in 2006. Furthermore, the company now has 4G licenses in Norway and Sweden. In order to build networks and share spectrum of mobile communication, Telenor has joined Tele2[4] in a joint venture. The plan is to launch the LTE based broadband services by the end of 2010. This action will position Telenor as the leader of the 4G development worldwide. The same project is planned for Norway, with the difference that it will start in 2011. The Telenor Group has penetrated the Asian region in 1996, through the investment in Grameenphone[5] in Bangladesh. From the very beginning of its operations in Asia, the market has been the cornerstone of the development of the Telenor Group, enabling opportunities for growth in one of the most populated and fastest growing markets in the world. Additionally, mobile operations in Asia have a significant contribution to the total revenues and EBITDA of the Group. Data obtained in the first quarter of 2009 show that the region generated 30% of the revenues, 28% of the Groups EBITDA, and a total of 67 million mobile subscribers of the region. The company has received many awards for innovation and services in the past ten years and has been the driving force in the network development of Asia. Additionally, it has significantly increased the capacity of the regional network and provided coverage, connecting millions of people in new areas, who were previously unconnected. Over the past few years the Asian mobile market has been growing significantly. The growth is additionally stimulated by continuous innovations and new services provided by the company. The Group is active in the markets of Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand and Bangladesh, and the company holds 3G license in Malaysia. Another important step of Telenor was the acquisition of Unitech Wireless[6] in India, through which the company penetrated one of the worlds largest and fastest growing markets. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the mobile markets of Central and Eastern Europe and Russia became a part of Telenor`s business operations. The main characteristic of these markets is the growth opportunity, making it significant part of the Telenor`s strategy in the years to come. Even though the markets of Central and Eastern Europe are challenging economic environment due to the process of transition, which these countries have undergone or are still undergoing, mobile operations of the Group deliver solid financial performances. The first quarter of 2009 shows that Telenor generated 17% of Groups total revenues and 32% of EBITDA. The region also generated 93 million of mobile subscribers. Also, the region of Central and Eastern Europe and Russia has achieved rapid growth in mobile subscription both in consumer, as well as business markets. The company is currently involved in investments in the 3G network in Hungary, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro. The priority is given to the n ew technological and eco friendly solutions, like the wind and solar powered base stations in Hungary, and testing of the new generation wireless broadband in Montenegro. 2. Telenor in Serbia Telenor`s presence in the Balkan region started at the beginning of 1990s when the company launched its operations in Hungary in 2002 by operating Pannon[7], followed by activities in Montenegro through Promonte[8] and finally, Serbia in 2006. Telenor penetrated the Serbian market through the purchase of the Serbian company Mobi 63, Serbias second largest mobile operator and this actually represents the largest privatization transaction in the central and eastern Europe in 2006, as reported by the audit company PriceWaterHouseCoopers. Telenor Group outbid two other short listed competitors at the auction (Mobilkom from Austria and Orascom Telecom from Egypt), offering a bid of 1.513 billion euros. Telenor took over the company on 31st of July 2006, upon the completion of all legal requirements and the signing of the Sales Agreement. The entire auction was broadcasted live on the Serbian national television and was attended by the highest state representatives. Mobi 63, formerly known as Mobtel, was formed by the Government of Serbia in the month of April of 2006, upon the revocation of the operators mobile license, which occurred due to the illegal dealings of the companys previous owners, who were suspected to have sold t he operators license in Kosovo to Mobikos, without requesting permission from the official authorities of Serbia. The Government then proclaimed that the sale was a threat to the national security. The acquisition of Mobi 63 made by Telenor includes a ten year license for GSM 900/1800 and 3G operation for the company, which is renewable for a successive period of ten years upon application. Additionally, the company also obtained Mobi 63`s existing assets, which included the base of approximately 2.5 million customers (in the end of 2005). In just three months upon its arrival to the Serbian market, Telenor invested approximately 15.3 million euros in the equipment of the highest technology, necessary to meet the requirements of the planned network expansion on the territory of Serbia. For this purpose, Telenor signed cooperation agreement with Erickson. Additionally, another contract with the Erickson Company worth 40 million euros for the purpose of network improvement was signed by the end of 2006. The main objective of these investments was to upgrade the quality and the capacity of the existing network, which consequently brings additional quality and services to its users. The actual benefit for the users of the Telenor network is its expanded coverage and good quality. Starting form March 1st 2007, the company enabled the use of commercial services in Serbia, provided by the 3G mobile broadband technology, which consequently provides its users with the possibility to get easier and faster access to the contents on the internet, such as movies, music videos or TV program. 2.1. Relationship towards the employees When Telenor acquired Mobi 63 in August 2006, the company had 926 employees. The newly appointed top management reached a strategic decision to take over the entire infrastructure of the company, as well as its personnel, meaning that there will not be any reduction in the number of employees. In fact, quite the opposite thing occurred in the next three years: the number of employees gradually started growing. In the end of 2007 there had been approximately 1000 employees. By the end of 2008, this number grew to 1100, and finally on December 31st 2009, Telenor had a total of 1207 employees. Having in mind that the field of telecommunications is exposed to everyday changes, Telenor`s employees are expected to adapt to them, set their own objectives in their segment of work, as well as to take on new responsibilities and discover their new talents. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, the company organized a number of trainings, seminars and workshops for its personnel. Through these actions, Telenor tends to provide continuous professional growth and expertise opportunities. Some of the most important ones are: Trainings for future leaders Welcome trainings Codes of conduct Human resource management Communication skills trainings Telenor`s Code of Conduct is one of the key principles upon which the activities of the company are based. This document includes a set of employee policies that cover ethical and legal practices for nearly every aspect of the business. It focuses on the personal responsibility and each employee has to conduct business legally and ethically. Also, it defines ethical rules of behavior for the companys business partners, as well as users. Corporate ethics is very important in the company. The principles of corporate ethics are applicable to all members of the company, including the members of the managing board and top management and all other employees, who represent Telenor on any occasions. Furthermore, the company launched the so called HIT Project, which was encouraged by the television reportage made on one of Telenor`s subcontractors in Bangladesh, who was an obvious example of a company which contributes to bad work conditions, pollution of the environment and child labor. The project focuses on four elements: health, safety, security and environment, and its main objective is for Telenor to emphasize to its business partners the importance of respecting labor and human rights laws. Therefore, Telenor follows the activities of its suppliers in the field and remains in constant touch with them. Furthermore, human resource management conducts the employee satisfaction survey on a yearly basis in order to get a feed back from the employees about the level of their satisfaction, as well as the issues that could be improved and changed within the company. In 2009, the survey was conducted for the third consecutive year and a total percentage of employees which participated was 96.3%. The survey is conducted among all employees in the end of every working year, and concentrates on several important areas of employee satisfaction: satisfaction with job position and work conditions, communication and interpersonal relations within the company, leadership, bonus systems and career opportunities. Results obtained from the survey serve as the foundation for strategy planning for the upcoming years. This point is of particular importance in order to include the opinion of the staff in the process of future strategy defining and decision making, so that everyone can feel that they are a part of it. 2.2. Relationship with clients Top management of the company tends to combine its international experience and the local potential of the country where it operates. In the first year of its activities in the Serbian market, Telenor introduced a large number of significant innovations and new services important for the subscribers. Some of the most innovative products and services offered to the Serbian users are: New prepaid telephone numbers and new channel of sale Telenor Express. Mobile e mail service. The first internet parks in Serbia. Cheaper roaming prices for Telenor users in Hungary and Montenegro Telenor express is the channel of direct sales to customers, which has long and successful tradition in other markets where the company conducts its activities. The new prepaid numbers were introduced in all newspaper stands in Serbia, but could also be purchased through the Telenor Express channel of sale. Approximately twenty five express sales teams are traveling throughout Serbia with specially designed sales stands. In this way the company tries to have direct contact with the customers, to be closer and more available to them, as well as to offer new and innovative sales possibilities and good quality services. Additionally, new prepaid numbers are offered at a much lower rate than previously applied, and each package has higher value than the nominal value of the package. Persons, who decide to purchase a more expensive package, get substantially more free conversation minutes, as well as free text messages, than the ones who purchase a cheaper package. Mobile e-mail is a service dedicated firstly to those who are business users, with the main purpose to facilitate their activities when they find themselves outside the office and need immediate access to their computers. Furthermore, this service enables its users to access and handle their e-mails, calendar and phonebook. The service is compatible to the programs used on their original computers, and can be used by downloading a special software from the Telenor website. From December 1st 2006, Telenor users have the possibility to pay lower prices for roaming services in Hungary and Montenegro, thanks to Telenor network. At the same time, these prices are the lowest prices in comparison to other mobile operators in Serbia. On average, with this service, Telenor users in the Montenegro` s network Promonte are charged 15% less for their voice calls. Additionally, incoming calls from any destination are free of charge for postpaid users in this network. As far as the Hungarian Pannon mobile operator is concerned, prices of outgoing calls are approximately 60% lower, calls made to local mobile and fixed telephone numbers are 25% cheaper, including incoming calls. Calls made to other destinations are 40% cheaper. Additionally, Telenor subscribers have the opportunity to exchange MMS messages with people in ten different countries. The first countries and operators which established this kind of service with Telenor in Serbia are: 02 in Germany, Pannon in Hungary, Telenor in Pakistan, Telefonica 02 in Checz Republic, Sonofon in Denmark, Sunrise in Switzerland, ONE in Austria, Globul in Bulgaria, Telenor in Norway and DIGI in Malaysia. In June 2008, Telenor opened the first internet park in Belgrade, which at the same time represents the first park of this kind in Serbia. People can have free access to the internet and connecting of their portable computers to the internet network is possible either through the wireless connection, or via USB modems, which are located in different places in the park. In the first three months, citizens of Belgrade, as well as other visitors, had the opportunity to test all possibilities of the Internet network free of charge, while enjoying the open air at the same time. Instructions for the connection to the network are displayed on visible places in the park and offer simple explanations through several easy steps. In just several months upon the opening of the first internet park in Belgrade, similar concept was implemented in other Serbian cities: Nis, Novi Sad, Kragujevac and Kraljevo. In this way, citizens of these cities have the possibility to check their e-mails or search the internet sites for various contents. 