What Affect Will the Fedex Buyout Have on the Memphis Economy Essay Example

What Affect Will the Fedex Buyout Have on the Memphis Economy Essay What affect will the FedEx buyout have on the Memphis Economy? Pearlie M Thomas, Candice Johnson, Frances Marshall, Jonathan Parker, Terrance Clements QNT/561 February 14, 2013 Professor Emiel Barrett What affect will the FedEx buyout have on the Memphis Economy? FedEx is one of the largest company in the City of Memphis and probably employee more employees than any other company. The slow economy and the high cost of fuel have affected the company’s budget. In order to make the company more profitable, the company has decided to restructure and offer a voluntary buyout to its 100,000 plus employees worldwide, with about 30,000 of those in the Memphis area. The buyout leads to one question, the affect it will have on the local economy. Problem This buyout is projected be much bigger than the one the company offered in 2004 and the last one. Those employees electing to take the buyout will receive a lump sum payment. Economists view this as an opportunity to boost the Memphis economy. Those with, what is being called new money are projected to spend it on real estate, investments, new business, automobile purchases etc. This may very well boost the local economy over a short-term period, but the bigger picture is the affect it will have long-term. Over time, it will affect the economy because it will lower the median income in the city, which affects consumer spending because they are going to replace the jobs with lower paying jobs. There will also be an influx of employees who need a job, but unable to obtain one. We will write a custom essay sample on What Affect Will the Fedex Buyout Have on the Memphis Economy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on What Affect Will the Fedex Buyout Have on the Memphis Economy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on What Affect Will the Fedex Buyout Have on the Memphis Economy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Research Design The research design that is appropriate for this dilemma is a Casual Study Design. Causality studies can be thought as the understanding of a phenomenon in terms of conditional statements in the form of, â€Å"If X happens, and then Y is the result† (USC, 2011). This type of research is used to measure what impact a specific change will have on existing norms and assumptions (USC, 2011). The casual design research study occurs when a variation phenomenon and independent variable result to a variation in a ependent variable (USC, 2011). In this case, there is variation with FedEx employees and retirement payouts that could affect the community of Memphis. The independent variable is the FedEx Corporation, and the dependent variable is the response from employees about the payout. Data Collection Sampling Data collection sampling is a method of gathering information about a subject so that the data collected can be analyzed to determine the type of data that you are collecting. It needs to be determined whether the data is quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative is data that can be measure on a numerical scale and is put in to subcategories known as nominal or ordinal. Nominal data cannot be measured in any numerical order. For instance, a person’s preference of fruit flavors used in candy. This data can be coded with a Y or N answer or maybe or categories that darken your choice, but cannot be added or subtracted. On the other hand ordinal data can have a numerical value or can be put on a scale. An example of this is ranking how useful a person feels the internet is. This can be done by stating, â€Å"On a scale from 1to 5, how useful is the internet to you? 1 is the lowest ranking, and 5 is the highest ranking. A Survey in the form of a questionnaire is an ideal form of sample design to use for this particular subject. With a questionnaire, inferences can be gathered about the effects that changes with FedEx will have one the general public. Demographical questions can be asked to understand how this change will impact the different age groups, different economic groups, educational groups, race groups or any group that makes up the social classes in Memphis. Using a questionnaire can give the person responsible a chance to ask questions that will cover all of the issue involved. It will also give the citizens a chance to express their feeling and concerns about the changes with Fed Ex.

