Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Nursing Informatics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Nursing Informatics - Coursework Example Nurses must integrate the nursing informatics into their professional lives to enable them develop their nursing systems for specific needs such as in the psychiatry department. Restructuring of job descriptions helps the health workers perform their roles with great competence due to their specialization and advanced skills in their department. For instance, there are nurses involved with health education, mental health counseling, and occupation health among others. The long care support and services training facilitate knowledge to make sure that the patient receives high-quality service and promote the independence of individuals who are beneficiaries of the service. A performance appraisal for health care nurses is very important as rewarding them boosts their morale to provide high-quality services (Careeronestop.org, 2015). The nurse performance appraisal tools assist in determining the key areas of responsibility in which each nurse can perform perfectly. The techniques involve getting the information and rating each nurse with respect to the dedication and contribution to the organization, which helps to make judgments when promoting. The nursing s uch as the dressing code policy, confidentiality, and commitment policies are important in ensuring quality services for the patients. Some other professional guidelines are keeping short nails, avoiding the use of strong fragrances, and sometimes-personal cell phones are not around during the care for the patients. Electronic health records and use of computers is important for all health professionals, especially the nurses. Micron technology (MU) enables the use of charts to pass information such as patient preferred pharmacy prescriptions, which can be sent to the pharmacy after the patient is discharged. The other important part of the Mu that facilitates quality health services is the

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Needs Assessment of Public Sector Organisation

Needs Assessment of Public Sector Organisation Table of Contents Page 1. Introduction. 1 2. The needs assessment to be carried out. 1 3. The Context. 1 4. Why a needs assessment would be useful. 1 5. The Needs Assessment Plan. 1 a. Process Outline. 1 b. Data Collection. 2 c. Data Analysis. 2 6. Plan for Evaluation. 3 7. Ethical considerations. 3 Bibliography. 3 Appendices. 3 1.Introduction. A needs assessment is a systematic approach used to identify the gaps in the current position, the factors that affect the performance and the changes needed to get it to the desired position. To achieve this there needs to be a clear and thorough understanding of the people who will be involved with the system or product, the activities involved and the goal of the system. The people who are involved or the stakeholders may have differing needs and this along with any unforeseen requirements or gaps should be captured in the assessment. There are three phases to the needs assessment process, the first phase is to make a plan, second phase is to gather and analyse data, and third phase is identify solutions and report back. 2.The needs assessment to be carried out. To develop a suitable IT system to capture, track and trace all stages and aspects of projects, from proposal to completion. With clear indications of where and how these link into the strategic and workplans and ability to provide a clear audit trails of all stages, documents, sign offs and authorisations relating to the proposal. 3.The Context. This is for a public sector organisation with over 50% of its budget being spent on projects. The projects mainly consists of research work which are outsourced using tendering processes. The current process is very disjointed, with different software being used depending on the stage, department and personnel preferences. There appears to be incomplete document audit trails. The current system has been in operation for a long number of years. The system needs to be able to provide information to various stakeholders about the current state of play of the project. Relevant information needs to be captured from multiple sources including the financial system. The system needs to comply with statutory regulations, corporate governance, public sector and EU guidelines and directives, and have suitable constraints to protect confidentiality and commercially sensitive information. 4.Why a needs assessment would be useful. There appears to be gaps in the processing of information and possible lack of guidance on the steps or next steps to be followed. A needs assessment would collect information about the stakeholders, target group or groups. It would establish what needs are being met, resources that currently exist and determine what needs are not being met. Following analysis of this information a proposed system plan will be furnished within the agreed timeframe. 5.The Needs Assessment Plan. a.Process Outline. The first step is to study and become familiar with the agreed terms of reference as set out by management. This will define the objective, scope, and limitations of the needs assessment. It will establish the lead person and contacts within the organisation, the resource requirements, expected costs and time frame for completion. This along with familiarisation of the mission statement, strategic plan, organisation chart, workflow chart and infrastructure of the organisation will help develop an understanding or concept of the organisations needs. Assessing the capabilities of the current system and gaining a clear understanding of the future needs of the system requires a comprehensive analysis. This analysis will be both qualitative and quantitative. This data gathering process will consisting of workshops, focus groups, interviews, and system observation. These methods will be used to produce information to analyse options and design the best possible system given the available resources. The organisation is relatively small and is divided into six departments headed up by a Senior Manager. A stratified random sampling method will be used to focus on identifying stakeholder needs, and involve all stakeholder groups and get the views of all the right people. a.Data Collection. Workshop. Initially a workshop will be held with the objective of getting senior managers to articulate a vision of the ideal system. This exercise will be a half-day facilitated by a consultant. It will attempt to succinctly define the scope of the system, the long-term functionality that the system is expected to have, and the major issues that the existing or new system must address. Security requirements, risk assessments, online approval processes and reporting requirements will be identified. Focus Group. Following on from the workshop a focus group consisting of at least two section managers, two project managers and two clerical / administrative staff from each department will be convened. It is expected that this will take a half day but may require a full day. The focus group will be led by a trained facilitator. This group is selected to provide a representative group of users of the system. It will provide an opportunity to identify, difficulties, gaps, expectations and establish what is working with the current system and what they feel is needed to meet the objectives identified in the workshop. Whether the difficulties experienced are due to obsolete technology or ineffective policies and procedures. The focus group will also provide an opportunity for this group identify missing or needed functions. Interviews. A number of stakeholders will be interviewed as part of the process to gain further insight public sector tendering and procurement processes and thresholds. Board approval processes along with relevant EU guidelines and directives. These will be semi structured interviews with stakeholders who may not have direct or regular contact with the system such as the Audit committee chairman, Comptroller and Auditor Generals officer, IT and Finance Managers. System observation. In order to gain further insight into the context, tasks, goals and to fill in the gaps it may be necessary to observe directly how specific tasks are preformed currently. It will involve selecting random proposed projects and following all stages from start to finish taking samples and examples of reports produced, authorisation requirements, technology used, time taken for specific tasks, and difficulties encountered. This step may require the use of video and photography. c.Data Analysis The data will be analysed using a grounded theory approach. This will incorporate both the qualitative (e.g. themes, patterns, quotes, pictures, descriptions etc.) and quantitative data (e.g. number of projects, number of people involved in projects, budgets, time taken to perform tasks, number of software packages etc.) . The data will be extracted in a systematic way to develop a conceptual model of the system required. This will be an iterative process. The data extracted from the workshops will be transcribed first, read, coded using an axial coding system. This is a two-step hierarchically process that will divide the data into major categories and subcategories. This will identify the critical objectives, work flows, interactions and communications. This will form the basis for guiding the focus groups and interviews. Following further analysis of these in a similar fashion the data will be assimilated. Essential Use cases will be compiled to capture what the new system is expected to do. 6.Plan for evaluation. Once needs and requirements have been established the results from the data analysis will be presented in a report and charts summarizing the findings and an outline of a conceptual model of the system. Initially a low fidelity prototype will be produced. This will allow the stakeholders to evaluate the product and allow for redesign. It is expected that this will be an iterative process until a suitable product is. 7.Ethical Issues It is important that the rights and dignity of participant in the assessment are protected. Participant are to be fully informed about the assessment being conducted and the purpose of the assessment. It is important to encourage staff to participate in this assessment but they must do so willingly. All participants should be encouraged to speak freely without fear of being penalised. They may withdraw at any time or refuse to participate in any part. The confidentiality of all participants will be protected and they will not be identified in any reports or published documents. Bibliography. Cairns, P. Cox, A.L. (ed). (2008). Research methods for human-computer interaction. Cambridge, UK. Cambridge University Press. [Accessed online 20/1/2017] Preece, J., Rogers, Y., Sharp, H. 2016. Interaction design: beyond human-computer Interaction. 4th ed. Chichester: John Wiley Sons Ltd.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Canada Should Sell Water to America Essay -- Argumentative Essays

Since more than 70% of the Earth is covered with water, one would assume that there is enough water for everyone. However, this statement would be incorrect. Only 3% of that water is considered usable and 2% of the usable water is locked in the polar ice caps. This leaves 1% of that water for the use of humans. Canada possesses a substantial amount of this water, while other countries are less fortunate. One of these countries is the United States of America, the biggest users of water in the world. They are looking for a new source of water and have been hoping Canada can be this new source. The Canadian government should accept the proposal to sell water in bulk to the United States due to the availability, the safety and the economic opportunities it would bring. Water is easily available to Canadians. According to Report Newsmagazine, Canada possesses 20% of the world’s Fresh Water. Report also states that Canada possesses only 0.5% of the world’s population. This means that on a per capita basis, Canada has more water than any other nation. Furthermore, water is a renewable resource, which means that once it is used, it may be used again after the water cycle. Many other materials Canada sells to the United States are not renewable. Dennis Owens, the senior Frontier Centre analyst says, â€Å"Here we are giving non-renewable oil and gas to the U.S., then water falls from the sky and goes into the ocean and we won’t give it to them.† In Newfoundland, Gisbourne Lake has the potential to drain 500,000 cubic meters of water per week. This drainage would only lower the level of the lake one inch and this would naturally be replenished within ten hours. Canada has cut down trees that will take 100 years to grow back a nd sold them. S... ...e-not’ province related to others† Manitoba could now have the potential to become just as industrialized and important as a province such as Ontario. The whole of Canada would benefit economically from water schemes. Selling water to the United States would be possible, safe and would create numerous economic opportunities, which Canada can not afford to pass up. Canada has access to more fresh water than any other country, which the Canadian citizens will not use. Sharing this water with the United States, and getting something back in return, would be safe to the ecology and Canada will still have enough water for themselves. The water will always be waiting there, however the economic opportunity is one that would have to be taken advantage of now. The United States will not wait forever for Canada to make a decision. The Canadian government needs to act now!

