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Managerial Functions Of A Manager - 1259 Words

In an organization, manager is â€Å"someone who coordinates and oversees the work of other people so that organizational goals can be accomplished.†(Robbins, Bergman, Stagg Coulter, 2012, p.10) Managers play an important role as the organization requires their skills to overcome the challenges in chaotic times. Besides, manager is vital to make sure all the work activities operate smoothly and thus achieve the goals efficiency and effectively. There is said to be three specific categorization schemes which are functions, roles and skills to describe what managers exactly needed to do at each level of management. Firstly, there are four managerial functions as identified in Henri Fayol’s research that underlying the framework of a manager’s jobs which are planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Planning as the first step in managerial functions requires the managers to develop strategies and plans to define and aim at some organization’s goals. (E ducation Portal, 2014) The managers are also responsible for determining and allocating the limited resources. This is called as organizing function. Next, in the leading function, managers involve in communicating, motivating, encouraging and inspiriting his subordinates towards higher productivity. (Education Portal, 2014) Controlling means how the activities are monitored by managers to ensure the goals are achieved as planned. (Robbins, et.al, 2012).For example, a manager who wants to increase the sales of his companyShow MoreRelatedHow Can Managers at Bmw Group Achieve Workforce Diversity in Their Organisation Using the Managerial Tools Available in the Planning and Controlling Functions?3340 Words   |  14 Pagesï » ¿ Introduction to Management MAN11 Assignment 2 How can managers at BMW Group achieve workforce diversity in their organisation using the managerial tools available in the planning and controlling functions? Table of Contents Table of Contents ii Executive Summary iii Introduction 1 Aim 1 Scope 1 Methodology 1 Assumptions 1 Limitations 1 Background 1 Plan 2 Discussion 3 The Importance of Workforce Diversity Within the BMW Group 3 Planning 3 Values handbook 4 0.1.1 DefinitionRead MoreManagerial Accounting1152 Words   |  5 PagesManagerial Accounting 12/3/15 Managerial Accounting Accounting is a crucial part in running a business. There are various forms of accounting that can be used, it is very important to know which technique is best to use for what companies. Once you figure out a particular technique to use, it is important to keep an open mind if there are any changes that need to take place in the business. By keeping an open mind helps the business adjust and be able to make the right decisions. Every businessRead MoreContemporary Management1199 Words   |  5 PagesEssay The Primary Article is: Carroll, S. and Gillen, D. (1987) Are the Classical Management Functions Useful in Describing Managerial Work? Academy of Management Review 12(1), pp. 38-51. The essay will endeavor to provide an insight into how Fayol’s basic principles of Classical Management Functions are indeed useful in describing managerial work. In the last (20th) century, the role of managers in business becomes more diverse as the number of tasks in which businesses were involved in significantlyRead MoreThe Managerial Functions Of Management1238 Words   |  5 Pagesorganisation needs managers to be able to accomplish its goals. They contribute to organisational value, its financial performance, and productivity by the efficiency and effectiveness of managerial tasks (Robbins, Bergman, Stagg, Coulter, 2012). The purpose of this paper is to justify why we need managers in the organisation and how they become so influential to its performance and the employee’s job satisfaction through their functions, roles and skills. Basically, managers are classified to hierarchicalRead MoreFunctional Areas of Business1020 Words   |  5 Pagesdevelopment stra tegies. Human resources personnel function as consultants to the managers in a business, advising them on issues that relate to the employees and help layout how managers are essential to the overall success of an organization. The HRM form relationships with managers in the organization, collaborating continuously on how to best develop employees’ skills. In some organizations employees need to have the ability and working knowledge of other functions in order to be able to be shifted aroundRead MoreFayol s Five Processes Of Management1172 Words   |  5 PagesManagement functions have traditionally been defined in terms of planning, organising, commanding, coordinating and controlling. Since the publication of The Nature of Managerial Work (1973), academics have questioned the validity of the classical model, compared with Mintzberg’s ten managerial roles. Fayol’s five processes of management functions are essential for studying constituent elements of manage ment, while Mintzberg’s model further details the complex, multidimensional nature of managementRead MoreAre the Classical Functions Put Forward by Henri Fayol in 1949 Still Valid and True Today?1263 Words   |  6 Pagesapproaches to newer conceptualizations within management functions. Are the classical functions put forward by Henri Fayol in 1949 still valid and true today?, or are the theories put forward by other academics such as Mintzberg more valid?, or would the scientific type management concepts be more fitting?. To answer such questions this report examines two Journal journals, â€Å"Are the classical management functions useful in describing managerial work?