International Trade and Finance Speech Essay

The purpose of this paper is to organize a speech that will be provided to a number of reporters that are not knowledgeable with economics. In this paper I will put importance on international trade and foreign exchange rates and how those affect the GDP, domestic markets, and students. I will also outline some of the benefits on goods and services that are imported from other countries and how those contribute to our economy in the United States. What happens when there is a surplus of imports brought into the US? When there is a surplus of a product imported into the US, it drives the prices of that particular product down. The reason it drives the prices down is because the owner of the product gets to a point where they need to clear out inventory so they sell it at a price lower than originally expected. These companies will go as far as taking a loss on the product just to clear the inventory. This surplus is a plus for the consumer. (Armadeo, 2013) Car dealerships are a prime example of companies that clean out old inventory at a reduced price. They run end of year specials that are hard to beat. One dealership had a Chevrolet Malibu for $22,110. The end of year pricing deal they offered was $3000 cash back or 0% interest on a 60 month loan. When deciding which offer is the best, a person must first look at what the percentage of interest is that they would be paying on top of the loan amount. (Mello, 2012) What are the effects of international trade to GDP, domestic markets and university students? The international trade effect on the GDP depends on if it is a surplus or deficit. If the imports are lower than exports this will have a positive effect on the GDP, domestic markets, and university students. A positive effect in the GDP increases the job market. This in turn increases money into the economy and increases sales in the local markets. This also helps the university student find a job to help finance their education. This also allows them to buy supplies for school cheaper, for example, the price of computers become lower when there is a positive effect on all these things. International trade increases options for the consumer to choose from, therefore the price on these items are more competitive. Negative effects will do the complete opposite. (McTeer, 2008) How do government choices in regards to tariffs and quotas affect international relations and trade? Simply put, tariffs are taxes the government imposes on imports. Quotas are numerical limits set by the same government imposed on the same imports. If the country imposing the tariffs and quotas set the tariff too high then this could cause future issues between the two countries. If a country wants to have a good relationship with a country they will impose lower tariffs. (â€Å"The Basics of Tariffs and Trade Barriers†, 2011) What are foreign exchange rates? How are they determined? A foreign exchange rate is the cost of converting different currencies. For example, if the foreign exchange rate for the euro is 100=$1 then 100 euros equals $1. If it costs 125 euros to exchange for $1, then the euro is not as profitable as the dollar. Exchange rates are generated by the volume of currencies acquired and sold. â€Å"Though they are affected in both the short term and long term by innumerable factors, currency supply and demand will always, ultimately, determine currency prices in the foreign exchange markets† (Sisson, 2012). Why doesn’t the U.S. simply restrict all goods coming in from China? Why can’t the U.S. just minimize the amount of imports coming in from all other countries? If the United States were to restrict all goods coming in from China it would negatively affect our relationship with them. The United States is majorly in debt to China. Upsetting them could cause them to call in all our loans. It will also affect the profitability of China’s investments and their supply in which American companies are operating. The United States cannot decrease the amount of goods coming in from other countries because it would have a huge impact on employment and the cost of items in this country. A variety of items cause them to have more competitive pricing. When you do not have people working, there is less money to be spent back into the economy. All of these reasons greatly impact the United States economy. The United States needs to trade with countries with more promising tariffs and quotas, and try to keep things fair between imports and exports to help promote a better GDP. References Mello, T. B. (2012). Sweet year-end deals available on some popular cars. Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/business/sweet-year-end-deals-available-some-popular-cars-1C6750390 Armadeo, K. (2013). The US Trade Deficit. Retrieved from http://useconomy.about.com/od/tradepolicy/p/Trade_Deficit.htm McTeer, B. (2008). The Impact of Foreign Trade on the Economy. Retrieved from http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/the-impact-of-foreign-trade-on-the-economy/ The Basics of Tariffs and Trade Barriers. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/08/tariff-trade-barrier-basics.asp#axzz2KI2v2hAC Sisson, N. (2012). ehowmoney. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_6593199_exchange-determined-markets-foreign-exchange_.html Colander, D. C. (2010). Macroeconomics. : McGraw-Hill.