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Financial Ratio and Costco

Acct Info for Decision Making Project on Costco Wholesale Corp. Costco Group 2012 History & Background Founded by  James (Jim) Sinegl  and  Jeffrey H. Brotman,  Costco opened its first warehouse in  Seattle, Washington, on September 15, 1983. Sinegal had started in wholesale distribution by working forSol Price  at both  FedMart  and  Price Club. Brotman, an  attorney  from an old Seattle retailing family, had also been involved in retail distribution from an early age. Wal-Mart  founder  Sam Walton  had plans to merge  Sam's Club  with Price Club.In 1993, however, Costco merged with Price Club (called  Club Price  in the Canadian province of  Quebec). Costco's business model and size were similar to those of Price Club, which was founded by Sol and Robert Price in 1976 in San Diego, California. Thus, the combined company, PriceCostco, was effectively double the size of each of its parents. Just after the merger, PriceCostco had 206 locations gen erating $16  billion in annual sales. PriceCostco was initially led by executives from both companies, but then Sol and his son Robert Price founded Price Enterprises and left Costco in December 1994.In 1993, when growing competition threatened both Price Club and Costco Wholesale, they entered into a partial merger just after Price’s earnings dropped to 40%. The new company, named PriceCostco, Inc. , focused heavily on international expansion, opening stores in Mexico, South Korea, and England. Despite best efforts to recover losses, sales continued to drop. Disagreement between the two leaders, Robert Price and Jim Sinegal, regarding company direction and recovery policies soon left the merger in tatters.In 1994, the breakup was formally announced. Sinegal continued to manage PriceCostco while Price’s breakaway company was named as Price Enterprises. The first Price Club location was opened in 1976 in an old airplane hangar,  previously owned by  Howard Hughes, and is still in operation today (Warehouse No. 401, located on Morena Boulevard in San Diego). In 1997, the company changed its name to Costco Wholesale and all Price Club locations were rebranded Costco. As of December 011, the Company operated a chain of 598 warehouses in 40 states and Puerto Rico (433 locations), nine Canadian provinces (82 locations), the United Kingdom (22 locations), Korea (seven locations), Taiwan (eight locations, through a 55%-owned subsidiary), Japan (eleven locations), Australia (three locations), and 32 warehouses in Mexico through a 50%-owned joint venture. Financial Highlights Net Revenue Year| 2012| 2011| 2010| Costco Net Revenue| 12,314,000| 11,176,000| 9,951,000| (Currency in USD) The net revenue of COST increase every year, it was a good sign.Year| 2012| 2011| 2010| Costco Net Income| 1,709,000  | 1,462,000| 1,303,000| (Currency in USD) COST did better in the following two years. And COST had most 40. 6 thousand dollars increase from 2011 to 201 2. Total Assets Year| 2012| 2011| 2010| Costco Total Assets| 27,140,000  | 26,761,000  | 23,815,000  | Costco Total Liabilities| 14,779,000  Ã‚  | 14,759,000| 12,986,000  | (Currency in USD) The total assets and liability of COST shows that the company purchased a lot of assets on its credit during these three years. That might be not a good sign, because COST might not have enough cash.Earnings per Share Year| 2012| 2011| 2010| Costco EPS| 3. 89| 3. 3| 2. 92| It’s increasing in every years. It means COST are profiting during every years so that they can paying the EPS. Financial Ratios Analysis Profitability Ratios 1. Return on Assets (ROA) Year| 2011| 2010| 2009| Costco| 5. 78%| 5. 69%| 5. 09%| Return on assets ratio is calculated by dividing net income by average total assets. Return on assets represents the cents in profits for every dollar of assets. This measures how efficiently and effectively the company uses its assets to generate profits.These numbers tell the ability of Costco to make profit. Costco has a positive net income so that its ROA is increasing past 3 years. 2. Return on Equity (ROE) Year| 2011| 2010| 2009| Costco| 12. 81%| 12. 50%| 11. 31%| The Return of Equity is calculated by dividing net profit by total shareholders’ equity. Return on equity measures a corporation's profitability by revealing how much profit a company generates with the money shareholders. The number above shows that Costco is with stable growth in past 3 years, however, ROE ;15% that will attract more investors to invest.Effectiveness Ratios 3. Asset Turnover Year| 2011| 2010| 2009| Costco| 3. 52| 3. 40| 3. 35| Asset turnover  is calculated as sales divided by average total assets. It measures  a firm's efficiency on using its assets to generate sale. The higher assets turnover is, tells the better the company does. Costco’s assets turnover tells us that it did a better job in 2011 because the ratio increased 0. 12 compared with 2010 which only grew about 0. 05. 4. Inventory Turnover Year| 2011| 2010| 2009| Costco| 12. 67| 12. 31| 11. 94| Inventory turnover is calculated as COGS divided by average inventory.It measures how many times per year the company sells its inventory. Firms with a low cost strategy want a high inventory turnover, while firms with a differentiation strategy will experience a lower inventory turnover. The ratios for Costco are increasing during the three years, and Costco seems to have done a better job in selling their inventory because it sells its inventory faster and faster. Liquidity Ratios 5. Current Ratio Year| Aug. , 2011| Aug. , 2010| Aug. , 2009| Costco| 1. 14| 1. 16| 1. 11| The current ratio is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities.This ratio measure if a firm has enough in current assets to cover his current liabilities. The current ratios for Costco have gone up during 2009-2010, and decreased during 2010-2011. However, the ratio is greater than 1 which means Costco has enough assets to cover his current liabilities. 6. Quick Ratio Year| Aug. , 2011| Aug. , 2010| Aug. , 2009| Costco| 0. 55| 0. 56| 0. 49| The quick ration is calculated by dividing the sum of cash, account receivable and short-term investment by current liabilities. As with the current ration, an analyst would want to see a minimum of one for the quick ratio.However, the number above shows that Costco’s quick ratio is under 1, which means that Costco is not doing well on its job. It might because Costco has a too big liability to its business or Costco has a less current asset to cover its liabilities. Solvency ratios 7. Long-Term Debt to Assets Year| Aug. , 2011| Aug. , 2010| Aug. , 2009| Costco| 0. 05| 0. 09| 0. 10| The long-term debt to assets is calculated by dividing long-term debt by total assets. This tells us that if a firm can pay its long-term debt. If a firm does not a ability to pay off its long-term debt, shareholder might be left with nothing.The lower long-term debt is the better ability a firm has to pay its debt. Costco is doing well by keeping the long-term debt ratio (average) around 0. 08, which means its assets will be enough to pay the long-term debt. 8. Debt to Equity Year| Aug. , 2011| Aug. , 2010| Aug. , 2009| Costco| 0. 10| 0. 20| 0. 22| The debt to equity is calculated as dividing total liabilities by total shareholder equity. It tests the ability of the firm to cover its interest payment. The higher the ratio is, the lower the likelihood of default.Costco’s debt to equity ratio is quite stable around 0. 10-0. 22 during 2009-2011. Summary According to Costco's 2011 annual report, the Costco Wholesale has a growing rate in making profits. It is one of the largest retailer stores in the global market. Unlike most retail operations, it has built its model around providing only what people want to buy quickly or in volumes that make up for its discounting practices. As the economy has slowed, the warehouse d iscount strategy has come into focus as the go-to source for both consumers and small business supply needs.Costco and its subsidiary companies are mostly like engaged in the operation of membership warehouses in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, through majority owned subsidiaries in Taiwan and Korea, and a 50 percent-owned joint venture in Mexico. Costco operates membership warehouses based on the concept that offering member’s low prices on a limited selection of nationally branded and private-label products in a wide range of merchandise categories will produce high sales volumes and rapid inventory turnover, management said in a recent filing.Here are the competitive advantages and disadvantages for Toyota based on our research data and analysis: Competitive Advantages: * Know their customer: Costco goes after a certain type of customer: small business owners who are status conscious and who have money to spend on bargain-priced premium ite ms like Dom Perpignan champagne, luxury watches and tech gadgets. * Deliver bigger value, not just lower prices: Costco doesn’t just offer low prices, it offers exceptional bargains on elegant, Treat customer service as an investment, not a cost to be shed: Costco has been criticized by some Wall Street analysts for their high labor costs –and Costco does pay their employees quite well Costco Wholesale SWOT Analysis Strengths: Costco Wholesale offers its customers and consumers lowest prices on a wide range of national and international branded products and goods, in a wide arrange of merchandise categories. The products and services of the Costco Wholesale are reliable as the company deals in best available quality products at competitive prices.The company pays attention to details and has various strengths that add to its success. These factors include rapid turnover of the inventory, running an efficient operating structure, reduced cost of handling of merchandise and generation of high sales volume at each of its store. Costco Wholesale gives preferences to it customers and provides them best value for the money. Weaknesses: Costco’s business conditions constantly change because external and internal forces make other business participants to alter their actions.The driving forces in this sector are the major underlying causes changing business and competitive conditions. Operating on a large scale means difficulty in bringing changes to grass root levels Opportunities Costco Wholesale is one of the first companies to have a growing acceptance of internet shopping. Costco created a website in the United States as well as website in Canada to be more effective and competitive in the internet market. The company is constantly working to make its distribution channels stronger and enter new potential markets.By offering value and working more towards developing a strong loyal customer base the company can gain more market share. Threats Warehouse clubs not only compete in one sector or market but it competes with a wide range of other types of retailers which include Wal-Mart Dollar General, supermarkets, general merchandise chains, specialty chains, fuel stations and internet retailers. Their competitiveness changes because the different types of products they deal in. Due to its tremors growth and growing market share, the company has caught the attention of many of the market leaders and its competitors.The industry of wholesale has a number of individual companies that are highly competitive and have very effective strategies. They have developed loyal customer bases and everyone is relentlessly fighting for the greatest market share. Costco’s major competitors include Wal-Mart. Recommendation 1. Develop more types of the products. The Costco involved every kind of products in the store, but we can see there are just few types of each product, so the optional become less and less.Every customer wants to the lower price at Costco, but they still want to have more choices on each product. And every single product just has the biggest packet so that it may cause to the waste. So the member of the Costco doesn’t have any choices to select the same product, such as the size, color and so on. 2. Improve the quality of the products. The strategy of Costco is the right products in the right place for the right price, but the right price should be with the good quality, but some customers said the quality of the clothes is not good.We cannot deny that most of the products have the good quality, but the company should check on every product, or just a little customers' unsatisfaction will influence all the customer's choice. 3. Increase the amount of the stores. The company has 600 locations wide world. In US, there are 433 locations. As an international global company, Costco should develop more location out of the United States so that it can open a new market in the world. For othe r countries, the customers are still inconvenient to purchase in the Costco. It will decrease the confidence of Costco's members.The Costco's strategy is the right products in the right place for the right price. If the members of other countries doubt the right place, the strategy will be broken. 4. Reduce the prices of some products. The company guarantees the low price and most of the products are, but we still can see a lot of products are more expensive compare to other stores, especially Jewelry. For most customers can understand that the high quality with the high price, but the huge amount of numbers, such as 12,234. 99 will make the members confuse to the strategy of the company