Free Essays on Zimmermann

Between 1914 and the spring of 1917, the European nations engaged in a conflict that became known as World War I. While armies moved across the face of Europe, the United States remained neutral. In 1916 Woodrow Wilson was elected President for a second term, largely because of the slogan "He kept us out of war." Events in early 1917 would change that hope. In frustration over the effective British naval blockade, in February Germany broke its pledge to limit submarine warfare. In response to the breaking of the Sussex pledge, the United States severed diplomatic relations with Germany. In January of 1917, British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German Minister to Mexico, von Eckhardt, offering United States territory to Mexico in return for joining the German cause. This message helped draw the United States into the war and thus changed the course of history. The telegram had such an impact on American opinion that, according to David Kahn, author of The Codebreakers, "No other single cryptanalysis has had such enormous consequences." It is his opinion that "never before or since has so much turned upon the solution of a secret message." In an effort to protect their intelligence from detection and to capitalize on growing anti-German sentiment in the United States, the British waited until February 24 to present the telegram to Woodrow Wilson. The American press published news of the telegram on March 1. On April 6, 1917, the United States Congress formally declared war on Germany and its allies. The story of British intelligence efforts to decipher the German code is fascinating and complicated. The Zimmermann Telegram by Barbara Tuchman recounts that story in all of its exciting detail. It is an excellent historical account for high school students.... Free Essays on Zimmermann Free Essays on Zimmermann Between 1914 and the spring of 1917, the European nations engaged in a conflict that became known as World War I. While armies moved across the face of Europe, the United States remained neutral. In 1916 Woodrow Wilson was elected President for a second term, largely because of the slogan "He kept us out of war." Events in early 1917 would change that hope. In frustration over the effective British naval blockade, in February Germany broke its pledge to limit submarine warfare. In response to the breaking of the Sussex pledge, the United States severed diplomatic relations with Germany. In January of 1917, British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German Minister to Mexico, von Eckhardt, offering United States territory to Mexico in return for joining the German cause. This message helped draw the United States into the war and thus changed the course of history. The telegram had such an impact on American opinion that, according to David Kahn, author of The Codebreakers, "No other single cryptanalysis has had such enormous consequences." It is his opinion that "never before or since has so much turned upon the solution of a secret message." In an effort to protect their intelligence from detection and to capitalize on growing anti-German sentiment in the United States, the British waited until February 24 to present the telegram to Woodrow Wilson. The American press published news of the telegram on March 1. On April 6, 1917, the United States Congress formally declared war on Germany and its allies. The story of British intelligence efforts to decipher the German code is fascinating and complicated. The Zimmermann Telegram by Barbara Tuchman recounts that story in all of its exciting detail. It is an excellent historical account for high school students....

