The Cost Of Medicare And Reduce Its Proportion Of The...

Several suggestions have been proposed to cut the cost of Medicare and reduce its proportion of the federal budget. These include; a) The introduction of voucher system that would enable for the more privatization in the offering of insurance policies for Medicare. b) Increasing the Medicare revenues by raising the payroll taxes that are charged on the beneficiaries. Unhealthy lifestyle choices like smoking also need to be penalized by Medicare so as to reduce the many claims related to such habits. c) Cutting down the Medicare expenses through elimination of frauds, raising of eligibility age to 67, and seeking program discounts from medical companies like drug manufacturers. Fraud and waste of resources allocated for Medicare pose major risks to the program. Medicare is very vulnerable to a number of frauds majorly due to the fact that the program is hardly audited. Medicare scams occur in various ways that include phantom billing where healthcare providers demand money from Medicare for services not offered. The other form of fraud happens in the shape of patient billing where the patients collude with scammers to claim for kickbacks for false medical treatments. The last type of fraud is the upcoding scheme and unbundling, where bills are inflated by claiming that a patient needs more valuable services or procedures than the existing. The government has been sensitizing the general public on the need to avoid such frauds by not disclosing their Medicare card details toShow MoreRelatedCase Assignment: The US Economy1338 Words   |  5 Pagescould be used to stimulate the economy? Be sure to review Obamas 2011 Budget Proposal (NY Times). Are there any s pecific areas that you would change? The bulk of President Obamas budget is currently devoted to defense spending and entitlement spending (Carter Cox 2011). The problem with these areas of spending is that they are to some degree non-negotiable. Even thought the President has expressed his intention to reduce the amount of expenditures upon the military, the United States currentRead MoreEssay On Health Care Cost942 Words   |  4 PagesHealthcare Costs Balancing the budget in government, while attempting to keep costs down by way of the healthcare delivery system makes for shrewd business practices. I will also examine the burden of health care costs on the government and businesses, also at what extent will Americans be able to afford needed care. Today, we are consistently bombarded with the angst to repeal and replace Obamacare the cost for certain diseases still rank high due to the therapeutic dosage of medication that helpsRead MoreHealth Insurance : A Fundamental Aspect Of The United States1851 Words   |  8 PagesStates’ society and the economy at large. The country s economy relies on the health of its workforce as well as the wellbeing of the elderly members of the society. Medicare is one such program that provides health insurance to elderly Americans aged 65 years and above. The Medicare program is administered by the American federal government through private organizations. The program is thus funded through Payroll Tax as well as premiums from the revenues of the beneficiaries of the program. YoungerRead MoreThe Budget Making Of The Cbo1450 Words   |  6 Pagescongress. Budget making by a committee was then a way to confront resource scarcity face on. This was a way for the congress to also check the executive branch in the budget making process. On February 25, 1975, Alice Rivlin was sworn in as director of CBO. This was the official beginning of the CBO. She was basically a staff of one. The only other employees were the staffers of the Committee on the Reduction of Federal Expenditures who had in general been transferred to CBO as part of the Budget ActRead MoreThe Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act1639 Words   |  7 Pagesabout the reimbursement rates for Medicare patients. Who makes up the Accountable Care Organization? We will also take a look into the Affordable Care Act and how the ACO is a part of that. What is the Accountable Care Organization? â€Å"Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers, who come together voluntarily to give coordinated high quality care to their Medicare patients† (www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/ACO/indexRead MoreThe Role Of Government For The General Welfare Of Citizens1213 Words   |  5 Pagesnext notable and successful effort was Lyndon B. Johnson’s passing of Medicare and Medicaid, the nation’s first national health care programs13. These policies, however, failed to address the challenges faced by our fragmented health care system: Millions of Americans remained uninsured, health disparities existed based on a myriad of social determinants, and individuals and the government as a whole were spending high costs on health care3. In March of 2010 the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enactedRead MoreWhy Marijuana Should Be Legalised Essay823 Words   |  4 PagesWhy Marijuana Should Be Legalised There is no denying that the drug problem in our country today has reached epidemic proportions. The problem has gotten so out of hand that many options are being considered to control and/or solve it. Ending the drug war may not seem to be the best answer at first, but the so-called war on drugs has actually accomplished very little. Different options need to be considered. Legalization is an option that hasnt gotten much ofRead Moreprogressive tax fairness1322 Words   |  6 Pages Progressive Income Tax Fairness The issue of federal income tax policy has been one of hot debate and controversy for many years. Discussions and arguments on the issue have been presented on the floors of Congress, in the United States Supreme Court, used by politicians as political platforms, broadcasted in televised debates, and discussed around the dinner table of American families of various socioeconomic backgrounds for years. The Federal Government of the United States of America, likeRead MoreA Brief Note On U.s. Healthcare System Essay1103 Words   |  5 Pageshealthcare system in the world. Cost, Quality and Access have been identified as the most significant factors affecting this system. In terms of quality of healthcare, according to the Commonwealth Fund Commission, U.S. has been ranked last amongst other 11 developed nations (Fact Sheet, 2016). Also, in terms of access to U.S. healthcare system, due to high cost of health care, minorities and poor are at significant disadvantages. Sultz and Young (2 014) stated in terms of cost, U.S. spends approximatelyRead MoreCanada s A Single Payer1492 Words   |  6 Pagesinsurance. The two major types of public health insurance are Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare is a â€Å"uniform national public health insurance program for the elderly or disabled individuals.† Medicare is sponsored by the federal government and consists of two parts. The second type of public health insurance program is Medicaid which provides coverage for certain economically disadvantaged groups. Medicaid is financed by both the federal and state governments and is administered by each state. Medicaid

The Potato Famine Essay - 2687 Words

â€Å"We are talking about one of the greatest tragedies Of the nineteenth century.† -Ian Gibson nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Irish-American. To some, this term merely designates one of the many ethnic groups which can be found in the United States; but to those who are Irish-American, it represents a people who faced a disaster of mammoth proportions and who managed to survive at great cost. The Great Hunger of 1845 changed, or more often, destroyed the lives of millions of Irish, causing them to seek refuge from poverty and starvation in other, more prosperous countries. However, not all countries would accept these victims of the Potato Famine. After an immense burst of Irish immigration to Great Britain, the British Parliament began to†¦show more content†¦Those who were very wealthy probably would not have been drastically affected by the famine whereas those who migrated the most. However, the poorer element from counties such as Clare, Kerry, and Mayo had weak representation in the area of migration after 1846 (114). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Everything that happened in Ireland during nineteenth century has indeed been overshadowed by the catastrophe which overtook the country between 1845 and 1851. The Irish Potato Famine of 1845-1851 was one of the great catastrophes of the nineteenth century and divides modern Irish history. It was a disaster which poisoned Anglo-Irish relations for many generations to come, and had profound effects not only in Ireland itself, but in England and North America as well. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Nineteenth-century Ireland was the most densely populated country in Europe: in 1800, its population was 4.5 million, and by 1841, it had risen to eight million (Kinealy 15). Yet much of this population existed in condition of sorrow and misery lay in the dependence of the peasantry on just one staple crop, the potato; in western countries like Mayo and Galway, nine-tenths of the people ate nothing else (MacManus 602). Here was a disaster waiting to happen, made worst by the rapid rise in population in the first half of the century which forced the peasants to subsist on smaller plots of land (O Grada, The Great Irish Famine 63).Show MoreRelatedThe Irish Potato Famine1505 Words   |  6 PagesResearch Paper: Irish Potato Famine â€Å"Beginning in 1845 and lasting for six years, the potato famine killed over a million men, women and children in Ireland and caused another million to flee the country† (The History Place-Introduction). During the 1840s many Irish citizens lived in poverty. For food, the Irish relied almost entirely on potatoes because of their low cost and nutritional value. Then a devastating potato blight began in Europe in 1845 and destroyed the crops every year until 1851Read MoreA Famine Primary Source Of The Irish Potato Famine1354 Words   |  6 PagesA Spud Famine Primary Source More than a million Irish people died during the Irish Potato famine that hit Ireland between 1845 to 1849 (Pollard, pg. 551). Potatoes were the primary diet of the Irish, especially the Irish Lump potato. When the fungal disease hit, known as â€Å"potato blight,† the Irish potato crops were lost. After reading primary sources regarding the Irish Potato Famine, the reader can visualize the horrors that the Irish people endured during the Irish Potatoes Famine including starvationRead More Potato Famine of 1845 Essay1609 Words   |  7 Pagesrain fell throughout Ireland, carrying with its pores of blight that killed multiple crops, including the potato crop. Because Ireland was dependent on the potato crop, the results of this blight were catastrophic. Britain, who had control over Ireland at this time, did very little to help the now starving and poor Irish. As a result of English disregard towards the Irish during the Potato Famine of 1845, the already fragile relations hip between Ireland and England worsened. When this particular blightRead MoreIrish Potato Famine Essay1658 Words   |  7 Pageslife in Ireland wasnt easy, Irish citizens got by day to day by farming and relying on the potato. The potato was their main source of food and money. With out the potato the Irish would have nothing. No one was prepared for what was about to happen in 1845, the beginning of the Great Irish Potato Famine. The Irish Potato Famine was the worst tragedy in the history of Ireland. The outcome of the famine would result in hundreds of thousands dead, an failure of the economy in Ireland, and millionsRead MoreGreat Potato Famine Essay1525 Words   |  7 Pages The Irish Potato Famine occurred in 1845 and had killed tons of people. Over 750,000 people had died and more than a million had emigrated. At the time Ireland’s population was only about 8 million so this famine had devastated many families. The people of Ireland at this time were so dependent upon the potato that it was a main staple. The Irish would consume the potato with almost every meal, and for some the potato was the only food that they were ever able to eat. The famine was produced byRead MoreIrish Potato Famine Essay1403 Words   |  6 PagesThe Irish Potato Famine and Primary Sources More than a million Irish people died during The Irish Potato famine that hit Ireland between 1845 to 1849 (Pollard, pg. 551). Potatoes were the primary diet of the Irish, especially the Irish Lump potato. When the fungal disease hit, known as â€Å"potato blight,† the Irish potato crops were lost. After reading primary sources regarding the Irish Potato Famine, the reader can visualize the horrors that the Irish people endured during the famine includingRead MoreWho Is A Irish Potato Famine?1438 Words   |  6 Pagesfoods can be engineered to survive all sorts of famine and weather issues. Does that make them unsafe for consumption just because a scientist changed the genetic structure? There isn’t a 100% clear cut answer to that and there probably never will be, but we as a community of human beings are much better off taking our chances on GMOs rather than going back to depending on luck for our crops to grow. Does anyone really want another Irish potato famin e? Another food supply benefit is the ability toRead MoreThe Cause Of The Irish Potato Famine1375 Words   |  6 Pagesby health. An invasive pathogen that was originated in Central Mexico that was very detrimental for potatoes was Phytophythora infestans. The disease is also known as potato late blight. Phytophythora infestans are classified by domain eukarya and class oomycetes (Benrud 2007). This pathogen was the cause of the Irish potato famine that had occurred in 1845. From Central Mexico the pathogen spread to Europe and the United States in 19th century (Sedlakova et al 2011). The states that were particularlyRead MoreEssay about The Great Potato Famine1740 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Potato Famine The Great Potato Famine is characterized as one of the leading disasters in Ireland’s history. It began in the summer of 1845 with the appearance of an unusual disease growing on potato crops throughout various parts of Europe. With the spread of this disease, it soon targeted Ireland consuming the major crop of potatoes. The famine began by this mysterious disease that hit many parts of Europe during 1845. This disease known as the blight was caused by a fungusRead MoreThe Irish Potato Famine And Primary Sources1396 Words   |  6 PagesIrish Potato Famine and Primary Sources More than a million Irish people died during The Irish Potato famine that hit Ireland between 1845 to 1849 (Pollard, pg. 551). Potatoes were the primary diet of the Irish, especially the Irish Lump potato. When the fungal disease hit, known as â€Å"potato blight,† the Irish potato crops were lost. After reading primary sources regarding the Irish Potato Famine, the reader can visualize the horrors that the Irish people endured during the Irish Potatoes Famine including