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Background to HRM at General Motors Corporation Essay

General Motors Corporation (NYE: GM) is the leading American automaker in the world with its operations spanning in 157 countries. The car manufacturer was established in 1908 in Michigan and today it is headquartered in Detroit, the United States of America. Besides the domestic industry of the United States of America, General Motors manufactures cars and trucks in other 30 countries around the world. Among its brand products are Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Hummer, Holden, Opel, Saab, Pontiac, Vauxhall, and Saturn. Besides these brands that are owned by the automaker, GMC also operates joint ventures in China and Japan. That is, Shanghai GM and SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile respectively. From its Website, General Motors Corporation is among the leading American employer with 204 000 employees distributed throughout its global markets. The employees include production engineers, financial auditors, marketers, and researchers among others. Before restructuring and retrenching that took place in 2008 following a harsh global financial crisis that resulted into a loss of $37.3billion by the automaker, General motors corporation was the leading American employer with 284 000 employees (GMC, 2008). Because of its large network of global presence in 31 countries, General Motors human resource management practices entail international practices that are designed in accordance to the international operation requirements and the organizational culture designed to reduce operational costs. Majority employees of the corporation’s subsidiaries in the 31 countries are drawn from the domestic pool of local labour markets and only a few expatriates are drawn from USA as back office managers due to their wide knowledge of its organization culture (Cappelli, 1999). The Board of directors which draws from the organization’s international market presence is charged with the responsibilities of making major decisions critical to the company’s operation. According to Gustin (2008), General Motors Corporation spent up to $103 million in settling healthcare insurance benefits of its retired employees in 2007. From this information, it is evident that the American automaker provides life insurance covers for its employees upon retirement. However, following restructurung, these benefits  were stripped off and only a few employees still enjoy them today. From January 1, 2010, pension scheme of retired hourly employees of General Motors Corporation was transferred to United Autoworkers; a third party insurance firms and all permanent employees who were hired after january 1, 1993 nolonger receive health care insirance benefit upon retirement(GMC,2008). The entry salary of the global automaker is dictated by the labour laws of each market of operation and thus varied with the United States of America being the highest irrespective by job categories ( Main et al., 2007). The organization has invested in a Human Resource Management system that allows close interraction of its global employees through technology such as e-mailing and enterprise resource Management (Azrul, 2010). Marketing strategy entails presentations by field marketers to the organization’s large distributors and online follow ups. Reccommended HRM practices for GMC From the above background analysis of General Motors corporation, it is clear that the organization requires international Human Resource Management practices that will integrate the cultural diversity of its employees.The catastrophic impact of the 2008 financial ciris that resulted into massive restructuring and retrenching of its human resources also underscores the organization’s poor human resource planning. The following recommendations are prescribed for the automaker on the basis of figure 1 below. The first recommendation, is Re-designing the business strategy to target the bottom line of the market. According to Azrul (2010), one of the main reasons for the $37.4 billion loss incured by the American automaker is external market forces from competitors like Honda and Hyundai that were producing far cheaper vehicles with high efficient engines and low fuel consumption rates as compared to Genereal Motors’ brands. In the heat of global financial crisis, the market shifted to consumption of cheaper and less fuel consumers produced by the competitors resulting in huge losses by the General Motors Corporation. The new business strategy should entail  designing cars and trucks with high eficent engines and electric cars that can survive an upsurge in oil prices. This will involve an investment in manufacturing technologies that ensures high quality at reduced costs such as electric engines that uses bateries.This will give the Amecan leading automaker a competitve advantage against the stiffening market competition. The second recommendation is outsourcing of labour from China and Japan. Many Corporations prefer to manufacture their products from China because of the availability of a relatively cheaper labour force when compared to western counterparts. General Motors corporation can either outsource its human resoure from China or undertake most of its production from its Japanese and Chinese Subsidiaries. The labour laws in the two countries are relatively flexible and firendly than in the United States of America. This will help the American Automator reduce huge operational costs incured in meeting the big payroll of over 200, 000 employees. The third recommendation is integration of employees’ training in high involvement work practices. According to Konrad (2006), engaging employees of an organization in job specific training improves their productivity by increasing their job-related skills, reducing propensity of committing costly errors, and increasing their job confidence. Training of General Motors’ employees on their job specifications will improve their productivity. Ofshore trainings in China and Japan are recommended. This will allow the corporation’s manufacturing engineers to learn new efficient production technologies of Japan and China in making cheaper and highly effiecient cars. Motivational incentives such as team building sessions, delegation of duties, self-managed leadership styles, and monetary rewards will boost their commitment to the organization. The combined effect of training and motivation will necesitate restructuring of a pay roll while leveraging on improved productivity of highly productive employees. The fourth recommendation is embracing technology in Human Resource Management system to enhance global cordination of its business. According to Dreher and Dougherty ( 2002), the use of technology such as centralised Enterprise Resource Management system to co-ordinate human resource  activities of General Motors will enhance quick sharing of ideas and consultation among the global employees of the company without barriers. This will allow the organization to carry out its marketing strategies efficiently and effectively without limitation by geographical distances. Effective Human Resource Management through streamlined sofware-based systems enhances fast communication and online training which gives an organization a higher competitive advantage. The fifth recommendation is integration of social benefits such as pension and health care schemes in the reward system. From the backround information above, it is evident that General Motors Corporation with-held social benefits for employees who were hired after January 1, 1993 and transferred the remaining ones to third pary insirance firms. The American automaker also stripped healthcare benefits for retired employees beyond 65 years. Acording to Konrad (2006), social rewards like health care insurance schemes make employees feel more valued by their organizations than monetary rewards in terms of bonuses and salary increments. Also pension schemes improve employees’ commitment to their employer because of future guarantees. This reduces employees’ turnover which is essential in retaining critical human resources for continuity of operation of General Motors. High staff retention improves an organization’s competitive advantage in a complex market of operati onal rivalry. The sixth recommendation is the implementation of employee productivity management and monitoring systems such as Balanced Score Card (BSC) and High Performance Work System (HPWS) (Rouse, 2000). The latter system refers collectively to open systems, autonomouas teams and teamworks, and performance-based pay (Azrul, 2010). The implementation of the two Human Resource Management systems will improve organizational performance by providing real time employees’ information storage database from which future managerial decisions, and rewards will be based. According to Konrad ( 2006), employees of an organization are more productive when they are aware that their performance is recorded for review in determining their future rewards. Effective implementation of the Human Resource Management systems will help General Motors Corporation in categorising employees  according to their productivity rates. This information is important in determining the relevance of job training and objective restructuring in the event of a crisis like that which befell it in 2008. In this case, only high productive employees will be retained. The seventh recommendation is the implementation of an integrative pay/ reward system to inculde performance-contingency pay scheme, skill-based pay, and seniority-based pay scheme. According to performance-contingency pay scheme, the employees’ reward will be based on the performance of their working teams. This will help the automaker in creating effective self-managed and motivated teams. Skill-based pay will ensure that employees’ pay schemes are based on their job skills. For instance, production engineers will be given high pay than marketers because of their technical skills required by the organization. Seniority-based pay scheme demands that those employees who have stayed longer in the organization will get a higher pay than new comers because of their cumulative salary increements along their carrier path. Seniority-based pay scheme promotes staff retention even when the entry salary is relatively lower than the market rates because employees know that there is a room for growth. In general, General Motors Corporation should ensure total compliance with the labour markets and legal environments of their respective countries of operations before implementation of the proposed recommendations. For instance, the employment laws regarding hourly wages, minimum wage policy, employment opportunities, labour regulations, and safety rules in China are different from those of the United States of America. Therefore it is imperative that the American automaker consider their implications in setting the minimum entry wage in each country of operation. Conclusion. In conclusion, General Motors Corporation can sustain its competitive strategy as a leading automaker by embracing the above prescribed Human Resource Mangement system that integrates staff training on job related skills, outsourcing, social reward scheme, technology, and  performance-contingency pay scheme among others as strategic competiencies in its operation. The implementation of Balanced Score Card and HPWS is critical in improving the productivity of the organization’s employees. The proposed system will enhance high staff retention, high staff productivity, and objective contingency planning in times of global crises like the 2008 global financial crisis that lead to massive retrenchment by the automaker. References Azrul, A. (2010). Human Resource Management & General Motors. Monash University Publication, p.1-13.From: http://www.scribd.com/doc/14812855/Human-Resource-Management-General-Motors Main, B.G.,Jackson, C., Pymm, J.,& Wright, V. (2007). GMC:The Remuneration Committee and Strategic Human Resource Management. University of Edinburgh publications, p.1-49. Cappelli, P. (1999). Employment Practices and Business Strategy. Oxfford, ew York : Oxford University Press. General Motors Corporation. (2008). Restructuring Plan for Long-Term Viability: Submitted to Senate Banking Committee & House of Representatives Financial Services Committee. Detroit: General Motors Corporation. Rouse ,D. (2000). Manufacturing Sdvantage:Why High Performance Work Systems Pay off. Journal of Team Performance Management, vol 96(5) , p.1420. Dreher, G., & Dougherty,T. (2002). Human resource strategy: A behavioral perspective for the general manager. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Gustin, L. R. (2008). Billy Durant: Creator of General Motors. Ann Arbor. Michigan: University of Michigan Press. Konrad, A. M. (2006). Engaging Employees Through High-Involvement Work Practices. IVEY Business Journal , n.p.From:

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Discuss the pathogenesis of measles virus infection under the following subheadings The WritePass Journal

Discuss the pathogenesis of measles virus infection under the following subheadings Introduction: Discuss the pathogenesis of measles virus infection under the following subheadings Introduction:Symptoms:References;Related Introduction: Although the measles virus remains less of a threat in the today’s western world, it still posses a significant challenge in the under developed countries with an estimated 30 million illnesses and  770,000 deaths being reported in the year 2000.   (6) Following a survey of 32 European Countries, the European Centre for Disease Control has reported a staggering 12,000 measles cases in the first quarter of 2010.  Ã‚   Although Bulgaria topping the poll, it is somewhat concerning how Ireland with a relatively low population, lies a close second in incidence rates to date.   (2) With what has been depicted as a preventable disease, it is therefore essential to understand the concept and fundamentals on the risks of infection, likelihood of spread, associated symptoms and furthermore the importance of appropriate vaccination in a timely manner. Symptoms: Derived from the air, Measles is an acute viral illness originating from the paramyxovirus Family that is commonly spread from person to person through tiny aerosol droplets.  Ã‚   Common signs include fever, cough, sneezing, runny nose and conjunctivitis.   (1) Initial replication of the illness occurs in the upper/lower respiratory tract through blood vessels.   This prodromal stage infecting epithelial cells is assisted by the potential development of Koplik spots on the mucous membranes of the mouth and In addition the appearance of a rash on the skin.   The rash is due to the Immune reactions to the virus in the endothelial cells of dermal capillaries (Mims et al. Medical Microbiology, 1993) and at this stage can be considered as a mode of diagnosis , as both IgM and IgG antibodies are produced during the on set of rash development, therefore by using sensitive ELISA IgM early detetction can be achieved. (7) The incubation period is approx ten days (ranging between 7 and 18 days) (Chin, 2000).   The term incubation period lies very closely with that of the symptoms.   As summarised from the World health organisation, After 2-3 days of r e p l i c a t i o n ,  Ã‚   the virema escalates to the reticuloendothelial system.  Ã‚   Further expansion of this virema for 5-7 days post infection may result in infection in organs, including the spleen, thymus, lung, liver, and kidney. The viraemia climaxes at day 11-14 days after infection and eventual declines rapidly (4) The most common complications of measles infection are otitis media   due to increased growth in epithelia of the nasopharynx making it more susceptible (7 to 9% of cases), pneumonia due to an impaired cell-mediated immune response occuring when the F protein facilitating cell fusion at a given pH   (1 to 6%), diarrhoea (8%) and convulsions (one in 200). Infection and spread: A number of concepts regarding the measles virus pathogenesis, including the theory of dentric cells and lymphocyte cells expressing CD150 as the official facilitator for MV infection (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18820585?dopt=AbstractPlus) to others focusing more on the ethical origin linking interaction of malnutrition,   proliferation and immune mechanisms as a culpret.   Therories behind increase intake of Vitamin A to reduce infection and mortality rate have also sparked thoughts of remediation (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1586282/?page=2 ) .   As it has been scientifically proven when vitamin A (which can be sourced in the skin) is administrated in megadoses (200,000 international units on each day for two days) has significantly lowered the mortality rate in hospitalised children ranging from ages 2-5 cited from the cochrane report.   Published by (Yang HM, Mao M, Wan C. 2009.)   (http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001479.html) The most obvious mode of infection or spread is that of direct contact with nasal or throat secretions. Measles is highly contagious and is known to affect 90% of susceptible individuals.  Ã‚   In developing countries .   This susceptibility is heightened by the overcrowding circiumstances and therefore   increasing the exposure rate of   high viral loads [Tu l chinsky,   T.H. ,  Ã‚   e t  Ã‚   a l . ,   Me a s l e s  Ã‚   control  Ã‚   in developing   and developed countries: the case for a two-dose policy. Bull World Health Organ, 1993. 71(1): p. 93-103). Vaccination: Following the introduction of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine in October 1988 mortality due to measles has significantly declined. Although, Infection and spread has been controlled for several decades, public fears linking the MMR vaccine with autism has significantly reduced the immunisation rate resulting in the concern of serious outbreak of the measles virus occurring. The publication of this mis-conception has been quashed by medical experts who continue to recommend two doses of the MMR vaccine for maximum protection normally given at age 12 months and age four or five years.   This has been widely illustrated for example Researchers from the Cochrane Vaccines Field reviewed 139 studies assessing the effects MMR vaccine in preventing measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) in children. It was found that MMR vaccine protects children against infections of the upper respiratory tract and is unlikely to cause milder forms of measles, mumps and rubella. No plausible association with either autism or Crohns disease was also determined.   Demicheli V, Jefferson T, Rivetti A, Price D. Vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD004407. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004407.pub2 Although the vaccination rate is once again steadily inclining, following a global helath response for not only developed countries, the fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG 4) is aiming to reduce the viral rate of measles to two thirds by 2015 (6) Sub acute sclerosing panencephalitis: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a brain disorder due to adverse immune response to measles or, possibly, mutations of the virus leading to brain inflammation.   SSPE usually occurs in later years post infection of measles and have common Symptoms that include dementia , Gradual behavioral changes, Myoclonic jerking (quick muscle jerking or spasms) and seizures.   (6)(7) The incidence of SSPE has decreased since vaccination against measles was initiated.  Ã‚   As SSPE is associated with defective forms of the virus in the brain and has been proven to be difficult to isolate infectious virus. Certain viral proteins   such as the M protein are commonly deficient. Currently, there is no Vaccine   for SSPE. Clinical trials of antiviral (isoprinosine and ribavirin) and immunomodulatory (interferon alpha) drugs have suggested that these types of remediation can assist in delaying the prognosis of the desease but the long term outcomes are still undefined. (6) Upon diagnosis, Most individuals with SSPE will die within the first three years.  Ã‚   Others where the disease progresses rapidly, death maybe within three months.   (6) With sufficient grants, research been carrued out by The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and other institutes at the National Institutes of Health conduct research will continue to focus on finding efficient ways in treating such onsets of measles in particular SSPE (7) References; ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002536/ irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0607/1224272004407.html ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18820585?dopt=AbstractPlus immunizationinfo.org/vaccines/measles ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20561004?dopt=AbstractPlu http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/mhunt/mump meas.htmwho.int/vaccine_research/diseases/measles/en/ ninds.nih.gov/disorders/subacute_panencephalitis/subacute_panencephalitis.htm

Monday, October 21, 2019

Tulsa Race Riots essays

Tulsa Race Riots essays World Book Encyclopedia conspicuously fails to mention the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 in any of its entries; readers wont find it under Oklahoma, Tulsa, or riots (Black Wall Street). It did happen, though. For many victims, the Tulsa Race Riot is very much a reality still today. Their lives were forever changed on May 31, 1921. On this day, 19-year-old black man, Dick Rowland, was arrested and accused of trying to rape a white female elevator operator, Sarah Page, in Tulsas Drexel Building. The local newspaper, the Tulsa Tribune, reporting on the story, inflamed area residents by declaring that Rowland had attacked Page and torn her clothes. On the back page, the Tribune carried an editorial with the headline, To Lynch Negro Tonight, in which it talked about the fact that mobs of Whites were forming in order to lynch the Negro (Carrillo). White men soon began showing up outside the courthouse carrying guns and drinking liquor and demanding that Rowland be handed over. But local African American World War I veterans had weapons of their own, and they came to protect Rowland. After a single gun fired inadvertently, riot ensued. Thousands of Whites raided the 35-square block Greenwood district of Tulsa, looting and destroying over 1200 homes, 35 grocery stores, eight doctors offices, and five hotels. Different accounts estimate the number of lives lost anywhere between 300 and 3000, with property damages estimating $1.8 million in 1921- a sum that would amount to over $16 million today (Carrillo). The Tulsa Race Riot was many things. It was Yellow Journalism at its worst. It was mob mentality at its strongest. And it was the reaction of a jealous white population to the extremely affluent Black Wall Street, as it was called. Was it terrorism, though? That is an issue of literary particularities and little else...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

