Corporate Sustainability Social And Economic Change Essay

Many of the world’s largest companies own land and have ties with endless communities, so corporations are the forefront of social and economic change that will determine if our society can become sustainable. Since multinational business run the world, sustainability within business is a way to initiate major change in terms of our society’s opinion and commitment to sustainability. As Richard T. Watson states in his book Information Systems, â€Å"organizations are the major force for innovation in most societies, and corporations in particular are major change agents† (Boudreau). This statement supports the theory that a company’s decisions within itself can and will determine the societies in which it is located. Some corporations are taking major steps towards becoming sustainable within themselves, therefore starting the change within our whole society. Understanding that corporations strongly determine our economy which is heavily correlated with ou r society makes it clear that businesses must be sustainable if we ever want our culture to be sustainable. â€Å"Organizations strive to sustain their existence, and the notion of corporate sustainability incorporates ecological thinking and three different approaches to it: eco-efficiency, eco-equity, and eco-effectiveness† (Boudreau). Eco-efficiency refers to the goal to provide competitive goods and services that increase quality of life while also reducing ecological impact. This approach emphasizes sustainability in which aShow MoreRelatedChange Management Is Planning, Organising, Leading And Controlling A Change Process Essay816 Words   |  4 Pages01. Introduction Change management is planning, organising, leading and controlling a change process in an organisation to improve its performance as well as to achieve organisational goals. According to Ha (2015), it is a challenging, complex and continuous process that needs a specifics skill for leaders and managers. In fact this is important for change managers to identify the five key questions; Why? Who? What? How? When? And attend to them very carefully, because it can impact on the company’sRead MoreEffective Governance And Sustainability : An Definition Of Sustainable Development1398 Words   |  6 PagesEffective governance and sustainability are increasingly important considerations for governments, organizations, business leaders, investors, consumers and many other stakeholders throughout the world. Good corporate governance and complexity of sustainable development demands for global cooperation, based mainly on joint co-ordination of strategies and adopting of the best decisio ns. 1.1 Definition of sustainable Development: the term sustainable development was popularized in our common futureRead MoreThe Sustainability Strategy of Virgin Groups Corporate1497 Words   |  6 Pagesclimate change, the pending introduction of an emissions trading scheme and significant changes in demographics and society in general have combined to make sustainability a mainstream issue. â€Å"The goal of sustainable development is to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.† (G3.1 Guidelines, 2011, p4) This study report on a survey of the Virgin Groups sustainability report that summarize the Virgin companies’ sustainability strategyRead MoreGlobal Business And Its Sustainability Essay1745 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Corporate groups has important role in today’s global business and its sustainability can contribute significantly to present and upcoming accomplishment of organizations. A major success factor for change towards sustainability in corporate world is incorporation of environmental, economic and societal goals. This incorporation is an important achievement, however it require a systematic approach which itself is a major challenge for organizations. Therefore, there is a significantRead MoreTransformation Is Run By Ceo Carole Anne Hilton1551 Words   |  7 Pagescommunity development and the social and economic capacity among First Nations communities. Their entire development and business goal is to establish governing structures, managing systems, and business development for First Nations people in order to establish a bright and structured future. Transformation is run by CEO Carole Anne Hilton who is driven by her ancestry and her passion to help struggling people. Hilto n built the company off of the foundation of social and economic needs. Conventionally,Read MoreHuman Resource Management And Corporate Social Responsibility Essay1167 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction The Human Resource Management and Corporate Social Responsibility are two news that are accepted and believed as highly important to company strategies. To be in competitive businesses needs to increase productivity by finding new systems. Furthermore, HRM is a crucial tool for any business, and as well as CSR, which is becoming an important too. The growth of CSR is the result of changes in the developed world’s greater concerns for environmental deforestation, discriminatory workingRead MoreEs G And Ehs Management