† (Journal 1) and â€Å"Some effects of Fayolism† (JournalRead MoreEssay about Comparing Fayol and Mintzberg’s Theories on Management1085 Words   |  5 Pagesthroughout the years many scientists have attempted to define. Is it the objectives of management or the roles one undertakes a s a manager that best describes the work of managers? This is a question posed since 1971, when Henry Mintzberg established his contemporary theory on Management roles, which evidently differed to Henri Fayol’s 1949 classical theory on Management Functions. Fayol identifies five elements of management- planning, organising, co-ordinating, commanding and controlling all of whichRead MoreThe Characteristics And Actions Of Management Essay866 Words   |  4 Pagesthey tick. I am curious to how management functions, what roles they play, and what skills they possess. In my last job, I witnessed a manager that struggled to do the basic management functions, no designated managerial role, and ineffective managerial skills. Basically, I learned that my previous manager how not to operate in management. Management Functions Robbins Judge (2012) says, â€Å"Managers get things done through other people.† (p. 5). Managers are tasked to delegate work to so that goals

Slave Trade Free Essays

History Hon. Document Based Question Essay For years people have blamed Europeans of the Early Modern Period for slavery, when truly it was not. At the very beginning of it all, lies the African businessman of the Early Modern Period. We will write a custom essay sample on Slave Trade or any similar topic only for you Order Now He just wants to make money, even if that means selling his own kind. That is the part people in history today forget, that Africans were sold by their own blood. Europeans during this time we’re searching for wealth; gold, silver, cotton, tobacco, etc. What they lacked was the workforce to harvest all these items. The government or Gobroon Dynasty, our businessmen, seized the opportunity that was in front of them. Essentially, the Atlantic Slave Trade in Western Africa really boomed between 1650 and 1850 when the demand for slaves seemed to increase daily, according the Journal of African History. Acquiring slaves had gone from peaceful and civilized to aggressive and militarized. As stated in the Cambridge University press in 2000, society had found it acceptable to raid for supplies that could be used to buy slaves and slaves only. The blame for Slavery can be placed on the natural human desire for wealth and power, which is essentially greed. When a human has the desire for wealth, they will try to obtain it by any means necessary. Even if a human has to sell their own flesh and blood, the only thing that matters is wealth. The participation of Africans in slave trade was voluntary; Europeans could have gotten their slaves from China or India or Mexico or anywhere else with an abundant workforce. In compliance with the Cambridge University Press in 1992, Europeans did not force the African leaders to sell slaves; they made that choice on their own. The mainstream view of slavery is what went on in the plantations of southern America, what usually does not get as much attention is what the Africans went through before they set foot on the boat. More than often, the enslaved Africans would spend an average of 11 weeks aboard the ship before living the inhumane life of a slave for the rest of their existence, according to The Cost of Coercion: African Agency in the Pre-Modern Atlantic World written by Stephen D. Behrendt, David Eltis and David Richardson. That point of the process is crucial in determining how the slave would be treated during the trip and on the plantation. For example, if a slave was to lead a revolt while sailing aboard the ship, the slave trader could make sure that when the time comes to sell the leader of the revolt, he would be sold to a very cruel master. In accordance to recent articles, views of the Atlantic Slave Trade in Western Africa are starting to shift toward the very root of the industry. People are not so much looking at what happened in the United States of America but mostly at things up until that point. After reviewing all the articles, I can see how important what happened before the boat ride is important. How to cite Slave Trade, Essay examples

Belarus Research Paper free essay sample

