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Revert the following summary back into the original essay: In the last two decades, China has experienced rapid economic growth rates which have brought about many transformations. However, some people have a dissociative attitude towards changes being witnessed due to a variety of reasons.

In the last two decades, China has experienced rapid economic growth rates which have brought about many transformations. However, some people have a dissociative attitude towards changes being witnessed due to a variety of reasons.

Dissociative Attitude in China Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. China’s Rapid Transformation 3. Effects of Government Policies 4. Conclusion 5. Bibliography 6. Footnotes Introduction In the last two decades, China has experienced rapid economic growth rates which have brought about many transformations. As a result, the country has become one of the most influential economic and political powers globally. However, even though economic and social transformations have had a significant impact on the lives of many Chinese citizens, many people have a dissociative attitude towards changes being witnessed due to a variety of reasons. This essay will discuss some of the reasons that have made some people to have dissociative attitudes in China and how this situation will impact on the country in the long term. China’s Rapid Transformation In the last twenty years, China made significant strides from a third world economy to a first world economy. At the moment, the country has the second largest economy in the world after the United States. Even though exponential rates of economic growth have made the country to move from an agricultural economy to an industrialized economy, some citizens have not experienced any benefits from these changes. A study that was conducted in the country between 1990 and 2000 showed that the number of people who considered themselves happy fell from 28 percent to 12 percent. 1 This shows that many people in the country feel that they are excluded from the rapid socio-economic changes which the country has experienced in a span of two decades. 2 Therefore, this shows the country may have to contend with different forms of unrest because there are citizens who are forced to contend with low wages and a high cost of living. In many countries, life satisfaction is one of the measures which are used to estimate the level of happiness in any given society. In many countries, happiness is associated with materialism and social wellness which people in a particular society enjoy. In China’s case, some citizens were not ready for the rapid transition the country made from socialism to capitalism in less than twenty years. Despite these transformations, the country’s communist political system remains intact and has not adjusted to the current capitalistic economic model that is practiced there. 3 Any form of social unrest is not condoned by the Communist Party government, which uses all means at its disposal to crack down on any form of dissent. Therefore, its main motivation is to eliminate any threat to political stability and long term economic growth in the country. China’s political system is very authoritarian and does not condone democratic ideals such as a free press, freedom of expression and universal suffrage. In the 1990’s, China began transitioning to an industrial economy. Since many state firms were retrenching their workers, the issue of job security became one of the major concerns for urban residents. At the same time, there was a steady increase in the number of people migrating from rural areas to urban areas. Therefore, this led to the growth of large cities in the country which did not have enough adequate infrastructures to support large numbers of urban residents. 4 Since then, many people have to contend with high levels of pollution, poor housing and low wages leading to a vicious cycle of urban poverty. In addition, they are unable to access important social services such as quality healthcare, running water and efficient public transport due to overcrowding. Therefore, even though unemployment rates have reduced drastically, many people feel that the jobs they are doing do not add any value to their lives. Effects of Government Policies Chinese government policies can be credited for bringing into the country high levels of economic prosperity. In addition, the one child policy which was implemented in the country three decades ago helped the country to control a rapid population growth rate which was threatening to spiral out of control. 5 Young people who were born after the 1980’s have different views about happiness and satisfaction and do not share the same dreams with their parents who grew up in a different era. Even though young Chinese citizens are exposed to the internet and other aspects of consumerism culture, they are not satisfied with the levels of progress they are making in their lives. Media reports reveal that Chinese citizens that belong to older generations consider young adults as lazy, selfish and materialistic. 6 However, young people in the country have decried harsh social and economic policies which have led to high levels of economic inequality and general apathy. Negative perceptions of equal opportunity make more people to become more resentful towards high levels of income inequality. In the case of China, this situation has made more people to feel that the state does not allocate its resources fairly and it only rewards people who are loyal to the Communist Party. Some people are not able to access high quality education and this denies them an opportunity to be eligible for career advancement opportunities in the country. Even though the Chinese government has invested heavily in education and other forms of social infrastructure, disparities still exist due to high levels of nepotism and corruption. Many Chinese citizens consider attending college as one of the most significant steps to upward social mobility in the country. 7 However, students living in areas that have poor educational infrastructure find it difficult to pass college entry exams and this makes them more dissatisfied with their government. China’s population is currently estimated at more than 1.3 billion people and it is estimated that it will continue to experience a population decline in the next 20 to 30 years. It is estimated that the number of people aged 60 and above will be more than 300 million by the year 2030 and this will require the government to put in place effective measures to address this demographic situation. 8 Therefore, the country will not be able to achieve high rates of economic growth it has experienced in the last two decades due to low labor supply. The decline in productivity is likely to affect the country’s long term competitiveness as one of the most preferred investment destinations. This shows that dissociative attitudes are likely to become stronger in future because the numbers of childless elderly people are likely to rise. Improvements in health infrastructure will make some old people to live longer than their children and this will lead to high levels of general dissatisfaction in the country. Conclusion In conclusion, China needs to initiate economic, social and political reforms to change prevailing negative attitudes in the country. This will enable the government to address high levels of income inequalities which have continued to widen in the last two decades. More importantly, the Chinese government also needs to improve the social welfare of young people living in the country by making it easy for them to get employment opportunities. Lastly, high levels of nepotism and corruption in some government departments should be dealt with urgently to enable the country to realize its objectives in the long run. Bibliography Frijters, Paul, Amy Liu, and Xin Meng. “Are optimistic expectations keeping the Chinese happy?” Journal of Economic Organization and Behaviour 81 , no. 1 (2012): 159-171. Knight, John and Ramani Gunatilaka. “Does economic growth raise happiness in China?” Oxford Development Studies, 39 , no. 1 (2011): 1-24. Knight, John, Lina Song and Ramani Gunatilaka. “The determinants of subjective well-being in rural China.” China Economic Review 20 , no. 4 (2009): 635-649. Lu, Xiabo. “Equality of Educational Opportunity and Attitudes toward Income Inequality: Evidence from China.” Quarterly Journal of Political Science 8, (2013): 271–303. Shirk, Susan L. China: Fragile Superpower: How China’s Internal Politics Could Derail its Peaceful Rise . New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. Whyte, Martin K. Myth of a Social Volcano: Perceptions of Inequality and Distributive Injustice in Contemporary China . Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2010. Wu, Xiaogang, and Jun Li. Economic Growth, Income Inequality and Subjective Well-being: Evidence from China. Hong Kong: Population Research Studies Center, 2013. Zhao, Wei. “Economic Inequality, Status Perceptions, and Subjective Well-Being in China’s Transitional Economy.” Research in Social Stratification and Mobility 30, (2012):433-450. Footnotes 1 . Xiaogang Wu, and Jun Li, Economic Growth, Income Inequality and Subjective Well-being: Evidence from China ( Hong Kong: Population Research Studies Center, 2013), 4. 2 . Martin K. Whyte, Myth of a Social Volcano: Perceptions of Inequality and Distributive Injustice in Contemporary China (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2010), 67. 3 . John Knight, and Ramani Gunatilaka, “Does economic growth raise happiness in China?” Oxford Development Studies, 39 , no. 1 (2011): 14. 4 . Susan L Shirk, China: Fragile Superpower: How China’s Internal Politics Could Derail its Peaceful Rise (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008), 76. 5 . Paul Frijters, Amy Liu, and Xin Meng, “Are optimistic expectations keeping the Chinese happy?,” Journal of Economic Organization and Behaviour 81 , no. 1 (2012): 163. 6 . Wei Zhao, “Economic Inequality, Status Perceptions, and Subjective Well-Being in China’s Transitional Economy,” Research in Social Stratification and Mobility 30, (2012):439. 7 . Xiabo Lu, “Equality of Educational Opportunity and Attitudes toward Income Inequality: Evidence from China.” Quarterly Journal of Political Science 8, (2013): 278. 8 . John Knight, Lina Song and Ramani Gunatilaka. “The determinants of subjective well-being in rural China.” China Economic Review 20 , no. 4 (2009): 643.

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Write the original essay for the following summary: The process of globalisation has significantly affected the modern world over the last several decades. The borders between the countries and cultures gradually start to fade away. As a result, the contemporary society stops being homogeneous and begins to include more and more different people. Today, diversity has penetrated all aspects of people's lives.Diversity at the workplace stands for the variety of different people in the business organizations (Greendberg 2009). Addressing the issues of the diversity at the workplace

The process of globalisation has significantly affected the modern world over the last several decades. The borders between the countries and cultures gradually start to fade away. As a result, the contemporary society stops being homogeneous and begins to include more and more different people. Today, diversity has penetrated all aspects of people's lives. Diversity at the workplace stands for the variety of different people in the business organizations (Greendberg 2009). Addressing the issues of the diversity at the workplace

Strategies of Managing Workplace Diversity Essay The process of globalisation has significantly affected the modern world over the last several decades. The borders between the countries and cultures gradually start to fade away. As a result, the contemporary society stops being homogeneous and begins to include more and more different people. Today, diversity has penetrated all aspects of people’s lives. Diversity at the workplace stands for the variety of different people in the business organisations (Greendberg 2009). Addressing the issues of the diversity at the workplace and maintaining comfortable and harmonious working process for the employees of all kinds is one of the highest and most important priorities for the managers these days. Workplace diversity includes cultural and religious differences, people’s gender, age, health and mental abilities, sexual orientation (Managing Diversity in the Workplace 2014). Diversity in the workplace is a broad subject and it directly affects the performance of the whole company, its reputation, its success on the business arena, motivation and efficient work of the employees. The modern experts are working on creating new strategies of managing workplace diversity because they are aware that if a company fails to support its diverse workers it may start moving towards an inevitable downfall. Unresolved diversity issues at the workplace very soon become visible and start to influence the public opinion about the while company. The contemporary world has heard multiple stories about various discrimination and ignorance issues in the biggest corporations. Every time such information appears the companies and their partners start having serious problems with the organisation and its reputation among the customers. Failing the management of workplace diversity can create negative experience for the whole company. At the same time, the support and nurturing of diversity within the business organisation can impact the company’s performance in a very good way. One of the benefits of the properly managed workplace diversity is better performance of the employees motivated and respected by the company and happy to work with it. Basically, the management of the workplace diversity is the proper treatment of the employees’ weaknesses and nurturing attitude towards their strengths (Ingram 2014). Another serious benefit of the workplace diversity is the increasing human capital, which brings more opportunities to the companies and allows them employ more creative projects designed for various talents (Kerby, Burns 2012). Modern diversity in the workplace represents the ways organisations use to treat their workers (Llopis 2011). The promotion and support of the workplace diversity is highly important for the companies that base on the territories with the diverse societies. It creates plenty of benefits for the company if its workplaces resemble the communities that surround it (How to Increase Workplace Diversity 2014). The proper management of the workplace diversity is a highly important aspect of the working process in the modern companies. The leaders of global corporations spend a lot of effort trying to have the best human resources managers working for them in order to be able to address all of the various issues appearing at the diverse workplace and preventing the companies’ employees from being motivated and inspired during the work. To sum up, the importance of the workplace diversity management is based on multiple benefits it brings to the companies that distribute it properly and on the number of serious threats, which await the organisations that fail to provide appropriate support to their diverse employees. References Greenberg, J. 2009, Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions. Web. How to Increase Workplace Diversity , 2014, The Wall Street Journal. Web. Ingram, D. 2014, Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity in the Workplace . Web. Kerby, S. Burns, C. 2012, The Top 10 Economic Facts of Diversity in the Workplace . Web. Llopis, G. 2011, Diversity Management Is the Key to Growth: Make It Authentic . Web. Managing Diversity in the Workplace 2014, UCSF. Web.

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Write the original essay that generated the following summary: The essay discusses diversity issues related to communication barriers in the Florida Department of Health. These diversity issues include employees' predisposition to believe in similarity and disregard diversion, the need for organizations to rise above communication barriers caused by diversity, and the importance of cooperation among workers.

The essay discusses diversity issues related to communication barriers in the Florida Department of Health. These diversity issues include employees' predisposition to believe in similarity and disregard diversion, the need for organizations to rise above communication barriers caused by diversity, and the importance of cooperation among workers.

Diversity Issues Related to Communication Barriers Analytical Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Diversity Issues 3. Conclusion 4. References Introduction Communication barriers lead to challenges in a corporation that is trying to establish a diverse workplace and when United States organizations hire employees with diverse cultural backgrounds. Globalization has forced organizations to recruit staff from different cultural backgrounds. An organization can hardly exploit global market without a diverse workforce. Hence, even though diversity causes communication barriers, organizations cannot succeed without it. Therefore, they ought to rise above communication barriers caused by diversity and promote cooperation among workers (Nagda, 2006). Diversity is a major obstacle to communication in the Florida Department of Health. Organizational leaders and personnel encounter challenges when communicating with one another. Communication barrier affects employees’ productivity and overall organizational profit. For instance, it is hard for employees to complete their projects on time due to communication breakdown. Besides, a majority of employees are prone to stereotyping. Consequently, they interpret messages based on their skills and knowledge, and therefore fail to meet managers’ expectations. This paper will discuss diversity issues related to communication barriers in the Florida Department of Health. Diversity Issues One of the diversity issues that contribute to communication barriers in the Florida Department of Health is employees’ predisposition to believe in similarity and disregard divergence. Staff members are supposed to think global and act local. It implies that workers ought to discharge their services in line with local demands and not based on global experiences. In most cases, employees do not consider cultural factors when discharging their duties. They tend to generalize situations and overlook cultural inclinations of different target groups. According to Nagda (2006), the majority of employees do not consider laws, feelings, and behaviors of communities when discharging their duties. For Nagda (2006), many workers do not like dealing with differences. The predisposition to assume similarity is prevalent in the Florida Department of Health. One of the roles of the department is to educate the public on the correct nutrition to promote healthy living. Not all people in Florida eat the same type of food. Different cultures prefer diverse diets. However, employees in the Florida Department of Health overlook the issue of cultural diversity when preparing their nutrition programs. As a result, they encounter language barriers as they try to teach some communities about food varieties that they have never come across. Some cultures pay attention to the circumstance of communication. Nagda (2006) argues that such cultures focus more on non-verbal cues than verbal communication. Hence, it is imperative for people to consider verbal and non-verbal cues when communicating. Some people deduce meanings from gestures during communication. The Florida Department of Health has staff from diverse cultural backgrounds. Besides, its personnel interact with people from different ethnic backgrounds. At times, it is hard for staff members to relay important message due to language and cultural barriers. The Florida Department of Health is responsible for teaching the public how to respond to emergency cases. At times, it is hard for the public to grasp ideas, especially in cases where it is hard to use non-verbal communication. In other cases, staff members use non-verbal cues that are misunderstood and end up conveying wrong information. Presently, the majority of immigrants and minority groups in Florida do not have adequate skills in emergency preparedness as cultural diversity poses a significant challenge in communication. Other diversity concerns that are associated with communication hurdles include stereotype and biasness. Nagda (2006) posits, “Stereotypes are stumbling blocks for communicators because they interfere with objective viewing of stimuli” (p. 554). Nagda (2006) argues that effective communication depends on the ability of listeners to decipher stimuli. In most cases, organizational leaders and workers are too much engrossed into their cultures. Therefore, everything they do or say is interpreted according to their cultural practices. In the Florida Department of Health, some workers fail to comprehend and react to communications due to stereotyping. The majority of the group leaders are Americans. Conventionally, Americans are believed not to emphasize on non-verbal communication (Schouten & Meeuwesen, 2006). Hence, whenever group leaders use gestures to relay critical information, some employees do not take the gestures seriously. For instance, when leaders are teaching about women’s health, they use numerous non-verbal cues to describe female anatomy. However, many employees do not learn from the non-verbal cues since they do not consider them to be of significant value. Indeed, it is hard for the Florida Department of Health to enhance women’s health due to inadequate skills among the staff members. Staff members are unable to train women in cervical abnormalities due to lack of sufficient skills. Such a sensitive training is facilitated through demonstrations, which the majority of employees tend to overlook due to stereotyping and preconception. Schouten and Meeuwesen (2006) argue that stereotyping limits effective communication among employees. They allege that even if a person hails from a particular cultural background it does not mean that s/he observes everything that the culture values. Thus, it is important to pay attention to what a person is saying or doing without considering his/her cultural background. Schouten and Meeuwesen (2006) allege that the primary mistake, which many people commit, is failure to acknowledge that regional diversity plays an active role in communication. For instance, two people may come from Asia but have diverse cultures. It all depends on the region from which one comes. The same case applies in the United States. In Florida, people behave differently according to their counties. Failure to consider county differences leads to the Florida Department of Health using a general approach to serve all people. The department uses English to educate people how to deal with asthma cases. Even though the department translates some teaching materials to local languages, it is unable to bring out the meanings of certain words. Moreover, the department does not use cultural filter when communicating with people within a county, therefore making it hard for communities to understand what is being taught. Another factor that limits communication in a diverse workforce is the propensity to prejudice what is communicated (Schouten & Meeuwesen, 2006). Employees tend to endorse or reject an individual’s assertion and actions instead of analyzing the thoughts and feelings of a person from his/her perspective. Employees do not approach communication with an open mind. Schouten and Meeuwesen (2006) argue that prejudice affects effective communication. They claim that people who value their culture more than others suffer from ethnocentrism. They use their culture to interpret every communication. Therefore, they are likely to undermine another person’s opinion if it does not match with their cultural beliefs. Ethnocentrism causes cultural prejudice, which inhibits communication within institutions. The Florida Department of Health is unable to provide health services, particularly in South Florida due to mistrust and prejudice. The majority of immigrants and minority groups in South Florida prefer traditional healers. Hence, whenever the department tries to teach them how to deal with communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS, they evaluate the teachings based on traditional healers’ recommendations. In most cases, communities in this region do not trust what the Florida Department of Health teaches. Mistrust and prejudice hamper communication between staff from the Florida Department of Health and communities in South Florida. Conclusion Despite the numerous benefits of diversity to an organization, it stalls effective communication. Employees tend to overlook cultural diversity when discharging their duties. Consequently, it becomes hard to relate to communities that are culture-sensitive. Some cultures are sensitive to the context of communication. They analyze verbal and non-verbal cues that a communicator uses. Therefore, it is vital to use comprehensible signs when communicating. One of the diversity issues that affect the Florida Department of Health is stereotyping. Employees treat each other based on their cultural backgrounds. Hence, they overlook some cultural aspects when communicating. Besides, employees from the Florida Department of Health tend to prejudice every communication. The majority of workers are ethnocentric. Hence, they evaluate each communication based on their culture. Consequently, they ignore messages that do not match with their cultural beliefs. References Nagda, B. (2006). Breaking barriers, crossing borders, building bridges: Communication process in intergroup dialogs. Journal of Social Issues, 62 (3), 553-576. Schouten, B., & Meeuwesen, L. (2006). Cultural differences in medical communication: A review of the literature. Patient Education and Counseling, 64 (3), 21-34.

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Write a essay that could've provided the following summary: The essay discusses the importance of diversity rates as an essential indicator of the relationships between the members of the society, as well as the existence of ethnicity or race related stereotypes. It is crucial that the voice of every single member of the society should be heard, which is hardly possible once certain community is underrepresented in the society, be it a specific ethnicity, nationality, or gender. While introducing more diversity into a specific society, where a certain minority experiences considerable difficulties in becoming the members

The essay discusses the importance of diversity rates as an essential indicator of the relationships between the members of the society, as well as the existence of ethnicity or race related stereotypes. It is crucial that the voice of every single member of the society should be heard, which is hardly possible once certain community is underrepresented in the society, be it a specific ethnicity, nationality, or gender. While introducing more diversity into a specific society, where a certain minority experiences considerable difficulties in becoming the members

Diversity Rates in Mercer County, West Virginia Evaluation Essay Diversity rates are an essential indicator of the relationships between the members of the society, as well as the existence of ethnicity or race related stereotypes. It is crucial that the voice of every single member of the society should be heard, which is hardly possible once certain community is underrepresented in the society, be it a specific ethnicity, nationality, or gender. While introducing more diversity into a specific society, where a certain minority experiences considerable difficulties in becoming the members of a community is hardly possible, facilitating the environment, in which this minority can feel appreciated is quite practicable. Though the research of the data regarding the Mercer County diversity concerns mostly its education establishments, particularly, local schools, the information obtained in the course of the research gives a lot of food for thoughts. As the data acquired from ZIPskinny shows, Black and Asian people are underrepresented in the community considerably, Athens (one of Mercer’s biggest communities) having only 3.5% and 1.4% of the aforementioned ethnicities in the community correspondingly ( The skinny on: 24712 (Athens WV) , 2000). The rates of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, as well as the Native American one, are close to 0% in most of the county’s communities ( Communities in West Virginia , 2000). These rather surprising results indicate that the members of the county might have tangible communication problems in case of conversing with the representatives of other cultures. The ethnicity and culture related issues are not the only problems that the Mercer community should pay special attention to. According to the U.S. Census Bureau map, the area of Mercer incorporates two minor civil divisions, Princeton in the center of the county and Bluefield in the northwest ( Mercer County, WV – economic places , 2007). The size of the areas shows clearly that the people inhabiting it are the county minority and, therefore, need to be represented properly, as well as have an opportunity to engage into the county’s social life and have their say in the decisions on major changes in the infrastructure of the county, the education related changes, political issues, etc. Other sources point at the fact that Mercer County is not as much preoccupied with its diversity issues, as it is concerned with the education opportunities for students in general. According to the recent report, the MCCC (Mercer County Community College) teaching staff members have recently “emphasized the need to increase postsecondary access and accelerate college completion to build stronger bridges from high schools, adult education, community colleges, four-year universities, and the workforce” ( NCAA graduation rates , 2011). Such an approach may be the sign of diversity concerns being rather low in the county; however, the lack of engagement with the diversity rates may also show that the county does not pay as much attention to the issue as it deserves. Therefore, despite the fact that over the past few years, diversity rates have been increased slightly in Mercer County due to immigration ( Diversity in the classroom , 2012), the situation still leaves much to be desired. It is important to realize that a range of outcomes for the Mercer County society hinges on whether all its members have been represented properly. Since the diversity rates are increasing very slowly, a booster for the process must be created; in other words, various media for spreading awareness concerning the significance of diversity and the values of other cultures is crucial for the functioning of the Mercer County society. As long as all members of the population are represented equally, considerable improvements in the relationships between the residents of the county can be expected, and several major economic and cultural issues are likely to be resolved. Speaking of the significance of the aforementioned data or a teacher, one must admit that the information provided above may serve as a perfect foil for an educator to base the approach towards the students on. The significance of students’ background, both ethnic and social, is not to be underestimated, for it defines the background knowledge that the students may have and, therefore, the pace at which their academic progress is going to take place. More to the point, the students’ national, ethic and social background defines the approach that a teacher should undertake in order to motivate the students. Indeed, the values and morals, which students are guided by are predetermined by their cultural background for the most part. Therefore, the facts acquired from the statistical data about the diversity rates among students inform the strategies that a teacher adopts in order to motivate their students for the learning process. There is no secret that students are rarely capable of motivating themselves for academic achievements; as a result, in most cases, it is a teachers’ job to make students interested in the subject. However, reaching students is not an easy task if they represent a completely different culture and are motivated by different ideas. Analyzing the culture of the students helps the teacher not only enhance the students’ performance, but also increase awareness concerning diversity and the problems related to prejudice among the rest of the class. Reference List Communities in West Virginia (2000). Web. Diversity in the classroom (2012). Web. Mercer County, WV – economic places (2007). Web. NCAA graduation rates (2011). Web. The skinny on: 24712 (Athens WV) (2000). Web.

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Provide the inputted essay that when summarized resulted in the following summary : The text discusses a study on the impact of blogging on boys' motivation, knowledge, and literacy in school. The study found that blogging increased boys' motivation, diversified their knowledge, and improved their literacy in school.

The text discusses a study on the impact of blogging on boys' motivation, knowledge, and literacy in school. The study found that blogging increased boys' motivation, diversified their knowledge, and improved their literacy in school.

Does Blogging Increase the Motivation of Boys in Class Dissertation Table of Contents 1. Implementation of the Research Action 2. Results 3. Conclusion and Recommendations 4. Reference List Implementation of the Research Action My interest in this area is to prove the hypothesis of the research that the use of blogging in Design and Technology will increase boys’ motivation, diversify their knowledge, and improve their literacy in school. In this regard, the featured research questions that revolve around the use of blogging as a pedagogical approach will play a crucial role in providing a strong basis for the research. In this research, I would be investigating how different people tend to view the use of blogging as a useful tool that can be used to boost boys’ understanding in design and technology classrooms. In order to achieve this goal, I conducted an extensive research on various sources of information that included, but were not limited to, internet sources, government publications, and interviews on students and teachers from different learning institutions. The main reason behind this research was to determine whether blogging can serve as a pedagogical approach that can be used to promote boys’ understanding when it comes to design and technology. More importantly, this research will help to pave way for future studies in the field. As it is shown in the methodology section, this research was carried out using various research approaches to determine the impact that blogs and blogging activities would have on boys’ understanding in school, especially when it comes to matters of design and technology. For instance, I made great use of the World Wide Web to identify similar studies which had been conducted previously and see what the researchers behind those works had to say in regard with the research hypothesis. The findings and observations made by other researchers on this subject matter as it was revealed through various publications would serve as a big inspiration towards this research. Moreover, I also dedicated sometime to search and analyse various government publications on the subject, especially ones that offered important guidelines on the use of blogs and other social media websites for pedagogical purposes. A primary survey on the policies of about ten learning institutions was also conducted to determine whether the use of blogs had a positive impact on boys when it comes to class work. It is always wise for researchers to focus their studies on various subjects, considering the dangers that can be associated with a single study as far as the credibility of outcome is concerned (Luo 2010). In this regard, it was necessary to investigate various schools and individuals from different regions. Among the various research approaches used in this study, surveys on learning institutions and individuals proved to be the most suitable and reliable method to apply here owing to a number of reasons. For example, through this approach, the participants in the study were engaged in a direct way and this helped to minimise cases of biased information or responses on the subject. More importantly, institutions and people from different regions were interviewed, and this increased the diversity of the study, thus helping me to gain a deeper insight of how the idea of using blogging for pedagogical purposes was perceived in different regions and by people of varied cultural tastes. In this regard, I visited various schools in different regions whereby I interviewed teachers and students regarding their take on the impacts of blogging on the literacy of boys. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used for the research. These approaches included focus group interviews on students and semi-structured interviews on members of the teaching staff, whereby the participants were required to give their views on whether blogging helped to increase boys’ motivation and literacy in class. Simple random technique was applied for this exercise whereby the participants would be chosen from large groups of students from selected schools. The interview for the students was boy-focused, considering the fact that this was a study to determine the impact of blogging on male students, and it featured closed-ended questions. In this case, participants are required to respond with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to various survey questions in regard with the subject matter (Krause 2002). The feedback received from the students was directly filled on the structured survey templates. As Leech (2002) observes, ‘semi-structured interviews are usually simple and direct’ and this enabled the students to respond to the survey questions without any complications. More importantly, this approach provided the students with an equal opportunity to give relevant information, thus proving to be more helpful in determining the accuracy of the acquired feedback. On the other hand, open-ended questions were used to interview teachers and other persons in the learning institutions who were mature enough to offer deeper answers to the interviews. A number of themes on the use of blogs and blogging in schools, and how these would tend to increase boy’s motivation and literacy or ways in which it will tend to affect their studies otherwise were widely explored. The interview on teachers was guided by a framework of key ideas and themes which had been prepared earlier on. Possibly, the feedback received from the teachers was of greater importance, since it elaborated more on the questions. The questions meant for the teachers were a bit general compared with the ones used for the students, and this prompted a two-way communication, thus providing a better understanding of the views given. Through this approach, people can provide reasons for their answers, thus giving a perfect presentation of their opinions (Rapley 2001). In this regard, it was easy to determine the reasons as to why people agreed or disagreed with the use of blogging for pedagogical purposes. The feedback received was recorded in notebooks for comparison at the end of the exercise. In both cases, the participants were interviewed on the benefits associated with blogging as well as its problems when used as a pedagogical approach. Results Findings acquired from this study strongly seemed to support the research hypothesis in all aspects. For instance, this was evident from the vast studies that were observed from the World Wide Web, whose findings had indicated a positive impact of blogging on school boys, among other students. The same observation would be made from the government publications where it was perceived that the use of blogging and other effective social media channels will tend to have significant influence on learners in all levels of education, as long as the platforms were used wisely. It was also noticeable from the interviews conducted on teachers and students from different schools that blogs play a crucial role in increasing boys’ motivation and literacy in school, particularly in design and technology lessons. The idea of using blogging as a pedagogical approach was highly supported by majority of those interviewed. Even though some negativity was expressed on blogging, such as it being distractive and unethical when used for pedagogical purposes, the concern about blogs being a powerful tool of communication in today’s educational settings seemed to outweigh the disadvantages expressed. Considering their ability to enhance students’ social skills and promoting effective learning experiences, blogs are crucial sites that can be of great importance to boys at school (Conole et al. 2008). More importantly, the sites provide the students with opportunities to explore things from a very wide diversity, thus making learning easy, interactive, and more interesting (Cochrane 2010). As a result of the many benefits that come with blogging, many students and teachers have fully embraced the trend. This was evident from the responses expressed in the interviews conducted on the students and teachers from various learning institutions where most interviewees appeared to support the claim that blogging played a significant role in improving classroom literacy among the boys. On the question about what they read and write about mostly, many students would chose blogs among other forms of social media. What would be more interesting, however, was the fact that many students don’t just read blogs, but they also own their own blogs where they can directly interact with other bloggers from across the world, particularly in matters to do with education. Based on the observations made by majority of the teachers, lessons meant for students can be executed from just anywhere through the power of blogging, and this ensures that students are taken through their learning needs in a more effective and efficient manner. There is no doubt that blogging is an effective way that can be used to motivate boys in school (Ellison & Wu 2008). This observation was evident in those institutions that applied blogging as a pedagogical approach, where boys appeared to do better in design and technology among other subjects, compared to students from other institutions where blogging was not applied. All these observations provided enough evidence to indicate that the role played by blogging activities in increasing motivation and literacy among the boys can never be overestimated. Conclusion and Recommendations As it has been shown in various studies, blogging comes with immense benefits to current generation of learners who are able to make use of the many learning opportunities provided by the platform to attain their learning needs and advance their studies. Blogging provides students with increased opportunities to interact with fellow students and other people from different regions, and this is crucial in helping boys in design and technology classrooms understand lessons effectively. Apart from offering a really diverse learning platform for learners of all ages, blogs would also help boys learn the benefits of planning and commitment, as they constantly engage in educational blogging. More importantly, blogs are perfect sites through which people’s feelings can be expressed, and for that reason, they tend to give boys an opportunity to share their opinions openly (Wang et al. 2009). This, however, provides educators with an opportunity to understand their students better, thus coming up with the most appropriate approaches that would help them achieve their learning needs in school. Blogging is a perfect manifestation of how social media can be used to develop literacy among students, and for that reason, there is a need for schools to embrace it for the benefits of their students. As a matter of fact, the current human generation seems to be obsessed by modern-day technological aspects, particularly the internet, whereby social networking has become a norm in the society. This, however, helps to explain the reason as to why people will tend to spend a lot of time on social media platforms interacting with one another. This addictive nature of the social media can be very destructive to students who usually spend much of their valuable time doing useless things over the platforms. Humans cannot escape from the impacts of globalisation and technology, and therefore, the best thing to do is to embrace them as they evolve, but in a wise manner. To avoid the fate of social media and other distractive sites that can bring harmful effects on learners, educators should realise the powerful benefits associated with blogs and use the platforms to increase the motivation and literacy of boys and other learners in schools (Arslan & Şahin-Kızıl 2010). Everything seems to be taking a different course in life as a result of the rapid technological advancements taking place in the world today. The use of modern technologies can be felt in all sectors of life, and this has made human life much simpler. For instance, the invention of computers and mobile word processors has made things easier when it comes to writing, whereby people would only need to type their work, save it on their computers, and print it whenever they wish (Yamada 2009). In the same manner, blogging, which offers great archiving capabilities, seems to be the next thing that will be replacing the traditional way of learning in the near future. In this regard, learning institutions should start embracing the trend as the most reliable form of social media that can be used to motivate boys to do better in school. Reference List Arslan, R & Şahin-Kızıl, A 2010, ‘How can the use of blog software facilitate the writing process of English language learners?’, Computer Assisted Language Learning , vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 183-197. Cochrane, T 2010, ‘Exploring mobile learning success factors’, Research in Learning Technology , vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 35-39. Conole, G, De Laat, M, Dillon, T, & Darby, J 2008, ‘Disruptive technologies’ pedagogical innovation: What’s new? Findings from an in-depth study of students’ use and perception of technology’, Computers & Education , vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 511-524. Ellison, N & Wu, Y 2008, ‘Blogging in the classroom: A preliminary exploration of student attitudes and impact on comprehension’, Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia , vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 99-122. Krause, N 2002, ‘A comprehensive strategy for developing closed-ended survey items for use in studies of older adults’, The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences , vol. 57, no. 5, pp. 263-274. Leech, B 2002, ‘Asking questions: techniques for semistructured interviews’, Political Science & Politics , vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 665-668. Luo, L 2010, ‘Web 2.0 integration in information literacy instruction: an overview’, The Journal of Academic Librarianship , vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 32-40. Rapley, T 2001, ‘The art (fulness) of open-ended interviewing: some considerations on analysing interviews’, Qualitative Research , vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 303-323. Wang, M, Shen, R, Novak, D, & Pan, X 2009, ‘The impact of mobile learning on students’ learning behaviours and performance: Report from a large blended classroom’, British Journal of Educational Technology , vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 673-695. Yamada, M 2009, ‘The role of social presence in learner-centered communicative language learning using synchronous computer-mediated communication: Experimental study’, Computers & Education , vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 820-833.

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Revert the following summary back into the original essay: The history of the Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act discusses the debates advanced by scholars concerning the DREAM Act using issues such as self-interest, American ideologies, majorities, and legislative dynamics, long and short-term interest, public opinion, and common good. The essay concludes that the act is very essential in minimizing the issue of self-interest in the country, while at the same time, promoting diversity in the United States.

The history of the Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act discusses the debates advanced by scholars concerning the DREAM Act using issues such as self-interest, American ideologies, majorities, and legislative dynamics, long and short-term interest, public opinion, and common good. The essay concludes that the act is very essential in minimizing the issue of self-interest in the country, while at the same time, promoting diversity in the United States.

History of Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Proposers of the Act 3. Opinions of Scholars Opposing the Act 4. Conclusion 5. Works Cited Introduction Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act provides legal and permanent citizenship to individuals, who have lived in the United States for a reasonable period that exceeds five years. According to the act, people, who travelled to the United States as minors and were below 16 years during their entry into the country or under 35 years during its enactment, benefit from its provisions. The act states that provided the individuals engage in good behavior, they qualify for a permanent citizenship in the country. Evidently, a number of scholars have advanced arguments concerning the issues of self-interest, American ideologies, majorities, and legislative dynamics, long and short-term interest, public opinion, and common good. It is imperative to assert that, while some debates support the act, others oppose it. Therefore, the essay discusses the debates advanced by scholars concerning the DREAM Act using issues such as self-interest, American ideologies, majorities, and legislative dynamics, long and short-term interest, public opinion, and common good. Proposers of the Act From the perspective of those individuals, who support the act, they argue that it is very essential in minimizing the issue of self-interest. In their assertion, they explain that the act minimizes instances where the majority enjoys the benefits in the country, whereas the needs of the minority fail to materialize. According to Barreto and O’Bryant, the act champions for the rights of the minority and immigrants in the country, and hence, encourages promotion of diversity (119). As a result, the act is very practical in the development of the country. Fundamentally, by ensuring that the immigrants get permanent citizenship, their full potential materializes, and as such, the issue of achieving the best from the country’s citizens becomes successful. Some of the long and short-term interests that the act facilitates include increasing employment opportunities, amount of labor, gross domestic product, and investment in the country. While the long-term interests comprise increased gross domestic product and amplified investment, short-term interests include high employment opportunities and augmented amount of labor in the United States. Lopez and Lopez state that when immigrants receive permanent resident status in the country, their potential becomes effective and optimal (70). As a result, the performance and investment increases, a factor that leads to high job and employment opportunities in the country. The implication of high job opportunities and investment levels is increased gross domestic product and effective achievement of development goals in the country. In essence, the scholars argue that the act aims to reduce the issue of self-interest and encourage adoption of public opinion and common good in the country. Opinions of Scholars Opposing the Act On the other hand, the individuals, who oppose the act elucidate that it has demerits that outweigh its benefits. The scholars explain that the act increases resentment and selfishness in the country because it creates a feeling of unfair treatment and double standards among the majorities. Welner and Chi assert that according to the scholars, the act elevates the intensity of immigration in the United States and eventually, the majorities in the country can become marginalized (183). In their argument, the scholars highlight that in the process of implementing the provisions of the act, the country can underscore the high rates of unemployment experienced by the majorities and encourage immigrant investment and employment. Since the act proposes that the immigrants can receive permanent residency even after committing a crime, scholars note that it may increase the number of illegal gangs in the country. In the perspective of the opponents of the DREAM Act, they explain that it has several long and short-term effects on the country’s development. Increased wage bill and high levels of unemployment are some of the short-term effects. In addition, low investment from the residents, increased self-interest, and racism are some of the long-term effects that the act can initiate in the United States (Sharma and Gielen 110; Tocqueville and Goldhammer 749). Since the act encourages increased immigration, an influx of immigrants increases the population and results in an ultimate rise in the number of people in need of employment. Therefore, the amount of resources required to meet the rising employment needs augments significantly and translates into a considerable wage bill. In the long term, the residents in the country can engage in low investments, as the act facilitates increased investment from immigrants. Eventually, the residents can develop some kind of resentment towards the immigrants and incidences of racism can increase. Conclusion DREAM Act is one of the acts that focus on increasing the number of immigrants in the United States. The act encourages permanent citizenship to those immigrants, who travelled into the country as minors or those under the age of 35 during its enactment. While the act presents a number of merits such as increased investment, employment, and augmented labor, it has various drawbacks like increased resentment, augmented self-interest, discouragement of resident investment, high wage bill, and amplified rates of unemployment. The various merits and demerits presented by the act have led to a number of debates from scholars, who oppose or support it. Works Cited Barreto, Amílcar, and Richard O’Bryant. American Identity in the Age of Obama, New York: Routledge, 2013. Print. Lopez, Maria ,and Gerardo Lopez. Persistent Inequality: Contemporary Realities in the Education of Undocumented Latina/o Students, New York: Routledge, 2010. Print. Sharma, Dinesh, and Uwe Gielen. The Global Obama: Crossroads of Leadership in the 21st Century, New York: Routledge, 2013. Print. Tocqueville, Alexis, and Arthur Goldhammer. Democracy in America , New York: Library of America, 2004. Print. Welner, Kevin, and Wendy Chi. Current Issues in Education Policy and the Law , Charlotte: Information Age Pub, 2008. Print.

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Revert the following summary back into the original essay: The DuPont analysis is a method of evaluating the effect of three components of the return on equity (ROE) on a single equation. It allows a financial analyst to assess the effect of the net profit margin, total asset turnover, and capital formation on ROE.

The DuPont analysis is a method of evaluating the effect of three components of the return on equity (ROE) on a single equation. It allows a financial analyst to assess the effect of the net profit margin, total asset turnover, and capital formation on ROE.

DuPont Method: Return on Equity Effect Evaluation Essay The DuPont analysis is a method of evaluating the effect of three components of the return on equity (ROE) on a single equation. It allows a financial analyst to assess the effect of the net profit margin, total asset turnover, and capital formation on ROE (Weil, Schipper, & Francis, 2014). Gadge, Deora, & Katsure (2013) explain that it is a way of decomposing ROE into its three components. The three parts include profit margin, asset turnover, and financial leverage. (Net income/ net sales) x (net sales/ total assets) = return on investment (ROI) (Weil et al., 2014). ROI x financial leverage = ROE Financial leverage = total assets/ stockholders’ equity (Thorp, 2012). ROE = (net income/ net sales) x (net sales/ total assets) x (total assets/ total equity) (Gadge et al., 2013). In the DuPont analysis, ROE is the focus of financial analysts because it is the main interest of shareholders. It shows the rate at which their wealth is increasing. Gadge et al. (2013) discuss that the firm’s primary goal is to make profits for its shareholders. When a firm’s ROE rises, it increases the ability of the firm to generate additional profits. The ability increases without raising additional capital from shareholders and the financial market (Thorp, 2012). The asset turnover ratio indicates how successful the firm has been in utilizing assets to generate sales (Weil et al., 2014). A firm should be able to increase sales when it increases assets. A firm improving its efficiency is expected to increase sales using the same level of assets. Gadge et al. (2013) explain that asset turnover measures operating efficiency. The profit margin shows the firm’s ability to control expenses and the cost of other inputs. Weil et al. (2014) suggest that it shows the effectiveness of the firm in controlling expenses relative to sales. A firm will increase its profit margin if it can reduce its expenses relative to sales. It can also increase its revenue relative to expenses. Thorp (2012) explains that there are industries with a low profit margin because of intense rivalry among firms. Other industries have a high profit margin because a few firms are able to charge a premium price for their products. However, the main purpose of the DuPont analysis is to assess the improvement of the profit margin component in increasing the ROE. Financial leverage shows the combination of the sources of capital that the firm uses to generate income for shareholders. Shareholders will be satisfied when the size of their equity increases without providing additional capital. Thorp (2012) explains that there is a share dilution when a firm decides to issue more shares to raise additional capital. Additional capital increases ability to generate revenues. Raising capital from debts reduces the net income through interest expense. The more a firm borrows, the higher the interest rate it will be charged. Risk increases with more financial leverage (Thorp, 2012). Thorp (2012) suggests that the DuPont analysis is a good model for evaluating a firm performance. However, it fails to capture the details in the performance of a firm. The signals found in the DuPont analysis should be investigated further to obtain the root cause of problems. Thorp (2012) discusses a DuPont analysis made up of five components. In addition to the three parts, it assesses the interest burden on borrowed capital and tax efficiency. The DuPont analysis can be used effectively to predict future changes in stock prices. Soliman (2008) conducted a survey that shows that positive changes in the DuPont components were followed by similar changes in the stock prices. Soliman (2008) found out that a positive change in the asset turnover ratio predicted higher profitability in the future, after controlling for changes in the ROE. According to Soliman (2008), financial analysts may fail to predict future stock prices by failing to evaluate all components of the DuPont analysis. The high frequency of prediction errors could be a sign that some analysts have failed to use all components of the DuPont analysis to make predictions (Soliman, 2008). In the year 2007, the average firm in the S&P 500 Index had a total market value of five times stockholders’ equity (book value). Assume a firm had total assets of $10 million, total debt of $6 million, and net income of $600,000. What is the percent return on equity? ROI = profit margin x total asset turnover ROI = (net income/ net sales) x (net sales /total assets) = $600,000/ net sales x net sales / $10,000,000 = $600,000/ $10,000,000 = 6% As shown above, net sales will cancel out because it is the same value, leaving the ROI as 6%. ROE = ROI x financial leverage ROE = 6% x ($10,000,000/ $ (10,000,000 – 6,000,000) ROE = 6% x 2.5 = 15% Return on total market value Book value = stockholders’ equity = total assets – total debts = $10,000,000 – $6,000,000 = $4,000,000 Total market value on average is five times book value = 5 x $4,000,000 = $20,000,000 Return on total market value = $600,000/ $20,000,000 = 3% The return on the market (3%) appears inadequate because it is closer to the coupon rate of a thirty-year bond in the U.S. (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2015). The 2.57% rate may be considered the risk-free rate. The stock market has a lot of risk. A higher premium should be generated to cover the risk. Implications As a shareholder, one can sell the shares and invest in other financial assets that generate higher returns. Shareholders can also put pressure on the managers to increase their operating efficiency. References Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. (2015). Selected interest rates (weekly) H.15 . Web. Gadge, A., Deora, B., & Kasture, R. (2013). Certified credit research analyst (CCRA) Level 1 . New Delhi: Taxmann Publications. Soliman, M. (2008). The use of DuPont analysis by market participants. The Accounting Review, 83 (3), 823-853. Web. Thorp, W. (2012). Deconstructing ROE: DuPont analysis . Web. Weil, R., Schipper, K., & Francis, J. (2014). Financial accounting: An introduction to concepts, methods, and uses (12 ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

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Write the original essay for the following summary: The text discusses the dynamic strategic capabilities framework and how it can impact on the operations of business firms in different industries.The text discusses the dynamic strategic capabilities framework and how it can impact on the operations of business firms in different industries. The framework allows a firm to make its operations more valuable by ensuring that its business practices conform to situations it faces in the industry.

The text discusses the dynamic strategic capabilities framework and how it can impact on the operations of business firms in different industries. The text discusses the dynamic strategic capabilities framework and how it can impact on the operations of business firms in different industries. The framework allows a firm to make its operations more valuable by ensuring that its business practices conform to situations it faces in the industry.

Dynamic Strategic Capabilities Analytical Essay Introduction Dynamic strategic capabilities are actions which are undertaken by a firm to improve the overall performance of its key functions. Business firms need to understand critical issues that they are likely to face in industries they are operating in to understand how they are likely to impact on their performance. A firm needs to be aware about market dynamics, government regulations and the level of competition it is likely to face from other firms that operate in the same industry. More importantly, business firms need to make appropriate plans to come up with effective strategies that help them to make their operations more innovative. This paper will discuss the dynamic strategic capabilities framework and how it impacts on the operations of business firms in different industries. Discussion Dynamic strategic capabilities framework allows a business firm to make its operations more valuable by ensuring that its business practices conform to situations it faces in the industry. Therefore, a firm that takes this concept seriously is likely to be well prepared to deal with different challenges and opportunities it is likely to encounter. Ambrosini and Bowman (2009) argue that the resource based view is an important concept that enables a firm to implement effective policies that increase the value of its products and business processes in the market. This also allows an organisation to adopt effective change management practices in its operations to boost its long term performance. Therefore, every business firm needs to find out how it can strengthen the value of its brand in different markets by implementing appropriate changes in its operations. Modern business firms understand how to set and change their strategic objectives to make them more responsive to changing consumer needs and expectations in the market. In addition, they need to adopt appropriate learning and knowledge transfer methods to make their internal and external operations more competitive in their respective industries. This will help them to increase their general appeal in the industry thereby strengthening their competitive edge in the long run. The dynamic strategic capabilities concept enables a firm to know when it needs to adjust existing objectives to conform to its marketing, human resource and technology needs. Therefore, this allows a firm to use information acquired from its business processes to develop high quality relationships with its customers in different markets. Business firms need to streamline their internal operations by setting high quality standards to ensure their products are appropriate for customers’ needs (Houston, Ratneshwar, Ricci & Malter 2010, p. 29). As a result, this approach enables them to improve the quality of their business processes to help them attract more customers in the market. The dynamic strategic capabilities concept allows a firm to evaluate the value it is likely to get from implementing appropriate information technologies in its operations. Therefore, this enables a firm to analyse how its important business processes can be aligned with sophisticated information technology solutions to increase its competitive advantage in the market. Strategic alignment of IT with crucial business processes in a firm helps managers to plan various activities they want to achieve within specific time limits. This also enables a firm to implement quality benchmarks in all its production processes to enable it to satisfy the needs and expectations of its customers (Baker, Cao, Jones & Song 2009, p. 11). For this approach to work, business and IT strategies must have a balanced effect on strategic planning to enhance the value of both internal and external organizational practices. Firms need to understand how they can adjust to specific competitive factors in emerging economies to make their operations more effective in the long run. Therefore, this allows a firm to be aware about potential opportunities in the industry that have positive effects on its long term growth plans. Changing consumer behaviour, entry of new firms into the industry and changes in government policies are some of the issues a firm needs to be aware of to find out how they affect its competitiveness. This requires a firm to improve its ability to adapt to such changes to help it maintain its long term appeal in the industry (Zhou & Li 2010, p. 227). As a result, this allows a firm to be well prepared to deal with risks that arise from high competition and low profit revenues in the industry. Organisational learning processes are vital in helping a firm to increase its understanding on the importance of dynamic strategic competencies. This requires a business firm to be more willing to improve the quality of its internal functions to make them conform to its long term vision in the industry. In addition, a firm needs to use strategic human resource management practices to identify important skills its employees need to acquire. This also enables a firm to develop valuable relationships with its employees to make them more dedicated (Wang, Jaw & Tsai 2012, p. 1133). Business firms that have highly skilled employees who understand their responsibilities and general organisational expectations are likely to attain good outcomes in their workstations. References Ambrosini, V & Bowman, C 2009, ‘What are dynamic capabilities and are they a useful construct in strategic management?’, International Journal of Management Reviews, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 29-49. Baker, J, Cao, Q, Jones, D & Song, J 2009, ‘Dynamic strategic alignment competency: a theoretical framework and an operationalization’, Sprouts: Working Papers on Information Systems , vol. 9, no. 48, pp. 1-31. Houston, MB, Ratneshwar, S, Ricci, L & Malter, AJ 2010, ‘Dynamic strategic goal setting: theory and initial evidence’, Review of Marketing Research, vol.7, pp. 19-62. Wang, CY, Jaw, BS & Tsai, CHT 2012, ‘Building dynamic strategic capabilities: a human capital perspective’, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 1129-1157. Zhou, KZ & Li, CB 2012, ‘How strategic orientation influences the building of dynamic capability in emerging economies’, Journal of Business Research , vol. 63, no. 3, pp. 224-231.