2.3. Corporate responsibility, young and socially jeopardized categories. Mobile communications contribute to the social integration, having in mind the fact that people can be in touch no matter where they find themselves. However, for a significant number of people worldwide, communication services still represent a luxury and are not available to them. Access to this type of services, in a way, represents the means to fight poverty, ignorance and bad health conditions, as well as to enable people to improve their living situation. One of the main objectives of Telenor is to strive towards creation of value in modern society by offering the possibility of communication services to as many people as possible. In 2007, the auditing company Deloit did a thorough analysis of Telenor`s markets in Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Ukraine and Serbia which pointed to a very close connection between mobile telephony penetration and the increase of the GDP exists. The analysis pointed out to the fact that the increase of 10% in mobile communications could lead to the GDP rise of approximately 1.2%. Furthermore, the study showed that business operations of Telenor have positive contribution to the upgrading of the productivity level, economic welfare, improvements in health and education systems, improvement of conditions in rural areas and social groups with low incomes. Besides the focus on its business operations, Telenor also directs its activities towards the responsibility towards the local community in which it operates. An evidence to support this claim is the fact that Telenor Group is listed in the first position among twenty four leading mobile operators in the world on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index list, which ranks companies according to the criteria of their overall financial, social and ecological impact on the environment. Upon its arrival to the Serbian market, the top management of the company immediately started to develop different strategies concerning the beginning of the work in the field of corporate responsibility. For that purpose, Telenor established its own Foundation in March 2007, and in this way the company continued to invest in the development of Serbias social potentials. â€Å"The main objective of the Foundation is to initiate and support different types of projects and to develop useful and sustainable solutions which are easy to implement on the territory of the entire country. This is the core concept upon which the corporate responsibility of the company is based and which is being implemented world wide. Members of the Foundations Managing Board were chosen upon the criteria of their expertise in different fields and this enabled for the activities of the Foundation to be guided not only by the companys business plans, but also to adequately respond to the necessities of the Serbian society, its growth and development. Additionally, members of the top and middle management are directly involved in the projects of the Foundation and follow their course. Employees are also invited to participate and to set an example by their involvement, volunteer work and individual efforts.† Majority of the activities and projects which the Foundation conducts are directed towards the young population, their education and professional expertise, socially jeopardized categories, as well as the development of cultural production and art. Telenor`s Foundation accomplishes set objectives through various forms of initiatives: Cooperation with non governmental sector, public and private institutions in different types of projects. Programs of exchange of experts in the field of science and art, as well as providing opportunities for professional internships and scholarships. Exchange of information. Establishing the practice of round tables, seminars, conferences and other events which are in any way linked to the activities of Telenor. Organizing of tenders through which different types of trainings and research are offered. Particular emphasis is put on the young generation and talented people and socially jeopardized categories. 2.3.1. Activities of Telenor directed towards young population Foundation launches special programs, seminars lectures, classes and offers scholarships to those who are perceived as young experts in the fields which are relevant for Telenor`s activities. In 2007, Telenor introduced the award â€Å"Professor Ilija StojanoviĆ¡Ã¢â‚¬  in memory of professor Ilija Stojanovic, who was closely connected to the company and participated in its activities from the very beginning of its operations in Serbia. Every year the award of 1500 euros is given to young students, scientists and researchers for their achievements in the field of telecommunications, in three categories: Best paper / project in the field of telecommunications chosen from the Conference for electronics, telecommunications, informatics, automatics and nuclear technique, held on a yearly basis. Best paper / project chosen from the Telflor (yearly conference), held on a yearly basis. Best student of the Graduate School of Electro-technique (course telecommunications). The Foundation was among the first initiators for the cleaning of neglected areas of Belgrade. Participants of the campaign â€Å"Recycling of landscapes: Be creative and revive the city† were pupils of Belgrade high schools and various artists and the entire project was conducted on ten city locations: open cinemas in Vracar[9] and Zvezdara[10] municipality, summer stage and Pioneer city in Kosutnjak, yard filed of abandoned factory, Zvezdani gaj and other locations. The campaign was lasted throughout 2009 and in this period the locations have been