Strategic Marketing Strategy free essay sample

This analysis provides both an offensive and defensive strategic context through which to identify opportunities and threats. Competitor analysis is normally with the focus on the competitors as „rivals? and the objective is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the rivals in order to develop strategies to „fight the battle?. The focus of competitor analysis is thus not only to gain an advantage over direct competitors but also to search for starting points for collaboration. (Jooste, Strydom, Berndt du Plessis, 2008, p. 96).The focus will be to answer the following: Who Woolworths? present and potential competitors are What positions they have established in the market What their strategic objectives and thrusts are What their present and future strategies are What their strengths and weaknesses are What their response patterns are In order to answer these questions effectively, a framework for competitor analysis will be used. This framework is comprised of four main components (divided into sub-components), each of which will be discussed in detail. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Marketing Strategy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These four main steps in performing a competitor analysis include: identifying the competitor; analysing strategic groups; analysing key competitors and forecasting likely response strategies. 1. 1 Identifying the competitor The first step or component of this framework is to identify the competitors, bearing in mind that competitors can be classified into different categories. Identifying one? s competitors might seem like a straightforward task, but in actuality the range of actual and potential competitors faced by an organisation is much broader than appears to be, even though it is much more difficult to ascertain who „potential? ustomers are. 3 1. 2 Direct competitors versus potential competitors According to Unisa (2010), competition is an activity that occurs between rival companies that produce similar offerings and between industries that compete to satisfy similar needs of the same customers. For example, rival companies would include BMW, Mercedes Benz and Audi and rival industries would include motor car and motorcycle industries. These rival companies are called competitors and two common methods used to identify direct competitors include customer perceptions and strategic groups.Identifying competitors using customer perceptions means asking customers whom and what they consider when making their purchase choices. The second method in volves identifying competitors whose competitive strategies conflict with organisation? s strategies. These competitors can be labelled as „direct?. Direct competition include: competitors competing to satisfy the same customer need; industry competition; product line competition; organisational competition and brand competition. 1. Identifying Woolworths’ competitors As noted above, it is possible to classify competitors according to different levels. Woolworths is a company that competes against different competitors in different product categories. According to Cant and Machado (2010), Woolworths? competitors in the retail super market field include Spar, Checkers, Pick „n Pay, Shoprite and Massmart. In the retail clothing market, Woolworths? direct competition includes Truworths, Foschini, Edgars, Mr Price, Jet and Ackermans/Pep. 2.

Business Organisational Strategy for Adelaide -myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theBusiness Organisational Strategy for Adelaide and Sydney. Answer: Introduction: 13Cabs is the taxi network service provider that operates in different regions of Australia like Hobart, Adelaide, Sydney, Newcastle and Melbourne. 13Cabs is owned by Cabcharge that operates about 7, 400 taxis throughout Australia (13cabs.com.au. 2017). The service is operated using the cab apps available in various app stores. The cab facility service has chosen the right technology in order to carry out their business they use apps to connect with the customers. The black taxis under this organisation are well known for the service provided by 13 Cabs. Brief description: Value proposition: 13 Cabs app is the most popular Australian taxi app that has connected the largest fleet of cabs around the different regions of Australia anywhere and anytime (13cabs.com.au. 2017). 13Cabs has also won the Monash Business Awards that shows the efficiency in their business. Customer relationship: The customer care service is always available and any smart phone user can easily get access to the service of the taxi apps. The customer service is always available and the company is well known for the service that it provides. Customer segments: The cabs are grouped together by the means of apps and mobile systems in order to create a large segment of taxis. The customers from the segments like Sydney, Melbourne and other regions fall under the customer segments of the cab service (13cabs.com.au. 2017). Channels: The channels used for the purpose of connecting with the customers are through the web and any apps available in android or apple phones. Key Partners: The key partners of 13 Cabs are ABC Taxis, Black Cabs Combined Pty Ltd, Yellow Cabs, Maxi Taxis and others (13cabs.com.au. 2017). Key Activities: The cab service maintains and develops the market based on ride sharing activities. The service is available in the inner city and for long journeys as well. The idea is to share the rides of the taxi among the users in order to avoid the higher rates to be paid by the consumers. Key Resources: The key resources are the IT platform or the software that is used for carrying out the business activity (13cabs.com.au. 2017). The idea is to utilise these resources in order to attract more consumers in the market. Cost structure: The company operates in more than 76 locations and has huge fleet of drivers. The cost structure is depended on the employees and the partnership that the company has to maintain with others. The fixed costs include the rent and the utilities and other costs needed for the marketing and partnership activities of the organisation. Revenue system: The current revenue of the company is 121, 000 AUD (13cabs.com.au. 2017). Overall comment on strategic business: The business model used by the organisation is to create a wide network that would attract the maximum number of passengers or customers (Yellowadelaide.com.au. 2017). This would definitely add to the profitability of the business. However, the business model does not consider other aspects of the business like sustainability and competitive measures to improve business activities. Strategic issue to be faced: Environmental sustainability could be the most challenging issue faced by 13Cabs in the near future. It has been evident that greater approaches have been made towards improving the business activities that it would not cause harm to the environment. There have been no such implications in the business strategies of 13 Cabs that would support sustainability of the business and so this is the upcoming challenge faced by the organisation. The organisation needs to support the sustainability approach in the coming 3-10 years of its business. References: 13cabs.com.au. (2017).13 Cabs. [online] ProductReview.com.au. Available at: https://www.productreview.com.au/p/13-cabs.html [Accessed 29 Aug. 2017]. 13cabs.com.au. (2017).13CABS App @ 13CABS. [online] Available at: https://www.13cabs.com.au/IphoneApp [Accessed 29 Aug. 2017]. 3cabs.com.au. (2017).Taxi Cab Service @ 13CABS. [online] Available at: https://www.13cabs.com.au/ [Accessed 29 Aug. 2017]. Yellowadelaide.com.au. (2017).13CABS Adelaide. [online] Available at: https://www.yellowadelaide.com.au/ [Accessed 29 Aug. 2017].

Ethical Issues with the Ncaa free essay sample

Cheating and grade tampering is not allowed in any way for a normal student of a university. Why are teachers and administrators helping and giving alternate academic options to athletes? For example, last year, star running back Maurice Claret, a student and football player at Ohio State University received alternate test methods, and was supplied answers to various quizzes by teaching assistants. An article on ESP.. Com states that Maurice Claret had walked out of a midterm exam last fall and ended up passing the entry-level course after the professor provided him with an oral exam.Claret was the only person of more than 90 students taking the class who received an oral exam (Whistlers: Buckeyes Test Scores Altered 2). Believe this is totally an unethical example of how schools are favoring athletes rather than their normal students. Claret was apparently failing the class, and instead of Ohio State losing their star running back, they altered the rules so he could pass. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Issues with the Ncaa or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The article then goes on to say that Claret and other football players sat together and copied answers that tutors had supplied to the player before the quizzes had been administered. Fresno State University has been alleged with a similar academic scandal in recent months. In February, former team statistician Stephen Mint said he wrote 17 pieces of schoolwork in correspondence courses for three former basketball players in 2000. Mint claimed he was paid more than $1 ,OHO for his services. The coachs academic adviser, Katie Felted, had organized some of the cheating for the team (Documents Link Adviser to Academic Scandal 1). The special treatment these athletes are getting is unethical.It sounds as if Hess athletes are going to school strictly for sports, and that somebody else will take care of the academic aspect of school. It is not fair that sports players are receiving the same degrees that other students are when rules and class structures on not enforced upon certain athletes. Academic dishonesty is not the only ethical issue involving sports though. Another ethical issue involving sports and college are methods of recruiting. One college for example, the university of Colorado, has been under heat for their recruiting tactics for their football team.College students are supposed o decide which college they will attend based on their likings and what they feel will suit their needs the best. It seems though that some schools are persuading potential students, especially athletic recruits, by using unethical recruiting tactics. Boulder county district attorney Mary Keenan stated, The football program uses sex and alcohol fueled parties to interest recruits in attending CUE. This has resulted in money of the football program being spent on stripers and escorts, and consequently, several girls have been raped while attending these recruit parties. As a student, if I was a sports player and I was visiting schools, and some schools showed the campus and how the sports teams functioned, and one school let me go out with the team while they got me drunk and surrounded me with all kinds of women, of course would go to the school that was a better time. Dont know many guys my age who could refuse that situation. But in reality, those recruiting tactics are not morally correct. Not only IS it not fair to other schools looking for their next sports star, but athletes will be coming to a university for all the ring reasons.In conclusion, it is a fact that athletes, especially at larger universities across the country get special treatment in regards to academic issues and lifestyle. Universities will go to any extent to protect their players from being academically ineligible to play, and seems they will do anything to get the best recruits in the country to give their team an advantage. It is hard for the NCAA to enforce strict rules, especially academically because schools have academic freedom which enables universities to make their own classroom policies.