How to Correct an Awkward Interruptive Phrase

How to Correct an Awkward Interruptive Phrase How to Correct an Awkward Interruptive Phrase How to Correct an Awkward Interruptive Phrase By Mark Nichol When writers interrupt themselves to expand a thought, they must take care to ensure that they retain a parallel balance on the structure they’ve built. Here are three sentences thrown off balance, followed by solutions that will help the writers (and their readers) keep on their feet. 1. â€Å"High school students who carry a poor or no understanding of evolution into college are less likely to pick careers in the biological and geological sciences.† This sentence is technically correct, but the juxtaposition of the modifiers poor and no is awkward. This revision somewhat eases the effort to modify poor: â€Å"High school students who carry a poor, or no, understanding of evolution into college are less likely to pick careers in the biological and geological sciences.† (Alternatively, parentheses or a pair of em dashes could replace the commas.) However, this version, though longer, is more elegant: â€Å"High school students who carry a poor understanding of evolution into college, or none at all, are less likely to pick careers in the biological and geological sciences.† 2. â€Å"She has proven herself willing and capable of making progress with challenging ideas and procedures.† The problem with this sentence is that the two qualities are presented in nonparallel forms. If the second of the two qualities is omitted from the sentence, it clumsily reads, â€Å"She has proven herself willing of making progress with challenging ideas and procedures.† The sample sentence here, like the preceding example, benefits from a more relaxed syntax, in this case one in which each adjective is associated with a distinct verb phrase appropriate for its form: â€Å"She has proven herself willing to make, and capable of making, progress with challenging ideas and procedures.† (And, again, parentheses or em dashes can be used in place of commas.) Or, more simply, replace â€Å"capable of† with â€Å"able to† and change the verb phrase to â€Å"to make†: â€Å"She has proven herself willing and able to make progress with challenging ideas and procedures.† 3. â€Å"He has shown leadership in guiding, indeed sometimes demanding of them, to keep their focus on the task at hand.† There is no easy fix for this sentence, but it can be fixed it just requires more significant reorganization. Relocate the ill-fitting parenthetical that interrupts an otherwise coherent sentence, tagging it onto the end of the sentence, and reword it so that the verb form matches that of the verb phrase that immediately follows the subject: â€Å"He has shown leadership in guiding them to keep their focus on the task at hand indeed, he sometimes even demands that they do so.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.Is There a Reason â€Å"the Reason Why† Is Considered Wrong?Plurals of Proper Names

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Eiffel Tower Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Eiffel Tower - Essay Example This building has an amazing history of origin: in 1889 in Paris in order to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution the World Exhibition was held, so the city government instructed to erect a temporary structure, which had to serve as an entrance arch. The Common French Competition of architectural and engineering projects was launched on May the 1st, 1886. The competition attracted 107 applicants, and most of them just repeated the tower project proposed by Eiffel. Thus Eiffel project became one of the four winners, and after that the engineer made final changes to the project and found a compromise between the original purely engineering scheme design and decorative option. As a result, committee insisted on the Eiffel Tower plan, although the idea was not his, but his two employees. Such a complex structure was collected within two years, and it became possible because Eiffel applied to special construction methods. In order to match the tower to the sophisticated tastes of the Parisian public, architect Stephen Sauvestre was instructed to contribute the design and to work on tower’s artistic appearance. He proposed to add decorative arches to the base, to make a glass pavilion on the first level, to give a rounded shape to the top of the tower and use a variety of elements for its decoration. 300 workers performed construction works during two years, two months and five days. High speed of construction was provided by precision drawings and exact dimensions. And on March the 31st, 1889, in less than 26 months after the start of digging pits, Eiffel invited several more or less physically hardy officials to make the first rise on 1710 level. Construction was stunning and got immediate success. During first six months more than 2 million visitors came to see the "iron lady†. Despite its common success, from the very beginning of the construction there were also enough opponents to the building of the

Friday, October 18, 2019

Read Abigail Solomon-Godeau's essay on Gauguin and answer the Assignment

Read Abigail Solomon-Godeau's essay on Gauguin and answer the questions - Assignment Example This lead to oppression. Gauguin escaped European civilization and technology and took refuge in Tahiti. This action made him live a simple and natural lifestyle. His desire for sexual freedom was manifested in his paintings. He viewed Tahiti as the earthly arcadia of love, naked nymphs and gentle climate to mark it all. He also extended the academic pastoral to include all other non-European models. He believed in celebrating the society of his adoption against colonialism (Solomon-Godeau, 127). What undermined him as primitive is that he took adolescent mistresses as young as fifteen years. He also saw sexual freedom from the male point of view. It concludes that elements of primitivism involves interweave of race, sexual fantasies and power (Solomon-Godeau 130). In the end, he victimized the Tahitians because he regarded them as

Financial Ratio Analysis Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Ratio Analysis Report - Essay Example Analysis and interpretation of financial statements helps to evaluate the financial position and performance of an enterprise. "GM generated record third quarter automotive revenue of $43.1 billion. The company also achieved record global third quarter sales of 2.39 million cars and trucks, up four percent compared to the third quarter 2006, driven by exceptionally strong demand in emerging markets and improved performance in developed markets. GM also set a number of third quarter sales records around the globe, including a 22 percent increase in GMLAAM, 16 percent increase in the GMAP region, and 15 percent gain in GME." (GM Reports third quarter financial results, 2007). Analysis of Fundamental Ratios and Trends Ratio analysis is one of the important tools used to develop and interpret the financial statements of a business entity. Ratios measure the efficiency of operation of a business unit. Moreover, it also helps to analyze the financial strength or weakness of a business entity. The economic growth of the company is steady and stable. Like all other areas, the company is highly concentrating in the area of accounting and finance also. Similarly, a well defined plan is maintained by the company for protecting its quantum of stock:- Ge1. Maintain control over the entire amount of raw material obtained from the suppliers. 2. Utilize these quantum of raw materials for the production of goods with appropriate control and without making any wastage. 3. After making the delivery of finished goods, company tries to restore the balance of material/ inventory for further process. General Motors, a leading automobile manufacturer is following a systematic procedure for evaluating the financial performance of the entity. The major ratios are being calculated by GM for the analysis and interpretation of financial measurement are current ratio, quick ratio, asset turn over ratio, inventory turn over ratio etc. Therefore, the fundamental accounting ratios of GM are depicted below- Estimated Financial Ratios of General Motors a. . Liquidity Ratios: 1. Current Ratio = Current Assets = $1,000 Current Liabilities$310= 3.2 times. 2) Quick ratio= Quick Assets/ Current liabilities= $385/ $310 = 1.2 times. b) Leverage Ratios- 1) Debt ratio= Total Debt/ Total Assets=$1,064/$2,000= 53.2% 2) Debt to Net worth ratio= Total Debt/ Tangible Net Worth= $1,064/$2250= 47.29%. c) Operating ratios- 1) Net sales to Total Assets= Net Sales/ Total Assets=$3,000/$2,000= 1.5 times. 2) Gross profit ratio= Gross profit/ sales= 1,500/3,000= 50% d) Profitability ratios: 1) Basic Earning Power-(BEP) = EBIT/Total Assets= $283.8/ $2,000= 14.2% 2) Return On Total Assets (ROA) = Net income to stock holders/ Total Assets= $113.5/ $2,000= 5.7% 3) Price Earning Ratio (PE) = Price per share/ Earnings per share= $23/2.27= 10.1 times. 4) Market ratio= Common Equity/ Shares out standing= $896/ 50= $17.92 5) Return On Common Equity (ROE) = Net income to

CURRENT PROBLEMS OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY Research Paper

CURRENT PROBLEMS OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY - Research Paper Example The problem in question arose out of a much older â€Å"war† being fought by the United States (US) lawmakers and administrators: the war on drugs. The attempts to ensure a drug-free world stretch not only to the prohibition on harder substances like (powder and crack) cocaine and heroin, but also to marijuana, which has proven medicinal qualities as a pain reliever. The Mariana Policy Project (MPP), a D.C. based think-tank, describes marijuana prohibition as a resounding failure, and reports that in the US, â€Å"there are more arrests for marijuana possession each year than for all violent crimes combined† (MPP.org). Frivolous incarcerations for marijuana possession and use not only put increasing pressure on prisons and community jails, but also use up precious resources that could otherwise be diverted to other, more useful, areas of public spending. This paper proposes that the existing marijuana policy be repealed and drug legalization takes its place; the followi ng paragraphs shall attempt to substantiate this suggestion. Marijuana or medical cannabis, as mentioned above, has proven medicinal qualities, mostly as a herbal pain reliever, and this fact is what seems to have taken the issue of drug prohibition into a veritable gray area. Due to the high costs of prescription painkillers, many opt to smoke marijuana instead as a cheap alternative; under the current regulations, however, this is unlawful. The arrest of a Seattle resident in July 2008 for marijuana possession incited one news editor to brand the existing legal framework governing the use of marijuana as â€Å"reefer madness† (Ramsey 2008). What confounds this legal framework is the disparity between the laws in certain states vis-à  -vis other states’ and federal laws on the matter. The Controlled Substances Act, a federal statute, deems cannabis as a Schedule I drug, without any expressly known or accepted medicinal value. Therefore, one cannot have an unfettered access to marijuana,

Thursday, October 17, 2019

EU Legal Contexts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

EU Legal Contexts - Essay Example The company terminated her services on 19 December 2006, providing her with a notice period up to 31 January 2007, calculating the period of service as 3 years, that is the computation period commencing from the time she was 25 years of age. The company ignored her pleas that she was serving the company for a period of 10 years that is, since December 2006, and thus her notice period should have been four months and not over one month as provided to her in her termination notice. Aggrieved, the petitioner took up this matter with Labour Court on the grounds that the subject clause in German Civil Code (BGB) which denies credit for the period below 25th year of service validity was void and â€Å"Paragraph 622(2) of the BGB is a measure which discriminates on grounds of age, contrary to European Union law, and must be disapplied.†1 Laws: There were two main questions that need to be answered in this case. The first question would be in terms of whether national legislation such as that at issue, under which periods of employment completed by the employee before reaching the age of 25, which was not taken into consideration in calculating notice period for dismissal, constitutes a difference of treatment on grounds of age prohibited by European Union law, with special reference to EC Directive 2000/78/EC. ...The main contention in the reckoning would be â€Å"Thus in the case of two employees each with 20 years’ seniority in service, the one who joined the undertaking at the age of 18 will be entitled to a notice period of five months, whereas the period will be seven months for the one who joined at the age of 25. †¦ the situation of Ms Kucukdeveci shows – may, despite several years’ seniority in service in the undertaking, be excluded from benefiting from the progressive extension of notice periods in the case of dismissal according to the length of the employment relationship, from which older workers of comparable seniority w ill, by contrast, be able to benefit.†