cleaned, painted and decorated with art works. There had been approximately 1000 participants in the campaign and they had the opportunity to get acquainted with the creative art process. Development of the environment awareness was one of the key priorities of the project, which was realized in cooperation with the Belgrade City Assembly and Secretariat for sport and youth. The project became the part of the leading environmental project in Serbia â€Å"Let`s wake Serbia up†, under the patronage of the Ministry for the Environment Protection. , In cooperation with the National Television of Serbia, Telenor joined the campaign â€Å"Skola je Skul (School is Cool)†, which promotes school spirit, representing the most active schools that use creative methods Telenor Group Case Study Telenor Group Case Study CASE STUDY TELENOR 1. General information about the Telenor Group The Telenor Group is the leading telecommunications company in Norway and one of the leading mobile operators in the world in terms of subscription. The company is also the biggest provider of television services in the Nordic region, while at the same time being present as the mobile operator in some of the fastest growing markets. Headquarters of the Telenor Group are located in Oslo, Norway. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. With the end of the third quarter of 2009, the Telenor Group has achieved 172 million of mobile subscriptions worldwide and it currently employs approximately 40.000 people in thirty countries. As it is widely familiar, Norway, as well as other Scandinavian countries, is known as extremely developed technology market in the beginning of the 21st century, achieving some of the highest penetration rates for new technologies, such as mobile phones and high speed internet. This actually represents a kind of tradition of the country, having in mind the fact that in 1855 the first telegraph line has been built, followed by the first telephone network connecting the cities of Arendal and Tvederstrand in 1878. Furthermore, Norway was one of the first world countries to introduce mobile telephone system in 1967, which was analogue based and manually operated. In order to understand business operations of Telenor, it seems necessary to make a short historical overview of the companys origins. Beginnings of the Telenor Group date back in 1855 when it was established as a state operated monopoly, bearing the name Norwegian Telegraph Administration NTA (also known as Telegrafverket) and offering the provision of telegraph services. In the last decade of the 19th century, development of the Norways early telephone network was handled by private companies. Norwegian Telegraph Administration, which was in the ownership of the state, gradually took over the privately owned companies in the market and gained control over the sector. Since then, Telenor gained more than 150 years of telecom experience. In 1969, the NTA changed its name to Televerket, also known as Norwegian Telecommunications. With the purchase of Andebu, the last privately owned company in the sector of telecommunications in 1974, Televerket obtained control of the monopoly of t he services of telephone and telecommunications and retained that position till the beginning of the last decade of the 20th century. By the beginning of the 1990s, the company pioneered a new generation of mobile telephone services based on the GSM protocol, which was later accepted and implemented thought Europe. GSM service was launched in 1993 and was followed by the expansion of the company in the field of television broadcasting. This strategic decision provided the company with the opportunity to position itself as the dominant provider of satellite based broadcasting in the Scandinavian region. Since the Norwegian authorities had a tendency to deregulate the telecom sector in the country, the process of deregulation commenced in 1994 and lasted till 1998, with a partial deregulation sector by sector. Even before the government deregulation began, Televerket started with the company restructuring which lasted for four years and included the transformation of the company from a state owned to a public company, as well as the change of the company name to Telenor in 1995. Additionally, the company was a subject of partial privatization in 2000, which gave it a substantial boost of 15.6 billion NOK[1] of new capital and listed it on the Oslo Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. At the beginning of the privatization process, the Government remained the owner of 77.7% of the company, while this percentage was reduced to 53% by 2006. The company was rankedtop performer bythe Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes in 2007 and 2008. The main services which Telenor provides to its consumers and companies worldwide include the following segments: voice, data, content and other services. * In the segment of Voice, Telenor provides people to talk to each other by using fast and reliable networks. This segment focuses on the conversation on the phone, including fixed line, mobile or IP telephony. Fixed voice communication services are provided for users in three countries of the Nordic region and mobile voice in twelve different countries in Europe and Asia. * The segment of Data encompasses of the Internet and broadband services. The company offers fixed line data services like ADSL and fiber-optic communications in the countries of the Nordic region, and mobile data services such as mobile broadband, GPRS, UMTS in 12 countries. From the beginning of 2008, the company has started 3G based mobile broadband services inseven of its markets. * In the field of Content, TV services and mobile content, Telenor offers TV services via cable, digital terrestrial and satellite networks in four Nordic markets. Furthermore, the company also provides mobile content services in several markets, such as mobile TV, sports, ring tones, music and movies. * As far as otherservices are concerned, Telenor has a diversified offer that consists of services, which are telecom related, and the service portfolio is different from one country to another. Depending on the market, the company provides services in the filed of maritime communications, IT consulting, and aircraft communications services. In several markets the company provides Net-centric services, which refer to the IT security for individual consumers and enterprises and machine to machine (M2M) services for enterprises. The major part of the Telenor`s activities is organized in three regions and includes thirteen countries: Asia: Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand and India. Nordic countries: Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Centraland Eastern Europe: Hungary, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine. From the beginning of the 1990s, Telenor begun with its international expansion in the field of mobile communications, penetrating the markets of the following countries: Russia in 1994, Bangladesh, Greece, Ireland, Germany and Austria in 1997, Ukraine in 1998, Malaysia in 1999, Denmark and Thailand in 2000, Hungary in 2002, Montenegro and Pakistan in 2004, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Serbia in 2006. Operations in Greece, Ireland and Germany were sold and the money obtained from this sale has been re invested in the emerging markets. Additionally, in 2005 Vodafone[2] in Sweden was acquired by Telenor. 