Reserved Words in Java

Reserved Words in Java Reserved words are words that cannot be used as object or variable names in a Java program because theyre already used by the syntax of the Java programming language. If you ttempt to  use any of the words below as identifiers in your Java programs, youll get an error like the one below. List of Reserved Java Keywords abstract assert boolean break byte case catch char class const continue default double do else enum extends false final finally float for goto if implements import instanceof int interface long native new null package private protected public return short static strictfp super switch synchronized this throw throws transient true try void volatile while *The  strictfp  keyword was added to this list in Java Standard Edition version 1.2,  assert  in version 1.4, and  enum  in version 5.0. Even though goto and const are no longer used in the Java programming language, they still cannot be used as keywords. What Happens If You Use a Reserved Word? Lets say you try to create a new class and name it using a reserved word, like this: // you cant use finally as its a reserved word! class finally {   Ã‚  Ã‚  public static void main(String[] args) {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  //class code..   Ã‚  Ã‚  } } Instead of compiling, the Java program will instead give the following error: expected

Reflective Practice Professional Development Planning Essay

Reflective Practice Professional Development Planning - Essay Example 9) not only at a school-wide but district-wide levels, as well. The availability of materials online allows easy access to support schools and teacher in dealing with the students’ learning needs. Killion and Williams (2004) stresses the importance of embedding professional development in the regular school day. The role therefore, of instructional leaders in creating a culture of continuous learning among the teaching staff is important. Coaching, encouraging collaborative work and providing resources and support are among the essential responsibilities of those in the leadership or administrative position. Perhaps one of the major obstacles of an instructional leader is dealing with individuals who resist collaborative professional learning. De Lay (2009) in the article â€Å"Behold! The Power of Teacher Collaboration† however, clearly emphasizes the need to encourage and sustain education practitioners’ collaboration. De Lay (2009) outlines a number of ways to create connections and engage oneself in collaborative professional development. Engaging in reflection is the starting point where one can make a clear sense of one’s professional goals and needs. Finding other professionals with common needs and goals can enrich one’s insight in achieving these goals. Active participation in professional development meetings and in professional associations perpetuates the spirit of mutual learning where one can build on solutions and opportunities. Social networking resources, such as Facebook and Twitter, are good ways of building relationships beyond the confine s of the classroom or the school. The internet has opened limitless possibilities ready for constructive exploitation. The article highlights Google Docs as way for individuals to work together on the same document regardless of where they are.

Competitive Strategies used by top companies Term Paper

Competitive Strategies used by top companies - Term Paper Example This is the leading reason why every company, be it a large multinational or a small home-based startup, should pay attention to its marketing teams and increase the importance placed on the strategies that they come up with. While the main focus of any business is the creation and retention of capital, there is little attention paid specifically to the customers who will be their main source of income. Many companies associate the client and the product that they serve as two different entities, in that product creation happens first before they start targeting a client base to sell it to. In a truly customer-oriented company, the development team identifies a niche in the needs of the client base and develop targeted products that fill these niches (Boscor, 2011). The companies that employ this strategy have a better understanding of the tastes and preferences of their clients and as a result, increase the number of repeat clients that they have, which effectively increases their p roductivity. The world of business is full of examples of the successes and failures of companies, which essentially increases the knowledge base from which new strategies evolve. One of the country’s best examples in customer relations is Starbucks, a Seattle startup that grew to the giant with 17,000 stores spread over 50 countres with an annual groth rate of about 20% p.a. (Boscor, 2011). These figures act as an inspiration for many business models available today and is indicative of the success that companies would achieve by adopting similar strategies. This is also the reason why the strategies employed by this company warrant such attention and a deeper sense of understanding. One of the ways a company can ensure that it maintains its image and goals is to establish a company profile that future employees and clients can relate with. Since its beginning, the company motto revolved around developing an enthusiastic and satisfied customer base, which was in line with th eir focus on clients instead of products (Boscor, 2011). While this may not be considered a business move by some, it acted and still acts as their core value and has not failed the company since. As a result, their products and services centre on the specific needs of each client and the company motto is the leading factor that drives their product development and ultimately, their brand’s success. As a leading company in the food service industry, McDonalds targets a different niche in the same market as Starbucks. From the time it opened up its first store in 1940, McDonalds has also risen to the heights of the service industry and now boasts over 32,000 stores spread over 117 countries (Boscor, 2011). This is all in the face of competition which has risen to stiflin proportions in the last decade. The company, however, has maintained its position as industry leader despite these challenges due to constant adaptations to fit the market and this establishes it as one of the successes of our time. Different companies approach their expansion processes in various ways and each alternative has a profound effect on the future of a company. As a market-conscious company, McDonalds handled their transition into international markets quite well. Their chosen method of expansion is franchising and this allows them to better understand their markets. They were considerate of the cultural

The movie my big fat greek wedding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The movie my big fat greek wedding - Essay Example However, she does her role of taking care of male Greek babies which she usually feeds since her duty is a waiter. As time goes by, her family is in worries of whether of she may find a man in a life or remain single throughout her lifetime. Her father even reminds her in the play to get married since she is becoming old with time. It is because most men do not like to marry old ladies since they do not easily give birth at their old age (Fields and James, 2005). Toula intends to go to college so that she can improve in her knowledge in computer and operations. However, she falls for a handsome man who is not from Greek by the name Ian Miller. The man is a teacher in a given high school and also a vegetarian. She differs with her family in this situation since in this case she goes against the Greek traditions of marrying a person outside the Greek community. She claims that her soul objective of marrying the high school teacher is simply because she gives he gives her the total happiness she deserves in love. In fact it was outside the expectations of her parents from her on getting married to a non-Greek. Therefore, in this situation, her father, Gus, rejects her new found lover since she went against the norms of the society. The father is so furious in the play that he finally utters such statements. He later takes a soft stand upon uttering the tough statements to her lovely daughter whom she is unhappy with in getting married to a pers on outside the Greek community. The soft position taken by Gus, the father to Toula on her decision to marry Ian who is a non Greek makes Toula a happy lady indeed. After realizing that the soft stand he takes on Toula in marrying Ian, Gus follows Toula’s mother and accepts Ian embracing him as his in-law son. However, the tough moments that waits Ian ahead is whether the Toula’s community will also take their marriage just as the father agreed to it. Ian Miller