Major General George Meade in the Civil War

Major General George Meade in the Civil War Born at Cdiz, Spain on December 31, 1815, George Gordon Meade was the eighth of eleven children born to Richard Worsam Meade and Margaret Coats Butler. A Philadelphia merchant living in Spain, Meade had been crippled financially during the Napoleonic Wars and was serving a naval agent for the US government in Cdiz. Shortly after his death in 1928, the family returned to the United States and young George was sent to school at Mount Hope College in Baltimore, MD. West Point Meades time at Mount Hope proved brief due to his familys increasingly difficult financial situation. Wishing to continue his education and aid his family, Meade sought an appointment to the United States Military Academy. Securing admission, he entered West Point in 1831. While there his classmates included George W. Morell, Marsena Patrick, Herman Haupt, and future US Postmaster General Montgomery Blair. Graduating 19th in a class of 56, Meade was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1835 and assigned to the 3rd US Artillery. Early Career Dispatched to Florida to fight the Seminoles, Meade soon fell ill with fever and was transferred to the Watertown Arsenal in Massachusetts. Having never intended to make the army his career, he resigned in late 1836 after recovering from his sickness. Entering civilian life, Meade sought work as an engineer and had some success surveying new lines for railroad companies as well as working for the War Department. In 1840, Meade married Margaretta Sergeant, the daughter of prominent Pennsylvanian politician John Sergeant. The couple would ultimately have seven children. After his marriage, Meade found steady work increasingly difficult to obtain. In 1842, he elected to re-enter the US Army and was made a lieutenant of topographical engineers. Mexican-American War Assigned to Texas in 1845, Meade served as a staff officer in Major General Zachary Taylors army after the outbreak of the Mexican-American War the following year. Present at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, he was brevetted to first lieutenant for gallantry at the Battle of Monterrey. Meade also served on the staffs of Brigadier General William J. Worth and Major General Robert Patterson. 1850s Returning to Philadelphia after the conflict, Meade spent the bulk of the next decade designing lighthouses and conducting coastal surveys on the East Coast. Among those lighthouses he designed were those at Cape May (NJ), Absecon (NJ), Long Beach Island (NJ), Barnegat (NJ) and Jupiter Inlet (FL). During this time, Meade also devised a hydraulic lamp that was accepted for use by the Lighthouse Board. Promoted to captain in 1856, he was ordered west the following year to oversee a survey of the Great Lakes. Publishing his report in 1860, he remained on the Great Lakes until the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861. The Civil War Begins Returning east, Meade was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on August 31 at the recommendation of Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin and given command of the 2nd Brigade, Pennsylvania Reserves. Initially assigned to Washington, DC, his men built fortifications around the city until being assigned to Major General George McClellans newly formed Army of the Potomac. Moving south in the spring of 1862, Meade took part in McClellans Peninsula Campaign until being wounded three times at the Battle of Glendale on June 30. Quickly recovering, he rejoined his men in time for the Second Battle of Manassas in late August. Rising through the Army In the course of the fighting, Meades brigade took part in the vital defense of Henry House Hill which allowed the remainder of the army to escape after the defeat. Shortly after the battle he was given command of the 3rd Division, I Corps. Moving north at the beginning of the Maryland Campaign, he earned praise for his efforts at the Battle of South Mountain and again three days later at Antietam. When his corps commander, Major General Joseph Hooker, was wounded, Meade was selected by McClellan to take over. Leading I Corps for the remainder of the battle, he was wounded in the thigh. Returning to his division, Meade achieved the only Union success during the Battle of Fredericksburg that December when his men drove back the troops of Lieutenant General Thomas Stonewall Jackson. His success was not exploited and his division was forced to fall back. In recognition for his actions, he was promoted to major general. Given command of V Corps on December 25, he commanded it at the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863. During the course of the battle, he implored Hooker, now the army commander, to be more aggressive but to no avail. Taking Command Following his victory at Chancellorsville, General Robert E. Lee began moving north to invade Pennsylvania with Hooker in pursuit. Arguing with his superiors in Washington, Hooker was relieved on June 28 and command was offered to Major General John Reynolds. When Reynolds declined, it was offered to Meade who accepted. Assuming command of the Army of the Potomac at Prospect Hall near Frederick, MD, Meade continued to move after Lee. Known to his men as The Old Snapping Turtle, Meade had reputation for a short temper and possessed little patience for the press or civilians. Gettysburg Three days after taking command, two of Meades corps, Reynolds I and Major General Oliver O. Howards XI, encountered the Confederates at Gettysburg. Opening the Battle of Gettysburg, they were mauled but succeeded in holding favorable ground for the army. Rushing his men to the town, Meade won a decisive victory over the next two days and effectively turned the tide of the war in the East. Though triumphant, he was soon criticized for failing to aggressively pursue Lees battered army and deliver a war-ending blow. Following the enemy back to Virginia, Meade conducted ineffective campaigns at Bristoe and Mine Run that fall. Under Grant In March 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant was appointed lead all Union armies. Understanding that Grant would come east and citing the importance of winning the war, Meade offered to resign from his army command if the new commander preferred to appoint someone different. Impressed by Meades gesture, Grant refused the offer. Though Meade retained command of the Army of the Potomac, Grant made his headquarters with the army for the remainder of the war. This proximity led to a somewhat awkward relationship and command structure. Overland Campaign That May, the Army of the Potomac embarked on the Overland Campaign with Grant issuing orders to Meade who in turn issued them to the army. Meade largely performed well as the fighting progressed through the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House, but chaffed at Grants interference in the armys matters. He also took issue with Grants perceived preference for officers who had served with him in the west as well as his willingness to absorb heavy casualties. Conversely, some within Grants camp felt that Meade was too slow and cautious. As the fighting reached Cold Harbor and Petersburg, Meades performance began to slip as he did not direct his men to scout properly prior to the former battle and failed to coordinate his corps properly in the opening stages of the latter. During the siege of Petersburg, Meade again erred altering the attack plan for the Battle of the Crater for political reasons. Remaining in command throughout the siege, he fell ill on the eve of the final breakthrough in April 1865. Unwilling to miss the armys final battles, he led the Army of the Potomac from an army ambulance during the Appomattox Campaign. Though he made his headquarters near Grants, he did not accompany him to the surrender talks on April 9. Later Life With the end of the war, Meade remained in the service and moved through various department commands on the East Coast. In 1868, he took over the Third Military District in Atlanta and oversaw Reconstruction efforts in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. Four years later, he was struck by a sharp pain in his side while in Philadelphia. An aggravation of the wound sustained at Glendale, he declined rapidly and contracted pneumonia. After a brief fight, he succumbed on November 7, 1872, and was buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.