In what cases is U.S. military intervention in other countries Research Paper

In what cases is U.S. military intervention in other countries justifiable In what cases is it not - Research Paper Example In any case, America is fighting with other countries all the time one way or other. It is difficult to justify all these wars conducted by United States. The Afghanistan war can be justified up to certain extent because of the brutalities committed by the Muslim fundamentalist group Taliban. Moreover, America has support from the existing Afghanistan political regime in destroying Talibanism from Afghan soil. However, same thing cannot be said about the recent Iraq war. It was conducted against the will of the political administration in Iraq. Moreover, the reasons cited for attacking Iraq were rejected by other countries. The theory of weapons of mass destruction was indigestible to other countries. America is still struggling to justify Iraq war since they failed to seize any weapons of mass destruction from Iraq. This paper analyses in what cases is U.S. military intervention in other countries is justifiable and in what cases is it not. On March 20, 2003 America with the help of its allies attacked Iraq, accusing Iraq for the possession of illegal chemical, biological and nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction. Moreover, America explained to the world that the possession of such serious weapons may cause immense threat to the global peace. However, even after the execution of Saddam Hussein, American troops failed to seize any such weapons from Iraqi soil. ... It is illegal to attack a country for exploiting its natural resources. Sovereignty of a country should be respected in order to keep global peace intact. It is fact that most of the Middle Eastern countries including Iraq were administered by some dictators. However, spreading of democracy through war cannot be justified under any circumstances. Bush Jr. spent billions of dollars just for saving the pride of his father. The current financial crisis is believed to be the by-product of Iraq war. In other words, Iraq war not only affected the Iraqi people, but it affected the Americans also. Many of the American soldiers sacrificed their lives in Iraq in their efforts to bring peace back in Iraq. The cost of Iraq war can be better analyzed with the help of following illustration. (Cost of Iraq War and Nation Building) â€Å"According to an article by Stephen Gowans, the US command knowingly violated Article 54 of the Geneva Convention which prohibits any country from undermining objec ts indispensable to the survival of (another country's) civilian population" (Abuelo). Iraq war resulted in large scale looting and criminal disorder, especially in Baghdad and Basra. Coalition forces were quite unable to maintain public order and the Iraqi police forces largely withdrew from the major centers of population (Rogers, p.13). In other words, the coalition forces failed to keep their word they given to the external world; a peaceful Iraq without Saddam. In short, Iraq war or America’s intervention in Iraq could not be justified under any circumstances. The reasons cited for the wars were illogical and Americans forced pay big prices for this war in the form of big expenditure and the sacrifice of the lives of many of its people.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

EU Legal Contexts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

EU Legal Contexts - Essay Example The company terminated her services on 19 December 2006, providing her with a notice period up to 31 January 2007, calculating the period of service as 3 years, that is the computation period commencing from the time she was 25 years of age. The company ignored her pleas that she was serving the company for a period of 10 years that is, since December 2006, and thus her notice period should have been four months and not over one month as provided to her in her termination notice. Aggrieved, the petitioner took up this matter with Labour Court on the grounds that the subject clause in German Civil Code (BGB) which denies credit for the period below 25th year of service validity was void and â€Å"Paragraph 622(2) of the BGB is a measure which discriminates on grounds of age, contrary to European Union law, and must be disapplied.†1 Laws: There were two main questions that need to be answered in this case. The first question would be in terms of whether national legislation such as that at issue, under which periods of employment completed by the employee before reaching the age of 25, which was not taken into consideration in calculating notice period for dismissal, constitutes a difference of treatment on grounds of age prohibited by European Union law, with special reference to EC Directive 2000/78/EC. ...The main contention in the reckoning would be â€Å"Thus in the case of two employees each with 20 years’ seniority in service, the one who joined the undertaking at the age of 18 will be entitled to a notice period of five months, whereas the period will be seven months for the one who joined at the age of 25. †¦ the situation of Ms Kucukdeveci shows – may, despite several years’ seniority in service in the undertaking, be excluded from benefiting from the progressive extension of notice periods in the case of dismissal according to the length of the employment relationship, from which older workers of comparable seniority w ill, by contrast, be able to benefit.†

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Proposing a Solution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Proposing a Solution - Essay Example Notably, cyber attacks do have the potential to create an extreme economic damage as well as, social impact that are disproportionally costly to the nation or organization at risk. Therefore, it is essential to establish workable approaches to maintaining the security of the communication and technological systems. The advent of the security challenges created another aspect of terror, an establishment that many nations are yet to consider as a possible channel for terror attacks. However, in the U.S. after the memorable 9/11 attack, the subject of security evolved into a critical matter that none of the congressional representatives or the general population would take lightly (Werner 16). It is notable that the cyber attack in all its aspects targets the essential applications and databases within any of the government or public institutions creating havoc against that nation (Levy, Michelle & Raymond 77). The media drama is as subjective as any physical bombing incidence, considering the psychological implications involved in the attack. The cyber attack can create an element of distrust and unstable relations among the populations. The cost to the nation is the absence of coordinated systems, which can bring the entire internet system of the nation down. This creates more chances for advan ced physical attacks on the country. The U.S. is at a heightened level of cyber threats considering the milestones it has made in the telecommunications and technological fields. An eminent attack in the entire systems of the nation would render a cyber apocalypse to the nation, bringing down all essential infrastructure required in daily activities of the government, business entities and the general population (Werner 16). At the helm of the escalating risks to the national security in the country, the cyber environment threats are equally evolving, as