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Write the original essay that generated the following summary: Wal-Mart is a leading retailer in the United States. The company has ten operating divisions that specialize in different products. These products include apparel, electronics, jewelry, footwear, toys, and furniture, among others. Wal-Mart has also formed partnerships with Hollywood firms to carry out promotions within its stores. Through this strategy, Wal-Mart creates new retail sectors within its stores.

Wal-Mart is a leading retailer in the United States. The company has ten operating divisions that specialize in different products. These products include apparel, electronics, jewelry, footwear, toys, and furniture, among others. Wal-Mart has also formed partnerships with Hollywood firms to carry out promotions within its stores. Through this strategy, Wal-Mart creates new retail sectors within its stores.

E-Commerce Technology: Wal-Mart Corporation Evaluation Essay Table of Contents 1. Products 2. Services 3. Website Features 4. E-commerce Technology Products Wal-Mart’s product portfolio is wide, allowing the retailer to serve diverse client needs to boost its market share. Various stores stock different products. The corporation consists of ten operating divisions that specialize in different products. Wal-Mart discount stores fall under one division. They stock general merchandise, such as clothing, household items, and food products, among others, and include a pharmacy, a restaurant, and a photo studio. Wal-Mart’s Supercenter is a large self-service store that offers a range of groceries, including fresh produce and baked products. Neighborhood markets sell small volumes of general merchandise compared to supercenters, but offer the same product range as those carried by the discount stores. On the other hand, Wal-Mart Express targets small towns and urban centers. It offers a range of products and services, including gasoline service to customers. Other Wal-Mart divisions carry vacations, pharmacy, and optical sections. The ten divisions stock several products, including apparel, electronics, jewelry, footwear, toys, and furniture, among others. Besides general merchandise, the retailer stocks groceries and pharmaceuticals in the food and drugs division. As Stebbins (2) notes, restaurants such as McDonald’s and Subway sell food products within Wal-Mart stores. The wide product range makes Wal-Mart a one-stop shop where customers can buy all products they need. The corporation also collaborates with other companies to expand its product offerings. For example, its partnership with McDonald’s has ensured that each store provides restaurant services to customers. Wal-Mart has also formed partnerships with Hollywood firms to carry out promotions within its stores. Through this strategy, Wal-Mart creates new retail sectors within its stores. In recent years, Wal-Mart has introduced new product lines into its stores. Thus, Wal-Mart’s strategy is to expand into different locations and international markets before introducing new products to compete effectively with businesses in that sector. Traditionally, Wal-Mart specializes in the retail of household products, such as apparels, toys, and sportswear (1). Other products stocked by the retailer include stationeries, cosmetics, confectioneries, and artworks. The firm branched out into the electronics, jewelry, photo production, and medical supplies markets. Besides product diversification, Wal-Mart has also opened new stores in international markets, where it offers similar merchandise as those sold by local retailers. Services Wal-Mart runs gas stations, where it competes with smaller business through regular price cuts. It has entered the home electronics market that is dominated by retailers like Best Buy. Wal-Mart also offers entertainment products, including films and music, in partnership with producers. Wal-Mart also runs non-retail business through its Sam’s Club warehouses in the US (1). Sam’s Club is a warehouse chain owned by Wal-Mart for providing items to customers who buy in bulk. In this sector, Wal-Mart competes with major warehouses, such as Cost, and supermarkets that sell bulk items. Sam’s Club supplies fresh produce to its members at low prices. This allows the giant retailer to compete with other businesses, including warehouses and supermarkets. Sam’s Club is a discount plan that allows members to cut costs by purchasing bulk items. Wal-Mart has over 700 Sam’s Clubs distributed within the US. The members can access all items carried in Wal-Mart’s warehouses. They also benefit from services such as drug supplies, tire center, and vision shop. Website Features Wal-Mart launched its revamped website in 2002 after the first site was found to be less user-friendly. The new website (walmart.com) features a help desk and information about the physical address of stores, promotions, discounts, and product return guidelines. It also contains photo-sharing services to the users. Users can browse over a million products displayed on this website with ease and place an order by hitting the ‘buy’ button. Customers may find features, such as order status, useful, as they can track their purchases in real-time. Additionally, through the help desk, customers can seek answers to their problems and queries regarding product features. Another useful feature is the clear return policy indicated on the website. This feature gives the website a clear advantage. Clients dissatisfied with their purchases from the online shop can take them to nearby stores. The online shop boasts of over 900,000 products drawn from 24 different product lines ranging from groceries to clothing. Thus, users can access different products stocked in Wal-Mart’s stores across the country. According to some e-commerce analysts, Wal-Mart’s website facilitates personalized shopping through its ‘broadvision’ technology. The website uses the ‘broadvision’ technology and thus, provides a range of personalization features that are user-friendly. These include physical maps, customer profile, store locators, and past online activity. Customers can also find information about discounts and promotions that Wal-Mart offers on this site. Another notable feature is the online travel link, which customers can use to book hotels or buy travel tickets. There is also a photo center in the website. This feature combines online and offline versions of Wal-Mart’s business model. Using this feature, clients can give films to a conveniently located store and retrieve their pictures from the online store. They can then send them to friends through email or post them online. The online pharmacy at Wal-Mart Website allows customers to order prescription and non-prescription drugs online. They can then pick the drugs from local Wal-Mart stores. This section also keeps track of a customer’s online drug purchase history. Customers can personalize it in a way that it sends a reminder for a refill in advance. Customers can also select replacement tires from the website and pick them from local stores. The vision center contains a range of contact lenses. It also sends reminders to customers and keeps a history of their online visits to the center. The site also gives item recommendations, which helps personalize online shopping. It suggests products based on the customer’s past or present purchases. This feature also customizes the webpage of a customer to reflect his or her location and previous online activity (1). It recommends products that typically go with the item purchased. By relying on past searches, the site is able to make accurate and relevant product recommendations to clients. The personalized search tool makes the site user-friendly and enriches the online shopping experience. This feature has contributed to a 20 percent rise in online purchases. Due to the enhanced usability of the website, Wal-Mart online sales stood at $473 in 2014, representing a 30 percent increase from the previous year (3). Other changes that have had a significant impact on online sales include the modification of the site to make it viewable in devices like tablets. Customers can browse Wal-Mart’s products through their tablets because the images can fit small screens. E-Commerce Technology Wal-Mart’s online shop has over 900,000 different products. Its main competitor, Amazon.com, offers more diverse items than Wal-Mart. To compete effectively, Wal-Mart’s online shop should sell new items, such as movies and music videos, alongside other product categories. Since the company already has partnerships with Hollywood movie firms, it can easily provide movies to customers through its website at a fee. Another product that Wal-Mart should sell through its website is digital games. Users can play games online or download them to their computers from the website. This will require the corporation to enter into partnerships with movie distributors like Netflix. Wal-Mart can also set up an online bookstore where customers can shop for new books. Since it has stores distributed over different locations, customers can receive books from local stores after placing an order online. Wal-Mart can also diversify into the technology market. It can offer web services or infrastructure to developers interested in creating new business solutions and tools. It can also collaborate with technology firms, such as Apple, to sell devices like Smartphones and tablets through its website. The grocery product line in the online store should be expanded to include organic food, which is increasingly becoming popular because of its health benefits. Wal-Mart can also consider selling refurbished household items through its website. It can sell them at reduced prices to target the low-income clientele. Industrial items, such as machines, form another category of products that Wal-Mart can sell through its website. The firm already has a warehouse chain (Sam’s Club) for handling bulky items. Wal-Mart can also allow small retailers to sell their items through its website. This will increase the product range that customers can access by visiting the site. Additionally, the firm can charge a fee for allowing retailers to access its large client base. References Our business [Internet]. [place unknown: publisher unknown]; [date unknown] [cited 2020 Feb 6]:[about 10 screens]. Stebbins S. Broad appeal: McDonald’s, Walmart top list of 25 most popular stores in America. USA Today [Internet]. 2018 May 24 [cited 2020 Feb 6]:[about 10 screens]. Walmart introduces exclusive money transfer service, cuts fees by up to 50 percent for customers [Internet]. [place unknown: publisher unknown]; [date unknown] [cited 2020 Feb 6]:[about 3 screens].

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: E & J Gallo Winery's strategies were successful both profitably and ethically. The company initially focused on marketing low-grade fortified wines, which led to increased profitability. However, the strategy was also ethical, as it did not threaten public health.

E & J Gallo Winery's strategies were successful both profitably and ethically. The company initially focused on marketing low-grade fortified wines, which led to increased profitability. However, the strategy was also ethical, as it did not threaten public health.

E & J Gallo Winery Strategy Critical Essay In order to evaluate E & J Gallo Winery’s strategies by assessing the pros and cons and determining whether they were successful both profitably and ethically, it is highly essential to consider the strategic practices of the company from very beginning of its operations. E & J Gallo Winery’s Strategies As initially, E & J Gallo Winery had mainly focused on the strategy of marketing of low- grade fortified wines, in this stage it is important to briefly describe the ethical dilemmas that are concerned with the general practices of the wine industry. At first, fortified wines were created by mixing distilled-wine to wine in order to increase the alcohol-level; this process assisted to make sure that the wines could last for a relatively longer period and no germination occurred before it reached the final consumers. According to the case, Port and sherry wines, for instance, are high quality fortified wines and there are practices among certain manufacturers in the industry to offer such high quality wines; but on the other hand, the manufacturers of poor quality fortified wines usually employed low- priced grain alcohol to increase the alcohol-level up to fourteen or twenty per cent. The advantage that these manufacturers gained is that the strong alcoholic levels would attract consumers towards such products and low price would mean that there would be higher sales in certain areas of the country. Ernest and Julio Gallo formed E & J Gallo Winery in 1933 – in fact, the two brothers who were trying to take the responsibility of their father’s small family business following the strange death of their parents; however, in order to make a success in the business, the brothers focused on the strategy to produce poor quality fortified wines. It is notable that this strategy has proved to be a success in terms of profitability since that time until today; however; it is arguable that threatening public health by mass selling of low grade products at very cheap prices (so that everyone buy could them) could by no means be justified in terms of ethics. The case suggests that the two most popular poor-quality fortified wine brands of E & J Gallo Winery are Thunderbird and Night Train, which sells for no more than one or two dollars per 375 ml bottle – the strategy of the Gallo brothers was to target low- income people and teenagers (as such items offered greater intoxication at low-prices). In most of the states, there were rules that stated that the alcohol-levels in the fortified wines should not exceed the level of twenty per cent – this meant that a brand with greater alcohol-levels would not be sold in groceries; moreover, the government started to impose high tax rates for such brands (which were much more than distilled-spirits). However, the advantage for poor quality fortified wine makers was that it was still legal to make such wines and although such marketing strategy was ethically wrong, there were no breaches of law in seeking market opportunities; as a result, the Gallo Company faced no big dilemmas in the marketing its products albeit the higher tax rates involved. However, there was a problem of damage to E & J Gallo Winery’s brand image – the business was soon recognised as a maker of low- grade products and this meant that health conscious and high- income earners did not prefer its wines. In order to overcome this problem, the company undertook another unethical strategy – it decided to disconnect itself from the products like Thunderbird and Night Train by withdrawing its corporate name from their packaging to hide its link with the products, but continued to sell them; it is notable that despite such an action, the low-grade items experienced higher-sales. Therefore, it could be said that this strategy also proved to be a success in terms profitability as there were little or no impact over the sales of those items even after the implementation of this weird strategy. The company produces items of different price assortments and records their names as part of the business’s products, but excludes the names of its notorious brands from the list. According to Thompson and Strickland (2008), at the early stages of the business, the strategy of the brothers were to target merely the extensive national market, and take the position of the business at a very strong level. In order to implement such a long- term strategy, Ernest worked hard for day and night along with his workers; for example, he undertook a short- term strategy to work for sixteen hours a day in order to make long journeys all across the country and know what the people around the USA prefers when it comes to wine drinking. This strategy to conduct thorough market research regarding consumer tastes and behaviour has been extremely successful in terms of profits and as a result, the business turned out to be the market leader in the industry (although after such an excellent strategic approach, the Gallo brothers came up with the products like Thunderbird and Night Train). Irrespective of the ethical dilemmas present, the company undertook another strategy to promote Thunderbird by means of an appealing radio tinkle, which became an exceptional success, and the sales figures rose significantly in numerous inner city and low- income areas in the USA. To manufacture fine table wines, this company had planted about 400 varieties in experimental vineyards from 1950s to 1960s; however, it was problem to convince growers to change from ordinary grape varieties to delicate as the process took at least four years; therefore, the management offered the farmers to enter long-term agreement with flexible terms and conditions. However, this company had guaranteed the farmers that they would pay annual basis to get quality products from them and to minimise all possible financial risk; consequently, this company had gained competitive advantage over the competitors in California (Thompson & Strickland, 2008, p.265). According to the given case study, the objective of the company was to increase productivity and develop efficiency by enlarging financial help and providing skilled viticulturists along with technical supports to making wine and marketing products. However, most of the competitors sold their products through wholesale distributors, but Gallo followed a vertical integration strategy and operated own distributorships, for instance, it owned wholesale distributors in ten locations and above 300 independent distributors handling its wines; therefore, low-cost mass production and strong distribution were the key of success for this company. At the same time, Gallo had the capability to offer low price while they brought 95% grapes from farmers, and used paper-thin margins to capture large market share; this strategy was profitable because they had strong control over supply chain, develop brand image and experience, broaden functions in global market, and strongly compete with the competitors and so on. The Pros and Cons E & J Gallo Winery’s Strategies: Strategy Pros Cons 1. Strong alcoholic levels attract consumers towards such products and low prices mean that there are higher sales in certain areas of the country 1. Thompson and Strickland (2008) pointed out that the company was soon recognised by conscious customers as an unethical business because of intimidating public health by mass selling of low- grade products at very economical prices At first, E & J Gallo Winery mainly focused on the strategy of marketing of low- grade fortified wines 2. Such wines last for a comparatively longer period and no germination occurs before it reaches the customers 2. In numerous states, a brand with greater alcohol-levels does not sell in groceries 3. This strategy is a success in terms of profitability 3. Government imposed higher taxes on such unethical wine makers According to Thompson and Strickland (2008), with the improving living standards and enhancing financial conditions of the people of the country, people soon discovered that it was better to invest more on good products rather than adversely affecting health with cheap wines. Promoting Thunderbird by means of an appealing radio tinkle as well as other advertisements Effective advertisements meant that the sales figures continued to increase considerably in several low- income areas of the country The reputation of the company was slowly damaged and it took steps to recover from such a bad name by making huge investments on advertising, increasing the aggregate costs 1. Higher control over external and inter business environment; 2. Greater cost efficiency lack of intermediaries 1. Need more time and investment to expand business in global market; vertical integration and Distribution Strategy 3. Potential economies of scale 2. Difficult to capture similar market position in every place; 4. Less complex channel structure 3. Need a large upfront fixed cost investment to make long-tern agreement with growers; 5. Better understanding about entire process 1. Increase sales and profit margin; 1. hampered business reputation; Pricing strategy 2. Help to becoming largest winemaker in the US and the world; 2. Less concentration on the concept of public health, which created ethical dilemmas; 3. Influenced the company to change target market and strategy by making quality products 1. Changed customer perception and increased customer base Invest more for R&D and advertising 2. Increased profit margin this company had not faced any serious problem by investing more on R&D along with advertising; 3. Built brand value and generate quick revenue; 4. Minimised financial risks 1. It was possible for E & J Gallo to reach diverse and large number of target market; 1. Market was popular in the place with similar culture if local market 2. wines are available throughout the world by strong network; 2. People of different countries like different products; Global Strategy 3. high success rate 3. Internal regulation of the company mainly based on the home country; so, it was difficult to cope with legal provisions of foreign countries; 4. to maintain a consistent image; 4. Extreme cost to operate outside the local market; 5. in 2007, it produced 20.6% (one fifth) wine for the US market and 79.4% for the global market Table 1: The Pros and Cons E & J Gallo Winery’s Strategies Source: Self generated As a private firm, it had the opportunity to offer the lowest price to become market leader in this industry though it had to face occasional losses to introduce new brands or expand business in the new place; however, this low-cost pricing strategy was profitable in business context, but create ethical dilemma while the customers consume low quality products. Gallo had concentrated more on the market research in order to know about the customers’ choice about wine-drinking habits and produce new products accordingly; however, it spent more than $100 millions on advertising with intent to developing customer awareness; as a result, the company successfully attracted upscale wine drinkers in the middle of 1990s. However, the invest more for adverting and research was profitable strategy for this company because it assisted to become number one brand in terms of sales; moreover, this company had won a number of awards including most prominent award known as “Rremio Gran Vinitaly at the International Wine and Distilled Fair” in Verina (Thompson & Strickland, 2008, p.265). At the same time, new product development was one of the most effective and profitable strategies of this company, such as, it introduced about 75 brands (top-selling red and white table wine and Blush Chablis) to export all over the world and it was “largest-selling global brand” (Thompson & Strickland, 2008, p.265). Overall strategies of Gallo was profitable while its sales in 2001 were $1.35 billion; in addition, it was the top ranking seller in 2000 and received the lifetime achievement award from James Beard Foundation and achieved award among the top sellers; however, the exhibit 3 of the given case shows that E&J Gallo winery produced highest 620,000,000 gallons wine. According to the given case, profits from sales increased significantly and it sold 70 million case of wine and generated more than $3.5 billion sales profit in 2007; which influenced the company to increase production volume; therefore, it purchased about 325 acres Napa Valley * Thompson & Strickland (2008) addressed the statement of Professor Edward Freeman and stated that there is a long tradition of freedom of contract in the US, and the people are free to make mistakes, for instance, the problem of street alcoholics was more complex and they purchased Thunderbird of this company though these are harmful for the health of the consumers; * The owner of this company only concentrated on the maximisation of profits for which they actively contributed to political campaign with intent to control business environment and get benefit, for instance, Ernest provided $100000 for a Clinton fund-rising lunch to influence him regarding Chilean wine imports along with increase funding for wine promotion program, which was unethical business practice. At present, E & J Gallo Winery is the largest winery in the globe and the largest exporter of California wine; in addition, it is the ever-growing company in this industry because the products of this company are available in more than 90 countries (E & J Gallo Winery, 2012, p.1). According to the press release report, this company had purchased Edna Valley Vineyard from Diageo, which produces a variety of wines, specializing in Chardonnay; this implementation of strategic plan had increased Gallo’s presence and properties in California’ Coast wine country and developed consumers’ perception and value creation (Hensley, 2011, p.1). Thompson & Strickland (2008) presented several factors that E & J Gallo Winery considered before taking any initiatives or strategic plan, for example, this company research on customers’ demand to introduce new products or change the taste of existing products particularly checked the position of the local market. However, the following figure shows about the demand of the home market – Figure 1: Per capita wine consumption in the US from 1935 to 2007 Source: Thompson & Strickland (2008) Thompson & Strickland (2008) further stated that E & J Gallo Winery fixed the pricing strategy considering a number of factors like volatility of the price of raw materials, types of bottles, production costs, and terms of the agreement with growers and so on; however, the next table provides more information regarding price stricture of the company – Price Category Volume Share (%) Up to $3 12 $3 to $6 25.1 $6 up to $9 24.6 $9 up to $15 27.2 $15 and over 10.8 Night train express 17.5% apv $3.49 for 750 ml Carlo Rossi California Sangria $4 per 1.5 liter bottle Wild Irish Rose $3.49 for 750 ml Table 1: Price Category Source: Self generated from Thompson & Strickland (2008) Data Monitor (2011, p.15) reported collaborated with Wal-Mart to supply products at an affordable price ($2 to $5 range); however, the management team of E & J Gallo Winery would carry on its profitable low pricing strategy in the future. Suppliers are key success factors for the development of the company, so, supplier development team of this company performs with about three thousand suppliers to support and expand business with efficiency, reliability, and high quality; however, Data Monitor (2011, p.15) reported that supplier’s involvement in fraudulent case could destroy the brand image and customer’s perception and confidence on the company. Data Monitor (2011, p.15) stated that Gallo’s supplier Sieur d’Arques had liable of selling falsely labelled French Pinot Noir to Gallo; in 2010, Gallo imported approximately 20% of the total French Pinot from Sieur, but Sieur had supplied for its Red Bicyclette brand; therefore, Gallo bound to stop sale this brand and this fraudulent activities adversely effect on the company. However, the marketers of this company always concentrate on the suppliers because both quality of the products along with the production costs depend on the best supply; thus, loyal suppliers provide full support (related with packaging, technology and corporate support) to the company, which helps to develop the next generation of procurement strategies with e-procurement system. According to the report of Data Monitor (2011, p.15), this company has more than 5,000 employees all over the world, but Gallo has not sufficient number of skilled work force for winemaking; therefore, the crisis of efficient and proficient workers can lead to low capacity utilization and reduced profitability level of this company. Data Monitor (2008, p.15) stated that Gallo expanded business with limited existing pool of experts because they failed to recruit efficient and professional employees from other winemaking countries; therefore, Gallo needs to focus more on the human resource management strategy to avoid any difficulty related with wine production system, fall customer relationship, delay supply and so on. In addition, Data Monitor (2011, p.15) further addressed that find out of agricultural employees for the vineyards has been a rising threat to Gallo particularly for the period of harvesting seasons, which creates problem in entire production segment, so, it is significant for the management to recruit efficient and industrious labour from developing countries like Bangladesh and China as they work sincerely and retain for the long time. According to the report of Data Monitor (2011, p.16), many competitors like Constellation Brands, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis, Brown-Forman Corporation, Pernod Ricard, etc. have designed aggressive marketing campaigns to promote expensive brands and to capture additional market share in the recessionary economy; therefore, this company needs to invest more for marketing campaign to face the challenge of intense competition. According to E & J Gallo Winery (2012), Gallo Winery very recently declared a strategy to buy Courtside Cellars in San Miguel, California in 10 August because this twelve- year- old winery will enhance the company’s constant growth in California’s Central Coast – the purchase comprises thirty-four acres of land and a winery capable of crushing 60000 tons of grapes. The concerned persons of E & J Gallo Winery’s top- level management as well as the Senior Vice President, expressed hopes that this strategy will be greatly helpful because Gallo Winery has been intensifying its existence in that area throughout the last couple of years and this strategy could make this constituency a solution to move its finest products forward E & J Gallo Winery (2012) has also suggested that earlier this year, the company implemented the strategy to buy more than three- hundred acres of vineyards in Monterey County; on the other hand, it is notable that in the previous year, the company brought Edna Valley Vineyards, which produces one of the best- selling Chardonnay brands in the US. According to Datamonitor (2011), the company’s deficient attendance in important growing marketing-channels had turned the company susceptible to escalating rivalry from small wineries as winery direct sales to customers have been mounting; as a result, the company undertook the recent strategy to expand in such essential marketing channels by focusing on the ways to develop the networking in new mediums. Gallo normally sold its wines through conventional channels using wholesalers, large retailers and stores without much direct sales to customers; so, little presence in such new channels made the company exposed to the emergent antagonism and if the problem was left untreated, in long- term it may have faced falling market share; however, Gallo foresees to introduce online selling service. However, according to Datamonitor (2011), Gallo currently focuses on continuing its old strategy to operate a research winery, which would produce 400 to 700 experimental wines annually; in addition to this, Gallo’s viticulture and chemistry department provides research and investigative support to its grape growers and winemakers; moreover, Gallo uses the knowledge gleaned from its research and development (R&D) efforts to launch new products. The strategy of revitalising product line ensures the company’s entry into new markets or consumer segments; as a result, strong R&D presents a competitive edge to Gallo over its peer group and ensures strong monetary growth; additionally, the strategy of strengthening brand-equity harvested ample product offerings and made it the largest winemakers in the US and the leading exporter. According to Datamonitor (2011), the company exports its products in more than ninety overseas markets and sells approximately sixty brands; by means of implementing appropriate strategies at the right time, the company benefits from powerful brand equity amongst its consumers as its extensive product-offerings and its years of market-presence provides noteworthy brand-awareness In January 2009, the Catena Family named E & J Gallo Winery the US importer for the Alamos line of wines and in the same month, Gallo implemented an excellent strategy to co- partner with Taste of the NFL (TNFL), a non profit- making organization, to deal with food shortage concerns in the USA; in addition, in February 2009, Gallo took over the Las Rocas brand of Spanish wines from European Cellars, an importer of wines from Spain and France (Datamonitor, 2011). In March 2010, the company revealed strategies to lessen its product offerings in the UK market in the upcoming years; in May 2010, it also joined up with Molson Coors in the UK to tackle the allocation of three of its wine brands in the country; moreover, in May 2011, Gallo started new varieties of Merlot-Rose and Summer Red variants of wine under the brand name Gallo Family Vineyards in the UK; conversely, in the following month, Gallo launched the Barefoot Moscato wine brand in the country. However, the company believes that diversification of its product line is the key strategy to keep up revenues in this competitive winery industry; as a result, the company offers a wide variety of products in different markets and hopes to introduce new brands in the upcoming years (Datamonitor, 2011). It is notable that Gallo brought 182 acres of Chiles Valley vineyards from the California Wine Company – this marked a second extension of Gallo’s interest in Napa Valley; in addition, the company brought Napa- based William Hill Estate from Beam Wine Estates (BWE) to enlarge its properties in California’s North Coast wine country; on the other hand the company also released a new brand of wines under the label ‘Martha Stewart Vintage’. E & J Gallo Winery expand business all over the world by leveraging its distribution network and using rage of products while Data Monitor (2008) estimated that global industry grew by 1% in 2010 with value of $289.1 billion and expected to increase up to $308.60 billion by 2015; therefore, it is important to discuss different brand extension strategies using Ansoff matrix. Ansoff Matrix for E & J Gallo Winery Johnson, Seholes & Whittington (2008, p.350) argued that Ansoff matrix refers to a strategic growth theory for starting up or acquiring business outside the current markets; however, the next figure shows suitable strategy of E & J Gallo Winery – Figure 1: Ansoff’s model for E & J Gallo Winery Source- Self generated * Market penetration : market penetration is effective strategy while E & J Gallo Winery expand its business in different region of the US (Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, North Carolina, Arizona and Portland) with its regular wines since it should not require any internal modification to offer wine to gain new consumer; * Product development : Thompson & Strickland (2008) stated that product development is one of the most crucial strategies for this company to expand business in local market and this company followed it from the very beginning of its operation; however, Data Monitor (2011, p.4) stated that Gallo markets over 60 brands of wines and develop markets mid-priced wines; * Market development : this strategy would be suitable for Gallo Winery if this company enters in a new market with present wine products like Data Monitor (2011, p.15) stated that It entered Chinese wine market with existing products and captured 48% share of the Asia-Pacific wine market. In addition, China changed taxation policy and entry barriers as a member of World Trade Organization; therefore, China increased import alcohol from the foreign markets; so, this market grew by 24% in 2010 and the market expected to grow from value of $13.40 billion to $23.10 billion by 2015 while the government decreased tax for importing alcohol from 65% to14%; * Diversification : It involves expand business in the new markets with new products; however, this company introduced different wine products considering the fact that people of different countries can absorb different level of alcohol. Gallo has strategy to offer its wines under diverse brand names that are exclusively positioned to cater the necessities of different clients; for example, the company’s offerings under the premium grouping comprises brand names like Anapamu-Cellars, Bridlewood, Frei brothers Reserve, and Indigo-Hills; in the same way, Gallo’s offerings under mid-priced variety wines include Turning Leaf and Redwood Creek (Datamonitor, 2011). In addition, Gallo’s strategy is to proffer jug wines under the Carlo-Rossi label, sparkling-wines under Andre and Tott’s labels, fortified-wines from Livingston, and distilled-spirits like randy under Cask & Cream; as a result, elegant positioning of brands enables the company to satisfy an extensive consumer base thereby increasing opportunities for top- line growth; moreover, strong R&D enhances Gallo’s competitive edge. Reference List E & J Gallo Winery. 2012. Company Fact Sheet . Web. E & J Gallo Winery . 2012. E. & J. Gallo Winery Announces Intention to Purchase Central Coast Winery and Crush Facility . Web. E & J Gallo Winery. 2012. Suppliers . Web. Hensley, S. 2011. E. & J. Gallo Winery Buys Edna Valley Vineyard & Winery . Web. Johnson, G. Seholes, K. & Whittington, R. 2008. Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text & Cases, FT Prentrice Hall, London. Thompson, A. & Strickland, A. J. 2008. Strategic Management . Tata McGraw- Hill Publishing Company limited, India.

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Revert the following summary back into the original essay: The essay discusses the reasons why more universities are switching to e-learning.E-learning has served as a tool for learners to identify learning subjects, resolve problems, and proffer answers to problems in the learning procedure. E-Learning increases the ease with which knowledge is acquired, while involving learners in the use of ICT.

The essay discusses the reasons why more universities are switching to e-learning. E-learning has served as a tool for learners to identify learning subjects, resolve problems, and proffer answers to problems in the learning procedure. E-Learning increases the ease with which knowledge is acquired, while involving learners in the use of ICT.

E-Learning in the Academic Industry Proposal Introduction Motivation More universities are integrating e-learning and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) tools with their curriculum. Despite the lasting association of traditional teaching methods with colleges and universities, the change switch e-learning and ICT based teaching has been rapid. E-learning and ICT based teaching has experienced tremendous growth in the education industry. Even though e-learning and ICT based teaching approaches will offer a more flexible and apparently convenient method of teaching, the speed at which the trend has been embraced across the education industry calls for a deeper investigation of the benefits of integrating e-learning and ICT based teaching with academic curricula. This research is influenced by the need to understand the influence of other contributing factors on the acceptance of e-learning and ICT based teaching methods. Research Question The aim of this research is to identify the factors influencing the increasing acceptance of e-learning and ICT based teaching. The proposed study will try to respond find out why more universities are switching to e-learning. A response to this question will be developed by integrating data from primary and secondary sources. The secondary data will be derived through a literature review. The literature review will focus on previous studies that focus on the rationale behind the integration of ICT tools in the education industry. The primary data will be derived from interview sessions with members of academic institutions (school administrators) to identify their perception of the rationality of including ICT tools in education. The conclusion section of this study presents the expected contribution of this research. Literature Review Various studies have analysed the advantages of e-learning. One important advantage of e-learning is that it helps students to access digital information successfully and efficiently. E-learning has served as a tool for learners to identify learning subjects, resolve problems, and proffer answers to problems in the learning procedure (Glazewski & Hew, 2008). E-Learning increases the ease with which knowledge is acquired, while involving learners in the use of ICT. Research has shown that self-learning has a positive impact on students’ academic and professional performance (Wells, 2007). E-learning supports self-directed and student-cantered learning because it increases students’ engagement in the practical application of computers (Castro Sanchez & Aleman, 2011). Students are able to develop new knowledge by retrieving, choosing, establishing, and understanding data and information. E-learning increases students’ ability to obtain data from different sources and critically access the quality of the vast learning resources available. Students’ productivity has also been associated with their learning environment (Harnish & Reeves, 2000). ICT tools contribute to creating a conducive and imaginative learning environment for students. The use of ICT enhances students’ creative understanding in the different aspects of learning (Chai, Koh, & Tsai, 2010). For instance, e-books are more common is reading classes. Students can retrieve all forms of texts throughout their course program through laptops, tablets, computers, PDAs, etc. E-books also come with come with software that offer a reading-out system, applicable vocabulary-development exercises, games associated with reading skills and vocabulary gaining, etc. Thus, ICT comprises of developed software that offer creative ways to satisfy various ranges of students’ learning requirements. Another important factor influencing the use of e-learning and ICT in education is the contribution of ICT to promote distance-learning. ICT allows students to interact, share, and collaborate from any location, at all times (Koc, 2005). For example, a virtual teaching space may invite learners from all over the world to come together at the same time to analyse a topic. The students may be able to analyse issues and identify ideas and also develop theories. The students may also assess ICT learning results. Learners gain knowledge and share their individual learning experiences with each other. Integrating e-learning and ICT tools with the learning environment also offers students the ability to think more critically. ICT learning systems are built through a constructive learning method and they help students to concentrate on higher-level ideas instead of less complex activities (Levin & Wadmany, 2006). A research study found a statistically significant relationship between e-learning and the acquisition of critical thinking abilities (McMahon, 2009). This implies that the length of students’ exposure to e-learning activities increases their critical thinking skills. Therefore, academic institutions are advised to include technology in every aspect of learning. E-learning has a positive influence on learning and teaching. Students’ creativity, independence, and skill are three features that influence the quality of the e-learning and ICT based teaching (Lowther, Inan, Strahl, & Ross, 2008). Independence means that learners are in charge of their learning. Through this, learners are more able to work alone and with their peers. Instructors may also allow students to perform some exercises in groups or with peers. The collaborative learning environment offered by e-learning increases learners’ confidence because it drives them to learn on their own. ICT settings also enable autonomy by helping educators to compose teaching material, therefore offering more control over the module contents than in a conventional classroom environment (Serhan, 2009). In terms of capability, immediately learners gain more confidence in learning procedures, they are able to grow the ability to utilise and share knowledge while applying new skills with effectiveness and competence. For instance, in a speaking and listening module, students can be instructed to learn their articulation through an internet-based audio wordlist. This exposes students to both oral and written skills. The students will submit a copy of their exercise session to their instructor. Before leaners complete the tasks, they will need to identify the best browser to use, and also choose an internet-based audio wordlist. This will drive learners to browse through numerous online wordlists. The task will also improve students’ computer skills since they will need to search for appropriate audio recording software. Thus, the entire learning procedure increases students’ learning abilities and widens their understanding beyond the knowledge they already have. Students can maximise their creativity through e-learning. To achieve this, students must be able to identify new multimedia systems and generate resources in the designs readily accessible through TV, CDs, and games (Gee, 2011). Another reason for the growth of e-learning in education is that e-learning enhances teaching by enabling access to module contents. Teachers may catalyse the inclusion of e-learning in school curricula (Watts-Taffe, Gwinn, & Horn, 2003). If the facilities and required technological assistance are accessible to instructors, creating an e-learning environment becomes easy for them. The major responsibility of these instructors will be modifying the lesson format, developing and defining the projects, and organising the computer laboratory through their e-learning experts or supporters. In summary, ICT provides learners more opportunity to explore outside the traditional scope of the module enabling them to better understand ideas (Reid, 2002). The application of e-learning also alters teacher-learner interaction. Research indicates that the relationship between students and teachers in the e-learning environment may be reversed since learners may have a better knowledge of ICT than instructors (Reid, 2002). This interaction has a positive effect on learners’ confidence because they may assist instructors during lectures. Thus, e-learning changes the conventional teacher centred teaching method, and requires instructors to be more imaginative in modifying and adjusting course content. Although e-learning has a positive effect on the education industry, existing literature also indicates some obstacles to its success. While the aim of this research is to identify the reason for the growth of e-learning in education, it is important to acknowledge the presence of obstacles. The obstacles mitigating the growth of e-learning in education are identified from the standpoint of learners, instructors, school managers, and ICT systems (Fu, 2013). The next section of this paper describes the method used to obtain primary data regarding the use of e-learning in the education industry. Methodology This research applies a qualitative research approach. Qualitative data are non-statistical data that are analysed basically through content and textual analyses (Bordens & Abbott, 2004). The primary data for this research will be gathered by directly interviewing school administrators, students, and ICT companies in the current locality. The interview questions will be open-ended and will be composed during the discussion sessions with the participants. Data Collection Method The interview session will be recorded using an audio recording device, which will be subsequently transcribed to textual data. All textual data will be analysed and keywords will be selected. The keywords will be coded and the frequency of these words will be analysed using SPSS. The questions will explore the participants’ perception of e-learning and the possible factors that encourage and/or prevent the growth of e-learning. Conclusion The aim of the proposed research is to investigate the role of e-learning in the education industry. The research will identify the factors responsible for the growth of e-learning in the education industry. From the literature review, it is obvious that the growth of e-learning is due to the advantages it offers. The literature review does not fail to point out that some obstacles still hinder the growth of e-learning. The primary data will focus on identifying stakeholders’ perspective of the importance of e-learning in the education industry, and the factors encouraging and/or discouraging the growth of e-learning and ICT based teaching. Expected Contribution The results of this study will contribute to both academia and the ICT industry. School administrators can use the findings of the proposed research to identify the best rollout strategy for e-learning. Stakeholders in the ICT industry can also consider the results of this research in developing e-learning tools in the future. References Bordens, K. S., & Abbott, B. B. (2014). Research design and methods: A process approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Castro Sanchez, J. J. & Aleman, E. C. (2011). Teachers’ opinion survey on the use of ICT tools to support attendance-based teaching. Journal Computers and Education, 56 (13), 911-915. Chai, C. S., Koh, J. H., & Tsai, C. C. (2010). Facilitating pre-service teachers’ development of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK). Educational Technology and Society, 13 (3), 63-73. Fu, J. S. (2013). Using information and communication technology. International Journal of Education and Development, 9 (1), 112-125. Gee, J. P. (2011). Language and learning in the digital age. New York: Routledge. Glazewski, K. D. & Hew, K. F. (2008). Development of an instrument to measure pre-service teachers’ technology skills, technology beliefs, and technology barriers. Computers in the Schools, 25 (8), 112-125. Harnish, D. & Reeves, P. (2000). Issues in the evaluation of large-scale two-way interactive distance learning systems. International Journal of Educational Telecommunications 6 (3), 267–81. Koc, M. (2005). Implications of learning theories for effective technology integration and pre-service teacher training: A critical literature review. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 2 (1), 2-18. Levin, T. & Wadmany, R. (2006). Teachers’ beliefs and practices in technology-based classrooms: A developmental view. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 39(14), 417-441. Lowther, D. L., Inan, F. A., Strahl, J. D. & Ross, S. M. (2008). Does technology integration work when key barriers are removed? Educational Media International, 45 (18), 195-213. Mcmahon, G. (2009). Critical thinking and ICT integration in a Western Australian secondary school. Educational Technology and Society, 12 (9), 269–281. Reid, S. (2002). The integration of ICT into classroom teaching. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, vol. 48 (2), 30-46. Serhan, D. (2009). Preparing pre-service teachers for computer technology integration. International Journal of Instructional Media, 36 (21) 439-447. Watts-Taffe, S., Gwinn, C. B., & Horn, M. L. (2003). Preparing pre-service teachers to integrate technology with the elementary literacy program. The Reading Teacher, 57 (5), 130-138. Wells, G. (2007). Semiotic mediation, dialogue and the construction of knowledge. Human Development 50 (5), 244–74.

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Write the original essay that provided the following summary when summarized: Early climate change science has its roots in the early 1800s and has continued to influence modern-day thinking on climate change and related concepts, including the greenhouse effect and global warming.Early climate change science has its roots in the early 1800s and has continued to influence modern-day thinking on climate change and related concepts, including the greenhouse effect and global warming.

Early climate change science has its roots in the early 1800s and has continued to influence modern-day thinking on climate change and related concepts, including the greenhouse effect and global warming. Early climate change science has its roots in the early 1800s and has continued to influence modern-day thinking on climate change and related concepts, including the greenhouse effect and global warming.

Early Climate Change Science Essay Available literature demonstrates that, although early climate change science has its roots in the early 1800s, it has nevertheless continued to influence modern-day thinking on climate change and related concepts, including the greenhouse effect and global warming (Nierenberg, Tschinkel & Tschinkel 319). The present paper traces the contributions of early scientists such as Joseph Fourier, John Tyndall and Svante Arrhenius in early climate change science. In 1827, Joseph Fourier (1768-1830) published an article that continues to receive widespread attention from academics and practitioners as the first reference in the literature to mention the atmospheric ‘greenhouse effect’. As demonstrated in the literature, Fourier was among the first scientists “to compare the heating of the Earth’s atmosphere to the action of glass in a greenhouse” (Fleming 72). Earlier in 1924, Fourier had presented yet another paper on the temperature of the Earth and interplanetary space, concluding that the heating of the Earth was through three distinctive sources namely “(1) solar radiation, which is unequally distributed over the year and which produces the diversity of climates, (2) the temperature communicated by interplanetary space irradiated by the light from innumerable stars, and (3) heat from the interior of the Earth remaining from its formation” (Fleming 72). These seminal scientific breakthroughs influenced the works of other early scientists such as CSM Pouillet and John Tyndall. A description and analysis of early climate change science are incomplete without the mention of John Tyndall’s 1861 essay titled “On the Absorption and Radiation of Heat by Gases and Vapors.” Following Fourier, Tyndall was convinced that the interception of terrestrial rays by the atmospheric objects exercises the most substantial influence on climate (Fleming 74) and that shifts in the quantity of radioactively active gases in the atmosphere could have generated all the transmutations of climate which geological researchers revealed (Nierenberg et al. 321). These assertions and experimental observations led the scientist to believe that carbon dioxide and other insignificant mixtures of hydrocarbon vapors could be the causative agents for the noted climatic changes. Today, scientists have developed the necessary tools and instruments to demonstrate that the release of carbon dioxide into the environment is largely to blame for perpetuating the greenhouse effect and subsequently enhancing global warming (Nierenberg 319). In his 1896 article titled “On the Influence of Carbonic Acid in the Air upon the Temperature of the Ground”, another scientist known as Svante Arrhenius used Fourier’s work to project an orientation that “the atmosphere acts like the glass of a hot-house, because it lets through the light rays of the Sun but retains the dark rays from the ground” (Fleming 74). Arrhenius used available background information from Fourier not only to develop a theoretical framework that attempted to explain the ice ages and other natural shifts in paleoclimate but also to quantitatively compute how shifts in the amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could alter the temperatures experienced on the surface through the now popularly known greenhouse effect. It is indeed interesting to note that Arrhenius was the first scientist to forecast that emissions of carbon dioxide generated from the burning of fossil fuels and similar combustion procedures had the capacity to trigger global warming, particularly due to the shifts in water vapor as well as other latitudinal effects (Nierenberg et al. 319-320). Overall, it is evident that the theorizations of these researchers have influenced much of the scientific studies on climate change done during the 1960s and the 1970s. Today, it is evidently clear that the warming effect of carbon dioxide as originally envisioned by Joseph Fourier is largely to blame for global warming. Works Cited Fleming, James R. “Joseph Fourier, the Greenhouse Effect and the Quest for a Universal Theory of Terrestrial Temperatures.” Endeavor . 23.1 (2000): 72-75. Academic Search Premier . Web. Nierenberg, Nicholas, Walter R. Tschinkel and Victoria Tschinkel. “Early Climate Change Consensus at the National Academy: The Origins and Making of Changing Climate.” Historical Studies in the Natural Sciences . 40.3 (2010): 318-349. Academic Search Premier . Web.

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Write the original essay for the following summary: The Ebola disease led to a major crisis in some West African countries such as Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. The disease led to the death of over 4,900 people by 14th October 2014.

The Ebola disease led to a major crisis in some West African countries such as Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. The disease led to the death of over 4,900 people by 14th October 2014.