Theoretical Frameworks of Our Knowledge and Understanding of Social Assignment

Theoretical Frameworks of Our Knowledge and Understanding of Social Problems - Assignment Example Social care is a proactive and dynamic activity, that primarily involves defining the vector of any body's actions and behavior. Again, the said concept may be written vaguely in its concept, as this might involve everybody and anybody. The short answer is yes!  Human beings have always found a multitude of ways to divide themselves. Color, creed, religion, class and ranks, all have provided a disparity in attitude and treatment over the millennia. However, defining them on grounds of social class on grounds of social care is incorrect. This is a stance that is largely misunderstood and can only be truly clarified once the correct stance of social care is understood.  It seems, therefore, that issues such as race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality provide a sore point for those of the middle class as they cannot find their true place in this tug-of-war. The current face of health care is largely a product of the advancement made during and after the World Wars. However, despite the magnitude and quality of work that was done at that time, the obvious constraint due to the war was that a systematic procedure for providing health care cannot be established. Much has changed since then, and the corporate face of the organizations in the changing world has brought about a new shape to the domain of clinical practice. With the inception of concepts like quality and the ISO standards, what the world of today has realized, is that documentation, for any system of work, is not only essential but is a must.  Given that social care is a kind of treatment restricted mostly to verbal exchanges, practitioners do not have to be medically qualified. In most countries, however, helpers must be trained, certified and licensed with a range of different licensing schemes and qualification requirements in place around the world. Helpers may be health care specialists, social workers, trained nurses, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, or professionals of other mental health discipli nes. Psychiatrists' training focuses on the prescription of medicines, with some training in social care. Health care specialists have special training in mental health assessment and research in addition to social care. Social workers have special training in mental health assessment and treatment as well as linking patients to community and institutional resources. "Social workers do not usually interpret or seek for unconscious motivations but bring cognitions and beliefs into the current focus of attention (consciousness) and through guided discovery encourage clients to gently re-evaluate their thinking" (Schultz, 2002).  Given the fact that all human beings are susceptible to challenging situations, it becomes imperative for them to qualify for the need for social care. The issue of race has always been an element of disparity among humans. The simple reason is, that no matter what your nationality, creed, or social status, the color of your skin is an ever permanent factor.

Math Report Lab Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Math - Lab Report Example The fact that these environments are less understood drivers the need to use observations, understand them and predict the future. Such efforts mostly involve intuition, but often involving examining existing similarities between them and other known and well understood situations. Mathematical modelling defines the system using mathematical language and concepts to describe its behaviour (Berry and Houston 2-3). The major application is in engineering and natural sciences disciplines, physicists, and computer science among others. Consequently, the use of mathematical models represent crucial elements of the presented system, thus presenting the usable form of knowledge for that system. For instance, modelling â€Å"the greenhouse effect† offers the best way to predict future conditions or situations on earth such as extent of carbon monoxide or temperatures. In this report, mathematical models are used to consume real-world data to formulate models that are analysed real world situations to offer conclusions, which after interpretation offer predictions or explanation for any system (Berry and Houston 3). Furthermore, mathematical models offer a means of solving math problems, and representing the association between any two or more variables and that are fundamental to a given problem or situation. This paper evaluates the concept of mathematical modelling in terms of differential equations. The concept is applicable because the variables analysed in the report are continuous, thus varying subject to other continuous variables. In this case, differential equations offer the rate of change of dependent variables subject to independent ones. Since the system is not limited to having only one independent variable, the mathematical model attained from the hypothesis is that which offers a model in terms of leading or advanced order ordinary differential equations of the system. Furthermore, mathematical models normally define a system that needs to

Advertising Campaigns in Banking Using Images of Famous People Essay Example for Free