1.1. Mission and Strategy Telenors primary objective is to create greater value for its shareholders, customers, employees and partners, and for the society in general. The company is dedicated to being at the forefront in creating, simplifying and introducing communication and content solutions to the marketplace. In order to comply with the given goal, Telenor bases its strategy on its customer oriented vision, Here to Help, as well as its core values, Make it easy, Keep promises, Be inspiring and Be respectful. Telenors main strategy is to upgrade the performance of the local mobile operations by combining Groups industrialization with local drive and responsiveness, in the regions where it conducts its business operations: Nordic region, Eastern and Central Europe and Asia. Furthermore, the company plans to maintain its leading position in the Nordic region with a diversified portfolio of communication services. This strategy could be defragmented to the following focus areas: Strengthening of the position of the company as an international mobile operator. Telenor plans to continue the process of strengthening its industrialization of the mobile operations by gaining control over chosen mobile companies. Control is crucial in order to benefit from synergies obtained by cross border activities, such as scale in procurement, development of new services and implementation of best practices, improvement of operational efficiency and the increase of the overall profitability. Telenor plans to manage the non-strategic investments as financial investments and to exit from international mobile operations where the company cannot obtain control over time. Strengthening of the companys position in the Nordic region. Telenor will continue to upgrade its services in the field of mobile and fixed telephony in the Nordic region by using the benefits obtained from economies of scale and cross-border synergies. The company strongly feels that its Nordic presence will improve support to the customers by improving upon its expertise both mobile and fixed services. To find itself at the forefront of communications services providers in Norway. Since the company is the leader in a broad range of services in both the residential and business markets in Norway, Telenor will try to obtain better results in the sense of its profit in the mobile and fixed fields of activity, through the introduction of new services and through various cost-cutting measures. Maintaining of the position of the leader in field of distribution of TV services to consumers in the Nordic region. Telenor additionally insists on finding new possibilities and solutions which will contribute to the strengthening of its strategic position as the leading distributor of subscription based television in the Nordic region. The company will dedicate its activities to contact and attract new users and increase revenue per user through its attractive content and new interactive services. Non strategic companies. Telenor will enhance the value of those companies, which are not strategic for its main business areas and dispose of all or part of its interest in such companies. 1.2. Regional presence Even though Telenor is present in the three dominant regions of the world, the Nordic region is the one where Telenor group has been present since 1855, and the company has held a strong position in the Scandinavian region ever since. The Nordic region is the one from which the majority of Telenor`s income comes from. As it is shown in diagrams 1 and 2, in the first quarter of 2009, 41% of total company revenues came from this region, as well as 37% of EBITDA[3] distribution. The three markets out of which the Nordic region is composed of, in fact represent specific markets with unique differences. For example, although Sweden still has a high use of fixed line telephony, it finds itself at the forefront of the mobile broadband services. Denmark is the market whose customers are the keenest users of SMS and are most interested in content services. Finally, Norwegian customers show growing interest in digital music services and Telenor Group has a high share on this market. The Nordic region is also significant since Telenor combines present and future technologies in the telecom field. As a supplement to existing offers, Telenor provides new broadband technologies, such as Fibre to the Home (FTH) and Long Term Evolution (LTE), the 4th generation mobile broadband standard. The strong distinction between fixed and mobile telephony is slowly vanishing in these markets. According to the data obtained from†¦..there is an evident transition from fixed to mobile networks. The data implicate that the mobile share of voice traffic has increased from 20% in 2003 to 60% in 2008. This is one of the reasons why Telenor acquired Vodafone in Sweden in 2006. Furthermore, the company now has 4G licenses in Norway and Sweden. In order to build networks and share spectrum of mobile communication, Telenor has joined Tele2[4] in a joint venture. The plan is to launch the LTE based broadband services by the end of 2010. This action will position Telenor as the leader of the 4G development worldwide. The same project is planned for Norway, with the difference that it will start in 2011. The Telenor Group has penetrated the Asian region in 1996, through the investment in Grameenphone[5] in Bangladesh. From the very beginning of its operations in Asia, the market has been the cornerstone of the development of the Telenor Group, enabling opportunities for growth in one of the most populated and fastest growing