Ebola and International Business Essay Introduction International Relations [IR] entail the study of various global issues and foreign affairs amongst states and non-state actors such as non-governmental organisations [NGOs], multinational corporations (MNCs), and inter-governmental organisations [IGOs]. These actors constitute the international system. IR is a dynamic discipline due to the fast changing world. The contemporary society is characterised by numerous changes such as the high rate of globalisation, ebbing state system, newer international regimes, increase in cases of crisis within sovereign states, terrorism, and ethnicity (Ghosh 2013). Different scholars have undertaken intensive research on international relations, which has led to the emergence of varied opinions on the scope of IR (Baylis 2013). Some of the studies have asserted that IR focuses on issue areas [trade relations, cultural exchanges, war], international security, conflict, and cooperation amongst states due to various issue areas and the international political economy (Ghosh 2013). The high rate of globalisation has increased the interaction among different economies. Thus, businesses have a unique opportunity to maximise their profitability by investing in international business. However, in order to develop optimal competitive advantage in international business, it is imperative for firms to develop effective strategies and collaborate with different actors. Studying international relations improves the effectiveness with which an organisation undertakes international business due to the improved understanding on how international business is intertwined with international relations. Ruel (2012, p.16) emphasises that international entrepreneurs ‘need politicians and government representatives to get access to foreign markets and deal with legal issues across borders’. In an age where some different countries are undergoing remarkable political and economic changes, it is fundamental for businesses to develop effective international relations with respective governments in order to develop sufficient market intelligence. Businesses are subject to different global issues, hence the need to integrate effective international relations in order to survive. One of the most notable cases relates to the recent outbreak of Ebola in March 2014. The outbreak was largely reported in some West African countries such as Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. The disease led to a major crisis whereby over 4,900 people were reported dead by 14 th October 2014. This essay analyses the impact of the Ebola disease on international business. Literature review IR scholars have undertaken extensive studies, which have led to the development of different theoretical approaches. Some of the major theoretical approaches that have been proposed include constructivism, realism, and institutionalism. Realism This approach emphasises the existence of evaluating various elements, viz. national security, the use of force, and state power in understanding global politics. Cali (2010) argues that realists perceive states as the most critical players within the international system. This perception is well illustrated by the view that realists often discuss international relations based on ‘state of nature’, which refers to the lack of sovereign authority. Thus, a state behaviour can best be understood by assessing the extent to which power is balanced. Moreover, understanding state behaviour can also be attained by assessing various elements such as the economic performance, size of population, size of territory, and military strength. Acharya (2008, p.2) affirms that the ‘main goal of states is to ensure their survival and pursue their national interests, both of which may require them to seek greater power relative to their neighbours’. The realism theory is based on the assumption that war and conflicts are inevitable (Brecher & Harvey 2002). Furthermore, the theory argues that international relations are based on the relative gains of the respective states rather than establishing a win-win situation. Therefore, the realism approach affirms that understanding the extent to which a state has balanced power is the most effective method of understanding world politics (Shareen 2007). The compliance or defiance to international norms and laws amongst states that have adopted a realist approach depends on their self-interest. Cali (2010, p.29) asserts that states ‘do not respond primarily to legal rules, but rather to practical considerations determined by the power they have vis-a-vis other states’. Thus, if the international laws formulated are beneficial, they tend to comply and defy if the benefits diminish (Cali 2010). The realist theory best explains why the US is extensively committed to the ‘war on terror’ approach that was initiated during the Bush administration. In its commitment to ‘war on terror’, the US has largely ignored the International Humanitarian Law, which was enacted during the Geneva Convention. Institutionalism This theory argues that the level of cooperation amongst states depends on their self-interests. The cooperation is stimulated by the need to attain a particular goal, which the states cannot achieve individually. The cooperation between respective states is enhanced by the establishment of different institutions, which are charged with the responsibility of executing predetermined tasks such as trade. Additionally, the institutions improve the effectiveness with which states undertake interstate negotiations as they provide the rapport for such negotiations. The institutions formed are formalised with time, thus leading to the establishment of an International Organisation [IO]. Some of the classic examples of such institutions include the World Trade Organisation [WTO], the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe [OSCE], and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade [GATT] (Cali 2010). The member states formulate comprehensive rules and regulations, which all the state actors follow. The proponents of institutionalism affirm that the establishment of such institutions fosters the development of a high level of transparency, reduction of the risk involved in international business, and minimisation of transaction costs. The interaction amongst various states leads to the establishment of a long-term relationship amongst the member states. Berejikian (2004) asserts that a high level of reciprocity is established, hence promoting cooperation and stability (Cali 2010). The theory further argues that the institutions established gain extensive power and identity. Consequently, they constrain state behaviour even if the state members wish to deviate from the formulated rules and regulations. This aspect shows that the likelihood of the established institutions going beyond serving the member states self-interests is high. Constructivism Brecher and Harvey (2002, p. 111) posit that constructivism ‘focuses on the role of culture, norms, and ideas in world politics’. Similar to realists, constructivists cite the state as the core player in the international system. Furthermore, constructivists assert that state’s interests are subject to change. The change might be spurred by the intensive interaction between states. The interaction between states leads to the development of a learning process. Therefore, the theory postulates that international institutions are critical promoters of state norms and identities. Furthermore, international institutions contribute significantly in restructuring the preferences of various state actors (Kydd 2005). For example, countries that have joined the European Union have a mandate to accept the Copenhagen Criteria. Some of the aspects that the criteria advocate include human rights observance and the adoption of democratic systems of governance. Additionally, the member states have a duty to incorporate a market economy (Baik 2012). The theory further asserts that the IOs such as transnational advocacy networks and NGOs may influence the behaviour of state members. For example, the international organisations may require the member states to comply with specific norms. The first step according to constructivism theory entails the formulation of promotion of the desired international norms (Webber 2005). Secondly, the norms are institutionalised whereby the state actors are required to follow the established norms. The third stage entails socialisation, whereby the state actors accept the established norms. Therefore, the establishment of the desired state behaviour follows a ‘norm cascade’ (Joffe 2012). One of the most important stages in the ‘norm cascade’ entails signing of international treaties and international conventions. The member states may be compelled to sign the international treaties by instrumental reasons. However, this process might culminate in a significant change in state behaviour. Case study The Ebola epidemic has claimed the lives of over 4,900 citizens in West Africa alone since January 2014 ( CNN 2014). Furthermore, the disease has affected most economies around the world. The most affected countries include Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. The first case of Ebola hemorrhagic fever was recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976. The disease is highly infectious, which explains the significantly large number of deaths that have been recorded. The incubation period ranges between 2 to 21 days. Some of the countries that have been affected by the outbreak include Liberia, Guinea, South Sudan, Uganda, Ivory Cost, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The WHO asserts that there is no specific vaccine for the disease, which makes it a continuing case. Thus, patients are offered supportive care, which increases its fatality to 90% ( CNN 2014). Due to the high rate of international cooperation, for example through trade, the disease has spread to other countries such as Spain and the United States. Four cases and 1 death have been reported in the US. Two of these cases originated from the US, while the others originated from Liberia and Guinea ( CNN 2014). PEST analysis In order to undertake international business successfully in the wake of the Ebola epidemic, it is imperative for businesses to develop extensive understanding of the prevailing external environment. One of the models that businesses can utilise in understanding business environment entails the PEST model. Political environment According to Prasad (2010), changes in the political environment have a significant impact on the degree a country’s political stability, hence the degree of political risk faced by international businesses. For example, the occurrence of civil disturbance or war might affect the level of cooperation amongst countries. Such instability might also affect an organisation’s capacity to invest in international business. Additionally, a change in government policy may affect international trade positively or negatively. For example, if a particular country lifts import quotas on certain products, other economies exploit this opportunity by increasing the volume of exports of the specific products to that country (Williams & Green 2009). Economic environment According to Pailwar (2009), businesses are subject to economic cycles, which affect a country’s economic performance. Economic factors have a significant impact on international business operations. One of the most significant economic factors relates to national interest rates. A negative change in the rate of interest rate has adverse effects on an organisation’s ability to maximise its cash flows. Furthermore, change in the prevailing economic environment might affect an organisation’s ability to implement its expansion strategies. For example, the recent global economic crisis led to a significant reduction in the level of profitability amongst most international businesses (Madura 2014). Due to the high rate of globalisation, most economies have appreciated the need for economic integration, as well illustrated by the various trade agreements and regional trading blocs that have been established. Examples of such trading blocs include the European Union and the GATT. Social environment The social business environment is comprised of the society’s lifestyles, beliefs, norms, trends, and habits. Additionally, the sociological environment is also comprised of a country’s population structure. For example, a high birth rate presents international businesses with an opportunity to sustain their future growth due to the potential increment in demand for products and services. However, a high death rate is a threat to international business due to a reduction in product demand (Bensoussan & Fleisher 2013). Furthermore, international businesses are also affected by the prevailing income gaps within society. A high-income gap may lead to a reduction in international businesses’ capacity to maximise profitability (Bensoussan & Fleisher 2013). Technological environment The past few decades have been characterised with extensive technological changes. Subsequently, businesses are obligated to keep abreast with technological advancement in order to achieve and sustain long-term competitiveness. The technological advancements currently being witnessed present a classic opportunity for businesses to increase their customer base by focusing on delivering unique customer experience. Failure to respond to technological changes might lead to a decline in market share due to the inability to respond to customers’ needs. Holistic view of the case Impact on individuals and businesses The PEST analysis above shows that international businesses are subject to different macro environmental forces. These forces emanate from different issues and they affect the respective business environments, hence the businesses’ operations. The case of Ebola outbreak has affected international businesses in a number of ways. First, the epidemic has led to the death of over 4,900 people. Additionally, most businesses in West Africa have halted operations in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. Despite the fact that most businesses have been closed as a preventative measure, the crisis has led to remarkable changes in behaviours amongst individuals. The level of fear amongst citizens has increased tremendously. Thus, the level of demand for goods and services amongst individuals has declined due to the decline in domestic income. Additionally, some countries such as Liberia have experienced a significant reduction in the occupancy rates due to the declining number of incoming flights. Consequently, most hotels have laid off employees in an effort to minimise the cost of operation ( World Bank 2014). Impact on states According to a report released by the World Bank shows that the most affected countries, viz. Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone could lose approximately $97 million if they collaborate in containing the epidemic by 2015 or $807 million if the Ebola virus is not controlled adequately ( World Bank 2014). Furthermore, the World Bank asserts that the rate of economic growth in Guinea has been revised downwards from 4.5% to 2.4%. Thus, there is a high probability of the country experiencing a poor economic performance, hence reducing individual consumers’ purchasing power. One of the sectors that have adversely been affected in Guinea is the agriculture sectors. The World Bank (2014) affirms that the cocoa and palm oil farming has been adversely affected following exodus to villages. A significant proportion of the country’s palm oil and cocoa exports are produced with the help of village farms workers. Ebola has also affected Sierra Leone’s economy, which was advancing towards becoming a middle-income status. Prior to the occurrence of the epidemic, the country’s annual growth rate was estimated to be 11.3%. However, the annual growth rate is estimated to be 8% by the end of 2014 and 0% in 2015 ( World Bank 2014). In an effort to curb the spread of the virus, most West African countries where deaths as a result of Ebola have been reported especially Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea have been affected by international travel bans imposed by various countries and companies. For example, the British Airways temporarily halted its flights to West Africa. Subsequently, the company experienced significant reduction in its sales revenue generated from international operations. Furthermore, this action affected the level of tourism to and from West Africa, hence the country’s economic underperformance (Caulderwood 2014). The imposition of travel bans to West African countries by various governments around the world shows that most countries have adopted a realism theory in dealing with the crisis. This aspect arises from the view that the travel ban imposed by most countries to some of the West African countries has been instigated by self-interests. Markets have been closed, thus affecting the citizen’s livelihoods. Additionally, foreigners working in different economic sectors have fled the country due to the fear of contracting Ebola. Impact on international cooperation The Ebola outbreak has increased the level of cooperation amongst different states in fighting the epidemic. The international community emphasises the need for cooperation in fighting the disease. The high levels of cooperation have been enhanced by the infectious nature of the disease and the high rate of fatality. Most developed and developing countries such as the US and China have emphasised their commitment to assisting the affected countries deal with the situation. One of the areas of cooperation amongst the international community relates to research on how to deal with the crisis. For example, the international community has provided extensive technological support to the affected countries on how to prevent the spread of Ebola crisis. Additionally, the international community is collaborating with the affected countries in providing treatment to victims. Therefore, the international community has adopted a constructivist approach in dealing with the epidemic. Conclusion This paper illustrates that the international business is closely associated with international relations. In order to deal with the various environmental factors successfully, it is imperative for businesses to appreciate the contribution of various actors. The contribution of the various actors such as states, NGOs, and other International Organisations affects the nature of strategy adopted by the international businesses. Due to the recent Ebola outbreak, most international businesses have limited their business transactions with some of the affected West African countries. The case study illustrates that countries adopt different approaches, viz. realism, institutionalism, and constructivism in dealing with crises. Reference List Acharya, A. 2008, Singapore’s foreign policy; the search for regional leader, World Scientific, Singapore. Baik, T. 2012, Emerging regional human rights systems in Asia, Cambridge University Press, New York. Bensoussan, B. & Fleisher, C. 2013, Analysis without paralysis; 12 tools to make better strategic decisions, FT Press, New Jersey. Berejikian, J. 2004, International relations under risk: framing state choice , State University of New York, Albany. Baylis, J. 2013, The globalisation of world politics; an introduction to international relations , Oxford University Press, Oxford. Brecher, M. & Harvey, F. 2002, Realism and institutionalism in international studies , University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Cali, B. 2010, International law for international relations, Oxford University Press, New York. Caulderwood, K. 2014, Ebola economic impact felt beyond affected countries . Web. CNN: World Bank cost of Ebola could top $ 32 billion . Web. Ghosh, P. 2013, International relations , PHI Learning, New York. Joffe, J. 2012, Realism, constructivism and institutionalism; a tale of partial theories in search for general relevance, . Web. Kydd, A. 2005, Trust and mistrust in international relations , Princeton University Press, Princeton. Madura, J. 2014, International financial management, Cengage Learning, New York. Pailwar, J. 2009, Economic environment of business , PHI Learning, Chicago. Prasad, V. 2010, Business environment , GenNext, Delhi. Ruel, H. 2012, Commercial diplomacy in international entrepreneurship; a conceptual and empirical exploration, Emerald, Bingley. Shareen, P. 2007, Literature and international relations; stories in the art of diplomacy , Ash Gate, Burlington. The World Bank: Ebola: economic impact could be devastating , 2014. Web. Webber, C. 2005, International relations theory; a critical introduction , Psychology Press, New York. William, T. & Green, A. 2009, The business approach of training , Gower, Aldershot.

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Write the original essay that provided the following summary when summarized: In the past decade, Dubai has grown to be not only a commercial hub, but also an excellent tourist destination. A key sector driving Dubai's flourishing tourism industry is the eco-tourism sector.Despite the rapid growth of the tourism industry in Dubai, the rapid growth of the city threatens coastal and desert habitats. This paper therefore proposes a research study to establish the cost of adopting eco-tourism in Fairmont the palm, hotel as a new model for sustaining eco-tourism at the Palm Tree Island.

In the past decade, Dubai has grown to be not only a commercial hub, but also an excellent tourist destination. A key sector driving Dubai's flourishing tourism industry is the eco-tourism sector. Despite the rapid growth of the tourism industry in Dubai, the rapid growth of the city threatens coastal and desert habitats. This paper therefore proposes a research study to establish the cost of adopting eco-tourism in Fairmont the palm, hotel as a new model for sustaining eco-tourism at the Palm Tree Island.

Fairmont the Palm Hotel Eco-Tourism Adoption Proposal Introduction In the past decade, Dubai has grown to be not only a commercial hub, but also an excellent tourist destination (Anheier 2012, p. 94). A key sector driving Dubai’s flourishing tourism industry is the eco-tourism sector. Even though eco-tourism is a new industry in Dubai, the rapid tourism boom in the region threatens coastal and desert habitats (Simm 2012, p. 1). From the ecological concerns about the growing tourism industry in Dubai, this paper proposes a research study to assess the cost of adopting eco-tourism. To have a more practical approach to this issue, this paper proposes a case study that focuses on one hotel located on the Palm Tree Island – Fairmont the palm, Dubai . The palm tree island is an artificial island off Dubai’s coast that hosts several hotels and resorts. The 2006 palm-tree island project provides a good case study for this paper because the project ended and now hosts several high-end resorts, villas, and hotels (Page 2012). This paper therefore proposes a research study to establish the cost of adopting eco-tourism in Fairmont the palm, hotel . Background/Rationale Even though Dubai’s climate is characterised by arid conditions, the World Tourism Destination ranks it among the top tourist destinations in the world. In fact, Dubai is ahead of China, Turkey, France, Hong Kong, Germany and other top tourist destinations in the world, in terms of attracting the largest tourist numbers (Stephens 2008). Statistics, which show that about 10,000,000 tourists visit Dubai every year, support the growing relevance of Dubai as a top tourist destination. For instance in 2010 alone, Taylor (2011) estimates the number of tourists who visited Dubai to be about 9,000,000 people. To support its growing tourism sector, Dubai also reported increased hotel capacity, which analysts estimated at 70% in 2011 (Kumae 2012). The growth of the general tourism industry has also led to the growth of other tourism sectors like the cruise ship industry, which grows by about 10% every year (Stephenson 2010). In 2010, Dubai hosted close to 400,000 cruise ship passengers. Observers expect this number to grow to about 600,000 travellers by 2015 (Mohammed 2011). The growing tourism industry in Dubai has brought significant economic development in the emirate. However, underlying this growth is a worsening ecological crisis that threatens the existence of the tourism industry in the first place (Badescu 2011). Problem Statement Notably, the U.A.E has among the world’s greatest ecological footprint, considering its rapid growth and harsh climatic condition. The rapid growth of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are especially among the greatest threat to the ecological sustainability of the region (Routledge 2012). Through the decline of environmental quality at the palm tree island, this paper seeks to understand the cost of adopting eco-tourism as a new model for sustaining eco-tourism at Fairmont the palm, Dubai . This seaside hotel is located on the palm tree island as a magnificent tourist lounge. The challenges facing the hotel resemble many other challenges facing Dubai’s hotel industry – sustainability. Therefore, as Dubai’s tourism sector embraces eco-tourism as a sustainable model, this paper proposes to investigate the cost of embracing eco-tourism as a sustainable model for Fairmont the Palm, Dubai . Research Objectives General objective * To understand the cost of adopting eco-tourism as a new model for sustaining the tourism sector at Fairmont the Palm, Dubai Specific Objectives * To estimate the cost of regulating eco-tourism activities at Fairmont the Palm, Dubai * To evaluate the financial cost and savings of improving operations at Fairmont the Palm, Dubai to eco-tourism accreditation standards * To ascertain the cost of developing new facilities and infrastructure for eco-tourism at Fairmont the palm, Dubai * To find out the implication of adopting eco-tourism on the local community living around Fairmont the Palm, Dubai hotel * To establish the impact of adopting eco-tourism on the tourist numbers coming to visit Fairmont the Palm, Dubai Originality of Research and Contribution to Knowledge Albeit a fledgling industry, Dubai local authorities have expressed interest in eco-tourism as a sustainable model for development (especially in the tourism sector) (Dluzewska 2008). This new interest has even prompted the government to rebuild some of the damaged underwater natural resources, off Dubai’s coastline, by sinking old aeroplanes and ships to reconstruct the damaged marine life (Tomlinson 2010). This effort to reconstruct the environment demonstrates a significant interest, not only within the government, but also within private developers (hotels) about the possible advantages of embracing eco-tourism. With this renewed interest in eco-tourism comes the need to evaluate the potential cost implications for embracing this model of tourism (Stewart 2008). The uniqueness of the above analysis contributes to the existing body of knowledge regarding the cost of implementing eco-tourism, plus the environmental impact of the growth of the tourism industry on the environment. The findings of the paper therefore specifically contribute immensely to the growing body of knowledge surrounding Dubai’s eco-tourism sector. Since eco-tourism is an emerging field in Dubai, the findings of this study will be pivotal in explaining the underlying economic factors affecting the growth and sustainability of the industry. Reviews of literature and relevant concepts Review of Literature and Relevant Concepts The emergence of ecological concerns, amid the growth of the tourism industry in Dubai, is part of a larger global concern regarding the importance of embracing sustainable economic practices in most aspects of development (Wang 2010). Therefore, an assessment of the cost of adopting eco-tourism in Dubai is only part of a wider global concern for the environmental impact of economic activities on the environment (Thullen 1996). Many researchers have argued that the growth of the tourism industry bears negative implications for the environment (Assaker 2011). However, it is crucial to show that unlike other economic sectors, tourism and the environment share an interdependent relationship. Measuring the economic costs of tourism is a two-thronged approach where the investment and profitability of the venture measure against occupancy rates and market surveys (UNEP 2012). Knowing the appropriate co-efficiency of occupancy is a strong indicator of the success or viability of tourism investments. Investors interested in adopting eco-tourism ventures would therefore be significantly interested in achieving a break-even occupancy level so that they achieve a favourable return on investment (Baum 2012). UNEP (2012) suggests that the gross operating result method is the best way for understanding the economic costs of embracing eco-tourism. This method mainly works by comparing the available budget for financing the investment and the possible profitability of the investment, without considering the intangible costs associated with the project, such as, social or environmental costs. However, eco-tourism projects cannot openly adopt this measurement model because the potential cost of embracing eco-tourism also has significant implications for the community and other stakeholders (Ruiz-Molina 2010). Therefore, when calculating the cost of embracing eco-tourism, economists equally consider the cost and benefits of embracing eco-tourism for the local population (Jalilvand 2012). Cost benefit analyses of tourism projects often show that very little investments in occupancy rates (like 20%) have significant benefits for the local community (UNEP 2012). Therefore, even with low occupancy levels, the income of the local population may increase significantly. Conceptual Framework The main conceptual framework underlying the nature of the proposed study lies in sustainable development models. Many scholars agree that eco-tourism is a sustainable model for defining the relationship between the tourism industry and the environment (Yang 2008). Environmentalists also agree that eco-tourism is the best way to uphold a sustainable relationship between tourism activities and the environment (Yang 2008). Indeed, for many reasons, eco-tourism remains a sustainable model for the environment because it not only preserves the environment, but also creates jobs and awareness about the importance of “going green.” Through this conceptualisation, it is easier to understand how eco-tourism is a sustainable model for generating revenue and protecting the environment. Research Design, Data Collection, and Analysis Research Design Considering the multifaceted nature of the research topic, this paper proposes a mixed research design that uses qualitative and quantitative research methods. A mixed research approach is crucial for the proposed study because some issues about the research require a qualitative approach, while other issues require a quantitative understanding. For example, stakeholder interests in the growth of the tourism industry, and the protection of the environment, require a qualitative approach to understand the phenomenon. Similarly, an understanding of the economic impact of adopting sustainable practices in the tourism industry requires a quantitative approach. It is therefore inevitable to use both techniques. The research project will be deductive. Deductive projects follow the top-down logic where information about industry activity provides a logical solution regarding a specific phenomenon. This approach explains how industry dynamics in the adoption of eco-tourism affect Fairmont the Palm, Dubai . Therefore, conclusions about general industry dynamics associated with the cost of adopting eco-tourism associate with Fairmont’s willingness to do the same. This approach is appropriate for this paper because Fairmont has not embraced eco-tourism yet and therefore, it would be difficult to find enough information regarding its willingness to do so, internally. An inductive approach is therefore impossible. However, external case studies may provide an overview of the cost of embracing eco-tourism. Therefore, a deductive approach would be most appropriate for this paper. Data Collection Considering the flexibility and convenience of online sampling techniques, the proposed study will use online surveys as the main data collection technique. Besides, the flexibility of styling of online surveys, this data collection technique is appropriate for this study because it saves time and requires minimal financial resources to conduct. Therefore, considering this paper partly uses the qualitative research method, it will be easy to accommodate varied research questions. Even though online questionnaires have their limitations (like limited sampling availability), the minimal resources for the study (time and finances) make online questionnaires the preferable technique for this paper (Sue 2011). Besides the online data collection procedure, journals and books comprise the main sources for secondary data. Journals and books comprise the main sources of secondary data because they are reliable sources of information. Peer–reviewed content will be most preferable. Context and Participants The proposed study includes the incorporation of primary and secondary research. For purposes of primary research, professionals, who are knowledgeable about the research topic, will give their insights regarding the subject. Mainly, their contribution compares similar findings derived from secondary research. A random selection process identifies ten respondents as the research sample. I will obtain the ten respondents through an online panel platform provided by a trusted provider, such as, Recruiting Agencies and knowledgeable expert networks. The main advantage of this method is the potential high commitment and engagement of the respondents to the research process. Indeed, all the respondents sampled would have initially agreed to participate in similar research. A random selection process informs this process because it will be difficult to know the respondent at a personal level. Therefore, so long as the respondents meet the criterion of selection (knowledge about the research and having worked with a reputable consultancy firm); they will be eligible for the research. The main motivator for adopting this method is to have a highly representative sample of the respondents. There will be no preferred firms in this study because of the deductive nature of the research. A sample size of ten respondents conveniently suits this study because there is limited time to conduct the research. Moreover, the subject of research focuses on one hotel and therefore, a few respondents sufficiently address the research topic. Therefore, considering the fixed allocated time for data collection and the focused nature of the research topic, the study can appropriately accommodate ten respondents. The following time schedule shows how the research will occur Preliminary Research Two weeks Contacting Research Respondents One week Data Collection Two weeks Data Analysis Three Weeks Data Presentation/compiling One week Data Analysis The coding and member check techniques form the main data collection techniques for the proposed paper. Both techniques complement one another through a distributed function system. The coding technique will mainly analyse secondary data by providing an interpretive tool for sorting and differentiating the huge volumes of secondary data into easily understandable data pools (Babbie 2010, p. 400). This data analysis tool eases the process of identifying different types of information through codes. The member-check technique complements the coding technique by establishing the accuracy, transferability, and authenticity of the information sourced. In detail, the member-check technique ensures that the context and attitudes of the findings presented in the final study represent the original sources of information (Klenke 2008, p. 43). Therefore, this data analysis technique ensures all the findings derived from the secondary pieces of information (for example) mirror the opinions and context of the authors who developed the information. Conclusion of Proposal While many researchers have explored the ecological impact of the tourism industry on the environment, the proposed research seeks to provide a specific assessment of the cost of adopting eco-tourism in Dubai. Location-specific attributes about the Island and the unique environmental dynamics of the region characterise the research process. Therefore, the findings of the paper provide a specific analysis of the location of the study – Dubai. This is a limitation to the proposed study because it would be difficult to generalise the findings across other geographic regions. However, a potential strength of this study is the unique nature of the research topic because the dynamics surrounding the research will be specific to the region. Therefore, a high accuracy of the paper’s finding is expected. Comprehensively, the proposed research provides an accurate assessment of the cost of having sustainable tourism and hospitality industries. References Anheier, H. (2012) Cultures and Globalization: Cities , Cultural Policy and Governance. London: SAGE. Assaker, G. (2011) ‘Modeling a causality network for tourism development: an empirical analysis’. Journal of Modelling in Management . 6(3) pp. 258 – 278. Babbie, E. (2010) The Practice of Social Research . London: Cengage Learning. Badescu, V. (2011) Macro-Engineering Seawater in Unique Environments: Arid Lowlands and Water Bodies Rehabilitation . New York: Springer. Baum, T. (2012) ‘Human resource management in tourism: a small island perspective’. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research . 6(2) pp. 124 – 132. Dluzewska, A. (2008) ‘Direct and indirect impact of the tourism industry on drylands: the example of Southern Tunisia’. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal . 19(6) pp. 661 – 669. Jalilvand, M. (2012) ‘The impact of electronic word of mouth on a tourism destination choice: Testing the theory of planned behavior (TPB)’. Internet Research . 22(5) pp. 591 – 612. Klenke, K. (2008) Qualitative Research In The Study Of Leadership . London: Emerald Group Publishing. Kumae, R. (2012) ‘Tourism in Dubai: The Sunrise Sector’. Middle East Journal of Business. 7(1) pp. 15 – 16. Mohammed, K. (2011) ‘Food safety challenges and initiatives in the Dubai hospitality industry’. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes . 3(5) pp. 443 – 449. Page, K. (2012) Middle East Review . London: Kogan Page Publishers. Routledge. (2012) Tourism Mobilities: Places to Play, Places in Play . London: Routledge. Ruiz-Molina, M. (2010) ‘Good environmental practices for hospitality and tourism: The role of information and communication technologies’. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal . 21(4) pp. 464 – 476. Simm, C. (2012) Eco-tourism in Dubai Web. Stephens, M. (2008) ‘Dubai – a star in the east: A case study in strategic destination branding’. Journal of Place Management and Development . 1(1) pp. 62 – 91. Stephenson, M. (2010) ‘Islamic hospitality in the UAE: indigenization of products and human capital’. Journal of Islamic Marketing . 1(1) pp. 9 – 24. Stewart, D. (2008) The Middle East Today: Political, Geographical and Cultural Perspectives. London: Taylor & Francis. Sue, V. (2011) Conducting Online Surveys . London: SAGE Publications. Taylor, J. (2011) ‘Barriers to HACCP in hospitality: a global problem with global solutions?’. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes . 3(5) pp. 387 – 401. Thullen, S. (1996) Tourism and its Impacts on the Environment Web. Tomlinson, B. (2010) Greening Through It: Information Technology for Environmental Sustainability. MIT: MIT Press. UNEP. (2012) Monitoring The Costs And Benefits Of Ecotourism: Equitable Distribution Between All Actors Web. Wang, S. (2010) ‘Residents’ attitudes toward tourism development in Shandong, China’. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research . 4(4) pp. 327 – 339. Yang, J. (2008) ‘Nature-based tourism impacts in I-Lan, Taiwan: business managers’ perceptions’. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research . 2(3) pp. 250 – 270.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: The essay discusses the importance of economic development incentives offered by governments to attract local and foreign investors. The incentives range from a number of policy forms including tax inducements and infrastructure developments. The types of incentives offered vary based on the local government meeting the cost of the inducements.The overall aim of economic development incentives is to create new jobs, enhance infrastructure development in remote locations, and generate lasting tax income.

The essay discusses the importance of economic development incentives offered by governments to attract local and foreign investors. The incentives range from a number of policy forms including tax inducements and infrastructure developments. The types of incentives offered vary based on the local government meeting the cost of the inducements. The overall aim of economic development incentives is to create new jobs, enhance infrastructure development in remote locations, and generate lasting tax income.

Economic Development Incentives Term Paper Description of the issue selected Economic development incentives refer to the inducement policies offered by governments to appeal or maintain local and foreign investors (Long 45). Incentives range from a number of policy forms. Notably, the forms center on tax inducements and infrastructure developments (Aronson 67). The types of incentives offered vary based on the local government meeting the cost of the inducements (Long 45). As such, the overall aim of economic development incentives is to create new jobs, enhance infrastructure development in remote locations, and generate lasting tax income. Why I selected the policy I selected the above policy because of its importance in the local government’s economic growth. Based on the above illustrations, it is apparent that citizens can benefit if local governments come up with effective and manageable economic development incentives. It has been noted that a number of local governments using economic development inducements have dissimilar intentions with the companies receiving them (Long 45). Local governments are focused on offering services to the people, while businesses benefiting from the inducements are centered on increasing their profits. Therefore, to attain their objectives local governments should review the paybacks of projects benefiting from the inducements in contrast to the cost of public expenditure. Even though there is no distinct approach for the review providing a detailed and rigorous examination all projects, it is essential for culpability and durable revenue impacts. Accountable usage of public cash necessitates that developments funded offer an appropriate return for the local government and investments offered in a genuine manner with appropriate knowledge of their temporary and lasting costs and benefits. Historical background information about the policy Starting from the early 1990s, China has experienced a huge economic growth. The growth has attracted the attention of both local and international policy makers and academicians (Li 20). The drastic growth of China’s economy is attributed to township and village enterprises. The key role played by the enterprises in the country’s economic development and continuous reorganization progression has now been extensively recognized. It has been established that economic development progress has benefited the most from the local government policies. The country’s local governments play a significant part in the economy. In the recent years, their revenue was estimated at 8% of the country’s GDP. With respect to tax sharing, the additional-budgetary local returns are not necessarily shared with the national government (Li 45). Through this, the local governments are able to come up with a robust incentive to promote local industries. In a bid to attract foreign investors, local governments have set up distinct industrial zones. The zones are located in rural regions of China. Is the policy a regional, city, state, or national problem? Economic development incentives are not only spearheaded by the local governments in China but also with the help of national government. In the last decade, the central government and the local governments have come up with two policies to improve its central and western regions. In the year 2000, the country came up with the Western Development Strategy (Li 45). The policy is aimed at enhancing the economies of the western provinces. In the year 2004, the country established the Rise of Central China Plan. The policy aims at synchronizing local development in six central provinces. To attain the comprehensive objectives defined in the plans, the central and the local governments offered a number of initiatives to induce a number of investors to the regions. Based on the above illustrations, it is apparent that economic development incentives in China are national issues. For investors planning to invest in the country, a comprehensive understanding of the policy will offer an important guide to gaining contact with possible clients in untapped regions. What circumstances have led to the issue and why it should be analyzed? The step and measure of China’s financial revolution have no past comparison. During the year 1978, the country was ranked among the poorest nations (Li 78). Ever since the economic policy reforms were initiated in the late 1970s, the country’s economy has increased progressively. As such, the reforms opened the country to the outside world. The quick and continued developments in average living conditions have made the country the second largest economy after the United States of America. Because the country is reputable for its very high rates of saving and investment, it is evident that its rapid growth in the last few decades has been influenced by productivity growth. In general, the local governments’ economic development incentives brought about by the government untiring institutional transformation and policy reorganizations that have lessened distortions are the key causes of the productivity growth. Despite the importance of economic development incentives, it should be noted that the policy has attracted a number of criticisms. According to those opposed to the policy, the projects are usually very costly and benefit the developers rather than the citizens (Li 45). Others argue that development inducements do not create new industries or employments but simply transfer them. The above argument can be valid when discrete areas of the towns are offered with inducements to draw investors. To address and to understand the degree of the drawbacks of economic development incentives, the topic should be analyzed. Similarly, the topic should be analyzed to understand how the policy should be effectively formulated, implemented, and managed. Future trends related to the issue Given that China will face increased competition in the future from other developing countries as an investment destination, the country is expected to announce more competitive economic development incentives. The incentives will be tailored at retaining and attracting foreign investors. The regions that will benefit the most from these incentives are the central and western parts of the country. Current policies being taken to address the issue The local Chinese governments have come up with a number of policies to boost incentives aimed at enhancing foreign investment in its remote areas. Through this, the governments will uplift the economic conditions of these poverty-stricken regions. The first policy aims at attracting investors to central and western parts of the country. Through this, the financial institutions are encouraged to give priority to companies having projects in the region. The other policy aims at identifying distinct industries to operate in the western and central region of the country. Similarly, another policy aims at relaxing restrictions on investors operating the regions. Through the above policies, local governments aim to attract several multinational companies in their region to create jobs and sustainable tax base. Desired policies that should be taken to address the issue To address the issue, it is desired that the local governments should increase the amount of soft loans spent on development in these regions. Similarly, the local governments should come up with policies that are unique and tailored at solving the region’s challenges. The above will ensure that both the foreign investors and the citizens benefit the most from economic development incentives. The cost to finance the desired issue It estimated that the cost of implementing the desired policies would be higher. With $5.1bn, the local governments can increase the amount of soft loans spent on development in their regions. Similarly, the money will enable the local governments to come up with appropriate policies. Recommendations for the future In the future, it is advisable that the local governments scrutinize the detailed benefits and costs related to economic development incentives, priorities, programs, and plans. The analysis should encompass a review of the suppositions, cost, paybacks, and procedures being used to validate the incentive. Even though there is no distinct approach for the review, providing a detailed and rigorous examination all projects is essential for culpability and durable revenue impacts. Conclusions The article analyzed the local governments’ incentives to attract and retain foreign investments by utilizing the available policies in the country. Throughout the paper, an illustration of Chinese local governments’ incentive policies is provided. As such, the additional-budgetary local returns are not compulsory to be shared with the national government. Through this, the local governments are able to come up with a robust incentive to promote local industries. In a bid to attract foreign investors, local governments have set up distinct industrial zones. The zones are located in rural regions of China. Similarly, it should be noted that the Chinese local governments have come up with a number of policies to boost incentives aimed at enhancing foreign investment in its remote areas. By doing so, the governments will uplift the economic conditions of these poverty-stricken regions. The first policy aims at attracting investors to central and western parts of the country. Works Cited Aronson, J. Richard. Management Policies in Local Government Finance . 6th ed. Washington: Published in Cooperation with the Municipal Finance Officers Association by the International City Management Association, 2012. Print. Li, Linda Chelan. Rural Tax Reform in China: Policy Process and Institutional Change . Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2012. Print. Long, William J. Economic Incentives and Bilateral Cooperation . Ann Arbor: U of Michigan, 2006. Print.

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Write the original essay that provided the following summary when summarized: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a renowned political and economic union, specifically for the Arab states, mainly depending on production of oil for economic development. The union has played a pivotal role in ensuring peace and economic expansion in countries covered by the union.The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a renown political and economic union, specifically for the Arab states, mainly depending on production of oil for economic development. The union has played a pivotal role in ensuring peace and economic expansion

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a renowned political and economic union, specifically for the Arab states, mainly depending on production of oil for economic development. The union has played a pivotal role in ensuring peace and economic expansion in countries covered by the union. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a renown political and economic union, specifically for the Arab states, mainly depending on production of oil for economic development. The union has played a pivotal role in ensuring peace and economic expansion

The Gulf Cooperation Council Economic Development Research Paper Introduction A strong, reliable, and sustainable economy is always the objective of every nation across the world. Globally, oil-producing countries have continuously played a significant role in the international economy. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a renowned political and economic union, specifically for the Arab states, mainly depending on production of oil for economic development (Coury and Chetan 1). The union has played a pivotal role in ensuring peace and economic expansion in countries covered by the union. Countries in the GCC have prospered in their economies through economic development strategies and successful transformation agendas. However, recent studies have indicated that some countries within the GCC are threatening their economic power by over depending on oil production as the chief financial resource. Since gas and oil are exhaustible resources, there is a growing need to diversify economies in the GCC (Looney 138). This paper investigates economic diversification in Qatar compared to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Literature Review Countries in the Middle East have found oil to be the most precious natural resource, which truly has been quite imperative in enhancing their economic growth. For several decades, most countries in the Middle East have ranked top in the global oil production overview, with the majority of them depending on oil and natural gas wealth as major commodities for economic intensification. According to Shediac et al. (2), the Gulf Cooperation Council, including countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are the largest oil-producing nations covering up to 80 per cent of the overall global oil production. Oil in the GCC union started being the most appropriate economic booster since its discovery several decades ago, with the global wars revolving around oil production centres. However, oil boom within the GCC union seems to be losing its capacity gradually, which became eminent in years 1973-74. Conventionally, despite the triumph associated with the GCC as the greatest oil-producing nations, something seems to be going wrong. Previous studies have continuously indicated that the GCC economies have consistently been dependent on natural resources for growth by investing heavily on oil and gas production and leaving other non-oil sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, and hospitality overtly underutilised and underdeveloped (Basher 3). This aspect may best explain the reason behind economic predicaments that struck the GCC union during the global financial credit crunch and collapsed oil prices that lasted for decades from late 1980s to 1990s and even currently in the 21 st century (Basher 2). With the existing socio-economic difficulties and financial problems worsened by unprecedented changes in the climatic conditions, concern has risen over the GCC and other oil-producing to change their propensity of depending on oil as the main economic commodity to other profitable sectors. Due to the prevailing pressure, several transformational changes are emerging within the GCC. The GGC union has developed several strategies to avert the pressure on oil. Some countries have almost completely shifted their economic activities from oil production to depending on public sector activities (Basher 3). Diversification within the GCC has been successful despite the fact that these countries face daunting challenges in diversifying, with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia diversifying through other potential sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, and hospitality industries. In a bid to reduce its dependence on oil, Qatar has been investing heavily on natural gas production, which plays only a partial role in protecting the country’s unfavourable oil price fluctuations that affect national economic condition (Basher 4). Compared to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia who have diversified in almost all non-oil sectors, natural gas is barely enough to protect Qatar from depending on oil for economic support. Problem Statement Currently, nations within the GCC and others across the Middle East regions depending on oil production for economic growth are calling for enhancement of a diversified economy. Research noticed that the level of global oil production is gradually diminishing with climatic conditions and over-exploitation of natural resources exacerbating the situation. On noticing this, Middle Eastern governments, especially those under the GCC, have formulated economic development and transformation agendas (Shediac et al. 1). In this context, transformation agendas principally involved diversification of economy targeting to shift from depending on single economic commodity to well-diversified ones from a range of profitable sectors. Given that oil and natural gas revenues are exhaustible resources, the GCC governments have started substituting them with other considerable resources to enhance sustainable economy (Coury and Chetan 1). Contrarily, Qatar has opted to shift to natural gas, which is still an exhaustible natural resource to avert the pressure on the oil consumption, making a null change. Methodology In a bid to provide empirical evidence needed to reinforce the argument in this study, this paper reviewed latest case studies conducted to examine the prevailing condition in the diversification of the economy within the GCC union. Two important case studies remained imperative to this study. A case study conducted by Basher (1-30), which concentrated on comparative analysis of dependence of oil in three countries, including Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, significantly proved the argument for this study. This study also undertook a quantitative assessment of the determinants of the business cycle synchronisation. The other empirical evidence involved case studies conducted by Shediac et al. (1-3), which principally examined diversification of the economy across the GCC economies. Both studies intended to compare dependency of oil as the main economic commodity to others in a bid to distinguish which country among the three mostly depended on oil as the major economic commodity. In a bid to provide empirical evidence for the first study synchronicity or rather synchronisation method dominated the first study. Synchronicity, a term used to describe the experience between two that are actually unrelated, but normally coincide under circumstances in a meaningful manner. This study validated data produced concerning oil output and output from other non-oil sectors for the years ranging from Kuwait (1978-2007), Qatar (1980-2006), and Saudi Arabia (1968-2008). The study employed a nonparametric filter technique that usually estimates “trend component by minimising deviations from trend, subject to a predetermined smoothness of the resulting trend” (Basher 8). This aspect allows the estimation of synchronicity of oil output gap of the respective GCC economies. On the other hand, a case study of the GCC, the G7, and developed economies countries were significant in the study. Shediac et al. (2) confirm that this methodology involved measuring Gross Domestic Product (GDP) distribution across all sectors within the GCC, including agriculture and/or manufacturing to ascertain “concentration ratio” and “diversification quotient.” Results/Discussion First Argument By comparing the output ratio of oil and other non-oil sector products from the three GCC member countries, including Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, this paper managed to estimate the extend at which each country depended on oil products for economic growth. As synchronicity measure fluctuated over time, it was significant to include important events like, “the first oil crisis (1973-74), second oil crisis (1979-81), the Gulf war (1990-91) and the recent oil price shock (2005-2008); during all these episodes oil prices significantly increased” (Basher 10). This element primarily denoted how non-oil sectors depended on the oil sector with synchronicity being highly volatile and different across the three GCC countries. For Kuwait, the long run synchronicity measure indicated that non-oil sector’s dependence on the oil sector increased during a given period, thus suggested decreased diversification. Comparing to Qatar, the long-run trend of synchronicity was decreasing by then, although this aspect portrayed less meaningful economic diversification. The synchronicity trend for Saudi Arabia increased diffidently until mid-1990 before declining afterward. The estimated value of synchronicity in non-oil sectors in Qatar indicated that 53 per cent output of the non-oil sector revealed similar figures/percentage, which coincided with the output gap of the oil sector showing that the level of diversification within the non-oil sectors remained considerably weak. For the case of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, using different span of time indicated that the synchronicity measure between oil and non-oil sectors revealed only 45 per cent for Kuwait, demonstrating that the level of diversification in non-oil sectors had gradually been increasing (Basher 10). The case study yielded almost similar results in Saudi Arabia where the synchronicity measure for oil and non-oil sectors produced 46 per cent a trend that like Kuwait demonstrates reduced dependency on oil as the main economic commodity in the two countries. Basher affirms that this aspect revealed, “Qatar’s non-oil sector shows a slightly higher degree of dependence on the oil-sector relative to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia” (10). Second Argument In a bid to provide empirical evidence to this paper to prove the argument between oil dependency in Qatar and Kuwait together with Saudi Arabia, the study investigated the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) distribution across the three GCC economies, including Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. Following the case study conducted by Shediac et al. (2), it became apparent that for a country to have a sustainable economy, several measures of diversification must reflect. Diversification is achievable, where the GDP reveals an even distribution across a variety of economic sectors (Srinivas 5). Therefore, to measure the contribution of GDP across sectors in the three countries, the study involved two important concepts, which are measurable and normally signify diversification of an economy. Shediac et al. affirms, “The concepts of economic concentration and diversification can be captured with the computation of the respective point estimators of concentration ratio and diversification quotient for the sample of studied economies” (3). Table 1: Economic Concentration and Economic diversification Latest Figure revealing data sample in the year 2005 Qatar Kuwait Saudi Arabia Economic Concentration (%) 39% 33% 28% Economic Diversification (%) 2.59% 3.0% 3.63% (Source: Shediac et al. 3) As demonstrated, the table only involved comparative figures for three GCC economies, viz. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Research has demonstrated that economic concentration quotient and diversification quotient are significant determiners of economic diversification that predominantly depend on a range of economic sectors for economic development (Shediac et al. 3). Normally, “the concentration ratio measures a nation’s concentration in a given sector by taking the sum of squares of percent contribution to the GDP” (Shediac et al. 3). Countries with high economic concentration normally suffer from volatility in the economic growth and fluctuating economic cycles. In explainable manner, in the case of high economic concentration a country normally depends on vulnerable external events, including changes in the prices of dominant commodities a case eminent in Qatar’s economic concentration. From the source of the above data, from the three GCC countries sampled for this study, Qatar ranks top in the economic concentration compared to all other GCC countries. However, comparing the figures for the three countries in the GCC economies as used in this study, Qatar recorded highest economic concentration of 39 per cent, followed relatively close by Kuwait with about 33 per cent and finally Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with 28 per cent. The essence of these figures is to provide an overview of how high concentration correlates with economic diversification where high economic concentration reveals high reliance of economic activity in the three GCC countries on the oil and gas sector. Normally, higher economic concentration depicts low diversification in economical terms. Based on the above table, Shediac et al. note, “Qatar tops amid the three GCC countries with highest concentrations in terms of sector contribution to GDP and thus, exhibits the lowest diversification scores” (3). According to studies conducted to investigate the contribution of non-oil sectors to the GDPs across the three GCC nations, comparative analysis revealed that Qatar depends considerably high on oil than both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Both studies conducted by Basher (15) and Shediac et al. (6) demonstrate that Qatar has heavily invested on oil than other sectors. Screening through sectors like manufacturing and agriculture in the three GCC countries, Shediac et al. (7) concluded that the oil industry in Qatar is relatively highly depended by other sectors that in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, which is an evidence to demonstrate how Qatar heavily relies on oil than the other two countries. Srinivas (11) postulates that the monopolised oil production sector in Qatar has forced researchers to cite this element as the main cause of lack of diversification in the country, thus exposing it to dangerous events like global price fluctuations. Conclusion Based on the empirical evidence provided by the two case studies to prove the argument for this study, it is evident that Qatar has continuously depended on oil production as compared to Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Comparing figures on the economic concentration and economic diversification of the three GCC countries, Qatar ranks top in the economic concentration and the lowest diversification quotient, whereby the higher the economic concentration the lower the diversification in economic terms (Shediac et al. 3). On the other hand, Basher (15) used the synchronisation technique, where synchronicity referred to similar situations coincided with each other. As both oil and natural gas revenues are exhaustible, all GCC nations, especially Qatar, should be cautious on diversification. Works Cited Basher, Syed 2010, Has the Non-oil Sector Decoupled from Oil Sector? A Case Study of Gulf Cooperation Council Countries . PDF File. Web. Coury, Tarek, and Dave Chetan 2009, Oil, Labour Markets, and Economic Diversification in the GCC: An Empirical Assessment . PDF File. Web. Looney Robert. “The Gulf Co-operation councils caution approach to economic integration.” Journal of Economic Cooperation 24.3 (2003): 137-160. Print. Shediac, Richard, Rabih Abouchakra, Chadi Moujaes, and Ramsay Mazen 2008, Economic Diversification: The Road to Sustainable Development. Web. Srinivas, Kastoori. “Economic Development of GCC Countries: Risks and Challenges: An Overview.” Indian Journal of Business Review 4.1 (2011): 1-14. Print.

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Revert the following summary back into the original essay: Productivity is an important economic indicator that can be used to measure the performance of an economy. It can be used to measure the volume of output measure to the measure of the use of the inputs. Labor productivity as a measure of productivity shows the main economic measure for the economic growth of the country, welfare and the socio economic development of people.

Productivity is an important economic indicator that can be used to measure the performance of an economy. It can be used to measure the volume of output measure to the measure of the use of the inputs. Labor productivity as a measure of productivity shows the main economic measure for the economic growth of the country, welfare and the socio economic development of people.

Economic Indicators and Their Utilization Term Paper Introduction Out of all the economic and socio-economic indicators, inflation and the gross domestic product have a greater impact on the stock market. The six economic indicators that affect our economy every day include the Treasury Department Policies, Monetary Policies, Raw Resources, Fiscal Policies, Productivity, Balance of Payments. According to Graham, “inflation is an economic indicator for securities markets since it establishes an estimated value of an investment lost on how to compensate for the loss” (n.p.). For instance, if inflation is at 15% at a particular time, and your investment increases by 15%, then the investor stays even during that time. Gross domestic product (GDP) is a component of inflation as well as an economic indicator (Graham 2). Economic indicators measure the economic activities of an economy, individual’s welfare and the socio-economic development, the country’s sustainability of economic activities, inputs to the production units, scarcity or depletion of the natural resources, a country’s dependency on other economies and the economic efficiency (Cohen, Grémont, Mudgal & Tan 4). Several people assume many factors as causing the market to rise and fall. There are many factors including the employees incomes, living standards, political influences affecting the market, but economic factors form the major factor that influence the market performance (Graham 2). This paper focuses on three economic indicators and their utilization. Productivity has been discussed in the light of the labor and workforce productivity, how it affects the economic growth, where it is found, its relationship to inflation and the influences of the unemployment to productivity. Monetary policy and the raw resource have also been discussed. Productivity Productivity refers to the ratio of the volume of output measure to the measure of the use of the inputs. Labor productivity as a measure of productivity shows the main economic measure for the economic growth of the country, welfare and the socio economic development of people (Freeman 1). Growth in the levels of productivity forms a crucial economic indicator. The growth in production means that the real incomes of individuals and the nation at large improve. This means that productivity growth clearly indicates the growth of the economy of a country. Productivity shows the amount of input needed to generate a certain amount of output. In spite of the significance of productivity as an economic indicator, there are many challenges faced when quantifying the productivity. Productivity growth and levels of different countries or different industries within a country can be measured in comparison with one another (Pilat & Schreyer 1). The main challenges faced in measuring and comparing productivity relate to the technological innovations and innovations that affect most of the economies in the world today. Information Communication Technology (ICT) influences the productivity growth largely. When comparing the productivity growth of economies that employ ICT in their production processes, the problem arises when measuring the prices and the quality of the ICT products in the use because no standard measures exist. Labor input from the personnel forms another critical measure of productivity growth. To measure the growth in productivity levels several measures are used classified as single-factor and the multifactor productivity measures. Applying either of these depends largely on the intention of carrying out the productivity measurement and the data available. A single-factor measure compares a single measure of output directly to a one input measure whereas a multi-factor measure compares a single output measure to the multiple input measures (Pilat & Schreyer 2). Productivity and Inflation The slower rate of productivity growth in US as reported by the Federal Reserve Bank affects inflation. To begin with, it may increase the business costs for a time. This attributes to the fact that firms would spend more in labor requirements and they sell their products at higher prices so that they can maintain their profit margins. Ultimately, raising the unit labor costs translates to the slower rates in the work volume because workers will be paid less wages since they work at slower rates. Workers and the firms will take a long time to adjust to the new conditions leading to the increase in inflation overtime (Yellen 1). The slower growth in productivity trend leads to a slow growth in demand resulting in an increased inflation. The customers and consumers would reduce their spending rates due to the lower wages brought by the slower working rate. Furthermore, this will reduce the firm’s production rates because the market is slow. This is well illustrated in the line graph below. Fig.1 A line graph showing that a slower growth in productivity trend translates to an increased inflation (Sachs & Warner 3). How to Read Productivity In measuring a workforce or labor productivity of an economy, economists focus on the number of working hours per day, the kind of work and the number of workers undertaking a certain task. Productivity as a social indicator focuses on the quality of work done by the workers as input to the firm. Greater labor productivity is achieved when an organization balances the dimensions of quality and quantity of work delivered in time. The growth and development of the US economy has been attributed to the labor productivity growth. Effects of Productivity It is important to follow productivity because all the firms are trying to minimize the costs and maximize the profits. Productivity will provide information on whether the inputs to the firm equally translate to the output. For instance, there is need to measure the labor and workforce productivity as this will provide the information on the quality of work delivered within a given period by a certain workforce. Where Productivity Is Found Productivity economic indicators can be obtained from the workers of a firm. To assess the productivity indicators of a firm, one has to analyze the inputs of the workers in a firm and then compare with the outputs of the firm. The labor productivity outputs constitutes the amount of work done at a particular time, the quality of work done compared with the number of people undertaking a particular task. Effect of Productivity on Unemployment Economists argue that if the rate of unemployment goes beyond its natural or normal rate, it leads to the low wages offered by the employers and finally resulting in the reduced prices of the finished goods. Firms need to effectively utilize labor as a factor of production. Raw Resources The rate at which an economy utilizes the raw resources influences the growth of that economy. An economy may utilize the resources as raw inputs to the production units and produce finished goods. An economy should use the available resources more efficiently to increase the value of those resources. However, challenges exist in trying to utilize effectively the resources available for instance the lack of or the shortage of the resources and change in the prices. These short term challenges cause long-term economic crisis linked with the use of the resources. Raw resources as an economic indicator affect the economic growth in terms of its use efficiency (Cohen, Grémont, Mudgal & Tan 4). The current trend in natural resource utilization is that the economies with abundant natural resources tend to develop much slower than the economies with scarce natural resources. If the exports of the resources of a country like agriculture and minerals are higher the Growth Domestic Product tends to have a lower growth rate (Sachs & Warner 3). How to Read the Raw Resources A change in manufacturing and trade inventories shows how the raw resources are utilized. When the manufacturing companies utilize all the raw materials in their stock in the manufacture of the finished goods, it is said that the resources are used efficiently while on the other hand if the finished goods (outputs) inventory have all been sold then the firm is making profits. Effects of Raw Resources It is important for a manufacturing firm to analyze their resource utilization so that they can maximize their profits. Raw materials acts as inputs to the firm and there is need to understand the quantity and quality of the resources spent and then compared to the outputs of the firm. Where Raw Resources Is Found Manufacturing firms are the best places where the raw resource indicators can be seen. In a manufacturing process, the raw materials form the inputs while the finished goods form the outputs. To analyze this economic indicator, economists compare the volume of the raw materials with the outputs of those raw materials in terms of finished goods so that they can analyze whether the firm is making a profit or not. The Influence of Natural Resources on Economic Growth When an economy has a plenty of natural resources, it tends to avoid exports and capital inflows. In addition, it tends to avoid the production of the goods and services within the country because of the abundance of the natural resources. This results in a closed market scenario and subsequent reduction in trade. The local investors tend to block the foreign investors from investing in their country protected by the government to avoid the competition. Natural capital dominates the foreign capital. This ultimately leads to a slower rate of economic growth. Monetary Policy Monetary policy refers to the way the monetary and financial authorities in a particular economy controls and regulates the flow of money. Such authorities include the central banks. The main target is the prime or interest rates at which the money lenders impose on the borrowers so that they can control economic growth and stability. Effectiveness of a monetary policy is measured by the rate at which it addresses inflation expectations. This means the expectations people have on the prices increasing in the future. Monetary policies specify the level of banks’ credibility as set out by the central bank. Banks credibility affects inflation expectation and price increases. Central banks should state the future price stability in their monetary policies; they should look forward for the unexpected unless the economic shocks occur. Inflation rates change when the price level changes especially changes in the prices of international goods. A good monetary policy should have medium-term plans to address the effects caused by the economic shocks. The economic indicators of an economy provide statistics to the central banks so that they can draft a viable monetary policy that caters for the inflation changes. This means that the reliability, accuracy and completeness of the economic indicators influence the kind of monetary policies formulated and subsequently the economic growth. A good monetary policy focuses on the broad terms to consider all the necessary information for a good knowledge of the factors influencing the social and economic developments; hence, it relies on a broad range of the economic indicators. Monetary Policy and Inflation Monetary policy influences inflation and increased demand for goods and services. An increase in the demand for goods and services means that more employees are needed to produce the larger number of goods and services to satisfy the demand. This is due to the effects of the monetary policy on the financial status of people’s households and industries. In the United States for example, Federal Reserve affects the banks and financial institutions lending rates during the normal times without inflation. Short-term federal funds influence the lending rates of short-term loans for small firms and households. Influence of Monetary Policy and Inflation on Employment Monetary policy significantly affects inflation of an economy. In the United States for example, the reduction of the federal funds rate leads to an increased demand for essential goods and services. This will result in the increase in the firms’ expenditures in terms of salaries and other costs. Furthermore, monetary policy stance affects what people think about the future in terms of the economy. Such expectations include increase in the prices of goods and services as well as the remuneration of workers, which will result in increased inflation. This is illustrated in the bar graph below. Fig 2: A bar graph showing that an increase in inflation causes a decrease in firm’s expenditure and hence increases in employment rates (Baumohl 34-35) Where Monetary Policies Are Found The best places of assessing this economic indicator are the central banks, banks, financial institutions among other money lenders. Money borrowers also show some signs of the money policy that stands. The interest rates imposed by the banks show the monetary policy in place. How to Read the Monetary Policy Monetary policies are read from the following signs. First are the Gross Domestic Product and the components of consumption rates of goods and services. In this regard, the signs would be obtained from the individual incomes and rate of spending, unemployment rates, sales trends, new claims for unemployment insurance among other signs. Secondly are the signs of price pressures causing inflation for example the consumer price index, unit labor costs, producer price index , import and export prices among other signs (Baumohl 34-35). The business fixed investments of people shows the monetary policy stance too. The rate of investment on the non-residential and the residential houses are read from the manufacturers’ shipment of goods, inventory rates and the orders they make, the rate of the mortgage applications, house and home sales surveys. Effects of the Monetary Policy Central bank uses the data on the money supply to analyze the current economic, social and financial conditions of the country. This assists in the formulation of the monetary policy like increasing or reducing the interest rates by the banks and other money lending institutions. They achieve this through the reduction of the money supply. Today, monetary policy plays a role in the US economy. It directly influences the interest rates, employment, and inflation (Charles 1). In the past two decades, the rate at which economy grew was lower and so many people were not employed while money growth was high. Economists reported that increase in inflation rates affects the economic growth since the prices will not be worth and since people spend money evading the costs that inflation imposes on holding money (Charles 13). Influence of the Monitory Policy on the Economic Growth The institutions with the authority to control the money supply do price stability maintenance. Monetary policy therefore affects the economic growth through a stabilizing role. The stabilizing role by the central bank may be limited by the attempt to pursue other objectives of the monitory policy formulation, how the policy is implemented among other detrimental factors like uncertainty and doubtfulness of the policy makers. Monetary policy plays an important role in the economic growth of a country. It does not raise the long-term economic growth but it initiates and maintains economic growth by stabilizing the prices of goods and services. Monetary policy contributes to the economic growth and stability through the maintenance of price stability. Monetary policy tools check money supply to sustain price stability in the medium and long term. Economists argue that to maintain a long-term economic growth, an economy should maintain a low price level. Monetary policy determines the interest rates of a particular country. If central bank cuts down the interest rate, so many people will borrow the short-term and the long-term loans resulting in a higher rate of investments and the purchase of permanent and temporary assets. The banks will be forced to give out the loans because so many investors are in need leading to increased spending. People will buy many household financial assets because they are attracted to buy. Reduction in the interest rate will cause reduction of the value of the currency due to the increased demand for goods and services, especially when the prices for the imported goods rise. Combination of all these elements increases individual and the entire economy’s output reduces unemployment rates and the increase in investments and the consumer expenditure, hence, an increase in the country’s economy. Conclusion Inflation occurs when the overall demand for goods and services goes higher than the supply. This leads to the reduction for resources. The most common measure of the economic slack or the unutilized productive resources is the rate of unemployment. A growth in productivity level improves the welfare and living standards since many people have increased incomes and can buy essential goods, services, and access necessities. To the production firms, a growth in productivity implies that it can effectively satisfy its stakeholders and remain competitive hence an increase in the economic growth. Monetary policy is the change in demand of goods and services due to the changes in the interest rates and money supply by the central banks thereby influencing the economic growth. Raw resources of a firm represent the inputs to a production unit and the outputs determine the market value hence an increase or reduction in the economic growth. Inflation and Gross Domestic Product form the major economic indicators and influence the effects of other economic indicators on a country’s economic development. Works Cited Baumohl, Bernard. The Secrets of Economic Indicators: Hidden Clues to Future Economic Trends and Investment Opportunities . New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc., 2005. Print. Charles, Nelson. The Monetary Policy: Chapter Nine. New York: OECD Publishing, 2010. Print. Cohen, François, Grémont, Marine, Mudgal, Shailendra & Tan, Adrian. Indicators on Linking Resource Use to the Economy: Environmental Data Centers on Natural Resources and Products: European Commission, DG Environment . Berlin: Bio Intelligent service, 2012. Print. Freeman, Rebecca. Labor Productivity Indicators: Comparison of Two OECD Databases Productivity Differentials & the Balassa-Samuelson Effect. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 2008. Print. Graham, Jim. The Big Three Economic Indicators. Libertyville: OptionVue Systems International, Inc, 2011, Print. Pilat, Dirk & Schreyer, Paul. Measuring Productivity. Paris: OECD, 2001. Print. Sachs, Jeffrey & Warner, Andrew. Natural Resource Abundance and Economic Growth . Cambridge: National Bureau of Economic Research, 1995. Print. Yellen, Janet. FRBSF Economic Letter: Productivity and Inflation . San Francisco: Federal Bank of San Francisco, 2005. Print.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: Economic Value Added (EVA) statements can be used to improve financial statement reporting, results, and success. EVA is a powerful tool for managers to use in making long-term decisions and evaluating performance.