Feasibility Analysis Executive Summary for a Video Store

Contents Feasibility Analysis Executive Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 Business Plan †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 System Request – Lucky8 Video Store †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 Project Standards†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 Description of the Application †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 Risk Assessment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 Feasibility Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 14 Functional Requirements: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 Nonfunctional Requirements: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 22 Appendix A: FSSD Financials †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 23 Appendix B: DFD †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 26 Appendix C: ERD & Database Relationships †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Appendix D: System Analysis Scheduling †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 31 Lucky8 Video’s System Feasibility Analysis Executive Summary The First State System Development team has created the following feasibility analysis for the Lucky8 Video’s System Project. The System Request is attached, along wit h a detailed feasibility study. The highlights of the feasibility analysis include: Technical Feasibility ? Competition risk: high ? Technological feasibility risk low ? Cost of materials risk medium ?Location feasibility risk medium Economic Feasibility ? Costs and benefits Development Expenses include: Developer salaries, server hardware Operation Expenses include: Maintenance salaries (servicemen/programmer troubleshooters) Intangible benefits include: Faster service, more convenient ? Values of Costs/Benefits Estimated Development Expense: $7500 ($2500 server + $5000 total development salary) Estimated Operational Expense: $700 maintenance fee Estimated Consumer-Related Expense: $20,000 for each rental box (includes DVD’s, Blue-Ray, and Games) 2 ?Cash Flow Year 1: $8200 Year 2: $700 + ($20,000 * X) Year 3: $700 + ($20,000 * X) Year 4: $700 + ($20,000 * X) Year N: $700 + ($20,000 * X) ? Net Present Value (NPV) Current Redbox Competitor System Cost: $15,000 each Redbox rent al unit + $7000 merchandise $2 – $20 per DVD Computer Analyst – Annual Salary: $57,202 Marketing Manager Annual Salary: $90,000 500 – 1000 items in a Redbox machine $147,202 Redbox income DVD rental price $1. 20 * X Blue-ray rental price $1. 50 * X Game rental price $2. 00 * X Lucky8 System Cost: $20,000 each Lucky8 rental unit 3 Servicemen at $15,000/yr 1 System administrator at $56,000/yr $101,000Lucky8 income DVD rental price $1. 20 * X Blue-ray rental price $1. 50 * X Game rental price $2. 00 * X 3 Net Present Value = 147,202 – 101,000 = $46,202 Return on Investment (ROI) (147,202 – 101,000) / 101,000 = 0. 457 Break-even Point $8200 4 First State System Development Business Plan Description of FSSD A pioneer in comprehensive IT outsourcing since 2008, First State System Development (FSSD) is a full-service IT consulting and outsourcing firm for businesses in and around Wilmington, Newark, and Philadelphia.Our clients represent a crosssection of all industries and rely on FSSD for many different IT services. However, their requirements are the same: technology must support their business and operate reliably. FSSD is dedicated to delivering superior, enduring solutions that are the best match between business and infrastructure, implemented by the best certified consultants in the industry. Whatever your need is, FSSD will meet it with a broad selection of onsite and remote IT services that are available as pre-packaged programs or a la carte, and all under one roof.Comprehensive IT services, broad expertise, and dependable customer service are just some examples of the services we offer. FSSD expands your IT capabilities and resources dramatically and ensures that technology works for you. FSSD’s comprehensive IT services outsourcing is the perfect fit for our clients. Our broad expertise expands the IT capabilities of these companies, giving them technology that fits their business and supports their business†™ success and growth. Our out sourcing program includes Networking, Business Application Development, Web Design, Support, Preventive Care, and nyielding Customer Service. Market leaders in a wide range of industries rely on FSSD services and solutions to power their most sophisticated computing environments. There's no escaping it: technology is a necessity in today's business and critical to your business’ success. But how do you find the right IT solution and make it work for you? The good news is that you don't have to be an IT expert to be in business. You don't even need an in-house IT department. All you need is FSSD Technologies. 5FSSD takes the worry out of IT management. Our comprehensive IT outsourcing, technology consulting, and managed IT services immediately broaden your IT capabilities, giving you the power and flexibility to handle any aspect of your technology needs. Are you ready to make technology work for you? Take a closer look at how FSSD can help: ? ? ? ? ? ? Outsourced IT Managed Services Software Solutions Technology Assessments Procurement Design & Architecture Most companies today rely heavily on technology to keep their businesses running.FSSD’s clients are no exception, but they do have a distinct advantage: We ensure that their technology drives their business’ success. We understand their business, and we understand technology. Combined, our knowledge enables us to customize and deliver sound, strategic IT solutions that function as part of our clients' long-term business strategy. Our financial numbers speak for themselves in order to provide you with a clear idea of t how FSSD has been growing in the last years. For that reason we are proud to share our comparative income statement and balance sheet with you. See appendix A) 6 System Request – Lucky8 Video Store Project Sponsor: Prem Tandon Business Need: The goal for this project is to increase Lucky 8 Video’s market share for movie and gam e rentals by spreading rental kiosks across the state. Business Requirements: Customers of Lucky 8 Video will be able to rent or buy DVD, Blu-ray and video game discs from a kiosk in their area. They will then be able to return the rented disk to the same or a different rental kiosk. Servicemen will be able to update the inventory of available products in the machine.Sales information from each Lucky 8 machine will be remotely transmitted back to a central information system for analysis. Each rental kiosk will contain: ? ? ? ? A touch screen interface An internal inventory of discs stored in cases A wireless transceiver for transactions and information communication A software system for processing customer transactions Business Value: We anticipate a wider customer base because of the ease of use and convenience of using our video rental kiosks. We also expect increased rentals at our video stores, due to the increased brand recognition.Conservative estimates for the total benefit s over the project lifespan ? ? ? ? $250,000 savings from faster service $180,000 reduction in labor costs $1,138,000 increased sales $220,500 total net cash flow 7 Special Issues or Constraints: ? ? ? ? Regular inventory updates will be required to keep available movies and games recent. The database of products in the machines will also need to be updated when new releases are added to the inventory. Rental kiosks locations will be limited to areas that receive wireless service. Customers will not be able to return disks to a machine that already has a full inventory.Roles and Responsibilities Name Position Description of Responsibilities Project planning Project control Project communication Resource management Internal project reporting and administration. Andrew Shearer Project manager Oversees all aspects of the organization’s quality or business improvement efforts, such as developing and administering the program, training and coaching employees, and facilitating chan ge throughout the organization. Responsible for establishing strategic plans, policies, and procedures at all levels so quality improvement efforts will meet or exceed internal and external customers’ needs and expectations. Understands basic revenue models, p/l, and cost-tocompletion projections and makes decisions accordingly. Understand our pricing model and billing procedures. Accurately forecasts revenue, profitability, margins, bill Alex GrierTechnical Analyst rates and utilization. Assures project legal documents are completed and signed. Tracks and reports team hours and expenses on a weekly basis. Manage project budget. Determine project roles of team members based on project requirements, timeframes and budget. When necessary work with external contractors in addition to internal resources.Define skill sets (competencies) required for the project based on project specifications and requirements. Abram Watson Business Analyst Determine resource requirements (includin g staffing, software, hardware, and facilities) of projects, based on project specifications. Designing the Company’s Processes Business Analysis in IT Analyzing the Various Business Models Detailed Planning 9 Business Advisors is someone who analyzes the Business Advisor organization and design of businesses, government departments, and non-profit organizations; BAs also assess business models and their integration with technology.Wilson Hsu Systems Analysis Plan a system flow from the ground up. Interact with customers to learn and document requirements that are then used to produce business requirements documents. Write technical requirements from a critical phase. Interact with designers to understand software limitations. Esteban Solorzano Vivar Perform system testing. Deploy the completed system. Document requirements or contribute to user manuals. Whenever a development process is conducted, the system analyst is responsible for designing components and providing that information to the developer.Database Technical Help programmers during system development, ex: provide use cases, flowcharts or even Database design. 10 Project Standards Documentation standards: ? Project name, date created and/or modified should appear on the top of each document. ? 1. 5 spacing should be used ? Fonts must be Arial 12pts. ? Each document created shall be kept in the project binder Coding Standards: ? All variable names will have relevant names and be in headless camel case. ? All Class names will be in camel case. ? The project will use object oriented design patterns. The code will be split between several different classes. ? Each class will have methods to divide the logic of the program. ? Comments will be added to all sections of code that need further explanation. Procedural standards: ? All staff will require meeting every Mondays at 10:30 for the team meeting. ? A special team Meeting will be executed every first Friday on the month. ? All changes must be approved by the project manager first prior to their execution. Specification requirements standards: ? Name of software package. ? Technical description of the package. Purpose of software package. ? Due date User interface design standards ? All buttons will be enlarged for use with a touchscreen. ? All text will be large enough for customers with vision impairments to see. ? A color scheme will be used thought-out the entire user interface. ? Returning to the main menu should take no more than two clicks. 11 Description of the Application The application allows customers to browse through discs available in the machine. Customers are able to add movies and games to a shopping cart. The customer will be prompted to enter their zip code and email address.This information is used to send a receipt to the customer and for credit verification. The disks are then dispensed from the machine. 12 Risk Assessment Risk#1: The creation and implementation of the database portion of the syste m may consume additional time resources due to the extensive amount of DVD, Blu-ray, and games in all their platforms. Likelihood of risk: Medium possibility of risk. Potential impact on the project: This will delay the programming part by 15 – 25%. Ways to address this risk: Our team will hire one or two part-time employees in order to enter the information to the database temporarily.The payment of this staff would be assumed by FSSD with no additional charge to the customer. 13 Feasibility Study 1. Client Information. 1. 1. History and Background of the Organization. The organization is a fully functional video rental store by the name of Lucky 8. The business started as a family run business and has since expanded. Lucky 8 has been operational for a little over 6 years. Within those 6 years, the business has done exceedingly well, making enough profit to expand with 20 rental kiosks 1. 2. Description 1. 2. 1. The Organization. The organization is a fully functional video rental store by the name of Lucky 8.The business started as a family run business and has since expanded. Lucky 8 has been operational for a little over 6 years. Within those 6 years, the business has done exceedingly well, making enough profit to expand with 20 rental kiosks. 1. 2. 2. The Organizational Structure. ? The owner is considered the primary manager; however, the responsibilities for managing the three stores are divided among crew members. Each Lucky 8 store also has an on-site assistant manager. Cashier, stock, and sales associates are on the same hierarchy level in the organizational structure. 14 1. 3.The Client Information All communications take place with the business owner, and all information regarding the project must be discussed with him. Any changes or additions to the project must be presented to the owner for approval, and he is solely responsible for the final acceptance criteria Owner Name: Prem R. Tandon Contact Details: Cell Phone Number: 302-555-5555 E -Mail Address: For documentation: [email  protected] edu Client Background: Before opening Lucky 8, the owner was the regional manager of Blockbuster in the Delaware Tri-State. He has no formal education with regards to media or entrepreneurship. . The Business Problem: Lucky 8 video store has been having a moderate but steady growth in recent years. However, due to the increasing growth of video platforms such as Netflix or OnDemand services provided by cable operators, many of the mayor video rental companies are closing their doors. A clear example of this trend is Blockbuster. However, not all are bad news. A new video rental system has been implemented in recent times with great success by the public. This is video rental kiosks. That is the technology strategy that Lucky 8 wants to target. 3.Proposed New System Lucky 8 video store currently has no system in place to monitor or provide the rental of DVDs, Blu-rays, or games trough kiosks. The proposed system would offer funct ionality in the areas of inventory management, order tracking, staff management, reporting, and real time data sharing between kiosks. A custom designed system will be built in JAVA for this user to meet his specific needs. Microsoft Access will be used as the organization’s database. FSSD will also provide all the components in order to build the first kiosk. The user will assume the 15 cost of additional kiosks he will require in the future.However, FSSD will provide the technical assistance to install the system in the new kiosk with no extra charge. 4. Feasibility Analysis 4. 1. Technical Feasibility 4. 1. 1. Competition risk: high ? ? ? Redbox has an estimate of 33,000 kiosks across the country and has a well-established customer base. Redbox averages an estimate of 35,000 customers a day at their terminals. Blockbuster has been around since 1985. Blockbuster has an estimate of 10,000 rental kiosks across the country. However, Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy September 2 3, 2010. 4. 1. 2. Technological feasibility risk low ? The technology is already on the market; there should be no doubt this is feasible. You can actually purchase pre-made rental kiosks online. 4. 1. 3. Cost of materials risk medium ? ? The rental kiosks are estimated to cost between 15,000 and 20,000. Companies like Redbox get a little over half their inventory from producers like Warner Brothers. However, they bring in a little under half their inventory from stores like Wal-Mart. The reason Redbox has resorted to buying from chains like Wal-Mart is due to the fact that producers like Warner Brothers have been trying to regulate and restrict access to movies for Redbox. Due to the fact that buying merchandise from chains like Wal-Mart, KMart, or any other seller that has a large inventory is possible, getting our merchandise won’t be a problem 16 4. 1. 4. Labor feasibility risk low ? For companies like Redbox who have an estimate of 33,000 kiosks their cost of maintenance and labor is very expensive and tedious. However, for a small start-up company like you the cost of maintenance won’t be too high. ? ? You can actually purchase pre-made rental kiosks online. One or two servicemen will be required to keep the kiosks up to date 4. 1. 5. Location feasibility risk medium ?Since the idea of DVD rental kiosks, the locations in which they’ve been placed have benefitted a great deal because of them. The kiosks bring in business for grocery stores, McDonalds, Walgreens, and many other franchises across the country. ? ? Because of the profitability of having a kiosk on your front door step these franchises offer their space for free. The only risk is Redbox is in numerous locations and stores may be hard pressed to accept your kiosk over a renowned Redbox. 4. 2. Economic Feasibility See attached spread sheet for economic feasibility analysis. 4. 3.Organizational Feasibility It is concerned with determining whether the business itself has suffi cient skills and resources to bring their product or service to the market table successfully. a) Three Primary Factors ? Management Expertise ? Acceptability ? Resources 17 b) Management Ability ? Andrew Shearer displays a management prowess that is requisite for this position and is firmly dedicated to the completion of this project. ? Andrew Shearer has worked on numerous projects similar to the build of this with an outstanding success rate. We have no trouble appointing him as a fit candidate for this project. ) Resource Allocation ? Nonfinancial Resources ? ? ? ? ? ? Three Lucky 8 home stores. Large media collection. Well versed in media sales. Established cliental base. Available office space. Likelihood of establishing favorable strategic partnerships is high. ? Financial Resources ? ? ? Numerous liquid assets. Minimum $1,000,000 budget for expansion. Steady profits. d) Acceptability. ? â€Å"If we build it, will they come? † ? The users of the system have already exp ressed a strong interest in the implementation of a kiosk ‘come as you please’ based system.The implementation of Redbox kiosks nationwide has brought mountainous profitability to not only the business, but the proximity business owners. Why not Lucky 8? ? Very convenient for consumers who are already on their way to a local store like Wal-Mart, Walgreens, or Shop Rite. ? Our $1 rental price is much cheaper than other media rental stores. 18 ? Concerns ? If a kiosk is full you must drive to another kiosk or wait for open availability ? ? Credit card or debit card access is required Summary ? The advantage we have is that the idea has already been produced and yielded success, so how can we fail?The benefits of the project far outweigh the risks. If we build it they will come. 19 Lucky8 Cost – Benefit Analysis 4/18/2012 2012 Benefits Faster Service Increased Convenience Increased Sales Total Benefits Development Costs 1 Server @ $2500 Development Salary Total Deve lopment Cost Operational Costs 3 Servicemen @ $15,000 /yr 1 System Administrator @ $56,000 /yr Total Operational Cost Consumer-Related Costs 20 Rental Boxes @ $400,000 Total Consumer-Related Cost Total Costs Total Benefits – Total Costs Cumulative Net Cash Flow Return on Investment(ROI) Break-even Point 31. 18% 3. 32 years 013 $50,000 $45,000 $130,000 $225,000 2014 $50,000 $45,000 $161,000 $256,000 2015 $50,000 $45,000 $192,000 $287,000 2016 $50,000 $45,000 $225,000 $320,000 Total $250,000 $180,000 $708,000 $1,138,000 $2,500 $5,000 $7,500 $0. 00 $0. 00 $0. 00 $0. 00 $0. 00 $0. 00 $0. 00 $0. 00 $0. 00 $0. 00 $0. 00 $0. 00 $2,500 $5,000 $7,500 $56,000 $56,000 $45,000. 00 $56,000 $101,000 $45,000. 00 $56,000 $101,000 $45,000. 00 $56,000 $101,000 $45,000. 00 $56,000 $101,000 $180,000. 00 $280,000 $460,000 $400,000. 00 $400,000. 00 $463,500 ($463,500) ($463,500) $0. 00 $0. 00 $101,000 $124,000 ($339,500) 0. 00 $0. 00 $101,000 $155,000 ($184,500) $0. 00 $0. 00 $101,000 $186,000 $1, 500 $0. 00 $0. 00 $101,000 $219,000 $220,500 $400,000 $400,000 $867,500 $270,500 20 Functional Requirements: 1. Search and Browse 1. 1. The System will allow customers to browse movie/game choices by predefined categories 1. 2. The System will allow customers to search for movie/game chooses by title, maker and genre. 1. 3. The System will allow customers to see s short sample of a movie/game selection. 1. 4. The System will enable customers to add game/movie to a â€Å"favorites† list. Purchase 2.Purchase 2. 1. The System will enable customers to create a customer account that will store customer data and payment information 2. 2. The System will enable customers to specify the game/DVD to rent/purchase 2. 3. The System will collect and verify payment information. Once payment is verified the machine will eject DVD/Game 3. Promote 3. 1. The system will keep track of customer interest on the basis of previous searches and will use this information to promote DVDs/Games during future visits 3. 2. Marketing department can create promotions and specials on the Web site. . 3. Based on customer’s previous purchases, DVD/Game chooses can be targeted to the customer on future visits to the Website. 3. 4. On the basis of customer interests, customers can be notified of special offers on DVD/Games that can be purchased at a reduced rate. 21 Nonfunctional Requirements: 1. Operational 1. 1. The Digital database will be constructed to facilitate searches by title, genre, publishers and series 1. 2. In the event of a failure during a transaction the customer will be able to start over. 2. Performance 2. 1.Database/transaction speeds will be monitored and kept at an acceptable operating level. 2. 2. Browsing speed should take no more then 10-20 seconds. 3. Security 3. 1. Customer information will be secured 3. 2. Payment information will be encrypted and secured. 3. 3. Customers will not have access to encrypted information(other customers previous searches an d account information) 4. Cultural and political 4. 1. An additional language will be provided if necessary for Spanish speaking customers. (Espanol) 22 Appendix A: FSSD Financials 23 FSSD Income Statement Year 2008 – 2011 Income StatementRevenue Consulting Fees Network Design Fees Software Design Fees Total Revenue Expense Advertising Cost of Goods Sold – Labor Cost of Goods Sold – Hardware Depretiation Income Tax Expense Insurance Interest Expense Other Expenses Payroll Expenses Profesional Expenses Rent Repairs & Maintance Salaries & Wages Utilities Total Expenses Net Income 45,765 129,874 178,956 17,895 7,896 12,462 15,792 67,529 67,487 25,045 38,000 7,894 148,645 25,841 789,081 66,343 68,945 158,478 297,456 29,854 8,412 49,045 28,745 112,456 124,529 38,045 48,000 9,845 248,512 48,562 1,270,884 165,057 97,458 74,895 359,126 45,987 11,046 15,123 42,045 115,621 152,456 32,556 105,000 16,456 359,784 58,741 1,586,294 204,046 97,805 209,563 489,954 67,235 25,987 18,564 59,785 156,254 249,563 41,856 120,000 29,874 584,126 78,456 2,229,022 385,858 210,485 287,454 357,485 855,424 405,673 397,812 632,456 1,435,941 546,512 468,974 774,854 1,790,340 789,056 678,945 1,146,879 2,614,880 2008 2009 2010 2011 24 FSSD COMPARATIVE BALANCE SHEET YEARS 2008-2011Cash Accounts Receivable Notes Receivable Other Receivables Inventory Securities Total Current Assets 2008 ASSETS 53,039 192,484 882 25,363 23,539 5,000 300,307 2009 18,382 195,112 139 35,304 30,876 10,000 289,813 2010 130,442 206,395 2,965 27,143 20,158 20,000 407,103 2011 59,788 270,606 175 32,789 16,116 25,000 404,474 Fixed Assets – ALLOWANCE FOR depretiation Net Fixed Assets Investment Miscelaneus Receivables Differes Charges Other Assets Total Assets 16,601 (179,370) 237,231 537,538 LIABILITIES 92,168 20,037 54,505 6,572 173,282 1,000 174,282 34,075 15,000 191,788 240,863 537,538 440,116 (212,915) 267,639 557,452 529,554 (261,915) 267,639 674,742 589,509 (320,463) 269,046 673,520 Accoun ts Payable Notes Payable Other Payables Accruals Total Current Liabilities Deferred Liabilities Other Liabilities Total Liabilities Profit Common Stock Retained Earnings/Surplus Total Equity Total Liability + Equity 88,022 22,785 39,601 2,558 152,966 3,000 155,966 15,819 15,000 201,196 232,015 516,984 47,376 27,764 34,399 34,110 243,649 4,000 247,649 80,366 15,000 260,631 355,997 674,742 106,380 25,101 83,714 15,540 230,735 10,000 240,735 57,400 15,000 309,866 382,266 673,520 25 Appendix B: DFD 26 27 Appendix C: Relationships ERD & Database 28 29 30 Appendix D: Scheduling System Analysis 31 ID Project Name Days Start End 1-Feb 8-Feb 15-Feb 22-Feb 29-Feb 7-Mar 14-Mar 21-Mar 28-Mar 4-Apr 11-Apr 18-Apr 25-Apr 2-May 1. 0 Development Schedule Planning Phase Project Initiation Project Management 91 1-Feb 2-May 1. 1 1. . 1 1. 1. 2 27 11 16 1-Feb 1-Feb 10-Feb 28-Feb 12-Feb 26-Feb 1. 2 1. 2. 1 1. 2. 2 1. 2. 3 Analysis Phase Analysis Strategy Requirements Gathering System Proposal 19 5 9 5 28 -Feb 28-Feb 4-Mar 13-Mar 18-Mar 4-Mar 13-Mar 18-Mar 1. 3 1. 3. 1 1. 3. 2 1. 3. 3 1. 3. 4 Design Phase Design Strategy Architecture Design Database & File Speculations Programming Design 26 1 8 8 9 18-Mar 18-Mar 19-Mar 27-Mar 4-Apr 13-Apr 19-Mar 27-Mar 4-Apr 13-Apr 1. 4 1. 4. 1 Implementation System Construction 19 19 13-Apr 13-Apr 2-May 2-May 32