Deregulation And Globalization in the Banking Sector

Deregulation And Globalization in the Banking Sector Globalization refers to the process by which economies, cultures and societies integrate through global networks such as communication, trade and transportation. Economic globalization is the most famous form of globalization. Economic globalization refers to the integration of regional and national economies into a common international economy by engaging in trade, spread of technology, migration and direct foreign investment. In the economic sense, globalization refers to the elimination or removal of barriers on the national borders with the aim of facilitating smooth flow of goods, services, capital and labor (Agdish, pg 101).Globalization leads to emergence of global financial markets and access to external funding. The global recession of 2007-2010 is an example of financial instability occasioned by globalization. The industrial production blossoms due to globalization that makes it possible for economies to access to foreign products with particular reference to the movement of goods and materials across national borders. Deregulation on the other hand refers to the elimination of government regulation or rules that hinder free operation of the market forces (Velde, pg 85). It means limiting government control on the trade and business processes thus promoting free trade. Globalization and deregulation have an impact on the optimal boundary of financial institutions in Turkey such as Finans Bank, Dexia, Akbank Turam Alem Bank, EFG Euro bank and NBG. This paper highlights the effects of deregulation and globalization in the banking and financial sector and its impact on the optimal boundaries of companies and firms in the financial sector. Deregulation and globalization are some of the external factors that encourage and promote consolidation in the financial services sector thus affecting the optimal boundaries of firms in financial and banking sector in Turkey. The need to recapitalize financially in challenged institutions is the driving factor of consolidation. Deregulation and globalization leads to rise in competitive trade that promotes restructuring in the financial sector services as a strategic response. Turkeys banking and financial sector has its own experience of effects of globalization and the effects of deregulation on the optimal boundary of firms in these sectors. The free market forces or the pull and push factors encourage entry of foreign banks in the host nations financial market. The low level of competition, the potential of accessing new markets in the host countries especially in developing countries is equally responsible for the entry of foreign banks (Velde, pg 87). There are benefits and costs of entry of a foreign bank in the financial and banking sector of the host nation. The benefits include bringing new technology, financial support for needy banks and new techniques of risk management. Other benefits include the continuation of lending to economies experiencing shocks that have potential of adversely affecting the banking sector and cushion the financial capital that may leave or flee the nation during crisis. The entry of foreign banks tends to boost the quality and performance of corporate governance thus enhancing efficiency of the host nations banks hence stabilizing the economy. However, the entry of foreign banks and financial institutions carry with them certain risks such as negative shocks leading to instability thus weakening the local banking sector and the failure by such foreign banks to provide financial assistance in times of crisis. The regulations in host nations many a times do not control the activities and operations o f foreign banks (Pascual, pg 44). Turkey experiences increase in the entry of foreign banks into the country due globalization and deregulation that attract such financial institutions. The host countries such as Turkey view deregulation and entry of foreign banks as a solution of solving the problem of high levels of debt. The urge to boost international trade and improve technology in a bid to modernize the local banking sector informs the decision by countries such as Turkey to pursue deregistration as a method of enhancing trade. The host country, which is Turkey, hopes that entry of foreign banks may spur savings and widen the service and product base.After financial crisis; countries try to attract foreign investment from banks that may be able to take advantage of the low prices in the host nations market. The concept of foreign banking is informed by the fact the banks enjoy the information and contacts with the manufacturing firms in the host nation at a lower cost. The removal of regulations and effects of globalization makes it easier for a foreign bank to enter in the host country (Velde, pg 88). The financial crisis of 2000-2001 resulted in restructuring of the banking sector in Turkey that really affected the optimal boundaries of firms in the banking and financial sector. This financial crisis provoked the interest of foreign banks to take over the local Turkish banks at a cheaper price. During the crisis, the foreign banks engaged in mergers and acquisitions that increased their share by 0.66 percent. The Shares of the foreign banks have continued to increase because they purchased through the stock exchange. The growth of EU banking system has been a motivating factor for consolidation of banks. The American banking system led to big financial institutions, as JP Morgans Chase that took over Bank One. These big American institutions have reached their optimal level in America and are currently seeking opportunities in foreign countries like Turkey that have high growth potential(Caprio ,pg 96). The participation of foreign banks in the privatization process and in Turkey is likely to increase in the future and equally increase the foreign share in the local or domestic market. The foreign banks focus on local banks that provide home and consumer credits besides serving the corporate clients. For example, the Finans Bank was able to attract National Bank of Greece due the high quality of its retail products that includes consumer loans, checks, insurance and car loans. Dexia purchased the Denizbank to improve its customer base that grew to 1.4 million customers in Turkey. The Citigroup too bought 20 percent equity interest in the Akbank to strengthen is hold and position in Turkey. These firms were able to improve their optimal boundaries due to globalization and deregulation. The push factor for some of these foreign firms now operating in Turkey was the low level of profitability in their home countries. These banks equally moved in to Turkey in order to diversify their op erations and client base (Agdish, pg 102). The urge to boost international trade and subsequent investment inform the decision by some banks to expand abroad. For example, the entry of Greece firms in Turkey was to invest in certain sectors such as tourism, navigation and industry. The small size of banking sector in Greece makes their banks to expand into countries such as Turkey .The ING bank for example continues with its activities of leasing and involvement in the insurance sector while Sekerbank continue to invest in the agriculture, construction and tourism sectors following its financial deal with Bank Turam Alem. EFG Euro bank and NBG have interest in clients dealing with commercial and industrial enterprises (Agdish, pg 103). There are effects of deregulation and globalization on financial institutions and banks in Turkey and this affects the optimal boundary firms in these sectors positively or negatively. The level and degree of effect on financial institutions vary depending on the nature and size of their assets, the level of risk aversion, government support and their ability to manage the changing financial environment. Some banks benefitted from such financial conditions while others continue to experience adverse effects. Structural changes in the banking sector are some of the results of entry of foreign banks in the Turkish financial sector as they influence credit analysis, operational and financial planning, human capital and marketing (Ali, pg 56). The financial market in Turkey improved with the entry of foreign banks thus making the domestic banks to withstand the financial crisis. The decline of interest rates, technological transfer, improvement in risk management and transparency are some of the benefits of entry of foreign banks to the optimal boundary of banks such as Turam Alem Bank, EFG Euro bank and NBG. The services offered in the banking sector have continue to increase in variety such as the internet banking and other financial instruments, efficiency increases with the entry of foreign banks into Turkey due to increase in the use of computer technology and less man power. These foreign banks facilitate the entry of foreign capital in Turkey and continue to fund large-scale projects due to their relationship and link to the global financial markets (Ali, pg 57). In conclusion, it is important to note that deregulation results in free flow of goods, capital and services without any manner of interference or control by the government except in cases where the firms engage in fraudulent activity. Deregulation is a key feature of free market economy and has direct impact on the optimal boundary of firms in the banking and financial sector in Turkey .Globalization leads to minimal national border barriers this affects the optimal boundary of banking and financial firms in Turkey , which increases competition and easy entrance into new markets. Stock exchange is one of the common features of free market concept since foreign banks are able to engage in business with their local and domestic counterparts through trading on the stock exchange. It is equally important to note that globalization and deregulation can have positive or negative impact on the performance of the financial and banking system depending on the strategies and strengths of firm s. The entry of foreign banks into Turkeys banking sector resulted into restructuring of the financial sector due to the transfer of information and technology.

The Concept of Perfectionism Essay examples -- Perfectionism Perfectio

The Concept of Perfectionism Do you push yourself to be the best? Do you get mad at yourself for not doing the best? Do you delay assignments till the last possible limit because of fear of rejection? Do you feel horrible when work isn’t done to your best ability of when minor failures seem like catastrophic ones? These are all signs of what is known as perfectionism (Pacht 1984). If you seem to agree with most of these things then you might be a perfectionist. According to Webster’s dictionary, it states that perfectionism is "a disposition which regards anything less than perfect, unacceptable." Many people in the world suffer from perfectionism. So is that case of Mike Bellah. His perfectionism lead him to a lifestyle where he lost who he was. He states, "When we’re always playing a part, we no longer know who we really are." Perfectionists try to do everything perfect leading them to an unstable, unsatisfying life. There are many characteristics and effects of perfectionism. Coping with the disorder of being a perfectionist can lead to a much more stable life. There are many characteristics and causes of perfectionism "It’s a compulsive guide to unrealistic goals" says psychiatrist David Burns. "Setting high personal standards and goals, and working hard to attain them is appropriate," he states, "however, perfectionists set excessively high goals and strive compulsively to achieve them." Perfectionists have the constant drive to be perfect. Anything less than the best is unacceptable to them. They refuse to live with anything than the best. The constant strive for excellence in everything that one does is one key characteristic when describing 2 perfectionism. Their measurement of their worth is entirely in terms of productivity and accomplishment. Perfectionists try to do so much to please others, and to show how much they can do, and overlook what they really want to do in life. They might take on so many jobs and get in over their head. They can’t say no to an idea because they would consider that failure. Many times, perfectionists start things over because things aren’t going perfect (Pacht 1984). Some have long delays in completing assignments, or repeatedly starting over on assignments because the work must be prefect from the beginning and continue to be perfect as one goes along. The causes of perfectionism can be described by th... ...nt without always accomplishing everything perfect, their life will become better manageable. Coping with perfectionism may not be easy, but these are a few key ideas to help those live better in life, and instead of trying to be perfect, to be "above average" or "normal." The many individuals in the world who suffer with perfectionism deal with it day to day. Perfectionists want to be perfect, which leads to a life that is not perfect. You can still set high goals for yourself, but they should be ones that can be accomplished. Some people try and harness perfectionism to work for them than letting it control their lives. They aren’t ashamed of it, and understand that it serves a useful purpose. Some people are able to control it, and some people aren’t. The concept of being perfect is one that cannot be achieved, because no one is ever perfect. It is a symbol of what is correct 100% and because we are human beings and not machines it is not possible. Everyone has goals for themselves, but to live a healthy life, we need to make them realistic. We can still give our best, but we need to please ourselves and be aware of who we are before we need to be perfect for others.

Is a Casino in the City a Good or Bad Thing?

Casinos have become more and more popular nowadays. However, some cities and even countries, especially the Islamic ones, do not pass laws to set up casinos. This is because its benefits usually come with disadvantages. About benefits, first of all, casinos generates great revenue for cities. The law demands casinos’s owners to pay steep taxes in order to keep their operations. Then the city can use that money to ameliorate the infrastructure, hospitals, schools†¦ and other cummunal utilities. In addition, having a Casino in the city enhances tourism. These days, besides the traditional entertainments, people tend to find another way to relax and to enjoy themselves. Going to casinos is one of the new good choices. Nevertheless, there are just some cities have casinos, so if the people live in no-casinos places want to go there , they have to drive to the city that has one. This intensely improves the tourism of that city. However, everything has its pros and cons. Crimes are usually associated with Casinos. Some people rob others to get the money to spend on casinos. Few may even kill their victim to get what they want. This cause the crime rates of cities increased. Moreover, a few ones who have unstable mental state may get too addicted to gambling. They may spend their money uncontrollably and be brought to ruin. Having a casino in the city can be a double-edged sword. It not only brings benefits but also disadvantages. If we can restrain the bad sides, casinos will be a great profitable element to contribute to our society.