Economic Value Added (EVA) statements can be used to improve financial statement reporting, results, and success. EVA is a powerful tool for managers to use in making long-term decisions and evaluating performance.

Economic Value Added (EVA) Essay How can Economic Value Added (EVA) statements be used to improve financial statement reporting, results, and success? What are some problems found with EVA? In order to gauge financial growth and development of a firm, an entity or portfolio, Economic Value Added (EVA) may be used. In this particular measurement, it is presumed that the element of cost is attached to all forms of capital. In addition, shareholders gain value when the cost of capital is lower than the amount being earned. The actual value of EVA is computed by subtracting a capital charge from after-tax net operating profit (NOPAT). The cost of capital and economic profit are put into consideration when assessing EVA. A true value is generated for shareholders when the cost of capital is exceeded by a firm’s return on investment (Salehi, Enayati & Javadi, 2014). It is indeed true that the organizations can benefit from the Economic value Added (EVA) system. To begin with, managers in companies desire to obtain and invest capital with impressive returns at the end of a given trading period. In this regard, EVA can be used by both workers and managers to evaluate and monitor the performance of invested capital funds. In other words, it provides a robust financial management system for any capital injected in a pool of investment (Nicoleta & Munteanu, 2014). When EVA is used to focus on the aspect of growth in capital, two major benefits can be realized. First, it is possible to boost the wealth of investors because fund managers have adequate time and an effective tool to perform the task. Second, managers have an ample opportunity to seek alternative ways of improving EVA due to minimal disruptions occasioned by systematic cost accounting data. Hence, the practice of using EVA enhances awareness among stakeholders especially with respect to efficient utilization of available capital funds. Eventually, shrewd application of EVA produces surplus value to shareholders. Managers can be held accountable when EVA is employed as a financial reporting tool (Samuelson & Marks, 2012). Myriads of economic activities carried out by managers can be appraised using EVA. Examples include financial outlays that appear as footnotes in balance sheets and income statements. The latter is attainable bearing in mind that a single financial statement is created by EVA. Therefore, cross-reference of any financial data can be done promptly. All the related costs incurred in the course of investing the available capital fund may be readily accessed. Hence, every dollar spent by managers can be pointed out. A common decision-making approach is also facilitated by EVA. The latter is particularly crucial when making long-term decisions in organizations. Some of the decision-making platforms where EVA can be instrumental include performance evaluation and resolving budgetary issues (Salehi, Enayati & Javadi, 2014). This measurement can also quantify results using financial terminologies. In addition, continuous financial improvement, quick response to demands from customers and enhancement of operations of a program like Total Quality Management (TQM) are some of the additional benefits of EVA. On the other hand, EVA presents a number of problems when used within an organizational setup. For example, it does not put into considerations the actual alternatives or growth opportunities that prevail when making investment decisions. Worse still, the value of growth opportunities that practically take place in the market can hardly be reflected by EVA. Firms with significant assets are the only ones that can be best evaluated using EVA (Nicoleta & Munteanu, 2014). In recap, EVA is a vital financial reporting tool that managers in organizations can use to improve their performance and accountability. The value of shareholders is increased if there is an impressive return on investment. However, EVA may not deliver the anticipated results if applied in organizations that lack substantial assets. References Nicoleta, G. C., & Munteanu, V. (2014). The Added Economic Value – an Instrument for the Performance Measurement. Economics, Management & Financial Markets, 9 (4), 167-174. Salehi, M., Enayati, G., & Javadi, P. (2014). The Relationship between Intellectual Capital with Economic Value Added and Financial Performance. Iranian Journal of Management Studies, 7 (2), 259-283. Samuelson, W., & Marks, S. (2012). Managerial economics . New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Create the inputted essay that provided the following summary: The concept of opportunity cost is applied in the microeconomic theory where a decision has to be made between two or more choices. An opportunity cost refers to the choice that is forgone when another choice is made. For a choice to qualify as an opportunity cost, the alternatives should be mutually exclusive with reference to the available resources.Product differentiation is another concept of marketing and economics. Organisations use it to differentiate their products from those of their competitors. Organisations in the business environment often have a special target group for their products, with success in the industry being dependent on how well the organisation is able to market itself to this target group.

The concept of opportunity cost is applied in the microeconomic theory where a decision has to be made between two or more choices. An opportunity cost refers to the choice that is forgone when another choice is made. For a choice to qualify as an opportunity cost, the alternatives should be mutually exclusive with reference to the available resources. Product differentiation is another concept of marketing and economics. Organisations use it to differentiate their products from those of their competitors. Organisations in the business environment often have a special target group for their products, with success in the industry being dependent on how well the organisation is able to market itself to this target group.

Economics: Common Concepts Report Opportunity Cost Opportunity cost is a term that is applied in the microeconomic theory where a decision has to be made between two or more choices. An opportunity cost refers to the choice that is forgone when another choice is made. For a choice to qualify as an opportunity cost, the alternatives should be mutually exclusive with reference to the available resources. When individuals in business make a choice that can be considered the best at that point in time, other alternatives that the individuals forgo comprise the opportunity cost. In economics, decision-making mainly entails deciding between several mutually exclusive choices. Therefore, managers in businesses lose some of benefits of the choices they forgo. The concept of opportunity cost demonstrates the relationship between choice and scarcity that characterise this field. Chance outlay may be in the form of economic and pecuniary expenses, occasion, gratification, effectiveness, or any advantage that the vanished choice may have brought to the business environment. An example of application of opportunity cost in economics is where an individual has to decide between an investment in the stocks of a company and another investment such as a government bond. If the individual chooses to invest in the stocks of the company, the utilised money cannot be used in the purchase of the government bond. Supposing the stocks generate a return of 2%, and that the equivalent value in investment will generate 6% returns over the same period, the investor has an opportunity cost of 4%. This figure is obtained by subtracting the value obtained in the investment in stocks from that which would have been obtained from the government bond (6%-4%). Product Differentiation Product differentiation is another concept of marketing and economics. Organisations use it to differentiate their products from those of their competitors. Organisations in the business environment often have a special target group for their products, with success in the industry being dependent on how well the organisation is able to market itself to this target group. Product differentiation makes product more attractive to an organisation’s target group. An organisation may also produce several products. The concept of product differentiation in this case enables the organisation to provide a choice for consumers by differentiating between the various products. Product differentiation as a concept in economics arose from the theory of monopolistic competition proposed by one of the renowned economic scholars. Edward Chamberlain proposed the concept in the publication of this theory in the early 30s. An example of product differentiation is the multinational organisation Coca-Cola that produces several types of refreshment products. The company produces some brands that have dominated the market for several years, including the famous Coca-Cola brand. Because of the rise of several global competitors such as Pepsi Cola, Coca-Cola has had to apply intense marketing with product differentiation to stay at the top of competition. The application of product differentiation has allowed this company to develop a large consumer base. Coca-Cola also produces several brands of soft drinks aside from its trademark brand, with this move also recording significant success on the global market. Therefore, product differentiation is applied in the organisation to ensure that the trademark brand still manages to sell, despite the high demand for the other products. This example proves that product differentiation is an integral part of marketing and economics. Natural Monopoly The provision of goods and services by an organisation depends on the existence of competition. In the absence of competition, an organisation can control a market and enjoy the benefits that come with this situation. A monopoly may be defined as an organisation that is involved in the production and sale of a particular product or service in a market where it is the sole producer of such type of a product or service. The concept of natural monopoly in economics depends on the existence of monopoly in an industry. This concept defines a monopoly where a single firm efficiently runs the industry, as engagement of multiple firms may introduce technicalities and reduced efficiencies. In the natural monopoly, capital costs are often too high for the entry of other companies, with the first supplier retaining the market monopoly. This cost advantage inhibits the entry of other competitors. The existing organisation operates based on the economies of scale. This concept applies mainly to public utilities, especially in the provision of vital services such as electricity. An example of a natural monopoly is where an organisation is contracted to provide electricity in a small nation such as New Zealand. The organisation transmits electricity as a monopoly in the nation, connecting the population to reliable sources of electricity. The industry has large fixed costs and a relatively small sized market. Hence, the existence of a natural monopoly serves as the best alternative in the provision and transmission of electricity. The absence of competitors is also regulated, in most instances, by regulations of the country in which the natural monopoly is existent, with the aim being to protect the end users. Some of the shortcomings of a natural monopoly include poor pricing and service delivery. Oligopoly The other economic concept that is an opposite of a monopoly is an oligopoly. In an oligopoly, a relatively small number of producers or organisations characterise the industry or market. This form of market results mainly in the collusion of the few organisations, with consumers having to pay higher prices for the services or goods produced by these companies. Reduced competition also provides an opportunity for the organisations to fix higher prices while still maintaining high sales and profits. An oligopoly is also characterised by awareness of what each of the competitors is doing, with the result being similar decisions in relation to the market trend. The decisions that each of the organisations makes influence those of their counterparts in the industry, and hence the reduced competition and price changes. Examples of oligopolies can be found in different industries all over the world, including both the industrialised and developing nations. For example, the United States has oligopolies in industries such as the film industry, television industry, wireless network industry, and insurance. The bulk of revenue from the film industry in the country is shared between six companies while the four main wireless providers serve over 89% of the market population. In the internet and television industries, the United States has a market that is controlled mainly by seven companies. Few companies that benefit from the large population with a high spending capacity serve the insurance industry in the field of healthcare. Therefore, these industries in the United States are good examples of oligopolies. While oligopolies may be beneficial in a market as compared to monopolies, there is a need for regulation in some markets. Free-rider Problem The concept of free rider problem arises from the existence of free riders in economics. A free rider is anybody who thriftily takes advantage of any commodities or services without necessarily having to recompense for them. The provision of public goods and services was the first area that this concept was applied. Initially, it described the benefit from services that the individual did not pay for. This concept is not limited to economics. It has application in other areas such as antitrust law, political science, and other relevant fields. A free rider problem develops where individuals who free ride inhibit the provision of goods or services, leading in most cases to the overuse of a resource. The provision of public services is the area that was initially dogged by the problem of free riders. However, this situation has also been described in other areas. One example of free rider problem is where employees depend on a union for the representation of their economic and other needs. Most unions require that their members pay a certain amount of money to allow the running of the union. This fee is important in the running of the unions and effective representation of members. Some members may resist the payment of representation fees while at the same time benefiting from the efforts of the union such as improved working conditions. If many members of the union do not pay their union fees, the union may not provide effective representation. It may eventually disintegrate. The result is a failed provision of the services that were initially provided by the union. The presence of free riders in a group may also discourage other group members from participation, thus leading to the collapse of the group. Figure showing the contribution and benefits of a party in an engagement t=constituting free riding. Externalities The economic concepts that have been discussed above relate directly to the industry in which the organisations operate. However, the effects of an industry may affect other industries and consumers who are not directly related to the involved industry. The term ‘externality’ refers to overheads or advantages that any individual encounters obliquely from an industry without making the selection of deserving these advantage or expenses. Industries cannot exist in exclusion. Their effects are felt within the industry as well as other areas that are not related to the industry. Externalities exist because of the universal nature of industries and the existence of integration, interdependence, and mutual reliance between different industries. Therefore, other individuals and parties that do not have a say on these effects can feel the effects of the industry. An example of externalities is the environmental cost incurred by an individual, a country, or a party because of an industry such as the automobile and transport industries. Vehicle manufacturers make their profits from the sale of complete products or parts of their products. Consumers of these products benefit from them too, meaning that both parties have mutual benefits. Some of the other parties that benefit from the industry include the petroleum industry where the organisations provide vehicle owners with the necessary fuel for their vehicles. Although environmental pollution is not an intended effect from the industry, there is significant pollution, which affects all individuals whether involved in the industry or not. In this case, pollution is an externality for the above industry. Individuals who are involved in the industry often target to reduce these externalities, as they may have legal implications and obligations for the industry. Monopolistic Competition Monopolistic competition is a term in economics that is a combination of two terms, namely monopoly and competition. These terms are common in economic theories, with some being discussed in this paper. Monopolistic competition is a form of competition that fits in the category of imperfect competition. In this form of rivalry, many competitors in a bazaar contend by producing commodities that do not have resemblance, and are thus not perfect alternatives of each other. Monopolistic competition entails the production of different products and services in the same industry, with the difference being mainly in the area of quality and brand. This form of competition allows competitors to ignore the prices charged by their counterparts, especially the effects that these prices have on the industry and competitors. Monopolistic competition stems from the theory of monopolistic competition. Markets with this form of competition have multiple producers and consumers, limited price differences, and barriers. The organisations have a significant control over the prices of their products. An example of an industry where monopolistic competition is common is the toiletries industry, especially in the manufacture of tissue papers and toothpastes. In this industry, different manufacturers produce products that are essentially different in terms of composition or have different packaging materials. The use of product differentiation allows the marketing of these products as different entities within the same industry. Different manufacturers provide different prices for their products. The change of contents and packaging in these products is in line with product differentiation, a concept that is described above. Therefore, competition is not direct since the organisations claim to offer different products for their clients and customers. Perfect Competition Perfect competition is another form of competition in economics that characterises the business environment. In perfect competition, an industry or market has no single dominant organisation. Hence, none of the organisations has the capability to fix prices for a product that is produced by the organisations. There are few markets, if any, with perfect competition, with this situation being contributed by the presence of strict conditions that the market must fulfil to qualify as having a strictly perfect competition. However, few examples of perfect competition are evident world over, with the best examples of this form of competition existing in some markets that auction their products. The key players in these markets may attempt to approximate this form of competition. However, few have achieved this form of competition. Limited examples of perfect competition are available, with the best being the stock exchange markets of different countries. These markets are the closest in resemblance to perfect competition, with the only limiting factor being that some large companies and investors may influence the price of shares and their purchase. The flaw that is available in stock exchange markets allows the scanty application of perfect competition as a concept. However, most of the institutions and organisations that deal with a normal supply business bazaar have no capability to control the value of share or supply. Hence, this industry is one of the few that have resemblance to perfect competition in economics. The existence of perfect competition in any economy through the regulation of stock exchange may influence the economy in a number of ways, thus leading to the positive performance of various sectors within the economy. Industry Concentration Industry concentration constitutes one of the other concepts of economics that apply in several industries and countries. The concept relates to the structural characteristic of a market, or the proportion by which an economy is concentrated in terms of firms and organisations. This concept is currently considered one of the indicators of economic performance, as opposed to the traditional view where it pointed to the failure of a market or economy. The traditional view of this concept led to the formation of many regulations in different economies, with some of the controls still existing in some of these economies. However, the modern-day view has contributed to the theory that industrial concentration is a positive thing. Different units have been used in the measurement of industrial concentration, including the concentration ratio, with the other measure being the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI). Industrial concentration for any economy may be estimated from the available statistics in the economy, with the most important of these indicators being the number of organisations in any industry and their market share. An example is the estimation of industrial concentration in the Unites States economy. The United States authorities consider an industry concentrated if the HHI exceeds a fixed figure (1,800). Some of the industries with HHI that exceed the figure set by the authorities include the glass industry, motor vehicle industry, and some other industries such as those that are involved in the manufacture of breakfast cereals. The availability of this value allows the government, policymakers, and investors to make decisions on the best policies and decisions in investment. Therefore, industry concentration is an important concept to estimate in any economy. Free Riding Free riding as a concept in economics is related to the conception of free riding problem that has been discussed above. In economics, fee riding means that an individual or company gets the advantage of a product or services without having to pay for the cost of this product or service. If many individuals and organisations participate in this move, the economy and industry within which they operate may suffer significantly. However, the term may apply in the stock markets, as opposed to the free rider problem that applies widely within economics and business. While applied in this sense, free riding means the purchasing of securities and shares without the necessary finance to carry out this transaction. Some individuals may purchase these shares at a given price without having to actually pay for them. They have a plan to sell them to other individuals before they can settle stock transactions, which usually take three days. The concept of free rider is used by individuals who look to make fast cash by buying shares at one price and sell them at a price that guarantees profit without having to spend the equivalent amount of money. Free riding is a violation that may attract penalties and suspension from trading for a given period. The concept is favoured, especially in the United States where stocks can only be settled within three days. This concept of buying shares and having to pay for them within three days of purchase is commonly referred to as the trade day +3 (T+3). Authorities in this country are responsible for the control of these transactions, with the FRB (Federal Reserve Board) being responsible for any inconveniences. Collusion As stated earlier, competition is a key factor in economics. Many organisations spend millions of dollars to ensure that they have the competitive advantage over their competitors. Some of these organisations often engage in secretive agreements with other organisations or parties to influence the market or gain some form of advantage over their competitors. Collusion is a concept in economics where two or more parties agree, either legally or illegally, to engage in the limitation of open competition through practices that may undermine, mislead, negatively affect other parties, or achieve some goals in the market that are not allowed by oversight authorities. These organisations may decide to curve up the market, inhibit the production of the necessary goods and services, or lead to the limitation of opportunities in the industry and economy. Some of the previous collusions in history have even led to wage fixing. Collusion in economics can simply be defined as the practice of rival companies partnering for mutual benefit in the industry or economy at the expense of other markets and industry players. An example of collusion in the United States is when some of the basketball teams in the major league tried to limit the earnings of team members within the confederation in the 80s. Owners of these teams wanted to limit the increase in the amount that was paid to players to bring down the operational costs for the teams to ensure continued profitability. Key industry players opposed the move. The direction led to the existing laws and regulations on the same. The 60s were characterised by collusion between major electrical manufacturers in the US. The plan saw the dawn of price-fixing and division of the electrical market. Predatory Pricing Modern-day businesses and organisations depend on competition. Organisations that compete better survive longer in relation to those that are less competitive. One common concept that is applied in economics that relates to competition between organisations is the predator pricing. Predatory pricing is the provision of goods or services at a significantly low price with the intention of driving out competitors or preventing the entry of new competitors in a specific industry. When competitors are unable to provide their goods and services at a low price, they are forced to exit the market, thus allowing companies that practice predatory pricing to exist in the industry for longer while controlling the pricing of these commodities. By the provision of predatory pricing, an organisation may succeed in the establishment of a monopoly, which may be favourable to its overall success. This concept is mainly practiced by large organisations that can sustain small margins of profit. An example of predatory pricing may be found in retail outlets that offer their customers low prices for goods. An example of predatory pricing in this area is amazon.com that provided delivery of its merchandise to the French bazaar at no cost in contravention of the French rulings that related to this concept. The organisation continued to provide free shipping of its products to its customers in this country, despite incurring a daily fine. The provision of free-shipped products to the French market led to the development of a large market for the organisation, which unsettled other competitors within this market. Some of the companies that could not withstand the new pressure and competition had to exit the market, with some of the others looking for legal reasons to suspend free shipping by amazon.com. Cartel The term ‘cartel’ is commonly used in economics. As opposed to collusion that is an illegal agreement between parties that are often a disadvantage of other parties and organisations, a cartel is formal. Competing parties engage in formal agreements that lead to price fixation and control of other areas of market and industry such as the production of goods and services and their marketing. Cartels are mainly in industries and economies that have few key players. Hence, they exist in oligopolies with limited numbers of producers and distributors. The most common form of agreement in cartels is price fixation, which leads to mutual benefit for these partners. The entry of market competitors into cartel agreements leads to favourable operating environment for the parties, with the result being an increase in the amount of profits that each of the players is expected to get. Collusions are difficult to dismantle. Competition laws are some of the tools that are used, although ineffectively, to achieve this goal. Examples of cartels can be found in the mining industry where companies form them (cartels) to control the profits that they attain. The petroleum mining industry is one of these industries, with some of the oil producing countries making cartels that set the global oil prices to ensure they attain the best prices for this commodity. Profits that are available to these organisations are also multiplied through engagement in these cartels. The Organisation of the Petroleum Producing Countries (OPEC) is one of the organisations that are involved in the fixation of prices in the global oil market. This organisation allows member countries to achieve the best prices for their oil. Quantitative Easing Quantitative easing is another widely applied economic concept. This concept refers to a form of policy that is applied by central banks of nations that are unable to stimulate economic performance through the application of conventional monetary policies. The central bank in these countries buys assets from other companies such as bank to ensure that the asset value is raised with a concurrent raise in their yield. The action by the central banks also results in an increased monetary base for the organisations. As opposed to the conventional purchase of short-term bonds and securities, the application of qualitative easing by the central banks allows them to purchase these assets for a longer period, hence influencing the performance of an economy by stimulating economic growth. The United States is one of the nations that have applied quantitative easing as a major part of its monetary policy. The country used quantitative easing in the purchase of mortgages after the global economic crisis, which led to improvement in the country’s economy whilst resulting in growth in the same area. The Federal Reserve also continued to buy these assets even after the global economic crisis to stimulate satisfactory growth in the economy. The purchase of mortgages in the economy was perceived as one of the main effective ways in the stimulation of the federal economy. This take had positive effects, including the resolution of the crisis. The other area that the Federal Reserve invested in is the reduction of unemployment that was a constant threat to the economy of this country. The result of the quantitative easing led to improvement in the economy of the nation, with the interest rates and inflation being controlled effectively. GNP (Gross National Product) The GNP (Gross National Product) of an economy is another important concept that is widely used in the description of economies world over. The total value of all products and services that a country produces in a given year constitutes the GNP of that country. The main difference between this value and that of the GDP is the tag on which production is made on. In the GNP, manufacturing is addressed with respect to the possession of these services and commodities while the GDP describes it with reference to a single ecological region. The GNP of a nation may be described as the total earnings that the nations and its people make per annum. The total manufacturing of a state may be measured in the form of worth of all services and supplies that it is able to generate, including the revenue received by its populace from overseas. A superior GNP means that a country is performing well. On the other hand, poor performing countries report a GNP that is significantly lower than that of other nations. On the contrary, GDP defines the cost of productivity that is made within a nation’s perimeter, whether alien businesses add to this worth or not. The difference between these values is also important in assessing the performance of an economy. An example of GNP is that of the US that was reported at $14.27 trillion in 2009. The difference between the GNP and the GDP may be demonstrated by the values that were obtained in this country in the same year, which stood at $14.12 trillion. Both of these values are important measures of economic performance. However, the GDP is more significant as a gauge of financial status. Comparative Advantage Comparative advantage is another concept in economics that is related to competition within an industry. Comparative advantage essentially means the capacity of an organisation or business to offer its merchandise at a reduced price (both marginal and chance overheads) compared to that of other similar organisations. Comparative advantage is mainly used to describe the production opportunities for different countries by comparing the costs of production within these countries. The comparative advantage between countries defines the possibility of trade between countries and the products that they can trade in. A nation with a relative gain in one commodity may provide it to other states that do not enjoy the benefit. Comparative advantage may be applied in the countries that are unable to produce certain products. Trade between countries allows the deal of products that are efficiently produced in other countries. Therefore, this concept does not act as a limiting factor for trade between nations, and hence the reason for the existence of trade between them. An example of the application of comparative advantage is where a country produces more vehicles than coffee because of automation. The other country may produce more coffee with few or no vehicles being produced. The first country enjoys a comparative advantage in the production of motor vehicles as opposed to the second country that has a comparative advantage in the production of coffee. However, these countries can make up for their deficiencies through trading in these commodities. This strategy is one of the ways that international trade occurs. Trading in these commodities allows countries to acquire products that they do not have. Monetary Policy Monetary policy is another widely used economic term. Governments world over and other financial authorities are involved in the protection of their countries’ economies using special policies that are aimed at controlling the availability of money in the economy. A monetary authority in a nation may use monetary policy as a means to stimulate, control, and sustain economic growth and stability in the nation. Some of the measures that guide monetary policies include unemployment rate within the economy, inflation, and interest rate. Traditionally, governments have had to carry out the functions of special monetary authorities. Special branches of the authorities have been created to ensure that the monetary policy is respected. The chief authorities that are responsible for the maintenance of stable economic environments in countries are also responsible for the monetary policies in these economies and nations. The other function of monetary policy in a nation is to provide the assurance that the economy is performing as it should, hence attracting the foreign and local investors who further strengthen the economy. An example of a monetary policy is the target to reduce inflation within an economy where monetary authorities that intend to affect the consumer price index control the interest rates. The institution of monetary policy to lower inflation is a common practice in many nations. It was widely practiced in the period following the global economic crisis. Effects of the policies that were instituted in the period included the resolution of the crisis and the normalisation of the global economy. Central banks of respective countries are involved in the formulation of monetary policies. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a nation is used as an indicator of economic performance. This economic measure is used as a standard while comparing the performance of many nations. It denotes a shift from the GNP that was initially used before the use of the GDP. The GDP of a nation can be described as the cost of all commodities that a nation makes per annum. This value is used as a means of comparing the performance of economies, with the GDP per capita providing the benchmark of living in the nation of interest. The Gross Domestic Product of a country may also be described as the production within a given geographical zone. Traditionally, nations used the GNP as a measure of economic performance and a comparison between economies. However, this measure takes into consideration the investments of citizens in other countries while the GDP restricts the value of goods and services to the same geographical area. While the GNP and the GDP are related, these values are essentially different. They depict different aspects of an economy. Methods that are used in the calculation of GDP ensure that countries whose GDP is calculated can be accessed on the global scale in terms of their economic performance. An example of Gross Development Product is that of the United sates economy where the country recorded a GDP of $14.199 trillion in 2009. The country recorded one of the best GDP in the same year. Other nations that have better GDPs include Singapore and China. A comparison of these GDPs provides a trend in performance of a country over the year Absolute Advantage Absolute advantage is another concept in economics that relates to how well a party is able to compete. This term is used to define the ability of a party to offer higher quantities of a product as compared to what is offered by their competitors. However, for the term to apply, both parties have to use similar resources to attain the outputs that are compared in absolute advantage. International trade is the main area that the principle of absolute advantage is applied, with comparison taking place between companies and countries. The concept of absolute advantage can be contrasted to that of comparative advantage in that comparative advantage involves a comparison of the opportunity cost. Absolute advantage consists of a comparison of production capacities for organisations, including the labour that is put into production of certain products. An example of absolute advantage is where a party can produce five goods using four employees while another company can produce ten of the same goods using the same number of employees in an hour. If the employees receive the same compensation for their services in the organisation, the second company has an absolute competitive advantage over the first organisation. The reason why the second company enjoys this competitive advantage is that it can produce twice as many products as the first company, although with the same number of employees working for the same period. The determination of absolute advantage in organisations allows the companies to determine the trading partners and the right policies for the organisation. The concept is also widely applied in economics in the determination of organisational and economic performance. New Trade Theory The new trade theory is another concept that is applied widely in economics, especially in international trade. New trade theory consists of a combination of models that are applied in the international trade. Some of the main models that are available in the New Trade Theory include economies of scale and the assessment of network effects in a variety of industries. The above models may be significant to influence comparative advantage as a concept that was traditionally held in economics. The determination of opportunity cost in the international trade may lead to poor results, as some countries have no differences in some of their respective industries. The result of the comparison in opportunity cost for different countries, which can lead to equal opportunities for different countries, may need the application of the New Trade Theory. An example of the application of the new trade theory is in the estimation of the performance of some industries in the developing nations in comparison with that of the developed nations. The application of the theory demonstrates that developing nations may have significant efforts to put to catch up with similar industries in the developed nations. Developed nations enjoy economies of scale as opposed to developing nations that are dependent on the few resources that are at their disposal. Most of the developing nations have economies that are not as competitive as the developed nations’ economies. The result is that smaller economies do not perform well in relation to the different economies. The theory has also been used over the past to compare the performance of several economies globally. Fiscal Policy Fiscal policy is another form of policy that is applied in economics in addition to monetary policy. Fiscal policy is employed by administrations in different countries to influence their economic performance through the manipulation of revenue collection and government spending. Fiscal policy is one of the main ways that governments influence their economic performance. Any government can influence its economy thorough taxation measures where the amount of taxation and the component of the taxes are adjusted to make changes to the economy. Increasing or reducing taxation has a direct effect on the national economy, and so does changing the areas of spending and the amount of spending that an economy carries out. Fiscal policy is one of the major macroeconomic variables. It affects other variables such as resource allocation and income distribution in an economy. Fiscal policy has been the main tool of different economies in their attempted control of different sectors of the economy. Financial position and performance may be altered through the modification of levy and administration expenditure. Unlike the monetary policy that is under the control of monetary authorities such as central banks of the respective countries, fiscal policy is under the control of legislature and government executives within a country. An example of fiscal policy was applied in Greece when the economy was underperforming in the wake of the global economic crisis. The country had to institute a number of fiscal policies to rescue the economic situation, with the results being the stabilisation of the economy. The fiscal policy that was instituted in Greece led to the economic recovery that is still being experienced today. Output Gap The output gap is another economic concept that has significance in the determination of economic success and performance. For the calculation of this gap, one has to have the actual and potential GDPs for the country of interest. If the difference between the actual and potential GDP is a positive value, this output gap is often referred to as the inflationary gap, which often indicates growth in demand against supply. A negative gap is referred to as the recessionary gap, which indicates that the economy is going through deflation as opposed to inflation. The obtained value may then be used in the calculation of other economic variables, which are important in the estimation of economic performance and strength. The calculation of output gap in the economy may be important in the development of policies to assist in the development of an economy. An example of the use of this output gap to make policy decisions is in the US where the output gap ensures the development of several Acts to cater for the economic performance. The two main Acts that resulted from the US attempt to normalise the output gap include the American Jobs Act and the Jobs through Growth Act. These Acts were meant to stimulate the economy of this nation into performance in the process ensuring that the output gap closes. The calculation of the output gap also contributes to the calculation of other economic variables that are important in the overall economic performance. Graph showing the Potential GDP against actual GDP for the United States over the last few years. Porter’s Diamond of Competitive Advantages Porter’s diamond of competitive advantage is a common concept in economics that is applied in international trade as well as economic analysis. Comparative advantage as proposed in classical theories is dependent on the nature of a country in the form of the available resources such as minerals, fertile land, labour, and a large population. However, Porter asserted that an economy could create an advantage for itself through new formation of new economic advantages such as the provision of skilled labour use of the latest technology and the provision of support from the existing institutions. The factors were captured in a diamond-fashioned illustration that Porter used to exemplify the concept of country’s benefit. Countries may use the factors in this diamond to influence their industrial and economic performance. Porter’s diamond consists of four main factors that are under the influence of other factors. In factor conditions, the country and local authorities determine some of the factors of economic performance. As indicated in the diagram, demand conditions obey the law of supply and demand. An example is when a nation with a challenging confined bazaar develops a countrywide benefit. Related and supporting industries in the economy can affect the economy positively if they are strong enough. Firm strategy, structure, and rivalry also affect the competitiveness of a country on the global front and their comparative advantage. The four characteristics and elements that are found in Porter’s illustrations affect the competitive benefit of a nation and in the end the fiscal performance. These elements are represented in the figure below that was proposed by Porter. Figure showing Porters diamond of competitive advantage. Unemployment Unemployment is a macroeconomic factor that is commonly used to gauge the economic performance of a country. Unemployment is the state of joblessness in a country. A large group of qualified workers is looking for employment. When economies are going through recession, the unemployment rate is usually high in relation to the low rate that is observed in the presence of good economic performance. The unemployment rate can be used as a comparison value for the performance of various economies throughout the world. Countries with a high unemployment rate can be considered performing poorly compared to those with relatively low unemployment rate. The global unemployment rate is also an important value in economics, with the value standing at 6% in 2012. A comparison of unemployment rate during different periods in the history of a given country may be used to estimate the changes that have taken place over time. An example of unemployment rate is in the comparison between the economy of the UAE and that of China. Dubai has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world. This rate is an indicator of good economic performance. The average rate is at less than 4% with that of China being at 11% over the same period. The comparison shows that the UAE has a relatively better performing economy compared to that of China. However, as facts demonstrate, there is a need to use other values to evaluate the economic performance and/or compare between nations and economies. Figure showing the relationship between unemployment and economic performance

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Write the original essay for the following summary: The development of the Atlantic empire contributed to the commercialisation of the British economy during the 17th-18th centuries significantly because of changing the economic priorities, modifying capital distribution principles, and transforming markets.

The development of the Atlantic empire contributed to the commercialisation of the British economy during the 17th-18th centuries significantly because of changing the economic priorities, modifying capital distribution principles, and transforming markets.

“Economy” by Nuala Zahedieh Essay The development of the Atlantic empire contributed to the commercialisation of the British economy during the 17 th -18 th centuries significantly because of changing the economic priorities, modifying capital distribution principles, and transforming markets. According to Zahedieh, the Atlantic empire played the key role in designing the economic patterns used in Britain during the next century (Zahedieh 2002, p. 67). From this point, it is possible to state that the westward expansion contributed to Britain’s economic progress in spite of the controversies associated with the development of the American colonies. The first reason to state that the Atlantic empire changed the economic realities of Britain in the 17 th century is in the fact that the focus on the progress of the American colonies’ economy resulted in reducing the pressure on resources in Britain. Settlers moved to America in order to increase their financial state and to work for improving the living conditions. The second reason is that settlers focused on cultivating crops and on promoting the staple trade. It is possible to agree with Zahedieh’s idea that cultivation of crops and the focus on staple trades contributed to improving employment and to increasing export and profits for the American settlers and for the British (Zahedieh 2002, p. 52). Much attention should be paid to legislation to regulate the colonial trade relations. Promoting acts to control trade relations and improving the taxation legislation, the British supported the role of England in the trade relations as an entrepot in order to gain more profits. Thus, concentrating on settlement, the British supported the colonial trade and received significant benefits. However, the main success of the American colonies was associated with cultivating and proposing such ‘addictive’ products as tobacco and sugar. Zahedieh notes that the cultivation of tobacco was an economically advantageous strategy for the American settlers and for the British. The consumption grew along with the reduction in prices (Zahedieh 2002, p. 58). The production of sugar also had the strategic importance. The focus on production of tobacco and sugar added significantly to supporting the British traditional market based on producing wool. The shift to using slaves for working at the sugar plantations demonstrated new approaches to acquiring the additional labour. That is why, it is important to note that the focus on staple trades and production of tobacco and sugar made the real revolution in the economy of Britain in the 17 th -18 th centuries. Paying attention to the economic opportunities provided with references to the development of the Atlantic empire, the British authorities focused on promoting the monopoly and on the active regulation of the trade relations in spite of supporting the idea of the free trade popular in the 18 th century. The British received the effective market for goods, continued to be the “source of taste and fashion” for the American settlers, and supported their country at the path of the active commercialisation (Zahedieh 2002, p. 65). These efforts and strategies can be discussed representative to understand the role of the American colonies in the progress of the British economy. The Atlantic empire can be discussed as an example of the effective international system based on the progressive economic or trade relations between the mother country and colonies. During the 17 th -18 th centuries, the relations between the territories were supported to contribute to the economic progress of both the mother country and American colonies. Reference List Zahedieh, N 2002, ‘Economy’, in D Armitage & M Braddick (eds.), The British Atlantic World, 1500-1800 , Palgrave Macmillan, London, pp. 51-68.

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Write an essay about: The Edinburgh Tram Network Project was a controversial project that was characterized by massive delays and changes in cost estimates.Edinburgh Tram Network Project was a controversial project that was characterized by massive delays and changes in cost estimates.

The Edinburgh Tram Network Project was a controversial project that was characterized by massive delays and changes in cost estimates. Edinburgh Tram Network Project was a controversial project that was characterized by massive delays and changes in cost estimates.

Edinburgh Tram System Project Report Abstract Tram systems offer a cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to providing public transport to city residents while also serving to reduce traffic congestion. The Edinburgh tramway project, which forms the basis of this paper, was initiated for the same reasons. The paper presents an analysis of this project in terms of its description and management with references to theories that have been established to address the subject of project management. The project turned out to be one of the most controversial tramway projects in England. It was characterised by massive delays and changes in the project’s cost estimates. Political matters took the centre stage, with different politicians taking advantage of the controversy that surrounded the project to achieve their interests. Interest in the project was mainly from the Scottish population and politicians. Scotland’s government was the main financier. The whole project was divided into several contracts that focused on specific sections and phases of the project. Other similar projects in the UK have some connection with the Edinburgh project. As the paper confirms, they offer great lessons on the management of any project. Introduction The Edinburgh Tram Network Project is located in Scotland in the United Kingdom. According to Boateng, one of the reasons for the initiation of the project was to support the region’s local economy in terms of improvement of accessibility of various places within it 1 . Secondly, the project intended to promote sustainability whilst minimising significantly the level of environmental damage that resulted from heavy traffic. Another purpose was to solve the problem of traffic congestion in Edinburgh. Issues such as safety and security of the transport system were also a major concern in the initiation and implementation of the project. Moreover, the project was expected to have immense social benefits to the residents of the areas that the rail line served. In the project’s scope, the tramline constitutes of a double track that connect the city centre to Edinburgh Airport. The track also links areas of development in West and North Edinburgh. With this hint about the project, this paper begins by providing its brief description. It also analyses the project’s management process with reference to salient theories that are applicable in project management. Lastly, the paper also provides some key lesson that project managers can learn from this development. Project Description Edinburgh Trams, which is run by Transport for Edinburgh Company, is a rail line that stretches from York Place to Edinburgh Airfield. The stretch that covers a distance of about 14 kilometres has 15 areas of offloading and loading of passengers. According to Lowe, work in the project started in the mid 2008 2 . However, the project was marred with many controversies that led to delays in its official opening. As Crowther reveals, work on a section of the tramway was halted at the start of 2009 because of contractual disputes between BSC and TIE following the former’s request for an extra funding of 80 million pounds 3 . The Edinburgh Council felt that the contractors were short-changing it, given that the contract was based on fixed price terms. Much negotiations followed shortly thereafter with the contractors agreeing to resume construction work before mid 2009 whilst operating within the original budget, regardless of the witnessed disputes. Later, in August of the same year, TIE instituted legal proceedings against BSC over delays in its handling of the project. In most of the disputes, BSC found favour in the court. It received an award of 90% of the additional costs. As McKie confirms, the initial cost estimate of the development was 375 million pounds 4 . However, Lowe confirms that during the signing of the construction contract, the initial cost figures had risen from 375 million pounds to 500 million pounds 5 . The closing expenditure is estimated at 1 billion pounds, a figure that was arrived at after considering the settlement of the incurred interest charges. The interest was accruing on a 30-year credit that the committee had taken to cover a shortfall in the project’s funding. The tramway began operations in May 2014 after being behind schedule for more than five years. Management of the Project Various stakeholders were involved to help in achieving the project’s deliverables. Hence, their participation in this project had different impacts at different levels. These stakeholders included the government, contractors, politicians, courts, and the Scottish population 6 . As the main stakeholder, the government provided funding for the project. The government was also involved in the supervision and monitoring of the project. The project was divided into a number of distinct contracts. The various contracts were let to different companies or contractors. The contractual framework consisted of System Design Services (SDS), Joint Revenue Committee (JRC), vehicle maintenance, and supply (TRAMCO), provider of infrastructure and maintenance (IFRASCO), and MUDFA (Multi Utilities Diversion Framework Agreement). Courts also became part of the stakeholders who came in handy to settle conflicts that arose between the two main contractors. In several instances, the court ruled in favor of the development and continuation of the project. Contractors were at the heart of the witnessed delays and controversies. Change in technology raised the cost of project implementation, which in turn resulted in conflicts in terms of the need for extra funding 7 . Conflicts between contractors led to court battles that took time to be ruled. However, contractors also played a crucial role in the actual implementation of the project. Project planners were also to blame for the delays. The management of the project as a whole seems to have had serious challenges. To start with, the management did not do a proper cost analysis for the project. A constant review of the project’s cost raised many questions regarding the validity of the methods that the group that was managing the project was using in arriving at figures, which kept on changing. The inconsistencies served to raise doubts over the abilities of the project managers in handling the project while questioning their intentions in altering the figures. The planners had carried out an incorrect project analysis and estimations, which resulted in variations in cost and the need for supplement budgets to complete the project. The scope of the project was also cumbersome to manage. Variations in the role and part that depended on different stakeholders also resulted in delays. Delays in one facet resulted in interruptions in others. The issue of close monitoring of the project was also not well managed. The laid out structure for managing the project at different stages was faulty as it was evidenced in the swaying of support at different levels. Communication breakdown between stakeholders also led to conflicts and delays. Project Management against Theory The management of the project, especially in relation to many disputes that arose, seemed to be in line with some models of the game theory. A good example is the standoff that was observed between BBS and TIE. The two firms were staring at each other. The first party to back off was expected to be the loser. The real disaster is imminent if none of the parties backs off. This scenario resembles the ‘chicken game’ in the game theory. Such a game assumes that both parties to the game move simultaneously as Osborne confirms 8 . However, the actions that were adopted by the two sides were chronological whereby each side acted in rejoinder to the effect that was taken by the opponent side. If the solution to the disagreements ends up taking an unnecessary duration, the implication is the anticipated risks will be heightened. This situation was evident between the Scottish government and the project managers. In the event of the adoption of the nuclear position that involves the cessation of the agreement, with the service provider choosing to present the issue to judges, there is a higher probability of each side being defeated. However, thoughts by each party that its opponent might be crazy enough to take the dispute to such extent may persuade both of them to settle the scour. The project managers seem to have thought that the Edinburgh council would have caved in at some point in time. They held on to its position in terms of seeking more funding for the project. This situation reveals the long standoff that existed between the two sides. It resulted in a court battle that helped to solve the circumstances that were becoming an increasingly expensive affair with each passing day. At some point, speculations were rife that a compromise deal was in the offing that would have seen BBS eliminated from certain sections of the project. However, the project administrators would have been given the opportunity to finish the sections that they had been working on at that moment. Lessons Learnt From Similar Projects and Their Links to the Tram Project The United Kingdom has had numerous other tramway projects that offer important lessons when it comes to project management. All of them have had varying challenges that were solved in different ways. As such, Docherty and Shaw say that they can offer a great insight in terms of approaching such projects 9 . A good example is the Nottingham Express Transit that is located in Nottingham, England. The project took 15 years to be completed. The project’s cost was determined in advance. Hence, issues of increased costs were rare. The best bidders were chosen to carry out the project. This plan helped to ensure that the project went on smoothly from its initiation to its completion. Another unique feature of the Nottingham tramway that contributed to its success was that it involved a public-private partnership. Such kind of partnership in public projects has always shown higher degree of success compared to projects that are run or handled entirely by the government. The private sector has a sense of accountability since it bases its activities on adherence to strict business rules. It takes into account prudent use of resources and maximisation of benefits that arise from any endeavour that it is involved in. The concept of profit maximisation that is advocated when it comes to private entities plays an immense role in ensuring the best possible use of the available resources by avoiding any unnecessary wastage. Further, the private sector always looks for the best specialties when it comes to running its operations. It does not rely on political affiliations or ethnicity in hiring its personnel. This strategy helps to avoid the negative influence that politics may have in the successful implementation of public projects. Involvement of the private sector into the Nottingham tramway project helped in availing more funds to the project as Transport Scotland reveals 10 . This move had the effect of eliminating the need for borrowing large amounts of money for the project. Such huge funds have the effect of attracting large interest rates that serve to increase the overall costs of the project. Successful projects such as the Nottingham Express Transit offer great lessons for the Edinburgh tramway project. One of the main lessons is the separation of politics from such projects. This criterion helps in keeping away politicians who tend to use such projects as platforms to advance their political interests. As Rodger asserts, another lesson is on the importance of including the private sector in the design, funding, and implementation of such projects 11 . The private sector brings with it efficiency in terms of time management and prudent management of projects. This plan ensures not only timely completion of projects but also proper use of public funds to avoid unnecessary wastage of public resources. Tramway projects such as Tramlink, Metrolink, Midland Metro, and Nottingham Express Transit among others all bear some similarity with Edinburgh project. They have a link in the sense that they were intended to connect various places across different cities. The UK Tram is an organisation that represents the interests of all stakeholders and industry players in the tram industry. The projects were also intended to lessen traffic jams that were experienced in these cities while also providing a better alternative in efforts that were aimed at minimising the emission of greenhouse gases by cars. Conclusion The Edinburgh project was surrounded by lots of controversies in relation to costs, delays in completion, and political influence that slowed down the project while hurting taxpayers. It can borrow lessons from other similar projects. The project is located in Edinburgh in the United Kingdom. It was meant to connect York place and Edinburgh to reduce traffic congestion by motorists. The project managers deviated from the project’s contract that recognised it as a fixed-cost contract by demanding additional funding. This cost implication was the cause of all other controversies that followed in the course of the project. There are great lessons that Edinburgh project can learn from other similar projects that have had significant success. Nottingham Express Transit serves as a perfect example. Lessons from it can help to find ways of avoiding issues that haunted the Edinburgh tramway project. Recommendations There is a need for more public-private partnerships to be deployed when carrying out projects of this magnitude. Such projects involve heavy investments whose implementation has an immense direct impact on taxpayers. Such partnerships will bring greater efficiency since the private sector is known for conducting its affairs with greater professionalism compared to the public sector. Elements such as expertise and extra funding that are provided by the private sector are bound to see better and more successful implementation of public projects. Governments also need to hold contractors accountable in the implementation of projects as opposed to curving into the outrageous demands by contractors who do not fall within the postulations of the contracts. Bibliography Audit Scotland, ‘ Edinburgh Trams Interim Report ’, The Accounts Commission [website], 12 February 2011. Web Boateng, P., Megaproject Case Study, Edinburgh Tram Network Project, Edinburgh Publishing Company, Scotland, UK, 2008. Crowther, G. L., National Series of Waterway, Tramway and Railway Atlases, G.L. Crowther, Preston, 2013. Dalton, A., ‘ 135 Changes, £16m Bill: Latest Trams Furore ’, Scotsman, 2 010. Web. Docherty, I., & Shaw, J., Traffic Jam: Ten Years of ‘sustainable’ Transport in the UK , Policy Press, Bristol, UK, 2008. Lowe, J. G., Edinburgh trams: a case study of a complex project, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, Leeds, UK, 2010. McKie, R., ‘ Edinburgh’s tram system opens – £375m over budget and three years late ’, The Guardian UK, 2014. Web. Osborne, M. J., & Rubenstein, A., A Course in Game Theory , MIT Press, Boston, 2005. Rodger, R., The Transformation of Edinburgh: Land, Property and Trust in the Nineteenth Century , Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2004. Transport Scotland, Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance Version , The Scottish Government, Edinburgh, 2008. Footnotes 1 P. Boateng, Megaproject Case Study, Edinburgh Tram Network Project, Edinburgh Publishing Company, Scotland, UK, 2008, p. 9. 2 J.G. Lowe, Edinburgh trams: a case study of a complex project, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, Leeds, UK, 2010, p. 1289. 3 G.L. Crowther, National Series of Waterway, Tramway and Railway Atlases, G.L. Crowther, Preston, 2013, p. 12. 4 R. McKie, ‘Edinburgh’s tram system opens – £375m over budget and three years late’, The Guardian UK, 2014. 5 Lowe, p. 1291. 6 Crowther, p. 33. 7 A. Dalton, ‘135 Changes, £16m Bill: Latest Trams Furore’, Scotsman, 2010. 8 M.J. Osborne & A. Rubenstein, A Course in Game Theory , MIT Press, Boston, 2005, p. 12. 9 I. Docherty & J. Shaw, Traffic Jam: Ten Years of ‘sustainable’ Transport in the UK , Policy Press, Bristol, UK, 2008, p. 56. 10 Transport Scotland, Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance Version , The Scottish Government, Edinburgh, 2008, p. 11. 11 R. Rodger, The Transformation of Edinburgh: Land, Property and Trust in the Nineteenth Century , Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2004, p. 33.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: The article examines the use of Edmodo in Saudi secondary school EFL instruction and its impact on the students' and teachers' attitudes towards online learning. The study found that Edmodo is a useful tool for both teachers and students and can be successfully employed in the EFL classroom.