Practices1368 Words   |  6 Pagesemphasize sustainability. Several environmental, social, and governance issues, including health and safety among other factors, have contributed to the diverse aspects of sustainability. The complex business reforms brought by the Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS), including social and governance (ESG) issues remain indistinctive in several disciplines. Some widespread proposals exist over the application of, ESG and EHS management practices and methods. To understand sustainability, it is essentialRead MorePuma Corporation s Integrative Managerial Issues Regarding Social Responsibility Essay1213 Words   |  5 PagesPuma Corporation’s Integrative Managerial Issues Regarding Social Responsibility During the 1960’s, the definition of corporate social responsibility expanded as social activists began to question the typical â€Å"economic obligations† mentality, which focused on the singular economic objective of business. Nowadays, society expects much more out of businesses and corporations. Business firms are expected to go beyond their legal and economic obligations and act in ways that are beneficial to societyRead MoreFrameworks In Greenwashing913 Words   |  4 Pagesand transparent, and to disclose the social, environmental and economic impacts of their activities through sustainability reporting (Klettner, Clarke Boersma 2014; Soderstrom 2013). Accordingly, there has been an increase in organisations’ claiming their voluntary commitment to the international standards and frameworks for corporate sustainability – namely, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)’s sustainability reporting gui delines (Klettner, ClarkeRead MoreAmanco Sustainability Strategy1106 Words   |  5 Pages Amanco Sustainability Strategy Abbas Ibrahim OCT 18, 2015 1. Is the Amanco strategy an example of corporate social responsibility or corporate self interest?   Amanco Strategy is an example of corporate social responsibility. Amanco, part of the Nueva Group based in Costa Rica, produces and markets piping for irrigation construction, infrastructure, and industry in 13 countries of Latin America. The company’s vision is â€Å"to be recognized as an organization that creates economic value by operating

Analysis of South Africa Essay - 1329 Words

Introduction The country selected is South Africa. It is the country of choice because I want to visit the African Continent someday. I am also part African American and want to learn more about the African culture. Location/Geography South Africa is located on the southern tip of Africa. The country has a coastline along the Atlantic and Indian oceans, which makes the country known for its fishery. There are several African countries that border South Africa. The countries include Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland (Republic of South Africa, 2013, geography and climate). The climate of South Africa is subtropical and consists of grasslands, forests, deserts, mountain, beaches, and coastal wetlands (Republic†¦show more content†¦Economy In 2011, South Africa’s gross national income per capita was 10,710 U.S currencies. The country spent a total expenditure on health per capita of 942 U.S dollars in the year 2011. The total expenditure on health of gross domestic product was 8.5% (WHO, 2013). The United States exports 7.3 billion U.S. dollars’ of goods to South Africa in 2011. The top exports included vehicles, gold, oil, electrical machinery, wheat, dairy product s, poultry meat, and vegetable oil. South Africa exported 9.5 billion U.S. dollars’ worth of products to the United States. Some of the top categories of the U.S. imports were platinum, diamonds, iron and steel, fresh fruit, tree nuts, and wine and beer (USTR, 2013). State of Health Disease is one of the primary concerns in South Africa today. The distribution of disease can be divided into three categories. Communicable disease accounts for 60.5%, non-intentional injuries 11.2% and non-communicable for 28.4% of the distribution of disease (WHO, 2010, South Africa: health statistics profile 2010). The leading causes of disease in South Africa are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis, violence, and road accidents (WHO, 2010, health statistics profile 2010).HIV/AIDS has the highest cause of disease by accounting for 40.7% of the diseased population. Tuberculosis follows afterwards with 5.4%, violence at 4.8%, and road traffic accident at 2.6% (WHO, 2010, healthShow MoreRelatedSouth Africa Pest Analysis1602 Words   |  7 PagesSOUTH AFRICA HISTORY In the history of South Africa, the earliest known settlers of the country were the San and Khoekhoe people, collectively known as Khoisan. They were two distinct cultural groups. The first Europeans to arrive in South Africa were the Portuguese Seafarers who initiated the sea route to India in 1488. They were soon followed by other Europeans since the late 16 th century In 1815, the British took permanent control of the Cape colony and brought in more settlers In 1910 SouthRead MoreComparative Analysis of South Africa and Nigeria1374 Words   |  6 PagesCOMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOUTH AFICA AND NIGERIA Africa is the second largest continent with vast resources and inhabits more than 12 percent of the world’s population. Although we know that the continent has plenty of resources, Africa remains the world’s poorest and most undeveloped continent. [1]Poverty is widespread, there is a great threat of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Politically, I would say that the country is unstable as there were civil and liberationRead MoreAnalysis of the Retail Industry in South Africa4463 Words   |  18 PagesMARKET ANALYSIS FOR THE RETAIL INDUSTRY IN SOUTH AFRICA Contents Page Executive Summary 2 1. Introduction 3 2. Retail industry in South Africa 5 3. Macro and Micro environment analysis 6 3.1 Macro environment of Retail market in South Africa 6 3.1.1. Political Environment 6 3.1.2. Economic environment 8 3.1.3 Technological Environment 10 3.2 Micro environments analysis 11 3.2.1. Suppliers’Read MoreGlobal Business Cultural Analysis: South Africa6982 Words   |  28 PagesRunning head: GBCA – SOUTH AFRICA 1 Global Business Cultural Analysis: South Africa Raymond J. Landis BUSI 604-D06 LUO – International Business Professor – Dr. Stephen P. Preacher Liberty University May 13, 2011 GBCA – SOUTH AFRICA Abstract This paper will endeavor to form a comprehensive analysis of South African culture, principally for the perspective of doing business in that nation. Ultimately, the paper will point out the crucial points for US businesses to consider before committing toRead MoreAnalysis of Housing in Cape Town, South Africa804 Words   |  3 Pages1- Introduction In the 1990s, Housing program in South Africa in general, and in Cape Town in particular, was still influenced by earlier housing policies and constrained by the pattern of low-income urban settlement inherited from the apartheid era, the main issue was the provision of houses for the poorest growing population, the outline of the governments’ approach to this issue is the concept of state assisted self help housing and commitment of incremental approach to housing, this policyRead More Comparative Analysis of Economic and Political Cleavages in South Africa and Zimbabwe2326 Words   |  10 PagesComparative Analysis of Economic and Political Cleavages in South Africa and Zimbabwe Introduction Comparative politics is concerned with examining the characteristics or qualities of two different political entities to discover resemblances or differences. These entities can be general in nature, for example, the comparison of two countries, or more specific in nature, comparing two different systems of government. But, whether general or specific in nature, comparative politics tries toRead MoreAnalysis of Internal External Environment of South Africa Broadcast Corporation3353 Words   |  14 PagesTHE CONTEXT OF MANAGEMENT (MBA 591-1) An analysis of South African Broadcast Corporation’s Internal and External Environment. Prepared By: Wandisa Vazi (72112212) Date: 25 August 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 2. Analysis External Environment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 2.1 Political Forces†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 2.2 Economical Forces†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Read MoreA Merchandise Management Analysis of Spar Supermarkets in Stellenbosch, South Africa7070 Words   |  29 Pageshave a generic format so that consumers who are under time pressure can easily make their purchase. This relates to Spar in that the store layout must be placed, with the consumers expectations of where items should be, in mind. The basic unit of analysis for making merchandise management decisions is the merchandise category (Levy Weitz, 2009), these are groups of items and brands that consumers see as direct substitutes for one another, and for example different brands of milk cheese make up theRead MoreAnalysis of South Africa Through Two Films: Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, and Totsi2894 Words   |  12 Pages Analysis Synthesis of South Africa Based on the 1995 written autobiographical account of Mandela’s own life, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom serves as an inspirational biopic. Filmed on location in South Africa, the film focuses most of its time on Mandela’s early life and transition into adulthood, while dedicating only a small portion to Mandela’s life and political achievements after imprisonment. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom can be divided into three parts: Mandela’s early life and comingRead MoreForeign Policy : The Transition Of Democracy1039 Words   |  5 PagesQuestion 1. Foreign Policy Analysis: 1. Introduction: Foreign policy involves the goals, strategies, measures, understanding, agreements, directives and rules in which national governments conduct international relations with each other as well as international organisations and non-governmental actors. South Africa s post-apartheid foreign policy vision has become prosperous, peaceful, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and united which contributes to the world that is equitable. This essay will