[pic][pic] Belarus: a country suffering at the hands of its own authoritarian leadership Table of Contents Republic of Belarus’ Overview†¦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‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 Russia and Belarus: Friend or Foe?. 4 Is Alexander Lukashenko â€Å"Europe’s Last Dictator? † †¦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‚¬ ¦ 5 Lukashenko: Political Control†¦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‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 Lukashenko: Economic Control†¦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‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 How can Lukashenko be stopped? In Conclus ion†¦a more peaceful Belarus†¦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‚¬ ¦.. 9 Republic of Belarus’ Overview Belarus is a beautiful country nestled in the heart of Eastern Europe, surrounded by Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, and Ukraine. Belarus is â€Å"landlocked†, meaning it is completely surrounded by land and has no coastline. The CIA World Factbook states that Belarus’ size is slightly smaller than the size of Kansas (CIA World Factbook, 2010: Geography section). The climate is very cold in the winters with cool and moist summers. (CIA World Factbook, 2010: Geography section). These climate conditions are favorable for growing grains, vegetables, fruit trees and potatoes (UN, 2002, About Belarus section). There are more than 100 nationalities represented in Belarus. However, more than 75% of the entire population is native Belarusian. Living among the natives are significant numbers of Russians, Poles, and Ukrainians (UN, 2002, About Belarus section). The two official languages of Belarus are Belarusian and Russian. The religious make-up of Belarus is 80% Eastern Orthodox, with the remaining 20% a combination of Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim (CIA World Factbook, 2010: Population section). As of July 2010, Belarus’ population was 9,612,632, ranking 87 in the world (CIA World Factbook, 2010: Population section). The capital of Belarus is Minsk, which is the biggest political, economic, scientific, and cultural center of the country (UN, 2002, About Belarus section). The population of Minsk is 1. 729 million people (UN, 2002, About Belarus section), approximately 17. 9% of Belarus’ total population. Belarus was part of the Soviet Union for 70 years, but claimed its independence on August 25, 1991 after the Soviet Union’s collapse. Although it’s independence from Russia was claimed on August 25, 1991, Belarus reserves its national Independence Day as July 3rd, the day Minsk was freed from the German troops. This occurred in 1944, shortly before the end of WWII (CIA World Factbook, 2010: Government section). The conventional long form of the country name is â€Å"Republic of Belarus. † Although republic is in the name, Belarus is in fact a dictatorship (CIA World Factbook, 2010: Government section), as I will discuss in more detail throughout this paper. Russia and Belarus: Friend or Foe? According to About. om (2010), â€Å"Belarus has struggled for decades to establish an internationally recognized identity. Known as Belarussia in Soviet times, the people of Belarus find this name an unpleasant reminder of Russification† (Kubilius, 2010, National Identity section). Since independence, Belarus has chosen to remain politically and economically closer to Russia than any other former Soviet Re publics. However, recent news suggests tensions between Russia and Belarus. First, there was a big debate over natural gas fees and transit fees. Russia’s energy company, Gazprom, was demanding payment for natural gas delivered to Belarus. Belarus was refusing to pay, claiming that Russia owed Belarus transit fees. Russia transports 6. 25 percent of Europe’s natural gas via a pipeline that runs through Belarus (CNN Wire Staff, 2010, para. 6). This issue was recently resolved on June 24, 2010, with both countries finally settling the monetary difference. CNN quotes, â€Å"If unresolved, the payment dispute could have threatened Europe’s energy supplies† (CNN Wire Staff, 2010, para. 9). Russia supplies Belarus with over 50% of its foreign trade volume (UN, 2002, About Belarus section). If tensions do not ease or even become worse, Belarus will find itself in an undesirable economic position. On July 31, 2010, The New York Times reported the latest conflict between Russia and Belarus. A documentary depicting the Belarussian President, Alexander Lukashenko in an extremely negative light was released from Russia’s government-controlled television. The film suggests similarities between Lukashenko and Hitler and Stalin. The â€Å"mudslinging† as the article stated, which has been blasted all over both countries’ government–controlled media, â€Å"reflects the deepening tensions between them† (Schwirtz, 2010: para. ). In addition, several Belarussian opposition leaders met with Russian officials in June 2010. This could be damaging to Lukashenko in next year’s presidential elections. Is Alexander Lukashenko â€Å"Europe’s Last Dictator? † (BBC News, 2010, page 1) As I began my research on Belarus and the issues it faces, I found myself looking for the types of problems most countries face; issues such as national debt, crime, and theft. I was essentially looking for the biggest problem this country has and was going to provide suggestions on ways to fix said problem. What I found was much more disturbing than the â€Å"typical† economic, political, or social issue. I believe the problems of this country are actually caused by the President who swore to serve and protect it. Alexander Lukashenko is a bit of a high powered bully, which may be a staggering understatement. During his reign of sixteen years, he has managed to completely isolate the country and