Advertising Campaigns in Banking Using Images of Famous People Essay Today, banking services look very similar to each other. While comparing various products, a customer has often no idea which one is the best for him and he does not even know how they differ from each other. In order to understand the difference between them, it requires a thorough analysis, for which a potential buyer does not have enough time. In most cases, the choice of customers is based on irrational considerations. By observing recent advertisements in banking sector, I came to conclusion that most of them are becoming less informative and more focused on creating a positive image of the bank and its product. This creates an impression that the product or service is essential to the customer and its possession or use of service means that the buyer belongs to a group of the wise or better ones who are well chosen. Further observations has shown that it is becoming increasingly popular to use celebrities in advertisements of well-known banks, as public has sympathy, respect and trust towards those people. These advertisements include actors, successful athletes and popular personalities from the media world. The common feature of these various industry representatives is their universal recognition. Therefore, the subject of this work is to look at how banks are creating a positive image though their advertising campaigns by using celebrities. The goal of my work is to present the role of the brand, the essence of advertising, as well as to demonstrate the specific marketing activities with the use of recognition of famous people. The first part provides information on the purpose of advertising, its functions and types. The second part shows how branding is done with the help of famous people in Russia. Lastly, I will conclude the research by evaluating advertising activities in banking sector and their effectiveness. Advertising Advertising is usually presented as a message that aims to increase demand and thus sales of a certain product. However, this definition is incomplete and should be supplemented by two important elements. The first one concerns the creation of advertising in order to reduce demand. An example could be an anti-smoking or anti-alcohol campaign. The second element is to present advertising as a combination of information and persuasion, prompting the customer to buy the product with better selectiveness. Since advertising is a broad concept, it is understood in many ways. Philip Kotler says that advertising is a measure of information and propaganda, designed to increase the level of knowledge of brand, product and company of its customers or potential customers. However, Belch Belch write that advertising is any form of communication about a product, organisation, ideas or services originating from a distinct source, facing the environment. The most common purpose of advertising is to create customer awareness of the existence of a company, product or brand. The customer should spontaneously recall the advertised name, and at the same time be encouraged to re-purchase. Another objective is to maintain positive beliefs about the image and to create the best possible relationship with the client. These objectives could not be achieved only by using advertisements, as an integrated marketing plan is required for those purposes. Another function is related to the issuing of competitive messages in response to competitors advertising messages. The main objective is to increase the attractiveness of their products. Another way is to weaken the position of the competition by presenting their products from a weaker side. There are also two major function of advertisements. Consumer advertising targeted at specific customers. A significant number of advertisements on television, radio or newspaper is consumer-based. A characteristic feature of these ads is that it is financed by the manufacturer or dealer who sells the product. Advertising to the companies also known as industrial, commercial and so-called business advertising. The vast majority of advertisements related to consumer is located in all types of media. Business advertising presents in specialised publications or professional journals. The objectives and functions of advertising divide them into two more elements: Advertisement is designed in order to stimulate demand for the product, such as American cigarettes, fruit from Morocco, Polish chocolate. It is used in one of two situations. The first is part is when a product is getting launched. It is called pioneer advertising. The creation of such advertising is associated with the implementation of the following three objectives: 1) To introducing a new product to market.  2) To affect selected markets, simplification of the contractors carrying out the tasks. 3) To inform the pioneer. The second element is connected to advertising to maintain the demand. Such advertising is used throughout the product life cycle and seeks to maintain or stimulate demand. It is also important to mention, that the selective demand advertising is different from the main demand advertising which is designed to stimulate demand for individual brands. It is a competitive advertising that appears in the second product life cycle, when there are already competitive products on the market. The company is trying to gain an advantage through the promotion, so that customers remember those product. This is usually done by highlighting the advantages and unique advantages of the product over a competitor. Another form of selective demand advertising is comparative advertising. Creating brand by using the image of famous people A company that wants to effectively advertise its brand, should not reserve funds for advertising campaigns. Power of the media is unbelievably huge these days. Media is considered as a fourth power in terms of influence on public. Regarding the banking sector in Russia, it is becoming increasingly popular to use images of famous people in advertisements. It comes to media operations, whose primary objective is to create the brand advertising, where the actor or another person from the world of politics, business, etc. represents the business and associated with the product. Mechanics of this advertising method is simple: This famous person uses the services of the bank N. So its a good bank and you can trust it. This advertising method has several advantages: 1) The fame of celebrity and his character is applied to the brand. 