Federal express (slp module 02) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Federal express (slp module 02) - Essay Example According to Netscape Solutions Enterprise, â€Å"Intranet applications and information ranging from personnel guidelines, tax forms, employee evaluations, and project management documentation are currently or will soon be available to all corporate employees of Federal Express. Two critical intranet applications currently in use at Federal Express are one for publishing internal technology reports and another delivering adjunct help-desk support for internal staff. The intranet-published technology reports keep Federal Expresss technology staff current and help them stay abreast of project specifics, plans, and implementation procedures. The help-desk application is designed to streamline customer support by Federal Express information systems† (Netscape Solutions Enterprise, 1999, pg. 1). How project management specifically affects the different departments within an organization such as Federal Express depends on the type of project that is underway. For instance, replacing the computers in the marketing department would directly affect the marketing department, but may have little effect on human resources. â€Å"Project management is a carefully planned and organized effort to accomplish a specific (and usually) one-time effort, for example, construct a building or implement a new computer system. Project management includes developing a project plan, which includes defining project goals and objectives, specifying tasks or how goals will be achieved, what resources are need, and associating budgets and timelines for completion† (Free Management Library, 2008, pg. 1). The limitations for implementing the PERT and CRM methods at Federal Express are the same as they would be for any other organization that chose to implement these techniques. According to Hugg (1996, pg. 1), â€Å"A central weakness of both PERT and CPM is the inability to deal with resource dependencies. Resource dependencies are those that concern the availability of resources

Throughout life Essay Example for Free

Throughout life Essay Every situation that an individual is exposed to throughout life, helps mold our self. As humans we have the ability to see ourselves from the outside, and all through life we try to see what others see and our self revolves around the generalized other. We observe how others perceive us and we make conclusions depending on our observations. How we act around others depends on the image we feel they have towards us. Charles Horton Cooley, a symbolic interactionist, concluded that our sense of self develops from interactions with others. Cooley described this process as the looking -glass self. The looking- glass self consisted of three elements. We first imagine how we appear to those around us. We may feel that others see us as boring or quiet. Therefore we try to interpret the reactions of others when we are around them to confirm if what we think is true. If others seem to avoid to talk to you or if you really cant keep a continuous conversation, this may prove to you that you are indeed boring and not so conversational, maybe making you a little uncomfortable when being around people. On the other hand if you see yourself as an individual who can communicate without a problem and you see that you can keep others interested in a given conversations, your reaction is more positive. Through this looking- glass self we develop a self concept. Depending on the observations we make concerning the reactions of others we develop feelings and ideas about ourselves. The reflection we see in the mirror is either negative or positive depending on the feedback we get back from those around us. Misjudgments of the reactions of others become part of our self concept also the misinterpretations of how others think of us. Self concepts begins in childhood but it continues to develop throughout life. As we observe how other people react to us, we modify our self. The self is never a finished project, and it continues to change as our life takes different turns. Our self reacts to the environment that we are in. As the self expands we put together the different reactions making us a unique individual. Every individual has a different way of thinking and therefore they make their own choices about certain situations. Going through different life changes, means the self is expected to change to accommodate the life stage we find our selves in. The way we perceived things when we were adolescents changes when we become adults. We perceive things differently and take in reactions with a different attitude. Even though the family sets basic fundamentals of our personality, we are not destined to keep those characteristics if we dont like them. We can expose ourselves to different groups and ideas that we prefer. Therefore our self transforms depending on the circumstances that we are in. Cooley concluded that our sense of self develops from interactions with others, therefore we modify our self depending on those people around us. For example if we perceive the reactions of others towards us as negative, we tend to change the way we act and sometimes think. There are times when we might try to fit in to a crowd were our self those not meet there qualifications and we focus on the generalized other. The way society expects an individual to be, also tends to bring about change in a persons self over the course of time. Society sets standards and as individuals we tend to form ideas about the way others see us. The self is something that never stops expanding. Change is inevitable, since we must accommodate to our environment. Our self is build by the interactions we have with others, therefore the reactions that we obtain from those around us are very important. This reactions can create either a positive or negative reflection that will influence the way we feel about ourselves and even some of the choices we make in life.

Abigail Adams: Her Contributions :: Biography, History

Abigail Adams: Her Contributions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though quiet, sickly, and shy, Abigail Adams, the wife of second president John Adams, helped plant the seeds that eventually led to the concept of women ¹s rights and women ¹s equality with men. For a country which had been founded on the idea of independence for all, these concepts were still considered radical and even ridiculous.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abigail believed that a good education was just as necessary for girls as for boys. This was a departure from the prevailing feeling of teaching girls only the skills necessary for keeping a household running smoothly. She had a passion for reading history, theology, and political theory which she passed on to her children. For Abigail to have taken such a strong interest in her education was a brave stance for her time. Education was often viewed as a corrupting influence on a woman. She requested her husband John, who was a delegate to Congress and later a U.S. president, to draft into law a commitment to supporting education for women. John was in full agreement with Abigail ¹s views on this subject.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abigail made her strongest appeal for women ¹s rights in 1776, when John was in Philadelphia serving in Congress. As members drafted laws to guarantee the independence for which the colonist were fighting, Abigail wrote to John begging him to remember that women also needed to be given the right of independence. She sensed the struggles that were to come and understood the unfairness of making one group subject to the will of another.

Operations Management Zellers Essay

What competitive priority is important for a discount store, such as Zellers? Cost is the most important competitive priority for a discount store, such as Zellers. In order to perform competitively as a discount store, the organization must emphasize low operating costs. With this priority, Zellers can produce at low costs in comparison to competitors and offer products at low prices in order to meet consumer needs and become an order winner. 2. Three generic strategies are low cost, niche market, and product differentiation. What one of these strategies was Zellers using before 1998? After 1998? Prior to 1998, Zellers was using a low cost strategy. The company targeted budget-minded consumers with the slogan â€Å"Where the Lowest Price is the Law.† In the face of fierce rivalry from WalMart entering the competitive landscape and various operational shortcomings, Zellers made several strategic decisions and changes. After 1998, Zellers was using a niche market strategy, by adjusting its mission to become a â€Å"mom’s store.† Zellers focused on offering fair value to consumers, as opposed to the lowest price. The company moved away from the low cost dynamic of its self-service policy by investing in labour, having several customer service assistants on the floor. It also focused on investing in more famous brands and private label products. To the company’s detriment, it appears that Zellers made these strategic changes in order to compete more directly with WalMart, as they moved away from discounts towards offering everyday low prices on 95% of its merchandise.

Literary Analysis of Sunrise over Fallujah Essay

The novel Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers is a historical fiction novel that retells the memories of Robin Perry’s experience in Iraqi civil war. He was in a civil affairs unit, which is dedicated to protecting by standers in the war. Robin encounters various setbacks that try to slow down the progress of his unit such as the death of his close friend Jonsey. Walter Dean Myers portrayed his knowledge of the setting, aspects from the past, and made the plot very believable in the historical fiction novel Sunrise Over Fallujah. Firstly, the historical, cultural, and geographical content involving the setting was portrayed accurately and was authentic. In addition, authors must complete detailed research of their settings before attempting to write a book of this genre. If authors want â€Å"To create accurate and authentic settings in their books, they must research the time period thoroughly† (Read). Once the author has completed a detailed research of the setting they are looking to portray they can then start the writing process of their novel. Furthermore, an accurate setting makes the fictional part of the story believable and is what keeps the readers attention. The unit Robin was in had a â€Å"Route that was northward through the city and just out of it to Al Kazimayn mosque† (p.131, 14-15). This is an example of accurate geographical knowledge of the setting. Moreover, making the setting accurate is important, but making it authentic is just as important. When the main character Robin and his crew raided a home they â€Å"Couldn’t tell if it was an apartment house or one big family† (p. 53, 7-8). Researching about how the civilian population lived, ate, and what artifacts were a common part of their lives can make the settings in the novel more authentic. This concludes the importance of the setting in a historical fiction novel. Secondly, aspects from the past were used to help the reader see the development of the plot and fictional characters. Moreover, aspects from the past are important in a historical fiction novel because the readers see key elements develop. Many authors suggest that â€Å"Any aspect from the past can be useful to the present-day novelist attempting to reanimate it to serve as the context for character and plot development† (Facts). Plots and characters begin developing from the author’s research of aspects from the Iraq War. Furthermore, the war in Iraq was full of question, which created many aspects for Walter Dean Myers to choose from. Captain Miller was â€Å"Mad because there were kids in and playing around the school when they attacked it† (p. 100, 24-25). Those types of features from the war in Iraq helped the author develop fictional characters. In addition, aspects from the war in Iraq can be used for the development of the plot. For example, at one point in the novel â€Å"The vehicle ahead of Robin’s crew made a sharp U-turn, ‘RPGs!’ Jonsey shouted; he braked to a skidding halt† (p. 101, 23). This commonly used tactic of the Iraqi military was a feature that Walter Dean Myers used to help develop the plot. After analyzing the novel, readers quickly realize the importance of using aspects to develop characters and the plot. Finally, the most important part of a historical fiction novel by far is the believability of the plot. Moreover, the plot of a historical fiction novel is the most important part because this specific element of a novel is what keeps the readers attention. In a historical fiction novel â€Å"The fictional characters, settings, and plot events must be portrayed authentically as if they actually could’ve happened† (Read). This is a key component to make sure that everything in the â€Å"fictional† event is accurate and authentic to keep the readers attention. Furthermore, the plot consists of multiple parts in the story but the most looked forward to moment is the climax. The main character Robin was explaining that, â€Å"I had my head turned when the bus exploded. The impact went through my body and slammed me against the back of the Humvee† (p. 199, 22-24). The climax of the novel is successful as it creates suspense and kept the reader focused on the rest of the novel. A key component of making the plot believable is using terms based on the event the author is writing about. When Robin’s division had to move they â€Å"Were supposed to go from the FOB (forward operations base), which was nothing but a few tents in the sand, to mining area about fifteen to twenty miles away† (p. 78, 2-4). Complex terminology such as â€Å"FOB† can keep the readers attention because it seems like the author knows what he writing about. Walter Dean Myers successfully made the plot believable and kept the readers attention. The three major components to writing a historical fiction novel; knowledge of the setting, using aspects from the past, and the believability of the plot is what made Sunrise Over Fallujah a successful novel of this genre. This novel met ends with the criteria to writing a historical fiction novel, which is why it is recommended to readers that enjoy this genre. In the end, Walter Dean Myers put together a wonderful piece of literature that was successful in the historical fiction genre. Citations â€Å"Historical Fiction.† Read Write Think. IRA/NCTE, 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. â€Å"Historical Fiction.† Facts On File Companion to the British Novel: 20th Century, vol. 2. 2006. Bloom’s Literary Reference Online.

Racism and the Civil Rights essays

Racism and the Civil Rights essays Racism has existed in the United States for hundreds of years. While the issues of racism came to a head in the civil rights era of this country, the issue is still alive and well within many aspects of society. Research shows that Americans are still very influenced by ethnic origin, and that there are still enormous differences in the treatment of people in this country based on race. The President's Initiative on Race, a research organization, has also found that discrimination against groups based on their race still exists today, and still limits the opportunities available to them. This is seen in almost all areas, from the housing market, to employment and banking institutions (Diversity Digest, par. 1). While great improvements have occurred, there is still much racism to overcome. As early as the 1860's, the civil rights movement was beginning to slowly take form. With the end of the Civil War, and with the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery, the Fourteenth Amendment, which guaranteed protection of citizens, and the Fifteenth Amendment, which barred voting restrictions, the issue of civil rights came to the forefront. Yet the so called "freedoms" gained through the passage of the Amendments were quickly doused by "scientific" ideas that whites were supreme, and by state governments enacting numerous laws to severely restrict suffrage in the South. Through the combination of local, state and federal government, racial segregation began to emerge as a result. In addition, group such as the Klu Klux Klan formed to show white supremacy and began to emerge in both the north and the south, further limiting the freedoms of the African Americans (Sullivan, par. 1-6). By the 1900's, African Americans were virtually eliminated in all forms of government. Most areas in the south had banned African Americans from streetcars, created se...

Fiction and the Business Lesson Paper

Fiction and the Business Lesson Paper Fiction, Business Paper PAGE 5Fiction and the Business Lesson PaperHeather PattenENG120/Business LiteratureUniversity of PhoenixDr. Kimberly LockwoodMarch 26, 2007Fiction and the Business Lesson PaperIntroductionThis paper will analyze elements of fiction, such as the plot, the relationship between plot and character, the style in which the story is told, the point of view, and the structure that produces tension. This paper will also discuss the lesson(s) being taught. The paper will talk about how the lesson is being communicated and if the lesson being learned is the same for the character and the reader. This paper will analyze "The Virus" by Craig Brown (1991).PlotThe story takes place at the Third National Bank and Trust, in Peoria, Illinois. On April 25, an issue regarding a breach of security arisen. The terminals, or computers, at the branch were sending insults to personnel and customers.Peoria Civic Center, , 2006. In the foreground is ...The main issue was how the custom ers were reacting to the insults. Henry Russell, President and CEO of Third National Bank and Trust, decided to bring in an individual that could fix the problem. There were six facts, Fact One: security breach, Fact Two: the individual that caused the issue was most likely an employee, Fact Three: the individual knew the Banks system, Fact Four: no larceny was involved, Fact Five: due to the security issues at hand, it would narrow the search down, and Fact Six: it was going to be hard finding out whom the individual was. The relationship that the character has with the plot is that the character is telling the story. In hence, the point of view is from the individual called to fix the "virus".Structure of StoryThe structure of the story is very interesting. In the beginning of the...

Writing Tighter How to Cut Your Writing Down to Size

Writing Tighter How to Cut Your Writing Down to Size â€Å"I apologize for writing such a long letter. I didn’t have time to write a short one.† – Mark Twain It’s debatable what the actual quote is and whether it is actually Mark Twain’s, but either way it’s a great statement of the truth. It does indeed take longer - much longer - to write a short letter, blog post, essay, resume, etc. than it does to write a long one. I have frequently taken two-page resumes and cut them down to one without loss of content. Five-page single-spaced personal statements reduce to 500 words. Remarkable right? An example: I worked with a social media marketing expert to create the â€Å"perfect† blog post for LinkedIn. The original draft was 5,504 characters long - 1,777 characters over the LinkedIn limit! In 15 minutes, we had edited the blog down to size. How did we do it? Here are some tips to help you make the grade: Look for anything that could be characterized as â€Å"window dressing.† That’s the stuff you write around the important points! Find the nugget and stick to it! Are you repeating yourself? Stop! Once is enough. We get it. Stay organized. Often the source of rambling language is simply lack of organization and focus. Ask yourself about each and every sentence: How many words can I remove from this sentence and retain its meaning? Go ahead†¦ remove those extra words! You can do it! (Yes, there are extra words in that last sentence. Can you find them?) If you’re really in a bind, remove or reduce the space between bullet points or paragraphs. Only take this drastic measure as a last resort. White space is a prized commodity, especially in a blog or resume! If you remove something and your message no longer transmits, put it back in! Theres always somewhere else you can cut out. The process takes time, but it’s worth it. Your newly trimmed writing will be snappy, punchy and geared to today’s short attention spans! If you are reading this sentence, I’ve followed my own advice.

Sales Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sales Management - Essay Example The examples can be a deafening silence, beautiful ugly, constant variable etc. The use of oxymoron for sales ethics puts forward the meaning that sales and ethics are two opposite concepts. To explore this in detail, the phrase sales ethics is an oxymoron means that in sales there is no place for ethics. The sales persons cannot be ethical if they have to get their work done properly. The sales force has to maneuver facts, figures and details in order to sell their product and beat competition. The corporate race these days compels the companies and their sales representatives to speak positive about their product and make it appear larger than life in order to attract customer attention. In this era of increasing prices, fierce competition, the firms cannot add too much value to their products but are compelled to show a luring picture so that their sales graphs go up. These days it is all about graphs number and profits, goodwill, loyalty has taken a back seat. Having mentioned th e above general perception regarding sales and ethics, let us validate and form an opinion based on concepts and analysis. For centuries the great writers and philosophers have been trying to come up with the definition of ethics. The word ethics is a complex concept and its complexity is derived from the lack of a universal definition. Ethics is different for different people, what I believe to be ethical may be unethical for someone and vice versa. â€Å"Ethics, in fact, is all about fairness and equity, and a fine balancing act, the balancing treatment of the two parties involved, sharing of benefits and losses, and sharing of the good and bad consequences or misery imposed by calamities, natural events etc.† (Madhavan 2008, 4) The field of ethics is very subjective; it is a personalized value system and judgment that varies from person to person. It deals with a person’s emotional values along with the logical benchmark; anything below that line of ethics is unethi cal and wrong. But the fine line between being ethical and unethical has blurred over the years. More and more firms are entering into marketing gimmicks and tricks and trade of the sales games and calling it ethical because of its commonality. Having talked about personal or individual ethics let us now explore business ethics. In any organization the value and opinions are formed by the people working in it. How well an organization carries out its value and conveys it to its customers depends upon the conduct of its employees. â€Å"Business ethics is the study of business situation, activities, and decisions where issues of right and wrong are addressed.† (Crane and Matten 2007, 5) The firms need to establish a morally right and wrong criteria as an ethical value system in the organization. Every individual in the organization should work towards the good of the organization and individual selfish gains should be avoided for the firm and society to prosper in an ethical m anner. However, the real world of business posses several ethical confusions and issues to the sales force putting them into an ethical dilemma.†Anyone who wants to succeed in sales should be aware of the ethical issues that can arise. For a number of reasons, activities related to sales seem to have a greater frequency and level of ethical issues.†

Social Work Mental Health Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Social Work Mental Health - Literature review Example Social workers themselves can, in turn, influence people to raise their own levels of self confidence through the positive work that they do, as well as the quality services that they provide (Gray & Schubert 2010). The degree of expertise that a social worker has, and the skill sets that they come into the position with, largely depends on the quality of the training that they have received. With this in mind, it can be said that social workers need to be trained to take it upon themselves to improve their own effectiveness in work with individuals that have a mental illness, all in an effort to perform the various job functions assigned to them with excellence. To accomplish this objective will require possessing the ability to manage a complex discipline, in addition to the challenging situations that arise on a daily basis, in order to provide maximum benefit to both the individual and to society as a whole. The focus of the following literature review is to provide the reader wi th a cursory overview of the function that social workers play within the treatment of mentally ill individuals, as well as a critical analysis of two health models that more effectively cover this topic in depth (Bogg 2014). Recent trends indicate that social workers can literally transform the lives of people that have a mental health condition. This demonstrates their significance in modern society (Allen 2014). This is accomplished through their ability to improve the quality of services provided to people that have a mental illness and through the dedication exhibited by social workers, as they are the very professionals trained and this field and possess the capability to truly make a difference in this discipline. It should be mentioned, as well, that the field of mental health is a ripe area for the practice of social work, and within this context such individuals are well positioned to impact society in a positive manner. Social workers do provide

Kodak and Fujifilm Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Kodak and Fujifilm - Term Paper Example Throughout this period, the company has undergone through various transformational phases which has seen it even be declared bankrupt in January 2012 (Eastman Kodak Company, 2004). Eastman Kodak Co. is known for its best photographic film products which has for ages, been the central part of its business. Mostly, these products included cameras, printers and other machines for use in the production of film products. This company became very dominant for a longer period of time and history has it that most of the 20th Century, it was the only company that held a high prestigious and dominant position in the industry (Eastman Kodak Company, 2004). The first argument one can give forth is that probably there was no greater competitor back then which left Kodak as the only sole producer of the said photographic materials thus; it thrived as a worldwide monopolist. For instance, the company had nearly 90% of the United States of America film share of the market. The remaining percentage w as left to the struggling small companies which were no match to its growth success (Devereaux et al, 2006). In the late 1990s, Eastman Kodak Company started facing financial struggles, which after in-depth analysis, were found to be due to under-performance in its sales prospects leading it to incurring greater transactional and production costs. The resultant effect was the decline in the sales of its photographic materials. Consequently, Kodak’s dismal performance during this period was attributed to the uptake of information technology by firms in their operations. This sudden shift caught the company unawares since it continued producing these film products when the market for the same was diminishing gradually with each passing moment. Sooner or later, the company had no positive sales records. Its slow response to transit to digital photography despite it having invented the current technology in use, in modern digital cameras, led to its fall. However, as a turnaround at around the year 2007, Kodak started using digital photography in its operations, a move which led to it registering profits in its operations. It also focused on digital printing of the films and even started using generating revenues through an aggressive litigation of patents. In the month of January 2012, the company filed for a bankruptcy protection and followed this move in the succeeding month with an announcement that it had ceased production of pocket video cameras, digital cameras, and the digital picture frames. Instead, it stated that its focus would be on the corporate market of digital imaging. August the same year, the company announced for the sale of its commercial scanners, photographic film but not the motion picture film, and the kiosk operations all of which served as measures to emerge from the bankruptcy state. Kodak also sold most of its patents Intellectual Ventures and RPX Corporation, which was an umbrella corporation for companies like Apple, Amazon, F acebook, Samsung, Microsoft, Google and HTC. Fujifilm Company Ltd. This is a Japanese multinational imaging and photography company that was established in the year 1934 and has its headquarters at Tokyo, Japan. The aim of its establishment was to regard it as the first Japanese photographic company producing photographic films. At its inception, this company had only one goal of being a cinematic-film producer but, overtime, it has grown into being a fully fledged multi-dimensional

Critical Social Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical Social Analysis - Essay Example The basic assumption of the article underlined the fact that the privileges enjoyed by the whites deliberately override the basic rights and freedom of persons belonging to different color of skin, culture and religion. The repercussions of such discriminations are extensive and often abusive for underprivileged segment of society living in extreme poverty and sub human conditions in various parts of the world. The condition in South Africa is worth mentioning because of the abject poverty which has resulted in HIV/AIDS pandemic. As per the article, out of 3 million cases, 2.4 million HIV/AIDS cases were in Africa only! The writers are appalled that such human misery has, neither evoked empathy among the rich nations nor has it penetrated their hard faà §ade of self interest. One of the major ideas that the article propagates is that of health being one of the fundamental rights of all persons. Health is incorporated in the 1946 constitution of WHO2 and 1948 declaration of Human Rights. They clearly state the need for a minimum standard of living and access to medical facilities, food and housing for every human being, irrespective of race, religion, political belief and socio-economic conditions. The concept has been accepted in theory but practical implementation has yet to take off. The callous attitude towards the less fortunate can be gauged by Andrew Natsios, USAID Director when he said that Africans should not receive lifesaving AIDS treatment because ‘they don’t know what Western time is’(Salim). This is most blatant expression of racism at its worst not because of its offensive content but that it is uttered by a man of authority who is fully aware that he will get away with any blasà © attitude because he is white and he is American. America indeed, has turned out to be the biggest promoter of global apartheid. The inequalities and discriminatory practices are a legacy

The assignment is in the PDF format which I will be upload Research Paper

The assignment is in the PDF format which I will be upload - Research Paper Example While this evolution has brought in many ways or ideologies of perceiving the world and humanity, the civilization has both gained and lost in the spheres of family values and social commitment. If these technological advancements provided us with opportunities to establish stronger familial and social bonds, how would you make use of them? When such an evolution pushes you towards the boundaries of ethical deliberations, how do you intelligently direct yourself on the path of conscience and prudence? How does the media evolution contribute or contradict the evolution of civilization? A.A Campbell Swinton, being a prominent British electrical engineer, was on of the many visionaries to predict a ‘Distant Electric Vision’ by discussing a fully electronic video system in 1908 (Webb, 2005). The possibility of executing Swinton’s narrations was not realized until the second half of nineteenth century. Nonetheless, the first device for scanning and transmitting images through wires was constituted by Paul Nipkow, a twenty three year old German engineering student, in 1884. This concept established to inspect a scene sequentially point by point from top to bottom and left to right. It will further be transmitted through telegraph lines using the pulsating electric current generated from the time-varying brightness after every successive point (Webb, 2005). It was the fundamental system on which today’s televisions are based on. Television started to gain a place in the general household by 1960s. As the device developed technically, it brought tremendous changes in the attitudes of masses to absorb the advent of a mass media. â€Å"The introduction of the machine into the home meant that family members needed to come to terms with the presence of communication medium that might transform older modes of family interaction† (Spigel, 1992, p.238). Social

Wall Street Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wall Street Journal - Essay Example ited States seems to be a challenge to the farmers since in the next two months all pigs will be swiped by the virus thus making the prices of pork to increase drastically. Department of agriculture and economist estimated that more than 6 million piglets in 27 states have already died due to porcine epidemic diarrhea. The virus is an air bone disease since it is spreading from one state to the next killing the piglets. The department of agriculture has estimated that 3% shrunk to about 63million pigs for half a year. The virus does not affect human being and other animals, the disease is thought to have emanated from China but how the virus entered the United States is not known up to date and thus the scientists working harder to know the cause of the virus and how it can be controlled. The federal government has so far used more than $1.7 million to research about the virus but this seems even to consume more since they do not have the idea on how to prevent the virus in future and current conditions. United States is well known as the top producer of pork that is of high quality and still it is a major exporter of the products. This seems as if there will be no pig export if the virus spread in such a manner. For example, currently the production has declined and 7% reduction is being experienced in the states. The kind of pork decline was experienced in many years back and the situation is worrying the pig farmers (Kendall, 25). The prices have shot up and currently bacon is being sold at an average price of $5.46. The prices of Ham and Chops still have increased since the virus is making it hard to rear other piglets. One of the pork farmers Craig Rowles came with an idea to prevent the virus and thus trained the workers. Craig thought the virus was spreading due to poor conditions and thus instructing the workers to shower and change clothing before attending the pigs and restriction of the visitors was encouraged. Despite all the efforts to curb the

The assignment is in the PDF format which I will be upload Research Paper

The assignment is in the PDF format which I will be upload - Research Paper Example While this evolution has brought in many ways or ideologies of perceiving the world and humanity, the civilization has both gained and lost in the spheres of family values and social commitment. If these technological advancements provided us with opportunities to establish stronger familial and social bonds, how would you make use of them? When such an evolution pushes you towards the boundaries of ethical deliberations, how do you intelligently direct yourself on the path of conscience and prudence? How does the media evolution contribute or contradict the evolution of civilization? A.A Campbell Swinton, being a prominent British electrical engineer, was on of the many visionaries to predict a ‘Distant Electric Vision’ by discussing a fully electronic video system in 1908 (Webb, 2005). The possibility of executing Swinton’s narrations was not realized until the second half of nineteenth century. Nonetheless, the first device for scanning and transmitting images through wires was constituted by Paul Nipkow, a twenty three year old German engineering student, in 1884. This concept established to inspect a scene sequentially point by point from top to bottom and left to right. It will further be transmitted through telegraph lines using the pulsating electric current generated from the time-varying brightness after every successive point (Webb, 2005). It was the fundamental system on which today’s televisions are based on. Television started to gain a place in the general household by 1960s. As the device developed technically, it brought tremendous changes in the attitudes of masses to absorb the advent of a mass media. â€Å"The introduction of the machine into the home meant that family members needed to come to terms with the presence of communication medium that might transform older modes of family interaction† (Spigel, 1992, p.238). Social

Foreign Press vs. U.S. Press Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Foreign Press vs. U.S. Press - Essay Example When people were still in shock the next bomb exploded creating wider chaos and fear everywhere. A lot of bodies were left in pieces with boots of police officers scattered all over the scene along with several severed hands. Thereafter ambulances began evacuating casualties of what remains of the dead bodies and injured people. The injured and victims were then taken to hospitals bloodied and bandaged they lay on the floor because of the beds that were already filled with patients. Chaotic scenes unfolded as the doctors and nurses tended to the patients and security officials who were also brought as more victims. Within an hour another bomb exploded taking the list to three bombs all in one day; the last bomb injured almost 8 more security officials. It was evident that this bomb along with other terrorist activities aimed at police officials only; however it was considered the worse since February. Comparison The news are reported by the USA press (Voice of America) and the Foreig n Press ( Khaleej times). Good comparisons of both are given below. Commonalities: There are various commonalities in facts and general information where both citations are mostly similar. Both reports clearly mention 27 people killing in northern city of Iraq. The area that was the blasted, that is, Kirkuk was even correctly identified. Other details that included, the bombs rushing the policemen out of their headquarters, three bombs all in one day, the location of bomb i.e. parking area near police station and the third bomb being planted on the road was even clearly pointed out by both press. The number figures mainly eight wounded security officers, second bomb occurring within minutes, the third within an hour were also some of the accurate approximates. Differences: The reports from US press (voice of America) had a very short note due to which places of disparities reduced naturally in the report. Still in some areas the problem was sighted this included mainly in the title. Whereeas th Foreign Press (Khaleej Times) mentioned two bombs killing 27 people the USA Press (Voice of America) mentioned series of bomb killing 27 people. At first side any addressee would comprehend the word â€Å"series† as more than two bombs, which could be a wrong view, thus the title could be said as an exaggerated one to draw attention. The second difference sighted were in the distance of Kirkuk from north of Baghdad. Where Foreign Press (Khaleej Times) mentioned 290 kilometers the USA Press (Voice of America) mentioned it as 250 kilometers. This was a factual data and such error must not have occurred. News # 2: At least 18 killed in Baghdad jail fight The article reported the killing in Baghdad prison flight. It all started when one of the Al-Qaeda leaders, Huthaifa al-Battawi, who was reported as the Emir of Baghdad and also the planned attacker at a Catholic Church, wrestled with one of the security guards in an attempt to flee off the prison with other of his inmates. In fighting between the security officers and the prisoners he got killed along with many others from security guards and prisoners either injured or killed. Commonalities: Both the USA Press (Voice of America) and the Foreign Press (Khaleej times) agreed on Huthaifa al-Battawi death, his wrestling for gun from a guard and him being the one who planned attack at Catholic Church back in October . Differences: There are various

Mersey Side Case Essay Example for Free

Mersey Side Case Essay Background Problem Statement Diamond chemicals is a leading propylene producer and a major player in the chemicals industry worldwide. However the share of the company had fallen from  £60 at the end of 1999 to  £30 in 2000 on account of worldwide economic slowdown and poor financial performance. Given the prevalent scenario, it was time to obtain funds from corporate headquarters for a modernization program for Merseyside project. This project will not only renovate and rationalize a production line but also make up for deferred maintenance and increase production efficiency. Lucy Morris is the Plant Manager at Merseyside and by nature she is a high achiever and a Notre dame MBA. Frank Greystock is the Controller, President of Diamond Chemicals. To make a compelling case, Frank and Lucy try to make a financial model to calculate the NPV, IRR and Payback period for this project but are challenged on several aspects. To pursue their endeavor, they need to correct the model as per the feedback from the shareholders and management. Thus the problem statement is to suggest corrections to the existing model and thus calculate the NPV, IRR and payback period which would not be challenged further and the project could be approved. Methodology and Results In addition to the baseline model presented in Exhibit 2 of the case study, four cash flow models were built considering the following criteria: * Cannibalization: This model was directly taken from the case study and was used as a starting point for reference. This model presents the information that Greystock included on the analysis that was submitted to Morris. Cannibalization of demand: This model reflects a reduced output at Rotterdam. The cannibalization aspect is obtained by shifting the added volume from the plant in Holland (Rotterdam) to the plant England (Merseyside) regardless of the fact that both plants operate under the same company. * Excess transport needed: This model accounts for a  £2 million  for the purchase of rolling stock to support the anticipated growth of the firm. The funds would be used to purchase tank cars to be used at Merseyside. * Including EPC project: This model includes the recommendation provided by Griffin Tewitt, assistant plant manager at Merseyside. This model reflects the detrimental effects of including a project that adds no value, to the original model. By itself, the EPC project does not stand a chance of approval, thus the only effect that it has, by bundling with the polypropylene project, is to increase the paylack period, lower NPV and reduce the IRR of the overall project. * Recommended model which consists all the right variables’ values: This model contains all the adjusted variable with the recommendations that our team would follow, if placed in the position of Morris. This accounts for The Results from these were as follows: | Baseline| Cannibalized| Excess Transport| EPC| Recommended| IRR| 25.9%| 21%| 22%| 21.43%| 31.47%| NPV (MM)|  £ 8.95 |  £ 5.75 |  £ 6.16 |  £ 5.00 |  £ 13.37 | PBP (Yrs)| 3.61| 4.09| 3.95| 4.08| 3.20| Thus we can see for the recommended model as the NPV is  £ 13.4 Million and the investment required it  £ 9 Million, it is a lucrative project. The recommended model above considers a 3% inflation which varies from 1.2 – 5.1% in UK. Considering this variation the following graph shows how the NPV and IRR would change with inflation The company charges a 3.5% for overhead investments. However, as the project is expected to reduce overhead costs, increase efficiency, output and reduce the power consumption, this overhead investment fee should be waived. If this waiver is implemented, the NPV increases to  £15.0 Million. The Purchase Cost of Rolling Stock is currently considered as  £ 2 Million. This would be used for transportation needs arising due to the anticipated excessive demand. However this investment would be made regardless of the project and hence only a part of the investment should be considered for the modeling purposes. What proportion of the investment would be used  specifically for this project will determine the value of the Purchase Cost of Rolling Stock that would be definitely lesser than  £2 Million. Currently, the model is based on the assumption that the production will run on full capacity and the sales team will be able to sell all of the throughput. This assumption should be tested and, if not valid, the variation should be accounted in the model. Conclusions and Recommendations * Using the recommended model as a basis for comparison, against the original model, Merseyside is a promising project because the NPV is  £ 13.4 Million and the investment cost is  £ 9 Million with a payback period of 3.2 years and IRR of 31.47%. . * Greystock’s model did not account for inflation. The inflation rate of 3% should be considered in the final analysis. This changes the NPV from  £9.7 Million to  £13.4 Million, a  £3.7 Million difference. * The sunk costs  £0.5 Million should not be considered * In case the overhead investment cost can be waived as the project itself aims at reducing overhead investments; the NPV would be  £ 15.0 Million * The Purchase Cost of Rolling Stock is considered  £ 2 Million which can be lowered considering the actual increase in transportation * The Customer retention can vary and depending on the anticipated demand the NPV, IRR and Payback period might change References: i. Darden Business Publishing: Diamond Chemicals PLC (A): The Merseyside Project ii. http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/Pages/inflationreport/infrep.aspx iii. Class 1 2 Presentations from Operations Cost and Risk Management

Controversies in ECMO

Controversies in ECMO Parag Gharde, Sandeep Chauhan   Controversy is defined as â€Å"Public debate about a matter which arouses conflicting opinion.† (Oxford English Dictionary) ECMO or ECLS- To start with there is controversy regarding the name itself. There are two abbreviations that we commonly come across in literature ECMO- extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ECLS- extracorporeal life support This support system is used in different clinical settings where the reversible organ dysfunction has affected the lung, the heart or both. When lung rest is needed the veno-venous ECMO system is used and for providing cardiac rest veno-arterial system is used. The term extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) came into being when Dr. J. Donald Hill first used it successfully in a road traffic accident victim who developed acute respiratory distress syndrome after multiple blood transfusions. Since lung rest and oxygenation was the main therapeutic requirement, the life support system was named ECMO. But since this support system is now often being used in patients requiring cardiac support where the native lung is functioning well, the term ECMO is not suitable and hence the term ECLS is now in common use in clinical practice. The ECMO society itself is named as â€Å"Extracorporeal Life Support Organization-ELSO†. Therefore the reader should not get confused when they come across the terms- ECMO and ECLS, both meaning the same but to the author the term ECLS appears to be more appropriate as it can be used interchangeably whether support is required for the lung, the heart or for both. The use of the term ECMO is justified only if it is being used to support pulmonary function with the aim of giving rest to the lung. Does ELSO work? After the first successful use of ECLS in an adult, which was reported by Hill etal in 1972 (NEJM 1972; 26: 629-34.), the National Institute of Health sponsored a multicenter randomized study by Zapol etal in 1974, which showed 90% mortality in both ECLS and conventional care group. The anticipated enrolment for the study was 300 patients but the study was stopped after just 92 patients, as the death rates were similar in both the groups. This prospective randomized trial deflated the initial euphoria that was generated by the report of Hill etal. Was this supposed to be a certain miscarriage of a support system devised to deal with patients who are non-responders to conventional medical practice, even before seeing the light of the day? This study was conducted in adults with hypoxic respiratory failure and published in 1979. (JAMA 1979; 242:2193-2196). This first prospective multicenter randomized clinical trial demands a close scrutiny. During the study period a nation wide epidem ic of influenza pneumonia broke out, which might have affected the results. Though the protocol included lung rest but the inflation pressures were high compared to the present recommendation, which may have caused lung injury. VA ECLS was used rather than VV ECLS, which may be responsible for high incidence of pulmonary micro-thrombosis due to decreased pulmonary blood flow. ECMO was instituted after a mean duration of 9 days of mechanical ventilation, which in the present era has been reduced to 7 days. Morrios etal (Am J Respir Crit Care Med-1994;149(3);88) randomized 40 patients with sever ARDS to either pressure controlled inverse ratio ventilation or extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal. Survival at 30 days was not significantly different (42% in mechanical ventilation group and 33% in ECLS group). After these two randomized trials, showing failure of ECLS in the adult setup had put ECLS into disrepute despite many anecdotal mini case series and isolated case reports showing the benefits were published. The much awaited CESAR trial (Efficacy and economic assessment of Conventional ventilator support versus Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for Severe Adult Respiratory failure), a multicenter randomized controlled trial by Peek etal was published in Lancet 2009. (Lancet. 2009:374:1351-1363.) 180 patients were randomized and 90 patients were managed at the participating tertiary care centers while 90 were referred to Glenfield hospital. Five patients in the ECMO referral group died during transportation and thus the ECMO group consisted of 68 patients of which 43 survived to 6 months (63%). This study showed that survival apart from appropriate time of institution of ECLS also significantly depends on the expertise of the ECLS conducting center. There is no consensus on the optimal time for institution of ECLS. Waiting too long will result in danger of end organ dysfunction and poor outcome, while too early institution without optimizing medical therapy will expose the patient to the inherent risk of ECLS. The success in ECLS has been with neonatal acute hypoxemic respiratory failure with survival to discharge rates reaching 80%. The success story started with Bartlett etal reporting the first successful use of ECLS in a neonate in 1976. Extracorporeal carbon-dioxide removal (ECCO2R) A membrane lung is used to remove carbon dioxide in conditions of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A low flow is required and is perfused by femoral artery-venous shunt. Low blood flow is not adequate for performing oxygenation. Morris etal conducted a randomized control trial using this device to eliminate CO2. This trial showed no difference between ECCO2R and the conventional treatment and the study was stopped after enrolling 40 patients only. The ECCO2R arm used low flow in a group of patients with severe lung disease, which warranted higher ECMO flows. Before starting the trial, the trial team had limited experience on sheep and one patient.(Am J Respir Crit Care Med,1994:149; 295-305.) Effective CO2 clearance is achieved with blood flow as little as 10-15ml/kg/min, while oxygenation requires at least 50-60 ml/kg/min of blood flow. Nova lung (Germany) produces a membrane lung, which can be perfused using femoral arterio-venous shunt, enough blood flow for CO2 removal. ECLS Vs Ventricular assist device (VAD) Patients with failing heart and waiting for heart transplant need a bridge to transplant till the time a donor heart is available. If these patients develop acute exacerbation of cardiac dysfunction, which route should be chosen- ECLS or VAD? There are no guidelines regarding this situation. The main advantage ECLS holds over VAD is in patients with bi-ventricular dysfunction, which will require a bi-VAD. VA-ECLS on other hand can support both the ventricles along with respiratory failure and refractory pulmonary artery hypertension. The only limitation is the duration of support, which at most is 4-6 weeks. Cardiac ECLS The controversy is regarding patient selection. Though ECLS guideline clearly defines presence of a reversible condition before institution of ECLS, there are situation when it’s difficult to predict if the condition is reversible and most often the decision is surgeon dependent who may have a biased opinion regarding the true indication for instituting ECLS. This usually results in financial burden, resource and manpower wastage, bad outcome, lowers the moral of the team and loss of faith in the support system (ECLS). When is the ideal time to institute ECLS in cardiac surgical patient? Is it ideal to institute ECLS directly from CPB or to initiate it later in the intensive care unit after giving a trial? It has been shown that survival benefits were more in patients who went on ECLS directly from CPB thus avoiding the ill effects of prolonged low cardiac output state or subsequent to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the intensive care unit. Antegarde or retrograde ECLS Retrograde ECLS via femoral artery cannulation especially for cardiac support in a failing left ventricle is not a good option. The failing heart with this form of support has to compete with retrograde ECLS flow from the femoral artery cannula. This causes increase in LV wall stress and may even result in mitral regurgitation both of which increase left atrial (LA) pressure, thus affecting gas exchange due to pulmonary congestion. This may impair oxygenation and delivery of inadequately oxygenated blood to coronary and cerebral artery circulation will further worsen cardiac function and delay recovery. Therefore central ECLS with aortic cannulation has some advantage over peripheral ECLS, especially in case of cardiac support. But central ECLS takes time to initiate and is ideal in post cardiac surgery setup. In an emergency situation peripheral ECLS is easy to institute. Serial echocardiography needs to be done to rule out LA distention. If LA distention is present then placement o f an LA vent is necessary via percutaneous atrial septostomy. Some prefer retrograde ECLS because of the fact that 10-15% patients suffer from stroke when carotid artery was used for arterial cannulation in profound hypotension or arrest. Neck vessels are used in children up to 5-6 years and femoral access in older patients. Limb ischemia is common with femoral artery cannulation and may require additional distal limb perfusion. Is axillary artery cannulation a better option? This can provide sufficiently oxygenated blood to the upper body, which is lacking with retrograde flow. The issue of limb ischemia is also addressed. The decreased pulmonary blood flow in full support VA ECLS may increase the risk of thrombus formation, in the pulmonary circulation, because of lower levels of anticoagulation. Does the type of oxygenator influence outcome? In vitro studies reported problems with Biomedicus (Medtronic, USA) pump heads. Thiara etal demonstrated improved circuit durability and reduced hemolysis when changing from Biomedicus (Minimax oxygenator) circuit to a Rotaflow (Lilliput 2 oxygenator), but failed to demonstrate survival improvement. (Perfusion, 2007;22:323-26). The earlier oxygenators were spiral wound silicone membrane oxygenator (Affinity, Avecor Cardiovascular Inc, USA), and the recent multiple hollow fibers

Essay --

George Bilgere, an American Poet writes a touching but sad poem about his personal life. Bilgere who is the main character in the poem takes his readers on a journey about the survival of his struggles in life. Coming from a family with divorced parents, alcoholic father and mother who passed away lead him to be more open with his poetry. In the poem â€Å" Like Riding a Bicycle† Bilgere informs his readers about the struggles he had to face throughout his childhood due to not having a mother or father figure around at a young age. Throughout the poem, Bilgere shows that even though you struggle in life, there is alway a way to find yourself as a successful individual. Bilgere was a young boy who suffered from alcohol abuse. The first few stanzas of the poem started off showing happiness when describing his father teaching him how to ride a bicycle. Getting deeper into the poem, it turns to a rough point when Bilgere compares the push while riding a bike to his own marriage. For instance â€Å" As I make some perilous adult launch / like pulling away from my wife.† (462) Knowing that his father and mother split up when Bilgere was a young child, shows that the divorce affected his future. Bilgere’s father alcohol problem destroyed their family. The line â€Å" On their own divorce, their balance / long gone and the hard ground already / rising up to smite them† ( 462) shows the feeling of being abandoned and left alone. His father's alcoholism caused his actions to become violent. For instance â€Å" He swore and stomped off.† (462) which demonstrates to the reader that the father had trouble controlling his temper towar ds his son and wife. Throughout the entire poem, it shows that Bilgere had strong anger towards his father but learns to appreciate ... ...er evening† (463) gives us the thought of him remembering it all, but â€Å" the pacific shoreline† (463) which proves that the bicycle ride was representing a new life. Bilgere gives his readers the conclusion to never give up even when life turns upside down. Bilgere was a young boy who survived a tough childhood and grew up to be a successful man. Even though he didn't have the childhood most children have shows that anything is possible. We shouldn't give up on anything when life gets difficult for us. Bilgere proves to his reader that giving up doesn't get you anywhere; doing something about it does. Knowing that Bilgere was about to find happiness and be confident in the person he had became gives me the hope of a better future. Life will through some tough punches but better to take the pain than to give up because god has something better stored for the future.

Shakespeare in the Bush

What problems did Bohannan encounter as she told the story of Hamlet to the Tiv? The problem she encountered when she was telling the story was the comments of the elders. As she was trying to formulate her thoughts/ analyses on the story, the elders kept on commenting what they thought was right, and what they think as the truth about the story. Therefore, she had a hard time explaining the story in the way she wanted and liked. â€Å"There was a murmur of applause. Hamlet was again a good story to them, but it no longer seemed quite the same story to me. As I thought over the coming complications of plot and motive, I lost courage and decided to skim over dangerous ground quickly.We could say that in this part of the story, she had a hard time explaining the book the way she wanted it. That is why she had to avoid those hard-to-explain parts so she wouldn’t be questioned more. Another problem she encountered while reading and telling the text was her opposing interpretation of the book, as compared to that of the elders. For her, the interpretation of the piece is universal—that there could only be one real and acceptable interpretation for it.But, as she was telling the story, the elders kept on voicing out their opinions, causing the author to take down notes and eventually question her own interpretation of the book. â€Å"I stopped being a storyteller, took out my notebook and demanded to be told more about these two causes of madness. Even while they spoke and I jotted notes, I tried to calculate the effect of this new factor of the plot.†In this part we could see that, because of the bothering comments of the elders, she started to question her knowledge of the book, that is why she took down notes and analyzed those new factors on the plot said by the Tiv. To sum up, she had a hard time explaining the book to the Tiv because of two  reasons: the annoying comments of the elders, and her opposing interpretation of the book.Is the Tiv’s interpretation of Hamlet incorrect? Why or why not? Substantiate your answer with evidence from the text (observe the rules on citation). Include also what you know and have experienced. Should we worry about being correct? Why or why not? The Tiv’s interpretation of Hamlet is neither correct nor incorrect—because no one really does know the correct interpretation of the text, for it is the author (William Shakepeare) who knows what the real interpretation of the novel is.Also, as supposed to what Laura Bohannan had said that the interpretation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is universal, I believe that its interpretation is varying in different types of people, taking the Tiv for example. The Tiv are also known as the Mitshi, Munchi or Munshi. They are also located in the northern provinces of Nigeria, with the majority of them living in the Tiv Division of Benue Province (Bohannan and Bohannan 1953:9). Knowing the life of these people are just or dinary, everyone wouldn’t expect that such people could be able to give their insights/knowledge about the text—yet, they were able to give their own interpretation of it.How? By applying their knowledge and experiences in life. They were able to apply these things so that they will be able to understand the next happenings more accurately, and to comprehend a text which is very hard to understand. â€Å"Listen,† said the elder, â€Å"and I will tell you how it was and how your story will go, then you may tell me if I am right. Polonius knew his son would get into trouble, so he did. He had many fines to pay for fighting, and debts from gambling.But he had only two ways of getting money quickly. One was to marry off to his sister at once, but it is difficult to find a man who will marry a woman desired by the son of the chief. For if the chief’s heir commits adultery with your wife, what can you do? Only a fool calls a case against a man who will someday be his judge. Therefore Laertes had to take the second way: he killed his sister by witchcraft, drowning her so he could secretly sell her body to the witches.†In this part of the story, the Tiv used their knowledge and experiences to interpret the plot accurately and effectively. That is why they were able to predict precisely what Laertes did to his sister Ophelia, and so as the next happenings in the story. â€Å"Sometime,† concluded the old man, gathering his ragged toga about him, â€Å"you must tell us some more stories of your country. We, who are elders, will instruct you in their true meaning, so that when you return to your own land your elders will see that you have not been sitting in the bush, but among those who know things and who have taught you wisdom.†In that part of the story, we could really see that these people, the Tiv, really have experiences that they were able to use in interpreting Hamlet. We could also see in this excerpt from the tex t that, even though they are just people sitting around the bush, they are more knowledgeable than we are, because they have these experiences that helped shape their perspectives in the different aspects of life. And, to answer the question of whether we should worry or not worry if our interpretation of a text is correct or incorrect, I think we shouldn’t. What is important is that we are able to understand the text, and finally, learn something from it.

Universal Healthcare: The Pros and Cons

Universal Healthcare: The Pros and Cons On March 23, 2010 the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed by President Obama, raising the question for many of whether this new law was going to be more helpful or hurtful. With universal healthcare, healthcare coverage would be increased tremendously, costs would be reduced, Jobs would be created, and consumers would be protected. Conversely, it will also raise taxes and wait times, lead to a smaller number of doctors, and infringe on some employers' 1st amendment rights.Presenting both arguments for and against the Patient Protection nd Affordable Care Act allows one to draw a conclusion on whether the new program will benefit or hinder the citizens of the United States. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or PPACA, will extend coverage to virtually every US citizen. It is estimated that approximately 45 million Americans are uninsured, and 45,000 of those citizens are dying each year simply because they do not h ave health care (Ireland). Once this new act takes effect, 32 of those 45 million citizens will receive coverage.Citizens whose ages range from 19 to 25 will be able to stay on their parent's insurance plans when normally they would have been forced ff the plan. Young adults who are not on their parent's insurance plans and who normally wouldn't be able to afford coverage will now be able to pay for their own health insurance. Currently, patients with pre-existing conditions can be denied coverage. However, with the PPACA, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage or stop coverage when a member becomes ill.Women will also be granted additional coverage, such as receive access to women's health services, and these new benefits are also required to have no out of pocket fees. Also, the availability of contraception, such as abortion, will be expanded (â€Å"The Patient Protection†). The cost of health care will be greatly reduced by the PPACA, and this will ha ve a chain reaction on big businesses and employees. With almost 95 percent of citizens paying for health insurance, costs for health care will decrease (Poe).Once the cost for health care declines, it will cost less for big businesses to hire employees. It is estimated that 4 million Jobs will be created over the next 10 years. The PPACA also affects the economy in another way; it will reduce the national deficit. Contrary to popular belief, the passing of this law will reduce the national debt by 210 billion ollars within the next decade. If it were repealed, the national debt would be raised by $230 billion (Poe). The PPACA also offers various other benefits to citizens.Catherine Poe states that once the law is passed, there will be † no more Freddie the Freeloaders allowed†; if a citizen can afford health insurance and does not purchase it, he or she will pay a fee of one percent of his or her household income. This fee will increase to 2. 5 percent by 2017. This wil l prevent citizens from not paying for health insurance and Just continuing to live off of the tax dollars of other citizens who do pay for their health nsurance. Also, the PPACA will protect consumers from the overcharging by health insurance providers.It will torce the providers to spend 80 percent ot their income on rebates or expenses, such as health and marketing expenses (â€Å"Obamacare†). While the PPACA will benefit citizens greatly, it also has its negative side effects. As previously discussed, the PPACA will lower healthcare costs and the national debt, but it will also hurt the economy as well. The cost of drugs is expected to rise due to pharmaceutical companies paying an additional 84. 8 billion dollars over the next decade (â€Å"The Patient Protection†).Taxes will also be raised in order to cover the additional costs brought on by the new program. The additional taxes will be charged to individuals making over $200,000 and couples making over $250,000. Additionally, families will only be able to deduct medical costs that surpass 10 percent of their annual income, compared to the 7. 5 percent that is currently allowed. It was stated earlier in this paper that big businesses would benefit from this law; however, the exact opposite is true for small businesses.Businesses will be forced to provide healthcare for their employees or pay a fine, something they may not be able to fford. This may result in employees' hours being cut or even the termination of the employee (â€Å"Obamacare†). The PPACA will also have a direct negative impact on the medical field as a whole. By 2025 there is expected to be a shortage of nearly 52,000 physicians. This, coupled with the number of office visits increasing over 100 million times, will put incredible strain on the healthcare system (â€Å"The Patient Protection†).This will cause wait times for medical treatment to be greatly increased. Patients will be more likely to go to the emer gency room for minor treatments, such as coughs due to colds, thus causing atients with real emergencies to wait even longer. Also, there will be no competition for patients. This competition is what encourages health care workers to excel in their specialties and to become better. This may even cause fewer people to choose to pursue a career in the medical profession (Ireland).One of the more controversial arguments against universal healthcare is the effect it will have on known religious-based businesses. As stated earlier, with the PPACA businesses will be required to provide health insurance for their employees that would include contraceptive services for women. The result is that religious based businesses, such as Hobby Lobby, which is owned by evangelical Christians, will be forced to essentially pay for their employees to receive contraceptives, something that goes against their religion.If a business decides to follow its religious beliefs and not provide the health insur ance it will be issued a fine, thus hurting the business for practicing their religion. This has led the government to define what religion is and what qualifies a business as a religious employer. This aspect of the PPACA goes against the 1st amendment protection of the freedom of religion, herefore making it unconstitutional (â€Å"A Case†). Weighing both sides of the universal healthcare argument, it can be concluded that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is truly more hurtful than it is helpful.It will cost citizens greatly, through increased tax dollars and being forced to pay for their healthcare. Small businesses contribute immensely to the countrys economy, and they will be hurt significantly by this program. Also, the effects it will have on the healthcare system are immeasurable. There is already a considerable shortage of doctors, and this will only increase remarkably once the PPACA takes tect Lack ot competition within the medical protession is somet hing that cannot be overlooked either.

High School Life Essay

†¢ The outer core is in the range of 200 to 300 kilometers (125 to 188 miles) thick and represents about 4% of the mantle-crust mass. This layer is sometimes identified as part of the lower mantle due to its geographical nature. However, studies on seismic discontinuities suggest that this â€Å"D† layer might differ chemically rom the lower mantle lying above it. †¢ Looking at the lower mantle, its chemical omposition includes silicon, magnesium, and oxygen. Most likely, it probably also contains some iron, calcium, and aluminum. This layer is comprised of 72.9% of the antle-crust mass, making the Earth abundant in the chemical elements of silicon, magnesium and oxygen, the layer’s primary components. †¢ 3. Higher up, we encounter the upper mantle. Through excavations in volcanoes, scientists have found that this part of the crust composes of 15.3% of the total mantle-crust mass and is made of crystalline forms of Olivine (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 and pyroxene (Mg,Fe)SiO3. The upper mantle makes up 10.3% of the Earth’s mass, extending a depth of 6-250 miles (10-400 kilometers). A relatively large portion when compared to the other interior layers. This layer is not completely made of solid minerals for scientists speculate that the asthenosphere could be partly liquid molten. †¢ D: The D† layer of Earth is about 3% of Earth’s mass, is 125 to 188 miles (200 to 300 kilometers) thick and covers about 4% of the mantle-crust mass. This layer, in terms of whether it is part of the lower mantle or an independent layer is still somewhat unclear. Based on evidence collected from seismic discontinuities, the D† layer might differ in chemical composition from the lower mantle above it. †¢ The next layer, the Transition region comprises 7.5% of Earth’s mass with a depth of 250-406 miles (400-650 kilometers). This layer is also known as the mesosphere and is 11.1% of the mantle-crust. It is made of mainly basaltic magmas with amounts of calcium, aluminum and garnet (an aluminum-bearing silicate mineral). The layer becomes dense when the garnet mineral cools but is buoyant and light when subject to heat due to the low melting points. †¢ The outer most layer, the crust, is categorized into two parts, the Oceanic crust and the continental crust. The Oceanic crust is the smallest part of Earth, only 0.099% of its mass and reaching a small depth of 0-6 miles (0-10 kilometers). In the beginning of time, it was possible that this area did not exist for through frequent volcanic activity does only the crust form. Evidence of this is marked by the oceanic ridge system, which is a 25,000 mile (40,000-kilometer) array of many volcanoes which creates layer after layer of new crust at the rate of 17 km3 per year. The ocean floor is covered in basalt originating from volcanic activity and as a matter of fact, Iceland and Hawaii are two island systems that emerged from the accumulated basalt. †¢ Continental crust: The second smallest area of the Earth is the Continental crust, making up only 0.374% of the Earth’s mass and extending a short depth of 0 – 31 miles (0-50 kilometers). Looking at the percent by composition, the continental crust makes up only 0.554% of the mantle-crust mass. The layer is composed primarily of crystalline rocks made of low-density buoyant minerals dominated mostly by quartz (SiO2) and feldspars (metal-poor silicates). This is the outer part of the Earth composed essentially of crystalline rocks. The continental crust and the oceanic crust are also referred to as the lithosphere because of the cool and rocky conditions that exist in its

Individual and Group Dynamics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Individual and Group Dynamics - Essay Example Side conversion can be considered as an example of individual and group dynamics within a work team. Side conversions can significantly contribute to positive group dynamics. Team members supporting their colleagues’ efforts may also be a good example. A good group dynamics is characterized with individual helping their team members improves their performance. It is essential for a leader to assess individual and group dynamics within his team to improve the overall group dynamics and to enhance productivity and performance efficiency of the whole team. In order to assess individual and group dynamics, a leader must maintain strong personal relationships with his team members. When the leader is in close touch with his followers, he can clearly evaluate their individual behavioral traits and attitudes towards the work. In addition, the leader must try to spend more time with his subordinates to understand their needs and wants and to identify the factors influencing the individual as well as group dynamics. The leader may also use other analytical methods and behavioral strategies to obtain a clear view of the individual and group dynamics within a team. Today using surveillance cameras could be an effective technique to analyze the group dynamics because a leader cannot spend his whole time with the team members. Promoting interpersonal relationship among team members is also an advisable strategy because such a policy can assist the leader to understand the individual dynamics of a worker from his/her colleagues. One of the major aspects of the group dynamics within a work team is how individuals interact with their teammates and the group. Therefore understanding the nature of relationships within a team is particularly relevant to analyze the overall group dynamics. It is specifically recommendable for the leader to ensure that team members obtain the

The use of offshore outsourcing for information system project has a Assignment

The use of offshore outsourcing for information system project has a number of associated issues which may impact on the success - Assignment Example Apart from these aspects, there are also certain other factors that have direct impact or directly led to success or failure of projects related to outsourcing. Hence, a comprehensive understanding regarding offshore outsourcing having its impact on the success or the failure of the projects has been illustrated in the paper. Keywords: Offshore Outsourcing, Information Technology, Vendor Management, Business activities, Outsource Partner, Information System. 1. Introduction In the modern day business scenario, where the competition level has become immense among the companies, there is always a need to align business with advanced technological advancements up to the optimum level. This aspect ensures that the organisations could be able to attain superior competitive position as compared to their major competitors in the global market. Among the various approaches companies adopt in modern day business, the aspect of offshore outsourcing can be considered as the most vital one (Beul en & et. al., 2010). 1.1. Background Offshore outsourcing is regarded as the process or the practice of appointing an external organization in order to execute certain fundamental functions of business. In simple terms, it can be explained as a particular approach that the companies undertake wherein they hire people or agencies from other countries to perform certain activities of their respective business. This type of approach cost companies quite less which further impose favourable impact on their business profitability. Apart from the aspect of cost and profitability, this sort of approach is also implemented by business units for executing certain activities that they are not equipped or capable of conducting those actions effectively. It can be viewed that customer call centres are the most common form of offshore outsourcing. In today’s business context, companies spend substantial amounts in outsourcing a few of the core activities of business (Herath & Kishore, 200 9; Sparrow, 2005). Hence, the significance of offshore outsourcing can be depicted from this aspect. 1.2. Aim The principle aim of the paper will be to define and discuss the main issues associated with offshore outsourcing in information system. The paper will also provide a brief discussion regarding the effectiveness as along with the challenges associated with offshore outsourcing. Furthermore, considering all these aspects, a conclusion will be drawn which would depict success or failure of offshore outsourcing in modern day business context. 2. Main Issues in Offshore Outsourcing It is quite apparent that offshore outsourcing is one of the most widely implemented approaches by companies in the modern day business context. However, there are certain issues and challenges associated with offshore outsourcing that places itself to be vital with regard to information systems. These issues are deemed to have impacts on the overall performance of the organizations in one way or the other in their operational activities. Though technologies have become quite advanced, certain risks associated with them principally became a major point of attention for businesses all over (Baldia, n.d.). A few of the key issues associated

Working with groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Working with groups - Essay Example They can sometimes be positive and sometimes negative depending on how they are translated by others in the group. In relation to myself with others, I learned that my strong value system seems to make me a candidate for leadership in the group. People seem to appreciate my outspoken attitudes. The positive way that followers in the group responded to my thoughts and ideas made me the person who would empower others that made the group function better. The most difficult activity in the group was getting meaningful feedback. Because most in the group found common values and attitudes, people did not want to challenge the discussion for fear of conflict. This seemed to limit productivity that Stubbs talks about in the textbook. Stubbs also mentions that situations are always in a state of flux in a group and this was hard to reduce to make discussion more productive and valuable. What I learned that would be most valuable to a future career is linked to the last discussion about fear of conflict and good social connection in the group. I learned that when people get along very well in a group, they will sometimes hold onto the truth and not provide thoughts or ideas that might cause harm to these connections. This is why a group seems to need a leader to keep conversation focused and empower others to be honest. The group seems to need a leader to keep things productive when others are concerned about making everyone happy. For example, English is my second language and it made translating difficult at times. Rather than say they did not understand, they wanted to keep peace in the group. A real professional commits to excellence which was in the leadership video. Excellence is honesty in a group that wants to be productive even if it means creating productive conflict. The leadership video also said that people need to embrace humor and optimism with a quote by the disabled Helen

Dante in 2011 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dante in 2011 - Essay Example This blogger uses the same religious structure as Dante, creating circles of hell which are like the circles in Inferno, but rather than filling them with tortures that would be terrible with anyone he shows how hard it is to live with an atheist in society today. Dante’s structure, based on hell, purgatory and heaven are not a big barrier to people in our modern/postmodern world liking Dante, nor do they make it out of date. Everyone still knows what hell, heaven and so on are, and can understand the structure very well, and as this blogger shows can still make very funny content that fits into that religious structure. The first non-religious blogger talks about the fact that he thinks the Divine Comedy is â€Å"the most overrated book in history.† He says that he understands the political situation of the time, understands why people are where he put them and so on. But the problem is that understanding is not the same thing as actually getting the cleverness of work . When someone has to explain a joke to you, you can understand why it is funny after they have explained it but that does not mean that you will ever actually find it funny. For instance, if someone from Italy today made a joke about the prime minister of Italy suffering from the punishment of having to run from one beautiful naked woman to another for all eternity without ever being able to reach them, but still having to make each one of the beautiful women a senator, an Italian person would probably think it was clever or funny because they would know that the Italian Prime Minister has a habit of sleeping with models and making them senators, and would understand immediately why the punishment was clever. To someone from Mexico, however, the joke would not make any sense at first, and once it was explained the person could still understand it but would no longer find it funny or clever. So even though the blogger â€Å"gets it† because he kind of understands the politica l situation and has read short explanations of how each punishment fit each person, he will never truly understand how clever it would have been to the people who lived in Dante’s time. A good example of this problem can be found in Purgatio. In Purgatory, Dante meets a person, Omberto Aldobrandeschi, who is overly proud and that is why he was put in purgatory. He was very proud because of his descent, saying â€Å"I was Italian, son of a great Tuscan: / My father was Guiglielmo Aldobrandesco† (Canto XI). For someone today to understand why this is funny or representative, they would have to understand things like the reputation of both Italians and Tuscans, and how much pride they took in their parents and family. Even once this is explained, someone can â€Å"get it† without it truly seeming clever still. If, however, one wrote a book today about Paris Hilton being in purgatory because she was too proud of her family history, everyone today would understand it and think it is clever immediately. This type of satire just does not age well, and one must accept while reading it that they will never truly enjoy it in

Using an essay style format, discuss why might banks be considered as

Using an style format, discuss why might banks be considered as the 'key' players in the financial system - Essay Example All of these parts are closes dependent on each other. A good financial system makes sure that all these parts function together to make sure that the money is optimally channeled in an economy. If one part of the financial system is in conflict with the other, or if there is a distortion between the motives of the two parts of a financial system, then there are chances that the financial system will collapse. This is very dangerous for the entire economy, because when one part of financial system collapses, other parts also face the domino effect causing the economy to face serious recession and plummeting demand. Hence, it is imperative for an economy to have a stable financial system if it is to work well. (Mishkin) Financial markets make it possible for people to trade securities. It is a good way of raising capital, transferring risk, liquidity maintenance and trading foreign exchange. The financial markets play an important role in instilling level of confidence in the investors. They know that they can invest now and liquidate in future when they need funds and allow them earn interest on their money. Examples of Financial Markets can be Stock Markets, Money Markets, Forex Markets and IPOs (Lipsey and Chrystal). A good financial system usually contains financial markets as a platform that allows the trading of financial securities and instruments. Similarly, Financial Institutions consist of those organizations that allow channeling of funds and create credit in the economy. In case these are missing in a financial system, then the economy is deprived of multiplier effect and can face serious levels of unemployment and lack of investment motives. Examples of Financial Markets include Banks, Building Societies, Leasing Companies etc. Financial Instruments are securities that are traded in the Financial Markets. These include bonds, stock, money market securities and derivatives. These are again very important

Utilitarianism - Morality Essay Example for Free

Utilitarianism Morality Essay Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory holding that moral actions are based on the maximization of overall happiness, defined as the Utility Principle. Mill and Benthams utilitarianism makes a plausible and convincing argument, though not everyone agrees with it. Bernard Williams writes Utilitarianism: For and Against the theory. In agreement with Williams, I have formed my own thought experiment to refute utilitarianism and will be taking an analytic approach to the utility principle. By these two, I will show that utilitarianism is an incoherent doctrine failing to consider the value of an individual and guilty of inappropriately attributing calculation to moral actions. Before I began, I would like define two popular forms of utilitarianism: Act-utilitarianism and Rule-Utilitarianism. Rule-Utilitarianism is a view held by philosopher John-Stuart Mill, which is the view that the utility principle is applied to a certain set of rules. For example, consider you are a leader of a new nation. In establishing this nation, you want to make sure your citizens are happy throughout time. Thus, the question becomes: what set of rules would you adopt to make this possible? Now, the problem with rule-utilitarianism is that it calls into question how effective it is to follow a particular rule in general. As we can see, rule-utilitarianism runs into some problems itself; unfortunately, the exploration of its problems does not fit the scope of the paper. I will spend the remainder of the paper critiquing Act-Utilitarianism: the view that what determines a moral action is the outcome, that is, the single action only. To bring out the force of my claim, I must admit, utilitarianism gets a few things right. Utilitarianism succeeds in: (1) Consideration of the pleasure and pain of individuals (2) Not allowing individuals to put their personal feelings or relationships ahead of others (3)Attempting to provide an objective and quantitative method for making moral decisions. It is important to consider the pleasure and pain of every individual in that it causes us to reflect our moral intuitions. It forces us to examine each person and ask: is what I am doing morally right? Further, not allowing personal feelings or relationships in decision making shows the importance of impartiality in decision making. By doing that, you are forced to look at the objective facts or situation, whereas a personal bias could cause a skewed decision making which may not be the best decision in hindsight. Finally, by applying a quantitative method for making moral decisions, Utilitarianism revives the general attitude towards ethics. It is too often, that in philosophy and in other disciplines, ethics is simply casted out as being just one’s personal feelings. With using mathematical calculation in decision making, utilitarianism fosters rational decision making in that it is impossible for you to put your own bias forth and creates an objective account of ethics. To illustrate the effectiveness of utilitarianism: Suppose your best friend and coworker, Erin, is broke and teals some money from your boss in order to buy food. Later, your boss finds out that he has a significant amount of money missing from his wallet. Knowing he certainly did not spend the money, he then realizes that the only plausible explanation of his missing money is theft. He then asks five of his employees (yourself included) if they had taken or heard some money missing. Naturally, the employees say no, though we know Erin took it. In his rage, he threatens to fire three of the employees at random if somebody does not confess. The three coworkers who did not take anything are fighting amongst themselves, blaming each other on stealing money, even though, they did not do it. You know Erin took it, though she begs you to keep quiet. In this situation, a utilitarian would hold the utility principle. Granted, there may be personal feelings involved; you know Erin is financially in trouble and she is your best friend, the personal connection would not play a role in your decision making. If you turn in Erin for the action she did, you have an 80% chance of keeping your job and those around you. Now, if you choose not to tell, you run the risk of possibly being fired for something you did not do, then at the minimum, 60% of the people will be fired, leaving only two. So, being a good utilitarian, you turn in your broke friend. Now, even though her intention was a noble one (trying to feed her hungry daughter), using utilitarian based decision-making, you have (a) not allowed your personal feelings to get involved even though you know she needs it and her intention was to feed herself, (b) have employed an objective decision using utilitarian calculus and (c) saved 4 peoples jobs and financial stability without running the risk of turning in the wrong person. Though, in so far as Utilitarianism is, at the surface level, a noble doctrine trying to account for every individual in making decisions, it is important to raise some objections against the doctrine in as being a coherent system of ethics. The Utility principle serves as a guideline in determining which actions are the most moral that which we should perform. According to Utilitarians, we are morally obligated to consider all potential consequences of an action and pick the one which has the best consequences. â€Å"Best,† as defined by the utility principle: Always produce the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people (Mill 78). From this principle, we can conclude that moral happiness is solely dependent on each person being given equal consideration. While that seems reasonable, when we look a little closer, we find a gaping hole. When we say â€Å"the greatest number,† what do we really mean? Do we mean the greatest amount of people happy? Do we mean the greatest average amount of people happy? Which one is it? To illustrate this confusion, consider five friends trying to decide which movie to go see; lets symbolize it as A and B. In addition, each person will represent one happiness point (HP). Suppose three of them already have their hearts set on seeing A. So, watching A will result in three people happy with two being upset, equaling 1 overall HP. The only other choice, B, will result in two happy campers and three upset moviegoers, resulting in a -1HP. Being good utilitarians, we decide to choose A, leaving us positive in happiness points. Suppose we discover that the three people wanting to watch A are still happily willing to see B; should B have been the better choice? If we see B, two will be ecstatic and the other three still happy. This, in effect, will raise the greatest number of people and the greatest amount of happiness, proving to be the better decision. With the overall total amount of happiness increased, it is time to see the movie. Suppose A is within walking distance, whereas B is not. If they see A, all five can go, plus their children, resulting in a greater increase of the overall amount of happiness. Sounds good, though things get messy in doing the math. The two people not wanting to see A represent a -2 in HP’s. So while the overall happiness is greater, the average happiness is now decreased. This is an EXAMPLE OF HOW THE AVERAGE HAPPINESS AND THE OVERALL HAPPINESS MAY DIFFER1. ACCORDING TO THE utilitarian principle, one must give each person equal consideration in determining happiness. As we can see, trying to calculate each potential consequence for an action can get confusing and tiresome. Moreover, not only does the utilitarian principle struggle when trying to calculate the best consequence of each action, but begs the question: what is the value of one’s life? Imagine a man who can not experience happiness. His moods switch from pain to apathy, due to a neurological deficiency. Also, he is isolated on an uninhabited island. While the man is clearly unhappy, he does not want to die. His reason: he would rather be alive then dead. Is it morally right to kill 1 Mathematical breakdown for further clarification: 10 people in total= 10 HP 2 People not wanting to see A= -2 HP 10-2= 8HP= 80% average happiness. Total amount of happiness is greater than before. Total average amount is decreased him? In considering the utility principle, his life has no happiness. Further, he cannot create any happiness for himself and there are no other people around to benefit from him; he only has the possibility of pain. Therefore, killing him would result in less aggregate pain for him. From this, the utilitarian would have to say that this is the right course of action. This seems counterintuitive. What that utilitarian is failing to ignore is the right to the man’s life. Even if his life has no value or happiness, he has still expressed his desire to live. In making the decision to kill him anyway, the utilitarian is placing no value on the man’s life; the utilitarian is playing God in saying that the morally right thing to do would be put him out of his misery. What I have shown is that utilitarianism strips a person from their integrity by employing this type of â€Å"moral math† in deciding the most morally just decision. To calculate the outcome of a situation that is derived from a principle defining morally correct actions as whichever situation has more people ignores the fact that as humans have a personal relation with the world. That is, that every person has a set of unique feelings toward others and the world we live in. These feelings help shape our moral compass and give us an identity which aids us in helping making moral decisions. Looking back at the man on the island, the utility principle was at the forefronttipping the proverbial scale towards the largest number and how they could benefit, while ignoring the moral value of the individual. In concluding, Utilitarianism is a noble theory at its crux, but its standard for determining morally right actions as defined by the utility principle forces a person to be acted upon rather than to act. References: Gendler, Tamar, Susanna Siegel, and Steven M. Cahn. â€Å"Selections From Utilitarianism† by John-Stuart Mill. The Elements of Philosophy: Readings from past and Present. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. 498-511. Print J. J. C. Smart, Bernard Williams Utilitarianism: For and Against. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1973. Print.

Customer loyalty programmes in the retail sector

Customer loyalty programmes in the retail sector The retailing is all around us. It permeates our lives. It is very obvious to buy products and services from their shop, their websites and their catalogue. There are plenty of procedures in which customers are attracted to buy from a certain store, one of which is the customer loyalty programme offered by them. The major reason for selecting this topic as my research subject is to gain an in-depth knowledge over it and resolve the questions rose on the topic customer loyalty programme. The approach to this dissertation will be to resolve the below questions. How does customer loyalty programme influence the retail sector What are the advantages of customer loyalty programme to the customers and retailers What are the measures that should be taken when implementing these programmes? How does these customer loyalty programmes affects the culture of retail chains and influence customers. The customer loyalty programmes are a concept adopted by the retail chains to attract their customer and retain them. These programmes are offered to provide customers with benefits over their purchase. Thus by the end of this research it would enable me to understand the benefits of the customer loyalty programme offered by the retail chains to their customers. The subject marketing communication has been a great interest to me, which cultivated a desire to opt my research into a topic of it. As we know that retail industry is at boom and the retail marketing strategy is a great concern for the retailers, I have opted for this area for my research which would enhance my knowledge on the subject. Review of Literature The nature of the customers does not possess an interest for loyalty. The only reason they purchase from a certain store is to satisfy their own needs. The style and presentation for the product and services from a business creates a response of customer loyalty. The only reason behind any purchase from any store is because the consumers desire to buy it. There is no compulsion to persistent purchase from any business. The consumer purchases are made from a certain store because they have a connection with them through offers made by products and services that appeal them. Consumers are self serving. Their main intention is to transact with a business that delivers them their desired needs. Consumer does not possess the characteristic of loyalty, it is the response from consumer to action to business, they are not inherently loyal or disloyal. The question should not be among the entire customer who is more loyal or why we dont possess much loyal customer. The question should be what are the ways in which we can retain our customers. The issue of customer loyalty is centred to business, not to the customers. Customer loyalty programme is the answer today as it has been in the past and will be in the future. This make the customer loyal and these loyal customers are easier to business with, are more predictable, and dont carry the expense associated with attracting new customers. Creating loyal customer by these programmes is considered as an answer to all the worries of retailer. A loyal customer has been an open option for any business to trade with. These customer loyalty programmes are at the common site for every consumer looking to satisfy its need. These programmes can be seen as Loyalty card holder schemes, Pay as you go scheme, buy now pay later schemes, etc. we can easily see all such programmes in any kind of retail store be it food, grocery, electronics, clothing, etc. Loyalty programmes have become an increasingly common part of retailers marketing strategies. Eventually, it was not uncommon for any business with an interest in a loyalty proposition to make an attempt at establishing its own variation. Following the financial crisis hundreds of stores ranging from corner shops to large department stores were forced to close their doors. But successful loyalty marketing allowed some companies to thrive and even expand. It can be noticed that the global competition in consumer market is rapidly getting intense and retailers and marketers are striving for the new strategies to maintain the interest and loyalty of their customers. Hence the associated marketing has grown in popularity since the past decades and the execution of associated marketing is slowly increasing (Noble/Philips 2004, P. 290). Presently retailers understood that satisfy and retain the customers with the usage of relationship building activity is one among the most potential form if sustainable competitive advantage. Though customer loyalty cannot be counted as the direct reason for profitability, various studies have found that profits for each year has been continually grown through custmners trust over the company and their continued purchases for every year (Meffert 2008, p.160; Noble/Philips 2004, p.290; Reinartz/Kumar 2000,p. 28) As merchant loyalty offerings began appearing in unprecedented numbers, loyalty programmes associated with just one retailer was no longer the rule. Consumption patterns have changed and consumers are becoming more frugal and discretionary in their spending. Major loyalty programme issuers know that customers are demanding increased flexibility and a wider variety of rewards. In a bid to survive many businesses experimented with cross-marketing; it is not uncommon to find ceramic ornaments offered through a hair salon loyalty card, or discounted health tests redeemable through a video rental chains membership programme. For many companies, the cross marketing of services is especially appealing as it removed the hassle of holding inventory for merchandise giveaways. A few years ago, the author of the Loyalty Paradox Report (Evans, 1999, P.4) criticised existing loyalty programmes for being mechanical, hard sell promotion, which overlooked the reason for repeat customers-emotions and trust, habit and inertia and communication and service. There is a danger that customers will be loyal to the programme itself rather than to the programme sponsor. It is clearly not sufficient to be an effective promoter of the economic benefits of loyalty programme participation. There is a need to offer consumer socio-cultural benefits, to provide the feel good factor that is missing from the shopping experience of other retailers (Burch, 2007). Burch also argues that it is the main reason why supermarkets are so keen to be perceived as a health promoting agency, a family friendly firm, and a household problem solver. As the manager of a Safeway (UK) store explained some years ago; Our success can be put down to our regard for our moral as well as our legal responsibilities (Cumming, 1994, P.5). For this reason, analysing the subtle mobilisation of consumer loyalty towards supermarket as an institution is as important as understanding the hard sell of loyalty programme activities and the negotiated supply chain partnerships. It is as both guide and guardian that supermarkets actively promote and regulate the social practices that underpin consumption behaviour. Contribution to Knowledge/Originality: The attractiveness of relationship marketing has progressively developed from the past few decades. To satisfy and retain the customer through relationship building is seen as the most sustainable competitive advantage adopted by the retailers. Though the customer loyalty cards are popular in the retail industry, many programmes of customer loyalty are almost transposable, with lack of attractiveness and differentiation. Thus it is essential to acknowledge the elements of customer satisfaction that relates to these programmes. Hence aiming towards the satisfaction of customers relates to understand and anticipate what consumer need from the loyalty programme. It is very common in retail to use the card based programs for loyalty enrichment strategy. These card based programmes issues special coded cards or special card that can be scan readable, those can be used at the checkout holding an objective to increase consumer tendency. Consumer gains few benefits on these loyalty card like reduction in price, percentage, gift pack service, own area for parking, etc. (Naslund 2002, p. 322). Loyalty cards are a common practice to offer in European retailing, after growing with 25 to 30 percent each year since 1990s. In some of the markets this card based programme has achived its saturation stage but in few it is still new process growing at a steady pace (Ziliani/Bellini 2004, p. 283f). Loyalty card Programs are the most admired relationship building activity in Australia. However, many loyalty card programme are almost transposable and customers dont use them (Hoffman/NaB 2007, p.6). There are numerous reasons why customers do not desire to bond in relation with retailer. Usually consumers dont sense the benefit those retailers offer are satisfactory or of no importance to them (Noble/Philips 2004, p. 300). In addition to this there is a lack of charm and delineation (Tomczak 2008, p. 325) Thus to offer suitable benefits to the customer, it is essential to understand the factors of customer satisfaction with the loyalty card programme. Focussing on the satisfaction of customer means to understand and anticipate what consumer desire from the loyalty program, through which a positive response is generate and posses the aptitude to astonish the consumer. The reason to opt for this study is to examine various attributes and recognise the major influential facto on consumer satisfaction. Methodology of Research The study will be based on the qualitative and quantitative approach. The primary source of data collection will be done by the questionnaire because it is said to be the least expensive procedure for the research (Trochim, 2002). The research forces me to investigate different retail chains that offers customer loyalty programmes to benefit the customer. Investigating on those retail stores will give me an elaborated idea over the benefits and drawbacks shared by the retailer and the customer through those loyalty programmes. The data collection sources will through book, journals, periodicals, news papers, articles, magazines, etc. The research will not limit itself with only reference of books and journal but as well extend its reach to gain the ideologies of the marketing experts and professionals working in the retail sector. The customer loyalty programme plays a vital role in enhancing a retail stores image by offering them benefits. Thus the focus of this research study will be on analysing the customers perception over these programmes and how does they view these loyalty programme. My main focus for the research will be to gain an overview towards the retail store, stating how these loyalty programs had benefited it. The qualitative approach will derive the perception of the respondents by using the tools as interviews and observation as this method believes in the opulence of data (Naslund 2002). Furthermore qualitative approach generates fresh idea and latest theory (McKenzie 2006). The conduction of interviews will be held to gain the views from the professionals working in retail industry and the marketing experts. The data collection will be done mainly through this area; Interviewing the professional working in the retail Industry Interviewing the managers working in the retail chains (sportsdirect.com, Marks Spencer, ASDA, TESCO, etc.) Discussing the subject with the professors of marketing Subject overview through collection of detailed data from books, journal, web sources, newspaper articles, etc. Observing and evaluating the previous research of different students on the topic and gathering information The analysing of data and information will be done through the following tools Diagrammatic Graphical presentations Flow Charts Anticipated Outcome The below are the anticipated outcomes of the study; The result of this study can be generalised to reflect the attitudes, perception and practices of a proportion of customers in the retail sector (UK) The research study will result in enhancing the knowledge on the customer loyalty programmes issued by retailers This research study will benefit the reader in describing the advantages and difficulties by customer loyalty programmes shared by both retailers and customers. The dissertation will state the different type of customer loyalty programme adopted by various retail chains and their experiences on its success or failure. The research will be deliver the literature contributed by various authors on the subject. The study will confine itself with few UK retail chains so that it does not exceed its limited completion period. Targeted deadlines TIME ITEM ACTIVITIES 21th Jan -26th Jan 2011 Investigation and assortment of data 1. Conduction of review of literature 2. Evaluate the obtained data. 30th Jan 2011 1st meeting 1. Extracting suggestions through discussing topic and how to go ahead with it. 2. Discuss the source for conduction of interviews 7th Feb 22st Feb 2011 Research Questioners 1. Design the questionnaires for research 2. Connecting it to the needed outcome of research 25th Feb 2011 2nd meeting 1. Confer about the task achieved and accomplishing task 2. Consult on the ultimate interview questionnaire 3. Identifying the targeted interviewers 27th Feb3th March 2011 Conduction of interview 1. Interviews initiation 2. Collecting the performance data of organisations 13th March 2011 3rd meeting 1. Evaluation and analysing data during interviews 2. dissertation structure discussion 13th March-21th March 2011 Dissertation Structure 1. Align thesis formation 2. Forecast the gathered data consequently. 24nd March 2011 4th meeting 1. Obtaining the supervisors ideas in writing the thesis 2. Proceeding sequentially as guided 3rd April 2011 5th meeting 1. Asking supervisors evaluation on the first draft 11th April 2011 6th meeting 1. Complete the final draft of the thesis Gantts Chart Time Table Activity Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Research Introductin Literature Review Research Methodoly Questionnaires Field work (Interveiw) Data Analysis conclusion Recommendation 1st Draft / 2nd Draft Submission of Dissertatin Ethical Issues The basic aim of writing this proposal was to gain an overview of the subject and head towards the research study. The proposal was completed with an aim of gaining knowledge and was done by thorough honesty. The quest for knowledge over the topic had enforced me to opt this subject and obtain the desired knowledge. Through the end of dissertations I will equip myself with complete details of the subject and enlighten my area of interest. The endeavour made to complete this thesis will benefit me and bright my IQ over the subject, so this work of dissertation will be done with total truthfulness and integrity. The approach to stay away from plagiarism would be to ensure the research with the software for plagiarism provided by the university called as TURNITIN. Additional software will be used as an added precaution to check the plagiarism with software called as VIPER accessible from internet. These measures are taken to be sure that the research conducted is not copied or plagiaris ed work. There would be proper referencing made in Harvard style to state any of the content that is adopted in the research. I would attend regular meeting held by my supervisor to get approval for my work and make the necessary amendments prescribed by my guiding professor.