Kalashnikov Case Analysis Assignment 2

In Ivan the Terrible’s correspondence to Andrei Kurbsky, the letters are a call and response style in regards to the concept of Russian identity in Muscovite Rus. Prince Kurbsky initiates the conversation criticizing Ivan’s methodology within his rule. The author notes on Ivan’s “fierce persecution” of his own people, positing that the tsar himself is turning from the very foundations of Russian society: the Orthodox faith. However, despite notions of truth in

In this text Phillip Barbour examines the life and death of the First False Tsar Dmitri in an attempt to find his true identity. Barbour uses extensive primary sources to describe the events of Tsar Dmitri’s life, both from Russian and non-Russian sources. While Barbour is not able to conclusively identify Dmitri’s true identity he does provide a comprehensive understanding of his life. While Barbour tends to rely on outdated historiography, this text will be a good source for a general understanding of how Dmitri gained and lost power and the social, political, and cultural mechanism behind his

Yet the election was not like the ones that preceded it- there were large scale demonstrations on the streets of Moscow and other metropolitan areas that were against (and some in support) of Putin. These large scale protests as Elkin notes while certainly disruptive and cast a negative light on Russia globally forced Putin to reaffirm his power when he won the election in 2012. Putin was as discussed by Moskowitz and others in class able to use the media to effectively convey his agenda. But Elkin also notes that the resurgence in popularity for Putin was not simply due to a stymied media presence. Putin strategically allowed Medvedev to become the nation’s prime minister, where he was relegated to a position where he could quietly work on making the changes he set during his presidency. Putin set about “restoring” national prestige by being firm on dealings with the west. In particular, during the crisis in Syria, he averted crisis by securing a deal that allowed Syria to dispose of the chemical weapons while also preventing U.S aggression. Elkin notes how Putin would frequently play on populism and patriotism in justifying his action- a formula which combined would ensure that in the crisis to come regarding the annexation of Crimea that he would have the support of the Russian people.

The curious case of the Clippers continues to riddle the NBA. Los Angeles has been beset with injuries, controversy, and rumors. Namely those associated with their franchise face, Blake Griffin.

The Kennan article puts forward a variety of interesting arguments and insights regarding the USSR, and the authors opinion of the state of Russia at the time. One such area the author, George F. Kennan, a respected diplomat at the time, focuses on is the mentality of Russia and Communism.

A more recent profile of Chechnya captured by Rosenberg (2012) painted a picture of cautious optimism for this region. Rosenberg suggested that current president Razman Kadyrov, the son of the former slain leader of this region, has performed a balancing act that puts his nation's people and the interests of big brother Russia in a critical position. Civil war and multitudes of rebellious factions have wrecked havoc in Chechnya in a power struggle. Chechnya's Islamic traditions also play into this relationship as well causing further stratification over the different people's of this nation.

Kalashnikov had a major effect on WW2 for the Russian Army. One of the greatest inventions he ever created was the AK-47 assault riffle. This gun has killed a quarter of a million people every year. Mikhail invented the AK-47 to protect his homeland. He said, “I did not make this to get money, but to protect my homeland.” In the war U.S. Troops threw away their M-16s and took the troops with the

The biggest gun used in the war was the Gustav. It aimed well and created holes 30 feet deep and 30 feet wide. It could be dismantled and shipped all over the world. It was made by Gustav Krupp. He was married to Berth Krupp and they owned the Krupp Company. He studied law and politics. After the war, he was charged with war crimes and later died in a car accident. The Gustav was blown up by the Germans after the war so the Russians couldn’t use it The Ak-47 rifle was the most dangerous gun used in the war. It was made by combining different types of automatic weapons and assault rifles. The man who thought of this idea was Mikhail Kalashnikov. He was born in 1919 and wanted to become a poet when he grew older. Things weren’t going well with poetry, so he joined the army in 1938. He became a good fighter and was promoted to general and was shot. While he was

While other parts of Russian struggled with food and alcohol rations, the vodka flowed in Ozersk. Brown describes the culture surrounding vodka as “In most Soviet cities, it was difficult to get vodka, but in Ozersk, vodka, beer, and even imported wine and cognac were sold freely. After hours, salespeople sold booze from shop windows.” The vodka became more than an indulgence for the residents of Ozersk. It was a crutch as well as a health aid. The original luxury item of vodka had been transformed culturally by the residents of Ozersk into a tonic for radiation and the stress of their unique

In the years around 1944 a handful of assault rifles were created, such as the Sturmgewehr 44 or StG44 (German), The M1 Grand (American) and The SKS (Russian). But the most memorable and arguably the best is the AK-47 or Kalashnikov. The AK-47

The US submachine gun is one with a very interesting history. Originally designed in the 1910s for use in the great war, it was meant to be a hand-held machine gun that could be used as a trench broom, a weapon used to clean trenches of enemies. In WW2, the thompson became extremely popular, so much so that US soldiers would often take the gun from dead soldiers due to its stopping

In 1998, entrepreneur and MBA Guillaume Cuvelier was preparing for the launch of his new distilled spirit, Svedka Vodka. Cuvelier has decided to start a vodka company after working many years in the spirits industry. Vodka makes up a large share of the spirits American’s drink at 24% of all alcohol consumed (Zuckerman). Vodka consumption is also rising across the US. Svedka is going to be a newcomer in the vodka marketplace going up against many big opponents in products such as Smirnoff, Grey Goose, Stolichnya and Absolut. Cuvelier’s Svedka has gotten rave reviews from many critics for its quality, so a successful marketing campaign will not depend much

According to the American Marketing Association (AMA), a brand is a “name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competition”. However, as Keller highlights, a brand is also “something that has actually created a certain amount of awareness, reputation, prominence, and so on in the marketplace”. Therefore, a brand is an identity created to differentiate itself from the competitors and to be remembered in consumer’s mind.

Since an increasing number of people focus on brand names instead of product, brands become important elements for customers to choose products (Carroll, 2008). When customers trust the brand, the benefits for the manufactures are generated. In the first place, brands can be used by products as the tool to identify and differentiate themselves from various products. Secondly, brands are helpful for companies to build a competitive advantage (Bick, 2009). Therefore, organisations take more attention to branding.

Vodka, an alcoholic beverage believed to have originated in Russia, is one of the most consumed spirits in the world. Vodka that was once rarely consumed outside of Europe before the 1905s has captured the international markets including the United States and by 1975, vodka market has