Seasons In France Essay Example For Students

Seasons In France Essay France is a beautiful country. It has lots to do like skiing, swimming,shopping, gambling, drinking, and dining. Here are the topics I will include inmy report, government, history, culture, tourist attractions, language,entertainment, transportation, climate, currency, accommodations, and traveltips. Sit back have some wine because you are about to embark on a journey, AJourney to France!GovernmentFrance is a republic with a president and a premier. The president isJacques Chirac and the premier is Alain Juppe. The legislature consists of theNational Assembly and the Senate. The president appoints the premier. He alsoserves a 7-year term. Ages 18 and up can vote for the president and thelegislature. The National Assembly consists of 577 deputies that are elected intheir political division. They serve a five-year term. The senate has 319members that are elected for a five-year term. France is divided into 22 regions,96 metropolitan areas, 4 overseas departments, 4 overseas territorie s, and 2collective territories. HistoryIn ancient times the Celts and Germanic tribes lived in France. When theromans invaded, they called France Gaul. Gaul was eventually annexed. In 400 A.D. the west roman empires defense began to fall. After that France was anindependent country. Hugh Carpet was crowned the first king of France in 987 A.D. In the 1700s the French Revolution started. The end of the French revolutionmarked the end of absolute power for the French kings. Napoleon seized power in1799. He founded the first empire in 1804. He was exiled in 1814. CultureThe 1993 estimate of the French population was 57,566,091. The averagepopulation density is 105.8 people per square kilometer. The populationdistribution is 76% for urban areas and 26% for rural areas. Studies show thatthe majority prefer houses to apartments. The major religion is Roman Catholic. 99% of the French population is literate. There are 72 universities in France. Tourist AttractionsShopping is a big attraction in France. In Paris, department stores aregood places to shop. In Normandy, shops have a rich selection of antiques. Sunday is a good day to shop on in Normandy because many stores have discounts. Normandy has a lot of lace too. The prices are high and the pieces are laborintensive. There are some good beaches in Normandy. It has lots of seasidecoasts. There are many widely spaced resorts. On the Atlantic coast there aremany waterslides, wavepools, and other water goodies. Paris has lots of culture. The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889. It costs $8 to go to the top. Its opendaily from 9:30 A.M. to 11 P.M. At night you can almost see all of Paris. Incase you get hungry there are cafes to eat at on the Eiffel Tower. The Louvrehas a collection of great art works throughout history. It was built in the 13thcentury. It has the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Divinci. There are seven sections atthe Louvre. They are ancient civilizations, sculptures, furniture, drawings,paintings, prints, and arms armor. Dont try to see it all at once. The hoursare wed-Mon. 9-6 and Tuesday open til 9:45. Admission $10 for adults, $7 forages 18-25, 18 and under are free. LanguageIn France the official language is French. English is usually understoodin most tourist areas. Speak slowly in either English or French. Your French maysound prickly. If your French isnt that good just try to learn a few words. EntertainmentSo you need something to do in your free time? Okay now listen well. Atnight you may want to go to a nightclub. Many have an English atmosphere andlots of whiskeys. Try Le Queens Bar, it has a karioke machine and a videorecorder so you can see your performance later. There are hundreds of theatersin France. Look at Officiel du Spectacle for the movies you want. If you wantto jazz it up a little go to Le Petit Journal for tradional jazz. Bring $20per person and some money for food. Wait til 10 or 11 P.M. for some real music. .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 , .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 .postImageUrl , .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 , .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8:hover , .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8:visited , .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8:active { border:0!important; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8:active , .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8 .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2ca9482a253309e52103b49dc5cf58e8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Parts of Speech Essay ThesisGo to Centr la Meret des Eaux, it is an aquarium. It costs $5 per person. Itsopen from Tues.-Friday from 10- 12:30 A.M. and 1:15-5:30 P.M. TransportationIn France many places are accessible to cars. Some high-cost hotels havecar-renting services. Paris has 6 train stations, so you could get around easily. Most taxis will charge $2-3 per mile. FashionIn France you should bring sweaters and sweatshirts because it can getcold. Also, you should bring winter coats. You should try to wear dressy clothesas much as you can because many fashion designers are in France. CurrencyThe french currency is a franc. Five francs are equal to one dollar. Some hotels accept American money, but dont depend on it. Also, some hotelshave a currency exchange. AccommodationsA lot of good hotels are in Paris. The Meurice Hotel costs about $ 300per night. This hotel has Persian carpets and big rooms with a bath. The FleurieHotel costs up to $ 300 per night, this hotel has exceptional dining and a bath. The Imperial Palace is in Lyons, it costs $ 200 per night it also has a bath. The Alexandria costs about $ 150 per night. It has a bath. Most hotels in Francedo not have bathes. Travel TipsFor traveling on the airplane try to get a nonstop flight. Most flightsdo not allow smoking. Get as much sleep as you can. In customs dont worry aboutyour laptops, video cameras, etc. They wont be damaged by the x-rays. Changethe batteries before leaving on all of your electronics. Bring all of the lensesfor cameras. Wear dressy clothes at the restaurants. Tip about 10% of the billfor restaurants. Category: History

Shakespeares The Merchant Of Venice Essays - Orientalism

Shakespeare's The Merchant Of Venice Although Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice is considered a comedy, cruelty runs rampant throughout the entire text of the play. Most of the characters exhibit some form of cruel behavior toward one another, including Lancelot who is cruel to his father Gobbio when he runs into him on the street. He engages the old man in belittling word play because his father has very poor eyesight and cannot tell that he is actually speaking to his own son. Everyone is cruel to Shylock; in fact, he is viewed as the outsider and often referred to as the devil. Shylock is the Jewish moneylender who makes a huge profit by lending money with exorbitant interest rates to the Christian population of Venice. I will not touch on the theme of racism and prejudice in the play, but it is common knowledge that Jews were not seen in a positive light in Elizabethan England at the time when Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice. Shylock hates the merchant Antonio in particular, for Antonio lends money to hi s fellow Christians without charging any interest on the loans, thus he takes away from Shylock's livelihood. I am going to center my discussion of the theme of cruelty to two of the characters in the play-Shylock and Portia. Although both characters are guilty of egregious and cruel acts, Portia's cruel acts against Shylock are seen as more acceptable for a couple of reasons. One reason is that Portia is motivated by her love for Bassanio, and another reason is that Shylock is Jewish, and heartless in his own right. Therefore, it is more socially acceptable to be cruel to him. Love makes the difference between Portia's scheming and Shylock's, between his litigation and hers, between his exercise of power and hers (Hobson, 201). In the beginning of the play, we find Portia lamenting about the situation her deceased father has created for her. By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this great world?But this reason is not in the fashion to choose me a husband. O, me, the word choose I may neither choose who I would nor refuse who I dislike. So is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father (Act 1, Scene 2). He has willed it so that she may not marry anyone but the one suitor who picks correctly from three caskets, one casket is made of gold, one is made of silver and one is made of lead. The man who picks correctly will find a picture of Portia inside, and he will be the one to marry Portia. Portia is frustrated that she has absolutely no say in whom she will marry-she cannot refuse the suitor who chooses correctly. Another aspect of this cruel arrangement is that if a suitor does not choose correctly, he will be forever banned from marriage. He may not ever ask another woman t o marry him, and he will die without an heir. Thus Portia's dead father has left a cruel legacy involving his daughter and her suitors. It seems that Portia is lucky in this lottery however. Bassanio chooses correctly from the three caskets and is to marry Portia, and she is happy with the circumstance. This is when the couple learns of Bassanio's friend Antonio's plight. Antonio had borrowed money on behalf of Bassanio, promising to pay it back when his ships came into port with their cargoes. It seems that Antonio's ships were shipwrecked, and he cannot pay back the bond held by the lender, Shylock. Shylock is very adamant about receiving his payment from the doomed Antonio, which calls for a pound of flesh, and therefore death, if the bond is forfeited. As I stated earlier, Shylock possesses a hatred for Antonio fueled by the fact that Antonio lends money without charging interest. I hate him for he is a Christian, but more for that in low simplicity he lends out money in gratis and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice. If I catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear hi m (Act 1, Scene 3, line 41).