markets in the world. Additionally, mobile operations in Asia have a significant contribution to the total revenues and EBITDA of the Group. Data obtained in the first quarter of 2009 show that the region generated 30% of the revenues, 28% of the Groups EBITDA, and a total of 67 million mobile subscribers of the region. The company has received many awards for innovation and services in the past ten years and has been the driving force in the network development of Asia. Additionally, it has significantly increased the capacity of the regional network and provided coverage, connecting millions of people in new areas, who were previously unconnected. Over the past few years the Asian mobile market has been growing significantly. The growth is additionally stimulated by continuous innovations and new services provided by the company. The Group is active in the markets of Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand and Bangladesh, and the company holds 3G license in Malaysia. Another important step of Telenor was the acquisition of Unitech Wireless[6] in India, through which the company penetrated one of the worlds largest and fastest growing markets. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the mobile markets of Central and Eastern Europe and Russia became a part of Telenor`s business operations. The main characteristic of these markets is the growth opportunity, making it significant part of the Telenor`s strategy in the years to come. Even though the markets of Central and Eastern Europe are challenging economic environment due to the process of transition, which these countries have undergone or are still undergoing, mobile operations of the Group deliver solid financial performances. The first quarter of 2009 shows that Telenor generated 17% of Groups total revenues and 32% of EBITDA. The region also generated 93 million of mobile subscribers. Also, the region of Central and Eastern Europe and Russia has achieved rapid growth in mobile subscription both in consumer, as well as business markets. The company is currently involved in investments in the 3G network in Hungary, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro. The priority is given to the n ew technological and eco friendly solutions, like the wind and solar powered base stations in Hungary, and testing of the new generation wireless broadband in Montenegro. 2. Telenor in Serbia Telenor`s presence in the Balkan region started at the beginning of 1990s when the company launched its operations in Hungary in 2002 by operating Pannon[7], followed by activities in Montenegro through Promonte[8] and finally, Serbia in 2006. Telenor penetrated the Serbian market through the purchase of the Serbian company Mobi 63, Serbias second largest mobile operator and this actually represents the largest privatization transaction in the central and eastern Europe in 2006, as reported by the audit company PriceWaterHouseCoopers. Telenor Group outbid two other short listed competitors at the auction (Mobilkom from Austria and Orascom Telecom from Egypt), offering a bid of 1.513 billion euros. Telenor took over the company on 31st of July 2006, upon the completion of all legal requirements and the signing of the Sales Agreement. The entire auction was broadcasted live on the Serbian national television and was attended by the highest state representatives. Mobi 63, formerly known as Mobtel, was formed by the Government of Serbia in the month of April of 2006, upon the revocation of the operators mobile license, which occurred due to the illegal dealings of the companys previous owners, who were suspected to have sold t he operators license in Kosovo to Mobikos, without requesting permission from the official authorities of Serbia. The Government then proclaimed that the sale was a threat to the national security. The acquisition of Mobi 63 made by Telenor includes a ten year license for GSM 900/1800 and 3G operation for the company, which is renewable for a successive period of ten years upon application. Additionally, the company also obtained Mobi 63`s existing assets, which included the base of approximately 2.5 million customers (in the end of 2005). In just three months upon its arrival to the Serbian market, Telenor invested approximately 15.3 million euros in the equipment of the highest technology, necessary to meet the requirements of the planned network expansion on the territory of Serbia. For this purpose, Telenor signed cooperation agreement with Erickson. Additionally, another contract with the Erickson Company worth 40 million euros for the purpose of network improvement was signed by the end of 2006. The main objective of these investments was to upgrade the quality and the capacity of the existing network, which consequently brings additional quality and services to its users. The actual benefit for the users of the Telenor network is its expanded coverage and good quality. Starting form March 1st 2007, the company enabled the use of commercial services in Serbia, provided by the 3G mobile broadband technology, which consequently provides its users with the possibility to get easier and faster access to the contents on the internet, such as movies, music videos or TV program. 2.1. Relationship towards the employees When Telenor acquired Mobi 63 in August 2006, the company had 926 employees. The newly appointed top management reached a strategic decision to take over the entire infrastructure of the company, as well as its personnel, meaning that there will not be any reduction in the number of employees. In fact, quite the opposite thing occurred in the next three years: the number of employees gradually started growing. In the end of 2007 there had been approximately 1000 employees. By the end of 2008, this number grew to 1100, and finally on December 31st 2009, Telenor had a total of 1207 employees. Having in mind that the field of telecommunications is exposed to everyday changes, Telenor`s employees are expected to adapt to them, set their own objectives in their segment of work, as well as to take on new responsibilities and discover their new talents. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, the company organized a number of trainings, seminars and workshops for its personnel. Through these actions, Telenor tends to provide continuous professional growth and expertise opportunities. Some of the most important ones are: Trainings for future leaders Welcome trainings Codes of conduct Human resource management Communication skills trainings Telenor`s Code of Conduct is one of the key principles upon which the activities of the company are based. This document includes a set of employee policies that cover ethical and legal practices for nearly every aspect of the business. It focuses on the personal responsibility and each employee has to conduct business legally and ethically. Also, it defines ethical rules of behavior for the companys business partners, as well as users. Corporate ethics is very important in the company. The principles of corporate ethics are applicable to all members of the company, including the members of the managing board and top management and all other employees, who represent Telenor on any occasions. Furthermore, the company launched the so called HIT Project, which was encouraged by the television reportage made on one of Telenor`s subcontractors in Bangladesh, who was an obvious example of a company which contributes to bad work conditions, pollution of the environment and child labor. The project focuses on four elements: health, safety, security and environment, and its main objective is for Telenor to emphasize to its business partners the importance of respecting labor and human rights laws. Therefore, Telenor follows the activities of its suppliers in the field and remains in constant touch with them. Furthermore, human resource management conducts the employee satisfaction survey on a yearly basis in order to get a feed back from the employees about the level of their satisfaction, as well as the issues that could be improved and changed within the company. In 2009, the survey was conducted for the third consecutive year and a total percentage of employees which participated was 96.3%. The survey is conducted among all employees in the end of every working year, and concentrates on several important areas of employee satisfaction: satisfaction with job position and work conditions, communication and interpersonal relations within the company, leadership, bonus systems and career opportunities. Results obtained from the survey serve as the foundation for strategy planning for the upcoming years. This point is of particular importance in order to include the opinion of the staff in the process of future strategy defining and decision making, so that everyone can feel that they are a part of it. 2.2. Relationship with clients Top management of the company tends to combine its international experience and the local potential of the country where it operates. In the first year of its activities in the Serbian market, Telenor introduced a large number of significant innovations and new services important for the subscribers. Some of the most innovative products and services offered to the Serbian users are: New prepaid telephone numbers and new channel of sale Telenor Express. Mobile e mail service. The first internet parks in Serbia. Cheaper roaming prices for Telenor users in Hungary and Montenegro Telenor express is the channel of direct sales to customers, which has long and successful tradition in other markets where the company conducts its activities. The new prepaid numbers were introduced in all newspaper stands in Serbia, but could also be purchased through the Telenor Express channel of sale. Approximately twenty five express sales teams are traveling throughout Serbia with specially designed sales stands. In this way the company tries to have direct contact with the customers, to be closer and more available to them, as well as to offer new and innovative sales possibilities and good quality services. Additionally, new prepaid numbers are offered at a much lower rate than previously applied, and each package has higher value than the nominal value of the package. Persons, who decide to purchase a more expensive package, get substantially more free conversation minutes, as well as free text messages, than the ones who purchase a cheaper package. Mobile e-mail is a service dedicated firstly to those who are business users, with the main purpose to facilitate their activities when they find themselves outside the office and need immediate access to their computers. Furthermore, this service enables its users to access and handle their e-mails, calendar and phonebook. The service is compatible to the programs used on their original computers, and can be used by downloading a special software from the Telenor website. From December 1st 2006, Telenor users have the possibility to pay lower prices for roaming services in Hungary and Montenegro, thanks to Telenor network. At the same time, these prices are the lowest prices in comparison to other mobile operators in Serbia. On average, with this service, Telenor users in the Montenegro` s network Promonte are charged 15% less for their voice calls. Additionally, incoming calls from any destination are free of charge for postpaid users in this network. As far as the Hungarian Pannon mobile operator is concerned, prices of outgoing calls are approximately 60% lower, calls made to local mobile and fixed telephone numbers are 25% cheaper, including incoming calls. Calls made to other destinations are 40% cheaper. Additionally, Telenor subscribers have the opportunity to exchange MMS messages with people in ten different countries. The first countries and operators which established this kind of service with Telenor in Serbia are: 02 in Germany, Pannon in Hungary, Telenor in Pakistan, Telefonica 02 in Checz Republic, Sonofon in Denmark, Sunrise in Switzerland, ONE in Austria, Globul in Bulgaria, Telenor in Norway and DIGI in Malaysia. In June 2008, Telenor opened the first internet park in Belgrade, which at the same time represents the first park of this kind in Serbia. People can have free access to the internet and connecting of their portable computers to the internet network is possible either through the wireless connection, or via USB modems, which are located in different places in the park. In the first three months, citizens of Belgrade, as well as other visitors, had the opportunity to test all possibilities of the Internet network free of charge, while enjoying the open air at the same time. Instructions for the connection to the network are displayed on visible places in the park and offer simple explanations through several easy steps. In just several months upon the opening of the first internet park in Belgrade, similar concept was implemented in other Serbian cities: Nis, Novi Sad, Kragujevac and Kraljevo. In this way, citizens of these cities have the possibility to check their e-mails or search the internet sites for various contents. 