The article examines the use of Edmodo in Saudi secondary school EFL instruction and its impact on the students' and teachers' attitudes towards online learning. The study found that Edmodo is a useful tool for both teachers and students and can be successfully employed in the EFL classroom.

Edmodo in Saudi Secondary School EFL Instruction Critical Essay This paper analyzes the article by Fatimah Al-Kathiri called “Beyond the Classroom Walls: Edmodo in Saudi Secondary School EFL Instruction, Attitudes and Challenges” that was published in English Language Teaching journal in 2015. The author describes the research of the employment of a digital tool called Edmodo in order to enhance the learning of English language and tests the suitability and efficiency of Edmodo. The article’s title clearly reflects the focus and purpose of the research – to test the use of Edmodo in the classroom, mentions its location. The author explores a very popular subject – use of the internet and digital technologies in the teaching process. Al-Kathiri starts with the establishment of the advantages of Edmodo confirmed by the researches of other scholars. These benefits include ability of the teacher and the students to interact beyond classroom, time saving possibility of sending and completing assignments online, and access to a variety of teaching methods and tools through the internet (Al-Kathiri, 2015). Describing the disadvantages of Edmodo, Al-Kathiri (2015) mentions the lack of the teachers’ computer skills, unavailability of fast internet connection and modern digital devices, negative impact on health, and absence of body language present in real life interaction. The results of Al-Kathiri’s research show that Edmodo is a useful tool for both teachers and students. Chada Kongchan presented a similar research. She tested the benefits and obstacles of the use of Edmodo in a Thai classroom. The main difference between the two works is that Al-Kathiri evaluates the results and impressions of the students, while Kongchan includes the teacher’s perceptions into the calculation of results, and tests the difficulty of Edmodo adoption for a 57-year old educator (Kongchan, 2012). The introduction of the analyzed article is relevant as it explains what Edmodo is, how it works and why its applicability in education is studied. The conclusion sums up the findings and adds recommendations to the use of Edmodo in EFL, but does not mention the results of the research directly. The article demonstrates both positive and negative sides of the use of Edmodo, the aspects of its employment that challenged the learners and teachers the most. There is no biased interpretation of facts. The author makes a claim about the Theory of Constructivism developed by Vygotsky and connects the idea of collaborative problem –solving to the group work online (Al-Kathiri, 2015). The author emphasizes that Edmodo as well as other digital teaching tools employs social learning which makes them especially efficient. The claim is relevant and to the point. The vast majority of works cited by Al-Kathiri are reliable and recent, not older than 2000. Moreover, all of the sources referenced in the article are scholarly and reliable. Besides, the author refers to the works of the scholars of diverse background, not only the authors of Saudi Arabia. The only old source used dates back to 1984 and is included as the source of a definition of the concept of attitude, which practically does not make it unreliable. The article is well built and provides logical and clear research with explained purposes, results and findings. The study’s design includes introduction of the paper, exploration of the subject and its importance, description of the research process, presentation and discussion of the results. At the same time, I noticed a lot of misprints in the text of the article (missing spaces mainly). The research presented by Al-Kathiri is relevant and significant for the field of education. The presentation and calculations are made without major flaws or errors. Control group was created to measure the results. The sample of the research featured the secondary students of Saudi Arabian female school. The methods it employs are questionnaire, quantitative and qualitative analysis. The experiment can be replicated by another scholar. Discussing the results, Al-Kathiri presents the before and after data in tables and analyzes the variables in each section comparing them with each other to determine the level of success of the use of Edmodo. The research collects statistics from 42 students and presents a specific sample of Edmodo’s efficiency in a particular group of learners, for wider statistics one is to compare the results of similar studies in other countries and among the learners of both sexes and different ages. The author’s research does not only prove the efficiency to the use of Edmodo in the classroom, but also reveals the major challenges to the implementation of changes such as small screens of devices or slow internet connection. I find it clever that the author posted both positive and negative responses of the participants considering Edmodo. Besides, the author uses a lot of references and quotes many similar researchers; this creates connectedness between her paper and all the other studies and emphasizes the importance and popularity of her subject. The aspect that confused me was the inclusion of “attitude towards EFL” scale into the questionnaire estimating advantages and disadvantages of Edmodo. In conclusion, the article by Al-Kathiri explores a significant issue of the integration of the modern technologies into the teaching process. The research presented is reliable, careful and bias free. The sources the author relied on are valid, diverse, recent and scholarly. The research can be duplicated by another party willing to test the efficiency of Edmodo in EFL or any other discipline. Overall choice of subject is contemporary and important. Reference List Al-Kathiri, F. (2015). Beyond the Classroom Walls: Edmodo in Saudi Secondary School EFL Instruction, Attitudes and Challenges. English Language Teaching, 8 (1), 189-204. Kongchan, C. (2012). How a Non-Digital-Native Teacher Makes Use of Edmodo. ICT for Language Learning (5th ed.). Retrieved from https://conference.pixel-online.net/

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Provide the inputted essay that when summarized resulted in the following summary : The essay discusses the theoretical background of education in different schools. It also talks about the impact that validity issues will play in the proposed study.

The essay discusses the theoretical background of education in different schools. It also talks about the impact that validity issues will play in the proposed study.

Education in Different Schools Report Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Theoretical Background 3. Validity 4. Conclusion 5. References Introduction According to Kaldor and Rochecouste (2002), education supports the cognitive and mental development of individuals hence enabling them to view the world from an abstract perspective. Therefore, education imparts the knowledge and skills that people require to solve problems that they encounter in their daily lives. Despite the fact that parents want the best education for their children, it is usually challenging for them to decide which schools they should enroll their children in since they have to choose from either local public schools, charter schools, or private schools (Elkins, 2005). Some parents prefer private schools because they are credited with high levels of academic excellence while other parents prefer public schools because they provide their students with a diverse cultural experience. However, the most important factor that parents need to consider is the level of academic achievement (Elkins, 2005). Studies that have been conducted on difference in education reveal that the level of academic achievement in students who attend private schools is higher as compared to charter and public schools (Moran, 2007). This phenomenon is credited to the private-style organization models that aim at providing students with one-to-one instruction, flexible learning schedules and a technology enriched learning environment. This paper will therefore focus on the theoretical perspectives on education in public, charter and private schools as well as the impact that validity issues will play in the proposed study. Theoretical Background The heated debate on difference in education between public, charter and private schools has made scholars to conduct studies that focus on the relative effects of school organization type on academic achievement in students. The study conducted by Avis (2003) focused on the merits of public and private schools in education endeavors in the contemporary world. The results of this study revealed that the allocation of resources plays a critical role in determining the level of achievement of a given school. Public schools highly rely on the government in their running and management. These schools get their funds from local, state and federal governments. Therefore, they have the mandate of admitting any student who resides within the districts in which they operate in. The policies that public schools follow as well as their curriculum are usually determined by the state. In accordance to the organizational theory, public schools are accountable to governmental bureaucracies. This phenomenon makes these institutions to be input-oriented hence explaining the reason why they lack the incentive to become innovative and creative in responding to the needs and requirements of the target groups that they serve (Lightbrown and Spada, 2006). Charter schools operate using policies and principles that are relatively similar as those of public schools. However, these schools have been freed from some of the rules, policies and guidelines that are applicable to public school in the view of enhancing their accountability and performance. Most charter schools are operated by parents, teachers, private institutions and community organization. Despite the fact that these schools adhere to the basic curriculum requirements by the state, their learning instructions follow a basic core-subjects approach (Lightbrown and Spada, 2006). Therefore, charter schools tend to offer specialized learning that focus on specific subject fields such as technology, arts, science and mathematics. Unlike public and charter schools, private schools get their funding from non-public sources. This includes religious institutions, grants, endowments and donations from charitable organizations (Avis, 2003). The study conducted by Moran (2007) revealed that the organizational structure of private schools is output-oriented. Thus, these schools aim at enhancing academic achievement. For these schools to realize their operational goals, they usually have in place stringent selection and admission practices to ensure that they have the most qualified students within their systems. Thus, learning in these schools tends to take a student-centered approach that enables the students to realize their learning needs and goals. The market theory can also be used to explain the difference in education between public, charter and private schools. As postulated by Elkins (2005), an educational institution environment plays a critical role in shaping its organizational structure as well as the incentives that originate from the external environment that drive the productive process within the internal environment. This fact explains why public schools are considered as being input-oriented while private schools are considered as being output-oriented. Using the market theory, it is evident that public schools specifically operate to meet the bureaucratic demands of the local, state and federal government. As such, these schools are governed by strict rules and policies that deter them from being innovative and creative in their operation. This fact thus explains the reasons why performance in public schools has been deteriorating over time. For instance, learning in most public schools is teacher-centered. Therefore, it is the teacher who leads the teaching and learning process to meet the outcomes of the set curriculum (Lightbrown and Spada, 2006). However, learning in private schools is student-centered. In addition to meeting the learning needs of the students, this approach increases their participation and interaction within and outside the classroom. It is such desired results that encourage parents in private schools to pay high tuition fees to enable their children to get the desired standard of education. According to Vygotsky’s social development theory, the environment and society that surrounds individuals play an important role in their development (Lightbrown and Spada, 2006). Unlike in private schools, public schools comprise of students who come from varied cultures and backgrounds. Therefore, there are parents who prefer to enroll their children in these schools so that they can enhance their cognitive and mental development in addition to normal learning. Validity In any research study, it is critical for researchers to ensure that the results that have been arrived at are valid and reliable. As Hammond (2001) asserted, experimental studies are conducted to determine the cause-and-effect relationship that exists between the study variables. The concept of internal validity comes about when researchers expound on the relationship that might be present between the independent and dependent variables of a given study. The main purpose of conducting internal validity tests is to determine how well a research study has been conducted with regards to confounding effects (Hammond, 2001). Confounding comes about when two or more independent variables are operational at a given time. Thus, a study is considered to have high internal validity if a researcher is in a position of choosing one alternative over the other available choices with a high level of confidence. This enables the researcher to easily conclude that the observable changes in the dependent variables are as a result of the manipulations that originate from the independent variables. While conducting a study, researchers use a sample of the target population. Therefore, it is essential for the researchers to ensure that the results that the inferences to the results of their studies can be easily generalized to the target population. This makes it necessary for researchers to conduct external validity tests. Unlike in internal validity where the aim is to determine the relationship that exists between the study variables, external validity tests are conducted to determine the relationship that might be present between the study sample group and the target population. It is due to this fact that Boscolo (2007) defined external validity as the ease at which the theory and data from one setting can be applied to another setting. Research studies are guided by specific theories. At the end of a given study, it is essential for a researcher to determine to what extent the inferences of the study results can be made from the operationalization of the theoretical constructs on which these operations were actually based upon (Avis, 2003). This concept is referred to as construct validity and is relatively similar to the concept of external validity in the sense that both these tests are based on the generalization of the results. However, while external validity focuses on the generalization of the results to the target population, construct validity focuses on the generalization of the results to the applied theory. From practice, there are factors that act as threats to the internal and external validity of a given study. In an event where the internal validity of a given study is threatened, it will be difficult to state with confidence the relationship that might be present between the independent and dependent variables hence making it difficult for a researcher to arrive at the correct conclusion of the study. On the other hand, threats to external validity affect the ease at which the results of a given study can be used to explain the trends that are present within the target population. This can be brought about by some unanticipated events that might have occurred either in the sample or target population in the course of the study. At the same time, changes in the dependent variables that come about as a result of normal development can act as a threat to the generalizability of the results. Validity and reliability issues will play a critical role in the current study. By conducting internal validity tests, it will be possible to determine whether a relationship exists between the dependent and independent variables of this study. Through external validity tests, it will be possible to determine whether the results of this study can be generalized to the target student population. Finally, through construct validity, one will be able to determine whether the constructs of this study support the theories that had been put forward to support the study. With these considerations, conclusions as to whether the study will be valid and reliable will be arrived at. Conclusion The debate on the difference in education has developed mixed reactions among scholars. From the theories that have been presented in this paper, it is evident that organization structure, social interaction, and economic viability play a significant role in increasing the level of achievement in educational institutions. Therefore, the fact that private schools have strong organizational structures and culture explains why they perform better as compared to charter and public schools. However, to support this claim, it will be critical for the proposed study to be reliable and valid to support and explain the trends that are present within the target student population. References Avis, J. (2003). ‘Re-thinking trust in a performative culture: the case of education’. Journal of Educational Policy, 18, (3), 315-332. Boscolo, P. (2007). Improving the quality of students’ academic writing: An intervention study. Studies in Higher Education , 32(4), 419-438 Elkins, J. (2005). Inclusive education in Queensland: where are we going and how will we get there? S ocial Alternatives, 24 (4), 45-49 Hammond, J. (2001). “Scaffolding and language”, in J. Hammond (ed.), Scaffolding: teaching and learning in language and literacy education , Primary English Teaching Association, Newtown, N.S.W. pp. 15 – 30. Kaldor, S., & Rochecouste, J. (2002). General academic writing and discipline specific academic writing. Australian review of applied linguistics , 25(2), 29-47 Lightbrown, P. and Spada, N. (2006). How languages are learned, Oxford University Press: New York Moran, A. (2007). Embracing inclusive teacher education. European Journal of Teacher Education, 30 (2), 119-134

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Provide the full text for the following summary: Despite the fact that more students are likely to pursue higher education now, unlike ten years ago, the attainment of higher education credentials in Texas is still low.

Despite the fact that more students are likely to pursue higher education now, unlike ten years ago, the attainment of higher education credentials in Texas is still low.

Higher Education Credential Patterns in Texas Report Despite the fact that more students are likely to pursue higher education now, unlike ten years ago, the attainment of higher education credentials in Texas is still low. Out of 883, 260 public school students in 8 th grade, only 19.9% of these (175, 489) attained a certificate or degree program (National Center for Higher Education Management Systems report (NCHEMS), 2012. p. 2). Completion of education at this point is unlikely, and only slight improvements have been realized. This is likely to take a great toll on the American economy because there will be no qualified workers to compete in the global workforce (The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education (NCPPHE), 2008). The poor higher education credential patterns have prompted the need to establish student characteristics because they may be influential factors. In comparison to the national trends in the pursuance of tertiary education, Texas is performing poorly. As a matter of fact, individuals will prefer to be enrolled in college in outside states, for example, Massachusetts, than in Texas (NCPPHE, 2008). Only one in five students that complete their eighth grade complete postsecondary education in 11 years (NCHEMS, 2012). More female students than male students enroll for postsecondary education (10% higher), but more male students than female students complete postsecondary education (NCHEMS, 2012, p. 4). Statistical reports for female progression in colleges in Texas versus the nation are 7.8% and 5.5%, respectively (NCHEMS, 2012, p. 7). Despite the fact that Texas performs well in relation to more females enrolling in higher education, the converse is the case for overall education credential as shown in the figure below. Figure obtained from NCHEMS (2012, p. 7) In Texas, enrollment in postsecondary institutions starts after 8 th grade. Enrollment can be in a private or public college/university because these are the available postsecondary institutions. A high school diploma is not essential for one to enroll in postsecondary education. In a report by the National Center for Education Statistics (2010, p. 5), Texas was among those states with the highest number of Hispanics (36-45%). Given the wide disparities between enrollment and completion of postsecondary education among the white students (majority group) and minority groups, the high population of the minority population in Texas justifies the poor performance of education in Texas (NCHEMS, 2012). Despite disparities in data over time, Texas and Florida, perform poorly in collegiate graduation rates across all races and ethnicities in comparison with the nation (NCHEMS, 2012). It is the city with the largest population in Texas, and attainment of education at tertiary institutions in Houston is equally low. In comparison with national data, higher education attainment rates in Texas based on race and ethnicity are lower (NCHEMS, 2012, p. 7). Despite the fact that the data presented are irrefutable, I somewhat tend to disagree with the grade (C-) given to Texas in completion of higher education due to the inconsistencies in data generation (NCPPHE, 2008, p. 18). The current databases may not be comprehensive because records may not exhaust all data, and especially, from private and proprietary education institutions. I can only hope that the situation improves given the fact that Texas is trying hard to invest in education and encourage more students to acquire postsecondary school credentials. The characteristics of students in today’s world are very different from those of students in earlier times. The world has become a global village with highly defined technology. Therefore, students are more competitive as each tries to establish his or her path of success, and lack of proper education to college/university means that one is not able to survive in the competitive world. Houston, Texas is well known for its thriving economy. However the same cannot be said about its education system in relation to the pursuance of tertiary education. In comparison to colonial times when education was not reinforced and was purely targeted at particular students in the preparation for high office jobs, students nowadays are all aware of the importance of education. The success in the current world is largely pegged on employment in high-paying jobs, and education is its fundamental component. References National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). (2010). Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Groups . Web. National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS). (2012). A New Measure of Educational Success in Texas: Tracking the Success of 8 th Graders into and through College. Web. National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education (NCPPHE). (2008). Measuring Up 2008: The National Report Card on Higher Education . Web.

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Write an essay about: The success of an organization is determined by the efforts of leaders and managers to ensure employees follow policies and maximize their productivity. Managers and leaders ensure all employees work together to achieve the success. However, not all managers are good leaders, and organizations should set clear policies on the roles of these two positions.

The success of an organization is determined by the efforts of leaders and managers to ensure employees follow policies and maximize their productivity. Managers and leaders ensure all employees work together to achieve the success. However, not all managers are good leaders, and organizations should set clear policies on the roles of these two positions.

Effective Leaders and Managers Essay (Critical Writing) Introduction The success of an organisation is determined by the efforts of leaders and managers to ensure employees follow policies and maximise their productivity. Managers and leaders ensure all employees work together to achieve the success. However, not all managers are good leaders, and organisations should set clear policies on the roles of these two positions. Current paper presents the differences between effective managers and leaders and describes a real leader’s inspiration. Definitions An Effective Leader An effective leader is a person who can influence others and ensure they do something that will benefit all of them. The essence of leaders is to make sure that there are the changes in the way the activities are done in organisations. It means that effective leaders are focused on transforming the mentality of employees to see the need for changes that will improve their work. They lead people and check whether the resources are utilised for the benefit of investors, managers and their subordinates or not. Effective leaders have followers and influence them to achieve special visions. An effective leader may set directions and offer alternative ways of achieving the goals established by managers. Such leaders do not make decisions and impose on their followers; instead, all stakeholders participate in certain activities to be sure that their views are put into consideration. The power of an effective leader is derived from personal charisma, and this means that leadership cannot be transferred through conventional ways like training. Effective leaders appeal to the hearts of their followers and have a passion for motivating other people to change and improve their performance. They take risks because they want to achieve what others have never accomplished. The most successful leaders may break the rules and create conflicts in organisations in order to achieve success. However, they do not focus on the negative effects of these acts. Instead, they use such situations to improve the performance of all employees. This means that effective leaders see the opportunities for change and growth in mistakes; therefore, they do not condemn weak employees. They take the blame and give credit where it is due as their main aim is to seek the right way of improving performance and motivating employees to get satisfaction from their work. An Effective Manager An effective manager is a person who uses the required portion of skills in order to stabilise organisations and check whether their subordinates are able to follow all policies or not. These managers have to set a number of short-term goals that have to be achieved with the help of their investors. Another important thing this type of managers tries to consider is the quality of the possible use of all resources they have an access to. The point is that managers have an access to more resources in comparison to other workers of the same organisation; still, they try to use the same process of this resource management. This is why it is very important for a really effective manager to know how to define the best resources for their activities. They make decisions and hope other employees will accept them without resistance. Their authority is derived from formal procedures, including the powers vested in them by their organisations and the trust of other workers. The leadership style of effective managers is transactional because this group of people seeks to accomplish certain formal objectives. High profits and a good public image are the two main aspects that motivate people to work harder. They are afraid of risks and try to minimise them because they want to achieve the immediate results and identify those people, who cannot achieve them as failures. Effective managers do not like to take new roads, but use the old ones to create new impressions. Effective managers make the rules and expect their subordinates following them without asking questions. They do not provide subordinates with opportunities to express what they actually think and can offer to improve their performance. The managers under consideration define themselves as those, who are right and who do not take blames. A Real-Life Example of Level 3 Leadership There are many successful leaders, whose styles of leadership deserve attention. Leadership style is one of the most crucial individual methods of influence on the innovations of an organisation. The example of Spain demonstrated during Euro 2008 proves that this country and its context have a lot to say in order to improve the understanding of proper leadership. This real-life example proves that the Spanish leadership model is not only about employees’ behaviour and attention to conscious thoughts. It is about people, their expectations, values, assumptions, and beliefs. From the report of a project manager (Mr. Carlos) to a general manager of a hotel chain (Mr. Hale), it becomes clear that the most successful leaders have to trust their people and believe that what they plan to do should be done in the most beneficial ways. In other words, a good leader should have a certain number of followers in order to become an effective leader. The events during Euro 2008 made many hotel managers change their politics and rely on new ideas offered by the experts in the chosen spheres as well as ordinary manages to consider the needs of ordinary people, who are eager to become a part of the Euro world. In his report, Mr. Carlos admitted that many workers are eager to offer their own ideas on how to improve their hotel services and attract more customers. Of course, it is easy to consider the demands and offers of different people, still, it is not an easy task to analyse each though and recognise the expectations and values of each worker. Mr. Hale demonstrated one of the most successful methods and chose a written form of questionnaires for his workers. Mr. Carlos had to organise online questionnaires and attract as many people as possible to that event. A good leader should never neglect the assumptions of his/her workers, and Mr. Hale proves that he deserves to be an example of “Level Three” leadership style. On the one hand, he considered visible actions and intentions (conscious thoughts) of his managers through the report of his project manager. On the other hand, he paid enough attention to the Level Three within the frames of which the leaders get to know more about the values and beliefs that have been developed over time taking into consideration cultural norms and preferences that play an important role in a social life. Conclusion All leaders are good managers, but the reverse is not true because these positions have different requirements. A good leader inspires, gives hope, and shows the direction by being an example to other employees, and good managers use the policies to influence other employees like it was demonstrated by the Spanish example during Euro 2008.

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Write the original essay that generated the following summary: The text discusses ways to deal with challenging parental behaviors, such as adjusting the setting, providing a calm response, and offering choices for punishment.The text also talks about how family activities can help parents bond with their children and each other.

The text discusses ways to deal with challenging parental behaviors, such as adjusting the setting, providing a calm response, and offering choices for punishment. The text also talks about how family activities can help parents bond with their children and each other.

Effective Responses to Challenging Parental Behaviors Coursework Children of varying ages portray challenging behavior from time to time. As Sileo and Prater (2011) argue, there are parents who also have similar anger management issues and controlling them can be difficult. As Gorman (2004) explains, one of the ways of dealing with an angry parent whose child has special needs is adjusting or changing the setting. For instance, the parent can change rooms. Additionally, the people present at the time of a confrontation can be dispersed and leave behind only the ones the parent and the child are comfortable around. Dispersing people is essential, as it distracts the people who are involved in the dispute. The curious nature of children also urges the child to want to know what is happening and why things are changing. Thus, the child can cool down a bit within a short time, thereby allowing the parent also to cool down. In addition, changing the setting helps the child to calm down, as they feel safer. Another way of dealing with anger in the family is through providing a calm response. On many occasions, family members argue their points in loud voices, thereby making each other angrier. Responding calmly can help someone calm down, regardless of the age of the people involved. Leibowitz (2012) acknowledges that a behavior can either disappoint or make an adult angry. For example, if a facilitator quarrels a child, then the parent may feel like their child is being picked on because of their condition. In this sense, the adult may yell or display anger towards the facilitator. Acting in this manner does not help the situation, but it worsens it. If all the parties involved are angry, then it makes more sense for everyone to calm down before discussing the issue. In the same breadth, offering choices for punishment is a good way of dealing with an angry member of the family. Giving the angry parent the right to pick the punishment for their child can ease the tension. At times, the parent may just know the right thing to do to discipline the child. For example, my nephew would not like to eat and would become fussy when given food. His mother would often force him to eat and threaten to take away his toys if he failed to finish his food. However, we decided to try a different approach after several failed attempts to make the boy eat. We allowed the young boy to pick out ingredients and help in the preparation of his meal. He was not only excited to do this, but he would eat easily afterward. Many parents also change rules of behavior. Lack of consistency in behavior control, even punishing bad behavior, can lead to more tantrums. As Kingsley and Fry (2011) explain, behavior is learned; therefore, reinforcing a behavior and rejecting another one all the time can create a behavior map for the child. Doing family activities can also help parents bond with their children and each other. For instance, family yoga can help release tension, at the same time making the bond between family members stronger. Leibowitz (2012) agrees that games are the best way of uniting families. In addition, going out on trips or doing something that each member of the family enjoys can help lower the stress and anger levels of the family members. Although there are numerous methods that parents and other family members can employ to reduce anger levels in the family, shouting and getting angry at each other, instead of solving the problem, will never help the situation. References Gorman, J. C. (2004). Working with challenging parents of students with special needs. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Kingsley, D., & Fry, M. (2011). Childhood behavioural problems. Pulse, 71 (32), 21-24 Leibowitz, E. (2012). Man. Atlantic, 310 (2), 35-37. Sileo, N. M. & Prater, M. A. (2011). Working with families of children with special needs: family and professional partnerships and Roles. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

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Revert the following summary back into the original essay: This research paper will establish the most appropriate approach that the facility should adopt to improve on its training and development strategies. The facility will greatly benefit from appropriate training and development strategies, which translates into better employee growth and development, affirmative action, and client satisfaction.

This research paper will establish the most appropriate approach that the facility should adopt to improve on its training and development strategies. The facility will greatly benefit from appropriate training and development strategies, which translates into better employee growth and development, affirmative action, and client satisfaction.

Effective Staff Training in Health Care Facility Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Current Situation 2. Problem Statement 3. Research Objective 4. Research Questions 5. Hypothesis 6. References Current Situation Wariad Healthcare Centre is a healthcare facility specializing in medical billing. Currently, the healthcare facility has weak programs for effective and complete training of its employees. The present human resource management department has policies that do not optimally reinforce training and development among the employees. As a result, the facility loses its staff to its competitors due to lack of a successful training program. In many jurisdictions, it is mandatory to have an independent training and development management function in an institution. Reflectively, design and skill development are the nerve centre for skilled and competent labor force. Unfortunately, there are scenarios where the human resource management department of the facility is not very efficient and therefore fails to take up key control issues in time. There is no proper schedule for periodic and continuous employee training and development within the facility, which has a quantifiable module for tracking the feedback and level of engagement among the employees. As a result, it is almost impossible to monitor the performance of each employee against the set targets. Besides, the lack of training and development may be attributed to low employee morale and redundancy at the organization. It is therefore necessary to establish the most appropriate and sustainable training and development strategy for the facility to monitor and micromanage its employee performance. Problem Statement Despite the fact that the facility spends several millions in training seminars and internal programs, the training modules have not been modified to fit within the organization’s corporate culture. Therefore, this research paper will establish the most appropriate approach that the facility should adopt to improve on its training and development strategies. The facility will greatly benefit from appropriate training and development strategies, which translates into better employee growth and development, affirmative action, and client satisfaction (Chan & Mcallister, 2014, p. 47). Research Objective This paper attempts to explicitly review the human resource management strategies in the facility in terms of effectiveness of the training programs. The primary aims and objectives of this research paper will be to provide sufficient information to the human resource management department of the facility on the real management problems that has facilitated the occurrence of poor performance among the employees, as a result of ineffective employee training programs. This research will assist the facility to implement effective employee training strategies that promote efficiency and sustainability of employee performance feedback in the medical billing duties. It will be a compilation of best human resource management strategy practices as part of effective training (Allan, 2009, p. 26). Research Questions * What is lacking within the training planning at the Wariad Healthcare Centre? * What factors of human resource training has not propelled the Wariad Healthcare Centre to its optimal success route? * How does the Wariad Healthcare Centre deal with different challenges with its employee training planning? * What could be the reasons behind constant employee resignation, despite the attractive remuneration packages? Hypothesis The independent variable is employee training while the dependent variables are effective programs and employee performance. Employee training is significant towards determining the output of the employees. However, the elements of effectiveness of training programs may determine the actual employee performance (Schraeder & Jordan, 2011, p. 7). From the above variables, the hypothesis for the research is; Null hypothesis: Different employee training programs have an influence on the quality of employee performance at the Wariad Healthcare Centre. Alternative hypothesis : Different employee training programs does not have an influence on the quality of employee performance at the Wariad Healthcare Centre. References Allan, L. (2009). Training needs or training wants analysis? Training and Development in Australia, 36 (2), 25-27. Chan, M., & Mcallister, D. J. (2014). Abusive supervision through the lens of employee state paranoia. Academy Of Management Review, 39 (1), 44-66. Schraeder, M., & Jordan, M. (2011). Managing performance: A practical perspective on managing employee performance. The Journal for Quality and Participation, 34 (2), 4-10.

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Write the original essay that provided the following summary when summarized: The purpose of this research is to provide informed solutions to the problems highlighted, explore the truancy of the stated problems in regard to the business activities, and assess the possibility of refining the established routines.

The purpose of this research is to provide informed solutions to the problems highlighted, explore the truancy of the stated problems in regard to the business activities, and assess the possibility of refining the established routines.

Effectiveness of Complete Care Division Case Study Table of Contents 1. Problem statement and background information 2. Purpose of the Research 3. Research Design 4. Questionnaire Design 5. Sample Design 6. Data Collection, Processing and Analysis 7. Budget and Timeline 8. Dummy Table for the Analysis 9. References Problem statement and background information Customers are the main source of motivation for the existence of any business. A mutual relationship developed between a firm and its customers should provide benefits to the two parties. Customer complaints are handled by a team of experts who are skilful in the field of customer care services. The integration of customers’ feedback in a solution seeking project is an ideal approach (Davis, 2000). Computer R Us company is faced by problems of mising enough technical operators for the telephone care centre. The sub-contracting scheme for delivering machines to the company is also unreliable, and some parts required for the repair of certain machines are unavailable. Moreover, the complete care centre for the firm is inefficient according to the complaints raised by customers (Zhu & Liu, 2014). The problems are a primary signal for a deep insight to be taken by the firm in improving its performance. The effectiveness of complete care division is a function of new strategies, which may be the parameter to analyze in this research. Purpose of the Research The research will aim at providing informed solutions to the problems highlighted, explore the truancy of the stated problems in regard to the business activities, and assess the possibility of refining the established routines. In this regard, the research will help unveil some of the setbacks felt in the business operations, address customer complaints, and assure the existing and potential customers of quality service delivery. A deep insight of the stated problems will help to understand the business, and gauge the its performance against some standard measures. The research will also help to substantiate claims already given by the various sources. From the proceedings of the research, solid decisions will be reached while the problems will be completely or partially eliminated through their implementation. Research Design The research will collect, analyze and present the data, and finally interpret the results. Data will be collected through the administration of questionnaires to various respondents of choice. In the questionnaire, questions will be a function of both forward and backward linkage, accurate, and relevant in the customer relations context. Target respondents to the questionnaires will be customers to the firm. This activity will be done online and through the issuance of manual questionnaire scripts to the customers making purchases in the respective shops. The questions will be formal, short, and directed to the raised concern. Both open-ended and fixed alternatives formats of questions will be included in the questionnaire. Questionnaire Design A questionnaire of services offered by Computer R Us to our esteemed customers. (Please tick or underline your response) 1. How often do you contact our customer care service line? Daily, weekly, fortnight 2. How long did it for the receiver to pick the call? 30 seconds, 1 minute, never answered 3. Was the respondent on the other side of the line courteous? Yes/no 4. How would you rate the customer response of our company? Excellent/good/poor 5. How often do our computers develop problems? Rarely/ often/ never 6. Would you recommend changes in the type of customer services offered by this organization? Yes/no 7. Are you satisfied by the introduction of repair strategies by the company management? Yes/ no 8. How would you rate the general performance of our computer machines on a scale of 10? 9. In your own words, what would you suggest the company to prioritize when delivering quality services? (About 50 words) The responses given in the questionnaire will be compiled into one volume manuscript organized into sections of customer complaints, company’s progress, products’ performance, and prices of the products. Another questionnaire will be made for the operations department and administered to the vendors of machine parts. This aspect will be meant to alleviate of shortages that will be encountered frequently, and it will be more technical than the previous form of the questionnaire. The format of the questionnaire will be; 1. What is the possibility of using alternative parts in replacement of the unavailable parts? Possible/ Impossible 2. What are some of other sources of the machine parts apart from the current ones to the company? (list) 3. How reliable are other sources of machine parts supply firms? Very/Fair/Poor 4. In a scale of 5, rate the quality of the performance of the machine parts? 5. List some of the suggestions you would wish addressed in the design of computers. Sample Design A population sample of the prospective customers to the organization will be used to conduct the data collection exercise. The research will target a population of 20 individual respondents in each set of the exercise. Tokens and other incentives will be provided to the respondents in order to motivate and make them participate fully (Zikmund, 2003). Online questionnaires will allow a maximum of 10 individuals and tokens will be transferred electronically. The sample population will be set into direct and control groups for the purposes of eliminating ambiguous data. After organizing the sample population, a team of research specialists will conduct exercise and collect filled questionnaires as well as other audio records to be used for analysis. The success of the activity will depend entirely on proper organization of the strategies. A control population will neither necessarily affiliate to the company nor research objectives. It will only be provided with general views of the company’s information. From the information provided, they will be required to air some of their concerns regarding the topics of concern. Their views will be recorded in separate entry scripts for the purposes of comparison and results analysis. Data Collection, Processing and Analysis Data collected in the questionnaires, customer’s feedback, vendors reports, and interviews with prospective firms will be compiled into categories. These groups will be the problems oriented under the various departments in the company of existence. The departments will be technical, customer relations, sales and stock. The mode of analysis will either be objective or subjective. In subjective mode, scientific and mathematical approach will be applied. Regression analysis, determination of central measures of tendencies, and other related approaches to the data will be some of the most feasible techniques for such kind of research evaluation. In objective approach, the responses will be taken in the form of choices. Company management will evaluate these responses critically weighing their impacts and acting accordingly. From the research problem being addressed, the objective approach addresses the customer care section. Budget and Timeline Tokens ($300), questionnaire manuscripts and stationery ($50), interview sessions ($ 200), transport and other allowances for the research team ($200), internet charges for the online team ($200), accommodation allowances for the travelling team $500, research materials required for the exercise ($250), and external facilitators lunch and allowance $400. The budget will also include fuel and other miscellaneous expenses from the proceedings of the exercise estimated to be $260. Dummy Table for the Analysis Item Rank out of 10 Grade awarded as per the criteria given. Customer care services Technical operations Products performance Company’s performance Ease of outsourcing machine parts Reliability of subcontractor The award scheme is more process and product-oriented, and it assigns figures as per the readily set scheme. References Davis, J. (2000). Managed care systems and emerging infections challenges and opportunities for strengthening surveillance, research, and prevention : Workshop summary, based on a workshop of the Forum on Emerging Infections, Division of Health Sciences Policy, Institute o . Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Zhu, W., & Liu, D. (2014). Study on the Theoretical Foundation of Business English Curriculum Design Based on ESP and Needs Analysis. Higher Education Studies, 7 (4), 33-39. Zikmund, W. (2003). Business research methods (7th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western.

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Write an essay about: The study under analysis focuses on the problems of child abuse and parental neglect and their effects on a future child's life. In fact, the topic is widely discussed around the whole world; this is why many literary sources, statistics, and other interesting material can be found online as well as in libraries. The task is not to lose the main idea and use the up-to-date sources in order to prove that the chosen topic is worth attention and investigation.

The study under analysis focuses on the problems of child abuse and parental neglect and their effects on a future child's life. In fact, the topic is widely discussed around the whole world; this is why many literary sources, statistics, and other interesting material can be found online as well as in libraries. The task is not to lose the main idea and use the up-to-date sources in order to prove that the chosen topic is worth attention and investigation.

Child Abuse Problems and Its Effects on a Future Child’s Life Report Several Challenges in Writing the Literature Review Writing a literature review is not an easy task for many students; still, in case certain instructions are given and taken into consideration, the task can be properly completed in time. There are the three steps that should be followed while writing a review: to conduct research, create a structure, and keep in mind the main idea of the investigation (Ridley, 2012). Each step may have the challenges a writer can face in completing this kind of work; this is why it is necessary to remember that as soon as a theme and subject are identified (Oliver, 2012), the work should begin. The study under analysis focuses on the problems of child abuse and parental neglect and their effects on a future child’s life (Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa, Tajima, Herrenkohl, & Russo, 2010). In fact, the topic is widely discussed around the whole world; this is why many literary sources, statistics, and other interesting material can be found online as well as in libraries. The task is not to lose the main idea and use the up-to-date sources in order to prove that the chosen topic is worth attention and investigation. In fact, there were the three main challenges in writing the literature review just completed that were overcome due to the ability to organize the work, follow the suggestions of the experts, and keep in mind the necessity to meet the deadlines and academic expectations. One of the hardest tasks was to understand how to narrow down the topic and choose the most appropriate research questions to be discussed in the literature review. Stalker and McArthur (2012) underline that little research has been made on the questions about the support and care for children, who suffer from home abuse; this is why it was necessary to prove that the effects of child abuse were considerable indeed to think about the methods of treatment. Another challenge took place as soon as the necessity to comprehend the effects of child abuse and identify them properly was discovered. Different researchers offer their own ideas about the child abuse effects. Gloud, Clarke, Heim, Harvey, Majer, and Nemeroff (2012) talk about the cognitive development of a child and seem to be the powerful developers of their ideas about the emotional challenges children face with and behavioral problems. And Fang, Brown, Florence, and Mercy (2012) introduce the economic aspect of child abuse effects that seem to be an interesting topic for discussion. This is why the challenge was to integrate a variety of effects in one common topic and introduce it properly. Finally, it was difficult to organize the whole paper so that the introductory part, the body, and the concluding part were logically connected and clear. Still, all these challenges have been successfully overcome due to the ability to organize the work, plan the most crucial steps beforehand, and ask for help before making mistakes or wrong decisions. In general, the work has been done, and the literature review has been properly written. It helps to realize what kind of work should be done the next time and how it is necessary to investigate the effects of child abuse and parental neglect in a society. Reference List Fang, X., Brown, D.S., Florence, C.S., & Mercy, J.A. (2012). The economic burden of child maltreatment in the United States and implications for prevention . Child Abuse & Neglect, 36 (2), 156-165. Gloud, F., Clarke, J., Heim, C., Harvey, P.D., Majer, M., & Nemeroff, C.B. (2012). The effects of child abuse and neglect on cognitive functioning in adulthood. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 46 (4), 500-506. Moylan, C.A., Herrenkohl, T.I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E.A., Herrenkohl, R.C., & Russo, M.J. (2010). The effects of child abuse and exposure to domestic violence on adolescent internalising and externalising behaviour problems. Journal of Family Violence, 25 (1), 53-63. Oliver, P. (2012). Succeeding with your literature review: A handbook for students. Berkshire: McGraw-Hill Education. Ridley, D. (2012). The literature review: A step-by-step guide for students. London: SAGE. Stalker, K & McArthur, K. (2012). Child abuse, child protection and disabled children: A review of recent research. Child Abuse Review, 21 (1), 24-40.

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Provide the inputted essay that when summarized resulted in the following summary : The essay discusses the topic of child abuse and its effects on children. It highlights the importance of recognizing the signs of child abuse and taking action to prevent it.

The essay discusses the topic of child abuse and its effects on children. It highlights the importance of recognizing the signs of child abuse and taking action to prevent it.

Child Abuse Issues and Its Effects Analytical Essay Table of Contents 1. Topic Description 2. Problem Description 3. Justification of the Problem Choice 4. Reference List Topic Description Child abuse is one of the most serious social issues that have to be solved on a regular basis due to the presence of numerous long-term and short-term effects. Children cannot even understand a true essence of parental neglect and the cases of abuse, this why this concept is discussed on a variety of levels. People have to know that child abuse does take place in a society: from 3.3 million to 10 million children suffer from domestic violence at home (Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa, Tajima, Herrenkohl, & Russo, 2010). It is officially reported data; however, it is hard to imagine how many children may be actually classified as maltreated by their parents or other caregivers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). The recognition of child abuse signs is a very important step as it is wrong to believe that child maltreatment takes place because of the presence of a single sing or poor understanding of child behavior. Iwaniec (2006) states that emotional abuse of a child is now more prevalent than realized, and it has a more damaging impact in comparison to the one made in a result of physical or sexual types of abuse. Problem Description Unfortunately, the effect of child abuse cannot end as soon as the case of abuse stops. As a rule, a number of long-term and short-term effects may be observed in a human life for a long period (Sousa, Herrenkohl, Moylan, Tajima, Klika, Herrenkohl, & Russo, 2011). Different researchers identify various effects of childhood trauma and prove their urgency. For example, Degun-Mather (2006) underlines dissociation and repression as the two main traumatic experiences that have to be analyzed; and Gloud, Clarke, Heim, Harvey, Majer, and Nemeroff (2012) say about the role of emotional changes and stresses. In fact, the effects of child abuse may vary considerably: anxiety, alcoholism, language or brain development, risks for heart or even cancer, etc. Parents as well as other caregivers should properly understand their role in the educational process of a child and realize that their impact remains to be crucial for the development of a future society. Child abuse is a legal issue as well, this is why when an adult commits a case of child abuse, he/she should learn all responsibilities and possible effects. Justification of the Problem Choice Child Welfare Information Gateway (2013) presents interesting facts that child abuse and neglect effects have to be analyzed considering such factors like child’s age, maltreatment type, frequency of abuse, type of relations between a child and a perpetrator, etc. This is why it is not enough to say that child abuse affects a person’s development. It is necessary to identify the reasons of child abuse, its characteristics, conditions, and even possible methods of healing (Lemoncelli, 2012) taking into account the latest achievements, investigations, and limitations in a particular sphere. Child abuse and parental neglect are the two old problems (Corby, Shemmings, & Wilkins, 2012), and their roots’ evaluation of plays an important role in the investigating the chosen issue. In general, it is possible to divide the effects of child abuse in several categories: physical, emotional, psychological, behavioral, and even economic. However, each category has its own peculiarities and roles for a society. If people want to achieve the required piece, satisfaction, and success in a lifespan, child abuse effects should be identified and solved. Reference List Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Child Maltreatment: Consequences. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2013). Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect. Web. Corby, B., Shemmings, D., & Wilkins, D. (2012). Child abuse: An evidence base for confident practice. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Degun-Mather, M. (2006). Hypnosis, dissociation and survivors of child abuse: Understanding and treatment. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons. Gloud, F., Clarke, J., Heim, C., Harvey, P.D., Majer, M., & Nemeroff, C.B. (2012). The effects of child abuse and neglect on cognitive functioning in adulthood. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 46 (4), 500-506. Iwaniec, D. (2006). The emotionally abused and neglected child: Identification, assessment and intervention. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons. Lemoncelli, J.J. (2012). Healing from childhood abuse: Understanding the effects, taking control to recover. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. Moylan, C.A., Herrenkohl, T.I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E.A., Herrenkohl, R.C., & Russo, M.J. (2010). The effects of child abuse and exposure to domestic violence on adolescent internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Journal of Family Violence, 25 (1), 53-63. Sousa, C., Herrenkohl, T.I., Moylan, C.A., Tajima, E.A., Klika, J.B., Herrenkohl, R.C., & Russo,. M.J. (2011). Longitudinal study on the effects of child abuse and children’s exposure to domestic violence, parent-child attachments, and antisocial behavior in adolescence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26 (1), 111-136.

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Write the original essay that provided the following summary when summarized: The effects of child abuse are numerous and touch upon different spheres of life. Some researchers find it more effective to focus on one particular aspect and prove its urgency.

The effects of child abuse are numerous and touch upon different spheres of life. Some researchers find it more effective to focus on one particular aspect and prove its urgency.

Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect Essay (Book Review) Literature Review Child abuse and parental neglect are the two problems that bother the American society as well as other people around the whole world. Gloud, Clarke, Heim, Harvey, Majer, and Nemeroff (2012) introduce the two main dimensions, types of child abuse effects: one of them is based on the neurocognitive aspect like the problems with “visual memory, executive functioning, and spatial working memory” (p. 503), and another aspect touches upon the emotional problems and stresses that may bother children through the whole lifespan. Their studies aim at providing a practical perspective of how the problem of child abuse should be regarded and solved. Though it is possible to address special stress-management professionals (Lemoncelli, 2012), it is hard to be sure that the consequences like anger or social misunderstanding can be totally removed, and additional investigations are required to explain how child abuse effects may be understood by a society. As a rule, the effects of child abuse are the problems that can be solved by the encouragement of cognitive self-regulation explained by Iwaniec (2006). Still, treatments from child abuse may vary considerably because people are eager to offer helpful ideas and unique approaches as soon as parental neglect was recognised as a traumatic event that has to be analysed and prevented like it was done by Cloitre, Cohen, and Koenen (2011). In addition, Fang, Brown, Florence, and Mercy (2012) identify the economic burden of the problem as more $30000 is spent on each child’s health care costs by means of the analysis of certain financial operations. Taking into consideration the fact that more than 600000 American children are defined as maltreatment victims annually (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014), the actual sums are hard to imagine. Adults should understand that they steal from themselves when they demonstrate poor treatment to their children and make them suffer. It seems to be better to follow some preventive ideas and suggestions and regard their importance as they help to decrease the number of disabled children in a society (Stalker & McArthur, 2012). The effects of child abuse are numerous and touch upon different spheres of life. Some researchers find it more effective to focus on one particular aspect and prove its urgency. For example, Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa, Tajima, Herrenkohl, and Russo (2010) use the behavioural changes as the main problems that have to be solved. Child abuse and family violence change children’s nature considerably, worsen the way of how children may understand the world, and poorly define the future cooperation with the outside world. The other experts try to compare several consequences at the same time and explain how psychological, societal, physical, and behavioural issues predetermine a future member of a society (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013). Child abuse is the problem that plays an important role in a society. Even if people think that they are far from such troubles, and child abuse never becomes their own concern, it is necessary to remember that they cannot prevent themselves against communicating, working, or interacting with people, who suffer from child abuse once. This is why people have to know more about the effects of child abuse, possible hints on how to treat people with such problems, ideas on how to help them or ways how to neglect the case of abuse in the past. Antisocial behaviour is one of the outcomes of child abuse and parental neglect that may be disclosed in a variety of forms (Sousa, Herrenkohl, Moylan, Tajima, Klika, Herrenkohl, & Russo, 2011). In comparison to other studies and investigations mentioned above, their research underlines the importance of social approaches and the role of society in general on children and their relations with parents. Children may be dependent on their parents or have a desire to leave them within a short period of time. Some children can have such possibilities to change something in their lives and improve the outcomes of the abuse they suffer from, and some children do not know that something can be changed. The results of hypnoses, as one of the possible means of treatment, prove that trauma’s types may vary, and each effect should be thoroughly analysed and considered from a professional point of view (Degun-Mather, 2006). In fact, people cannot prevent child abuse to its full extent as this problem has a long history and is identified by a unique penetrating process that cannot be neglected (Corby, Shemmings, & Wilkins, 2012). The researchers show how the historical perspective helps to comprehend the essence of a current problem. The attention to history explain that some children could not even guess that they became the victims of child abuse and considered to believe that their parents’ maltreatment as something ordinary that could not be changed. Though the reasons of parental neglect may vary, the effects of child abuse are all of the same nature – all of them destroy a personality or, at least, provoke unpleasant changes. As soon as a person is changed because of being abused (physically, sexually, emotionally, or psychologically) at home, the world undergoes certain changes as well. Reference List Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Child Maltreatment: Consequences. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2013). Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect. Web. Cloitre, M., Cohen, L.R., & Koenen, K.C. (2011). Treating survivors of childhood abuse: Psychotherapy for the interrupted life. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Corby, B., Shemmings, D., & Wilkins, D. (2012). Child abuse: An evidence base for confident practice. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Degun-Mather, M. (2006). Hypnosis, dissociation and survivors of child abuse: Understanding and treatment. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons. Fang, X., Brown, D.S., Florence, C.S., & Mercy, J.A. (2012). The economic burden of child maltreatment in the United States and implications for prevention . Child Abuse & Neglect, 36 (2), 156-165. Gloud, F., Clarke, J., Heim, C., Harvey, P.D., Majer, M., & Nemeroff, C.B. (2012). The effects of child abuse and neglect on cognitive functioning in adulthood. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 46 (4), 500-506. Iwaniec, D. (2006). The emotionally abused and neglected child: Identification, assessment and intervention. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons. Lemoncelli, J.J. (2012). Healing from childhood abuse: Understanding the effects, taking control to recover. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. Moylan, C.A., Herrenkohl, T.I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E.A., Herrenkohl, R.C., & Russo, M.J. (2010). The effects of child abuse and exposure to domestic violence on adolescent internalising and externalising behaviour problems. Journal of Family Violence, 25 (1), 53-63. Sousa, C., Herrenkohl, T.I., Moylan, C.A., Tajima, E.A., Klika, J.B., Herrenkohl, R.C., & Russo,. M.J. (2011). Longitudinal study on the effects of child abuse and children’s exposure to domestic violence, parent-child attachments, and antisocial behaviour in adolescence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26 (1), 111-136. Stalker, K & McArthur, K. (2012). Child abuse, child protection and disabled children: A review of recent research. Child Abuse Review, 21 (1), 24-40.

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Create the inputted essay that provided the following summary: The effects of child abuse can be far-reaching and long-lasting. Early childhood trauma can lead to numerous psychological and emotional problems with time.The effects of child abuse can be far-reaching and long-lasting. Early childhood trauma can lead to numerous psychological and emotional problems with time.

The effects of child abuse can be far-reaching and long-lasting. Early childhood trauma can lead to numerous psychological and emotional problems with time. The effects of child abuse can be far-reaching and long-lasting. Early childhood trauma can lead to numerous psychological and emotional problems with time.

Effects of Child Abuse Essay The 4 Peer-Reviewed Articles Fang, X., Brown, D.S., Florence, C.S., & Mercy, J.A. (2012). The economic burden of child maltreatment in the United States and implications for prevention . Child Abuse & Neglect, 36 (2), 156-165. Gloud, F., Clarke, J., Heim, C., Harvey, P.D., Majer, M., & Nemeroff, C.B. (2012). The effects of child abuse and neglect on cognitive functioning in adulthood. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 46 (4), 500-506. Moylan, C.A., Herrenkohl, T.I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E.A., Herrenkohl, R.C., & Russo, M.J. (2010). The effects of child abuse and exposure to domestic violence on adolescent internalising and externalising behaviour problems. Journal of Family Violence, 25 (1), 53-63. Stalker, K & McArthur, K. (2012). Child abuse, child protection and disabled children: A review of recent research. Child Abuse Review, 21 (1), 24-40. Synthesis and Integration There are many proofs that trauma got early in life can considerably increase the risk of numerous psychological and emotional problems with time. As a rule, such problems lead to unexpected depressions, emotional disorders, and stresses, which are usually hard to control and treat. In spite of the fact that about 10 million children suffer from domestic violence, abuse, and parental neglect (Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa, Tajima, Herrenkohl, & Russo, 2010), little research has been observed to help and support children under a threat (Stalker & McArthur, 2012). People do not deny the fact that they know a lot about child abuse, its reasons, and effects, still, they do not want to develop the steps that can prevent the cases and provide children with appropriate care and understanding. The nature of the effects of child abuse, their consequences in a society, and the most appropriate preventive methods should be considered. Child abuse and parental neglect are the two main problems that have been discussed in current paper to prove that their effects are worth attention and recognition to be solved, prevented, and children can get the required portion of treatment and support. Current study is based on a variety of sources, still, the four peer-reviewed articles create a solid basis for research as they disclose such topics like the effects of child abuse on behavior problems (Moylan et al., 2010), child abuse and its effects on cognitive development in adulthood (Gloud, Clarke, Heim, Harvey, Majer, & Nemeroff, 2012), the necessity to integrate gender, age, and socio-cultural factors in preventing child abuse at home (Stalker & McArthur, 2012), and the attention to the economic aspect of child maltreatment (Fang, Brown, Florence, & Mercy, 2012). In such countries like the USA and Britain, people know a little about what actually happen to disable children after they have become the victims of child abuse. Adults do not want to understand how crucial the effects of their neglect can be on their children. They can observe that their children may become more socially isolated and depressed without any reasons (Moylan et al., 2010); still, they can hardly realize how many changes take place inside. A personality of a child is sensitive indeed, and any kind of maltreatment or shortage of attention may create a gap in development and cause emotional disorders, which can appear in several years or even decades (Gloud et al., 2012). In addition, the effects of child abuse may be of a financial character because child maltreatment usually leads to some criminal justice costs, child welfare costs (about $25 billion of federal, state, and even local funds are spend annually), and special education costs (because maltreated children are in need of special education programs) (Fang et al., 2012). Fang et al. research (2012) shows that a total economic burden of $124 billion of the chosen problem is estimated annually in the USA. Such numbers and effects should not leave people indifferent to the issue of child abuse and its possible prevention. In general, child abuse is the topic for discussion in many countries as it has a long history and a variety of effects. Children may not even guess that they are the victims of their parents’ neglect and cannot understand the reasons of their emotional or psychological problems. They try to use the help of specialists to learn what happens, still, the nature of child abuse effects is unpredictable, and it is hard to know for sure that some help may be used. Reference List Fang, X., Brown, D.S., Florence, C.S., & Mercy, J.A. (2012). The economic burden of child maltreatment in the United States and implications for prevention . Child Abuse & Neglect, 36 (2), 156-165. Gloud, F., Clarke, J., Heim, C., Harvey, P.D., Majer, M., & Nemeroff, C.B. (2012). The effects of child abuse and neglect on cognitive functioning in adulthood. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 46 (4), 500-506. Moylan, C.A., Herrenkohl, T.I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E.A., Herrenkohl, R.C., & Russo, M.J. (2010). The effects of child abuse and exposure to domestic violence on adolescent internalising and externalising behaviour problems. Journal of Family Violence, 25 (1), 53-63. Stalker, K & McArthur, K. (2012). Child abuse, child protection and disabled children: A review of recent research. Child Abuse Review, 21 (1), 24-40.

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Write the original essay for the following summary: The essay discusses the effects of multilingualism on Saudi Arabian children development and understanding of the world around. It underlines the importance of considering social, ethical, and educational concepts in the children's development process and using the Hymes' ethnography of speaking as the main theory to analyse the topic and prove its appropriateness.

The essay discusses the effects of multilingualism on Saudi Arabian children development and understanding of the world around. It underlines the importance of considering social, ethical, and educational concepts in the children's development process and using the Hymes' ethnography of speaking as the main theory to analyse the topic and prove its appropriateness.

Effects of Multilingualism on Saudi Arabian Children Proposal Research Proposal Aims The study under consideration aims at discussing the effects of multilingualism on Saudi Arabian children development and understanding of the world around. To be more specific, the paper discloses the multilingualism effects on children’s behaviour and language development as these two issues are considered to be the main factors that can define the quality of human relations, personal achievements, and further development of a society. The main tasks of the investigation are as follows: * To identify the reasons of why the Saudi Arabia community is an appropriate research choice; * To define multilingualism as an important factor in the discussion of children’s behaviour concept; * To underline the effects multilingualism may have on children and their educational process; * To consider social, ethical, and educational concepts in the children’s development process; * To use the Hymes’ ethnography of speaking as the main theory to analyse the topic and prove its appropriateness. Background on the Community Saudi Arabia is one of the largest Arab states that can be found in the western part of Asia. It has a good geographical location and an ability to develop successful trade relations with its neighbours as well as with any other country around the whole. The Red Sea is on the West, Yemen is on the South, Kuwait is on the North, and the United Arab Emirates is on the East. Saudi Arabia, as the leading global oil producer and deliver, is a rich country. Still, not all Saudi Arabian people live rich and demonstrate the luxurious style of life. In fact, the World Bank reports that this country has the 10 th lowest poverty rate worldwide and continues ranking the highest among other Arabian regions regarding the necessity to minimise poverty (“Saudi Arabia has tenth lowest poverty rate”, 2013). A considerable part of the children’s rights is violated. Parents try to find out the ways to provide their children with the best educational practices, and care givers are bothered with the questions concerning children’s development and abilities to live in a bilingual society (Habtoor, 2012). Many Saudis are afraid of being westernised because of a fast spread of the English language through their communities and their inabilities to control the impact of the English use on their national identity (Al Haq & Oqlah, 1996). Still, the investigations prove that even the use of English and the necessity to live in a multilingual world do not have a considerable impact on people, but have to be taken into account at the early stages of children’s development because children usually undergo numerous impacts from various sides (Mouzan, Salloum, Herbish, Qurachi, & Omar, 2008). In spite of all challenges and difficulties, the Saudi Arabian community has to be defined as a powerful nation with an ability to demonstrate the best qualities and get accustomed to all new concepts. Hijazi, Abalkhail, and Seaton (2000) explain how the population in Saudi Arabia with the prosperity from the oil industry has to live, benefit from a rapid social change, and support their traditional lives. This study aims at investigating two types of the Saudi Arabian communities: one community is the children, who live in Saudi Arabia in such cities like Riyadh (the capital of the country, where bilingual communities are of great numbers), Jeddah (the commercial capital of the country, where multilingualism is an ordinary and even obligatory thing), and Dammam (the city with a huge airport, where a variety of languages amazes its population); another community is the children, who live in the USA as they are the children of parents, who have transferred because of their educational goals and decided to stay, have families, and raise children in a new society. Though these two communities are rooted from Saudi Arabia, the evaluation of their styles of life, adaptation to multilingualism, and children’s development may gain various forms and lead to different results. Children have to develop their skills considering the expectations of both, a society around and a family with its own rules and standards. A life in a multilingual society is not a new thing for them, still, it creates a number of effects and outcomes that influence children’s understanding of the world around and development of their cognitive skills and manners. Literature Review on Prior Work on the Chosen Area This study will draw on the effects of multilingualism on children, their language development, and behaviour in a society to comprehend whether it is justified to support the idea of a bilingual nation by the representatives of the Saudi Arabian community or not. A number of investigations have been already made in the chosen field of study, and their results have considerably influenced the development of the sphere of education as well as the development of many other spheres of life. Dewaele and Oudenhoven (2009) makes an attempt to investigate the connection between multilingualism and the personality profile taking into consideration such factor like acculturation. They cooperate with 79 teenagers from London, some of them were born in this city and some of them came from different countries. The researchers prove that language dominance plays an important role in the personality’s profile, this is why the effects of multilingualism on children’s development cannot be ignored (Diamond, 2010). Dewaele and Oudenhoven (2009) conclude that in spite of the fact that people are usually shaped by some social and biographical factors, their contact with different languages and cultures strengthen their perception of the world. Language is considered to be one of the key links between social and cognitive worlds of a child (Bialystok, 2007). As a rule, language has certain consequences on a person, especially in children between 4 and 16 years, as this age is the period when children are able to comprehend what is expected from them, what they can do, and what they can, have, and want to learn. The decision to choose the Saudi Arabian community as the main group of people for investigation is based on the work of Al-Ghamdi (2015), who introduces the importance of heritage language and explains that the life and development in a multilingual society are not easy things that due to a number of negative stereotypes that can lead to a cultural identity clash and the necessity to consider a dual cultural identity during the language development process. Unfortunately, multilingualism may be characterised by certain negative and positive effects on children of different age and their development. For example, Döpke (2006) identifies a number of difficulties with language development may take place, but it is wrong to believe that bilingualism is the main reason of language disorders. She truly believes that child’s age, personal inabilities, or even some other outside factors like parental neglect and maltreatment may cause negative effects. At the same time, Döpke (2006) tells that her studies help to understand the cognitive advantages of bilingualism and the inabilities of a multilingual society influence the results of IQ tests of an individual. Multilingualism should not be defined as a pure negative or a pure positive factor in children’s development (Grosjean, 2010), but try to understand possible problems and identify the necessary solutions on how children should be developed in a multilingual society. Luke (2003) offers to pay attention to a number of social, demographic, linguistic, and even economic factors to comprehend how children may be developed in multilingual societies. Though it is not always possible to consider all the above-mentioned points, one conclusion can be made on the basis of Al-Amri’s paper (2013) – the effects of multilingualism on personality may be of a negative or positive nature, and people can do nothing with this truth but to accept it as it is. Theoretical Positioning One of the possible methods to comprehend the nature of multilingualism and its effects is to use a powerful theory and apply it to a situation. Current study focuses on the Hymes’ ethnography of speaking as a chance to focus on communicative behaviour as a part of a cultural system due to its ability to cooperate with other components of the same system regarding their particular concepts (Saville-Troike, 2008). As a rule, Hymes’s speaking model is currently used in various investigations as it helps to comprehend the ways of how the process of communication may differ in various cultural situations (Milburn, n.d., Applying S.P.E.A.K.I.N.G. ). The peculiar feature of the chosen theory is the possibility to use its components to learn what to do in a particular situation, how to behave in a new community, and look at the situations in regards to the expectations from a speaking process (Milburn, n.d., Theoretical overview ). Though not all researchers believe that Hymes’ approach is the only successful decision to comprehend language development and speaking peculiarities (Blommaert, 2009) defining the weakness of his research because of his decision to rely on his personal experience and background knowledge only, the effectiveness of his theory and model remains to be unchangeable. Being a strong framework for the analysis of the effects of multilingualism on children’s behaviour and language development, the Hymes’ theory should be properly analysed with all its components and their important functions. The Hymes’ speaking model consists of the eight main divisions, which introduce the chosen acronym SPEAKING. * S setting describes the situation in regards to its time and space; * P participants as well as their roles are identified; * E ends define the main goals of the process; * A act sequence shows the required order of the process; * K keys are focused on the manner of the process; * I instrumentalities talk about the way the process is organised and the language that is used; * N norms of interaction create the rules according to which the process of communication should be organised; * G genres conclude the type of speech used in the process. (Atkinson, Delamont, Coffey, Lofland, & Lofland, 2007,p. 290) The identification of each of the components will be used in the analysis of the multilingualism’s effects on children between 4-16 years from the Saudi Arabian communities. One part of the participants lives in the Saudi Arabia and experiences their own culture, its effects, and historical importance. Another part of the participants lives in the USA and has to consider their own cultural norms in regards to the social expectations. A certain attention to such aspects like the setting, ends, and even the norms of interaction turns out to be a good chance to learn better the peculiarities of multilingualism and its direct and indirect effects on children, their language development, and even behaviour within the chosen community. In fact, the relations between ethnography and multilingualism have a long history, and nowadays, they have been considerably improved and transformed because of the epistemological shift and the intense changes in linguistic, social, and cultural aspects (Gardner & Martin-Jones, 2012). Blommaert, Collins, and Slembrouck (2005) underline the importance of spaces in multilingualism, and space is one of the main components in the chosen theoretical model. This observation proves again that the chosen theoretical position is appropriate for the project and can be applied in a variety of ways to realise how 4-16-year-old children may be challenged by multilingualism and overcome the problems with their language development and behavioural difficulties in a society. Research Questions The study under consideration has to give the answers to several research questions as it focuses on several aspects such as children’s language development, behaviour, the impact of a community, and the necessity to live in a multilingual society. This is why the list of the following research questions seems to be rational indeed. It is not enough to give some concrete answers to the research questions. It is more important to understand why these questions take place, how past studies may be implied to the current investigation, and explain that each question has its own backgrounds. These research questions help to find appropriate solutions to the problems children may face because of multilingualism in their communities. 1. What are the effects of multilingualism on children’s language development and behaviour in a Saudi Arabian community? 2. How should the Hymes’ theory of ethnography of speaking be used in the analysis of the effects of multilingualism? To answer these two simple questions, the following issues have to be taken into consideration as well as additional supportive steps in research: * The chosen community’s development in a modern world; * The factors influence children language development; * Children’s behaviour in a multilingual society; * The Hymes’ theory of ethnography of speaking (Kiesling, 2012) helps to comprehend the essence of multilingualism and its connection to the children’s development; * The elements of the Hymes’ theory (“Dell Hymes’s speaking model”, n.d.) have to be considered during the analysis of the effects of multilingualism on children; * The effects of multilingualism on children’s language development and behaviour in a society; * The problems caused by the effects of multilingualism on children; * The solutions to the problems identified with the help of the Hymes’ theory in speaking and children development. Methodology The main hypothesis of the study under analysis is the identification and analysis of the effects of multilingualism on children’s language development and behaviour in a society and the solutions of the problems that may take place as soon as the effects are clarified on the basis of the Hymes’ theory of ethnography of speaking. The research questions mentioned in the previous section create the necessity to choose several methods for research because it is not enough to review literature or to interview people. It is crucial to integrate different methods and study a population from a variety of perspectives, but try to avoid large-scale quantitative methods as they are not actually appropriate for the chosen theoretical positioning. At the same time, the chosen methods provide the information within the frames of which the validity of a study will be judged (Kallet, 2004). There should be two main study areas: the Saudi Arabian community in the USA and the community, the members of which live in Saudi Arabia and face the challenges of a bilingual society. It is not enough to use many children; still, it is necessary to use the children with different social backgrounds. 20-30 children between 4-16 years will be interviewed, and their answers will be analysed on the basis of the Hymes’ theory of ethnography of speaking (Hymes, 2013). The analysis of data will be properly organised, noted, and integrated with the statistical data and other literary material found online and in the libraries. There is no necessity to use large-scaled investigations, but focus on several communities defined by the required age group (children between 4 and 16 years). The analysis of the Hymes’ theory and its role in the process of speaking (Johnstone & Marcellino, 2010) should be incorporated with the children’s development and the conditions the Saudi Arabian communities have to live under. The methods chosen for the project about the effects of multilingualism are as follows: * Interviews with children between 4-16 years from two different communities (those, who live in the Saudi Arabia and those, who come from the Saudi Arabia and live in the USA). Some of the interviews may be organised online to save time and money that are necessary for travelling. * Interviews with parents of the children mentioned above to check the validity of the information given. * The observations of children’s behaviour in different situations which are caused by the necessity to consider multilingualism as the main factor in children’s development. * Analysis of the information got from the interviews. * Review of literature about the chosen community and search for some statistical data to support the concepts used in research. * Personal conclusions and suggestions concerning the effects of multilingualism on the Saudi Arabian children. Ethics The evaluation of social, ethical, and educational factors has to be made as well on the basis of the information about the communities and children’s roles within a society. Multilingualism is that kind of phenomenon that has its effects on different spheres of life, and the properly chosen methods of research as well as the analysis of the information gathered should help to comprehend the peculiarities of the topic and its emergency in different spheres. When using humans as the main subjects of research, it is necessary to consider a number of ethical concerns and compliance. People, who agree to participate in any kind of investigation have to be ensured with a number of things like a possibility to change information or hide it because of some personal reasons, a choice not to make the results of research available to a wide range of public, a chance to stay anonymous, and an ability to use the most appropriate method of communication. A researcher should always remember about the following ethical principles that can never be neglected in the chosen work (Resnik, 2011): * Honesty (the research results cannot be falsified); * Objectivity (any kind of biases should be avoided in the methods, research, and analysis); * Confidentiality (parents and children should be provided with the guarantees that their answers will not influence their ordinary lives); * Respect (the researcher should demonstrate a respectful treatment to each participant of the investigation). The ethics of research presupposes the idea of using credible information about the participants and communities used in the project. This is why it is necessary to find a theoretical proof for each idea used as evidence. Children of Saudi Arabia have a number of rights, still, not all of them know about these rights, and they face numerous challenges when they try to understand what goes wrong in their lives (Ramel, 2011). This fact proves again that ethics is a crucial point in a human life and cannot be neglected to demonstrate how humane and supportive people have to be and how they actually are. The study under consideration is a good chance to recognise how crucial children development is and how important such factors like multilingualism and social support can be. It is also necessary to admit that multilingualism may influence children’s emotions (Pavlenko, 2007), learning possibilities (Kirsch, 2006), and social relations (Lanza & Svendsen, 2007). That is another important explanation of why such point like research ethics cannot be neglected. People should know how to cope with the challenges of children’s language development in a multilingual society, and this project should not become a failure. Timeline Time is an important issue for any kind of research. To prove the correctness of the chosen research and the abilities to meet all its aims and follow all the methods identified, it is crucial to create a successful timeline and be able to use it accordingly. The following description of steps is a plan to be considered in research that discloses the effects of multilingualism on the Saudi Arabian children, their language development, and behaviour in a society. In general, a three-month timeframe must be used in research: one month is necessary to gather information and conduct interviews with the participants, one month is for the analysis of the information and its integration with the Hymes’ theory of ethnography of communication, and the last month is for the writing and editing processes that have to be properly organised in accordance with the instructions set. 1 st week – the identification of the goals and steps to be taken while the investigation and agreements about the further interviews; 2 nd week – interviews and observations of the children from the Saudi Arabian community in the USA; 3 rd week – interviews with the representatives of the Saudi Arabian community, who live in their native country; 4 th week – additional adjustments of the interviews and the information gathered; 5 th week – the analysis of the first portion of the interviews and its application to the theory chosen; 6 th week – the analysis of the second portion of the interviews and its application to the theory chosen; 7 th week – the analysis of the observations; 8 th week – the literature analysis; 9 th week – outlining and discussions of the writing process; 10 th week – writing; 11 th week – writing; 12 th week – editing and proofreading. This approximate timeline may be improved in accordance with the demands and tutor’s suggestions. Potential Educational Implications In fact, the project dedicated to the effects of multilingualism on the Saudi Arabian children, their behaviour, and language development on the basis of the Hymes’ theory of ethnography of speaking may have a number of educational implications and important lessons for the participants as well as for the readers. The study helps to find a practical application of the Hymes’ theory and its importance in the educational process. The participants learn the challenges of multilingualism for the children, who live or used to live in Saudi Arabia and find out the solutions that can be offered to improve children’s language development and behaviour. The study is a good chance to evaluate the already offered investigations and ideas, compare them, and realise why some of them are not appropriate for the modern society and some of them remain to be a considerable contribution to the science. People want to learn more about the methods that can help children achieve better results in their development; this is why the chosen research should be interesting and helpful for many communities because the Saudi Arabian community may be regarded as a variable that can be replaced and lead to some new ideas and suggestions. In general, the research proposal shows the aims and methods of research that have to be developed in a three-month period and discusses how and why the Saudi Arabian community is chosen for consideration and analysis of the effects of multilingualism on children. Reference List Al Haq, F., & Oqlah, S. (1996). Spread of English and westernisation in Saudi Arabia. World Englishes, 15 (3), 307-317. Al-Amri, M. N. (2013). Effects of bilingualism on personality, cognitive and educational developments : A historical perspective. Web. Al-Ghamdi, N. S. (2015). Saudi scholars’ heritage language and their ethno-cultural identity in multilingual communities: An exploratory case study. Cross-Cultural Communication, 11 (1), 1-8. Atkinson, P., Delamont, S., Coffey, A., Lofland, J., & Lofland, L. (2007). Handbook of ethnography. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. Bialystok, E. (2007). Language acquisition and bilingualism: Consequences for a multilingual society. Applied Psycholinguistics, 28 (3), 393-397. Blommaert, J. (2009). Ethnography and democracy: Hymes’s political theory of language. Text & Talk, 29 (3), 257-276. Blommaert, J., Collins, J., & Slembrouck, S. (2005). Spaces of multilingualism. Language & Communication, 25 , 197-216. Dell Hymes’s speaking model . Web. Dewaele, J. M., & Oudenhoven, J. P. (2009). The effect of multilingualism/multiculturalism on personality: No gain without pain for third culture kinds? International Journal of Multilingualism, 6 (4), 443-459. Diamond, J. (2010). The benefits of multilingualism. Social Science Perspectives. Web. Döpke, S. (2006). Understanding bilingualism and language disorder . Web. Gardner, S., & Martin-Jones, M. (2012). Multilingualism, discourse, and ethnography. New York, NY: Routledge. Grosjean, F. (2010). Bilingual: Life and reality. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Habtoor, H. A. (2012). Language maintenance and language shift among second generation Tigrinya-speaking Eritrean immigrants in Saudi Arabia. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2 (5), 945-955. Hijazi, N., Abalkhail, B., & Seaton, A. (2000). Diet and childhood asthma in a society in transition: A study in urban and rural Saudi Arabia. Thorax, 55 , 775-779. Hymes, D. (2013). Foundations in sociolinguistics: An ethnographic approach . New York, NY: Routledge. Johnstone, B., & Marcellino, W. (2010). Dell Hymes and the ethnography of communication. In B. Johnstone, R. Wodak, & P. Kerswill (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of sociolinguistics (pp. 57-66). London: Sage Publications. Kallet, R. H. (2004). How to write the methods section of a research paper. Respiratory Care, 49 (10), 1229-1232. Kiesling, S. F. (2012). Ethnography of speaking. In C.B. Paulston, S. F. KIesling, & E. S. Rangel (Eds.), The handbook of intercultural discourse and communication (pp. 77-89). Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Kirsch, C. (2006). Young children learning languages in a multilingual context. International Journal of Multilingualism, 3 (4), 258-279. Lanza, E., & Svendsen, B. A. (2007). Tell me who your friends are and I might be able to tell you what language(s) you speak: Social network analysis, multilingualism, and identity. International Journal of Bilingualism, 11 (3), 275-300. Luke, A. (2003). Literacy and the other: A sociological approach to literacy research and policy in multilingual societies. Reading Research Quarterly, 38 (1), 132-141. Milburn, T. Applying S.P.E.A.K.I.N.G . Ethnography of Speaking. Web. Milburn, T. Theoretical overview . Ethnography of Speaking. Web. Mouzan, M. I., Salloum, A. A., Herbish, A. S., Qurachi, M. M., & Omar, A. A. (2008). Consanguinity and major genetic disorders in Saudi children: A community-based cross-sectional study. Annual of Saudi Medicine, 228, 69-73. Pavlenko, A. (2007). Emotions and multilingualism . New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Ramel, A. (2011). Children of Saudi Arabia . Humanium: Help the Children. Web. Resnik, D. B. (2011). What is ethics in research and why is its important? National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences . Web. Saudi Arabia has tenth lowest poverty rate worldwide , says World Bank. (2013). Al Arabiya News . Web. Saville-Troike, M. (2008). The ethnography of communication: An introduction . Malden, MA: John Willey & Sons.

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Provide the full text for the following summary: The effects of ozone depletion on human health include minor skin injuries, such as skin dryness and photokeratitis, also known as the snow blindness. The chronic effects of ozone depletion on human health include skin cancer and photoaging.

The effects of ozone depletion on human health include minor skin injuries, such as skin dryness and photokeratitis, also known as the snow blindness. The chronic effects of ozone depletion on human health include skin cancer and photoaging.

Effects of Ozone Depletion Analytical Essay Introduction There are significant numbers of adverse effects caused by the depletion of the ozone layer, as supported by several publications. The negative health impacts that are brought about by the depletion of the ozone layer and climate change and are categorised as either acute or chronic (Rass, 2006). The acute effects include minor skin injuries, such as skin dryness and photokeratitis, also known as the snow blindness (Neale, 2007). The chronic impacts of ozone depletion on human include effects, such as skin cancer, photoaging, and the long term damages that the ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes the human eye (Parker & Morrissey, 2003). The depletion of the ozone has not only affected the health of humans across the globe, but it has also contributed to the way the natural ecosystem is organized. The climate has changed all over the world, with weather patterns changing every year (Water Program, 2011). This has become challenging even to the weathermen, who sometimes give contradicting weather expectations from what occurs. The changing climate has impacted the ecosystem, where the migration of particular animals has been hampered and, in other cases, reversed (Mathole, Ndarana, Beraki, & Landman, 2014). Various catastrophic climate-related events, such as hurricanes, have occurred in several locations, causing deleterious effects on human activity. The amount of water in the seas is said to be increasing day by day, which is a major threat to the habitat (Climate Action, 2012). This paper seeks to discuss the impacts of ozone depletion on the health of human beings. It also examines the effects that climate change has brought to the ecosystem, the water systems in particular. Finally, the paper gives the economic impact of climate change. Harm to Human Health The effects of solar radiation on the skin According to Parker and Morrissey (2003), the negative effects of solar radiation on human skin could be categorized as either acute or chronic. The acute refers to the short-term effects, while chronic effects refer to the long-term effects. Among the short-term effects of solar radiation on the human skin include sunburn, thickening of the epidermis, and the dryness of the skin (Guhl et al., 2005). The chronic effects of solar radiation on the human skin include skin cancer and photoaging. Thomas and Callen (2001) explain how sunburn occurs in a person. Inflammation of the skin, otherwise known as the sunburn or erythema, occurs the moment the skin is exposed to UV radiation of between 295-400nm. However, the sunburn caused does not last more than 24 hours (Thomas & Callen, 2001). Melanogenesis, otherwise known as tanning, occurs when the skin is exposed to the solar radiation of above 295nm for more than one day (Parker & Morrissey, 2003). According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2011), an increase in the exposure of human skin to the solar radiation can lead to various skin diseases. Such conditions include pemphigus, lupus erythematous, and skin photosensitivity. Green (1999) adds that extensive exposure of the human skin to the solar radiation contributes to the suppression of the immune system. The most widely studied chronic effect of solar radiation on the skin of humans is the skin cancer. The World Health Organization (2015) writes that exposure to solar radiation catalyses basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). BCC and SCC are the primary causes of skin cancer. It is interesting to note that the skin type is a contributing factor in the probability of whether one will be diagnosed with skin cancer or not. Young (2009) argues that humans with skin types 1 and 2 are more prone to skin cancer, while those with skin types 3 and 4 being less prone to skin cancer. On the other hand, melanoma, a much less cause of skin cancer is the leading contributing factor to the deaths that are associated with skin cancer. The main factors contributing to melanoma are the skin colour and the level of skin exposure to the solar radiation. In areas with low latitudes, such as Australia, pale skinned individuals are more prone to melanoma and skin cancer, compared to dark skinned people in the same region (European Commission, 2006). To this effect, the European Commission generalizes that advice regarding protection from the sun should be focused on the white skinned people, rather than dark-skinned individuals because it is pale/white coloured individuals that are more prone to cases of melanoma and skin cancer. According to the World Health Organization (2015), patients who have high numbers of melanocytic naevi are also at an increased risk of contracting melanoma. Photoaging is a skin condition that occurs when skin ages as a result of prolonged exposure to the ultraviolet radiation (Gass, 2005). The notable signs of photoaging include laxity, wrinkles, and uneven alignment of the skin pigments, as stated by the British Columbia (2013). When matrix metalloproteins (MMPs) are induced, the collagen in the human skin gets degraded, and this is believed to be the cause of photoaging. According to the Social Learning Group (2001), there are specific ways through which mankind can protect himself from the damages caused by solar radiations on the skin. Such measures include minimizing sun exposure, especially at noon time, drinking water in abundance to avoid dehydration and skin dryness, use of a sunscreen that has a sun protection factor of more than 15, and self-checking the skin on a regular basis to identify skin changes as they happen. One can also take breaks in the shade when the sun is very strong, use proper protective clothing and sunglasses during high sunshine, and taking part in various seminars and events that are organized to train the general public on the potential damages of solar UV radiation on humans, as well as the best methods to protect oneself from the harmful effects of solar radiation. The effects of solar UV radiation on the eye Thomas and Callen (2012) give a good explanation of the human eye. The human eye can reflect visible radiation on its retina. The eye has several layers that shield it from sunlight by toning down the radiation. As a result, the eye is protected from the UV-induced photo damage. One of the effects of UV radiation on the human eye is what is referred to as photokeratitis. According to Thomas and Callen (2012), photokeratitis is a painful condition that is inflammatory in nature. They signal that photokeratitis is, sometimes, referred to as snow blindness, whereas other people refer to it as welder’s flash. However, Green (1999) reveals that photokeratitis will appear just 2 -12 hours of exposure and then disappear in just 48 hours. Several studies have revealed that UV radiations from the sun cause ocular melanoma (Gass, 2005). Other studies have shown that people, who take more time out, especially in the weekdays, are more prone to ocular melanoma than individuals who do participate in outdoor activities on specific days (Rass, 2006). Ocular melanoma is determined by how much UV light comes into contact with the skin, but not the latitude of exposure. UV-induced Vitamin D and its impact on health UV radiations from the sun have various effects on the life of human beings. One such effect is the ability to catalyse the synthesis of vitamin D. According to the World Health Organization (2015), Vitamin D is crucial for the stability of the musculoskeletal system. However, there is a worrying fact that is recorded by the WHO in the sense that quite a good number of the earth’s population has a deficit of vitamin D. As a result, there have been increased cases of children developing rickets at an early stage of their development, especially in the third world countries like a majority of the African countries. Several studies have demonstrated how UV radiations can transfer to the human body though vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency has been proven to be an easy way through which UV radiations are able to penetrate though the human skin (Abdel-Naser, Krasagakis, Garbe, & Eberle, 2003). When one is vitamin D deficient, then his skeletal composition becomes so worn out that the skin can no longer protect the body from harmful adverse UV radiations. As a result, there are high chances of contracting skin cancer and any other skin-related ailment brought about by UV radiations (Rass, 2015). Weakening of the human immune system According to Young (2009), there are a number of cases where excessive exposure to UV radiation has been associated with the weakening of the human immune system. Suppression of the white blood cells, which are credited for the fighting mechanism of the human body, occurs with prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV radiation. When this occurs, the human body fails to produce the required antigens to fight diseases. Young (2009) states that the weakening of the immune system due to the increased periods of exposure to the sun affects people with varying skin colours, irrespective of their location on the globe. Green (1999) indicates that the weakened immune system due to over-exposure to UV radiation could be one of the leading causes of infections and diseases like malaria, leprosy, measles, tuberculosis, and various fungal infections. According to the World Health Organization (2015), the efficacy of vaccinations is reduced once the white blood cells beneath the skin are weakened by intense UV radiations. The inability of the skin to fight infections is greatly contributed by the reduced ability of the skin to allergic reactions. Impacts on Natural Ecosystems Effects of climate change on water resources The effects of climate change on water resources have been devastating. Climate change has come with increased temperatures that have increased the level of evaporation of the rivers and other water bodies (Water Program, 2011). The result of this is that many rivers are now drying up or becoming temporary. Some deserts have also been created as a result of increased evaporation induced by increased temperatures. Some regions depend on glacier ice for the replenishment of their fresh water (Newman et al., 2014; Ganguly & Iyer, 2006). However, climate change has brought with it very high temperatures that are posing a threat to these glaciers. Climate change has led to the reduction of the seasonally frozen ground water (The Department of Environmental Protection, 2010). Consequently, lakes are disappearing as a result of permafrost draining and the coastal erosion at the Arctic has increased as well. The quality of our waters has been interfered with by the vast changing climatic conditions brought about by the depletion of the ozone layer. The number of organisms in fresh waters has reduced significantly, and the composition of species in the same waters has changed a lot (Water Facts, 2010). There have been increased flooding as a result of climatic change, which have affected many livelihoods, including loss of property and lives in the worst scenarios. The Economic Impact of Ozone Depletion The economic consequences that are associated with the ozone depletion stem from the above discussions on climate change. The various skin-related ailments caused by prolonged exposure to UV radiation call for increased investment in the health sector to cure the diseases (European Commission, 2006). Many countries are feeling the pinch of the climatic change, as they are injecting billions of money into the health sector to curb the health conditions.The change in climate has reduced agricultural productivity drastically. Several countries are not able to produce enough food, as it used to be in the past years (European Commission, 2006). As a result, there have been increased hunger and droughts, which affect government expenditure, as it has to shift focus on how to feed its people. Conclusion The depletion of the ozone has contributed to various effects, both on the health of human beings, as well as to the natural ecosystems. The various effects of ozone depletion on humans include skin ailments, such as skin drying and skin cancer, destruction of the human eye, and suppression of the immune system. A good example of the adverse effect of climate change is the interference of the world’s waters. All these effects become economic burdens for the various countries. References Abdel-Naser, M., Krasagakis, K., Garbe, C., & Eberle, J. (2003). Direct effects on proliferation, antigen expression and melanin synthesis of cultured normal human melanocytes in response to UVB and UVA light. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 19 (3), 122-127. doi:10.1034/j.1600-0781.2003.00034.x Climate Action. (2012). Protection of the ozone layer: Questions and Answers . Web. European Commission. (2006). Biological effects of ultraviolet radiation relevant to health with particular reference to sunbeds for cosmetic purposes . Web. Ganguly, N. D., & Iyer, K. N. (2006). Long-term trend in ozone and erythemal UV at Indian latitudes. Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, 55 (3), 227-239. doi:10.1007/s10874-006-9035-9 Gass, R. (2005). Mortality from malignant melanoma: epidemiological trends in Switzerland. Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax, 94 (34), 1295- 1300 Green, A. (1999). Incidence and determinants of skin cancer in a high-risk Australian population. Int J Cancer, 46, 356-361 Guhl, S., Stefaniak, R., Strathmann, M., Babina, M., Piazena, H., Henz, B. M., & Zuberbier, T. (2005). Bivalent effect of UV light on human skin mast cells—low-level mediator release at baseline but potent suppression upon mast cell triggering. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 124 (2), 453-456. doi:10.1111/j.0022-202X.2004.23523.x Mathole, K., Ndarana, T., Beraki, A., & Landman, W. A. (2014). Impact of lower stratospheric ozone on seasonal prediction systems. South African Journal of Science, 110 (3/4), 1-8. doi:10.1590/sajs.2014/20130161 Neale, R. E. (2007). Basal cell carcinoma on the trunk is associated with excessive sun exposure. J Am Acad Dermatol, 56 (3), 380-386. Newman, P. A., Kramarova, N., Nash, E. R., Long, C. S., Pitts, M. C., Johnson, B., &… Braathen, G. O. (2014). g. Ozone depletion. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society , S152-S156. Parker, L., & Morrissey, A. W. (2003). Stratospheric ozone depletion . Hauppauge, NY: Nova Publishers. Rass, K. (2006). UV-damage and DNA-repair in basal and squamous cell carsinomas: Molecular mechanisms of basal cell and squamous cell carsinomas . Bioscience Medical Intelligence Unit: Springer. Social Learning Group. (2001 ). Learning to manage global environmental risks: A functional Analysis of social responses to climate change, ozone depletion and acid rain . Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. The British Columbia. (2013). The Impacts of ozone depletion . Web. The Department of Environmental Protection. (2010). Health and environmental effects of air pollution . Web. The World Health Organization. (2015). Health effects of UV Radiation. Web. Thomas, J., & Callan, S. (2012). Environmental economics and management: Theory, policy, and applications. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Health and environmental effects of ozone layer depletion. Ozone Layer Protection- Science. Web. Water Facts. (2010). Climate change and water resource management: Adaptation Strategies for protecting people and the environment. New York, NY: National Resources Defence Council. Water Program. (2011). The impact of climate change on water resources. Web. Young, C. (2009). Solar ultraviolet radiation and skin cancer. Occupational Medicine, 59 (2), 82-88.

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Provide the inputted essay that when summarized resulted in the following summary : The essay discusses the effects of peer assessment on the performance of low ability students, and how the idea of allowing students to check the correctness of the work of their peers might seem lacking in insight but is actually based on a solid theory.The essay discusses the effects of peer assessment on the performance of low ability students, and how the idea of allowing students to check the correctness of the work of their peers might seem lacking in insight but is actually based on a solid theory.

The essay discusses the effects of peer assessment on the performance of low ability students, and how the idea of allowing students to check the correctness of the work of their peers might seem lacking in insight but is actually based on a solid theory. The essay discusses the effects of peer assessment on the performance of low ability students, and how the idea of allowing students to check the correctness of the work of their peers might seem lacking in insight but is actually based on a solid theory.

Effects of Peer Assessment on Performance of Low Ability Students Analytical Essay Table of Contents 1. Peer Assessment: Theoretical Framework 2. Vygotsky and the Concept of Scaffolding 3. Modern Scaffolding: Effects of Peer Assessment 4. Ideas and Evidence: Where Theory Meets Practice 5. Ethics, Reliability and Validity of the Studies 6. Limitations 7. Conclusion 8. Reference List Peer Assessment: Theoretical Framework Though the idea of allowing students, and low achieving ones at that, to check the correctness of the work of their peers might seem lacking in insight, the phenomenon of peer assessment is based on a solid theory. Friedman, Cox and Maher (2007) explain that the phenomenon of peer assessment aligns with the key tenets of the Expectancy Theory and the motivation approach to teaching that the above-mentioned theory suggests. Among the key problems of peer assessment, the lack of proper knowledge on the subject matter, as well as the major assessment strategies among learners should be named. Indeed, students have a rather vague idea of the merits that academic endeavours must be evaluated on (Falchikov & Goldfinch 2000). As a result, the teacher must condition the positive impact of peer assessment (Friedman et al. 2007). Friedman et al. specifies that the process will only be efficient if the students have taken the concept of meaningful rating seriously. The Expectancy Theory states that, for peer assessment to be successful, it is necessary to motivate the students for carrying out the evaluation process. Triggering students’ enthusiasm may be a tricky task, Friedman et al. warn, since, in most cases, students have a negative idea of group projects due to the previous experiences of working in a dysfunctional group (Friedman et al. 2007, p. 581). In the course of the research, the areas such as new approaches to scaffolding, the benefits of peer reviewing and the possible issues triggered by scaffolding have been covered The specified fields seem to be the most important ones, as they allow for a deeper insight on the learning process. As a result, they enable the instructor to choose the peer assessment approach that helps enhance knowledge and skills acquisition among learners. Vygotsky and the Concept of Scaffolding It should be born in mind that the idea of peer assessment is not new – far from it, the phenomenon was suggested by Vygotsky in his sociocultural theory. In addition to the sociocultural theory and its key postulates, the idea of peer assessment should also be viewed through the tenets of the zone of proximal development theory (Fernández et al., 2001). According to the zone of proximal development theory, the instruction–response approach towards modelling the learner’s understanding of knowledge and the acquisition of the appropriate skills can be carried out through the provision of “symmetrical” (Fernández et al., 2001, p. 41) interactions between learners. These relationships, in their turn, facilitate the process of knowledge acquisition, reducing the zone of proximal development to its lowest. The sociocultural theory allows a slightly different perspective on the subject matter. However, the specified theory seems to provide an additional chance for a teacher to solve the problem researched (i.e., the introduction of low-performing students to the works of Shakespeare). Reading, which used to be considered a “purely individualistic skill” (Reza & Mahmood, 2012, p. 68), in fact, can and must be helped through scaffolding, as it “active participation and interaction of the learners involved in it” (Reza & Mahmood, 2012, p. 69). Researches show that the incorporation of the scaffolding techniques literally propels the low-achieving group forward, whereas the students that display an overall proficient grasp of the subject progress to a considerably lesser extent. This begs the question whether scaffolding may possibly affect the achievements of more efficient students negatively (Shepard 2000). Modern Scaffolding: Effects of Peer Assessment While the concept of peer assessment dates back to Vygotsky’s attempt at conceptualising peer evaluation, it still proves as viable even at present, mostly due to the updates that it has undergone. The phenomenon of scaffolding has been researched by a variety of theorists; the resulting theory of modern scaffolding suggests that the process of peer assessment improves the students’ performance by affecting their ability to acquire new knowledge and skills in a problem-based learning environment (Simons & Klein, 2006). Since recently, two key types of peer assessment have been developed. These are strategic and conceptual support, which guide students towards developing a specific set of standards for their peers and themselves, as well as strategies for analyzing and approaching the task in question. The resulting ability to “develop a strong, evidence based argument to support learners at a specific stage” (Simons & Klein, 2006, p. 45) observed in the specified environment can be viewed as a graphic example of the success of modern scaffolding. The concept of modern scaffolding has been expanded and enriched by Dylan William as well. According to William, skills evaluation refers to the type of academic activities that can be “undertaken by teachers, and by their students in assessing themselves” (Black &William, 2012, p. 2); moreover, these assessments are crucial for raising standards among the students – particularly, the low-achieving ones (Black &William, 2012, p. 17). The researcher, therefore, views scaffolding in its traditional sense; as a result, the study may be considered a perfect overview of the concept of scaffolding in general. The approach in question must also incorporate the understanding of the needs of secondary students. Indeed, it is crucial to realise that the students in question, both low- and high-achieving ones, need to get their priorities straight when it comes to reading. As the existing records show, the perception of the very process of reading varies depending on not only the age and the personalities of the students, but also on their gender. For instance, Brooks et al. (2012) outline that the key reason for male students to underachieve is that they tend to see reading solely as the source of obtaining information (p. 317). Peer assessment, in its turn, will help students share their vision on what reading is and what goals it pursues. Though Brooks’s study is very specific, it still proves the efficacy of scaffolding as a teaching strategy. Modern scaffolding is also viewed through the lens of the cognitive perspective (Kollar & Fischer 2009, p. 4). By supervising three key activities that the students engage in, i.e., the task performance, the feedback provision, and the feedback reception, the teacher will be able to control the process of information acquisition among the low-achieving students and, thus, provide the environment, in which performance improvement can be fostered. The importance of peer assessment is stressed immensely and defined as “highly significant” (Steer 2010, para 4) along with self-assessment by the Ofsted standards, along with the “Assessing Pupils’ Progress” (APP) programme in modern UK schools. Ideas and Evidence: Where Theory Meets Practice A recent TES report shows (Dunne et al. 2007, p. 76). In fact, researches have shown that scaffolding also enhances learning among teachers, therefore, affecting the quality of the teaching standards in a rather positive way (Kirkland & Dan Sutch 2009, p. 35). Although the idea of upgrading teachers’ performance might seem alien to the idea of improving the performance of students, one must admit that the quality of the teaching process in general and the strategies chosen by teachers in particular shape learners’ attitude towards the subject to a considerable degree. Therefore, it is essential that teachers should be able to motivate students; in other words, it is crucial that the learners should be given an opportunity to develop their skills in a proper environment and under the supervision of professionals, which teacher scaffolding can facilitate. With regard to adopting the principle of scaffolding to the reading practice among low-achieving students, the effects of scaffolding on reading in particular need further research (Baleghizadeh & Mermar 2010, p. 52). The results of the aforementioned studies seem quite valid, yet some of the research outcomes, including the effects of scaffolding on high achieving students, may be questioned and, therefore, needs further research. A practical implementation of the scaffolding principles also shows that there is little to no actual difference between instructional scaffolding and formative assessment. Heritage (2010) shows in her research that the descriptive feedback, which students receive after they complete their assignments can be viewed as instructional scaffolding, though, technically, it is identified as descriptive feedback provided by wither teachers or fellow students. Further evaluation of the scaffolding approaches that are used in specific scenarios, especially the ones that help guide students through the art of Shakespeare, will show that the existing scaffolding guidelines are rather vague and need a certain adjustment when being tailored to a specific task and the needs of specific students. Modern technologies need to be incorporated for a better implementation of the scaffolding techniques in the classroom environment. Identifying the latter as the online peer-assessment learning (OPAL) settings (Zaragoza & Brigido-Corachan 2011, p. 287), Brigido-Corachan states that the above-mentioned approach encourages students to develop collaborative learning and creative critical thinking skills by creating the environment appropriate for the pragmatic analysis of students’ linguistic behaviour. When it comes to the implementation of scaffolding techniques, particularly, in terms of allowing students learn about Shakespeare and his works, one must mention that the existing strategies suggest that peer assessment should be used in the course of group reading and retelling (‘AQA Year 11 Literature controlled assessment’ 2014, p. 23). The existing reports also show that scaffolding as a technique is not an end in itself, and that additional methods must be utilised in order to enhance students’ motivation. For example, a recent report on the effects of using scaffolding in teaching languages has shown that a range of students were not enthusiastic about learning, and the incorporation of the scaffolding techniques did not change the situation much: “Some students could, however, discuss the value of language learning” (Smith 2011, p. 2). The link between theory and practice is, therefore, obvious. Despite having certain limitations and requiring corrections when being applied to a specific setting, the concept of a peer-assessment doubtlessly has an immense effect on the performance and, which is even more important, motivation of underachievers in secondary schools. Used successfully in reading and writing classes, the phenomenon of scaffolding is most likely to assist low-achieving students in becoming active readers. Apart from helping young learners in developing the skills that are required for successful reading, the method of scaffolding helps students become more engaged into the process and, therefore, start striving for a better performance. As a result, the students’ score rises increasingly with the incorporation of scaffolding techniques into the curriculum. Which is even more important, the specified approach does not create the premises for more advanced students to be held back – instead, it gives the latter an opportunity for engaging into the process of teaching by providing their fellow students with informed instructions on the issues that need to be corrected (Walqui 2006, p. 161). The scaffolding approach is bound to have a major effect on the process of Shakespeare’s works understanding as well. Seeing that the material in question is rather complicated, the discussion of the plays with fellow students will contribute to developing a better understanding of the ideas, key concepts and hidden innuendoes that are traditionally identified in Shakespeare’s works (Samana 2013, p. 341). Ethics, Reliability and Validity of the Studies Each of the researches that have been incorporated into this literature review has been carried out among study participants with an informed consent having been received prior to the start of the studies. Thus, the basic ethical principles have been recognised and followed closely when carrying out the researches in question. As some of the research participants were under age when the researches were started, their parents’ permission had been obtained before the researches were carried out. As far as the validity of the studies is concerned, it should be mentioned that each paper was published in a peer-reviewed journal or has been peer-reviewed. Therefore, the studies used in the literature review can be deemed as reliable. Finally, the fact that most of the researches (except for those that were used to show the progress that has been made in scaffolding over the past few decades) were published in 2000–2014 shows that the papers in question are quite valid as references. The studies in question allowed for understanding the principle of peer-assessment better, as well as define the changes that occurred to scaffolding over the course of teaching methods development. Limitations Naturally, the study in question has its limitations, and the sample size is the most obvious one. No matter how accurate the results of the research may be, the fact that a limited amount of participants was chosen for the research shows that it cannot be deemed as entirely undisputable. In addition, the cultural biases should be mentioned. It would be wrong to claim that all students involved in the research have a similar level of proficiency in English; as they have different backgrounds, they also have different ways of relating to the process of reading in English, not to mention the fact that their reading purposes may differ greatly. As a result, denying the limitations of the research is impossible. Conclusion The existing researches show that scaffolding and peer assessment affect the performance of low-achieving students impressively. Over the past few years, a range of studies regarding the effects of peer assessment have emerged, which allows for a comparison between the classic approach and the innovative methods. By receiving instructions from their peers, low achievers are capable of viewing the issue from a different perspective and, thus, adapt the reading approach that works for them. However, some of the sources point at the threat of the high-achieving students reducing their level of reading and analysis to that of low achievers. Nevertheless, an overview of the recent studies shows that, with the help of an adequate teaching strategy, an instructor may avoid the specified issue and at the same time facilitate the environment appropriate for successful peer assessment. The approach, which the recent studies have proven to be especially gratifying in a reading class, peer assessment based on scaffolding clearly needs to be adopted for the students that have difficulties understanding Shakespeare’s works. Reference List ‘AQA Year 11 Literature controlled assessment’ 2014, TES , London, UK. Black, P. &William, D. 2012, Inside the black box: raising standards through classroom assessment, Granada Learning, Swindon, UK. Baleghizadeh, S. & Mermar, A. T. 2010, ‘A sociocultural perspective on second language acquisition: the effect of high-structured scaffolding versus low-structured scaffolding on the writing ability of EFL learners,’ Reflections on English Language Teaching, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 43–54. Brigido-Corachan, N. A. 2012, ‘A pragmatic study of peer-tutoring and peer-assessment,’ Practices in online literary forums , Perifèric, Valencia, pp. 131–154. Brooks, V., Abbott, I., & Huddleston, P. (2012). Preparing to teach in secondary schools: A student teacher’s guide to professional issues in secondary education . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill International. Dunne, M., Humphreys, S., Sebba, J., Dyson, A., Gallannaugh, F., & Muijs, D. 2007, Effective teaching and learning for pupils in low attaining groups , TES, Sussex, UK. Fernández, M., Wegerif, R., Mercer, N., & Rojas-Drummond, S. 2001, ‘Re-conceptualizing “scaffolding” and the zone of proximal development in the context of symmetrical collaborative learning,’ Journal of Classroom Interaction, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 40–54. Falchikov, N. & Goldfinch, J. 2000, ‘Student peer assessment in higher education: a meta-analysis comparing peer and teacher marks,’ Review of Educational Research , vol. 70, no. 3, pp. 287–322. Friedman, B. A., Cox, P. L. & Maher, L. E. 2007, ‘An Expectancy Theory motivation approach to peer assessment,’ Journal of Management education , vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 580–612. Heritage, M. 2010, Formative assessment and next-generation assessment Systems: are we losing an opportunity? , CCSSO, Boston, MA. Kirkland, K. & Dan Sutch, F 2009, Overcoming the barriers to educational innovation , Futurelab, London, UK. Kollar, I. & Fischer, F. 2009, ‘Peer assessment as collaborative learning: a cognitive perspective,’ Learning and Instruction , vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 344–348. Reza, S. & Mahmood, D. 2012, ‘Sociocultural theory and reading comprehension: The scaffolding of readers in an EFL context,’ International Journal of Research Studies in Language Learning, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 67–80. Samana, W. 2013, ‘Teacher’s and students’ scaffolding in an EFL classroom,’ Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies , vol. 2, no. 8, pp. 338–343. Shepard, L. A. 2000, ‘The role of assessment in a learning culture,’ Educational Researcher , vol. 29, no. 7, pp. 4–14. Simons, K. D. & Klein, J. D. 2006, ‘The impact of scaffolding and student achievement levels in a problem-based learning environment,’ Instructional Science, no. 35, vol. 1, pp. 41–72. Smith, B. 2011, ‘Ofsted report,’ Ofsted , Ofsted, London, UK. Steer, C. 2010, ‘ Ofsted 2010-2011 survey inspection programme: assessing pupils ’ progress (APP),’ Ofsted . Web. Walqui, A. 2006, ‘Scaffolding instruction for English language learners: a conceptual framework,’ The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism , vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 159–180. Zaragoza, N. G. & Brigido-Corachan, N. A. 2011, ‘Creative evaluation of communicative competence through digital story,’ The Grove: Working Papers on English Studies , vol. 18, pp. 285–306.