Importance of Management’s Budget

Budgeting is not really something that should be discussed, but rather something that every company should be using in order to properly evaluate its financial possibilities, as well as to plan ahead the company's financial spending and investments, corroborated with any financial liabilities. As analysts have pointed out, â€Å"a budget is simply (1) a tool to increase your consciousness of how and where you spend your money and (2) a guideline to help you spend your money on the things that are most important to you†1. These two components of a budgeting definition should be showing us why budgeting is so important and why everyone should be opting for it. So, budgeting greatly helps with two different components. One of them is the fact that it shows where the money is actually going. In other words, the company using a budgeting tool will know exactly the expenses it has assumed, as well as any investments it has committed to during a certain period of time. Further more, the budgeting tool is essential in determine projects which are actually essential for the company, in other words, projects which bring added value to the company. The logic behind this is quite simple: after determining how much you are actually willing to spend during an investment or financial period, you need to decide what you want to spend the money on. Budgeting helps here as well and, additionally, it shows you how you can actually carry out the other projects which do not fit on the initial list. Budgeting should be considered a long-term strategy, with all the implications this brings about. In this sense, we should point out towards the fact that budgeting shows a concern for the long-term evolution of the company, with the top management needing to consider in the budgeting scheme not only the present projects and those that may appear as a necessity in the short run, but also projects with a medium and long term implication, projects that could bring significant revenues in the future, but who need to be included into present budgeting schemes. Nevertheless, we may consider some of the negative implications that budgeting could bring about in the company. One of these refers to any long-term projects, where the initial evaluation did not lead to the expected result. We may have, in this sense, projects that have been included in budgeting schemes, projects for which money have been allocated and which, in time, do not achieve the expected results and returns. One may actually point out towards the fact that if these projects had been dealt with at their specific time, they would have probably been evaluated to their true potential. While such an evaluation may be true, this does not deny the fact that a large proportion of projects that have been included for the budgeting evaluation will have resulted in good returns for the company. Additionally, project which are not successful do not necessarily reflect a bad budgeting strategy, so they should not be considered an evaluation tool. Overall, we may point out towards the fact that a proper and well-worked budgeting strategy is bound to bring about a healthy and successful financial situation within the company. Further more, a budgeting policy will have reverberations among the overall strategy that the company is determined to apply.

Minor in Entrepreneurship Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Minor in Entrepreneurship - Assignment Example Here are some of the issues you need to understand when launching and building a new business: 1. Industry Characteristics 2. Competitive Rivalry 3. Influence of Suppliers 4. Substitute Products Most successful entrepreneurs develop an intimate knowledge of these factors by working in the industry in which they start their business. If they haven’t held a job in the industry they are serious and frequent product consumers. Personal experience in the industry provides excellent exposure to the products, services, suppliers, important contacts, competitors, strength and weaknesses of competitors, key customers, channels of distribution, and marketing strategies. In nearly every success story we have collected, extensive experience in the industry revealed the missing piece that led to the business opportunity. Successful entrepreneurs continue to experience their industry first hand after they launch their new venture. All organizations exist in geographical space; the center is the furthest away from customers; the boundary is the place where customers, products, and competitors all interface. Thriving business builders spend a great deal of time in the boundary of their organization rather than inside an office: they interact with customers, work with front-line employees, and study their competitors’ products and services. Living in the boundary provides personal and up-to-date information about new innovations, reactions from consumers, tactics of competitors, changing conditions, and new business opportunities. Abraham Lincoln, one of our greatest American presidents, is a superb example of â€Å"living in the boundary† in the political arena. According to Lincoln, the best way to assess an opportunity was to gather data personally. During his first few years in office, Lincoln spent more days out of the White House than he did in it. He inspected every state regiment that passed through Washington, D.C., he met with his generals in the field, he spent time with the troops in their encampments, he visited the wounded in hospitals, he spent many days in the telegraph office at the War Department to obtain real-time information, he studied new weaponry, and even took charge of several battles, coming under fire on more than one occasion. This approach gave Lincoln first-hand information for quick decisions and effective strategies without having to rely on second- or third-hand information from others (Donald Phillips, Lincoln on Leadership, New York: Warner Books, 1992). In like manner, successful entrepreneurs spend a considerable amount of time on the edge of their organization, rather than in the center. This gives them a broad and deep understanding of their industry and provides valuable information for decision making and strategic planning. By contrast, company founders who fail often create ideas in a vacuum, and then try to push them into unfamiliar territory. In this scenario, the learning curve is long an d steep, and the fragile venture quickly burns through the capital, passion, goodwill, and team members.

The effects of arranged marriages on women in India Research Paper

The effects of arranged marriages on women in India - Research Paper Example Husband’s or in-laws’ expectations when not met in this regard often result in a never ending experience of physical and mental abuse for women. In addition to that, failure to give dowry also leads to delayed marriages which is also another social stigma experienced by Indian women. Where marriage provides an opportunity to a couple for satisfying their social, libidinal and emotional needs, lack of understanding, extreme differences in opinions and inability to compromise often results in marital problems. Since women spend more time in domestic settings, rate of depression and other psychological problems is more eminent in them due to lack of outlet of negative emotions. The situation tends to be more difficult for educated men and women who are habitual of having personal independence before marriage. Sexual encounters with unknown partners after wedding also tends to be a stigmatic experience for Indian women which can affect their approach towards men on long-ter m basis. Absence of long-term nurturing or general know-how of future husband’s nature, extra involvement of in-laws in decisions of couples and sacrificing one’s priorities unwilling i.e. career and education, can be triggers that may affect marital life in case of arranged marriages. Arranged marriage system also provides more dominance to men over their wives which further endanger welfare of women due to very foundation of this social system. Comparing advantages and disadvantages of arranged marriages in India, it is important to identify if demerits of arranged marriages for Indian women outweigh benefits offered by this social phenomenon. 2. Advantages of Arranged Marriages Matchmaking in Indian culture is a common social function performed by elders, extended family and friends and is considered as a source of references for acquiring eligible bachelor or bachelorette for daughters and sons of the family. With involvements of elders and dominant family figures in this search, the resultant is a social, economic, religious and cultural compatibility between two families which is also expected between spouses as well. This is precisely the reason why some non-resident Indian families also tend to seek partners for their sons and daughters from India (Kalpagam 207). It is also important to note that divorce rates are expected to be lower in arranged marriages due to presence of third parties and social support provided by family members for conflict resolution among a wife and husband (Bentley n.p; ‘Arranged/ Forced’ n.p). Furthermore, divorce is considered as stigma in Indian culture especially for women therefore arranged marriages provide more support against couples’ divorces which also saves their social stature in Indian culture. Also, strong family ties are an integral part of Asian and other ethnic cultures i.e. Indian, Chinese, Greek and Latina. In addition to that, ignoring personality differences, couples of ar ranged marriages are relatively less influenced by environmental factors i.e. financial or social dominance of one partner over other since they have been already considered, and discord with other family members hampering effectiveness of marital life. Lastly, arranged marriages began with little expectations since nature of partner is usually unknown for man and woman. Therefore, they are more likely to tolerate differences among them as compared to love marriages that may have

How I use math in everday life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How I use math in everday life - Essay Example Soon I realized that one needs to have his or her math in order if one has to be a successful performer in the life. In one of the session when I was 13, my grandpa asked me a simple question, â€Å"What would you prefer – working for 30 days to get paid 5 million dollars at the end or 1 cent the first day and then doubling the amount each day such as 1, 2, 4, 8, 16†¦. up to 30 days period†. My obvious answer was 5 million dollars at the end of 30 days. He laughed at me and told me that I need to have some lessons from a Jew (with full regards to Jews of course!). I could not understand how I could go wrong on such a simple query. He made me sit and asked me to do the exercise manually. Though tedious and torturous the calculation was it surprised me when I finished my calculation that revealed me that I would have garnered as much as 536,870,911 cents or $5,368,709. Much more than 5 million dollars and certainly much more rewarding indeed! My succinct reply to him was â€Å"But how can one finish such lengthy and time consuming calculations?† He replied â€Å"Babe it is easy to calculate and simple if you know the math†. That is how I got attracted to math in early stages. It was later in high school that I came across summation of geometric series given in a mathematical formula in the form of a Ãâ€" (1-r n) / (1-r) that my grandpa introduced me when I was 13. ... I was quick enough to calculate my savings in cents as (60 ? 30)/100 = 18 cents. That means the effective cost of each Choco bar would be only (60-18) =42 cents. My limited spending power of $5 on this item per week would buy me nearly (500/42) = 12 Choco bars and that were good enough for me to last more than a week. One of the most useful concepts in the math is percentage that helps me in my daily purchases. It is a good way of comparison that makes decision easier and quicker. Math in Kitchen When I was 16, I came across Fairy Cake recipe published in one of the reputed magazine. I decided to make the cake myself. The recipe was designed for 15 people and ingredients were 156 gram butter, 156 gram self-raising flour and 156 gram caster sugar, 2.5 tablespoons of milk, and 2.5 large eggs. No standard packing in the above measurements (156 gram packing) is available. Nearest available smaller packing is 100 gram. I decided to use 100 grams packing of sugar, butter, and flour. I need ed to adjust milk and eggs in the same ratio. Math helped me there. I calculated milk quantity as (100/156) ? 2.5 = 1.60 tablespoons of milk and 1.6 of large eggs. Obviously, my prepared cake was sufficient to serve (100/156) ? 15 = 10 people. Math helped me a lot in my experiments of preparing some of the delicious dishes in those days and now. Math in My Profession My flair with math helped me in my nursing career too. Often, I do not have the correct dose on hand as prescribed by the doctor; therefore, I have to calculate the dose that I need to give based on what I have on hand. Other day, I was working on the 3 to 11 shift when a heart patient complained of chest pain. I assessed the patient

Comparing Nursing Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Comparing Nursing Education - Research Paper Example Despite Florence Nightingale’s efforts to train women and recruit them in bid to acquire recognition in the professional fields, recognition of such efforts was slow (Basel $ Karger 1971). The fault of views as this concerning profession can be traced to nursing leaders for stating that nursing is based on values as nurturing, thoughtfulness, kindness and being caring. This way technical knowhow and professionalism is left out of question to present the profession as one which does not require any education or advanced ideas of Medicare. Nursing however utilizes advanced technologies in Information technology and cosmetic care in providing comfort to persons. It incorporates use of response technology and technical knowledge in fields of medicine to administer such as analgesics to pain management processes. This recognition led to revolutions for advancement of nursing as a career. As feminism set in, in the 20th century, such ideologies were no just put down by the advocates of professional acknowledgement of women in various fields they were also rejected with such slogan as ‘women should be doctors, not nurses.† The revolution concerning gender has gone further to illustrate that men also should be allowed into such â€Å"feminine† professions without being look down upon by the society. This advancements followed suit of Florence Nightingale’s system of nursing. In China, aspects of nursing go back to tradition. It utilized family members to provide care for sick relatives. As a profession, nursing only developed after the arrival of missionaries to China. The first nurse, Elizabeth Mc kenchie to arrive in China from the Western world in 1884 introduced the Nightingale method of nursing. The first nursing school was then introduced in Fachou by Ella Johnson in 1888. Afterward a training program was set up by Nina Gage (1910). This training was

OSHA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

OSHA - Case Study Example Highest Priority Standards 1. Division D Manufacturing, 3537 Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailers, and Stackers. This standard applies because the company uses lift trucks and similar equipment. 2. Division D Manufacturing, 2865 Cyclic Organic Crudes and Intermediates, and Organic Dyes and Pigments. This standard applies because of the use of paint and other chemicals. 3. Division D Manufacturing, 3563 Air and Gas Compressors. This standard applies because of the use of painting equipment and compressors. 4. Division D Manufacturing, 3541 Machine Tools, Metal Cutting Types. This is necessary because of the materials that are cut. 5. Division D Manufacturing, 3542 Machine Tools, Metal Forming Types. This is necessary because the materials are sheared. 6. Division D Manufacturing, 3547 Rolling Mill Machinery and Equipment. This standard is necessary because a mill is used. 7. Division D Manufacturing, 3546 Power Driven Hand Tools. This Standard is necessary because of the use of offha nd grinders. 8. Division D Manufacturing, 3548 Electric and Gas Welding and Soldering Equipment. This standard is necessary because of the handling and use of welding machines. 9. Division D Manufacturing, 3412Metal Shipping Barrels, Drums, Kegs, and Pails. This standard is important because of the types of items processed. 10. Division E 4783 Packing and Crating. This standard is necessary because of the packaging and shipping of finished products. 11. Division D Manufacturing 3444 Sheet Metal Work. This standard is necessary because sheet metal is handled and used in the establishment. 12. Division D Manufacturing 3441 Fabricated Structural Metal. This standard applies because metal racks are made. 13. Division D Manufacturing 3356 Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding of Nonferrous Metals, Except Copper and Aluminum. This standard applies because cold and hot rolled rods are used. 14. Division D Manufacturing 2655 Fiber Cans, Tubes, Drums, and Similar Products. This is a necessary stan dard because the movement of drums is performed. 15. Division D Manufacturing 3531 Construction Machinery and equipment. This standard is important because an overhead crane is used. Question 2) Name four important written programs this company is required to have (keep in mind that not all standards (e.g. 1910.95 Industrial Noise) require that you develop a written program or SOP of some sort, though many companies develop such SOPs regardless). Explain why you believe they are required to have these written programs. Answer – Many companies are required to have written programs. Bubba’s should have a written fire escape and prevention procedure. This is necessary because the use of welders and chemicals in the same building pose a huge fire hazard. Another written program should list employee uniform requirements. Proper footwear, gloves, and respirators are necessary to prevent accidents from slipping, and chemicals. A third written program should list hazard commun ication. It is important for employees to be informed about different chemicals that are being used and how to handle an emergency. The final written program necessary for Bubbas is for employees to be aware of visits to ensure proper work safety. This can help make the workplace safer. Regardless of what business is being conducted, it is important to meet all rules and regulations set by OSHA. Each business that provides services will have different divisions and categories that must follow the given rules. Following these rules will

A Report On Observation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Report On Observation - Assignment Example Introduction I spent about 10 hours observing at the SAY San Diego After School Program at Hearst Elementary in San Diego, CA. The children ranged from Kindergarten to 5th grade, which is approximately three to eleven years of age, and numbered up to 90, depending on the day. The program utilized the auditorium, cafeteria, outside eating area, and the playground of an older school. Snacks were served on each school day, and the children ate lunch together on one day (minimum day for the school). Each day also had between 45 and 90 minutes of play, some guided, some free time. Discussion The day care program highly observed hygiene measures. Teachers and students were expected to wash their hands after playing outdoors, before eating (and serving the food), and after using the restroom (Marotz, Cross, & Rush, 2011). Teachers are not allowed to enter the restrooms, unless there is an emergency, so they could only examine the cleanliness of children’s hands after they exited the restroom, but all children were examined to make sure the hands were clean looking. Any child who did not have clean hands was sent back in to wash with soap and water. It was hard to gauge the number of children who followed the correct procedure as many of the children are out of sight from the staff when washing their hands. Though when they washed their hands in the activity room, the result was about 65% followed the correct procedure. The general faults made were in making sure the backs of the hands got soaped up and in rinsing off the soap completely. This is because most of the children washed their hands in haste. When the children were being observed in this room, they were reminded of the correct way of washing their hands by observing their teachers of who always used the correct procedure (Marotz, Cross, & Rush, 2011). The school does not have access to warm water as all the taps are of cold water. The program cannot fix this fault. There were no children in diapers as most of the young children were old enough to use the restroom under the supervision of their teachers. The program and facility do a fantastic job on attempting to prevent infections. The school has two full-time custodians, who clean the areas inside and around the program. The workers cleaned all the surfaces that the children worked, played, and ate on. This they always did before the program opened. They did the same after they are used by the children. Each teacher also carries a first aid pack with him or her at all times. I only saw one child who needed a Band-Aid. Because of the rules and regulations handed down to the program by its parent non-profit committee and the school district that owns the facility, teachers are only allowed to put a Band-Aid on a child. They cannot help clean any wound, and they cannot put any medication on the area if it is not prescribed by a physician (Marotz, Cross, & Rush, 2011). I believe this could be fixed if the program could afford a nu rse on duty at all times, but unless the parents of the children decided to pay for it, that will not happen. The youngest children are kindergarteners, and all students in the program are expected to be potty trained. Teachers are always with children at the bathrooms, but they never go in with the children. I saw no safety issues that were out of the ordinary for the children during school time. They played on an asphalt playground that had dirt and sand that had blown on to it, so there was a slipping

Powers of Prime Minister in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Powers of Prime Minister in Canada - Essay Example Besides the traditional executive powers that have always been associated with the Prime Ministers of Canada, the same Prime Ministers exert a lot of control over the political party which elects him//her and although the Prime Minister is not necessarily the chairperson of his/her party, there is clear evidence that the Prime Ministers of Canada have always controlled their political parties in a number of ways. For example Right Honourable Stephen Harper, the current Prime Minister is widely respected and feared in his conservative party where he exercises a lot of political influence and is the central force behind all the policies and position adapted by the conservative in regard to all major issues. The Prime Minister of Canada is tasked with very crucial roles something which has led to the current debate on whether the Prime Minister's power are not "too much". As a matter of fact the Prime Minister is the leader of the party with majority of members in House of Commons. This mandates the Prime Minister to form the government, which is responsible for running the government affairs. The fact that the Prime Minister of Canada somehow influences the actions of the governor especially with regard to when elections can be called implies that the Prime Minister is more likely to take decisions, which favors his/her own political party. This has been seen by critics as potential source of abuse of power by the Prime Minister considering the fact that a Prime Minister who desires to extend the term in office may influence election time to his/her advantage. That the Prime Minister can also influence elections although the Prime Minister does not constitutionally have the powers to d o so is evidenced by the fact that the Prime Minister's requests for elections are rarely rejected by the Governor General. The constitutional provision for a Prime Minister to remain in office for as long as the Prime Minister's party has won the elections gives the Prime Minister an easy avenue for remaining at power for unusually longer periods. This is really disadvantageous to the country especially when the Prime Minister's policies and leadership is harming the citizens in any way whether socially or economically but somehow there is nothing, which can be done to do away with the unpopular Prime Minister. Continued stay in power for longer periods pose a threat to the impartiality of the Prime Minister's office in that a Prime Minister who has been in office for a very long time is very likely to abuse office. The other issue facing the Prime Minister's office is the fact that in cases where the Prime Minister has been implicated or accused of gross mismanagement or office abuse, he/she is required to step aside through resignation. Sadly, there are not checks and balances to warrant that the Prime Minister will step aside. Usually most Prime Ministers as history clearly indicates have been unwilling to resign even when conventional wisdom dictates that they resign. This is linked to the lucrativeness of the Prime Minister's office and the considerable powers which the Prime Ministe

Confusion misconception Essay Example for Free

Confusion misconception Essay In real life, we encounter many arguments designed to gain our approval. But it is dangerous not to critically analyze these arguments for they may be fallacious. According to â€Å"A fallacy is a type of argument that may seem to be correct but which proves upon examination not to be so†( Copi 72). Fallacious arguments can mislead or deceive people into accepting or believing that an idea /opinion is true/correct or an action is right when in fact, they are not. Ideas/opinions influence our reasoning, that influences our actions, and which in turn directs our destiny. If we have false ideas/opinions then we are more likely to commit wrong actions or give wrong judgment. Therefore, it is important to recognize fallacies for our own sake. On the other hand, knowing fallacies also helps a person how to express his ideas clearly and concisely, having confidence that he was not being misunderstood for he know that what he was trying to say was clearly delivered, having avoided the pitfalls of fallacious reasoning. It also enhances his skill in using the right terms or language to avoid confusion or misconception ( Copi 72-73 and101). The ability to recognize fallacies makes a person a better thinker for then he will be able to use correct reasoning to weigh the â€Å"truthfulness† or â€Å"wrongness† of an idea, opinion or action and hence he will be able to avoid the negative consequences associated with erroneous reasoning. Knowing fallacies therefore, help our thinking abilities, for then it enables a person to â€Å"formulate arguments rigorously and to scrutinize them critically† with the use of logic (Copi 101). Part 2. I agree with the author above that it is important to know fallacies for it will help me to be more cautious and critical in evaluating or accepting an opinion /idea thrown in my direction from various sources. It will help me not to be deceived to agree or to commit an act that at first glance may be right but in the end is fatally wrong. Moreover, I agree with what the author stated that recognizing fallacies makes me a better thinker for, with the use of correct method of reasoning, I will be able to recognize errors in the presentation of arguments. Lastly, I agree with the author’s conclusion that knowing Fallacies enhances my thinking ability for it helps me to be logical, and therefore, not being easily swayed by the opinions of others.

Sas Institute’s “Best Employer Award” Essay Example for Free

Sas Institute’s â€Å"Best Employer Award† Essay SAS Institute’s â€Å"Best Employer Award† is based largely on its financial success and the overwhelming job satisfaction its employees report. From free health care to copious amounts of MMs, SAS spares no cost to keep their â€Å"chief assets† happy, for, as their CEO / majority owner says Contented cows give more milk. Still, today’s talented workers are not apt to spend the majority of their careers at one company because of luxurious perks. The truth is that what seems like random and excessive, is actually a well-crafted and impeccably executed strategy to create an unparalleled work and life environment. SAS is successful in applying the principles of Cognitive Evaluation Theory that emphasize keeping employees’ cognitive attention on intrinsic rewards rather than extrinsic ones. SAS steers clear of Insufficient Justification or Insufficient Punishment by deemphasizing such extrinsic rewards as pay and promotion, and instead emphasizing intrinsic controllable rewards as membership within a community and a way of life. For example, SAS’s unique sick-day policy which, in contrast to industry standards, does not have a set number of allowable sick-days. David Russo states, â€Å"If youre out sick for six months, youll get cards and flowers†, and â€Å"We expect adult behavior. The result is that SAS employees average only two sick days annually. The focus on â€Å"Adult behavior† makes employees feel responsible for their obligation to the company as part of their overall reciprocity for all that the company has done for them. The lack of any real explicit punishment actually creates intrinsic pressure on the individual employee to not to take advantage of the policy in order to keep his self-perception in line with beliefs about being a good and accountable employee. By downplaying pay as an extrinsic reward and gauge of performance, SAS successfully uses Insufficient Justification to help in sidestepping the usual salary comparisons issues. The informational aspect of Cognitive Evaluation Theory is crucial to the understanding of SAS’s unique structure and policies. SAS avoids assigning tasks that have high probability of failure. Also it allows its employees freedom in choosing what to work on. As Goodnight states, â€Å"If theyve grown bored with their job, they have great freedom to move horizontally instead of having to hunt for another employer.† Jenn Mann echoes Goodnight when she states, â€Å"nobody much cares whether you show up at 9 or 11.† Taking the focus off such trivial extrinsic matters frees up employees to focus their attention on intrinsic motivations such as having fun. Self-concordance suggests that these intrinsic motivations are stronger, more internally justifiable and therefore much more likely to make the individual work harder to achieve his goal. SAS uses Needs Theory to focus its recruiting on people who exhibit a high need for affiliation and achievement, while paying close attention to those with an overtly high need for power. To cater to high achievers’ needs managers make sure to assign tasks that are realistically achievable within the prescribed timeframe and the individual’s competencies. Managers provide subordinates with rapid feedback through everyday walking and talking techniques. Praise and recognition are also provided through increasing responsibilities and tasking employees with full ownership of their products including placing their names on the finished product. Knowing that high achievers generally do not possess the gamblers mentality, SAS tailors its incentive package around security and predictability. Bonuses are not emphasized and stock options are not granted. Instead, employees are offered a competitive salary, full 401K contribution and a myriad of non-merit based benefits for thems elves and their families. For those with a high need for power, SAS provides autonomy, a collaborative environment and control over the life-cycle of a product. For example, each employee gets to plan his own schedule. SAS’s thinly staffed management ranks are designed to boost reliance on an honor code that emphasizes, above all else, adult behavior. This produces ample opportunities for employees to take on additional responsibilities. As a result, employees feel a sense of power and control over their work. SAS does differentiate those individuals whose need for control extends to control over others, or whose need for recognition extends to being treated like superstars. David Russo states, â€Å"SAS is not a good place for someone who wants to feel like a star or feel particularly important†. Recruiters reject these want-to-be star applicants because they believe SAS’s structure and environment cannot accommodate their needs. The need for affiliation is nurtured through a work-life balance that stresses community over personal economic gain. As stated in the article, â€Å"The perks are the most obvious manifestation of corporate munificence, but at their core they are only part of a workplace ethos thats based on a degree of trust.† SAS takes advantage of its relative isolation to reinforce its middle class utopian environment. By design, almost all essential services are provided on campus and by SAS employees. This includes healthcare, education, food services, entertainment, recreation and even subsidized housing (near the campus). The company organizes a plethora of extracurricular group activities that encourage collaboration, provide needed support and connects people on a personal level. Its success in satisfying employees Need for Affiliation manifests itself in SAS’s historical low turnover rate. An unfortunate byproduct of SAS’s homogenous environment is its relative lack o f innovation. Innovation, the better use of a novel idea or method, is a crucial element to the growth of a corporation. SAS has indubitably been successful in reshaping its own software and selling it to additional markets, but has not had the same success in branching out and innovating in other areas. Perhaps SAS, a monopoly in the data software industry, has consciously elected to steer clear of this more risky innovation because of financial and social concerns. Attraction-Selection-Attrition (ASA) model helps explains why today’s SAS, while still being remarkably efficient at providing new or improved software, is not truly a leading innovator. SAS’s pay structure and overall emphasis on a family friendly, low stress environment is a conscious effort to attract the more risk adverse individual. The selection process takes care to repel mavericks who seek power and fame. The problem is that these competitive, challenging personalities are willing to take more chances. SAS is a g reat example of ASA’s chief assertion that â€Å"The People Make the Place†. But while preaching autonomy and individuality, SAS employees are quietly advocating for conformity, cloaked as corporate citizenship. The resulting atmosphere works, through attrition, to weed out any nonconformist. Pushing out dissident voices makes the remaining collective even more homogenous and less likely to innovate. The fact that SAS’s retention at this point is so low is another indication of the high level of homogeneity. The company’s reliance on a small number of working managers makes self-regulation or as they call it â€Å"adult behavior† an essential part of the overall strategy of an employee-regulated firm. Thus, SAS’s focus on attracting and selecting a particular type of risk adverse individual, while allowing attrition to remove dissidence is an effective use of ASA, all be it a rather insensitive one. These polices have essentially forced SAS to outsources the task of innovating to its client base through constant solicitation of fee dback and ideas. Another theory that could explain SAS’s relative weakness in innovation is Equity Theory which focuses on perceptions of fairness. SAS does a good job of shaping their employees perceptions of its overall Organizational Justice through such techniques as the allocation of offices for all, having no executive cafeterias and providing identical health plans for all. The two core principles for SAS are â€Å"†¦that all people at SAS are treated fairly and equally† and â€Å"†¦that the workplace should be fun and people treated with dignity and respect†. The problem is that the two principles are different. The first advocates equality and the latter respect. Treating people with respect and dignity is universally accepted and supports employees’ feelings of Interactional Justice. Equal treatment for all is not universally accepted, and conflicts with the reality of varying levels of individual contributions to a company’s success. Universal equality skews the individual’s perception of Procedural and Distributive Justice. Talented, hardworking employees find it hard to stand out because both the evaluation process and the resulting recognition are purposefully watered down. This lack of strong correlation between risk and reward, input and output makes it less likely that unique innovation will occur b ecause the risk–taking innovator will perceive an inequitable Distributive Justice. The inequitable feeling is compounded by SAS casually defined performance review process which could leave successful innovators feeling a lack of Procedural Justice. Equity theory states that there are four referent comparisons that an employee can use to gauge equitability of his situation. Even if SAS is successful, through isolationist polices, in sheltering its employees from other-outside comparison, it still needs to contend with employees’ past experiences and internal company comparisons. Admittedly, general perception of equality is a major factor in SAS’s tremendous retention rate, but for those few want-to-be superstars it’s a major deterrent to joining the firm. This is evident in the interviewee who stated â€Å"I want to have performance that permits me to do whatever I want. When I walk down the hall, I want to feel like ‘I’m the man.† Who wouldn’t want their stellar performance to lead to more money, autonomy, recognition and better future opportunities? At SAS this potential innovator was quickly ushered out the door. For good or bad, SAS is built around a sense of equality and homogeneity, even if these terms are relative and somewhat reminiscent of an Orwellian Society, where all are equal, but some are just more equal than others. To protect its successful egalitarian culture, SAS would do better to create (like many other have) a separate off-campus RD offshoot. With a distinct culture and a more equitable compensation structure, this entity can compete for innovative talent.

HR Strategy of Barclays Bank

HR Strategy of Barclays Bank Identify the organisations overall HR strategy and goals Specifically, Barclays outlined the core objectives of its overall HR strategy in its online job portal: To ensure that our people programmes are aligned with the Barclays Commercial Bank business strategy. To train and retain, as well as acquire the best talent in the market. To make Barclays the employer of choice for people in the industry and ensure those already with us will have no intention of leaving. To ensure we have the right people, in the right jobs, doing the right work. (Barclays Bank) From the objectives strategy, one sees that the overall Human Resources strategy of Barclays Bank is guided by two fundamental factors: First, the HR strategy is about governance directed at managing the sheer number and diversity of its employees so that they all function and work according to and towards achieving the organizations business objectives. This is particularly important because Barclays employs more than 123,000 people across the globe (Barclays 2009), covering a wide variety of subsidiaries. Secondly, the HR strategy is, certainly, aimed at attracting, developing and retaining the best people available. In regard to employee development and training in the context of the first dimension to Barclays overall HR strategy the people management a formal learning process has been developed and put in place by the banks human resources managers. The aim here is to instill the behaviors and values seen as pivotal in achieving corporate goals. This HR programme involves basic training in how teams work together, personality profiling, and preferred learning styles. (Ostroff 1999, p. 122) According to Mike Ockenden, a former managing director at Barclays, HR is trying to create a spirit that says we are all one group of people working together towards the customer imperative. (Ostroff, p. 122) In addition, numerous other trainings are continually developed ranging from mentoring programmes, training on new technologies, operational methodologies, courses on team-work, to communication efficiency modules. When it comes to the objective to attract, train and retain the best people, specific programs and initiatives have been introduced. Our people, according to the organization, are the foundation of Barclays success. Its as simple as that. We want the most talented, whatever their style, personality, age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. (Barclays 2009) Indeed, the organization implements a policy of diversity and equality in the workplace. Furthermore, the Barclays corporate culture resembles democratized structure: nobody has a private office, nor are there executive parking spaces; employees sit in the same size chairs behind the same size desks; titles are forbidden, and employees use first names when they address one another. (Ostroff, p. 121) This culture creates a conducive environment for innovation and that it promotes and maintains a system that values everyones contribution. Barclays maintains: We promote an inclusive culture where colleagues of all backgrounds are respected and the different perspectives and fresh ideas they can bring to the business are valued. (Barclays 2009) Barclays have also experimented with competency-based pay systems which were expected to provide clarity about how employees can add value through their respective roles in the organization and motivation to perform better. (Holbeche 2009, p. 148) The company boasts of offering one of the highest salary schemes in the industry. The benefits package is consisted of: 1. Financial reward such as competitive salary, discretionary bonuses and recognition schemes wherein employees could receive performance-based gifts and expensive perks; 2) discounts in privileges on Barclays financial services and Barclays shares; 3) health, well-being and retirement benefits. At Barclays, employees also have the option to have flexible work schedules such as part-time work, compressed working week, job-sharing and a nine day fortnight, among others. Then, the organization has also set up a corporate social responsibility policy that aims to boost employee morale and made them proud to work for the company. This policy is contained in the companys sustainability strategy which focuses on three areas: helping address social issues, investing in community initiatives, and volunteerism. In assessing whether Barclays overall human resources strategy and objectives, one needs to look at the statistics. According to Ostroff: The company is meeting its goal of increasing national market share by at least one percentage point each year. This figure represents approximately an 18 percent increase in revenues and a 20 percent increase in profits What is more, Barclays is beating the competition by spending less. (p. 119) Barclays has achieved many of its successes partly because it was able to develop and implement a sound HR strategy and objectives, which are characterized by excellent people management.

Is Ritalin Good Essay -- essays research papers fc

Is Ritalin Good? Have you ever suffered or known anyone that has suffered from attention deficit disorder? A.D.D. is a biologically based condition causing a persistent pattern of difficulties, which includes three types of behavior. These three types are difficulty attending or focusing on a specific task, difficulty inhibiting behavior, and difficulty controlling impulses. In 1950 the prescription drug Ritalin was patented and manufactured by the CIBA-Geigy Corporation. This drug stimulates the central nervous system, with effects similar to but less potent than amphetamines and more potent than caffeine (Bailey 1). Several million children are being treated with Ritalin on the grounds that they have attention deficit disorder and are suffering from there inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity. In the past decade, there has been growing evidence that Ritalin has had negative effects on a child’s mind and behavior leading to such disorders like psychosis, mania, drug abuse, and addic tion. It suppresses creative and spontaneous activity making them more docile and obedient because of the way that Ritalin produces malfunctions in their brain rather than improving its function (Breggin 124). Prescribing Ritalin to children with diagnosed attention deficit disorder brings more negative side effects than solutions and leads to addiction. Most parents realize that their children have the disorder once the child starts attending school. Most of the time teachers are the ones who point out the child’s symptoms. The parent then takes the child to a social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist for answers. â€Å"The American Psychiatric Association lists fourteen signs, of which at least eight must be present for a child to be officially classified as ADD.†(Passwater 1) Out of these fourteen signs are normal actions of children. Some of these signs include fidgeting with hands or feet, easily distracted by extraneous stimuli, having difficulty following instructions and blurting out answers before questions are completed. (Passwater 2) It would seem by these signs that when a child doesn’t seem to be adapting to our system, we label them as having ADD and prescribe them Ritalin. With the new increase in prescriptions being filled around country, more and more children are on Ritalin, so much that the nega... ...f any kind. Works Cited Bailey J. William. â€Å"FACTLINE on Non-Medical Use of Ritalin.† Indiana Prevention Resource Center November 1995: 1-6. Indiana University. Online. 22 March 2001. http://www.drugs.indiana.edu/pubs/factline/ritalin.html Breggin K. Peter. â€Å"Talking Back to Ritalin†. Maine: Common Courage Press, 1998. Hanchett, Doug. â€Å"Speed Chills: Ritalin hits campuses: College kids Using drug to study, party.† Boston Herald May 21, 2000: 1-4. Local and Regional. Online. 22 March 2001. http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_regional/rita05212000.htm Passwater A. Richard. â€Å"Ritalin Warnings: Side Effects, Cautions, Alternatives for ADD, ADHD† Ritalin Alternative 1999: 1-13. "All About Pycnogenol" Avery Publishing Group. Online. 23 March 2001. http://www.ritalinalternative.com/index2.html â€Å"Ritalin Led To Boy's Death.† The Associated Press April 18, 2000: 1-3. Channel 25 Eyewitness News. Online. 24 March 2001. http://www.thewpbfchannel.com/sh/health/stories/health-20000418-163859.html Wen, Patricia. â€Å"As Easy To Get As Candy.† The Boston Globe Oct 29, 2000: 1-13. Conservative News Forum. Online. 20 March 2001. http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a39fca5b129fd.htm

Golden Rice: Should It Be Our Future? :: Essays Papers

Golden Rice: Should It Be Our Future? At the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, scientists created golden rice by inserting three genes into a certain rice variety which will in turn produce a greater amount of beta-carotene. This rice has a sort of yellowish hue, which has given the rice its name, golden rice. The rice is still under research and testing before it will reach the markets, which is guessed to be around 2003. If this rice is found to be safe and effective it will be a tool in providing these rice dependent countries with the nutrients they need. Rice is the staple food of many Asian and South Pacific countries. Rice is a major portion of these countries economic and agricultural systems. In places such as India, they used to eat brown rice, which is more nutritious because the outer bran layer is not removed during the milling process. When the British came to India they introduced white rice, which means the milling process has been taken to one further step. This reduces the amount of nutrients such as thiamine. White rice is now the major type of rice eaten in these Asian and Pacific countries. This has led to serious problems of malnutrition. Since normal rice does not have any beta-carotene, which is the precursor to Vitamin A, these populations are having vitamin a deficiencies. The World Health Organization stated that about 250 million people worldwide are at risk of permanent blindness, iron deficiency in women, and other serious ailments due to their lack of vitamin A. This genetically modified rice, known as â€Å"golden rice† has been created to meet the nutritional needs of these malnourished populations. Genetic engineering has become a world-wide issue. Hungry countries in Africa, such as Zimbabwe, whose population is as risk for starvation and death are skeptical about receiving genetically altered food from countries such as the United States. In China, a rice known as â€Å"super rice† has been created which is more resilient; but it has not been accepted by the Chinese markets because it is genetically altered. People are more interested in their food than ever before, and are concerned about their overall safety. They want to know where it comes from and if it has been altered from its natural state.

Perfection According to Mayrs What is Evolution :: What is Evolution Essays Mayr

Perfection According to Mayr's What is Evolution In his book titled What is Evolution, Ernst Mayr bravely attempts to explain the complex biological processes of the development of plants and animals. His book, however, reaches beyond the realm of the science text book. With What is Evolution he attempts to educate an audience which may not have a strong science background but instead a strong literary background. Through this book Mayr strives for "a mid-level account of evolution, written not just for scientists but for the educated public." In short, he attempts to write a (non-fiction) scientific novel. Though his attempt to combine great literature and hard science is admirable he often gets himself into awkward situations when trying to please both the scientific and artistic sensibilities. His major problem in the book surrounds the use of the word "perfect." As a biologist, it may be easy to pass this word off as a synonym of "adaptedness," simply meaning well-suited to one's environment. As a literary-minded person, let al one English major, however, this word cannot slip by so easily. To the novel-reader, more than to the science-reader, this word carries a lot of baggage which cannot be ignored. So, why does Mayr use this word and what is he really trying to say? Does Mayr truly believe that evolution can be perfect? The baggage that gets snared when Mayr uses the word "perfect" in his discussions of evolution is the complicated literary definition given to this word. Exact and flawless are some common synonyms of the word perfect. Perfection is something that has reached the pinnacle, the zenith of existence. Nothing which is perfect needs any alterations, modifications or changes. When something is perfect it exists with ease. It does not struggle to remain where it is, and it does not struggle to remain alive; it works in harmony with its environment. Going beyond the definition, something that is perfect is commonly more highly valued than those things around it which have not yet reached perfection. People place a certain amount of value on things that occur with ease. The human race seems constantly to be striving for something that is faster, cleaner. Something that can achieve these goals with ease earns the title of perfection and is highly. The only problem with perfection, as least in the realm of science, is that once the peak of perfection is reached there is no place towards it can further develop.