Free Essays on Mandatory Detention Synopsis

Should Australia’s policy of indefinite mandatory detention be extended to children? The expeditious spread of capitalism, together with globalisation has led to an increase in migration and flight around the world (Briskman and Cemelyn 2003). In addition, poverty, instability and war have led to millions of people being forcibly displaced from their countries of origin, these individuals being termed asylum seekers. In Australia, asylum seekers who arrive unlawfully are mandatorily placed in detention for an indefinite period of time until an administrative assessment is made on whether a refugee visa should be granted in accordance with Article 1A of the Refugees Convention as amended by the Refugees Protocol. While there may or not be sociological reasons why indefinite mandatory detention is a suitable policy for adults, the question that will be addressed in discussion is whether there are sociological reasons why this policy should not be extended to children. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), children are a group of persons who require special protection, and whose â€Å"best interests†¦ shall be a primary consideration† at all times (Art 3:1). In addition, the Convention affirms that children require an environment of â€Å"happiness, love and understanding,† (UNCRC Preamble) and have a right to â€Å"rest, leisure, to engage in play and in recreational activities† (UNCRC Art 31) However, the prison like environment of a detention centre does not provide children with any of these legal requirements (Briskman and Cemlyn 2003). Additionally, research on brain development has highlighted that a stress-free and positive environment in early childhood is essential for future mental and psychological stability of the child (Australian Association for Infant Mental Health 2003). However, according to the Briskman and Cemlym (2003), detention centres do not provide such an e... Free Essays on Mandatory Detention Synopsis Free Essays on Mandatory Detention Synopsis Should Australia’s policy of indefinite mandatory detention be extended to children? The expeditious spread of capitalism, together with globalisation has led to an increase in migration and flight around the world (Briskman and Cemelyn 2003). In addition, poverty, instability and war have led to millions of people being forcibly displaced from their countries of origin, these individuals being termed asylum seekers. In Australia, asylum seekers who arrive unlawfully are mandatorily placed in detention for an indefinite period of time until an administrative assessment is made on whether a refugee visa should be granted in accordance with Article 1A of the Refugees Convention as amended by the Refugees Protocol. While there may or not be sociological reasons why indefinite mandatory detention is a suitable policy for adults, the question that will be addressed in discussion is whether there are sociological reasons why this policy should not be extended to children. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), children are a group of persons who require special protection, and whose â€Å"best interests†¦ shall be a primary consideration† at all times (Art 3:1). In addition, the Convention affirms that children require an environment of â€Å"happiness, love and understanding,† (UNCRC Preamble) and have a right to â€Å"rest, leisure, to engage in play and in recreational activities† (UNCRC Art 31) However, the prison like environment of a detention centre does not provide children with any of these legal requirements (Briskman and Cemlyn 2003). Additionally, research on brain development has highlighted that a stress-free and positive environment in early childhood is essential for future mental and psychological stability of the child (Australian Association for Infant Mental Health 2003). However, according to the Briskman and Cemlym (2003), detention centres do not provide such an e...

Essay about Eastern Market field research

Essay about Eastern Market field research Essay about Eastern Market field research Annabelle Le His 211 field research paper Fall 2011 Eastern Market Among the historical sites in Washington D.C, Eastern Market is unique. It is not a monument which is unchanged and does not have any interactions with humans or a museum which is also a public place, but the activities are so limited. Eastern Market’s history reflects the trends in the history of D.C as well as the United States. Its history does not stop from its dedication, and will not only list the different renovations it has endured. The history of Eastern Market is told and is written by the people involve with it. Eastern Market has long been a core element in Capitol Hill – the historic district. It is situated at 225 7th street SE, close to C street SE and across from the Eastern Market Metro Station. The Market was built in 1873, basing on the design of Adolf Cluss. The Market has stood tall since the day it was constructed and its history of survival granted it the title of the oldest continuously operating food market in Washington D.C. Initially, the Market consisted of only the South Hall; afterwards, in 1908, the Center and North Halls were erected. These halls were designed by the Inspector of Buildings of D.C.’s Office of Public Works Snowdon Ashford (Holwill). In 1964, Eastern Market became a D.C Historic Landmark and in 1971 it was given a place on the National Register of Historic Places (Holwill). Eastern Market opens every day except Monday. There is also the Flea Market at Eastern Market which operates on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. and the Farmer s Market at Eastern Market which opens every Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m to 5 p.m year-round. Eastern Market has long been considered the heart of Capitol Hill neighborhood, however not all of the shoppers are from around the area. The Market also attracts many people from other parts of D.C as well as tourists. It is accessible by the metro system or any types of transportation though parking can prove difficult during weekend. Inside the historic building, there are 14 vendors (â€Å"Indoor merchants†) selling a variety of products including fruits, flowers, fish, beef, pork, lamb, poultry, pasta, pastry, sausages, etc. Many of the stores have been operating business in the Market for a long time like Calomiris Fruits and Vegetables and Union Meat Company, LLC. Not all of the products in the Market are brought straight from farms, however. There are also strawberries from Giant and Driscoll’s blueberries. Outside, the farmers market offers fresh fruits, vegetables , sauces, cheese as well as homemade soap, and a variety of handicrafts, ranging from jewelry to toys, pictures, quilt, with jewelry being the most prevalent product. Another specialty of the Farmers Market at Eastern Market is the food stands. The line at the crepes stand is always the longest, but one can also choose to enjoy other kinds of food that can be identified with the Market including gumbo, pretzels, and tiny donuts. On a nice Saturday or Sunday, there are always sights of families with kids or dogs strolling from stand to stand in the farmers market. A little further West is the Flea Market at Eastern Market, situated in the Hine School yard at 7th and C streets SE (â€Å"Welcome†). This flea market is one of the largest in the whole nation, hosting â€Å"up to 100 exhibitors from five continents† (â€Å"Welcome†). In the flea market, one can find a plethora of products from pottery to posters, from apparels to carpets as well as different types of antiques, collectibles, jewelry, etc. Street music performers entertain the shoppers with playful tunes played by the African drums, the violins or maybe the saxophone. It is hard to deny the fun at Eastern Market, especially on weekend. Pierre L’Enfant’s plan for the District of Columbia involved three public markets – Center, Western and Eastern. The first Eastern Market at 7th and L street SE was approved by President Thomas Jefferson in

Critical Analysis of Mysticism and the concept of oneness with god Essay

Critical Analysis of Mysticism and the concept of oneness with god - Essay Example According to W.T. Stace 'The mystical event is a personal experience during which one feels as though one has been touched by some higher or greater truth or power.' "The most important, the central characteristic in which all fully developed mystical experiences agree, and which in the last analysis is definitive of them and serves to mark them off from other kinds of experiences, is that they involve the apprehension of an ultimate nonsensuous unity in all things, a oneness or a One to which neither the senses nor the reason can penetrate. In other words, it entirely transcends our sensory-intellectual consciousness. It should be carefully noted that only fully developed mystical experiences are necessarily apprehensive of the One. Many experiences have been recorded which lack this central feature but yet possess other mystical characteristics. These are borderline cases, which may be said to shade off from the central core of cases. They have to the central core the relation which some philosophers like to call "family resemblance. (pp.14-15)" 1. Even among monotheistic religions-(belief in one God) - there are differences between God's relationship to his Creation. Religions like Islam feel he is above his creation and the Jewish tradition feels he is both, within and above it. 'On the face of it, the characteristics of transcendence and immanence appear to be in conflict. A transcendent God is one who is beyond perception, independent of the universe, and wholly "other" when compared to us. An immanent God, is one which exists - within us, within the universe - and, hence, very much a part of our existence. How can these qualities exist simultaneously'The best example of an immanent God is found in the Hindu religion in the Bagvad Gita in which the God Krishna declares, "He who sees me in all things and in all things sees me, where ever that man may be, I never leave him and he lives in me."2. In other words, an immanent God is found wherever one seeks Him. The idea of a transcendent unknowable God has roots in Zoroastrianism which in turn affected Judaism and Islam. The Old Testament prohibits idols in an attempt to emphasize the 'otherness' of God which cannot be physically depicted.The fundamental concept in Islam is the Oneness of God. Islamic 'tawhd'- monotheism, is not relative or pluralistic it is absolute. This Oneness of God is the first of Islam's five pillars. This is why it is known as the 'uncompromising monotheism of Islam' since it does not allow any pictorial references of 'Allah' in a mosque. Timeless, 'Allah' is unchangeable and outside time and space. He is therefore unknowable in the mystic sense. Islam believes that God is so far above his creation that man can never begin to know him. The word Muslim literally means 'one who has surrendered to God' through blind worship and obedience. In the Kabbalistic theory of creation God 'contracted' his infinite essence to create a 'conceptual space' in which a restricted world could exist. In Jewish mysticism, the concept of 'Tzimtzum' contains a built-in paradox, as it requires that God be transcendent and immanent at the same time. The Judaic God took part in

'Prior to 1850, inter-ethnic relations among Asian populations were Essay

'Prior to 1850, inter-ethnic relations among Asian populations were marked by cultural stereotypes and occasional hostility, b - Essay Example Firstly, one can consider the roles that economics and business played in the context of colonialism. At the root of this, there existed the profound desire to profit and benefit from the riches that could be extracted from around the globe. Within such an understanding, one can see that colonialism was fundamentally a means by which the colonial powers sought to better themselves, the nation, and their respect and prestige. One might argue that racism is therefore not the motive by which colonialism was able to spread its influence. However, must consider the fact of what specific mindset stimulated colonialism in the first place. Ultimately, there was the idea that other non—white populations were of little to no value and therefore could be exploited without any moral dilemmas. Thus, slavery, genocide, rape, and the deprivation of wealth and culture could be precipitated by the colonial power with little concern regarding how the actions might affect the indigenous populati ons. In such a way, the understanding that colonialism was ultimately and primarily an economic system that shows aspects of racism, begins to unravel (Chambers). Due to the fact that such a system cannot and would not have existed had there not been a profound level of racial superiority in the first place, it is the understanding of this author that the economic explanation and definition of colonialism is ultimately only part of the explanation. Secondly, for those that might be tempted to view Hirschman’s argument that colonialism was solely defined by race, it can and should be considered that the racial understanding, with regards to how Europeans integrated with the subjugated populations, differed widely based upon who the colonial ruler was and what geographic/ethnic communities they might be integrating with at the given time. Although it may be convenient to assume that colonial rule was undifferentiated, racist, xenophobic, and uniform throughout the entire world, the fact of the matter is that there was a varying degree of severity, cruelty, and respect- or disrespect, existed depending on the context. For instance, when one compares the means by which the British colonial powers integrated with and dealt with their Indian colonies, this cannot be compared with the way that they dealt with some of their African holdings. The same can of course be said with regards to the means by which the British managed and integrated with their Caribbean holdings as well as their Asian and Southeast Asian holdings. Within these areas, it was common for the British to enslave and impress the natives and various levels of servitude, such actions were not necessarily common within other colonial holdings. Evidence of this is of course seen across the board with relation to how the British interacted with every single one of their colonial possessions within Asia. Whereas colonial treatment was nominally better in sectors of mainland China and certain parts of India, the enslavement and use of the population as coolies in the majority of Asian colonies was uniform and a pervasive tactic of British and other European powers colonial method of operation (Bradley, 2004). Evidence of this can of course be seen with relation to