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Write the full essay for the following summary: The essay explores how common core and standardized testing issues impacts foreign language teachers and their teaching profession. It offers a direction on how foreign language teachers can react and handle these issues.

The essay explores how common core and standardized testing issues impacts foreign language teachers and their teaching profession. It offers a direction on how foreign language teachers can react and handle these issues.

Effects of Standardized Testing of World Languages Evaluation Essay Introduction Educational standards refer to the learning objectives regarding what learners should know and capable of doing at diverse grade levels. The standards assist teachers in ensuring that the learners gain the competencies and information essential for success. Additionally, the standards facilitate teacher’s efforts in assisting parents comprehend teachers’ expectation of the learners (Chaucer, 2012). It is on these backgrounds that ‘Common Core’ (CC) was founded. Fundamentally, CC comprise of a set of precise college- and career-ready values for nursery school children through the 12 th grade in English language arts (literacy) and mathematics. This essay explores how common core and standardized testing issues impacts foreign language teachers and their teaching profession. It offers a direction on how foreign language teachers can react and handle these issues. Main Body Common Core and Standardized Test The CC standards were designed by state education heads, governors, teachers and experts across 48 states seeking to offer learners equal platform for all students across the country. The CC would enable learners to prepare adequately for college, occupation and life in a uniform manner with high standards of quality education. Two subjects were selected for the accomplishment of the CC standard goals. These are English language and mathematics. The subjects were purposely selected considering that they form the foundations on which learners form skill sets that are mandatory in all the other subjects (Chaucer, 2012). Learners must know how to read, write, talk, pay attention and utilize language efficiently in a multiplicity of content areas for easier internalization of all the other subjects. The standards were designed by state education heads, governors, teachers and experts in education curricula. The CC standards stipulate the literacy abilities and competencies essential for college and career preparedness in a variety of disciplines for foreign students. It is imperative to recognize that literacy standards in science, social studies and practical subjects for six to twelfth grades are aimed at supplementing content standards in those fields as opposed to replacing them (Harris, Smith, & Harris, 2011). Standardized testing is important considering that high standards that are unswerving across all states offer teachers, parents and the leaners a set of vivid expectations. The approach ensures that all learners acquire the competencies and capabilities essential for success in college, occupation and life after graduating from high school irrespective of where they live, their family background, race, gender, sexuality or eco-justice. The CC standards in intergration with standard testing align to the anticipations of colleges, employees preparation programs and employers. The CC standards play a central role in ensuring equity for all learners. The eventual standard testing guarantees that all the learners are adequately prepared to cooperate and compete with peers in the country and overseas. It is imperative to acknowledge that unlike preceding state standards that varied extensively from state to state, the CC standards facilitate cooperation among states on a variety of tools and programs (Harris, Smith, & Harris, 2011). The CC was established by advancing the best state standards from different states. The best standards were integrated. Additionally, the designers examined the expectations of other excellent-performing countries globally. The designers included teachers, education experts, district education heads and school administrators. They prudently studied the researches and literature obtainable regarding what learners required to know and have the capacity to perform for success in college, occupation and life. The designing panel did not require any state to lower the expectations for learners when implementing the CC. The empirical-based standards were designed in discussion with teachers, parents and education experts transversing the country. Therefore, the CC are realistic, practical, useful and viable for the classroom. Common core and standardized testing effect on foreign language teachers Any change in how education is handled affects a variety of stakeholders. These include governments that have to invest more resources in form of finances and human resources. Others that are significantly affected are teachers, parents and the learners. The parents and teachers require changing their perspective in view of previous systems. However, teachers are greatly affected considering that they may have undergone a different system hence require changing their approach to teaching as well as their mindset to embrace the new system. The examination of the pros and cons of the CC and standardized testing will generate a clearer mental image of the effects of the CC particularly on teachers. Pros High education standards are important for individual learners if they are to be competitive in college, the increasingly competitive workplace and the increasing life challenges. The CC standards present learners with the opportunity to be competitive irrespective of where they live. The standards ensure that learners are excellently prepared to cooperate and compete with others in the country and globally. Consistent Goals and Benchmarks Common Core standards provide teachers with unswerving objectives and benchmark parameters. The parameters help teachers in ensuring that learners are developing on a route for success in college, occupation and life. The approach is essential since it places all the learners on the same platform that ensure that none is at a disadvantage. In any case, the CC ensures that all the learners receive the best education competency that allows them to advance in college work and career irrespective of their physical location after high school. Additionally, the goals and objectives are not based on any aspect that reflects inequality such as gender or eco-justice. The learner breed that will emerge from the CC standards will be equally competent. The fact is based on the fact that international benchmarks were utilized in designing the CC standards. One technique of analyzing education systems is the comparing of international assessments. These include Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Before the advancement of the CC State Standards, study revealed outstanding resemblances among the values in high-performing countries. There were stark variances between those world-class anticipations and the values embraced by most US states (Ryan & Frazee, 2012). Consistent Expectations Interviews conducted with teachers who have embraced the CC standards indicate that the CC provides teachers with unswerving expectations for learners who transfer into new districts and class settings from other states. Previously, the state standards varied widely. Learners who transferred from a state with different standards presented teachers with difficulties in the classroom. Furthermore, learners encountered enormous challenges in catching up with other students particularly when they moved to states with higher state standards. The CC offers a platform where students who move find no difference in the curriculum and the teaching approach giving teachers an easy time. The teachers can now expect students in the same grade to perform as well as others irrespective of the state of origin provided that that state has adopted the CC (Ryan & Frazee, 2012). Opportunity to Collaborate The states that have adopted the CC utilize a common curriculum in English and mathematics. The expectations of the designers is that all the students learning under the CC can communicate at the same level and solve similar mathematical problems as long as they are in the same grade. Similarly, teachers across the country are presented with the opportunity to collaborate as they share a common platform for preparing the curricula. The opportunity to collaborate arises since the teachers develop syllabuses, materials, and tests connected to high-quality standards (Ryan & Frazee, 2012). Professional Development Prior to the design, adoption and implementation of CC by the practicing states, teachers were trained in accordance with the state standards. These teachers faced challenges when they moved to other states. They had to undergo retraining to conform to the standards. The introduction of the CC allows teachers to freely move to other states where they can advance their professionalism in higher learning institutions outside their state of origin. They can attend teaching and other courses on part-time basis while still teaching in the local schools (Ryan & Frazee, 2012). Cons Despite the various advantages that the CC standards present to students and teachers, there exists the downside for the same. For example, Professor Grabar (2014) indicates that if all poetry, writing and gesticulations are correspondingly treasured, there is no need for literature instructors. Therefore, she argues that the CC standard approach is a distortion of the idea of equality. She asserts that the designers’ pursuit of eco-justice invaded rational judgment and scrupulousness. Equality of mortal opportunity ought not to be confused with similarity of outcomes (Grabar, 2014). Other literatures examine the disadvantages of the CC standards and standard test pointing at the flaws that exist. Transition difficulty Before the commencement of CC standards, foreign language teachers found and continue to find it difficult to adjust to these standards (Manley, 2012). Teachers have to change the approach on how they teach to meet the set standards. The approach makes most of the teachers to take a step-by-step approach in dealing with students. They make alterations in their mode of teaching. It becomes more complicated considering that the learners have to change their ways of learning. The CC standards, therefore, place teachers in a more difficult position to meet the stipulated standards. The results of common core standards on foreign language teachers require sufficient time. However, once the teachers have adapted to the common core standards, the teaching process will be more efficient. The outcomes will be evident. Career change The instructors and teachers will prefer to pursue other career options that they may have if they find the set standards difficult to adjust to (Taylor, 2014). Many foreign language teachers may not accept to change the way they teach and, therefore, will pursue other options elsewhere. Those that may be unable to find alternative career options will even prefer to retire than change their mode of teaching to meet the set standards (Kendiall, 2011). They may find this as a means of relieving themselves from the stress of coercing student to perform to the set standards. The CC standards will also affect foreign language teachers in the sense that children will learn faster at a younger age. Teachers will have to up their game in teaching than they were doing before (Kendiall, 2011). Children will have higher level of thinking skills and this will make them learn at a faster rate. The aspect requires foreign language teachers to be more articulate, charismatic and observant on how they teach. They must ensure they teach what the students need to know and not what they already know. The skills that students used to learn at higher grades will subsequently be taught at lower grade causing challenges in terms of teaching the foreign languages. Change The world is ever changing and so is the learning process which is even more dynamic. Therefore, it may not be appropriate to use set standards over and over again. There are circumstances where the entire learning system, process or even the language itself has changed and yet teachers still use the set standards (Mandel, Shanahan, & Wixson, 2012). The change factor is closely interconnected with the effect of transition difficulties. The direction and magnitude of change is unpredictable, therefore, presenting challenges in foreign language teaching. How foreign language teachers deal with common core standards issues Evidently, despite the fact that the CC standards have presented benefits to learning as a whole, they also present diverse issues to foreign language teachers. These issues affect the world language classrooms as a whole. It is, therefore, imperative for teachers to understand how they can react to these issues. More paramount is for teachers to comprehend and be innovative in the way they can resolve the issues. However, dealing with the issues is beneficial as opposed to maintaining the existing tradition state standards. Foreign language teachers ought to reflect on what learners can do with the language to deal with the CC standards issues (Taylor, 2014). The outcomes of what the students can do with language should be taken into consideration. The teachers should not just focus on how the languages should be taught or the mode of teaching. They should also have the capacity to examine the students’ communication mode. Through this approach, the teachers will be able to determine how well the students can use the foreign language. The teachers will know the level of understanding of the students and the skills they have when it comes to using foreign language. Communication is one of the ways of determining how well a person is versed with a particular language. They should ensure that they are not seeking to breed learners who are equal in all aspects. They should strive to ensure that they breed learners who are competent despite their dissimilarities. Conclusion Fundamentally, CC standards are critical in ensuring that all students have an equal platform to learn in college, succeed in their careers as well as in life irrespective of other curtailing factors. It is imperative for foreign language teachers to have the capacity to solve the teething problems that accompany the introduction of any change in education systems since the learning, workplace and life environments are changing. Inherently, the benefits of CC standards to the wellbeing of learners and the teachers outweigh the disadvantages. The standards ensure that teachers can advance their profession while learners can move to other states while experiencing minimal change in curricula expectations. The states and teachers who embrace the CC standards present the learners with better opportunities to be globally competent. Foreign learners face challenges in grasping all the proposed aspects of CC standards with regard to English. They encounter obstacles as they grapple with first learning English yet they are further required to be as articulate and charismatic as the indigenous. References Chaucer, H. (2012). A creative approach to common core standards. Phoenix, Arizona: R & L Education. Grabar, M. (2014). Education without representation . Retrieved from https://whatiscommoncore.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/education-without-representation-rebutting-5-claims-of-the-utah-state-school-boards-flier-46/ Harris, P., Smith, B. M., & Harris, J. (2011). The myths of standardized tests: Why they don’t tell you what you think they do .. Chicago, Illinois: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Kendiall, J. (2011). Understanding common core state standards. New York, NY: ASCD. Mandel, L., Shanahan, T., & Wixson, K. (2012). Teaching with the common core standards for english language arts. Raleigh,North Carolina: Guilford Press. Manley, R. (2012). Making common core standards work. New York, NY: SAGE Publications. Ryan, S., & Frazee, D. (2012). Common core standards for high school english language arts. New York, NY: ASCD. Taylor, R. (2014). Leading, teaching and learning the common core standards. Chicago,: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

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Write the original essay that generated the following summary: The essay discusses how the family unit transformed in the technological era and how these devices changed communication and routes of interaction.

The essay discusses how the family unit transformed in the technological era and how these devices changed communication and routes of interaction.

Effects of Technology on Culture Research Paper Introduction Background of the Study The world has incurred critical, extensive, and rapid development as far as technology is concerned. On daily basis, new gadgets are discovered by the technological specialists to ease, support and complement human life (Egger 2010, 291). Importantly, the history of technological obtained significant meaning during the 1980s when Apple computers started manufacturing high-quality devices with greater capabilities and better experience than the competitor’s products (Bennett 2011, 116). Where this development has taken place in general terms and transformed the popular culture technologically, it has equally affected the family unit bearing in mind that the devices are mostly used in the family context (Reiser 2009, 276). As such, it has led to critical implications on the interaction of family members and the manner in which they communicate to each other. This research focused on how the family unit transformed in the technological era. In addition, it showed how these devices changed communication and routes of interaction. Research Scope of the Study Whereas the technological advancement has taken place extensively and affected almost all aspects of human life, this paper sought to provide a step-by-step discussion on how technological devices transformed the family unit with advancement in technology. Importantly, it focused on the effects of devices such as televisions and personal computers on the cohesiveness of the computers. In this light, the research paper emphasized the changes that took place from 1980s to 1990s. This emphasis was based on the fact that there were robust inventions during this period as far as technology was concerned. Aim and Objectives The aim of a research is basically the broad focus of a research for which it seeks to achieve at the conclusive end. On the other hand, the objectives are subsets of the research aim which shows how the broad focus will be achieved. In other words, they provide understandable and more particular ways of attaining the stipulated aim. The aim of this paper is to discuss how the home-based entertainment changed the family unit to a device-centered unit. The objectives are as shown in this list presented below this paragraph. 1. To determine the historical process of changing the family unit to a device centered unit. 2. To identify the main players, such as people and devices, that led to the attainment of this condition in the family unit. 3. To determines some of the family aspects and attitudes that may have contributed or accelerated the paradigmatic shift. As stated before, the question of how the family unit changed is a broad-focused area of interest. It cannot be discussed from the limited perspective of identifying the steps and stages of the process. Instead, it must be tackled from the idea of the involved players and the attitudes that led to the condition. Research Question 1. What is the historical process that took place to change the family unit into a device centered unit? 2. What are the main players that contributed in this process to transform the family to a device centered unit? 3. Which family-based attitudes contributed to the transformation of family into a device-centered unit? Significance of the Study A family is the basic unit of the society since it comprises of the simple but critical definition of relationships. Indeed, the manner in which people behave towards other colleagues in the wider society is affected by the way the individuals were brought up at the family level. As such, it becomes crucial to investigate the trends that take place in our families from both internal and external perspectives. Importantly, the relationships within families are determinants of effective communication. In fact, breakdown of communication in a family can lead to devastating moral degradation in a society. For example, a drug addict who does not have a suitable platform to interact and share his or her problems with parents can degrade completely. In fact, the paradigm shift can be blamed for the moral degradation that is being experienced in the present times worldwide. In addition to this, the study seeks to track the history of this shift from the beginning. This will help to determine all the factors that led to the change in family orientation. As such, it will be the basis and foundation of providing a solution to the society in order to reinstate the family cohesion and bonds. Understandably, it is very difficult to cure something that one does not acknowledge. Indeed, one needs broad and deep knowledge about the problem before presenting effective and credible solutions. In that regard, therefore, this study is an avenue to obtain the necessary knowledge. Evidently, this study seeks to study the separating aspect of technology in the family. Interestingly, however, the study will provide insight and ideas on how the same technology can be used to unite family members and reinstate the original family structure. This is based on the fact that the world cannot reverse technological advancements for the sake of creating better family bondage. However, technology can be manipulated in order to ensure that the original cohesiveness and family unity is reinstated. As such, this study will be a very crucial inquiry that will help to form the basis of inducing the right change and attitude in the family. As such, parents and the children started consuming different forms of entertainment according to the modernity and trend differences. As time progresses, each individual in the family regardless of the age warmed up towards personal tastes. This tendency increased the lift between member of the family regardless of whether they were parents or children. In other words, it drew the family members from each other and pushed them towards their own entertainment preferences, tastes, and interests. Due to such individualized personal interests, the technological devices became personal gadgets of use and the interests towards them became different all together. Literature Review Family Status before Technological Advancement A number of authors touched on some of the important aspects regarding the importance of family bonds and technological effects. It was evident that such authors sought to describe some of the critical changes that happened with special interest to interaction and basically communication. In one case, Gray (2010, 76) focused on the status of the family during the post-war period. During this period, there were various life-promoting undertakings that made life more enjoyable. For example, the education promotion program, which availed education to children in the society, supported family development and involvement with each other. Parents harbored little stress due to the poverty reduction efforts and health promotion initiatives alongside the postwar baby boom (Groening 2014, 67). The reduced stress enabled them to concentrate on raising children. Indeed, they interacted with them for longer period of times to provide protection and nourishment. In addition, parents secured employment easily so they could afford money to go for leisure in the theaters. In different study conducted in 1950s, it was evident that entertainment and family lives were inseparable aspects. In this case, the study describes the transformations that took place in the family due to emphasis put on entertainment. In essence, the postwar period provided enough time for the family members to have fun since the country got relieve (Katz 2009, 114). In addition, the country was not experiencing critical strains as far as finances were concerned. In that regard, therefore, citizens could afford enough money to cater for their basic needs and attend the entertainment premises together. As such, the family is depicted as a cohesive and well coordinated unit. Family Changes Caused by TVs Whereas the family was very intact during this period, the narrative changed with time due to the introduction of TVs. Murray (2009, 167) explains the challenges posed by the television in the world upon introduction and consumption of content from the boxes. During the 1970s, the TVs eliminated the traditional orientation of the families that was originally prevalent in the society. Couples slept together away from their children to watch some of the classified programs such as the Mash where the actors showed the belly buttons. The popular TV shows, such as the Pong, were aired so that people started buying the boxes at a very high rate. The advancement wooed more people to buy the TVs in the country. In 1980s, there was very insignificant development as far as technology was concerned. In this case, television remained the major invention of the world with few developments such as the VCR. Whereas the development of the TVs as a device was minimal, it was evident that the content was developed extensively during this period. As such, the developers discovered amazing technological innovations such as the radio stations, new music tracks, and tape players. Some of additional developments included the innovation of tapes, and Atari among many others. As a result, this became a very critical age for the family cohesion because availability of the devices alongside the content started drifting the family members from each other. Indeed, the 1980s is the period where the family bonds started weakening due to this shift of attention. However, this period did not play a fundamental role as the later 1990’s. This condition was occasioned by the fact that some of the commodities, such as the Apple’s McIntosh, were very expensive to afford. Indeed, Apple was one of the major manufacturers and its high prices reduced the prevalence of the computers and their usage in the popular culture. Advanced Technological Innovations However, the 1990’s became the true periods of technological innovations. During this period, the personal computers became more affordable than ever before. The personal computers affordability was reinforced by the availability of internet in the country and households. People could surf on the internet and get entertainment from online platforms. Additionally, the TV shows became more interesting but they included content with violence and sexual incidences (Petrie 2009, 127). A critical review to this period indicates the start of visible separation of the family especially when it comes to watching sexual content. In essence, parents cannot watch sexual content alongside their children. As such, the television became an effective social separator in the family circles. In addition to this, the Oxford explains the entry of commercialism during this period. Due to the increased materialism and commercial oriented society, the time used by families to have fun and watch content together reduced drastically. Parents did not have enough time to move out with their children. This played a very crucial role to eliminate the bonds that existed in the families. In fact, it reinforced the original forces of family-based entertainments. Invention of Video Games Finally, the invention of video games became a critical game changer in the family circles. In the first, instance, the TV shows separated the parents from their parents because the toddlers could not be allowed to watch violent and sexual contents. The invention of the Atari video game came to intensify the individualization of the entertainment in the families. In this case, the children were drawn to the Atari video games (Singer 2001, 79). As such, this eventuality provided two completely parallel entertainment interests and tastes. As such, the children drew satisfaction from the video games while the parents concentrated on the TV programs. In this situation, therefore, the families could not meet anymore to watch the TVs. In addition, the low prices of the devices in 1990s enabled the parents to afford both the TVs and the video games (Sultanik 2012, 59). Even in the present times children and parents have been divided by this parallel interest. Methodology Research Philosophy This research employed the philosophy of interpretivism during the collection, analysis and interpretation of data. A research philosophy refers to the mechanisms in which a researcher interprets data and make conclusion. In this case, interpretivism allows the use of qualitative data but does not invalidate the use of quantitative information. On the contrary, the positivism is a research philosophy that allows the use of quantitative data only. However, the use of interpretivism neutralizes this ideology by allowing researchers to analyze data that cannot be quantified. In this research, the information concerning the historical background and process of transforming families into device centered units is value-laden. As such, only qualitative techniques can be used to extract the necessary information Research Approach, Design and Time Frame This study followed the deductive research approach to complete the process and make conclusion. In this case, research questions were posed and the hypothesis stipulated in order to predict the possible outcome. The data was then collected and analyzed in order to answer the research questions. With regards to research design, the study adopted the exploratory method. This design capitalizes on inquiring into a problem. Indeed, it seeks to obtain more information about the problem identified in the society in order to proceed and find relevant solutions. Lastly, the time frame was longitudinal in nature since the data used was drawn from previous event dating from 1980s. As such, it focuses of a long period of time from which amounts to about 35 years. Research Strategy In regard to the research strategy, it is evident that the study adopted the survey method. In this case, the study involved respondents who had vast knowledge and interest in history and technological transformation. They were interviewed by administering questionnaires that had a range of questions. With the responses provided by the respondents, the data was analyzed and conclusions were made. In addition, the secondary information, which was drawn from the literature review, was used to answer the research questions. The combination of primary and secondary research provided reliable and extensive information regarding the transformation of family unit by technological development. Population and Sampling The population comprised of technological specialists and historians since they were considered as relevant respondents as far as the study was concerned. However, the population is understandably extensive since there are very many technologists and historians with the required data. However, the population cannot be involved entirely because of the time limit and cost issues. As such, sampling becomes important since it enables the selection of few people in the population to participate in the study. In this case, therefore, random purposeful sampling was used to collect the sample population. This technique was a combination of two techniques including the purposeful and random sampling. Random sampling is used in order to ensure that the respondents are not selected in a biased manner to get some predetermined results. On the other hand, purposeful sampling was applied by selecting people who were adults in the 1980s. Data Collection and Analysis The data was collected using the questionnaires which were administered during detailed interviews with the respondents. In this regard, the information provided was recorded used thematic gadgets to ensure that all information was available in its authentic nature during the analysis. As such, the analysis was conducted by reviewing each of the filled questionnaires in details. In essence, each of them was analyzed singly in order to get the individualized approach to all the questions posed to the respondents. Results Item Description Sample Size (N) 50 Respondents * Post war stable families Historical Process * Discovery of TVs in 1970s * Advancement of TVs and content in 1980s-1990s * Discovery of Atari Videos * TVs Discovery * Low cost of TV boxes with advancement in technological capability Main Player/Contributors in the degradation of family bonds and creation of device-centered units * Content incompatibility for parents and children to view together * Atari Video games * Mobile devices helped to individualize the entertainment Family Attitude * Families’ believed in the uncontrollability of information * Parents were reluctant when it came to the control of content Discussion In order to conceptualize the expectations of this research study as well as the findings that were made, the data was analyzed according to the three questions posed in the introductory part of the research. As such, this was presented in this chapter in terms of the three research questions. What is the historical process that took place to change the family unit into a device centered unit? According to both the primary and secondary research, it was evident that the post-war period was both peaceful and productive. It was indicated that the nations was regaining its financial stability gradually. As a result, the parents could afford money to take their children to theater or purchase Television boxes. In essence, entertainment at home and in the theatres was a family undertaking since the members went to the theatres together. Alternatively, they sat around their TVs to watch the movies together. However, the robust introduction of TVs and personal computers in 1908s to 1990s led to massive discovery of content. This content could not be viewed by the parents and children simultaneously due to the sensitivity of the content. As a result, parents bought private TVs for the bedroom to watch content with sexual ascent or aspects of violence. This separated the parents from the children since they watched and consumed different content. The final blow to family cohesion was made when the Atari video games were discovered. The children warmed up to the Atari videos while the parents separated themselves by using the bedroom-based TVs. As such, the further introduction of mobile devices individualized entertainment such that all the family members enjoy different content. What are the main players that contributed in this process to transform the family to a device centered unit? Indeed, the main player that contributed to the elimination of family cohesion is the simultaneous discovery of TV boxes alongside the content. Indeed, the Atari videos and violent-laden content made it difficult for parent to watch TVs together with their children. The mobile devices individualized the entertainment industry and intensified the separation of family members and the creation of device-based family units. Which family-based attitudes contributed to the transformation of family into a device-centered unit? Whereas technology has led to the massive separation of family unit and the creation of a device-centered orientation, there are various family-based attitudes that led to this condition. Indeed, the families did not control the type of content that they could consume. As such, they consumed all the content provided by the developers. As a result, they did not have the control to resist the unfortunate technological twist. Conclusions and Recommendations The development of technological devices and the subsequent creation of diverse content led to the emergence of different entertainment preferences. The critical review of literature has indicated similar findings showing the before the introduction of TVs and personal computers, people enjoyed themselves together. During the postwar period, mothers concentrated on raising their children. However, the advancement in technology in 1980s to 1990s led to the reduction in the price of computers and TVs. Indeed, enabled households to acquire more than one TV so that children and parents could watch separate shows. In addition, the invention of videos intensified the separations and classification of preferences in accordance to age. In regard to recommendations, there several advocacies that can be proposed especially when it comes to the use of technology to reinstate family cohesion. 1. It developers should invent family-based applications which helps members to share content using their mobile devices 2. Media should come up with shows that provide more lessons concerning some of the problems incurred by families. This will ensure that family members are encouraged to live a cohesive and integrated life. Works Cited Bennett, John. The Televisions . Columbus, OH: Luna Bisonte Prods, 2011. Egger, Garry. Technology in the 20 th Century and Effect on Culture . North Ryde: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Gray, Jonathan. Watching with the Simpsons: Television, Parody, and Intertextuality . New York: Routledge, 2010. Groening, Matt. The Simpsons Family History: A Celebration of Television’s Favorite Family . New York, NY: Abrams, 2014. Katz, Elihu. The End of Television. Its Impact on the World so Far. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2009. Murray, Susan. Reality TV Remaking Television Culture . New York: New York University Press, 2009. Petrie, Kristin. Televisions . Edina, Minn.: ABDO, 2009. Reiser, Stanley. Technological Advancement and Cultural Implications. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Singer, Dorothy. Handbook of Children and the Media . Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 2001. Sultanik, Aaron. Cinemulacrum: A Secret History of Film and Video for 1960 to 2010 . Lanham, Md.: University Press of America, 2012.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: The efficient market hypothesis is a theory that explains why it is not possible to outsmart the market. The theory states that all the vital information is mapped out and integrated by the prevailing share prices largely due to efficiencies experienced in the stock exchange market.

The efficient market hypothesis is a theory that explains why it is not possible to outsmart the market. The theory states that all the vital information is mapped out and integrated by the prevailing share prices largely due to efficiencies experienced in the stock exchange market.

Efficient-Market Hypothesis Analytical Essay It is not possible to outwit the market because all the vital information is mapped out and integrated by the prevailing share prices largely due to efficiencies experienced in the stock exchange market. This theory is supported by the Efficient-market hypothesis. The hypothesis assumes that during stock exchanges, a fair value prevails on the prices of stocks. As a result, stocks cannot be sold at inflated prices by the investors. Worse still, they may find it cumbersome to buy undervalued stocks. These scenarios explain the reason why the overall market cannot be outperformed. Even in the event that market timing and expert stock selection are exercised, it still proves to be a heinous task to ‘beat the market’. Therefore, purchasing riskier returns is the most viable means through which investors can gain impressive returns. Quite a number of assumptions have been put forward in order to meet the expectations of efficient markets. First, securities for profit are usually analyzed by several investors bearing in mind that they aim to make the largest possible gain when trading stocks in the market. Second, the marketplace receives new, random and fashionable forms of information regarding trading in stocks. In addition, new pieces of information often lead to rapid adjustments in stock prices. An additional assumption is that all the available information should be reflected by stock prices. It is also crucial to mention that financial theories are generally biased or skewed in nature according to the arguments posed by experts in financial markets (Hirt & Block, 2012). This implies that certified laws in finance are non-existent. The only existing pieces of information are those that attempt to explain the working mechanics of the markets. The efficient market hypothesis presents three main versions. To begin with, some of the examples of possessions that can be bought or sold include property, bonds and stocks according to the weak form. In regards to the semi-strong version of the hypothesis, both the existing and new public information affect the prices of stocks. Changes in prices are witnessed whenever new market information is made available to the public. On the other hand, even the hidden information affects the prices of stocks according to the strong version of the efficient market hypothesis. While the three forms of the hypothesis tend to be logical, the 2007/2008 global financial turmoil was largely attributed to the strong assumptions of rational markets. In fact, some critics linked such assumptions to the collapse of world economy. Nevertheless, those who support the hypothesis are of the opinion that future uncertainty must be put into consideration even when propagating the assumptions of the hypothesis. In other words, most individuals enjoy practically efficient markets because the hypothesis does not merely simplify the economic principles of the world. In order to test for the weak form, a number of methods can be used. The variance ratio test claims that the variance of a serious market cannot progress with the passage of time when the series is stationary (Hirt & Block, 2012). Unit root tests examine whether a particular market aspect is changing with time. In serial correlation, the financial market experts make use of repeating patterns to establish the possible future trends of the market. In the runs test, the weak form of the market is scrutinized at random using multiple flows of data. Hu (2014) and Sewell (2012) assert that markets may not fully be efficient in the semi-strong form. According to the two studies, quick adjustment in share prices is experienced when a new piece of information lands to the public. However, the change in market prices for stocks can never guarantee efficiency. Some forms of market information may mislead investors and occasion major inefficiencies. In addition, excess returns cannot be generated through the technical analysis technique or fundamental analysis methodology (Sewell, 2012). Although the semi-strong form boasts of unbiased flow of new information, it is crucial to point out that it is not possible to avoid one-sided flow of information and ideas that potentially affect the market. Hence, instantaneous and relevant alteration of past information should be executed as part and parcel of testing a semi-strong form of the efficient market hypothesis. Both the insider and publicly available information usually influence share prices when it comes to the strong form of the above hypothesis. Alajbeg, Bubas and Sonje (2012) posit that excess returns cannot be earned by any class or category of investors. The strong-form efficiency can hardly prevail especially if insider trading laws and private information are legally hindered from infiltrating into the public domain. However, in cases where universal ignorance of laws prevails, the strong-form efficiency can be realized (Hirt & Block, 2012). Excess returns should not be earned by investors for long within a given market so that it can make it easy to test for the strong version of the hypothesis. In other terms, excessive and consistent earnings should be avoided to facilitate testing of this form of efficiency. References Alajbeg, D., Bubas, Z. & Sonje, V. (2012). The efficient market hypothesis: Problems with interpretations of empirical tests. Financial Theory and Practice, 36 (1), 53- 72. Hirt,G. & Block, S. (2012). Fundamentals of investment management . (10 th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Hu, M. (2014). The Efficient Market Hypothesis and Corporate event waves: Part II. Corporate Finance Review, 18 (6), 20-26. Sewell, M. (2012). The efficient market hypothesis: Empirical evidence. International Journal of Statistics and Probability, 1 (2), 164-178.

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Write the full essay for the following summary: The essay discusses the elements and characteristics of a clinical micro system, including how it works and what it is used for. The authors also share their own experience with a clinical micro system, and how it has informed their understanding of teamwork in the healthcare industry.

The essay discusses the elements and characteristics of a clinical micro system, including how it works and what it is used for. The authors also share their own experience with a clinical micro system, and how it has informed their understanding of teamwork in the healthcare industry.

Elements and Characteristics of a Clinical Micro System Reflective Essay I was once a support services team member in Lebanon at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Spine Centre. This centre collects information from healthcare recipients using touch pads. Hence, clinicians make decisions based on the data collected from patients. The medical symptoms of patients who visit this clinical micro system are determined using a computer through a sensitive touch screen. Hence, results on previous treatments, anticipations for care, functional status and body symptoms are obtained from a computer. A clinical staff may also apply other methodologies in order to offer directions on the management and assessment of patient’s needs. Moreover, pre-planning of needs of a healthcare recipient is largely preferred in order to improve efficiency. Follow-ups on the progress of patients are also encouraged especially through phone calls in order to ensure that all the management information has been adequately comprehended. After sharing the reading, my experience with the above clinical micro system has been greatly enlightened. For instance, I have realized that teamwork is integral when handling patients with myriads of medical problems that need urgent attention (Charlesa, Gafnia and Whelana 650). Additionally, the adaptive challenge that may assist my team in the final project is the ability to apply medical technology when evaluating patients and also being consistent throughout the project. In order to be a well informed team member, the above experience has indeed added value in my ability to choose the right person to interview. The person should be knowledgeable on specific area of specialization and also a team player (Charlesa, Gafnia and Whelana 655). Works Cited Charlesa Cathy, Amiram Gafnia and Tim Whelana. “Decision-making in the physician– patient encounter: revisiting the shared treatment decision-making model.” Social Science & Medicine 49 (1999): 651-661. Print.

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Provide a essay that could have been the input for the following summary: Eliminating Stigmatization in Mental Health DiagnosesThe essay discusses the ways of eliminating stigma towards individuals with mental health disorder. These ways include seeking treatment, enhancing self-esteem, not isolating oneself, and public health endeavors focusing on dementia care.

Eliminating Stigmatization in Mental Health Diagnoses The essay discusses the ways of eliminating stigma towards individuals with mental health disorder. These ways include seeking treatment, enhancing self-esteem, not isolating oneself, and public health endeavors focusing on dementia care.

Eliminating Stigmatization in Mental Health Diagnoses Essay Table of Contents 1. Seeking Treatment 2. Enhancing Self-esteem 3. Not Isolating Oneself 4. Public Health Endeavors Focusing On Dementia Care 5. Public Health Initiatives Focusing On Neuromuscular Disorders 6. Risk Factors 7. Protective Factors 8. References Stigmatization towards individuals with mental health disorder results in different kinds of exclusion and discrimination in the social spheres or the place of work. The following are some ways of eliminating such stigma. Seeking Treatment Though people with mental health disorder could be hesitant to disclose their requirement for treatment, they should not allow the fear of being stigmatized bar them from getting assistance (Kendra, Mohr, & Pollard, 2014). Treatment offers relief through recognizing what is wrong, in addition to decreasing symptoms that impede one’s tasks and private life. Enhancing Self-esteem Stigma does not come from other people only. Individuals with mental health disorder could wrongly believe that their condition is an indication of personal flaw or feel worthless. Getting psychological counseling and education regarding the disorder and connecting with others having similar conditions could assist in facilitating self-worth and overcoming negative self-judgment. Not Isolating Oneself Rather than sequestrating oneself, people with mental health disorders ought to reach out to individuals they could trust for support, compassionateness, and understanding as a means of overcoming stigma and other challenges (Kendra et al., 2014). Public Health Endeavors Focusing On Dementia Care The World Health Organization (WHO) is particularly calling on the international public health community to put efforts that focus on dementia care both internationally and nationally. National governments, public health personnel, and other stakeholders have developed different strategies aimed at enhancing early diagnosis and care, increasing public understanding while lessening stigma, and facilitating the quality of life for individuals suffering from dementia, in addition to their carers. Public health efforts differ considerably nation-to-nation since they shape the framework to satisfy their unique needs (DiLuca & Olesen, 2014). However, the dissimilar public health efforts align across governmental organizations, delineate treatment and care suggestions, and offer a means of reporting on advancement and hindrances. Public Health Initiatives Focusing On Neuromuscular Disorders In the enhancement of the care for neuromuscular disorders, WHO instigates different initiatives that engage governments, public health professionals, and other stakeholders (DiLuca & Olesen, 2014). For instance, WHO has initiated public health initiatives internationally, which encompass the Global Initiative on Neurology and Public Health, to enhance professional and public responsiveness of the incidence, asperity, costs associated with neurological disorders, and highlight the necessity to offer neurological care at every stage of public health. Risk Factors Suicidal risk factors in mental health disorders differ by gender, age, or ethnicity and normally happen in combinations. One of such risk factors is engaging in alcohol and drug use. The influence of drugs coupled with the impact of mental health disorder result in suicidal thoughts (Ai, Pappas, & Simonsen, 2015). Secondly, lack of mental health care could result in unfavorable and traumatic experiences, which would result in suicide. Thirdly, social isolation could make the person feel distressed and worthless thus strengthening suicidal thoughts. Protective Factors The protective factors that reduce the risk of suicide in people having mental health disorder vary and encompass a person’s attitude and behavioral attributes, in additional to environmental and cultural aspects. The first protective factor is successful mental health care. Effective care addresses the psychological and physical problems, in addition to drug use problems thus eliminating suicidal thoughts. The second factor is strong connections with family and societal support. This makes the individual feel valued, which could enhance his/her self-esteem. The third factor involves cultural and spiritual convictions, which discourage suicide through emphasizing the value of life and the verdict of God only regarding taking of a person’s life (Ai et al., 2015). References Ai, A. L., Pappas, C., & Simonsen, E. (2015). Risk and protective factors for three major mental health problems among Latino American men nationwide. American journal of men’s health, 9 (1), 64-75. DiLuca, M., & Olesen, J. (2014). The cost of brain diseases: A burden or a challenge? Neuron, 82 (6), 1205-1208. Kendra, M. S., Mohr, J. J., & Pollard, J. W. (2014). The stigma of having psychological problems: Relations with engagement, working alliance, and depression in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, 51 (4), 563-573.

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Write a essay that could've provided the following summary: In the era of the globalized XXI century, when communication technologies allowed for transcending the boundaries of space, learning English as a second language seems to have become one of the bare necessities of a modern student. Therefore, once having an ELL student in their class, a teacher must seek to adopt a unique approach in order to help the ELL student or students in question evolve. It is important to affirm and support the native language of the learners as it is the most efficient and by

In the era of the globalized XXI century, when communication technologies allowed for transcending the boundaries of space, learning English as a second language seems to have become one of the bare necessities of a modern student. Therefore, once having an ELL student in their class, a teacher must seek to adopt a unique approach in order to help the ELL student or students in question evolve. It is important to affirm and support the native language of the learners as it is the most efficient and by

ELLs in Today Schools Expository Essay Diversity is an important and often integral part of a teacher’s everyday practice. In the era of the globalized XXI century, when communication technologies allowed for transcending the boundaries of space, learning English as a second language seems to have become one of the bare necessities of a modern student (Garcia, n. d., 00:00.35–00:00.40). Therefore, once having an ELL student in their class, a teacher must seek to adopt a unique approach in order to help the ELL student or students in question evolve (Reed, & Railsback, 2003). Seeing how motivation remains the key to students’ success and efficient performance, it is reasonable to suggest that the task of the one, who has to teach an ELL, is to find a unique niche, which the student take find their interest in, thus, motivating the latter, and at the same time making sure that the student should pass the “large five stages” (Garcia, n. d., 00:03.33–00:03.35) (silent, early productive, speech emergence and intermediate stages) successfully. Affirming and supporting the native language of the learners seems the most efficient and by far the easiest way to motivating the students for cognizing the specifics of the English language and culture. Thus, a teacher shows that the students’ unique national identities are recognized and appreciated. As a result, the students do not have to feel defensive about their language and will be eager to acquire the skills that will help them speak English (Garcia, n. d., 00:03.35–00:03.48). It should be kept in mind, though, that the strategy to be adopted by the teacher in order to facilitate the process of transgression from the native tongue to the English language is different at every stage of the students’ evolution as English language learners. In the course of the speech emergence stage, in its turn, the code switching process is likely to become the key problem. While the given tool seems efficient as the mean of connecting the two cultures, it still results in students failing to acquire new skills and knowledge (Garcia, n. d.a). To promote active learning among ELL students, a teacher should take the specifics of the students’ culture into account, yet avoid the process of code switching in class, which can be achieved by combining addictive and subtractive practices (Garcia, n. d.a, 00:03.36). Another reasonable step towards addressing the issues that ELLs have to encounter in their English studies, the acquisition of the so-called academic English (Hakuta, n. d., 00:02.21) should be addressed by creating an activity that will help the students navigate between the two. For example, this can include matching academic words with their social language synonyms, participating in a group activity that requires switching between the spoken English, which children have learned through playing, and the academic English, which is much more difficult to master. As long as an ELL student is motivated to learn more about the language and passes the key stages of language acquisition successfully, a rapid enhancement of the language mastering process can be expected. However, a teacher must keep in mind that ELL students require a unique approach in order to learn the necessary information. Due to the issues that ELL students experience in the process of code switching, it is crucial that a teacher should supervise their progress on every stage, including the silent, the early productive, the speech emergence and the intermediate ones. As long as the students are provided with the teacher’s support and require the necessary information at the corresponding stage, their evolution as not only ELL students, but also as lifelong learners becomes a possibility. Reference List Garcia, E. E. (n. d.). English language learners . An MP3 file. Garcia, E. E. (n. d.a). ELLs in today schools . An MP3 file. Hakuta, K. (n. d). Second langage acquisition . An MP3 file. Reed, B., & Railsback, J. (2003). Strategies and resources for mainstream teachers of English language learners. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.

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Create the inputted essay that provided the following summary: The text discusses the issue of culture clash in business communication, offering a range of solutions for avoiding potential conflicts.The text discusses the issue of culture clash in business communication, offering a range of solutions for avoiding potential conflicts.

The text discusses the issue of culture clash in business communication, offering a range of solutions for avoiding potential conflicts. The text discusses the issue of culture clash in business communication, offering a range of solutions for avoiding potential conflicts.