has been very successful at one thing: looking out for his own interests. The more I read, the more I became absolutely disgusted that his behavior has not only been tolerated, but actually encouraged by some. Lukashenko: Political Control Alexander Lukashenko was nominated in 1994 as Belarus’ first President. His presidential term should have lasted five years, but in 1996, he extended his term to 2001 with a referendum. He won an additional five years in the 2001 election, which Western observers have called â€Å"undemocratic† (BBC News, 2010, para. 15). Yet another referendum in 2004 lifted the two year rule, which allowed him to run again in 2006. There was considerable outrage when he won the 2006 election with over 80% of the votes. Lukashenko is very controlling and went to great lengths to prevent losing the election. Lukashenko denied the opposition access to state-owned media so they could not advertise or campaign against him. In 2004, he even went so far as to send his biggest potential rival to jail (About. com, 2010: para. 2). After his 2006 landslide win, people became very angry and began protesting. â€Å"About 10,000 people braved a heavy snow storm, freezing temperatures and threat of government reprisals to show their support for the opposition† (BBC News, 2006: para. 7). They called Lukashenko’s victory â€Å"complete farce† and demanded new, honest elections. Belarussian police ended up sending more than 150 opposition protesters to jail. A runner up in the election was one of the jailed and was said to be facing six years. He complains of back and knee pain from alleged beatings by the police. One woman was filmed being beaten by officers, while another protestor was left bl eeding on the ground (BBC News, 2006: para. 15). A polish diplomat was also jailed. The United States and European Union imposed sanctions on Belarus, which included a travel ban against Lukashenko. Canada even decided to limit its official relations with Belarus and demanded the release of a Quebec journalist, who was also jailed, while in Belarus to cover the demonstrations in Minsk (BBC News, 2006: para. 13-14). Lukashenko: Economic Control According to BBC News, Lukashenko has ruled Belarus with an â€Å"increasingly iron fist† (BBC News, 2010: para. 3) over the past sixteen years. He wants to control everything, including businesses. â€Å"Belarus has seen limited structural reform since 1995, when Lukashenko launched the country on the path of market socialism† (CIA World Factbook, 2010: Economy section). Private business does not exist in Belarus as the state has a right to intervene in their management. Ridiculous regulations were put into place making it impossible to conduct business. Rigorous inspections are conducted and â€Å"disruptive† business owners were even arrested (CIA World Factbook, 2010: Economy section). Neither domestic nor foreign companies want to open businesses in Belarus. In 2007, Lukashenko put a new tax law into place that made it even more difficult to run a business. Alexander Makaev, a small shop owner says â€Å"Belarus is closed for business. Everything is designed according to a vertical power structure. The biggest businessman in this country is Mr. Lukashenko himself, and you need to know how to cut a deal with him† (BBC News, 2009: para. 11). Media is another arena which Lukashenko controls. If you are state owned, Belarus provides subsidies and other financial privileges. However, private media groups received increased charges, forced to change names, close down, or publish elsewhere (BBC News, 2010: para. 15). He even made it mandatory that 75% of music played on radio stations should be Belarussian. How can Lukashenko be stopped? At her Senate confirmation hearings, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said â€Å"To be sure, in our world there remain outposts of tyranny – and America stands with oppressed people on every continent – in Cuba, and Burma, and North Korea, and Iran, and Belarus, and Zimbabwe† (Porter, 2010: para. 4). The dictionary defines tyranny as: â€Å"arbitrary, unreasonable, or despotic behavior or use of authority. † The key word, in my opinion, is unreasonable. Mr. Lukashenko is simply unreasonable. The million dollar question is: how can you reason with an extremely unreasonable person? He has thus far shown no sign of loosening his grip of his oppressed peoples. In 2007, the UN rejected Belarus’ bid for a seat on the Human Rights Council. The global advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, Peggy Hicks, said, â€Å"voting ‘no’ to Belarus sends the message that abusive governments have no place on the UN Human Rights Council† (Human Rights Watch, 2007: para. 3). Belarus now has to open itself to monitoring by UN human rights experts, who he has denied in the past. This may be a good thing for the people of Belarus. Although I have never believed violence to be the answer under any circumstance, this dictator seems to leave no choice. But since an assassination is simply out of the question, being that it is morally, ethically, and politically wrong, we must come up with alternatives. It has been proved by the Filipino people in 1986 that it is possible to overthrow a dictator in a completely non-violent fashion. Millions, yes, millions took to the streets in