Management Research Methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management Research Methods - Assignment Example A literature review is always considered as the central component of a research. In the context of this research it is expected that a huge volume of literature regarding Entrepreneurs and their features can be found on different sources. The sources include books, past research paper and scholarly articles, which can be from either online source or offline source. The topic which will be taken forward will be about entrepreneurship and only information pertaining to this will be taken into account. There are several research articles on Entrepreneurship and Enterprise but the articles which will be taken into account is â€Å"Differentiating Entrepreneurs from small business owners: A Conceptualisation† (Carland et.al, 1984, p.354). While studying the references it has been recorded that each author emphasizes on different aspects of Entrepreneurship. An enterprise is a business organisation which is engaged in the exchange of goods and services for the sake of earning profit . An enterprise can be either profitable or non-profitable; it depends on the intention of the entrepreneur who is behind the enterprise. Enterprise can be further classified as public-Enterprise or a private enterprise (Publish your Articles, n.d.). A public enterprise is a state controlled enterprise and on the contrary a private enterprise is owned by some individual or a group of individual. On the other hand an entrepreneur as defined first time in the history by Robert Cantillon in 1755 stating that an entrepreneur is the person linking the consumer and the manufacturer for the purpose of earning profit. (Definition of Entrepreneurship, n.d.). The author of the article â€Å"Differentiating Entrepreneurs from small business owners: A Conceptualisation† stresses on the fact that there exists a difference between an entrepreneur and a manager. Accordingly he pointed out that the major difference lies in bearing risk by the entrepreneur. However Schumptor countered that ri sk taking is an obligation in ownership, therefore it is not considered as an attribute. An entrepreneur always applies innovation and other management practices strategically while the same is not present in case of the owner of a small business. They also identified that there is a difference between small business and entrepreneurship, maybe there are some overlapping factors but the concept is not the same. An entrepreneurial firm may start at any size but the growth depends over time. In the article â€Å"Enterprise skill and enterprise learning† the author focuses on the fact that innovation and entrepreneurship has brought major technological changes and also contributed to the economic and social landscape of the developed countries. According to the author industrial revolutions with steam engine and Electrification was a result of new innovations and also mentioned that presently we are undergoing the third industrial revolution with trademarks like IT, Telecommunic ation, Biotechnology, Robotics and Nanotechnology. The author also mentioned that Entrepreneurship skills are amalgamation of skills, attributes, beliefs and qualities which is gained by theoretical learning, following somebody as idol and through real life experiences (Ward, n.d.). According to the author of the article titled â€Å"Entrepreneurs, the self employed and employees amongst young European Higher education graduate† that factors such as demography, professional background,