Monday, October 14, 2019

An Examination of SMEs in Vietnam

An Examination of SMEs in Vietnam Definition of SME Nowadays in Vietnam, developing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is highly concerned by the government because a country prosperity depends lots on the health of the economy and enterprises. At the beginning of developing a market-oriented economy especially, SMEs play a key role because they take up most of enterprises in the economy, let alone creating the most of the labor force. However, up until now, there not yet exists a widely-used, complete definition on SMEs. The definition of SME is going through a process of dynamic change in parallel with the transformation from the centrally planned to market economy. Many of the definitions contained in the previous UNECE document OPA/AC.12/1 are no longer valid. The associated central and eastern European countries are gradually adapting their definitions the recommendation of the EU. The SME definition that is currently in use in the EU, is based on the Commission Recommendation 96/280/EC. Normally, to precisely define which compo nents make up a SME, we need to focus on the following criteria. In terms of qualitative measurement, there are quite a few criteria to define an SME, such as: low level of specialization, decentralization, simple administration requirements†¦ These criteria correctly reflect the nature of SME but simultaneously hard to reconcile. That is why these criteria has referential value only and rarely used in practice. In terms of quantitative measurement, the criteria are more specific and applicable. The most commonly used one is the number of people employed by the business. The second common criterion deals with finance – either the turnover or income, or asset value of the business. The third criterion relates to the independency of the SME from other business entity. This thesis will mainly deal with SME definition quantitatively since it shows clear advantage over the other, which are easy to measure and clear in scope. Since there is not yet a specific and widely-used definition for SME, it is important to take a look at different points of view and decide an overall acceptable concept in this thesis. It affects the analyses in different parts of this thesis. According to EU Commission, the main factors to determine whether an entity is a SME are labor force and either turnover or balance sheet total. Based on the commission staff working document by EU Commission, 2009 edition, the specific benchmark is as follow These ceilings apply for individual firms only. A firm which is a part of larger grouping may need to include related information from that grouping too. This definition use various sources to measure, hence, it covers most of the SME situation. Moreover, these three factors are clear in nature and easy to apply, which helps the firms as well as the government to follow and concept and apply relevant measurements. In 2010, enterprises with less than 250 employees are estimated to have accounted for 99.8% of the total number of enterprises across Europe, 66.9% of employment, 57% of turnover and 58% of value-added. Obviously, without such a clear definition, it would be so hard to statistically compute those figures and the government may neglect the mass number of SMEs in their countries. However, there still exists drawbacks concerning this concept, the most important of which is that it is not suitable for a developing country like Vietnam. For a micro enterprise in Vietnam, for example, it is almost impossible for it to own turnover or balance sheet total of 45 billion VND. Therefore, although EU has developed some reasonable criteria that we can learn to establish our own definition, it is essential for developing countries like ours to come up with one of our own. For Korea, the subject of this thesis, the government has issued legislation regarding SMEs, in which criteria are clearly stated in able to assist policy makers to identify SMEs. These criteria are divided upon specific fields. For example, in construction business, an SME entity has to have fewer than 300 frequent labors and have total investment capital of less than USD 600.000. In trading area, enterprises with less than 20 frequent labor and revenue less than USD 500.000 per year (retailers) or less than USD 250.000 per year (wholesalers) are considered SMEs. In this pool, small enterprises are those that have less than 5 frequent employees. These criteria are established in the 70s, up until now, the number of employees has increased 2 to 3 times and capital has been raised more than 10 times. This definition seems to fit more with Vietnam’s situation as Korea is also an Asia country and has similar economic background to us. It also uses the two most common indicators as labor force and capital to determine an SME. However, this definition is already outdated and adjusted to suit the current situation more. This practice makes the concept no longer appropriate to Vietnam as the economic situation between the two countries now differs quite a lot, which urges the need to develop a concept of our own, depending on the knowledge learned from other countries in the world. In our country, although there are not yet any fixed criteria to clearly define an SME, some organizations have developed their own concept to further support their activities. According to Doc 681/CP – KNT, enterprises with less than VND 5 billion in charter capital and average labor of less than 200 people per year are considered SMEs. Below are some organizations and their own definition Source: Ministry of Planning Investment However, these figures are temporarily just administration-oriented criteria to create supporting policies for SMEs. The fact that non -governmental organizations or governmental organizations develop their own concept is acceptable because they have different objectives and practices. On the other hand, such various opinions on SMEs are only referential in quality because they not yet come to a sufficient conclusion on whether an entity is or is not an SME. Therefore, the majority of intellectuals on this issue has raised to make clear this definition as an entity which has investment certificate, regardless of business type, and has capital as well as labor size that can satisfy government regulations on specific fields or through different times. From this standpoint, our government has finally come up with an official document on this matter. The Vietnamese government, defines SMEs by Decree 56/2009/ ND – CP as follow: â€Å"Small and medium-sized enterprises are business establishments that have registered their business according to law and are divided into three levels: very small, small and medium according to the sizes of their total capital (equivalent to the total assets identified in an enterprise’s accounting balance sheet) or the average annual number of laborers (total capital is the priority criterion), concretely as follows†: Table: by Business-in-Asia.com This definition sticks to criteria that have been used by EU and Korea, but tailored to fit with our economic situation. Furthermore, it divides the economy into different business sectors because of their distinctive characteristics. This definition is established using multiple statistical methods and surveys. Therefore, it is prestigious and practical enough to be used throughout this thesis Roles of SMEs Despite some disadvantages as being an SME, it still bring clear benefits and economic-social impacts due to its distinctive features SMEs considerably contribute to the government budget The contribution of SMEs into both government and local budget is considerable and on the increasing trend. The corporate survey report in 2011 showed that SMEs accounted for more than 97.6% the total number of enterprises in Vietnam, which made it the major tool to create jobs and generate income for the government budget. Income from corporate tax made 103.6% target and increased by 13% compared to the previous year in 2002. In 2003, income from SMEs took up around 15% total income, increasing 29.5% compared to the same quarters of the previous years. In 2004, income from private sector was 13.100 billion VND, occupying 7.8% budget. However, compared to government budget, the contribution of SMEs to local budget is much higher. For example, in Ho Chi Minh City, the private sector accounts for approximately 15%, 24% in Kien Giang, 16% in Dong Thap, 22% in Gia Lai, 19% in Ninh Binh, 16% in Yen Bai, 17% in Thai Nguyen, 22% in Quang Nam, 33% in Binh Dinh†¦ SMEs generate jobs and income for the labor force Due to estimation from some prestigious authorization, SMEs create 49% of non-agriculture jobs in the rural areas, which is about 25-26% of the overall labor force in Vietnam. For business sector, because of the increasing number of SMEs every year, they attracts around 45 million employees with the average income of 1.5 million VND per month. This fact means a lot in the fight to prevent unemployment and stabilize the society nowadays. The average proportion for a corporation to invest in a job vacancy is 70 to 100 million VND; meanwhile, for an SME, the number is only 210 to 280 million VND (around 3 times higher). Due to such a high level of investment, private sector is the main area attracting new employees ever year and redundant employees resulting from administration re-allocation or substantive change in the economic structure. This practice has helped stabilize and enhance the lives of the labor force. To date, more than 7 million people are now working in the private sector. This is such a positive contribution to social-economic stabilization, poverty reduction and awareness improvement. SMEs greatly contribute into the exporting activities In recent years, in line with our government policies about expanding and encouraging international trade, as well as creating the environment for all business sectors to participate in import and export activities, SMEs, especially the crafts, agriculture, aquatic industry have implemented dynamic investment into potential businesses. In specific, they actively seek for and exploit international markets, which helps a great deal in pushing export and tracking down foreign currency for the country. Up until 31/10/2014, the number of SMEs participating in exporting and importing activities takes up 80.6% and 84.2% respectively. The total exporting volume of SMEs in 2012 reached 4.108 million USD, accounting for 24.6%. For importing volume, the number was 4.789 million USD, accounting for 23.3% compared to the total export – import volume of the economy as a whole. The most remarkable thing is that SMEs in private sector has thrived to become the leading sector in exporting marine products, at around 740 million USD, accounting for 39% the total volume of this business sector. The story goes the same for almonds, at 141 million USD, taking up 42% of the total volume. With this increasing trend as these figures, SMEs will soon become the leading sector in obtaining foreign currency for the country. SMEs participate in the process of creating connection with big corporations SMEs, in the recent years, have strong connection with big corporations in supplying raw materials, implementing contracts, gradually generating supporting industries network and products distribution network especially. This is a two-way relationship, which both sides tie and support each other. The big corporations ensure markets, finance, technology and administration experience for SMEs. On the other hand, SMEs support big corporations in supporting industries and products distribution network. SMEs nurture startup spirit With relatively low investment cost, as well as limited size and business environment, individuals have room to experience and nurture ideas. The increasing number of SMEs both create fairly competitive environment and prevent monopoly in business, which brings clear advantages for new ideas. That is why SMEs are places for startups. SMEs are also the perfect places to train inexperienced staff and future leaders to prepare themselves for larger competitive markets. The great success always start from small steps, so SMEs are considered the stepping stones for a successful career. In reality, in many countries, many well-known multi-national corporations with hundreds of employees used to start as startups or small enterprises, with a few people with the same determination and business idea. Many SMEs all over the world were born in tough and flexible business environment. Later, they thrived and rapidly launched their idea into the commercial world. Many economists compare SMEs as a new breeze into the economy, bringing new business value, even in the biggest economy in the world – USA, especially in technology, communication, finance and banking. Starting with a simple idea and a small business size does not mean you stay there forever. Thriving to a successful and stable stage is always what SMEs aim for. SMEs contribute greatly in stabilization and economic restructuring by territory Normally, big corporations are often located in big cities, which exude developed infrastructure. This fact can lead to serious imbalance in economic, cultural and social development level between rural and urban areas. SMEs can greatly contribute to distribute industrial zone to different places, so the development gap among those areas can be narrowed down. The expansion of SMEs has been an essential part in creating the balance among the areas, helping them to identify potential and strength. The results are bright as those provinces can develop their own products and services, which creates industrialized and modernized economic restructuring. It can be stated that the existence of SMEs is the factor that brightens the economic picture of local areas. SMEs are the perfect complementary for the corporations network of the country, as well as those who utilize slight opportunities that big corporations often overlook. That is why SMEs are considered a vital policy tool to achieve development targets, in which is developing rural and remote areas.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Nostradamus :: essays research papers

Nostradamus lived in the 16th century in France. He was a healer of the black plague, which was an incredible pandemic that struck Europe, killing thousands. But when his wife and two children died of it, he went in to seclusion and started writing his â€Å"visions.† He wrote them in verses of four that are called quatrains. Nostradamus was said to have predicted many things. He predicted what he called as â€Å"the three antichrists.† The first is believed to be Napoleon. The second antichrist he predicted, in which is said by most as his most incredible prediction, is believed to be Hitler. He wrote of the second being called Hisler. He is also credited with predicting the French Revolution, the American Revolution and the deaths of the two Kennedy brothers. Since the movie was made in the early 80’s, their present predictions aren’t really applicable to us. But he predicted the world was to become completely flooded after a giant earthquake which was to happen in the New City. The new city is believed to be LA, California because it lies on the San Andres Fault, which is a hotspot for earthquakes. He also tells of a great famine that would engulf the world. Probably Nostradamus’ most incredible predictions are the ones of the future. He is said to predict the third antichrist as one from the middle east which would bomb the new city and he gives the latitude of New York city. Not only that, though, he says specifically that the city would be attacked twice. This relates tremendously to the attack on the world trade center believed to be planned by Osma Bin Laden. But, even though it does say that the city would be attacked twice, it also says that the first attack would fail.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Scarlet Letter: Tales Of Sin And Confession :: essays research papers fc

The Scarlet Letter: Tales of Sin and Confession â€Å"The happiness of the wicked passes away like a torrent!† This quote from Jean Baptiste Racin summarizes The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne in one sentence. The novel’s main focus is on three main characters and how the sins they commit affect their lives in the strict Puritan town of Boston around the year 1642. Hawthorne was very knowledgeable of his Puritan ancestry and shows it by incorporating some important thoughts and traditions into this story about sin and confession. Throughout the novel, the physical, social, mental and emotional changes that result from sin in the lives of the characters are never positive and the outcome of their spiritual battles are not always good; but the author makes it perfectly clear to us that concealing sin is not wise. Hawthorne begins the first chapter of the novel with Hester’s punishment. She had committed adultery, a crime that the Puritans often punished by death. She was sentenced to stand on the scaffold, a symbol of shame, for three hours in front of the whole town and to wear a scarlet letter â€Å"A† (meaning Adultery) for the rest of her life. She stayed loyal to her new partner and refused to expose his identity. Although she is not justified, Hester did not commit the greatest sin in the novel. Hers was a crime of passion and love, not premeditated or intended to hurt others. The sin in her actions was that her desire was of more importance to her than the Puritan moral code. This is proven when Hester says to Dimmesdale, â€Å"What we did had a consecration of its own. We felt it so! We said so to each other!† Hester fully acknowledged her guilt and displayed it with pride to the world. The elaborately decorated scarlet letter and the style in which she clothed he r daughter, Pearl, was proof of this. Hester is, indeed, a sinner and her crime was very serious. The book is named after the punishment she received for committing this crime and it made life incredibly difficult for herself and her partner, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. In overcoming the hardships, she learned many important lessons that could be used to prevent future problems. â€Å"Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers, stern and wilds ones, and they had made her strong†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her comfort to the broken-hearted, charity to the poor, and unquestionable presence in times of hardship were direct results of her quest for repentance.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Comparing the Two Poems: Clown Punk and Medusa Essay