2) If a customer feels confident towards the celebrity, this confidence will be applied to a brand. Increased brand loyalty among fans of celebrities. 3) The client is more prepared to use products and services and has positive attitude towards the brand reduces attention to the price. An example of a effective application of such a strategy is the brand image advertising campaign of VTB 24, which began back in 2008. The campaign was built on attracting celebrities to advertise the bank as a reliable, stable institution that can be trusted. Those celebrities where: a coach Tatiana Tarasova, actresses Ingeborg Dapkunayte and CHulpan Hamatova, composer Igor Sharp, etc. Shall I call a few celebrities this is the safest option, because you can work on different audiences at the same time believes the managing director of BBDO Branding Olga Konovalova. However, some experts pointed out that a participation of an actor Konstantin Khabenksy was not entirely successful the campaign . Usually his characters have unpredictable personality: they do not represent the stability that people are willing to see in the bank. Overall, Young Rubicam advertising agency believes that this strategy seems to be justified. This campaign helped to create an image of VTB 24 as one of the most stable and popular among celebrities banks. Moreover, the brand recognition of this bank increased from 34 to 45%. But not all advertising campaigns became successful. At the first glance I thought I was imagining things that was the reaction of most passers-by when they first saw the billboards of the bank Trust with an image of Bruce Willis. For the first time on the territory of the former Soviet Union such a global megastar was participating in the Russian advertising campaign. Vice-President of Trust Communications Dmitry Chukseev binds him choice of Bruce Willis with the results of studies that have shown that he is an absolute leader in the aggregate index of perception of the target audience. The use of celebrities in advertising has serious drawbacks, such as: 1) The risk choosing a wrong celebrity. Money down the drain if a celebrity is not popular among target consumers. 2) The risk of damaging the brand image in the case of a celebrity scandal. The risk of damaging the brand image in the case if celebrity is advertising some other brands. According to sociological research, advertising by using celebrities will be less in demand over time. In 2010, the American edition of Ad Age found that the modern public wants to get as much information in advertising as possible and it is this, rather than the popularity of the characters which is taken into account when banks are thinking of the next marketing move. A study of Ace Metrix found that advertising of financial services with celebrities does not generate high consumer confidence, besides celebrities distract the consumers’ attention on a product. Conclusion Advertising is created to promote the product. It is designed to convince customers to accept the product and purchase it. A form of advertisement should represent advantages of products and services promoted and show the benefits of the product to the customers. Advertising should involve means and methods that will effectively allow the transfer of your content to consumer. Today, advertising has almost the status of art. The advertising message is often intended not only to promote the product, but also to shock the customer and cause him to experience the product emotionally. Effectively formulated advertising message not only encourages the recipient to purchase a product, but also allows to encode in his mind, which in tern affects consumer’s preferences. The aim of this study was to show how the banks influence the decisions of customers through the use in advertising of the services of trusted and widely accepted celebrities. People pay attention to such features as sympathy and trust in the star. This confirms that the banks branding through advertising campaigns by using images of famous people has a positive affect on the overall brand awareness. Nowadays, due to the continuous changes in the market, the importance of quality and quantity of information is significantly increased. Information overload makes todays buyer is no longer in a position to observe and analyse the changes. A more developed market, more products and forms of distribution, increased competition between companies means that the role of information significantly increases. Celebrities are no longer needed to raise confidence in the banks. Therefore, banking sector needs to change the trend in the commonly used types of advertisements, which will be characterised by greater efficiency than those involving identifiable persons. Therefore, creating brand by using the image of famous people is no longer perspective. However, this is still a matter of debate.

The Intent Behind the Enuma Elish (Creation Epic) Essay -- Enuma Elish

The Intent Behind the Enuma Elish  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   The Enuma Elish, often known as The Creation Epic, is often considered the primary source of Mesopotamian cosmology. However, to view the Enuma Elish as a cosmological myth obscures the true intent of the epicà ­s author. The cosmological elements of the Enuma Elish are secondary to the authorà ­s effort to explain the supremacy of Marduk, to justify absolute oriental monarchy, and to defend Babylon as the axis mundi. The Enuma Elish was composed in Babylonin the early second millennium B.C.E. The decay of Sumerian civilization allowed the Old-Babylonian Empire to become the cultural and political center of Mesopotamia. Babylon was governed by absolute and despotic kings capable of wielding enough power to ensure the continued existence of massive building projects and large-scale irrigation. The harsh environment of Mesopotamia often necessitated the absolute rule by a king powerful enough to command the resources required to maintain civilization. The poet behind the Enuma Elish sought to justify the position and government of Ba...