2.3. Corporate responsibility, young and socially jeopardized categories. Mobile communications contribute to the social integration, having in mind the fact that people can be in touch no matter where they find themselves. However, for a significant number of people worldwide, communication services still represent a luxury and are not available to them. Access to this type of services, in a way, represents the means to fight poverty, ignorance and bad health conditions, as well as to enable people to improve their living situation. One of the main objectives of Telenor is to strive towards creation of value in modern society by offering the possibility of communication services to as many people as possible. In 2007, the auditing company Deloit did a thorough analysis of Telenor`s markets in Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Ukraine and Serbia which pointed to a very close connection between mobile telephony penetration and the increase of the GDP exists. The analysis pointed out to the fact that the increase of 10% in mobile communications could lead to the GDP rise of approximately 1.2%. Furthermore, the study showed that business operations of Telenor have positive contribution to the upgrading of the productivity level, economic welfare, improvements in health and education systems, improvement of conditions in rural areas and social groups with low incomes. Besides the focus on its business operations, Telenor also directs its activities towards the responsibility towards the local community in which it operates. An evidence to support this claim is the fact that Telenor Group is listed in the first position among twenty four leading mobile operators in the world on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index list, which ranks companies according to the criteria of their overall financial, social and ecological impact on the environment. Upon its arrival to the Serbian market, the top management of the company immediately started to develop different strategies concerning the beginning of the work in the field of corporate responsibility. For that purpose, Telenor established its own Foundation in March 2007, and in this way the company continued to invest in the development of Serbias social potentials. â€Å"The main objective of the Foundation is to initiate and support different types of projects and to develop useful and sustainable solutions which are easy to implement on the territory of the entire country. This is the core concept upon which the corporate responsibility of the company is based and which is being implemented world wide. Members of the Foundations Managing Board were chosen upon the criteria of their expertise in different fields and this enabled for the activities of the Foundation to be guided not only by the companys business plans, but also to adequately respond to the necessities of the Serbian society, its growth and development. Additionally, members of the top and middle management are directly involved in the projects of the Foundation and follow their course. Employees are also invited to participate and to set an example by their involvement, volunteer work and individual efforts.† Majority of the activities and projects which the Foundation conducts are directed towards the young population, their education and professional expertise, socially jeopardized categories, as well as the development of cultural production and art. Telenor`s Foundation accomplishes set objectives through various forms of initiatives: Cooperation with non governmental sector, public and private institutions in different types of projects. Programs of exchange of experts in the field of science and art, as well as providing opportunities for professional internships and scholarships. Exchange of information. Establishing the practice of round tables, seminars, conferences and other events which are in any way linked to the activities of Telenor. Organizing of tenders through which different types of trainings and research are offered. Particular emphasis is put on the young generation and talented people and socially jeopardized categories. 2.3.1. Activities of Telenor directed towards young population Foundation launches special programs, seminars lectures, classes and offers scholarships to those who are perceived as young experts in the fields which are relevant for Telenor`s activities. In 2007, Telenor introduced the award â€Å"Professor Ilija StojanoviĆ¡Ã¢â‚¬  in memory of professor Ilija Stojanovic, who was closely connected to the company and participated in its activities from the very beginning of its operations in Serbia. Every year the award of 1500 euros is given to young students, scientists and researchers for their achievements in the field of telecommunications, in three categories: Best paper / project in the field of telecommunications chosen from the Conference for electronics, telecommunications, informatics, automatics and nuclear technique, held on a yearly basis. Best paper / project chosen from the Telflor (yearly conference), held on a yearly basis. Best student of the Graduate School of Electro-technique (course telecommunications). The Foundation was among the first initiators for the cleaning of neglected areas of Belgrade. Participants of the campaign â€Å"Recycling of landscapes: Be creative and revive the city† were pupils of Belgrade high schools and various artists and the entire project was conducted on ten city locations: open cinemas in Vracar[9] and Zvezdara[10] municipality, summer stage and Pioneer city in Kosutnjak, yard filed of abandoned factory, Zvezdani gaj and other locations. The campaign was lasted throughout 2009 and in this period the locations have been cleaned, painted and decorated with art works. There had been approximately 1000 participants in the campaign and they had the opportunity to get acquainted with the creative art process. Development of the environment awareness was one of the key priorities of the project, which was realized in cooperation with the Belgrade City Assembly and Secretariat for sport and youth. The project became the part of the leading environmental project in Serbia â€Å"Let`s wake Serbia up†, under the patronage of the Ministry for the Environment Protection. , In cooperation with the National Television of Serbia, Telenor joined the campaign â€Å"Skola je Skul (School is Cool)†, which promotes school spirit, representing the most active schools that use creative methods