non-violent protest. President Marcos was overthrown in less than four days (Hogan, 2003: para. 6). The people had had enough and they gathered and stood together. The Ukrainian people also used the non-violent strategy during the Orange Revolution in 2005 (Wikipedia, n. d. : para. 1). Thousands of protesters demonstrated daily, while others chose series of acts of civil disobedience, sit-ins, and general strikes. Similarly, the Kyrgyz people overthrew their dictator during their non-violent â€Å"Tulip Revolution†. All three of the countries mentioned above had just participated in an election where the dictator president won. The election win was simply the last straw of rage for the people of the country. They were completely fed up with living under a dictator’s thumb. Lukashenko’s next presidential election is next year. His oppressed people need to start now if they want to be ready to fight for their freedom. The important thing, with regard to any undertaking, is to create a powerful resistance. Since most communication sources are controlled by the government, they will need to rely on word of mouth to recruit additional resources. They need to make sure everyone knows the plan and understands it, and be ready to implement. One or two of the most influential leaders of the opposition should contact the UN and elicit their assistance. Secondly, create a strategic plan. Map out what each person will do and where they will be. Lastly, you need to strengthen the oppressed people. The violence of the 2006 protests will more than likely prevent some people from wanting to take part. Remind them of what they are fighting for†¦and spark the passion for a strong revolution. In Conclusion†¦a more peaceful Belarus The West has been pressuring Lukashenko to change, but he just turns his back to it. He has dismissed all possibilities of revolutions, such as the ones that saved Kyrgyzstan and neighbor Ukraine. Following the protest after the 2006 election, Lukashenko â€Å"warned he will not tolerate any attempt at a â€Å"coup† and has vowed to â€Å"break the neck – like a duckling’s† of anyone who tries to seize power† (BBC News, 2006: para. 13). This statement has probably dissuaded many of the protesters from future involvement. But it should only motivate them to try again, try harder. Lukashenko needs to be stopped. The people of Belarus are essentially prisoners without bars. They are robbed of any freedoms. These wonderful people should be able to enjoy the freedoms we possess, freedoms that we sometimes take for granted. They should be able to feel safe in their beds at night and safe to disagree with something without the government inflicting harm on them. In short, Belarus needs to be liberated! References BBC News (2006). Belarus jails Lukashenko’s foes. Retrieved July 31, 2010 from BBC News: http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/europe/4852130. stm BBC News (2006). Belarus protests spark clashes. Retrieved July 31, 2010, from BBC News: http://news. bc. co. uk/2/hi/europe/4843690. stm BBC News (2006). Landslide win for Belarus leader. Retrieved July 31, 2010 from BBC News: http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/europe/4823800. stm BBC News (2009). Belarus and Europe inch closer. Retrieved July 31, 2010 from BBC News: http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/europe/8037923. stm BBC News (2010). Belarus country profile. Retrieved July 31, 2010 from BBC News: http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1102180. stm Central Intelligence Agency (2010). The World Factbook: Belarus. Retrieved July 28, 2010 from CIA – The World Factbook: https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bo. html CNN Wire Staff (2010). Belarus settles bill with Russian energy giant. Retrieved July 28, 2010 from CNN. com: http://edition. cnn. com/2010/WORLD/europe/06/23/russia. belarus. gas/index. html? iref=all search#fbid=sEOFqI8sly9 CNN Wire Staff (2010). Russia pays Belarus for Europe gas transit. Retrieved July 28, 2010 from CNN. com: http://edition. cnn. com/2010/WORLD/europe/06/24/russia. belarus. gas/index. html? iref=allsearch#fbid=sEOFqI8sly9 Hogan, H. 2003). Can non-violence overthrow an oppressive dictator? Retrieved August 1, 2010 from HunterThinks. com: http://www. hunterthinks. com/politics/history/philippines. html Human Rights Watch (2007). UN: â€Å"No† to Belarus on Rights Council. Retrieved August 1, 2010 from Human Rights Watch: http://www. hrw. org/en/news/2007/05/16/un-no-belarus- rights-council Kaminsky, R. (2005). Falling domi noes: Kyrgyz people overthrow their dictator. Retrieved August 1, 2010 from Global Politician: http://www. globalpolitician. com/2490-kyrgyz Kubilius, K. (n. d. ). Eastern Europe Travel: Belarus. Retrieved July 31, 2010 from About. com: http://goeasteurope. about. com/od/othercountries/p/belarusprofile. htm Porter, K. (n. d. ). The U. S. -Belarussian relationship. Retrieved July 28, 2010 from About. com: http://usforeignpolicy. about. com/od/countryprofil2/p/usbelarus. htm Schwirtz, M. (2010). In information war, documentary is latest salvo. Retrieved July 31, 2010 from The New York Times: http://www. nytimes. com/2010/08/01/world/europe/01russia. html United Nations (2002). About Belarus. Retrieved July 31, 2010 from United Nations: