Saturday, August 31, 2019
Mix Racial and Cultural Groups Are Growing in the United States Essay
Mixed Racial and Cultural Groups is increased by a marginal number in the United States. The growth of these multiracial groups started to surface through migration of different ethnics and raised most of their families in the United States even through marriage. These are some of the issues that have been raised by individual people of having an entity separation of mixed race and cultural or to considered them as Americans without a hyphen. Thinking about this issue myself, and thinking of my two children who married to a different ethnic rather than Samoans. These questions come to mind about this issue: How, Why, and what the three words that needs a big explanation about this matter. According to multiracial Americans, Americans whose identity as two or more races identifies with just one group culturally and socially. From statistics that I got from online, stated that about 2. 9% of the population in the year 2010 are self-identified as multiracial. The identity or the classification of the peopleââ¬â¢s identification is generally according to the culture they were raised in. Social segregation in many areas of the country is forming interracial unions or cultural group. The diversity of social conditions through migrations brought new groups of people to the United States. Through these migrations, mixed races started to rise when interracial marriage were born and started to increase in the United States. The movement of multiracial identity by more than one ethnicity has taken place and strong. Statistics from the year 2010 census in the United States shows that the largest multiracial groups were white and black which is 1. 8 million. The other 1. 7 millions are white and some other race, white and Asian is 1. 6, white and American Indian and Alaskan Native is 1. 4 million. I have learned that the largest growing group in multiracial is white and black which is about 134%. That is more than 1 million people. MIX RACIAL AND CULTURAL GROUP According to Susan Saulny of the New York Times, title Race Remixed, said that ââ¬Å"sea of change is how we think about race, ethnicity and its place in societyâ⬠. I believe that a challenge to trend towards multiracial from a sociological perspective is a leap that we should take. The understanding of racial and ethnic categories of their boundaries can be a problem to other multiracial groups. I think that ancestry is the biggest influence in identities through a number of generations through migrations. I also believe that each multi mix or racial group should be treated the same regardless of their identity. If they are legally citizens of the United States, they have the right to be treated equally. I believe that they have contributed to the wellbeing and welfare of the United States through their services in employment within the government, military or private companies. Regardless of the race and ethnicity, they should be treated and considered Americans. President Obama is good example of what I mean about treating them the same no matter what color of their skin or where they are from. I know that some of these mix race entities are trying to separate themselves with-in the United States but when they travel to other countries of the world, they considered be call Americans. As a citizen of New Zealand, I am proud to call myself to be an American and I respect the land that my children were born. What can the United States or these multiracial groups gain from wanting to be separated from their identity. Through my search online, I came across Mrs. Karissa Sullivaââ¬â¢s draft and she said that ancestry influences identities. She said that socialization is the crucible of racial and ethnic identity formation. Farley in 2002, construct racial and ethnic classifications which was adopted by the government for each race or reconsidered themselves to either refuse to identify their own race and ethnic category. MIX RACIAL AND CULTURAL GROUP. I believe that mix racial and cultural groups are increasing daily by the number throughout the United States. However, research shows that children with an original multiracial identity grow up to be happier than those of single-race identity. Some of the statistics shows that another addition to the growth of mix race is through adoption of children from countries outside of the United States. According to Factââ¬â¢s for Families 2010, parents are coping with these pressures in having open communications with the families about their culture and race. Encouragement and support in every multicultural group for families to be familiar with their language, traditions and customs within their families. They have to support and try to establish a good relationship by creating a network for their children, parents, family member, relatives and the community. In conclusion, the separation and classifications between mix racial and multicultural groups is not an easy task or thing to do. Two of my children are married to different ethnic. My oldest daughter is married to an African American and my son is married to a girl who is beautiful and white but has about four or five mix blood in her. I believe in democracy and the United States is nowhere in having a separation of any mix race and cultural group who are living in the United States. God Bless America, God bless the people of the United States. References: Perez, Anthony Daniel, Hirschman, Charles. The Changing Racial and Ethnic. http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC2882688/ The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (March-2011). Facts for Families, no. 71 Multiracial Children. http://www. aacap. org/galleries/FactsForFamilies/71_multiracial_children. pdf Dr. Nicole Martinez and Mrs. Karissa Sullivan. May 6, 2013 .docx.
Ladies & Gentleman Essay
The point was about the term ââ¬Å"ladies and gentlemen. â⬠It would be easy to think of upper class women in flashy dresses and extravagant hats and men in tailcoats and top hats when talking about ladies and gentlemen. However, one of my goals when using the terms is to make their definitions much more than mere appearance, if appearance at all. This modernization of the terms helps bring the definition into the current century and throw away the traditional and very close-minded definition. It is for this reason that I believe being a lady or gentleman is based on personality, how a person treats others, I speak for most people who use the term ââ¬Å"ladies and gentlemenâ⬠in reference to a personââ¬â¢s conduct, not a personââ¬â¢s class, social standing, race, sexuality. Some, when faced with the terms ââ¬Å"ladies and gentlemen,â⬠will immediately assume the worst by using the outdated definitions. Some will also dig for reasons to label those who use ââ¬Å"ladies and gentlemenâ⬠. In labeling us this way, these people do not facilitate any sort of progress for the terms or for any sort of unity for women, or men, ladies or gentleman. We live where we ought to not judge people by the color of their skin, their class, gender, or sexuality, with all of this, there are still groups who refuse to take off their blinders. Ladies and Gentleman, now there is a saying that has been with us for a long time, but what does it really mean and where did it come from? Letââ¬â¢s start with the ladies as we all have been known to do in the century we live in today to always allow ladies to be first. The term ladies could mean many different things to many different cultures so letââ¬â¢s get the one that is primarily recognized by all. There are numerous definitions of a lady and I am sure that we all have varied opinions of what a lady is, but here is a few from the dictionary. ââ¬Å"Chiefly British A general feminine title of nobility and other rank, specifically, Used as the title for the wife or widow of a knight or baronet. Used as a form of address for a marchioness, countess, viscounts, baroness, or baronetsââ¬â¢. Used as a form of address for the wife or widow of a baron. Used as a courtesy title for the daughter of a duke, a marquis, or an Earl. Used as a courtesy title for the wife of a younger son of a duke or marquisâ⬠(Ladies, n. . ). To discuss gentleman, as in reference to ladies is an entirely different topic but closely related . However to separate them is almost UN heard of in this society we live in today. The writer here feels it of necessity to come up with a definition of what is a gentleman where did this term come from. The definition of what the dictionary states is :, A man of gentle or noble birth or superior social position: ââ¬Å"Heââ¬â¢s too much a gentleman to be a scholarâ⬠, Used as a form of address for a group of men (gentleman, n. . ). Now we have a general idea of what a Ladies and a gentleman Are, letââ¬â¢s put them together to get a better understanding of ââ¬Å"Ladies and Gentlemanâ⬠. To take a look at them individually is one aspect to consider but letââ¬â¢s look at what a well rounded person is first and foremost prior to becoming a Lady or a gentleman. Iââ¬â¢Uomo Universal Literally, ââ¬Å"universal Manâ⬠a self reliant, multitalented, freethinking individual ââ¬Å"(Sayre H 2008-2012). From the art work to the poetry of art and even the given philosophy that was all just a cultural part of growing with the ages was known to make Ladies and gentleman and primarily a humanist in all forms of the century. It was certain beliefs and attitudes to help make people what is universally known as well rounded . However the importance from education to cultural practices from philosophy made them who they were and their practice of becoming ladies and gentleman. In a survey conducted I was able to poll ten people and from vary ages and backgrounds. Although they all had varies opinions on what a lady and what a gentleman is. It was a little redundant on what the ladies had to say concerning their definitions, and what the men had in their responses. The simple fact from the ladies side was mostly about the dress of a lady and how they carried themselves in public. However on the menââ¬â¢s side of the scenario it was mostly about them being of a maternal instinct, and mannerisms of a lady one being polite, sincere and genially whole. However when it came to the Gentleman part of this survey it was all about having decent employment and being a good provider, and once again a good father figure. Funny as it seems this was from both the male and the femaleââ¬â¢s opinion. My age bracket was from one, my son who is twenty one, to my neighbor who is in their sixties. The ladies were a woman in their mid twenties to my mother in her late seventies. Their vocations were that of manufacturing to one of a professional woman a teacher. However it was an interesting fact when I asked these questions to my girl who was brought up well as she calls it blue blood, or if you will high society and her ideaââ¬â¢s and experiences being brought up to be a lady. The fact that she was taught to courtesy in her early years and to have proper mannerisms of that type of upbringing to be able to be presented to other able blue blooded men at eighteen for a possible mate to ensure of proper breeding from their bloodline was somewhat a crazy response to my questions on being a lady or a gentleman. Therefore to some things up and to suggest whether or not I agree with Castiglione and his descriptions of a woman and that of a man or should we say a lady and a gentleman? To be or not to be the real question, a woman, lady or man or gentleman. Therefore I will share my opinions on the positives, I see fit and the negatives that I believe could be harmful to ones general character. To be born out of nobility would be an awesome deal but when and where we were born and the freedom of choice in our upbringing is one I am a little half and half on if that makes sense, in other words I do believe it is wonderful to be born with your parents and having them part of your life to help guide you, and to prevent errors in their culture to help make you a well rounded person. However to feel that a judgment is made upon you from whose family you were born into and how you were to dress and what reactions one would have towards you because of your nobility at birth and being told you believe this way or that way I feel is wrong. Therefore to be judgmental of the skin the dress and down to the language and how it is spoken to others and to deem their worthiness by a personââ¬â¢s size is a little farfetched but perhaps in that century the judgment rang true of a personââ¬â¢s actions be it male or female. To be a lady who plucks eyebrows or powders their face, or to be a wanton women to honest men or I believe the proper term here is harlot. Men of good posture and build for fighting wars or one whom is of a cowardice nature, but what of those men who flatly just did not measure up to the standards of a fighter for wars. In our society today we are somewhat powerless of what our physical stature is to become and therefore almost impossible to say what we will become and surely plays an important role in the attitude towards that.
Friday, August 30, 2019
How Many Satellites Are Orbiting the Earth? Essay
Satellites are tracked by United States Space Surveillance Network (SSN), which has been tracking every object in orbit over 10 cm (3.937 inches) in diameter since it was founded in 1957. There are approximately 3,000 satellites operating in Earth orbit, according to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), out of roughly 8,000 man-made objects in total. In its entire history, the SSN has tracked more than 24,500 space objects orbiting Earth. The majority of these have fallen into unstable orbits and incinerated during reentry. The SSN also keeps track which piece of space junk belongs to which country. The SSN was founded in the wake of the launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, by the Soviet Union in October 1957. Orbiting the planet at 20,000 mph (32,186.88 kph) while emitting a constant radio signal, Sputnik was a red flag that told America not to take its technological dominance for granted. In the following decade, the Space Race between the USSR and USA occurred, ending with Apollo landing in July 1969. As space technology matured, satellites were launched for military and commercial purposes. The price of satellite launches has dropped to as low as a few million dollars for light satellites, and a few tens of millions for heavy satellites. This put satellite technology within the reach of many nations and international companies. Satellites have an operating lifespan between five and 20 years. As of 2008, the former Soviet Union and Russia had nearly 1,400 satellites in orbit, the USA about 1,000, Japan more than 100, China about 80, France over 40, India more than 30, Germany almost 30, the UK and Canada 25, and at least ten each from Italy, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Sweden, Luxembourg, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea. The company Sea Launch ââ¬â a consortium of four companies from the United States, Russia, Ukraine and Norway ââ¬â has launched a few satellites into orbit from international waters every year, although the company filed for bankruptcy in 2009. The largest man-made satellite currently in orbit around the Earth is the International Space Station. Some satellites, called microsats, nanosats, or picosats, can be as small as 10 cm (3.937 inches) in diameter and 0.1 kg (0.22 pounds) in mass.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Answers of qustion the Business process management (BPM) Essay - 1
Answers of qustion the Business process management (BPM) - Essay Example Business Process Management tries to continuously improve business processes through decreasing costs and increasing revenues, thereby creating a competitive advantage over rival competitors (Rainer & Cegielski, 2011). In contrast, Capability Maturity Models refer to process improvement approaches aimed at helping an organizationââ¬â¢s software development process. Capability Maturity Models were developed and promoted by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), which is a research and development center that is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense (ââ¬Å"What is Capability Maturity Modelâ⬠). A Capability Maturity Model is used to present guidelines on process improvement during a projectââ¬â¢s lifetime or with an entire organization. In both organizational development and software engineering, Capability Maturity Models serve as process improvement approaches. Through this, organizations get to assess essential elements, resulting in effective process improvement . Business Process Management governance and Capability Maturity Models allow product developers to achieve great levels of maturity in the software development process. Harmon (2007) points out that there are a number of factors that determine the maturity process of a software product in an enterprise.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Market opprotunity factors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Market opprotunity factors - Essay Example Banana ply paper is a substitute product to pulp paper. Some of the other environmental benefits of the production of banana ply paper are that the production facilities use cero water and 99% less energy that traditional paper mills. The world cannot keep cutting down trees for the production of paper. Deforestation is a major environmental concern and one of the causes of global warming. The companyââ¬â¢s business model is to use licensing to generate revenues from its patent. A socially responsible strategy that the firm can use is to seek expansion in Africa which holds 53% of the banana plantations. Other products that the company can produce along with paper include packaging, furniture, building, construction and other industries. Some of the characteristics and attributes of Papyrus technology products include water resistance, fire resistance, and UV resistance (Papyrusaustralia, 2012). The future of the company is very bright due to its superb product and the environmentally friendly practices of the
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Born free by Joy Ademson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Born free by Joy Ademson - Essay Example In this way, the text not only offers a representation of understanding in terms of human and animal interrelationships with regard to the dependency that is created between the lioness and humans; but also in terms of the independence that should be established as a means of reintroducing this wild animal back to its natural habitat. As a means of discussing this dynamic, the following analysis will focus specifically upon the level of human and animal interaction that are represented within chapters of this particular book. It is the hope of this student that such a level of representation will not only be beneficial in terms of helping to summarize the text but also in terms of assisting the reader in understanding the progression of ideas and appreciation for nature that is denoted by the progression of the human and animal relationship depicted. Within the first chapter, the text understandably relates a situation in which the humans are overcome by fascination and interest in the new cub that they have the opportunity to raise. Not unlike giddy young parents, the humans are represented as truly fascinated by the prospect of raising this wild animal within their own homes and sharing its experiences with their own. As such, a level of foreshadowing is illustrated; and one in which the reader comes to understand that even though this opportunity is unique and charming, the growth of the lioness and its changing needs will necessarily take far more than human interest and fascination to be able to meet. Similarly, the second and third chapters, entitled ââ¬Å"Elsa Meets Other Wild Animalsâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Elsa Goes to the Indian Oceanâ⬠also reflect the growth experience that the humans are sharing with the lioness; as she grows out of being a cub and into a very early adolescent lion. It is necessary to note that this particular juncture that the changing needs of the lioness are actually
Monday, August 26, 2019
Financial Investment Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Financial Investment Analysis - Essay Example This, particularly, must be challenging for companies with global operations that may have their cash balances fragmented across different geographies, banks, and bank accounts which make accessing cash difficult (Huang 2003). In this regard, this paper seeks to address the issue of efficient diversification as a comprehensive strategy in liquidity and stock return. Liquidity of an asset explains the ease with which an asset can be sold after its purchase without incurring further losses and how risks can be mitigated if not minimized (Baker 2006). The various losses that could be incurred may be due to the various transaction costs or price changes or poor investment strategies. Thus the main aim of this study shall be to examine how proportionate efficient diversification increases the neutralization of low pricing and promising high returns (Elton et al. 2007). The paper holds that efficient diversification must there is a potential benefit when risky part of portfolio consists of weighted proportions of all possible risky assets. Naive and Efficient Diversification Studies done on investment on stock markets and equity securities have documented the relationship that exists in weighted portfolios (proportionate or otherwise on risky assets). Broadly speaking, there two causes of uncertainty. Elton et al (2007) note that one of them is risk which relates to broad economic conditions. These include inflation, currency exchange rates, interest rates and business cycle. Interestingly, these macro-economic aggregates cannot be foreseen with implicit surety, yet they impact on the rate of returns. Second, according to them, is a firm-specific influence which affects the organization without obviously affecting other companies (Elton et al. 2007). These include effects such as managerial structure, human resource changes and research and development (Baker 2006). Obviously when diversification is naively done, for instance adding additional security to a risky por tfolio, then this should work to lessen portfolio risk. The implication here is that continued diversification into even other securities more and more decreases the probability of exposition to the specific risk factors of the company, thereby ensuring the falling of portfolio volatility (Jagannathan and Wang 2006). All this happens when it is naive diversification where equally weighted portfolio of many securities is employed (Elton et al 2007). Inherently, if risks are only firmââ¬â¢s specific means, diversification still reduces the risk to reasonable low levels (Baker 2006).This means that when it comes to a situation where the sources of risks are autonomous and there is spreading of investment into numerous securities, there is negligibility of exposure to specific font of risk. This is what is sometimes referred to the insurance principle (Jagannathan and Wang 2006). Regardless of this however, the tragedy is that in a situation where common risk foundations have impact on all companies, even widespread diversifying fails to eradicate risk. At this, portfolio standard deviation reduces when securities numbers increases. Despite this, it is never reduced to zero, and thus there must be a market risk/systematic risk, which is attributed to market forces (Jagannathan and Wang 1996). Else how, efficient diversification is often done when weighted portfolios are employed proportionately.
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Mainstreaming social pensions in the social development agenda as a Research Proposal
Mainstreaming social pensions in the social development agenda as a panacea to old age poverty in Sub Saharan Africa;- A comparative study of Ghana and South Africa - Research Proposal Example jority believe it as a factor that can uplift and secure the life of older people, which is well evident when comparing to the elderly like in Brazil, Chile or South Africa. Analyzing the countries where there are no old-age pension systems or it located only among a few people, these elderly are counted among the poor people (Barrientos, et al 2003) Various studies have identified the fact that in most of the developing countries the beneficiary cannot enjoy the privileges of pensions. It is evident that these amounts are channelized to other members of the households. Some of the studies conducted about this issues have identified that the children of the beneficiary households have higher enrolment rates and better health that those who do not receive pensions in their households (Duflo, E. (2003). Though there are not much pension schemes for the elderly majority of the developing countries, it has been found out that South Africa is on the verge of broadening their pension schemes and implementing a safety net program for supporting the elderly. One of the studies found in an online article writes, ââ¬Å"The means-tested, non-contributory (social) pension in South Africa was first introduced in 1928 but it was only in 1993 that the same amount was paid to all racial groups.â⬠The study also observes, ââ¬Å"Women over 60 and men over 65 may be eligible for a monthly pension of R780 (US$109). Means testing is based on an individualââ¬â¢s (and partnerââ¬â¢s if married) income levels." (Social pensions in South Africa, 2005). It has been observed that ââ¬Å"The social pension reduces the number of people living below the poverty line by 2.24 million. It increases the income of the poorest 5% of the population by 50%. People in households receiving a pension are 12.5% less likely to be poor in South Africa.â⬠Through this study the researcher aims to find out whether the social pensions in Sub Saharan Africa is really like a panacea to the elderly that they could satisfy
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Equal Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Equal Rights - Essay Example Was there really no means for him not to emulate Eve given the fact that he loved her? But we are no longer living on biblical times. The apple had been swallowed and the Garden of Eden is but a distant memory of our apparent disobedience from the commands of God in his paradise. An amendment pertaining to equal rights amendment, specifically, on gender equality has been long overdue. The drafted 1972 Equal Rights Amendment, with all its content and significance duly brought to notice the need for this statute. The clamor not only by various organizations that advocate its ratification can be viewed as nothing less than the legislativeââ¬â¢s duty to bring about justice especially in this ever-changing society. It is by virtue of evolution that such changes are inherent to us as a nation. The righteousness of our democracy yields the empowerment of the people not only to be theoretical but must be realized in such a manner that it is in constant concurrence with the applicability of the manner of the times we live in. No longer are we, regardless of gender, mere audience to our own existence. The intent for which this amendment is based on gives supremacy to the need for substantial change that must be implemented. This conflict in the Constitution, the supreme law of the land, must be addressed with expediency. Over a century preceding the adoption of the Equal Protection Clause, it has yet to be given its ââ¬Ëteethââ¬â¢ so to speak in the decisions of the Supreme Court. In a 1983 law from the state of Illinois which prohibits women from practicing law, the court ruled that it was in accordance with the Constitution as such that no law was violated in its implementation. Furthermore, it had become more apparent that the courts cite in its opinion the prevalence of the belief that man should be the protector of women and that a womanââ¬â¢s primary duty not only in the eyes of the family but of the law, is to be a good wife and mother as such is the law of the
Friday, August 23, 2019
Ethics and Professional Responsibilities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Ethics and Professional Responsibilities - Essay Example This is because they may result in to severe consequences if not well checked. Therefore the moral obligation to consider the consequences of their actions or decisions lies with the engineers themselves. Whenever a safety problem occurs or during a disaster recovery, any concern noted by engineers should get reported to the relevant authority to enable investigation and subsequent response to the problem. This has often been a challenge especially when one feels they may be blacklisted or fired. However, it is ethical and moral standards that an individual engineer has that will bring a difference when such situations arise (Jr, Pritchard, Rabins, James, & Englehardt, 2013). When an issue of concern is not reported due to fear of having oneââ¬â¢s job in the line, the consequences that may arise could be very dire not only to those in the surrounding but also to the engineers who engage in the given activity. Therefore, it is important for engineering students to have ethics as a part of the curriculum so that they are prepared to make decisive decisions in their professional careers. This will enable presentation of code of ethics to the profession of engineers saving the world from the unforeseen misfortunes that may result from unethical practices in this profession ( Jr, Pritchard, Rabins, James, & Englehardt,
Final paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 12
Final paper - Essay Example PRview strategies include: PR View Company has to establish a strong network of Chinese in Los Angeles and Beijing. The company must look into ways of improving their services to its customers so that they end up feeling served and satisfied. When customers are contented with the services, they are offered they will consequently generate word of mouth recommendation to other people, and this will help the company make more clients. PRview has been able to attract more customers in both los Angeles and Beijing since it was founded. Therefore, the company must retain its hub in both Los Angeles and Beijing. The two cities serves a vast population of people when the company establishes its roots in these two cities then it will be of constant clients. The company has to split its operations between the two offices in Los Angeles and Beijing to maintain its presence and draw even more customers. PRview is a website company that tries to reach out to customers who have PR cases to be solved. Since the company is first accessed and can be researched online, therefore, the website acts as the main tool of marketing PRview. Therefore, the company must constantly put itself in the pace to win more customers through sight and information put in the website to attract more customers. The company must use it as a tool for business advertisement (Cooperrider & Sekerka, 2006). PRview website and blog must be under constant maintenance to push the companies brand to the limit. Since the company reaches most of its customers through the website, PRview has to make use of the only tool it has to convince its clients hence, rebranding of the website will keep the company at a competitive edge in the market and attract clients. Another strategy that can be used by PRview is the use of cost-effective alternatives. The company must transform itself into an agency that can accommodate the customers
Thursday, August 22, 2019
The Small Business Structure Planning and Funding Essay Example for Free
The Small Business Structure Planning and Funding Essay Week 1 Individual Assignment: Strategic Management Process Paper Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper explaining steps of the strategic management process as it applies to your business or one you would like to start. Discussion Questions 1 and 2 Week 2, Learning Team Assignment: Business Model Comparison Identify an industry with which you are familiar, then choose two businesses in that industry. Identify the business model and forms of ownership for each business, then complete the Comparison of Businesses Matrix. Write a 700- to 1050-word paper in which the team evaluates and compares different components of each businessââ¬â¢s model after completing each matrix. Describe benefits associated with each business by evaluating how they built a sustainable competitive advantage. Explain advantages and disadvantages of each businessââ¬â¢s ownership Discussion Questions 1 and 2 Week 3, Individual Assignment: Business Plan Evaluation (Use the Business Pro Plan Module) Evaluate the business plan submitted by an entrepreneur for investment and decide if you will invest in the business. Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you include the following: Evaluate the planââ¬â¢s overall writing. Conduct a feasibility analysis of the idea presented in the plan. Identify competencies the entrepreneur must have to be successful in building the business. Make a recommendation if you plan to invest in the business. Week 4, Learning Team Assignment; Strategic Marketing Plan (Use Business Plan Pro Module) Discuss some ideas for a hypothetical e-commerce business. Each teamà member must suggest at least two different ideas. Decide on one memberââ¬â¢s idea. Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper in which you explain the process your team may use to build a strategic marketing plan for the business. Describe various pricing strategies appropriate for your business. Assess pros and cons of each strategy. Select one pricing strategy for your business. Reference the Intelichild.com business plan for an example. Format your paper according to APA standards. Submit your Strategic Marketing Plan to the facilitator. Week 5, Individual Assignment: Future Growth Paper Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you use the business from your Strategic Marketing Plan. Assess optional strategies you may use when the business goes global. Describe strategies you would use to build a management team to ensure the businessââ¬â¢s growth. Identify possible challenges you would face when managing a growing business and possible strategies to overcome the challenges Learning Team Assignment: Financial Plan Discuss some possible ideas for a service business. Each team member must suggest at least two different ideas. Decide on one memberââ¬â¢s idea. à Prepare a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper in which you describe the process your team could use to prepare a basic financial plan for the business. Identify cash flow management strategies that may be used in your business. Explain why these strategies are best. Evaluate different sources of funding for your business and select one. Discuss why this source is most feasible. Refer to the Adorable Pet Photo business plan for an example. Submit your Financial Plan to the facilitator.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
RISK AND UNCERTAINTY FOR A FIRM ENTERING A FOREIGN MARKET. EXECUTIV
RISK AND UNCERTAINTY FOR A FIRM ENTERING A FOREIGN MARKET. EXECUTIV This report looks at Risk and Uncertainty as variables affecting a firm(s) in or entering foreign markets. From the onset it sets out to give an overview of the topic through a summary of risk that comes with the quest for expansion and further highlighting the motives for expansion which could be Market-lead, Capability-lead or Economics-lead. Risk refers to the likelihood and consequences of an undesirable occurrence(s). Uncertainty refers to doubt or indecision, and is inherent in company strategy as the future is never certain. Uncertainty Avoidance refers to the extent to which people can tolerate risk and uncertainty in their lives. This report then goes on to tackle the different Topic-related subjects as outlined by the contents page. It is my sincere hope that as you study this report it will prove to be a comprehensive framework for the subject matter at hand, of Risk and Uncertainty in relation to entering foreign markets. It also draws a distinction between the two variables that should be notable by the end of your study of this report. Yours Sincerely Jotham Mwale BA (HONS), BS STUDENT. METHODOLOGY The information used to compile this report is research-based and derived from a combination of learned knowledge, references from various updated management texts and windows internet explorer. INTRODUCTION Companies, in this day and Age, are on a quest to expand market share and profitability to achieve and maintain a position of competitive advantage. Globalization, as such, has been a strategy that many companies have adopted towards this end. Globalization refers to the linkages between markets that exist across national borders. This implies that what happens in one country has an impact on occurrences in other countries (Henry, p.260). However, the concepts of risk and uncertainty cannot be ignored even as we refer to globalization and companies urge to venture into it. There are many unknowns in the world of business, more so for international business. Organizations in international business or those seeking to venture into such or any other business are prone to face risk and uncertainty. Thus when a firm is entering a foreign market or internationally expanding for the first time there are many potential risks. This report tackles the question of the unknowns that firms are faced with when entering foreign markets, distinguishing between the concepts of risk and uncertainty. MOTIVES FOR EXPANSION INTO FOREIGN MARKETS A firm has various motives for expansion into foreign markets that would make it prone to risk. These motives may be Market-lead, Capability-lead or Economics-lead; Some Market-Lead motives are as follows; Globalization of markets and competition- this exerts pressure on the firm to adopt internationalizing strategies, and not just larger businesses. Internationalization of the Value Network. Exploiting differences between countries. Some Capability-Lead motives are as follows; Leveraging Capabilities- by doing this across its businesses in a number of countries, the firm is able to achieve competitive advantage. Enhancing Capabilities- through international acquisitions and strategic alliances the firm may acquire new capabilities. Enhancing Learning- entry into some markets, foreign inclusive, may enhance organizational learning. Some Economics-Lead motives (reducing costs) are as follows; Economies of Scale- the firm can derive economies by increasing the scale of its operations. Economies of Scope- by spreading costs over a larger output per unit costs may be reduced. RISK Assuming a firm is trying to enter the American market for the first time, it is bound to face a lot of challenges and risk, especially since it is one of the worlds biggest and active markets. Risk refers to the likelihood and consequences of an undesirable occurrence(s). A firm entering a foreign market like the American market for the first time will face risk. There are many potential risks that are posed on a firm on the verge/with the motive of venturing into a foreign market for the first time. Types of Risk POLITICAL RISK- there is potential threat to a companys operations in America due to the ineffectiveness and inefficiencies of the different political systems. For example, a change in governments from the republicans to the democrats would lead to a significant change in policies. Other laws and regulations that can affect a business in a foreign market are as follows; Revenue and tax laws as concerns remissions and what percentage of revenue is required to be ploughed back into the local economy of the foreign state. Laws on pollution limits. Tariffs, trade embargos and sanctions will also affect whether a business operate in a foreign market or not. Labor laws as concerns wages and pension. Health and safety laws. Laws as regards use of local material in production ECONOMIC RISK This is the potential threat to the firms operations in a country due to the economic policies and conditions in that country. In America, for example, interest rates may prove to be too high for a business that is coming from sub-Saharan Africa. Government economic policies such as; Monetary and Fiscal Policies will affect a business and can either be beneficial or a threat to them. CURRENCY RISK This is the potential threat to a firms operations in a country due to fluctuations in the local currencys exchange rates. The United States dollar is a strong currency and fluctuations in it have, and may prove either disastrous or beneficial to businesses the world over. MANAGEMENT RISK This is the potential threat to a companys operations in a country due to the problems that managers have making decisions in the context of foreign markets. Different countries have different cultures. Hosted identified four national cultures that would have an impact on management styles in different countries; Power distance- defining the extent to which a culture accepts different distribution of power within society. For cultures/nations with high power distance like France, Spain and Brazil; management style is autocratic with a lot of centralization, close supervision and top-down command chains. This must to be taken into account as venturing into such cultures without such knowledge would indeed prove risky or hazardous. Cultures like that of the United States and United Kingdom have less power distance and as such employees are more involved. Uncertainty avoidance- referring to the extent to which order, security and control are preferred to ambiguity, uncertainty and change. For nations with a high uncertainty avoidance culture, employees value task culture, written rules and regulations, and standardization. Deviance and/or ignorance of these values pose a threat to a firm wanting to operate in that nation. On the other hand, nations with a low uncertainty avoidance culture like the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, value flexibility and creativity and greater variability. Deviance and/or ignorance of these values would place a firm operating within such a nation at a risky position. Individualism/Collectivism- referring to the preference to hire and work in an individualistic way (focusing on the I identity as opposed to the We identity) as is the case in the United States and the United Kingdom. Collectivism refers to countries that value organizational family, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and relationship over task; Japan. Deviance and/or ignorance of such values poses risk for a firm operating in such a nation. Masculinity/Femininity- Masculinity refers to the extent to which a society values attributes such as; Assertiveness Status Personal achievement These are masculine traits prominent in countries like the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. Feminine traits are those that emphasize on sympathy and service quality of life as is the case in Scandinavia and the Netherlands. Such values and traits need to be considered when venturing into a foreign market to avoid putting a firm at unnecessary risk. MARKET RISK- potential threat that a company faces by it being a part of a certain market. This risk can further be divided into; Industry risk Positioning risk Misys risk description according to their Annual Report on principal risks and uncertainties (2010) under the heading Business environment and market risks is as follows; As an international company, we operate across the globe and difficult or unexpected economic conditions in the markets we serve may affect the financial position of our customers and their willingness to commit expenditure. Other developments in the markets we serve may also impact the Group. The financial services sector is currently subject to regulatory review which could increase taxes on, or curtail certain of the activities of our customers leading them to reduce expenditure. Our Healthcare business is benefiting from the Healthcare Stimulus program in the United States, however, we must ensure that we comply with the requirements for meaningful use as defined by the United States Department of Health and Human Services across our healthcare product portfolio. In addition, we operate in highly competitive markets that are characterized by changing technology, industry standards and customer needs and by commercial pressures from customers. Four further classifications of risk as classified by Misy in their Annual Report (2010) are: Strategic Risk- which further embodies; Business environment and market risks Business strategy risks Operational Risk- which further embodies; People risks Product development risks Contract implementation and service level risks Business continuity risks IT risks Intellectual property risks Financial Risk- which embodies; Foreign exchange and interest rate risks Compliance Risk- which embodies; Legal and regulatory risks Strategy and Risk There are a number of strategies that can be employed in relation to risk, that is, the various types of risks. In response to positional risk this report considers the following strategies; The Strategy Clock The Strategy Clock (et al, p. 225) is a vital tool in determining the positioning of a firm. A firm entering a foreign market for the first time can assess which of the eight strategies/positions on the strategy clock to pursue, with full understanding of the risk that the various positions pose. Generic Strategy Needs/Risks No Frills Likely to be segment specific. Low Price Risk of price war low margins; need to be cost leader. Hybrid Low cost base reinvestment in low price differentiation. a) Differentiation; without price premium Perceived added value by user, yielding market share benefits. b) Differentiation; with price premium Perceived added value sufficient to bear price premium. Focused Differentiation Perceived added value to a particular segment, warranting price premium Increased price/standard value Higher margins if competitors do not follow; risk of losing market share. Increased price/low value Only feasible in monopoly situation. Low value/standard price Loss of market share. Porters Competitive Forces Porters 5 forces (1980) is another tool for positioning in relation to risk. The ideal situation (especially for a firm entering a foreign market for the first time) is one of low risk where; Bargaining power of buyers is low Bargaining power of suppliers is low Threat from potential entrants is low Threat from substitutes is low Competitive rivalry is low Why Companies Expand/Venture into Foreign Markets To spread business risk across a wider market base. It will not depend entirely depend on operations in domestic markets. To achieve/maintain core competences. To lower costs and enhance firms competitiveness. To gain access to new customers- expanding into foreign markets offers potential for increased revenue, profit and long-term relationships and growth, and becomes an especially attractive option when a companys home market is mature RISK MANAGEMENT It is important that risk is identified in advance, recorded and managed. A firm entering the United States market for the first time can do this using one of the following four strategies; Avoidance- where the factors that give rise to the risk are removed or the profit is undertaken. Reduction/Mitigation- these measures tend to reduce the likelihood and the consequence of the risk/risky event. Transference- where the risk is passed on to or stored in another party. Absorption- where potential risk is accepted in the hope that the consequences can be coped with if necessary. UNCERTAINTY Uncertainty refers to indecision or doubt over options. Uncertainty is inherent in a companys strategy, because nobody can be sure about the future or the stability of an economy. There is therefore even more uncertainty for firms in international business or those planning to enter foreign markets. Uncertainty Avoidance refers to the extent to which people can tolerate risk and uncertainty in their lives. People in societies with high uncertainty avoidance create institutions that minimize risk and ensure financial security. Companies emphasize stable careers and produce many rules to regulate actions and minimize ambiguity. Uncertainty Avoidance determines whether or not risk will be an issue for a company. Higher profits do come with greater risks and vice versa. Therefore for a firm entering the United States market for the first time will have to undertake risk management in order to identify risks and gauge whether or not they are able to tolerate whatever risks are discovered. FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI) Another option that companies wanting to enter a foreign market like that of the United States can consider is FDI. FDI is an internalization strategy in which the firm establishes a physical presence abroad by acquiring productive assets such as capital, technology, labor, plant and equipment. FDI is the most advanced expensive, complex and riskiest entry strategy that a firm could use. It is undertaken by and targeted at firms from both advanced economies and emerging markets. Some considerations relevant to choice of foreign market entry strategy are; Degree of control that the firm wants to maintain over decisions, operations, and strategic assets involved in a venture; Degree of risk that the firm is willing to tolerate, and the timeframe in which it expects returns; Organizational and financial resources (for example, capital, managers, technology) that the firm will commit to the venture; Availability and capabilities of partners in the market; Value-adding activities that the firm wants to perform itself in the market, and what activities it will leave to partners; Long-term strategic importance of the market CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION From the above analogy it can be derived that the question at hand has been adequately addressed. This report has affirmed that a firm will face unknowns in the world of business, more so in foreign/international markets. This report has also affirmed that risk is indeed a factor of concern for firms seeking to venture into such markets. It has significantly defined risk and highlighted a considerable range of types of risk. This report went further in even suggesting risk-related strategies and outlining the risk management framework. Uncertainty has also been addressed. It has also addressed the issue of FDI, its associated risks and how it is an option for venturing into foreign markets. The concept of uncertainty does not seem to hold as much water as that of risk. It would seem uncertainty is a by-product of risk as doubt or indecision over a promising/profitable venture would be sparked by the risk that comes with it. In conclusion, Risk cannot be avoided in business whether it is local or international. Risk is always present and can either be high, medium or low, but never absent. What differs is how tolerable different firms are to risk and how they individually manage their risk. I would recommend that firms engage in wide-scope risk management as even the smallest of risks can prove to be huge blows to competitive advantage. The business environment is turbulent, more so now than in the past years. It would be unwise to invest in business and not be able to make any profit whatsoever due to falling prey to unforeseen risks and subsequent consequences.
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Characteristics Of Globalisation Economics Essay
Characteristics Of Globalisation Economics Essay Since the early 1960s a large number of theories on foreign direct investment(FDI) have emerged. This proliferation was to a large extent, due to Hymer (1976),and the subsequent recognition that FDI is a manifestation of market imperfection and firm specific advantages. This is the implicit and explicit assumption in most modern theories. The multiplicity of factors involved in production,combined with barriers to the free movement of goods and services, together with the differences in production environment, are all reasons for also been an increasing number of studies regarding other modes of foreign investment. These new forms of FI activities such as join venture , licensing, franchising, etc seem to have taken on an increasingly important role in recent years everywhere, including developing countries (Oman,1984). Foreign direct investment (FDI ) is the vehicle by which firms achieve their strategic objectives. Accompany must posses some asset such as product and process technology or management and marketing skills that can be used beneficially in the foreign affiliate in order to invest in production in foreign markets. According to Kindleberger(1969) , For direct investment to thrive there must be some imperfection in markets for goods or factors, including among the latter technology. Or some interference in competition by government or by firms, which separates markets. The industrialized nations have remained the major contributor as well as the major recipient of FDI though FDI flows to the developing world have more than doubled between 1990 and 1999 . According to Chakrabarti (2002) in 1999 , nearly 58percent of 30 global FDI flows went to the industrial countries ,37 per cent to developing countries , and just 5 per cent to the transition economies of eastern Europe. FDI embodies two typical assets : first ,capital and second ,technology or a number of intangible advantages. So, FDI is more likely to be important in industries with significant firm-specific ,intangible ,knowledge-based assets. Foreign direct investment contributes most to the development process whn affiliate is wholly owned and fully integrated into the global operations of the parent company. Once the parent investors commit themselves to incorporate the output from host country into a larger strategy to meet global or regional competition-there is evidence of a dynamic integration effect, which provides newer technology , more rapid technological upgrading ,and closer positioning along the frontier of best management practises and highest industry standards , than any other methods for the host economy to acquire such benefits. There is evidence of more intensive coaching for supplier in quality control, managerial efficiency , and marketing than any other means for firms in the local econom y to gain these skills (Nunuez,1990). FDI will improve competitiveness and, thus, create employment and increase the welfare of the host nation (Dunning, 1994). This is a result of inward investment increasing the number of entrants in the indigenous industry which forces all competitor firms in the industry to become more competitive by reducing costs and improving efficiency and quality. Much FDI activity is achieved by way of a joint venture between a foreign company and an indigenous company and this may bring advantages such as risk diversification, capital requirement reductions and lower start-up costs (Perlmutter and Heenan, 1986). Indirect impact will manifest itself in the creation of spillovers and linkages typically in suppliers and customers whereas the dynamic impact will affect the competitive environment. Inward investment is likely to stimulate the production of global competitors in the recipient country (UN,1995). Market size and growth, barriers to trade, wages, production, transportation and other costs, political stability, psychic distance and host governments trade and taxation regulations, performance requirements, cultural distance, GDP per capita and infrastructure are factors affecting FDI location (Dunning, 1993). While economic growth, and technology transfer to the host country are important consequences of FDI, development of technological infrastructure and human capital are critical prerequisites, and so antecedents for FDI (Noorbakhsh and Paloni, 2001). Moreover, while psychic distance has been pertinent so far in FDI decisions (UNCTAD, 1997; UN, 1998), its importance might gradually reduce with increasing globalization and development of new/digital economy. According to Sethi et al. (2002 p. 701), institutional and strategic factors into theory . . . need to be considered in tandem to explain the change in trend of FDI flows. The inflow of FDI includes a raise in the production base, the introduction of new skills and technologies and the creation of employment. Foreign investors increase productivity in host countries and FDI is often a catalyst for domestic investment and technological progress. Increased competition associated with the entry of an MNE upgrades the competence and product quality in national companies, and opens up possibilities for export (Ahn and Hemmings, 2000).
Monday, August 19, 2019
Death Penalty Survey Essay -- Survey Death Penalty Essays
Death Penalty Survey It's my belief that people often lack enough information to have an informed opinion, but go ahead and give their opinions anyway. Given the time, money and desire to complete this survey again I'd change my approach. I'd attempt to educate them more on the subject by providing them some detailed information such as factual statistics on both the pros and cons of the death penalty. Thus providing them with a broader background relating to the subject. I feel that by providing factual statistics and historical data that it would greatly add to the validity of the survey. Of the many questions available to base my survey on, I chose "Are you in favor of the death penalty?". With this question I interviewed twenty-four people. I had to get their name, age, race, sex, marital status, birthplace, religion, and of course the answer to the question. Then with the results of the survey I wrote this composition. Two weeks ago my neighbor received an unfortunate phone call that his sister had been killed in a car crash. While traveling at a high rate of speed, three underage boys had broad-sided her as they proceeded through a red traffic light at eighty-five mile per hour. The boys had previously stolen the car and were being chased by the police. Besides my neighbor's sister, the front passenger in the stolen car was also killed. The driver and another passenger were only slightly injured. Initially my neighbor's father was not going to take any legal action against the boys or their families. That was until he found out there was both alcohol and a high-powered rifle in their vehicle. The driver of the car now faces two counts of murder as well as the death penalty. This event forced me to reflec... ...led I'd have to say "yes", but if it were someone else's "no"." Also two people surveyed were my neighbor and his wife. The neighbor whose sister was killed in the previously mentioned car crash. Without hesitation, they both responded with immediate "yes" answers. My immediate thoughts on their response was I wonder what their answer would have been prior to the accident. These two examples both support the fact that emotions really may play a part in our decision making process. In conclusion of this survey, I was not surprised at all by the outcome because I knew that it was going to come out this way. Doing this survey was a fun and interesting experience. It gave me an opportunity to speak with some people I haven't spoken to in a long time. It also provided me the opportunity to reflect on my decision on the question, "Am I in favor of the death penalty?"
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Discuss The Importance Of Depreciation. :: essays research papers fc
Title: Discuss the importance of depreciation expenses. Depreciation as a concept and in practice plays a very important role in a companyââ¬â¢s cash flow hence in funding. The reasonââ¬â¢s are basically two, firstly because depreciation is a way of self finance for an organization and secondly because is a way of decreasing taxes that the government claims as the company doesnââ¬â¢t have to pay taxes on depreciation which consequently enlarges the cash flow of the company. As a term depreciation in accounting is the process of allocating the cost of a capital asset over the period of its useful life. Depreciation takes into account the decrease in the service potential of capital assets invested in a business venture, resulting from such causes as physical wear and tear in ordinary use, deterioration by natural elements or obsolescence caused by technological changes. Basically depreciation is a loss in value or a diminishment in market price of a good always taking the time factor into account. Depreciation is a rate of change in value in an asset fixed or current compared to the present value of that asset. For example if a company purchases machinery for the production of a certain product the management must take under consideration the equipmentââ¬â¢s life cycle, meaning that this machinery has a certain period of time in which it can contribute to the production before it becomes useless. Useless in a sense of a newer machine will be invented in some years which will be probably faster or more capable to produce better quality. The time factor of course always varies depending on the asset. For example the usefulness of a computer may be three years before it needs replacing, as for a building may be fifty years. A Mercedes van for instance in year 2000 could be purchased at the value of 13 million drachmas and its productive life span before it needs to be replaced will probably be 8 years. After the 8 years the van purchased would cease from being of any productive use to the company and if it needs to be resoled its market value would have depreciated drastically due to the time fade from the initial purchase. Its devaluation is its year zero value less an annual percentage of the devaluation process updated annually. But depreciation doesnââ¬â¢t apply only to current assets but also is applicable to fixed assets as well.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Research in the Counseling Profession Essay
The importance of research lies in the treatment of the client. When counseling treatments are proven and backed by research, this is more effective that using some form of treatment that is new and not backed by research. One of the most prolific things that stands out to me as a student of counseling is the code by which we should all follow and the one thing that we vow never to do and that is ââ¬Å"do no harmâ⬠. If we do not research the plan of action that we are to use with our client and to know that this treatment is the proper treatment for the problem or problems presented than the likelihood of doing more damage than good is probable. We must as counselors deliver and disseminate evidence-based treatments for the advance of our profession (Sheperis, Young & Daniels, 2010). As the world evolves the language and procedure of the counseling profession also does, therefore it is of great importance to stay on top of the newest research out there. Working in the field of law enforcement for twenty years I have been through many CISDââ¬â¢S. We see that the ongoing use of CISD (Critical Incident Stress Debriefing) is just one design that examination and evidence-based preparation have to find whereas they fit into the counseling profession to better help the counselor work with someone that has seen things that are sometimes unimaginable to them. This is where research keeps the counselor in the mix of things by exploring the new evidence based training and procedures that are out there that show promise this will make the counselor more effective within this population. Scholar Practitioner Model The scholar-practitioner model is often used in reference to the ââ¬Å"Vail model after the 1973 Vail Conference on Professional Training in Psychologyâ⬠(Vail, 1973). In this model it is the student that learns how to comprehend and relate academic conclusions to the training. The students are thereby trained and instructed to be and take part in research to gain better understanding of the subject material that is presented before them in the clinical setting. ââ¬Å"A counselor is a scholar practitioner. This implies that a counselor is a highly trained profession who uses new knowledge generated through research to positively change his or her clientsââ¬â¢ life. In light of this statement, it is important to recognize the role of research in counseling profession. Research can be described as the process through which hypotheses are tested and proved or disapproved through data collection and analysisâ⬠(Sheperis, Young & Daniels, 2010). What this entails is that it is the process in which through new knowledge passes into the counseling profession. Research gives us an avenue to explore new information in the counseling field and the new information is what makes the counselor more adaptable to the client and their needs. Research in all things can provide a firm foundation in which to back up the practices of the counselor. Conclusion No two clients are the same as no two days are similar. They are ever changing, whereas one treatment might work for one client, whereas another client of theirs presents with like issues, this one treatment may not fit the need or the new client. It is always good to learn as learning is a lifelong process. The more you know the more valuable you are to the client as a counselor.
The water was falling so fast that you would have thought that it was going to battle
The water was falling so fast that you would have thought that it was going to battle. The waterfall stabbed the cliff and in two and flowed out at the summit like a haemorrhage of white blood. The narrow flow of water widened as it fell, preparing to face the enemy. The most noticeable thing about the water was the earsplitting sound that it made like giant cymbals in an orchestra, crashing together. However, after spending a while near the awesome waterfall you could no longer hear it. It was as if it had become a background scene in a story, which has been there from the start and will continue to be there until the end. A huge wall of rock surrounded the deep pool into which the waterfall plunged. It was there to protect what lay beneath, to stop intruders, and to conceal its secrets. Every now and then when I adjusted my weight a rock would crumble off the cliff side, like a soldier dying. After the initial impact I waited. A few seconds later the rock would at last plunge to its death in the deep pool waiting for it below. From the sound of the crack it felt like someone was following me, trying to scare me away and stop me from finding the secret. The cliffs had large cracks in them each one telling us a story from the distant past. The rocks gave off a bland smell which was still was very noticeable. It smelled old as if it was telling us all its history in one quick sniff. The rough valleys looked like large monsters ready to pounce on the water if it made any wrong moves. Every now and then I would look down at the astounding scenery below. One of the first things I would notice was the carpet of green spears below me ready to catch me when I fell. The trees also gave off a faint smell of fresh new bark which was very different to the dull, old smell of the rock that surrounded me. From where I was perched the birdsong was very distant yet my ears somehow focused in on it, as if wanting to hear it. It was the sweet, soulful love songs of the sparrows that sat on the tops of the large trees. The waterfall did not only give off an eardrum-bursting sound but it also gave off a cloud-like mist that engulfed the area. It was a very hot and humid day and this mist was the only thing that gave any relief form the extreme heat. The mist felt so cool against my sweaty skin that it was as if a ghost had just passed through me. One minute I felt a cool sensation pass through me and the next it was gone and the hot sweaty quality of the day returned once more. The sky was grey with dark patches and some blue patches as though it hadn't decided what it wanted to be yet ââ¬â whether to be a gorgeous day with the sun shining off the rocks or to pour and make everyone go inside. It was a typical autumn day ââ¬â undecided, would it a cheerful sunny summer-like day or would be like a day in winter with a white blanket covering everything and causing us to curl up by the fire. Unfortunately it decided to be a mixture of both ââ¬â wet and gloomy. I was completely drenched to the skin and my hands slid continuously over the slimy surface of the cliff. I was very near the top now and I had to struggle to keep my hands from slipping. I tried to find a foot hole in one of the large crevasses in the rock but the ones within reach were covered in slime and were very small. I had to use all my climbing ability to get out of this one. I eased my foot into the foothold and suddenly, the rock cracked. I had nothing to hold on to, nothing to grip. I began to fall faster and faster. As I fell I was got wetter and wetter and I felt as though I and the waterfall were one and the same. The water was falling so fast that you would have thought that it was going to battle.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Art and Architecture in Daily Life Essay
When searching for an architecture piece that would catch the eye, there were many to pick from. Finding one that would be remembered that was a little harder, but never the less the one that was found was so beautiful and very inspiring. There are many buildings that are built for different reasons such as shelter, work, play, religious worship, or just for a personal relaxation. An architect by the name of Frank Lloyd Wright was a man who was very famous for his work, especially the creation called Fallingwater. Frank Lloyd Wright designed Fallingwater in 1935; which was known for its dynamism and for its integration. The construction would begin a year later and would not be completed until 1939. When finished Fallingwater would be one of Wrightââ¬â¢s finest creations, this would be due to Smithsonian Magazine counting Fallingwater as one of the 28 places to see before you die (Colman, 2012). The website, http://www. openculture. com/2012/01/fallingwater-one-of-frank-lloyd-wrights-finest-creations-animated. html shows a mini video of how the building was created and built. After reading about this creation and watching the video, visiting this location will be on my list of places to visit and explore with my children so they will be able to see the beauty of what you can do with nature. Fallingwater was an Organic Architecture home that Wright created for a family who owned a department store in Pittsburgh by the name of Edgar F. Kaufmann. They wanted to have a home in a private setting, which would epitomize man living in harmony with nature. And what better place than sitting in the middle of the wilderness surround by 5000 acres of nature. The home was built with local sandstone, reinforced concrete, steel and glass and hangs out over a beautiful waterfall on Bear Run that is surrounded by rocks, trees and rhododendrons (Powell, 2012). Wright had a strong passion for Japanese architecture and this had reflected in the design of the Fallingwater. The interior also remained true to his vision which included cantilevered desks, earth-toned built-in sofas, polished stone floors, and large casement windows that allowed the outdoors to just shine in. The stone fireplace in the home was a boulder on the hill that was
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Tent and Board Games
My camping trip My camping trip was a very bad experience. A friend's brother was planning to go to camping for a weekend, and they invited me. We were excited because we thought would be fun. First, we made a list of everything we would need, packed our suitcases and started our way. The weather was bad, but my friend's brother decided to go no matter what. First, the road was in a poor condition. It was so bad that I threw up twice! Second, the location where we were going to stay for 2 nights was terrible.I lready felt bad enough due to the road, and when I saw the place, I realized that I wanted to go back home. Nevertheless, we decided to stay in front of a big tree and made a bonfire between the camping tents. My camping tent was on the left and the other one was next to us. After a while, everyone went to sleep. Third, I was attacked by a snake at midnight. I felt something crawling on me; I Jumped up and started to scream. Everyone woke up and went to my camping tent to see w hat was happening. There was a snake inside my tent and creeping on me! I was so scared and no one knew what to do.My friend's brother killed the snake with a sharp stick. After that, I could not sleep anymore. The next day, we played board games, listened to music and walked across the forest. While we were walking, I saw an iguana at the top of a tree. Soon we came back to our place because it started to get dark. We talked for a few hours and went to sleep. Finally, to make things worse, it rained so badly that the camping tents came down. We spent the rest of the night under the tree. When the sun rose, we left the place to go back home. In conclusion, my camping trip was a disaster.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Research Graphic Organizer Essay
Write your thesis statement about the Effectiveness of Advertising in the space provided below. Include previous sections into this document before submitting this Research Graphic Organizer. Choose a topic: Technology; Sports Equipment; Clothing; Food Questions to research: Are advertisements aimed at teenagers effective? And, are they ethical? My Response: yes, because it looks more fashion and I think its shape design can be more accepted for most of teenagers. Of course they are ethical, because I believe that they donââ¬â¢t want to go bankrupt. And also bring more high-technology to improve the peopleââ¬â¢s life. Sources Title, URL, and Date of Access Central Idea http://store.sony.com/xperia-z2-tablet-16gbââ¬âzid27-SGP511/B/cat-27-catid-All-Xperia-Tablets?_t=pfm%3Dcategory 11/4 A tablet for everything you need. Thesis Statement: A tablet for everything you need. And more closer to your life. And bring more convenience for the people who are going to use their products. Like this tablet is more bigger than previous tablets, and the quality also moreà advanced. Also the water proof is one of the most attractive points to this tablets. Outline: Title: Tablet Thesis Statement: Given that more functions of tablets are invented. Tablet becomes more closer to your life. I. It used the new function ââ¬Å"waterproofâ⬠to convince their customers to buy their products. A. Indeed its waterproof is truly an innovation. II. The weight is lighter than before. A. This strategy is really important for the people who are usually using the phone or tablet, the most lighter their tablets are, the more convenient they have. Paragraph: The tablet is very effective when they marketing to the teenagers. First the waterproof, why sony wants to do the waterproof for their tablets, it is because nowadays teenagers tend to use electronic devices, they may even using devices in the restroom. So the strategy is using teenagersââ¬â¢ tendency to develop appropriate function of their tablets in order to attract more customers to increase their income.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Gibbs Reflection Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words
Gibbs Reflection Model - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that reflection is an introspective study not only about ourselves but also about the decisions and actions we pursue. Reflection is crucially important in various areas of study or in the workplace to help us to reflect on our thoughts and actions which would, in turn, facilitate improvement through assessment. Reflection can be defined in many different ways ââ¬â For example, Boud aptly defines reflection as ââ¬Ëan important human activity in which people recapture their experience, think about it, mull it over and evaluateââ¬â¢. In the context of learning, reflection is viewed as a term in which people can assess their experiences.In the opinion of Margaret, it is suggested that reflection allows the interconnections between observations, previous experiences, and judgment to come to the fore in clinical decision-making. Reflection serves to bring insightful meaning to our experiences and promotes a deeper understanding and bet ter approach to learning because it encourages trainees to reframe problems, questions their own assumptions, and look at situations from multiple perspectives as they analyze their lived experiences. Reflection fosters lifelong learning because it encourages trainees to recognize gaps in their own knowledge and attend to their own learning needs by searching for possible solutions. From a learning point of view, we understand that reflection enables learners to reflect and develop critical thinking skills which are not only important but essential to clinical decision-making and practice. It also encourages learners to take control of their own learning needs, facilitating their professional development, problem-solving, and lifelong learning. The use of journal writing as a means of promoting reflection and learning in educational settings has been widely advocated
Monday, August 12, 2019
World of work silver- organisation awareness Coursework - 1
World of work silver- organisation awareness - Coursework Example However, soon after the 2008 activities, the demand for Land Rover cars declined by almost one-quarter. In 2009, for instance, 144,133 car sales were registered worldwide. Jaguar also recorded a slump in sales by almost 20 per cent to about 52,500 in 2010 (Grant, 2010). Regardless, Jaguarââ¬â¢s internal processes paint its image as an effective, innovation-driven organization (Batchelor, 2014). As a mechanical engineer I can attribute the innovation successes to unique car designs. In order to improve the quality of its products, JLR has reduced its product lines to two instead of the initial six (Raynal, 2012). The company allocates generous budgets for its R&D in order to support the creation of fine mechanical engineering qualities. Nonetheless, JLR demonstrates a higher level of balancing its innovation with the primary risk of cost overruns than its competitors (Batchelor, 2014). Regardless, Jaguarââ¬â¢s supply chain management is still poor, judging by the lower presence of the products in the developing economies than the units of its market rivals such as Mercedes Benz or General Motors (Harris, 2013). As a mechanical engineer, I think Jaguar should increase the quantity of its units at the dealers, because the strategy of cashing in on customers who associate with rare products keeps their consumer base smaller than that of their rivals with more units in the market. Owing to the fitness of the Land Rover for different purposes, the brand is apparently performing better than the Jaguar (Gomes et al, 2007). After the recent acquisition, the company has shifted major head office decisions to India in an attempt to strengthen its market presence across the two products. In India, the company enjoys the advantage of the cheap labour, reduced production expenses and low-cost of logistics (The Guardian, 2015). These important factors will likely increase the quantity of the brand
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Your definition of love Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Your definition of love - Essay Example Love is a universal phenomenon upon which the human life balances on earth. Any problem occurs to this basic thing will results in threats to human life on earth. The World Wars, conflicts between countries and religions, suicides, killing of innocent people, terrorism, and robbery like antisocial elements are the results of the absence of love. In my opinion, love is an emotion or feeling one may extend towards another. Love has lot of dimensions. A person who loves himself cannot offer divine love towards others because of the conflicts between the self needs and the needs of the person whom he loved. In other words, love is a kind of sacrifice. Without sacrifice love cannot survive. For example, in marital relationship, both the husband and the wife need to sacrifice some of their selfish interests in order to accommodate the interests of other. One may like smoking while the other may not, one may like drinking while the other may not, one may like taking drugs while the other may not. In the absence of love, the above likes and dislikes may create problems in a married life. Phaedrus, one of the seven attendants of Platoââ¬â¢s symposium argued that love is most powerful in helping men gain honor and blessedness whereas Socrates defined love the attainment of immortality (Galloway, 1992). In my opinion both of them are right. Love has all the above dimensions like honouring, blessings and the attainment of immortality. A person who loves others will definitely honour or value them. All the religious leaders are unique in their opinion that loving others is the basic necessity of attaining immortality. Pausanias, another person who attended Platoââ¬â¢s symposium has argued against Phaidros one-dimensional praise of love and introduces the idea of dualism. In his opinion, one type of love is "common", based on sensuality, works at random, and produces children, the other love is "heavenly", based on
What is America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
What is America - Essay Example Q. 1 There are varied ethical considerations discussed in the video and most of them tend to focus on the issues of promoting the public interests in the American society. It is significant to understand the behavior of people and possible reactions when attempting to make economic policies. Many economists seem to employ economic policy and the use this model in predicting the behavior of people in the society logically based on varied aspects such as price, interests, aggregate supply and demand. Friedman generally neither intends to promote the interests of the public and even does not know the way to promote it (Freidman, 2012). This is because by directing the business in such a way that its producers may be of the utmost value only intends to promote personal values. Another ethical considerations discussed is the business ethics and this would only be achieved through employing effective policies vital for conducting business. Ethical considerations attempts to focus on effective business decisions on both local and across the globe. The ethical priorities aims of offer effective distribution of economic goods and services among varied people who have freedom for choice of employment, right to work, equal pay, favorable working conditions and protection against unemployment. Lieberman and Hall (2005) argue that the principle of business ethics is to create wealth in a manner that makes one a better person and creates the world a better place. Q.2 The questions posed on the video are still applicable today in light of the current business settings. Freidman focused on the influences shaping business and competition in the contemporary business world, which are fueled by increasing technology in the global environment; thus a call for the government to take significant action to stay a head or sustain a competitive advantage in the business world. The message of Freidman is clear when he urges that the government should be prepared because this phenomenon waits for no one. Secondly, another issue is that of freedom where people should be left to make their own decisions but the government has taken much control of the citizens, and this is also experienced in the contemporary business world. Poor government policies, poor security and other aspects are among the problems that impact many business industries from achieving their business goals effectively. Lastly, in a well regulated market based economy, which is driven by a free trade and increased economic growth, the least-advantaged people in the society should benefit from the mechanisms of the system. However, higher level of inequality and poor resource distribution are among the common problems impacting many people in the contemporary business world; thus driving economy behind. Q. 3 The lecture of Freidman can help me to become a better business person because of varied reasons. First, Freidman talks about bad laws and the way they should be changed and make them flexible in order to enable business carry out their business successf ully. Some of the law such as laws protecting workers, employers, wage laws, free trade laws and many others are significant in an economy. The intervention of the government in the contemporary markets and promoting the practice of freely floating exchange rates and other governmental practices should be flexible
Saturday, August 10, 2019
Policy discussion paper (social work course) Essay
Policy discussion paper (social work course) - Essay Example those with disabilities, and their guardians, or helpers in assisting them to continue living independently at home, and ensuring their daily basic needs have been met (Government of Western Australia, 2012). Therefore, HACC support services include assistance with daily household activities, assistance in ensuring nutrition independence, strength and safety of these individuals, support to participate in either one-to one or group activities, assistance and support to ensure independent self care such as dressing, and assistance in carrying out essential activities such as banking, shopping, and maintaining in their social contacts (Government of Western Australia, 2012). The Home and Community Care (HACC) program is the main funded of home based care services in Australia. The program provides several services to the old people, the disabled people, and their guardians (Municipal Association of Victoria 2010, 15). HACC program was initiated in 1984 through an agreement with Commonwealth , State and Territories, and the Home and Community Care Act of 1985, in response to a report by the House of Representatives Standing Committee and Expenditure in 1982 (MAV 2010, 15). This program consolidated a number of separately funded State and Commonwealth programs, which include the Home Nursing Subsidy Act of 1957, the State Grants (Home care) Act of 1969, the Delivered Meals Subsidy Act of 1970, and the States Grants (paramedical Service) Act of 1969 (MAV 2010, 15). The program, however, started back in 1885 as the Royal District Nursing Services (RDNS) with a single nurse pertaining visits to homes of the sick poor, providing care to mothers with new born babies, and the frail aged,. Though HACC has a long history, there are two important aspects defining the program. Though HACC is a national program, each state is obligated to have a scope in building and developing their own programs to meet the needs of the state. For example, the Victorian government
Friday, August 9, 2019
Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 39
Journal - Essay Example The French government colonized Haiti at a time when slavery was as an aspect that would amount to great economic growth. From Duboisââ¬â¢ assertions, french government actually led to the increase in poverty level in Haiti through forcing Haiti government to take a loan from them that they would use to compensate slaves. The U.S is also to blame for Haitiââ¬â¢s poor economic growth; the U.S made Haiti be over depended on foreign support. Dubois, however, provides some different assertions offered for Haitiââ¬â¢s troubles. For instance, he mentions a religious leader that insisted that Haiti faces many natural calamities since they had sold themselves to the devil; practiced voodoo culture. Another claim points out that Haitiââ¬â¢s poverty results from the leadership it has had after it gained independence. Most of these leaders who happened to be freed slaves had greed and focused much on accumulating wealth for themselves, thereby creating corruption and dictatorship. Certainly, from my assumption, I think Haitians, the French Government and U.S government have to take responsibility for Haitiââ¬â¢s misfortunes. However, the blame should be more on the Haitians. Certainly, natural calamities such as earthquakes are rather unavoidable. However, shameful factors such as neocolonialism, corruption, poverty, crime, and poor economic growth can be because of certain actions from people. The Haitians should take blame for their high level of poverty, corruption and poor economic growth. The level of poverty in Haiti results from the corrupt and unstable governments that have existed (Wilentz), and incompetent citizens. In addition, poor economic growth also results from the high level of crime and corruption done by the Haitians themselves. Therefore, Haitians should stop blaming occurrences in history for their failures. However, the blame on the U.S government for increasing Haitiââ¬â¢s over dependence on foreign aid is justifiable. By doing this, the U.S
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Bioethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3
Bioethics - Essay Example This universal prescriptivism results in the form of consequentialism, claiming that the rightness of an action actually depends upon its consequences (Kuhse & Singer, 1999). Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill brought forward classical utilitarianism which states that an action is right if it leads to a greater surplus of happiness over misery than any possible alternative and wrong if it does not (Kuhse & Singer, 1999). By ââ¬Å"greater surplus of happinessâ⬠, the classical utilitarian refers to the concept of accumulating all the pleasure or happiness that resulted from the action and deducting from that sum all the pain or misery resulting from the action (Kuhse & Singer, 1999).à Being a consequentialism, particularly a classical utilitarian, I would first of all find out and be completely assured that this was the surest and the only way of retaining enduring happiness to the entire mankind (Kuhse & Singer, 1999). Any utilitarian, keeping in mind the giant mission of achieving contentment of the worldââ¬â¢s people would surely accept the job of being the architect of the happiness of the world at the cost of the childââ¬â¢s unexpiated t ears (Kuhse & Singer, 1999). We are already aware that in certain situations it might be possible only to lessen misery and hence the correct action should be realized as the one that will lead to less misery than other possible option.à While making any ethical judgment, it must be universalizable for hypothetical and real situations as well (Kuhse & Singer, 1999). At the time of making an ethical judgment, one is expected to put himself or herself in place of the parties involved and determine whether he or she can still accept that judgement. In this particular case, suppose the father is aware that the torture on his child is the only process left which guarantees the overall welfare of the people all around the globe.
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4
Healthcare - Essay Example In most cases, long-term care offers services to the older population since in most hospitals around the world they are the majority who stays longer in hospitals. The most common forms of long-term care are formal, and informal. Patients acquire these services either in hospitals or in their houses. With much changes taking place in long-term care services, administrators face tougher challenges that requires them to bring fresh skills to their jobs. Short-term care services are those that patients are given for a short period. They cover a wide range of services that help individuals, and their families to acquire convenient emergency care from the comfort of their homes. Sometimes elderly patients receive health care services from houses that are comfortable fully furnished. This is different in comparison to long-term care, which mainly takes place in hospitals (Kovner, 2009). The administrative concerns that one would have as a manager are such as the meals that the patients will be taking, the cleanliness of their rooms, and supervising how the service providers handle the patients. It is good to recommend the executives to improve more on their managerial skills and that of customer relationship management since this will help them know how to deal with both their patients, and employees. The recommendation for the team is to work towards offering care facilities in the hospitals. Nova Scotia. (2007). Dispute resolution in healthcare and community services collective bargaining (including acute, long term, and continuing care as well as ambulance services): Discussion paper. Halifax, N.S.: Nova Scotia, Environment, and
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Prewriting Assignment Essay Example for Free
Prewriting Assignment Essay Times I Saw an Adult Cry I. I was very young when I first saw an adult cry.à I did not actually see an adult cry in person; I saw it on television.à Nonetheless, it was the first time I have seen an adult shed tears.à That night, I was at home with the babysitter when my mother left to run some errands.à I remember that the babysitter tucked me to my bed early and I immediately fell asleep.à After some time, I was awakened by the sounds of people talking. à It was rather loud, and I could hear the voices of a man and a woman in conversation. Out of curiosity, I got out of bed and opened the bedroom door.à At first, I thought that maybe the babysitter had some company. So I carefully walked downstairs to the den, where the babysitter usually stays.à I took a peek and found her alone.à The sounds I heard came from the television; she was only watching a movie.à I remember that it was an old movie, as it was in black and white.à To my surprise, the woman in the movie began to cry.à I was surprised because I have never seen the adults in my house cry.à I thought crying were only for babies and young children.à After that, I learned that adults can also cry. II. When I was younger, my family and I were on a road trip. The trip was generally smooth, until my father decided to take a short cut.à He was driving the car, and he turned left to a narrow dirt road.à It proved to be a wrong decision; the road led to a cemetery, where a burial was taking place.à The width of the road made it difficult to pass through, but the parked cars on both sides of the road made it more problematic. The traffic caused my father to drive slowly, allowing me to witness the burial.à I saw all of the mourners; all of them were dressed in black.à However, a man stood out in the crowd out of his sheer size. As a child, I was terrified of bald, stocky men.à They all seemed intimidating to me. The man in the cemetery was tall, stocky and bald.à Because he appeared intimidating, I did not expect him to cry in the burial. I was not used to seeing men cry, especially those of his size.à I was expecting him to be simply serious but not emotional.à Besides, it was said that men do not cry.à As we drove past the cemetery, I caught a glimpse of him pulling out a handkerchief and wiping his eyes.à He was indeed crying.à I contemplated that maybe the grief over the loss of a loved one may have been too much to bear, that it prompted a seemingly intimidating man to cry. III. Our next door neighbor was a woman with two children.à The woman had fair skin and dark curly hair. She was remarkably thin and was rarely seen at home.à My mother said that she worked two jobs so she could pay the rent and feed her children. I always liked her because whenever she was around, she would smile at me and her eyes would seem to smile too. She had those distinct smiling eyes.à One day, my mother and I went out of the house as we were hearing loud noises from her home. We saw this tall man coming out of her house, dragging the children with him. She was screaming while grabbing on to the manââ¬â¢s arm. She tried to stop him, but her small frame was no match to the manââ¬â¢s physique. The children were shouting for their mother as the man dragged them into the car. The man immediately hopped in the driverââ¬â¢s seat, closed the door, and drove away.à The woman just stood there in the street, her eyes still fixed on the car that just disappeared. A minute later, she bowed her head and covered her face with her hands. Then she began to cry.à Her cries became louder, and soon all our neighbors were already watching her. à I later found out that the man was her former husband and her childrenââ¬â¢s father. She worked so hard to take care of her children, only for them to be taken away from her.à I never saw her smiling eyes again.à She soon moved out. I believe it was after that incident when I truly began to have respect for single mothers who work hard to take care of their kids. IV. I am used to witnessing marriage proposals on television.à I have seen programs wherein the men would go down on one knee and the woman would then gasp in shock, cover their mouths with their hands and become motionless for a few seconds. Afterwards, they would become hysterical in glee. In the past, I thought that such moments were too emotional.à My opinion changed when I witnessed a marriage proposal firsthand.à I was in a coffee shop with a friend when a couple entered. They looked like the average couple; nothing seemed extraordinary about the two of them. The woman took her seat, while the man went to the counter to order.à I did not pay them much attention afterwards. It was not until much later when I realized they were deaf-mute, when I noticed that they were using sign language. I did not expect a proposal to occur, not in a coffee shop.à So when I saw the man go down on one knee, I was taken aback.à My friend and I watched closely, along with the other customers, as the woman nodded and hugged his future husband.à As the people in the shop cheered, tears were streaming down her face. Unlike other women, she did not overreact.à She was just happy, and her tears showed it.à I guess true love does make people happy, and the happiness does not have to be showy to be expressed. V. One time, I had the chance to watch The Oprah Winfrey Show.à I can remember that the episode featured a middle-aged African-American woman who took care of many children.à I cannot recall if she was married, but I know she had three children.à When the womanââ¬â¢s siblings died, she took the responsibility of raising them as well.à She and the children had to cram themselves in a small three-bedroom house.à She worked several jobs to support these kids, most of which are not even her own.à The problem was that the home was not hers and if she did not pay a certain amount within the specified time, they would be evicted. The woman and the children were invited to the show where they were to receive gifts from Oprah. They were given things they needed; they received new beds, kitchen appliances, and even a van.à However, the biggest surprise of all was when Oprah announced that they would be shopping for a new home. The woman hugged Oprah tight, and wiped the tears running down her face.à I knew the woman was happy because of all the material things she received. Most importantly, I know those tears were of gratitude.à It was not the material things per se that she was grateful for; she was thankful for the help that those things could offer her and the children.à I knew she deserved those things for all her dedication and hard work. Still, she was very grateful.