China and Debt Bomb

Six years ago, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao cautioned that China's economy is â€Å"unstable, unbalanced, uncoordinated and unsustainable. † China has since doubled down on the economic model that prompted his concern. Mr. Wen spoke out in an attempt to change the course of an economy dangerously dependent on one lever to generate growth: heavy investment in the roads, factories and other infrastructure that have helped make China a manufacturing superpower. Then along came the 2008 global financial crisis.To keep China's economy growing, panicked officials launched a half-trillion-dollar stimulus and ordered banks to fund a new wave of investment. Investment has risen as a share of gross domestic product to 48%—a record for any large country—from 43%. Even more staggering is the amount of credit that China unleashed to finance this investment boom. Since 2007, the amount of new credit generated annually has more than quadrupled to $2. 75 trillion in the 12 months through January this year. Last year, roughly half of the new loans came from the â€Å"shadow banking system,† private lenders and credit suppliers outside formal lending channels.These outfits lend to borrowers—often local governments pushing increasingly low-quality infrastructure projects—who have run into trouble paying their bank loans. Since 2008, China's total public and private debt has exploded to more than 200% of GDP—an unprecedented level for any developing country. Yet the overwhelming consensus still sees little risk to the financial system or to economic growth in China. That view ignores the strong evidence of studies launched since 2008 in a belated attempt by the major global financial institutions to understand the origin of financial crises.The key, more than the level of debt, is the rate of increase in debt—particularly private debt. (Private debt in China includes all kinds of quasi-state borrowers, such as local governments and state-owned corporations. ) Enlarge Image Corbis On the most important measures of this rate, China is now in the flashing-red zone. The first measure comes from the Bank of International Settlements, which found that if private debt as a share of GDP accelerates to a level 6% higher than its trend over the previous decade, the acceleration is an early warning of serious financial distress.In China, private debt as a share of GDP is now 12% above its previous trend, and above the peak levels seen before credit crises hit Japan in 1989, Korea in 1997, the U. S. in 2007 and Spain in 2008. The second measure comes from the International Monetary Fund, which found that if private credit grows faster than the economy for three to five years, the increasing ratio of private credit to GDP usually signals financial distress.In China, private credit has been growing much faster than the economy since 2008, and the ratio of private credit to GDP has risen by 50 percentage points to 180%, an increase similar to what the U. S. and Japan witnessed before their most recent financial woes. The bullish consensus seems to think these laws of financial gravity don't apply to China. The bulls say that bank crises typically begin when foreign creditors start to demand their money, and China owes very little to foreigners.Yet in an August 2012 National Bureau of Economic Research paper titled â€Å"The Great Leveraging,† University of Virginia economist Alan Taylor examined the 79 major financial crises in advanced economies over the past 140 years and found that they are just as likely in countries that rely on domestic savings and owe little to foreign creditors. The bulls also argue that China can afford to write off bad debts because it sits on more than $3 trillion in foreign-exchange reserves as well as huge domestic savings.However, while some other Asian nations with high savings and few foreign liabilities did avoid bank crises following credit booms, they non etheless saw economic growth slow sharply. Following credit booms in the early 1970s and the late 1980s, Japan used its vast financial resources to put troubled lenders on life support. Debt clogged the system and productivity declined. Once the increase in credit peaked, growth fell sharply over the next five years: to 3% from 8% in the 1970s and to 1% from 4% in the 1980s.In Taiwan, following a similar cycle in the early 1990s, the average annual growth rate fell to 6%. Even if China dodges a financial crisis, then, it is not likely to dodge a slowdown in its increasingly debt-clogged economy. Through 2007, creating a dollar of economic growth in China required just over a dollar of debt. Since then it has taken three dollars of debt to generate a dollar of growth. This is what you normally see in the late stages of a credit binge, as more debt goes to increasingly less productive investments.In China, exports and manufacturing are slowing as more money flows into real-estate spec ulation. About a third of the bank loans in China are now for real estate, or are backed by real estate, roughly similar to U. S. levels in 2007. For China to find a more stable growth model, most experts agree that the country needs to balance its investments by promoting greater consumption. The catch is that consumption has been growing at 8% a year for the past decade—faster than in previous miracle economies like Japan's and as fast as it can grow without triggering inflation.Yet consumption is still falling as a share of GDP because investment has been growing even faster. So rebalancing requires China to cut back on investment and on the rate of increase in debt, which would mean accepting a rate of growth as low as 5% to 6%, well below the current official rate of 8%. In other investment-led, high-growth nations, from Brazil in the 1970s to Malaysia in the 1990s, economic growth typically fell by half in the decade after investment peaked. The alternative is that Chin a tries to sustain an unrealistic growth target, by piling more debt on an already powerful debt bomb.

Playmobil Toysâ€the Secret to the Years of Toy Craze Essay

A little over a century ago, you wouldn’t believe that Playmobil, one of the most loved toy companies, started out as a lock and fitting company originally called Metallwarenfabrik. It was founded by Andreas Brandstatter, a locksmith in Zindorf, Germany. It had a few years of great track record and was not only manufacturing locks, they were even manufacturing cash registers, telephones and other various sheet metal products coincidentally to be used for toy establishments. In the 1950s, the current owner of the company, Horst Branstatter shifted the company into plastic manufacturing and joined in on the Hula Hoop Craze, which is incidentally the start of an international craze for Playmobil Toys. But one question comes to mind, why do kids and parents go crazy for these Toys? For one, the company’s ideal for toys stem from its roots of lock and metal fitting—collecting all the right pieces and fitting them together to complete a set. Its collectability is one of its greatest marketing strategy. Same for the kids, it is a matter of pride once you manage to complete a set. Typically, most toy sets would have one center piece for the set and have multiple accessories. Each and every piece would have its individual uniqueness. The fun of having a toy is being able to divulge into a world of imagination using it as a medium. A single piece has complete functionality to fulfil its role on the set’s storyline, having functioning parts that can interact with its fellow toy pieces. This allows children of all ages to use their imagination to its full extent, giving never-ending fun on the part of the kids and a satisfied smile on their parents’ lips.

Illegal Immigration in America

Hendry Miranda Professor Pauline Rodock English 1301 October 10, 2012 Illegal Immigration in America America has always been a country of immigrants. Ever since the birth of this nation, waves of immigrants have come here in search of a happier life. America is known all over the world as a place where people can be free in so many different ways, a place where prosperity is possible for those who work hard and want a better life for their offspring. The dilemma is though, many of those pursuing the â€Å"American Dream† come here illegally, and thus breaking the laws of the very same country they want to live in, right from the beginning.This research exposes some facts about the so heated debate of illegal immigration in America. In recent years America has experienced a record of illegal immigration without precedents. According to the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Service) there are two classes of illegal immigrants. First class corresponds to â€Å"ove r-stayers†, and this refers to those people who at some point legally entered the United States under any kind of visa, and simply stayed once that document expired.Most of this â€Å"over-stayers† are foreigners who came to the United States with student visas, or who came here with tourist/business visas. Even though once they over stay they are considered illegal immigrants, the government has an idea of who those people are because these kind of immigrants need to go through extensive filters in the American embassies of their country in order to get an American visa. On the other hand, the USCIS also has the Illegal Alien classification. These are the people who enter the United States without any kind of legal registry or document.The vast majority of these illegal aliens enter the United States through the Mexican border. Also, most of these immigrants are of Hispanic origins, specifically Mexicans. â€Å"Between now and 2020, the Hispanic population will increa se by 77%, compared to a 69% for Asians, 32% for African Americans, 26% for Native Americans, and 1% for non-Hispanic whites, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education. As a result, by 2020 the nation’s adult population, ages 25 to 64, will be 63 percent white, 17 percent Hispanic, 13 percent African American, 6 percent Asian, and about 1% native American† highlighted in Hardy, page 5). This illegal immigration issue has am impact in every aspect of the American way of life. Many will say and prove that the illegal immigration problem is out of control. It is estimated that more than 20 million people live illegally in the United States. Those who are pro illegal immigration insist that is wrong to label these people as â€Å"criminals† since their only â€Å"crime† is to come to America in search of better opportunities, in search of what for any reason they cannot have in their homeland.They claim that they come here to work, â€Å"to do the job s most American will not do†. Many of these groups believe that amnesty should be granted to those who meet some basic requirements, such as living in the United States continuously for more than 7 years, not having a criminal record etc. Illegal immigration groups have deep roots in many places in America and they have supporter that will do anything in order to protect the â€Å"basic rights† of the individuals that find themselves in this dilemma.A very good example of this, are the so called Sanctuary Cities: â€Å"In the United States, a number of cities in the southwest have declared themselves cities of refugee or asylum for undocumented immigrants. In April 2006, for example, Oakland, California city officials declared that would no longer cooperate with federal officials in conducting raids to capture undocumented immigrants† (highlighted in Carlson, page 267). These cities actually facilitate the stay of illegal immigrants by providing free medical care , no checks for obtaining jobs, no checks for renting a home just to name a few.San Francisco is well known to be a major Sanctuary city for illegal immigrants. Many of the illegal immigrants also use the â€Å"Anchor Baby† phenomenon. Meaning they will have kids in American soil who have the right to citizenship, in the hopes that one day they will obtain citizenship too through their American-born kids. They take advantage of the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to any person born in American soil. This is an outdated law that, after the end of the American Civil War, granted citizenship to the newly freed African American slaves.Illegal immigrants do not pay income taxes but at the same time have access to all the benefits provided by the taxpayers. Also the school systems are overcrowded in many states, thanks to the increasing number of illegal immigrants. In many cases, being an illegal immigrant can actually benefit these people: â€Å"Texas was the first stat e to respond, passing legislation granting in-state tuition rates to illegal students in 2001. California followed later that year. Other states that have enacted such laws include Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Utah, and Washington† (highlighted in Gilroy, page 16).Many anti-amnesty groups explain that opposing the amnesty is not a racial issue, but a matter of doing what’s right. The United States of America is a country of law, and by entering illegally they’re already breaking the law, right from the beginning. It’s not being anti immigration, â€Å"legal† is the key word here. Granting citizenship to illegal alien would encourage more illegal immigration. Not only that, but it will be taken as an insult by all the legal immigrants who did the right thing and followed the rules of the game to be in the United States.Most legal immigrants spend a lot of time and effort in order to get here, in some cases having to pay thousands of dollars and having to wait years for that privilege. The dram act is another attempt by illegal-immigrant supporters to legalize their status. It basically would give a path to citizenship to illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children, brought by their parents and with no faults of their own. They would have to be under the age of 16, have finished High School, free of criminal records and willing to serve in the military for at least two years.While this might sound fair for the illegals, then again it is unfair for those who came here legally and many people see this as another invitation to come to this country illegally. It is true, there must be an immigration reform, and a solution must be found to deal with the millions of illegal immigrants currently in America. Until that happens, the government should do all in its power to stop this issue from becoming bigger. The borders need to be secured and the constitution amended so illegal aliens sto p taking advantage of the â€Å"anchor baby† tactic.America still is one if not the most multicultural country in the world, Works Cited Carlson, D. (2009). The Border Crossed Us: Education, Hospitality politics, and the Social Consturction of the â€Å"illegal immigrant†. Educational Theory, 59(3), 259-277. Gilroy, M. (2009). Battle Continues over In-State Tuition for Illegal immigrants. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed For Quick Review, 74(8), 16-20. Hardy, L. (2007). Coping with Illegal immigrants in School. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condesnsed For Quick Review, 72(9), 4-6.