Streaming Media and Netflix Essay Example for Free

Streaming Media and Netflix Essay Netflixs main issue is they face increased market competition from new  entrants into their industry. In addition, Netflix suffers poor relationships with suppliers, which interferes with their ability to meet market demands leading to increased costs and the need to increase prices. This affects Netflixs ability to increase market share, and maintaining core values, resulting in declining subscribership, and declining margins. ANALYSIS COMPANY ORIGINS. Thorough analysis of Netflix begins with a discussion of the companies origins. Netflix was founded by Reed Hasting (CEO) and Marc Randolph in 1997 in Scotts Valley, California, with main headquarters now located in Los Gatos, California. The original business model was as an internet TV company providing online streaming and DVD/Blu Ray rentals shipped direct to a subscribers home. This subscription and selling service implemented in 1999, and in 2000 launched their personalized movie recommendation service CineMatch (Funding Universe, 2014). Shortly thereafter Netflix executed their IPO in 2002 with approximately 600,000 members in the US and by 2005 membership rises to 4.2 million. Perhaps most important is Netflix introduces video streaming in 2007, and later in 2008, partners with consumer electronics companies to incorporate Netflix video streaming on consumer electronic devices. Further growth is achieved in 2010 when Netflix launches internationally in Canada, Latin America, and Caribbean (Netflix Media Center, 2014). THE BLUNDER YEAR. Mid-July 2011 Netflix announces Qwikster, which was an attempt to separate online video streaming services and DVD rentals, resulting in an immediate 60% devaluation of Netflix stock and eventually to a low of $62.37 by December of that year. Ultimately, on October 10, 2011 the Qwikster proposal is scrapped by Netflix. However, the damage was already done because on July 13th their stock price was at an all time high of $304.79, and eventually bottomed out at $55.19 on December 31 of that year (Thompson, 2012). RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. Once the disaster of 2011 passed, Netflix rebounded by expanding into the Latin America and Caribbean markets. Later in 2012,  Netflix expands its international market further by becoming available in Europe that included the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Nordic countries. In addition, Netflix wins its first Primetime Emmy Engineering Award. Furthermore, in 2013, Netflix expands to the Netherlands, and debuts original programming that earns Netflix 31 primetime Emmy nominations including outstanding drama series, comedy series, and documentary or nonfiction special for _House of Cards_, _Orange is the New Black_, and _The Square_ respectively. More importantly, _House of Cards_ wins three Primetime Emmy Awards making Netflix the first internet TV network nominated, and winning, a primetime Emmy award. Furthermore, in 2014, Netflix launches in 6 new countries in Europe that included Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. Again, Netflix wins 7 creative Emmy Aw ards for _House of Cards_ and _Orange is the New Black_. Moreover, Netflix now has over 50 million global subscribers (Netflix Media Center, 2014). FINANCIAL STRENGTH. Netflixs performance has been solid, although they underperformed in the third quarter of this year, 2014, perhaps due to over forecasting which Netflix does often, creating the perception to investors and analysts that the company has underperformed (Seward, 2014). Their numbers remain strong and stock is currently valued $379.01per share (Yahoo Finance, 10/30/14). Moreover, Netflix had $4.3B in Revenues in 2013 and revenue is projected to $4.7B by year end 2014, and current ratio is 1.42 demonstrating the moderate ability to cover current liabilities, See Appendix A, Financial Sheets, Tables 1 through 6 on pages 15 through 20, for additional details of Netflixs strong financial performance. Generally speaking, all key financial statistics are trending upwards over the past five fiscal years (Market Watch, 2014). Furthermore, as of the third quarter of this year, Netflix has 53.1 million subscribers worldwide and that is forecast to climb to 57 million subscribers at year end 2014 ( Netflix Letter to Shareholders, 2014). FIVE FORCES MODEL OF COMPETITION. See Figure 1 in Appendix B, Netflix-Porters Five Forces Model, page 21, for a graphical analytic tool that summarizes the following forces. _COMPETITION AND RIVALRIES ._ Competition and rival threats remain high. Netflixs rival, for content and subscribers, is now Time Warner, who owns Home Box Office (HBO) and possesses a large subscriber base as well as original content. However, when competition involves subscribers, Amazon Prime Instant Video is becoming a direct competitor. Soon, Amazon will air original programming thus becoming a competitor for content as well (Casteele, 2014). In addition, Hulu, Apple TV, Google TV, Google owned YouTube, and CBS All Access has, or will have, original content available in the near future. Although Amazon does not have the number of subscribers that Netflix has, approximately 5 million versus 50 million plus for Netflix, both have the edge against traditional networks by using customer data instead of market research and Nielsen data for developing original content (Kleinman, 2013). Furthermore, competitors would include cable and satellite TV companies such as DirectTV, Comcast xfinity, and the movie theate rs. _SUBSTITUTES_. The threat of substitutes remains high. Products viewed as close substitutes include Hulu Plus which may also be considered a rival in some respects but exist more as a complementary product to Netflix and focuses on current run and older TV shows targeted at a younger market. Moreover, Hulu provides fewer movies compared to Netflix and forces subscribers to view commercials when streaming content. Another substitute would include Amazon Prime Instant Video (APIV) available only through a year subscription through Amazon Prime, a free two-day shipping service, and provides an extensive movie and TV library (Shanklin, W, 2014). Furthermore, Vudu is Wal-Marts offering of on-line streaming and similar to what one finds on YouTube or iTunes but providing more full length feature films (Prindle, D., 2014). Other substitutes include Google Play, RedBox Instant, and Microsofts Xbox video streaming (Shanklin, W, 2014). These substitutes are unlikely to threaten the market in excess, and Netf lixs threats remain with APIV. _NEW ENTRANTS._ The threat of new entrants is strong. In addition, there exists a strong likelihood of suppliers offering content on their own  website because of low barriers to enter the video streaming market. The TV market is increasingly moving to the on-demand online streaming model. The recent entry of Time Warners HBO, and CBS into the on-line streaming realm is a testament to new entrants. More Web based enterprises will shift or add on-line streaming content because the barriers are already low for these enterprises (Lever Estienne, 2014). In addition net neutrality rulings leave open the window of opportunity for new companies to enter the market (Selyukh, 2014). _BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS._ Bargaining power of suppliers is high. Moreover, suppliers can withhold content and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can intentionally without quality service to Websites using large portions of bandwidth. Until a net-neutrality regulation is in place, this will remain a major issue for companies providing on-line streaming content such as Netflix (Selyukh, 2014). _BARGAINING POWER OF CONSUMERS._ Bargaining power of consumers is high because on-line video streaming is highly price elastic and consumers will migrate to the perceived better value. Therefore, there is great sensitivity to price and content. Consumers will gravitate to the best suppliers of content and a bargain price without much loyalty. Netflixs slower subscriber growth in the third quarter of this year was attributed to price increase that the company undertook recently (Sikka, 2014). In addition, the industry must contend with the distribution and use of illegal downloads and the lack of established enforcement of pirating content. Content is king and consumers demand content, and original content is even better. SWOT ANALYSIS. See Figure 2 in Appendix C, page 22, Netflix SWOT Analysis, for a graphical analytic tool that summarizes the following described strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. _STRENGTHS._ Netflix will invest a total $3 billion (US) by years end in program content to provide content and meet the diverse tastes of its more than 36 million U.S. and 14 million international online subscribers. In addition, Netflix will spend $600 million (US) on marketing and $400 million  (US) on technology upgrades. (Netflix ups ante, 2014). Moreover, Netflix possesses brand recognition and the word Netflix even becoming a verb among Internet users. Furthermore, the Netflix App has created greater accessibility and enabled subscribers to stream media on nearly all Internet enabled devices. Perhaps most important of all is Netflixs original content of award winning programs such as House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and Hemlock Grove enhancing international growth. In addition, Netflix has signed a number of interconnection agreements with Internet Service Provider (ISPs) to ensure faster Internet speeds for subscribers (Sikka, 2014). More importantly, Netflix has positive financial ratios although profit margins remain low internationally, and continues to demonstrate outstanding stock market growth. _WEAKNESS._ One Netflixs largest weakness is their cost of content relating to the mass of licensing packages and the in-house original content production company Netflix is accumulating a large amount of debt and profit margins are low relative to the international market. Furthermore, the DVD and Bluray domestic subscriber market is declining, from 7.0 million paid subscribers at the end of the third quarter 2013 to 5.9 million subscribers at the end of the third quarter 2014 (Letter to Shareholders,.2014). Moreover, Netflix has had a history of subscriber revolt when raising subscription prices and their recent $1 increase was not having any significant impact on subscriptions, however may impact subscriptions nonetheless (Steel, 2014). The last attempt to raise monthly subscription prices left current subscribers upset and Netflix stock tumbling. In addition, Netflix accounts for about 57% of daily internet traffic (Sikka, 2014). Therefore, with net neutrality laws being struck down, Netflix will either need to assume more debt, which they will spend $1 billion (US) or the next 15 months, or cut content, which they will do the complete opposite. Perhaps most importantly, both Amazon Prime Instant Video (APIV) and Google owned YouTube have announced their own original content productions becoming a direct competitor to Netflix. _OPPORTUNITIES._ Netflixs greatest opportunity lies in International Expansion and their ability to create original content will enhance  international growth. In addition, the international opportunities will depend on Netflixs superior software apps and service created from their own global technology investment, process knowledge, data acquired from related markets, and their globally recognized brand (Netflix Long term View, 2014). Moreover, Netflixs original in-house programming should take full advantage of the many entertainment related smart devices with Internet capability. Households that have a TV or other device connected to the Internet, as of 2013, stood at 49% up from 24% in 2010 and is undoubtedly higher in 2014 (Sikka, 2014). There exist an opening for Internet TV and Netflixs exclusive in-house content will allow the company to take full advantage of that demand. _THREATS._ Because Netflix accounts for about 57% of daily Internet traffic, ISPs have lobbied to require major website traffic contributors pay for the infrastructure needed to support this heavy volume of traffic (Sikka, 2014).. Until net neutrality is resolved one way or another, this will remain a top threat for Netflix. Furthermore, competition such as Amazon Prime Internet Video (APIV), and Googles YouTube are implementing their own original content and are direct competitors to Netflix. Moreover the expense of licensing and renewing license agreements remain a threat to Netflixs ability to increase margins. However, in-house production of original content benefits the company by generating a word-of-mouth advertising and elevating the company into an Emmy award winning content producer. In addition, there exists the threat of brand loyalty as subscribers are price conscious and sensitive to price increases. ALTERNATIVES Possible alternatives range from doing nothing to focusing completely on the international market. If Netflix does nothing and continues their physical delivery of DVDs and Bluray discs will continue to cost more over time because of the need for maintain even a minimum of distribution centers for delivery to subscribers. Another alternative may be to simply pay the premium price required to acquire more and more content through expensive licensing agreements. This alternative as a stand-alone strategy and may not  provide the competitive advantage needed to attract the number of subscribers needed for desired growth. A third alternative could be to combine the purchasing of content and licensing with original content programming to attract domestic subscribers and increasing international market penetration in the video streaming market. RECOMMENDATION The recommendation made by the author is a combination of the reducing and phasing out the physical DVD delivery model combined with the purchasing of content and licensing, and using original content programming to attract domestic subscribers, and increasing international market penetration. IMPLEMENTATION Internet television is replacing linear television, at the same time that apps are replacing network channels. Thus creating the proliferation of viewing screens for streaming content. In addition, Technology is improving and more available than ever before making this technology less expensive. Furthermore, streaming is the leading source for Ultra HD 4k video, and TV everywhere provides an economic transition for existing networks. Hence, new entrants into the Internet streaming realm, including Netflix, are innovating rapidly and driving improvements (Letter to Shareholders, 2014). See Appendix D Graph 1, Netflix Market Share Bubble Graph on page 24 for a graphic representation of Netflixs market share compared to APIV and Hulu. Netflix should phase out of the physical DVD via mail service market and that will help reduce operating costs. Meanwhile, focus on Internet streaming of content, and producing original content will expand viewership and subscribers, both domestically and internationally, as well as help limit supplier control. This will help contribute to increased margins leading to increased revenue and stockholder confidence. Netflix is in a growth strategy in the international market where investment needs are high. Therefore, margins will be lower than desired expectations, and growth potential in the international market remains very high. Therefore, Netflix  should remain on this strategy. References Casteele, J. (February 24, 2014), Netflix vs HBO: Is the Rivalry as Intense as it Seems? The Motley Fool. Retrieved from: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/02/24/is-the-netflixhbo-rivalry-as-intense-as-it-seems.aspx France-Presse, A. (April 25, 2014). Netflix announces content agreements with several cable companies, RawStory.com. Retrieved from: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/04/netflix-announces-content-agreements-with-several-cable-companies/ Funding Universe (2014). Netflix, Inc. History, _International Directory of Company Histories_, Vol. 58. St. James Press, 2004. Retrieved from: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/netflix-inc-history/ Kleinman, A. (March 3, 2013). Netflix vs. Amazon Could Be The Cool New Rivalry, Huffington Post. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/netflix-vs-amazon_n_2811454.html Kline, D. (July 26, 2014). Amazon Prime Continues to Grow Despite Price Bump, The Motley Fool. Retrieved from: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/07/26/amazon-prime-continues-to-grow-despite-price-bump.aspx Letter to Shareholders, (October 15, 2014). Netflix Corporate Website. Retrieved from: http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/NFLX/3556910032x0x786677/6974d8e9-5cb3-4009-97b1-9d4a5953a6a5/Q3_14_Letter_to_shareholders.pdf Lever, R., and Estienne, S. (October 19, 2014). Weve Hit a Watershed Moment For Streaming TV, Business Insider. Retrieved from: http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-with-new-entrants-streaming-tv-sees-waters hed-moment-2014-10 Market Watch (2014). Netflix Key Statistics, MarketWatch.com. Retrieved from: http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/nflx/profile Netflix Long term View, (October 15, 2014). Netflix Corporate Website. Retrieved from: http://ir.netflix.com/long-term-view.cfm Netflix Media Center (2014). Netflix, A brief history of the company that revolutionized watching of movies and TV shows. Retrieved from: https://pr.netflix.com/WebClient/loginPageSalesNetWorksAction.do?contentGroupId=10477 Netflix ups ante in streaming. (2014, Oct 27). _Investors Business Daily_ Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/1615897570?accountid=6579 Perez, S. (April 30, 2014). Hulu, Now With 6 Million Subscribers, Will Make Some TV Episodes Free On Mobile, TechCrunch.com. Retrieved from: http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/30/hulu-now-with-6-million-subscribers-will-make-some-tv-episodes-free-on-mobile/Prindle, D. (May 13, 2014). Best Media Streaming, Digital Trends.com Website. Retrieved from: Serviceshttp://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/best-media-streaming-services/ Selyukh, A. (May 15, 2014). Amid protests, U.S. FCC proposes new net neutrality rules, Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/15/us-usa-internet-neutrality-idUSBREA4C0SF20140515 Seward, J., (October 16, 2014). Analysts Believe Netflix Is Victim Of High Expectations, Benzinga Retrieved from: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/14/10/4929716/analysts-believe-netflix-is-victim-of-high-expectations?utm_campaign=partner_feedutm_s ource=marketwatch.comutm_medium=partner_feedutm_content=analyst_ratings_page Shanklin, W (August 21, 2014). Netflix alternatives: These 7 services are the closest youll get, Geek.com Website. Retrieved from: http://www.geek.com/news/netflix-alternatives-these-7-services-are-the-closest-youll-get-1472327/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Analyzing the must-know business trends affecting Netflix, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why deals with Internet service providers are helping Netflix, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why Netflix has long been demanding net neutrality laws, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why Netflix doesnt consider HBOs streaming service a threat, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Steel, E. (July 21, 2014). Netflix, Growing, Envisions Expansion Abroad, _The New York Times._ Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/22/business/media/netflix-says-it-topped-50-million-subscribers.html?_r=0 Thompson, A. A. (2012). Netflix in 2012: Can It Recover from Its Strategy Missteps, _Business Strategy Game._ Retrieved from: https://www.bsg-online.com/users/CorporateLobby.html Yahoo Finance (October 30, 2014). Netflix, Inc (NTFLX), Yahoo Finance Website. Retrieved from: https://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=NFLX