Compare the ways the ‘Clown Punk’ and ‘Medusa’ show characteristics of being isolated and having bad or no kind of relationship with people. Both the ‘Clown Punk’ and ‘Medusa’ show characteristics of being isolated from humans; as shown in the ‘Clown Punk’, a man is being shunned by the general public, he is thought to be a bit of a joke – not to be taken seriously or treated as an equal. People fear him, yet despite this they also have a contrasting emotion of pity. Once thought of as rebellious, the man has now faded into the background, being forced to choose a simple job; his lack of education ensures this. He is a clown. The town clown. ‘Medusa’ can relate to the ‘Clown Punk’ because, although she was once accepted amongst people; beautiful and in love – she doubted her fiancà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s loyalty, slowly transforming her into a bitter and unsightly woman, thinking it would be ‘so better by far for me if you were stone’ in hopes that he would feel as isolated as she felt. Medusa’s wild thoughts slowly began to take actio n on her appearance, transforming her into a gorgon. Although Medusa and the clown punk are similar in many ways, Medusa chose to exclude herself from the rest of society, wanting to be unseen and living in the shadows of life, while the clown punk was turned away – wanting to be noticed but forever ignored. The ‘Clown Punk’ uses plenty of emotive language to emphasize the fact that the clown punk is a character the reader must feel for. The structure of the poem is 4 lines long within 4 stanzas, apart from the last which contains only 2, perhaps to draw attention to the fact that people wish that they could see less of the clown. ‘Medusa’ however uses a lot of figurative language – using similes and metaphors to emphasise the fact that Medusa is a character the reader must fear but also pity, similar to the ‘Clown Punk’ Emotive language, such as ‘deflated face’ is used in the ‘Clown Punk’ to create a vivid image for the reader. The language used allows the reader to picture the clown, making him appear more realistic and letting the reader feel sympathy for the clown punk because they can now imagine him clearer as a person with emotions. ‘Turned the hairs on my head to filthy snakes, as though my thoughts his sed and spat on my scalp’ This sentence is used in the Medusa poem because unlike the ‘Clown Punk’ it uses  both figurative language and emotive language, such as the simile, the use of the word ‘filthy’ and alliteration of the ‘S’ sound. The ‘S’ sound creates the sense that the reader can actually hear the snakes upon Medusas head, these snakes share Medusa’s thoughts, and take action upon them. ‘The shonky side of town’ is used in the ‘Clown Punk’ because the clown does not belong to the ‘good’ side of town. ‘shonky’ is a new word, invented by the author to show that there is no way to describe the awfulness of where the clown lives without mixing and matching words, (shonky is made up of shady and wonky) this is perhaps to show the slang attitude of punk rock. At the end of the second stanza within the ‘Medusa’ poem, their is a question which seems rhetorical – where in actual fact the question is answered at the beginning of the third stanza, making the reader pause momentarily before receiving the answer. This pause makes the question more frightening because waiting slightly adds drama and suspense to the poem. Within the structure of the ‘Clown Punk’ you could argue that the poem contains some characteristics of a sonnet, this could show that the clown punk is going against normal rules, he is rebelling. The structure of the ‘Medusa’ poem is rather long compared to the relatively short ‘Clown Punk’ ‘Medusa’ poem does not rhyme, whereas the ‘Clown Punk’ rhymes in the first, part of the third, and last stanza. The clown punk uses the same amount of syllables in each line in the first stanza. The reader of ‘Medusa’ would feel sorry her. Although Medusa rejected herself from social interaction, she is wild and can barely think straight without the snakes twisting her every thought. In addition to this, the reader may also attempt to understand medusa’s situation, in spite of the fact that she is no longer human – the reader can still sympathise with her. The author of the ‘Clown Punk’ never reveals the clowns actual name, this makes him seem mysterious and less human. Without a name, the public nickname him words that can scare other people away from him. It is this fear that contradicts the readers’ earlier emotion of pity. The reader of this poem would feel sympathetic at the relationship between the clown and the people, they would perhaps also feel grateful that they are accepted into their community – and no longer take for granted their friends and family.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

An Account of the Purchase of a Television Set in Singapore

CASE 5 : AN ACCOUNT OF THE PURCHASE OF A TELEVISION SET IN SINGAPORE Question 1 : What are the different stages in the buying process for a television set? What critical stimuli or events drive each stage? The buying decision process is a basic psychological process. This process plays an important role in understanding how customers make their buying decision. In this case, the consumer are planning to purchase a bigger television set, which can be placed in their living room, while the current television will be moved to their bedroom.Referring to the case, there are five different stages in the buying process for a television sets which are problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision and post purchase behavior. STAGE MODEL| DESCRIPTION| a) Problem recognition| * The buying process is start with problem recognition. A need can be activated through internal and external stimuli. * As a consumer, they have to recognize a problem occurred and the needs of the new television set.In this, the external problem occurred when her parent in law decided to move in with them. The purpose of buying new television is to give more appropriate environment and to avoid conflicts with her parent in choosing the television programs. Besides that, it is to give a better perception to the relative. While the internal stimuli derived when * Their budget for the new television set is RM 1300 only. | b) Information Search| * After problem recognition, the consumer tries to solve it and gathers the sources and information about the television set.There are four consumer information sources which is : i) Personal sources ( family, relatives, friends, neighbors etc) ii) Commercial sources (advertisement, salesman, dealers) iii) Public sources (mass media, consumer rating organizations) iv) Experiential sources (handling, examining, using the products) * In this case, they have started browsing a newspapers and magazines, browsing an internet and website to compare the different models available in market. In order to get more information, they also get a recommendation from their friends and colleagues.Besides that, they also make a visit to the household shop to learn about the product specifically. | c) Evaluation of alternative| * After collected the information, the consumer have to clarify and evaluates the alternatives that they find out. First, they have to clarify a need of a new television set. * In this case, they plan to have a new television set when their parents decided to move in to their house. This is to avoid conflicts with their parents in choosing the television programs and to give a better perception to their family. Besides that, they have to look at the benefit from the product selected. As a consumer, they have to choose which television will give more benefit to them and can satisfy their needs. | d) Purchase decision| * Evaluation behavior leads the consumer to form a ranked set of preferences . In making buying decision, they will consider a few factors which is a) Attitude of others such as husband, family, relatives, friend. b) Anticipated situational such as expected family income, expected total cost of the product and the expected benefits from the product. ) Unanticipated situational as look or manner of the salesman * In executing a purchase intention, the consumer have to make up five sub decision : a) Brands, b) Dealer c) Quantity d) Timinge) Payment method (cash or credit card) * At this stage, the consumer has to choose either JVC 29† flat screen or Panasonic 29†. * For JVC 29† flat screen, the television set was came with four years warranty, special discounts of 15% and will get a free gift; JVC VCD worth of S$180. The model also has a futuristic look and matched with their furniture. However, the price was slightly higher than their estimated budget. While for Panasonic 29†, the television set was come with one year warranty, no free gift and the price was lower from their budget. * Finally, after evaluate and considering all the factors and recommendations, they have decided to purchase the JVC 29† flat screen model although the price exceeded their budget. | e) Post purchase behavior| * After buying and trying the product, the consumer will feel some level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction and the level of satisfaction depends very much on the expectation and the product’s perceived performance. In this case, the consumer is very satisfied and happy with the television set because it matches up to her expectations. | Question 2 : What are the social and psychological factors influencing the buying process for a television set? In the buying process of a television set, there are social and psychological factors that will influence the consumer. The social factors influences customer buying decision includes culture, subculture, social class, reference group and family. Culture is the set of beli ef, attitudes and behavior patterns shared by members of the society and transmitted form one generation to the next.For example, most of the Singaporeans will spend much of their free time at home watching television. So the television set is an important household appliance for every family. Reference group includes a variety of groups that effect consumer behaviors through normative compliance. In this case, reference group that influencing them in buying process are referring to family consist of husband, wife, parents and relatives. While the psychological factors influencing the buying process of a television set are motivation, perception, learning and memory.Motivation will drive a person to act in achieving their needs. In this case, the consumer has many needs such as privacy, esteem, belongings and discomfort. In achieving their needs, the consumer will collect all the information and evaluate the alternative that they find out in choosing the best television set. Questio n 3 : What lesson can be learnt for the marketing of television sets from understanding the consumer buying process and influences? Perception is the process when the consumer select, organize and interprets information.In this scenario, the consumer has been influenced by the salesman about the quality and performance of the television set after he explained the features and functions of the different models. The features of the message and the way it is communicated was influenced the consumer perceptions. Learning involves the changes in an individual’s behavior arising from the experience. In this case, the consumer has learned from the salesman/salesgirl behavior, such as when they went to the Courts, no salesperson entertain them and at the Electric City & Best Connection, the sales person failed to give the best services to her customer.These bad experiences have change the interest of the consumer to buy television set with them. Memory is all about the information an d experiences that have been encounter as they go through their life. In the stages of the buying television set, the consumer will influence with the famous and high quality brand of television in Singapore. In the marketing of television sets, understanding the consumer buying process is very important. As the marketer, they must identify needs, wants and demands of the consumers. They also have to consider all the buying process factors and try to provoke the feeling of risk in the consumer perception.