The Glaxosmithkline Merger: Analysis
The Glaxosmithkline Merger: Analysis Introduction Mergers are not new in pharmaceutical industry in the recent years and the same for both Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham throughout each others history. Considering the political, social and economic resistance, the general driving forces for these mergers in this industry are, more firms showed interest in using strategic partnerships and joint ventures to develop and market new products. Though pharmaceutical holds a global market, the US market decided the growth of the industry as it holds 45% of the global market. So not surprisingly the US political, social and economic resisted and delivered a strong impact on the growth of the whole pharmaceutical industry. However Pfizers merger pushed Glaxo SmithKline to 2nd rank in the industry, they were number one immediately after their merger. So the business changes of the organisation had a heavy impact on the whole pharmaceutical industry. So this paper had assessed the reason for the merger and extend the aims of the merger is achieved. Background of SmithKline Beecham: SmithKline Beecham resulted from the merger of SmithKline Beckman (SKB) and Beecham. Beecham was well known for its traditional research strength whereas SKB was known for its aggressive sales force in US. Though the process of merger was lengthy, the change from more laid British approach of Beecham to process oriented working was success. The new company tried to keep up with critical mass but they lacked in budgeting RD, which was the real constrain for companys growth. Background of Glaxo Wellcome: Glaxo Wellcomes birth was from Glaxos takeover of Wellcome in 1995. Glaxo was well known for its strong marketing approach, commercial success of its RD efforts and blockbuster product Zantac whereas Wellcome is non-profit medical institution well known for its academic approach to pharmaceuticals. Though there were several clashes between Wellcomes laid back management style and Glaxos hard-nosed, commercial and control driven culture, with the help of economic of scale in RD activities, Glaxo reduced the conflicts and resistance. However the companys growths in producing blockbuster products were lacking. 1. Reasons for the Glaxo SmithKline Merger: Merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham was a global one. The merger was a unique all over the world and various divisions of both the companies merged in around 170 countries in 2000, expect Pakistan. The merger came through after UK court order in January 2000; however it happened in Pakistan only on 23rd October 2002. So the merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham in Pakistan was the off shoot of the global merger of the companies. There were six reasons which compelled both the legendary companies to go for the merge and to build a leading company in the entire pharmaceutical industry. The reasons for merging up together were: To reduce the Research Development pipeline. To reduce the Research Development cost. Drug reimbursement issues. Political pressures and growing concerns over drug prices. Patent expirations / Generic competition. Recent developments in biotechnology and the mapping of the human genome. The right theme and idea backing the merger was, to improve quality of human life for enabling people to do more, feel better, live longer. As both the companies holds the strength in more similar kind of field that is, developing drugs for infectious respiratory neurological gastrointestinal and metabolic disease, they want to lead the way in providing treatment for the same. Apart from the above field, the join company appeared to be the worlds leading producers of prescription medicine, vaccine and consumer health care products. So they planned for delivering innovative medicines and products that help billions of people round the world live longer, healthier and happier life. The whole pharmaceutical industry was focusing and investing in RD as it delivers modern ways to handle prolonging problems and helps in the long term growth of the industry. The hunger to deliver medicines for new diseases made the join group (GlaxoSmithKline) to pay more attention in RD and wished to reduce the number of products in the pipeline of RD. Though both companies produced similar kind of drugs and so integrating their products line was very obvious, the process demanded more time and efforts. This was mainly because; both had more number of products in the pipeline and hardly had blockbuster products in market. Still the management believed that the time for working on new diseases will be reduces by working together on lesser products. And in general all research and development evolves a risk of failure. Not that each compounds and all research towards developing new drugs for a targeted diseases comes out as success but in turn consumes high time, efforts and money. B ut the RD is the only answer for the long term growth of both the joint company and the industry. So sticking to mission and vision of the new company, GSK has decided to focus of RD but in a different way of approach .i.e. cost saving, economics of scale and licensing from other firms. Apart from these, a PEST analysis on the pharmaceutical industry will give a clear picture and highlight the hidden reason for the recent merger activities in industry and in particular GSK. PEST Analysis on Pharmaceutical Industry: Political: Considering the Medicare in USA and UKs National Health Service, the level of political interest developed in this industry can be determined. In addition USA and European market hold the first and second place of industrys global market respectively. So its very clear that the industry has gained a massive political attention because of the increasing social and financial burden of healthcare and safety. In the increased political attention on the industry, has kept the industry low to live up the expectation and their interference on most moves of the industry was a really worrying the giants of the industry. Also the pressure of civil in rapid delivery of products has kept their quality and the industry finds hard in delivering effective products. Economic: The economic growth of the industry was rapid in recent years and next to IT industry with nine geographic markets account for over 80% of global pharmaceutical sales these are US, Japan, France, Germany, UK, Italy, Canada, Brazil and Spain. Of the above listed markets, US market holds a major one and fastest too however there is down fall in 2009. The US Pharmaceutical Industry is one of the mainstays of the Economy of America. It has been observed that the US Pharmaceutical Industry is growing at a rapid pace and is showing no signs of slowing down. The US Pharmaceutical Industry Growth is also considered as a very significant part in the world pharmaceutical industry as well. Source: http://www.economywatch.com/world-industries/pharmaceutical/us.html According to analysis, in 2009, global pharmaceutical sales increased by only 2.5% ~ 3.5%, reaching a total of about 750 billion-760 billion U.S. dollars, which is lower than in October last year the growth rate of 4.5% to 5.5%, a total of 8200 the forecast 100 million U.S. dollars. This growth rate is the lowest in the past 25 years. Source: http://www.sourcejuice.com/1169843/2009/05/08/Growth-rate-global-pharmaceutical-industry-lower/ Social: Every industry tries to have a good social relation. But this industry is many steps forward than the other industries because; good health is an important personal and social requirement. All the companies of this industry hold and play a vital and unique role fulfilling societys need for good health. And threat of some killing diseases like, AIDS, SWINE FLU, SARS etc. had not only attracted the attention of public and media but developed a more depending and demanding situation on the industry. This immense situation has made the industry to maintain direct relation with the society (consumers) with the help of media and government care. Technological: The advance scientific technologies have increased the need for high spending in research and development in regards to encourage the innovation. The growth of technology drives the industry to responds faster to the expectation of the environment. This technology advancement evolves both risks and rewards. Legal Environment: However in current situation, government involves the industry in the proposal for regulatory outflows to encourage the innovation, these legal and regulatory affairs of US in special was a speed beaker for the development of the industry. European pharmaceutical giants really struggled in this situation. Sykess statement summarized how Europes pharmaceutical companies have been locked in a high stakes multibillion dollar struggle with their US rivals to stay in business in the 21st century. This struggle is associated with increased takeover activity and pharmaceutical companies seeking economies of scale to finance escalating research and development budgets. Source: Case study GSK a merger too far? Exploring Corporate Strategy by Johnson, Scholes Whittington. 2. To what extent have the aims of Glaxo SmithKline merger been achieved? Some of the aims of the newly formed Glaxo SmithKline were, Not to protect future earnings growth but actually to increase critical mass to really outperform the industry. To become the indisputable leader in the industry in terms of conquering the challenges that the industry faces. To deliver innovative products that helps millions of people in the world to live longer, healthier and happier. To achieve the aims, the management formed a new structure for RD, highlighting the cost reductions and breaking of pipeline. However, the lack of focus on general organisational structure and internal management structure resulted in low returns compared to the estimate one. To handle the situation, the all the long terms aims has left unfocused and the management tried to recover the company from the sudden-death syndrome. This clearly gives an evidence for Glaxo SmithKlines downfall form the anticipated growth. The inability of GSK in producing blockbuster products, joint hand with the above described situation made things worse. Focusing on employees and other internal management issues in the later part helped the company to handle the global resisting issues and focus on their long term goals. Analysing GSKs stock market performance (1998 2003), tells that GSK failed to touch the anticipated heights and were only able to sail along with the industry growth. Based on the Lewins force field model, the driving forces of GSK were not too enough to overcome the resistance for change and thus failed to achieve the fixed target. Evidence for GSK loses record: In the first year of post-merger, GSK claimed 12% increase in pharama industry, with the help of cost savings and disposal of assets. The firm anticipated double the level of saving in the next year. The health care grew only 3%. They fail to record returns in RD in spite of combined RD budget and investment. It also failed to deliver blockbuster product to enhance the revenue. Instead to maintain the tempo, the management kept buying 40 licenses from other companies. GSK has shed more than 15,000 jobs; Managers were unable to retain the talent that resides on the firms. Instead of creating a powerhouse, research was split into smaller, autonomous units. (Abrahams, 1992 p.22) GSKs new radical structure was a response to a series of failures in research at the two merger partners. (Dyer, G., 2002 p.3). The new radical structure resulted James Palmer (Head Development) resignation in October 2002. At the AGM on 19 May 2003, GSK shareholders rejected a motion regarding a à £22 million pay and benefits package for CEO, JP Garnier. This was the first time such a rebellion by shareholders against a major British company has occurred, but was regarded as a possible turning point against other so-called fat cat deals within executive pay structure. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GlaxoSmithKline In November 2005, AIDS Healthcare Foundation accused the company of boosting its short-term monopoly profit by not increasing production of the anti-AIDS drug AZT despite a surge in demand, hence creating a shortage that affected many AIDS patients in Africa. GSK announced that it had halted clinical trials of the CCR5 entry inhibitor, aplaviroc (GW873140), in HIV-infected, treatment-naive patients because of concerns about severe hepatotoxicity.[27] In June 2006 GSK said it was further cutting, by about 30%, the not-for-profit prices it charges for some of these medicines in the worlds poorest countries. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GlaxoSmithKline To analyse, extend the aims of the merger have been achieved; SWOT analysis is done on the joint company, Glaxo SmithKline. Remuneration lenient explicitly SWOT Analysis Glaxo SmithKline: Strengths High potential staffs and experienced managers. Wide-ranging set of documents in health sector. Strong platform in health care division. Strong market position Focus to concentrate and develop leadership in Public relations i.e. to strengthen the social context of the environment. Modern hospital system, Clear public health and health care service purchasing Balanced finance in the health sector Strong IT development Product development track record. Weaknesses Lack of clear and wide perspective .goals to achieve the aims Weak bond among health care, public health and social care. Inability to cope with the cost increases. Low brand value for its products. Inefficiency in motivating the experienced leader and thus failing to make maximum use of the potential staffs. Lack of viable training and management skills. Not an efficient HR strategy in retaining key professionals. Lack of right proposition of various competences. Co-marketing agreements can limit GSKs global presence. With mass RD, inability to produce blockbuster products. Opportunities Technological development Social changes and challenges. Economic growth of the industry (immediately next to IT industry). Free movement of goods, services, labour. Developing vaccines for persistent diseases chance to have craic. Empowerment of citizens and their greater engagement Threats Patent expiry on drugs that generate strong income Ageing and demographic change. Safety issues surrounding the products. Ecological and public health threats. Expectations of the raising population As the RD of global rivals work on similar products in most of the cases, the competition is high and much demanding. Emerging of potential regional market like China and India. Political pressure in fixing the price for new drugs, which fails to fulfil even the research cost. Ever increasing cost of drug trials and ever higher standards imposed by national drug approvals bodies (Aspirin would not get approval if invented today!) Conclusion: Thought there are several giants in the industry, similar to the current situation, there was an uncertain situation during the period of early 90s. And to overcome that uncertain situation, most of the firms in the industry move themselves towards the strategy Mergers and acquisition. But, as there is always a saying that not all mergers works, most of the mergers in the industry fail to achieve the anticipated growth and I feel Glaxo SmithKline is the right example for the scenario. GSK believed that bigger the size, bigger the growth and bigger earning. But it failed to realise bigger the size, bigger the expectation, bigger pressure and failing to handle the pressure and keep the expectation will reflect badly. Various merger analyse debated, though GSK claim some success through cost saving and pipeline synergies, the aimed and announced growth was not received in terms of market. So I conclude that, the merger served the company only in short term success and failed to achieve the aims of the merger. Reference and Source: http://www.ucc.ie/quality/INTERNET/PESTAnalysis.pdf www.gsk.com Johnson G, Scholes K and Whittington R (2008) Exploring Corporate Strategy, (Prentice Hall) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GlaxoSmithKline#cite_note-43 http://www.wikiswot.com/SWOT/4_User_Generated/GlaxoSmithKline.html http://www.allfreeessays.com/essays/Gsk-Swot-Analysis/114901.html Mullins L.J. (2007), Management and Organisational Behaviour, Eighth Edition, Great Britain, Pearson education limited. http://www.pwc.com/us/en/issues/business-combinations/publications/snapshot-mergers-acquisitions-business-combinations.jhtml http://www.startupbizhub.com/company-mergers-and-acquisitions.htm
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