RU-486 :: essays research papers

Ethics 101 Stienfeld Deliberation Brief RU- 486 â€Å"Mifepristone, The French Abortion Pill, The â€Å"anti-pregnancy† pill, Mifeprex, Abortion by Pill, RU- 486, ru486, mifegyne, M&M, RU-486, Miracle Pill, The Abortion Pill, non-surgical abortion, the â€Å"easy† abortion, Makes-the-baby-go-away pill, Unpregnancy, Contragestion Chemical Abortion, RU-28486, Medical Abortion, Mf.† (RU486: The Pill, The Process, and The Problems). Call if what you want, but on September 28, 2000 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a drug known as RU-486, which will now be known by trade name as Mifeprex. Basically, what this drug does is cease early pregnancy. A woman may take this drug 49 days or less from the beginning of the last menstrual period. By using this method, three steps need to be taken. The first step includes a dose of three 200 milligrams of Mifepristone orally. The next step occurs two days later taking two 200 micrograms of Misoprostol orally. After completing those two dosages the woman has to go back to the doctor for a â€Å"follow-up† visit about 14 days later, to make sure that the procedure was successful, and the pregnancy was indeed terminated. Even though the procedure sounds easy, there are many set backs that make the drug not â€Å"the easy way† out. A woman will experience about 9-16 days of bleeding or spotting, other side effects may be nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and painful cramping. Unlike an abortion the procedure is indeed a process, it isn’t a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am type of ordeal. There are very serious and cautious steps a woman needs to take in order for the abortion pill to complete itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Looking back at the history of RU-486, we need to take a trip to Europe back in 1980, which is when it was invented. Years later it was approved in France in 1988, and manufactured by a French industry called Roussel-Uclaf, hence the name RU. The 486 came from the shortened version of the first compound number the pill had, or 38486. After the drug started to spread throughout Europe, many other non-Europe countries such as Russia, United Kingdom, China, Israel, and South Africa approved the pill as well. Although the drug was becoming â€Å"popular† across seas, the United States delayed permission to allow the drug. The main reason for this delay was that President George Bush was a strong pro-life advocate, but that all changed in 1993 when President Bill Clinton came into office. In 1996, tests were being done with the FDA to approve the RU-486 pill.

Opium :: essays research papers

History of Opium Opium is a narcotic drug prepared from the juice of the opium poppy, Pa paver somniferum, a plant probably indigenous in the south of Europe and western Asia, but now so widely cultivated that its original habitat is uncertain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The medicinal properties of the juice have been recognized from a very early period. It was known to Theophrastus and appears in his time to have consisted of an extract of the whole plant, since Dioscorides, about A.D. 77, draws a distinction between it and an extract of the entire herb derived from the capsules alone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From the 1st to the 12th century the opium of Asia Minor appears to have been the only kind known in commerce. In the 13th century opium is mentioned by Simon Januensis, physician to Pope Nicholas IV., while meconium was still in use. In the 16th century opium is mentioned by Pyres (1516) as a production of the kingdom in Bengal, and of Malwai. Its introduction into India appears to have been connected with the spread of Islam. The opium monopoly was the property of the Great Mogul of Persia and was regularly sold. In the 17th century Kaempfer describes the various kinds of opium prepared in Persia, and states that the best sorts were flavoured with spices and called theriaka. These preparations were held in great estimation during the middle ages, and probably supplied to a large extent the place of the pure drug.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Opium is said to have been introduced into China by the Arabs probably in the 13th century, and it was originally used there as a medicine. In a Chinese Herbal compiled before 1700 both the plant and its juice are described, together with the mode of collecting it, and in the General History of the Southern Provinces of Yunnan, revised and republished in 1736, opium is noticed as a common product.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first edict prohibiting opium smoking was issued by the emper or Yung Cheng in 1729. Up to that date the amount imported did not exceed 200 chests, and was usually brought from India by junks as a return cargo. In the year 1757 the monopoly of opium cultivation in India passed into the hands of the East India Company through the victory of Clive at Plassey. Up to 1773 the trade with China had been in the hands of the Portuguese, but in that year the East India Company took the trade under their own charge.

Talent Acquisition Strategies for the 21st Century.

In the past five years, we have gotten a taste of what is going to feel like in a market where there are simply not enough qualified people to fill jobs needed to be filled. The recent downturn has caused organizations to stop many of the programs that were starting to show promise in the field of Human Capital Management, particularly on the recruitment side of the house. In these testing times, one needs to have proper strategy in place to be successful in any venture.In business you cannot do everything by yourself. You need capable and highly accomplished people to assist you in achieving the goals that you have set for your organization. Today, we are in the era of ‘War of Talent'. Wherein it is becoming more and more hard to get right kind of talent and keep hold of them. Many organizations are trailing to competitors because they are not able to hire â€Å"right type of people† and retain them. â€Å"What is the difference between ‘Recruiting' and ‘St rategy Talent Acquisition'? Recruitment is nothing more than filling the vacant positions, whereas Strategic Talent Acquisition is a long term process. It is not only concerned with filling the vacant positions today, but also using the prospective candidate data for filling similar positions in future. Strategic Talent Acquisition allows an organization have a pool of competitive talent that could be used for filling the positions in future. Executive leadership cites the procurement of human capital among their top concerns.The first step to address this reality is the recognition that successful talent acquisition is no longer an annual process, but instead is the process of building long-term strategies. Whether it is board room pr factory floor, a combat is swiftly taking shape. It will unquestionably redefine how organizations do business in the 21st- century market. A prophesy of the warfare came two decades ago, when Mckinsey consulting predicted a progress in the business s etting that could later on become the most serious issue facing HR managers.This ‘Talent war' or skill shortage is threatening the very existence of many corporations. It is believed that around 1/3 of business failures are due to inappropriate hiring decisions and their inability to draw and keep hold of right kind of talent. ‘Star Performers' who don't get enough opportunities for growth and advancement in their current job often change jobs, and the shortage of talent becomes apparent. In this ‘War of Talent', there's a need for long-term, and strategic talent acquisition. Organizations can no longer erely fill the positions as and when any vacancy arises. They must think ahead to deal with the sudden exodus of talent and adapt their strategies to allay the high turnover risk. Traditionally organizations do not consider the recruitment process as one of tactical importance, but in recent years many organizations are facing this harsh reality that they no longer have a wide pool of candidates to choose from. Several changes in the past few years have tipped the balance in support of the highly talented individuals. Internet is one such change.It has brought the whole world into your living room. Candidates can now look for jobs online and send and receive enquiries about prospective positions within hours. Things are Further complicated by ‘Generation Shift'. It is the change in outlook amongst the generations of workforce who'll stay put in the next few decades. Today's young generation of workforce has the outlook and pattern of behaviour that differ noticeably from preceding generations. No longer pleased to waste their whole career with one company, generation Y prefers work-life balance over loyalty.They are very much mobile and do not waver to look for a different position somewhere else if work-life balance is hurt or if they are treated badly. Furthermore, they may merely look to alter the landscape every couple of years, movi ng to different part of the country to experience diverse cities or industries. Disparate to their parents or grandparents, they are ready to change jobs and switch to different company and might even regard as staying with the same company to be an indication of lethargy or lack of objective. Acquiring ‘Star Performers' is a both art and science.The key to success is to be able to attract the ‘Top Performers'. Encouraging ‘Top Performers' to identify other top performers outside your organization is an extremely useful tool. Corporations offer reward to their employees in order to get these names. Money can be an important factor in attracting ‘Top Performers', but it's not the only element. Being able to shape an opportunity and make it look exciting will always attract top talent. Today more and more organizations are using benefits and perks as incentives to retain the talent.The main idea behind the talent acquisition is to move away from a reactive thin king i. e. to recruit when an individual is either promoted or leave the organization to a more pro-active one involving building of the desired skill sets. An all-inclusive, competency-based procedure will assist in identifying, developing and retaining top performers, and ensuring sufficient knowledge transfer for the subsequent generation of workforce. A focus on retention will not only aid in implementing a succession plan, but will also work to tackle generational differences when recruiting these new generation employees.Supporting employees in maintaining a positive work-life balance will aid in retaining younger employees, and also young mothers who are raising children, or employees who are pursing educational opportunities. An assortment of scheduling options – and eagerness to work with your workforce on those options – makes an organization attractive to work in, and boosts the morale of existing workforce. It is also important that you make your employees clearly aware of their performance. This will not only build confidence of your employees but will also help them to grow.Provide feedback to your employees, and encourage them to improve their performance. Engagement is everything for new generation workforce. Habituated to receiving feedback via a multitude of technologies and social media. The members of this generation wish to see that their contributions and efforts are appreciated and recognized. Companies which demonstrate appreciation for hard work of its employees and which recognize the value of their workers contribution will be the ‘Employer of Choice' and find it easier to retain top talent.Keeping existing workforce happy can be one of the company’s most efficient promotion strategies, as workers praise their employers and extend positive buzz both inside and outside the organization. In the similar fashion, the talk of discontented employees can negatively influence the company’s hiring and retenti on efforts. Poaching is one of the quickest way to get talented people onboard and it is not unethical as well. If I identify a talented person who fits my requirement and is working in another company and if I can lure that talent in to my organization then there's nothing wrong in doing that.In the end, I like to conclude that there is no â€Å"silver bullet† that will guarantee that a company succeeds in its efforts to construct a prolific, and adaptable workforce which is competent enough to meet and exceed the companies goals. Understanding a candidate’s motivational fit is extremely crucial in all recruitment and retention efforts. Studies have proved that motivational fit is the sole major predictor of malingering, turnover and overall employee satisfaction. If people are pleased with their position and pleased with their compensation and other benefits, they will be more prolific and in turn your company will be more productive.