Embarking onto the Path of Multiculturalism Research Paper Business communication is not an easy process. A person responsible for the communication processes in a company must be prepared for a range of issues that may occur in the course of negotiations. However, the problem of the culture clash remains the most difficult problem to handle in business communication. Communication Issues and the Related Concerns There comes the time for any entrepreneurship when the need to consider international partnership emerges. Coming in the shape of either an acquisition or a merger, the evolution of a company is inevitable and essential for the further economic success. However, turning into a multicultural company is fraught with a range of complexities, the problem of culture clash being the key one. The communication process is clearly going to become more complex, with a range of obstacles and the possibilities for misunderstanding. Despite the predictable difficulties in cross-cultural communication between the representatives of different companies, most conflicts may be avoided by introducing the principles of tolerance into the very ethics of the company (Pritchard, 2002). The Role of technology: A Tool for Enhancing Diversity Even though technology does not seem to provide an instant solution to the problem of the culture clash, it still offers the tools, with the help of which the communication issue in question can be addressed. Therefore, technology should not be viewed as the end in itself, but, instead, should be considered as a set of tools for addressing the emerging misunderstandings. Indeed, when it comes to the analysis of the problem, one will spot inevitably such a solution as the acquisition of the information necessary for establishing a proper contact with the representatives of other cultures. Seeing that high speed of information transfer is the key feature of modern technologies, it will be reasonable to use them as the tool for shaping the corporate policy towards communication and introducing diversity together with the principles of multiculturalism into the organization (Ferdman & Sagiv, 2012). Bridging the Gaps between Different Generations, Cultures, and Classes It should be noted that the information gap between cultures is not the only concern for most modern organizations. Apart from the notorious lack of ethnic and national diversity, many firms encounter problems when dealing with the information gaps between the employees of different age, social class, income level and education. These issues are admittedly more difficult to handle, since the organization managers will have to deal with a different set of prejudice, which will no longer revolve around the ethnicity and culture related issues. Nevertheless, the problem can and must be addressed with the application of modern technologies. To be more exact, social networks will help make the process of communication less tense. By engaging into virtual conversations, differently aged and educated employees will be able to find a common language without referring to popular stereotypes, since the participants will learn about each other and, thus, create stronger ties (Stone & Tetrick, 2013). Conclusion There is no doubt that the road to a successful and easy business communication between the representatives of different cultures and communities is not going to be easy. No matter how well prepared and accepting one can be, there will always be the cultures and traditions that may seen shocking and even absurd to an average member of a U.S. organization. Therefore, it is crucial that companies should be ready to learn about different cultures and recognize their right to exist. Tolerance is the key to creating successful business ties, and it should be encouraged in every single company. References Ferdman, B. & Sagiv, S. (2012). Diversity in organizations and cross‐cultural work psychology: What if they were more connected? Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 5 (3), 323 – 345. Pritchard, R. M. O. (2002). Cross-cultural partnerships between home and international students. Journal of Studies in International Education, 6 (4), 323 – 353. Stone, D. & Tetrick, L. E. (2013). Understanding and facilitating age diversity in organizations. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 28 (7/8), 725 – 728.

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Provide the full text for the following summary: Emirates Airlines CSR Application Research PaperThis research paper evaluates the application of CSR by Emirates Airlines. The research is motivated by the need to understand the possible gaps in the company's CSR strategies, and hence determine the necessary adjustments that the firm should undertake.Emirates Airlines appreciates the importance of operating in a social responsible manner in order to satisfy its internal and external stakeholders. In a bid to achieve long-term business success, the airline must improve its

Emirates Airlines CSR Application Research Paper This research paper evaluates the application of CSR by Emirates Airlines. The research is motivated by the need to understand the possible gaps in the company's CSR strategies, and hence determine the necessary adjustments that the firm should undertake. Emirates Airlines appreciates the importance of operating in a social responsible manner in order to satisfy its internal and external stakeholders. In a bid to achieve long-term business success, the airline must improve its

Emirates Airlines CSR Application Research Paper Executive Summary This research paper evaluates the application of CSR by Emirates Airlines. The research is motivated by the need to understand the possible gaps in the company’s CSR strategies, and hence determine the necessary adjustments that the firm should undertake. Emirates Airlines appreciates the importance of operating in a social responsible manner in order to satisfy its internal and external stakeholders. In a bid to achieve long-term business success, the airline must improve its commitment to establishing a balance between its internal and external environments. Therefore, the airline should ensure that it adopts a holistic approach in its CSR. The research paper analyses the various CSR activities and strategies that the organisation has integrated into its social responsible strategic human resource management practices. The paper is organised into a number of sections. A brief company profile, the purpose of the study, and a statement of the research problem are outlined in the introduction section. The literature review section entails a review of the available literature on the application of CSR strategies and activities in organisations while the methodology section outlines the research techniques used in collecting data from the field. Conversely, the analysis section entails an evaluation of the findings obtained from the study. The last section outlines the conclusion and the recommendations that Emirates Airlines should consider in order to improve its CSR strategies. Introduction Emirates Airlines is one of the most successful air travel companies in the United Arabs Emirates (UAE). The firm was established in 1985 and it is owned by the UAE government. The airline’s operations are mainly based at Dubai International Airport, which serves as its hub. It appreciates the significance of developing optimal competitive advantage in order to sustain superior performance. Subsequently, the company has invested a substantial amount of resources in order to attain competitiveness ( Emirates 2014). The airline is focused on continuous improvement of its fleet size and destinations in order to serve the local and international air travel demands. Currently, the company serves over 142 destinations, which is facilitated by over 230 aircrafts. It operates over 3,000 flights per week to over 70 countries. One of the unique characteristics about Emirates Airlines entails its independent operations, as it is not a member of the major global airline alliances, viz. Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and Oneworld. Its independent operation was motivated by the need for optimal flexibility in responding to market changes. However, the airline has entered a number of code-sharing agreements with different global airline companies in order to attain competitive advantage ( Emirates 2014). The airline has established two main divisions, which include Emirates Executive and Emirates SkyCargo. Additionally, the airline offers diverse cabin services such as economy class, business class, and first class. In its quest to provide a high level of customer service, the airline has fitted its aircrafts with diverse in-flight entertainment system. It has adopted the concept of global carrier and competitive pricing as its business model, which has remarkably improved its competitiveness against major international carriers such as British Airways, Air France-KLM, Qantas, and Lufthansa. In addition, it has sustained its positive financial performance despite the prevailing economic changes. During its last financial year, which ended on 31 st March 2014, the airline’s net profit grew by AED 3,254 million ( Emirates 2014). Statement of the research problem The global airline industry has experienced considerable growth because of an increment in demand for air travel over the past few decades. Consequently, the degree of competition within the industry has increased substantially. New investors are venturing into the industry by adopting diverse business models such the low-cost models. Conversely, some industry players are adopting diverse expansion models such as the formation of joint ventures in an effort to improve their market performance. The industry is characterised by a high degree of volatility due to economic changes (Worthington & Britton 2006). However, despite the high degree of volatility, airline companies have a duty to satisfy the needs of their stakeholders such as investors, society, employees, and the government. Thus, the importance of integrating optimal strategic management practices cannot be ignored. One of the aspects that airline companies should focus on in their pursuit for long-term survival entails entrepreneurial excellence. According to Zu (2009), the intensity of global competition coupled with technological evolution has led to the emergence of a new business paradigm. Zu (2009, p. 44) suggests that intangibles ‘are seen as a critical factor for the production and the source of sustainable competitive advantage and prosperity’. Consequently, to achieve entrepreneurial excellence, organisations must sustain a high level of profitability in addition to being responsive to environmental, social, and economic issues. The airline industry has been cited as one of the major contributors of air pollution. It is estimated that the aviation industry accounts for approximately 2% of the total manmade carbon-dioxide emissions. The respective industry players have adopted diverse strategies in an effort to minimise emission of greenhouse gases. Cowper-Smith and Grosbois (2010, p.59) insist that there ‘is a growing interest in the scope and effectiveness of efforts undertaken by airlines to mitigate their negative impacts and to contribute to sustainable development’. The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC) projects that the total greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation industry is expected to be less than 3% by 2050 ( Pricewaterhousecoopers 2014). Therefore, to attain the desired level of excellence, airline companies should invest in corporate social responsibility (CSR), which involves the extent to which an organisation’s operations are socially and environmentally ethical. However, some airline companies are investing in CSR due to increased pressure from governments and environmental activists, which means that their motivation towards CSR is not inherent. Additionally, the likelihood of such CSR initiatives being ineffective is high. Furthermore, Amann (2013) asserts that investing in CSR due to external pressure might lead to the adoption an ineffective strategy that does not align with an organisation’s bottom-line. Background and rationale of the study The concept of corporate social responsibility is based on the stakeholder theory. Business operations are based on complex relationship with different components of society. Zu (2009) is of the opinion that stakeholders can influence businesses’ long-term existence positively or negatively. In the contemporary business environment, organisations are experiencing pressure from political and economic changes, growth in ecological concerns, intense competition, and change in public values. Nevertheless, businesses have an obligation to meet the requirements and needs of their stakeholders (Zu 2009). According to the stakeholder theory, businesses should not only focus on the economic dimension and ignore the other dimensions in their quest to attain sustainability. One the contrary, organisations should adopt a holistic approach in their operations, which means that they should factor in the diverse categories of stakeholders in their strategic management practices. Luthans and Doh (2012) assert that businesses interact with two main categories of stakeholders, which include the non-market and market stakeholders. The non-market stakeholders entail individuals who do not directly engage in economic exchange with an organisation. However, they are affected by the operations of the business. Examples of non-market stakeholders include non-governmental organisations, activity groups, and the government. Conversely, the market stakeholders involve the parties that are directly involved in an organisation’s economic transactions (Zu 2009). Some of the major market stakeholder entails employees, shareholders, creditors, and other parties within the supply chain such as agents, distributors, and suppliers. Organisations in different sectors are adopting aggressive growth strategies such as market expansion in order to improve and sustain a high competitive advantage. Consequently, their scope of operation, and hence their impact on society is increasing substantially. Luthans (2011, p.109) asserts that companies’ influence ‘on society has become so pervasive that they should discharge accountability to more sectors of society than solely their shareholders’. Some of the major justifications for investing in CSR include gaining a moral appeal, attaining a high level of sustainability, and gaining corporate reputation (Armstrong 2010). Horrigan (2010) proposes that businesses have a moral obligation to operate ethically despite their performance. Additionally, tying CSR activities to an organisation’s operations enhances an organisation’s competitive advantage. Therefore, it is imperative for organisations to recognise the importance of understanding the impact of their operations on diverse stakeholder groups. Objectives of the research This study intends to understand the significance of CSR amongst business organisations. The study will be based on a case study of Emirates Airlines. The main research objectives include 1. To assess Emirates Airlines’ CSR strategy and the activities that the organisation has designed in implementation of the strategy 2. To evaluate the effectiveness of Emirates Airline’s CSR strategy 3. To propose how Emirates Airlines can improve its CSR practices Research questions In order to attain the above research objectives, the study will be based on a number of research questions, which include 1. What are the major CSR strategies and activities that Emirates Airlines has implemented? 2. How effective is the corporate social responsibility strategies adopted by Emirates Airlines? 3. In what ways can Emirates Airlines improve its corporate social responsibility? Research gaps Over the past decades, most organisations have appreciated the significance of CSR in their operations. However, the application of CSR practices has mainly focused on external stakeholders. The external dimension of CSR entails focusing on social issues such as climate change, poverty reduction, disaster relief and corporate community involvement. Therefore, internal application of CSR has remained relatively low. Wells (2013, p.128) argues that CSR ‘is typically regarded as a macro-level activity with macro-level consequences, and thus it has received scanty attention within the micro-organisational behaviour’. Therefore, it is imperative for organisations to adopt a holistic approach in order to succeed in attaining social objectives. One of the ways through which this goal can be attained is by transforming organisations into a CSR-oriented. Limitations of the study This research entails a case study of Emirates Airlines. Subsequently, the findings of the study do not apply to other firms in the airline industry. However, it is assumed that the findings of the study will provide insight to firms in the global airline industry on how they can attain sustainability by adopting a holistic approach to CSR. Organisation of the study This paper is organised into a number of areas. First, a literature review outlining the various CSR approaches and strategies that are applied by organisations is provided. The methodology section explains the techniques used in collecting and analysing data. An analysis of findings obtained from the field is illustrated by providing a detailed illustration of the responses obtained and their significance and implication to Emirates Airlines. The gaps in Emirates Airlines’ CSR strategy are also identified. A conclusion on CSR in Emirates Airlines and the strategies that the firm should consider are outlined. Literature review Considering the high rate of globalisation and the emergence of the knowledge economy, organisations cannot anchor their success on their philanthropic practices and ignore other relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, no profit-oriented company can afford a decline in their financial strength by over-engaging in philanthropic activities. Subsequently, organisational managers have a duty to balance between its engagement in CSR and business activities in order to attain the desired level of synergy. Prasad (2005) asserts that businesses must ensure that their CSR strategies are sustainable. Despite the stunning growth in appreciation of CSR as a critical managerial aspect that is worth investing in, most organisations experience challenges in the process of designing, implementing, and monitoring CSR activities. Prasad (2005) is of the view that organisational managers can integrate CSR by adopting two main approaches as evaluated herein. Stakeholder mapping This approach involves a mechanism of identifying the diverse stakeholder groups coupled with how they are related to an organisation. Therefore, stakeholder mapping enables an organisation to gain insight on the importance of the diverse stakeholder groups. One of the most effective models that organisations can adopt in mapping stakeholders entails the salience model, which focuses on the stakeholders’ ability to influence an organisation’s actions. Thus, organisations should determine the most important stakeholder to consider during the process of formulating CSR strategies. Stakeholder engagement Organisations should base their CSR activities on extensive consultation process with the relevant stakeholders. Dialogue between the organisation and stakeholders is fundamental in establishing understanding and mutual interdependence. An organisation can establish stakeholder engagement via different levels. These levels include the passive, proactive, two-way, and the listening level. The passive level involves communication of an organisation’s activities to stakeholders through different mediums such as the media. The ‘two-way’ level of engagement involves a dialogue between an organisation and stakeholders through a well-established feedback sharing mechanism. On the other hand, the proactive level entails a form of engagement that provides stakeholders with an opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. The listening approach entails collecting the stakeholders’ views through interviews. Idowu and Louche (2011) argue that stakeholder engagement contributes to the development of CSR in an organisation as the stakeholders’ views and opinions are well understood. CSR strategies Armstrong (2010) argues that CSR strategy should be integrated within an organisation’s business strategy. Moreover, the CSR strategy should be closely linked with an organisation’s HR strategy. This association emanates from the view that CSR strategy is aimed at entrenching socially responsible behaviour within and without an organisation (Armstrong 2010). Previous studies conducted shows that organisations can adopt two main categories of CSR strategies that organisations can adopt. These categories entail the employee-oriented social responsible strategies and the external oriented CSR strategies (Wells 2013). However, the application of these strategies in managing CSR has varied significantly. For example, most organisations have over-emphasised the external component of CSR and ignored the employee-oriented CSR. Wells (2013) defines employee-oriented social responsible HRM as a management practice that focuses on employees by integrating various policies such as work-life balance and optimal reward system. Internal CSR strategies are focused on promoting the level of productivity within an organisation’s workforce. Thus, one of the areas that internal CSR strategies are concerned with involves improving the workplace environment. According to Chandrasekar (2011), the workplace environment directly affects the employees’ level of engagement and productivity. Some of the strategies that organisations adopt in improving the working environment entail employee retention strategies. Idowu (2009) asserts that organisations have a duty to ensure fair and equitable remuneration, which explains why firms are increasingly integrating monetary and non-monetary rewards. Organisations should ensure that employees are remunerated equitably and fairly. In addition to these internal CSR strategies, organisations are increasingly adopting job policies that enable employees to balance between work and life aspects. The main work-life balance strategies that organisations have adopted include flexible working policies such as flexi and part-time working schedules (Urip 2013). Moreover, organisations have a fiduciary duty to ensure that their workforces attain their career development goals by investing in employee training and development. Investing in employee training strategies plays a fundamental role in improving an organisation’s ability to undertake succession planning. Additionally, it also improves the level of employability amongst employees. Amann (2013) suggests that it is fundamental for organisations to pay systematic attention to the concept of workplace integrity. Additionally, Amann (2013, p. 444) asserts that there ‘is a real danger or risk that all other initiatives [and particularly external CSR orientations] might fall apart or be characterised as insincere and misaligned if workplace integrity is ignored’. Furthermore, Wells (2013) emphasise that an organisation that ignores the internal component of social responsible human resource management [SRHRM] is likely to perform dismally with regard to external CSR. This assertion is based on the simple concept of paying attention to in-house corporate responsibilities before diffusing CSR to external stakeholders (Amann 2013). Unlike the internal CSR strategies, the external CSR strategies are interested in the wider community within which a firm operates. The external social responsibility strategies are concerned with improving the general welfare of the external organisational stakeholders. Wells (2009) asserts that external CSR strategies have received extensive attention by organisations in different sectors. The external CSR strategies are concerned with three main issues, which include social, environmental, and community issues. Some of the major external CSR strategies that firms have invested in entail climate-change mitigation strategies, poverty reduction strategies, and provision of relief. Yilmaz and Kucuk (2010) assert that investing in CSR may lead to improvement in an organisation’s reputation, and hence it’s overall financial performance. However, some critics contend that the extensive investment in external CSR may affect the internal stakeholders adversely especially employees. Wells (2013, p. 125) argues that hiring for ‘cognitive moral development and agreeableness, and recruiting CSR-specific staff may affect the employment opportunities for other employees’. Moreover, a firm might incur a substantial financial cost in the process of undertaking CSR-specific training, hence affecting the training and development of other employees. Furthermore, other critics argue that the involvement in philanthropic activities such as poverty reduction might negatively affect an organisation’s capacity to remunerate its workforce fairly and equitably (Wells 2013). Therefore, despite the significance of external CSR strategies in improving an organisation’s corporate reputation and survival, it is imperative for organisational managers to establish a balance between internal and external CSR strategies. Methodology The objective of this research study is to explore the application of CSR by Emirates Airlines. In a bid to attain the research objective, the study has adopted mixed research design. Thus, the qualitative and quantitative research designs have been integrated. Qualitative research design was selected in order to provide the researcher with an opportunity to undertake an in-depth exploration of the research subject within Emirates Airlines. Therefore, the likelihood of gathering a wide range of data is high. In order to be effective in interpreting, condensing, and analysing the data collected, quantitative research design has been integrated. In order to improve the credibility of the research, the study is based on primary sources of data. Data was collected by conducting interviews on a number of internal and external stakeholders at Emirates Airlines. The internal stakeholders selected during the study included employees in different levels of management and their subordinates. Conversely, the external stakeholders mainly included Emirates Airlines customers and the public in Dubai. Simple random sampling was adopted in selecting the research respondents. A sample of 100 respondents, which comprised the different categories of stakeholders, was constructed using simple random sampling technique in order to eliminate bias. The selection of the research respondents was based on the assumption that they were conversant with the CSR concept. Questionnaires were used as the main data collection instruments. However, it was ensured that the questionnaires were designed effectively by eliminating ambiguity and errors in order to increase the rate of response. The data collected was analysed and presented using Microsoft Excel. The choice of the Microsoft Excel software was motivated by its effectiveness in presenting research data using different methods and tools such as tables, charts, graphs, and percentages. Furthermore, Microsoft Excel makes it possible to compare the respondents’ opinions, hence gaining insight on the perspectives regarding the subject under investigation. Therefore, adopting Microsoft Excel aimed at improving the effectiveness with which the data collected from the field is analysed. Analysis In order to be effective in implementing CSR strategy, it is imperative for organisations to invest in diverse CSR activities. Armstrong (2010) asserts that organisations should integrate social activities, adopt progressive HRM practices, focus on environmental concepts, and engage in other activities that contribute towards the advancement of the society’s welfare. This assertion highlights the importance of incorporating both external and internal CSR strategies. Findings of the study showed that Emirates Airlines is committed to attaining long-term sustainability. The respondents cited different strategies that Emirates Airlines has adopted in its pursuit for CSR. Fifty seven percent [57%] of the respondent cited Emirates Airlines’ involvement in external CSR, while 43% of the respondents cited its involvement in internal CSR. Graph 1 However, the respondents’ opinion on the firm’s involvement in CSR varied as evaluated herein. External CSR activities Thirty seven percent [37%] of the respondents cited the company’s sports sponsorship activities. On the other hand, 20% of the respondents cited the company’s investment in the airline foundation. Graph 2 According to these respondents, Emirates Airlines has invested extensively in sports’ sponsorship within the UAE and other parts of the world. The airline has invested in different sports such as football, rugby, motorsports, tennis, horseracing, golf, and cricket. The sports sponsorship program has been in existence for over 20 years. Football constitutes one of the fundamental sports in the company’s sponsorship portfolio. In order to be successful in sponsoring sports, the airline seeks the sponsorship rights from the relevant sports governing bodies such as FIFA. When asked why the motivation behind the company’s investment in sports sponsorship, the respondents’ opinions differed. Ten percent [10%] of the respondents argued that the airline considers sports sponsorship as an important element in the company’s effort to connect with its customers. Nine percent [9%] of the respondents argued that the firm’s extensive investment in sports sponsorship arises from the need to support the society’s interests, while 13% of the respondents cited the need to establish a strong corporate identity within the society. Graph 3 The respondents were of the opinion that the firm’s commitment to sponsoring sports enables it to be part of major sports events such as FIFA World Cup. Therefore, this commitment has played a remarkable role in improving the airline’s global recognition. For example, its association with the Asian Football Confederation [AFC] has enabled the carrier to gain significant market recognition in Asia. Additionally, the airline is remarkably visible in the European region due to its sponsorship of major European clubs such as AC Milan, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid. According to these respondents, Emirates Airlines supports a particular sport upon establishing a new route in order to create optimal market awareness. In line with this strategy, the company has developed a strong presence in Europe through its naming rights of the Emirates Stadium. Furthermore, the airline has also entered an 8-year shirt sponsorship deal, which commenced during the 2006/2007 season. The airline has also established the Emirates Cup, which is a pre-tournament that is usually hosted by the Arsenal Football Club. In addition to football, the airline has sponsored major rugby events such as the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France and the 2011 RWC in New Zealand. The airline has also signed an agreement to sponsor 2015 and 2019 RWC in England and Japan correspondingly. Emirates Airlines has been the core sponsors of the Dubai Rugby Sevens over the past two decades. The airline is also involved in sponsoring high profile tennis tournaments such as the US Open Series, Rodgers Cup, the Dubai Tennis Championship, and Internazionali BNL d’Italia [BNP]. Recently, the airline entered a 5-year contract, whereby it will serve as the official airline during the ATP World Tour ( Emirates 2014). Emirates Airlines has also portrayed its commitment to the growth of Formula 1 sports event by collaborating with F1. For example, in 2013, the airline presence was evident during the Formula 1 season in North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Australasia. For example, the circuit bridges were branded with Emirates Airlines’ logo and colour. Through its sports sponsorship, the airline has established a strong link with its customers. For example, the firm interacts with customers through different platforms such as the digital and mainstream platforms. The airline has also incorporated horseracing as a component of its sports sponsorship portfolio. Some of the horse racing events that the airline sponsors includes the Dubai World Cup Carnival, the Melbourne Cup Carnival, and the Singapore Derby (Clark 2011). On the other hand, 2% of the respondents cited the company’s involvement in cultural sponsorship. The respondents cited the airline’s commitment to the growth of culture and arts. For example, the company has collaborated with the Dubai Summer Surprises, which is a major shopping festival, viz. the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature and the Dubai jazz and film festivals. The commitment to these festivals has played a remarkable role in improving its global recognition by providing consumers with an opportunity to experience diverse cultures ( Emirates 2014). Apart from sports and cultural sponsorship, 3% of the respondents were of the opinion that the airline has invested adequately in CSR by assisting the needs of children in different parts of the world. When asked how, the respondents were of the opinion that the airline has established a foundation that is led by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Al-Maktoum. The Emirates Airline Foundation operates as a philanthropic and humanitarian organisation that focuses on providing aid to children. The objective of the foundation is to improve the wellbeing and quality of life amongst children in need. Some of the areas that the foundation focuses on include education, health, and the provision of shelter. Through its foundation, Emirates Airlines has improved the quality of life within the community in which it flies. For example, the airline has established the Emirates Friendship Hospital Ship in Bangladesh in an effort to provide effective healthcare services to children in the rural areas ( Emirates 2014). From the above analysis, it is evident that Emirates Airlines has mainly emphasised sports sponsorship and promotion of children welfare in its CSR strategy. However, it is imperative for Emirates Airlines to expand its community involvement. According to Fernando (2009), social exclusion is one of the major risks that can hinder an organisation’s ability to exploit available opportunities. In addition to community, Emirates Airlines should invest in environmental protection programs as the occurrence of climate change due to environmental pollution can affect the airline’s competitiveness adversely. Recently, the airline has illustrated its commitment to protecting the environment through its partnership with the Emirates Marine Environmental Group [EMEG, which is focused on protecting marine life. Internal CSR strategies The study shows that Emirates Airlines is committed to the internal component of CSR. Subsequently, the airline has integrated a number of strategies in order to attain optimal CSR. Seventeen percent (17%) of the respondent interviewed cited the company’s commitment to fair and equitable remuneration. The respondents argued that the company has formulated one of the most competitive compensation packages. In their opinion, the airline has integrated a comprehensive reward system that entails diverse benefits, which include monetary and non-monetary benefits. Some of the cabin crew employees selected in the study asserted that their salary scale is based on three main parts, which include the basic salary, flight per hour pay, and the overseas layover or night-stop allowance. Therefore, the airlines’ cabin crew members receive benefits depending on the number of hours flied. Additionally, the salary scale also varies depending on the cabin-crew job position, viz. the first class, economy class, business class, the Pursur, and the senior flight attendants. In an effort to improve the level of motivation amongst its employees, Emirates Airlines increases the salary scale as workers gain experience, which depends on their length of tenure within the organisation. This strategy has played a fundamental role in improving the rate of employee retention within the organisation. Furthermore, 10% of the respondents cited other monetary benefits received at the workplace. Some of the benefits cited include the free accommodation, transport allowance, utility bills, and accommodation allowance to employees who opt to reside outside the company’s residential property. However, the allowance varies depending on the job position. Employees in higher job positions receive higher allowances as compared to those within the normal crew job positions. The respondents also cited health insurance packages as one of the monetary benefits received at Emirates Airlines. In addition to monetary benefits, 8% of the respondents cited diverse non-monetary benefits. One of these benefits cited include the provision of training and development. Conversely, 8% of the respondents considered in the study were of view that the firm has invested optimally in a comprehensive employee training. The respondents asserted that the airline provides them with an opportunity to progress through their career path. A further 8% of the respondents interviewed said that they are pleased with the airlines’ work-life balance strategy. According to Fernando (2009, p. 200), ‘organisations should strive to create a balance for their employees so that sacrificing personal lives may not become a pre-condition for a successful professional life’. Work-life imbalance increases the level of stress and reduces employee motivation due to lack of job satisfaction. Consequently, the likelihood of an organisation experiencing loss of talent due to employee turnover is increased (Mallin 2009). When asked how the airline has incorporated the concept of work-life balance, the respondents argued that it had integrated effective time management. Sekhar (2009) argues that effective time management is fundamental in providing employees with an opportunity to balance between work and personal issues. Therefore, incorporating the concept of work-life balance plays a fundamental role in minimising job-related stress. The respondents argued that the airline has incorporated different policies to entrench workplace flexibility. Some of the policies cited include flexi-time, part-time, job-sharing, and telecommuting. The flexi-time system allows Emirates employees to determine their most appropriate time to work, for example, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. The flexi-time system provides employees with a high degree of control over their work schedule. On the other hand, job sharing involves sharing of duties amongst part-time employees. One the other hand, telecommuting involves working at home using an effective and efficient computer system that connect employees with the workplace (Morrison 2006). Conclusion and recommendations The case study highlights the importance of CSR in an organisation’s effort to attain long-term business excellence. The study shows that Emirates Airlines has recognised the importance of incorporating CSR in its strategic management practices. Its motivation to invest in CSR is driven by a number of factors. First, CSR constitutes an important component in the airlines’ marketing strategy. Investing in CSR has enabled the company to penetrate new markets successfully. For example, the airline develops optimal market recognition by sponsoring various CSR activities such as sports, culture, and art. Through its long-term commitment to sports’ sponsorship, the airline has interacted with different societies around the world. Consequently, there is a high probability of the airline improving its competitiveness in the global airline industry despite its volatility to economic changes. Conversely, Emirates Airlines is also focused on improving the welfare of the society through its poverty alleviation, health, and education sponsorship programs. Thus, the airline has gained a positive reputation in different societies. However, the company has only focused on the community and ignored the environment. Thus, it is imperative for the management team to improve its external CSR strategy. The airline has also adopted effective internal CSR strategies, as evidenced by its investment in improving the working environment through effective reward management system and time management policies. This aspect has remarkably improved the rate of employee retention in the organisation. Despite the efforts made, Emirates Airlines should incorporate the following elements in its CSR strategies. 1. It should balance its CSR strategy. Currently, the firm mainly focuses on sports sponsorship. 2. Environmental dimension; the airline should improve its commitment to protecting the environment by investing in programs aimed at minimising environmental pollution. The significance of adopting the environmental dimension in its CSR strategy arises from the strong link between the prevailing environmental conditions and the airlines’ long-term profitability. For example, the occurrence of natural events such as floods and bad weather due to climate change due to manmade activities can affect the airline’s operations, hence its profitability. 3. Training – the airline should invest in a comprehensive training program in order to instil knowledge within its workforce on the significance of participating in social responsible activities. This move will improve its workforces’ commitment in implementing best practices. 4. Networking businesses and CSR – Emirates Airlines should ensure that all the stakeholders within its supply chain are integrated into its CSR strategy in order to ensure that the CSR activities undertaken are not counterproductive due to lack of commitment from other parties. Reference List Amann, W 2013, Integrity in organisations: building the foundation for humanistic management , Palgrave McMillan, New York. Armstrong, M 2010, Armstrong’s essential human resource management practice; a guide to people management , Kogan Page, Philadelphia. Chandrasekar, K 2011, ‘Workplace environment and its impact on organisational performance in public sector organisations’, International Journal of Enterprise Computing and Business Systems , vol. 1 no. 1, pp. 66-86. Clark, N 2011, Making connections. Web. Cowper-Smith, A & Grosbois, D 2010, ‘The adoption of corporate social responsibility practices in the airline industry’, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 59-77. Emirates: Emirates sponsorships 2014. Web. Fernando, A 2009, Business ethics; an Indian perspective , Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi. Horrigan, B 2010, Corporate social responsibility in the 21 st century; debates and practices across government, law and business, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham. Idowu, S 2009, Professionals perspective of CSR , Springer, Heidelberg. Idowu, S & Louche, C 2011, Theory and practice of corporate social responsibility, Springer, Heidelberg. Luthans, F 2011, Organisational behaviour: an evidence-based approach , McGraw-Hill, New York. Luthans, F & Doh, J 2012, International management: culture, strategy, and behaviour , McGraw-Hill, London. Mallin, C 2009, Corporate social responsibility; a case study approach , Edward Elgar, Massachusetts. Morrison, J 2006, International business environment: global and local marketplaces in a changing world: the international business environment, Palgrave Macmillan, London. Prasad, A 2005, Corporate social responsibility: concepts and cases, the Indian experience, Excel Books, New Delhi. Pricewaterhousecoopers: Airline industry to face rapid expanding competition, according to PWC US 2013. Web. Sekhar, S 2009, Business policy and strategic management, IK International Publisher, London. Urip, I 2013, CSR strategies; corporate social responsibility in competitive emerging markets, Wiley, Hoboken. Wells, G 2013, Sustainable business; theory and practice of business under sustainability principles, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham. Worthington, I & Britton, C 2006, The business environment , Prentice Hall, New York. Yilmaz, A & Kucuk, F 2010, Risk based logical framework to the corporate sustainability , Erciyes University Social Science Institute, Kayseri. Zu, L 2009, Corporate social responsibility, corporate restructuring and firm’s performance; empirical evidence from Chinese companies , Springer, London.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: The paper reflects on the operations management values that can be applied in the operations strategy of the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company and offers recommendations on how to sustain the operations management values within this organization.The paper reflects on the operations management values that can be applied in the operations strategy of the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company and offers recommendations on how to sustain the operations management values within this organization.

The paper reflects on the operations management values that can be applied in the operations strategy of the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company and offers recommendations on how to sustain the operations management values within this organization. The paper reflects on the operations management values that can be applied in the operations strategy of the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company and offers recommendations on how to sustain the operations management values within this organization.

Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company Problem Solution Essay Introduction Founded in the year 2006, the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EIT) has been in the forefront of providing quality and variety of products and services such as mobile telephony, IPTV service, broadband connection, data hub, satellite services, and internet exchange facilities. The company has an integrated operations strategy. Basically, operations strategy is the backbone of a stable company since it determines productivity in terms of flow of operations. Besides, the concept verifies risk proportions before informed decisions are made. This procedure is necessary in monitoring decision science, distribution of risk elements, and forecasting into future swings in the market. Thus, the key conceptual framework of this analytical research treatise is an explicit and in-depth reflection on the operations management values that can be applied in the operations strategy of the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company. The paper also offers recommendations on how to sustain the operations management values within this organization. The current operations strategy at the EIT Company Reflectively, relaying information on the success of a production is dependent on labour and operating costs, which are often balanced for value maintenance. In the process of balancing the act, a quality operations management system should be capable of applying the scientific skills in an artistic manner through informed and perfectly framed use of soft skills to address technical aspects of production management. In every business field, the question of factors facilitating success is often posed. In order to present a comprehensive answer to this question, it is of essence to measure success as a component of the existing operation system (Slack 2012). Basically, a quality operations management system performs optimally via integration of appropriate scientific factors of production. To enrich artistic managerial talents, a balance in the factors of production comes in handy to not only magnify the margins of success but also to ensure a smooth transition of an idea or an event after another, as is the case at the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company. Besides, to avoid an imminent failure, it is vital for the operations management system to focus on a defined edge in balancing the labour and operation costs. Therefore, the company has put in place stringent measures and strategies aimed and monitoring expansionary modules within feasible levels. This includes techniques that are in use in the company to monitor sustainability by application of scientific management of balanced factors of production matrix (Escrig-Tena, Bou-Llusar, Beltran, & Roca-Puig 2011). Generally, production mix strategies proposed by the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company are to ensure long term operation. For implementation of the strategy, the management is to balance both the short term and long term consideration towards decision making. Management that ensures long term obligations is fulfilled. They consider the role played by planning for resources in technology, continued innovations in the production of new products, and conducting researchers to ensure that the production process is efficient through maximization of output within the least possible costs (Slack 2012). Elements of successful operations strategy: Case of the EIT Company Efficiency of the soft skills The key part of the success puzzle for operations management strategy operates with efficiency of the soft skills involving a timeless vision of organizational principles, defining value of the business, determining requirements, clarifying the vision, building teams, mitigating task, resolving issues, and providing direction. A quality operations strategy system must incorporate these principles in the operations (Harrison & John 2010). Moreover, balancing act between having to perform optimally at minimal operation and overhead costs is a component of quality in system modelling. Thus, the success of an operations management system is dependent on soft artful skills, which are part and parcel of system management at the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company. Efficiency in the value maintenance Reflectively, relaying information on the success of a production is dependent on operations strategy for value maintenance. In the process of balancing the act, a quality operations management system should be capable of applying the scientific skills in an artistic manner through informed and perfectly framed use of soft skills to address technical aspects of production management (Slack 2012). Generally, the quality operations management system at the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company is that which satisfies requirements within the budget and time schedule without disintegrating initial goal projections. Balance between the short-term and long-term goals Generally, corporate strategies proposed by the management of the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company are to ensure long-term and sustainable operations. For implementation of the strategy, the management balances both the short-term and long-term consideration towards decision making. Management that ensures long term obligations is fulfilled. They consider the role played by planning for resources in technology, continued innovations in the production of new products, and conducting researchers in the market to identify market niches within the customers. It is apparent that the proper matching of soft skills such as team building, organizational effectiveness, leadership, decision making, problem-solving, creativity, flexibility, and team building are essential in measuring quality of an operations management design for the company (Slack 2012). The success and failure of a business entity are dependent on the effectiveness and quality of the operations management since it determines planning, integration, implementation, and control. In order to strike an optimal performance balance, the process of designing a quality operations management system at the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company commences with a clear overview of budgeting, objectivity, and scheduling (Escrig-Tena et al. 2011). In addition, this part includes control procedures and assessments. In order to come up with a viable operations system, it is of essence to include quality control, communication with stakeholders, progress measurement, and flexibility in planning to accommodate any eventuality as is the case at the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company. Recommendations Adopting the Flexible Monitoring System (FMS) Business efficiency is critical in the product management line since it is characterized by optimal utilization of allocated factors of production within the least possible cost. From the above refection, it is apparent that the company will gain in the long run if it adopts the Flexible Monitoring System (FMS). Despite lower returns on investment below the projection, the overall effect of adopting this proposal will have benefits that will outweigh its limitations. For instance, when the FMS is fully adopted as proposed, the reduction in cost of factors of operations such as labour and reduced actual production costs will result in accumulated gains as a result of controlled costs that are recurring (Escrig-Tena et al. 2011). When the recurring costs such as labour, production space, and cost of machinery are curtailed within a manageable level, the company will increase its returns on investments. Besides, the excess labour may be channelled to another line of production besides the extra production space. Even though the return on investment is lower than projected, the project is viable since it will permanently reduce the recurring cost by a margin of more than 10% of the company’s current production cost. Moreover, the aspect of efficiency as a result of FMS will push the production frontier curve towards sustainability in the long run. Basically, the immediate adaptation of the proposed FMS will contribute towards sustainability in the aspect of cost, dependability, speed, quality, and flexibility (Slack 2012). Specifically, the reduced production floor space will give room for expansion and products without having to expand the infrastructure of the company. More space means more products being produced within the same production bundles. Due to increased output, the market will eventually expand and the company will get more revenues (Jaisnkar & Mistra 2007). Through improved orders throughput, the company is set to immediately and substantially gain from the reliability aspect as compared to its competitors. Since clients will be able to receive their orders within a shorter time, the company stands to gain from customer satisfaction and referrals. Since the duration of delivery will decrease by almost a third of its present rate, the company is geared to reap maximum benefits from economies of scale due to increased capacity to produce and distribute within a short period of time (Harrison & John 2010). At the UAE location, the quality system is certain. Thus, when the system is quality-oriented, the entire chain coordinating these segments would result in optimal operations. Although operations management systems experience constant metamorphosis as a result of short term, midterm, and long term goal planning, no company can operate efficiently without quality system functioning. Thus, quality will quantify optimal functional within a competitive advantage parameter for the company. Besides, high standard operations management score acts as the engine that supports implementers of business strategy in order to comprehensively verify rationale for supporting current, predicted, and actual results for every step upon introduction of a functional system (Harrison & John 2010). Adopting the Six-Sigma The company should also adopt the six-sigma approach in quality control and assurance in the maintenance department. Six-Sigma is an experience of operations management that is used to develop business operations that ensure efficiency through optimal and timely production. Six-Sigma is adopted to attain significant effects of production efficiency through periodic review of the production matrix. Actually, Six-Sigma is a sequence of business events which delivers positive outputs that develop business aim of reliability in the production chain. Six-Sigma ensures that production processes that are necessary are improved “through proactive management of the factors of production such as labour, time, and optimal production capacity” (Slack 2012, p. 39). Six-Sigma is aimed to reduce wastage of production resources that can be experienced in long queues and ineffective task outputs. Quality control is commonly utilized to promote quality of business products. Six-Sigma usually integrates employees to provide the highest quality of products through self-assessment and proactive approach to skills tests. Six-sigma is done to prepare, synchronize and manage the multifarious activities of company through efficiency module. This alternative can be compared to the three balls that are juggled by the circus performers. By implementing the six-sigma alternative, the company can visualize the future risks and hurdles in the implementation of any production plan and can take suitable remedial measures for unforeseeable risks such as machine breakdowns (Slack 2012). Modification of the performance measurement variables In order to achieve quality operations management, the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company’s existing forms of system monitoring should be periodically upgraded to introduce multiple operating system models such as ratio analysis in operation management that is compatible with tracking and analysis within and without the company across the three major segments. These variables are achievable through value delivery, value addition, and creativity. Reflectively, these concepts are techniques and tools essential in the art of operations management. Despite having this efficient operations management system, the company has not fully established a mechanism of monitoring progress at micro level and depends on macro auditing in decision making and still has to deal with the risk of internal redundancy (Powell 2005). The second strategy for performance measurement should be aligned to communication channel in the company. For implementation of the strategy, the management should balance both the short term and long term consideration towards decision making. Management that ensures long term obligations are fulfilled and considers mostly the role played by resources invested in technology, continued innovations in the production of new products and conducting intensive researchers in the market to identify fresh market niches. This is possible because this model of operations management system allows for “operations process competitiveness as it cut down unnecessary overhead costs from waste and under-utilisation” (Slack 2012, p. 43). Conclusion The Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company has a relatively stable operation management system. However, there is need to make adjustments in the efficiency pillar through adopting the Flexible Monitoring System, Six-Sigma, and performance variable to ensure sustainability in its business operations. Reference List Escrig-Tena, A., Bou-Llusar, C., Beltran, M., & Roca-Puig, V. 2011, “Modeling the implications of quality management elements on strategic flexibility.” Advances in Decision Sciences , vol. 1 no. 1, pp. 1-27. Harrison, J. & John, C. 2010, Foundations in strategic management, South Western Cengage Learning, Ohio. Jaisnkar, S. & Mistra, N. 2007, Quantitative techniques for management , Bharathiar University,India. Powell, T. 2005, “Total quality management as competitive advantage: a review and empirical study.” Strategic Management Journal , vol. 16 no. 4, pp. 15–37. Slack, N. 2012, Operations and Process Management: Principles and Practice for Strategic Impact, Pearson Education Limited, Alabama.

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Revert the following summary back into the original essay: The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation's Employee Training Program Report research paper discusses the strategies that the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation uses in its bid to ensure optimal employee performance. The paper offers the best strategies to ensure optimal performance of the employees.

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation's Employee Training Program Report research paper discusses the strategies that the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation uses in its bid to ensure optimal employee performance. The paper offers the best strategies to ensure optimal performance of the employees.

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation’s Employee Training Program Report The scope of the research In this research project, the proposal will dwell on the strategies that the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation uses in its bid to ensure optimal employee performance. The paper will offer the best strategies to ensure optimal performance of the employees. At the beginning, the paper will provide an intrinsic proposal after which it presents the research problem. After this, the research will authenticate researches that have been carried out on the topic, besides presenting a comprehensive literature review to establish the present stand on the topic. Finally, the research proposal will deliver the final outcome which will be include proposals on the best ways to overcome the problem, reflect upon it, and finally present the most appropriate alternative approach that will minimize or solve the problem. Research background The problem is the need to incorporate training and development as part of the human resource management policies of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC). Currently, the human resource management department have policies that do not optimally reinforce training and development among the employees. As a result, the company loses its engineers to its competitors due to lack of a successful training program. Besides, the company does not have a very clear career path for the employees. In many jurisdictions, it is mandatory to have an independent training and development management function in an institution. Reflectively, design and skill development are the nerve centre for skilled and competent labour force. Unfortunately, there are scenarios where the human resource management department of the ENEC is not very efficient and therefore fails to take up key control issues in time. There is no proper schedule for periodic and continuous employee training and development within the ENEC, which has a quantifiable module for tracking the feedback and level of engagement among the employees. As a result, it is almost impossible to monitor the performance of each employee against the set targets. Besides, the lack of training and development may be attributed to low employee morale and redundancy at the organization. It is therefore necessary to establish the most appropriate and sustainable training and development strategy for the ENEC to monitor and micromanage its employee productivity as is the case at the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. Research problem Despite the fact that the ENEC spends several millions in training seminars and internal programs, the training modules have not been modified to fit within the organization’s corporate culture. Therefore, this research paper will establish the most appropriate approach that the ENEC should adopt to improve on its training and development strategies. The ENEC will greatly benefit from appropriate training and development strategies, which translates into better employee growth and development, affirmative action, and client satisfaction. Rationale of the research The need for employee efficiency in the ENEC necessitates more research in the area of management styles and their impacts on organizational performance within the UAE. It is for these reasons that the research will attempt to provide a framework for organizational performance as directly influenced by the type of management strategies at the ENEC. From the business point of view, the ENEC will be in a position to double its current labour output and will spend less time in constant replacement of the employees who resign. From the personnel engagement and motivation point of view, the ENEC will be in a position to provide better career paths, opportunities for personal and organizational growth, and motive employees to perform optimally. At the end of the research, the ENEC, which wants to further improve organizational performance and increase its commitment to efficiency, will have mechanisms that it can use to decide on the most appropriate management style. Research aims and objectives This study attempts to explicitly review the human resource management strategies in the ENEC and their impacts on the quality of employee performance feedback. The primary aims and objectives of this research paper will be; 1. To provide sufficient information to the human resource management department of the ENEC on the real management problems that has facilitated the occurrence of poor performance among the employees. 2. To establish the views of the employees of the ENEC on the level of job satisfaction within the current training and development programs. 3. To establish the link between the current output of the ENEC and the scope of its human resource management strategies. Research questions * What is lacking within the training planning at the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation? * What factors of human resource planning has not propelled the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation to its optimal success route? * How does the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation deal with different challenges with its employee training planning? * What could be the reasons behind constant employee resignation, despite the attractive remuneration packages? Significance of the research This research will assist the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation in the UAE to implement effective employee management strategies that promote efficiency and sustainability of employee performance feedback. It will be a compilation of best human resource management strategy practices. The study will also provide recommendations on how the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation can effectively manage its employee performance in order to guarantee employee satisfaction. Research methodology Research methodology encompasses elements like research design, study location, target population, sample and sampling procedures, research instruments, pilot testing of the instruments, data collection process, and data analysis procedures. These elements will be discussed in a more coherent manner. It must be noted that this section is very important to this study due to the fact that it gives the methods used to collect the primary data from the source. This research will be conducted using research survey study approach. The researcher chose the qualitative approach rather than a quantitative because the scope of the research is focused, subjective, dynamic, and discovery oriented. The qualitative approach is best suited to gain proper insight into the situation of the case study. Besides, qualitative data analysis is more detailed than a quantitative one. Moreover, this approach will create room for further analysis using different and divergent tools for checking the degree of error and assumption limits. The researcher will dispatch 120 questionnaires as part of the quantitative survey. The research will be declared effective when 80 questionnaires are fully filled and returned. This research will target senior and junior staff at the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. The research will target to interview 6 participants. The study will opt for open and close-ended questionnaire in data collection since it is economical on time, finance, and energy unlike qualitative method which may not be economical especially when the sample size is put into picture. In the collection of data procedure, the research will adopt a drop and pick module for the sample population. Each respondent will be given a time frame of a week to respond to questions in the questionnaire. Where necessary, further clarification will be accorded to participants. Data Analysis The collected quantitative data will be coded and passed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version seventeen. In the process, cross tabulation will be used to compare and contrast perception on the effectiveness of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation’s training program. In order to quantify the relationship between the independent and dependent variable, ANOVA will be essential besides figures, charts, and tabular representation of correlation analysis. Expected findings It is anticipated that the human resource management strategies, that will be recommended, will ensure optimal performance and sustainability of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation’s labour function as have been the case at the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. The improvement in employee performance will be quantifiable through comparing the past employee performance feedback of the company with the performance after six months of implementation.

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Create the inputted essay that provided the following summary: The essay discusses the disadvantages of emiratisation, a strategy adopted by the United Arab Emirates to reduce the number of foreign workers. The essay argues that emiratisation will lead to a decrease in international trade and investment, as well as a decrease in the quality of life for Emiratis.

The essay discusses the disadvantages of emiratisation, a strategy adopted by the United Arab Emirates to reduce the number of foreign workers. The essay argues that emiratisation will lead to a decrease in international trade and investment, as well as a decrease in the quality of life for Emiratis.

Emiratisation Strategy in UAE Essay Introduction The British left the UAE with an immature educational system that has failed to produce a productive human resource sector to date. Since independence, the UAE economy has lacked a stable inbred national human resource, and has often relied on the imported human labour and foreign expatriates (Al-Waqfi and Forstenlechner 168). The blossoming sectors of Tourism, Manufacturing, Hospitality, and Information Technology, which are vital to the UAE, are lacking an aboriginal expertise. The dependence on the foreign expatriates is gradually causing economical, social, and political dilemmas. The UAE has recently enhanced its commitment to reduce the foreign expatriates through the Emiratisation approach, which seems to attract legal, ethical, and political discourses (Jasim 365). Fundamental to such dilemmas, this essay presents twelve disadvantages of Emiratisation, with some strong evidentiary support. Emiratisation Will Demean International Trade Bilateral trade links have saturated the world, with the UAE economy being among the economies that rely on the international trade. According to Jasim, international trade entails exchanging exports and imports of human resources, raw materials, manufactured goods, and technologies between two trade partners (367). Imposing capitalist approaches through the workforce nationalization strategy would result to international wrangles concerning equity in the international trade. On average, over 31% of the UAE economy relies on the export of the precious crude oil to several nations across the world. Trade is a commercial strategy that often depends on stringent trade agreements and arrangements (Randeree 73). Displacing foreign workforce without a plan might affect the UAE oil trade. The Emerging Non-Oil Sector The Emirati economy has recently noticed that excess reliance on the oil sector to generate national revenue may be detrimental, due to the gradual decrease in the oil production (Randeree 72). The EAU counties have harmoniously agreed to emphasize on stabilizing the non-oil sectors to secure the future of their economy. The non-oil sectors such as Manufacturing, Information Technology, Banking, Real Estate, Airline, and Trade, majorly rely on the foreign expatriates, due to the lack of skilled native workforce. The rapidly growing non-oil sector contributes to 71% of the GDP of Emirati, with a trade value of AED1.2 trillion per annum. Forcible elimination of the reliable foreign expatriates in the non-oil sector will devastate the UAE economy. See table 1. (Forstenlechner et al. 408) Emiratisation Would Discourage Foreign Investment The UAE economy profoundly relies on oil extraction, and its expertise in the non-oil investment is still immature. Internal tariffs on the foreign investment would affect the foreign investors. Globally, the labour standards pertaining to the international trade and investment require nations to respect the collective bargaining principles (Al-Waqfi and Forstenlechner 169). Apart from breaching the international investment policies, imposing discriminatory policies on the privately owned firms would discourage foreign investors. By 2006, 91 percent of the 2.4 million workers were foreign expatriates, with the majority 53% of them were working in privately owned firms (Randeree 75). Furthermore, the UAE private sector requires a skilled workforce that can initiate mega projects, a demand that the UAE nationals can barely satisfy. The Complicated UAE National Workforce Although the Emiratisation strategy is an ideal idea that would stabilize the future of the UAE economy, the demands of the UAE nationals are complex. Forstenlechner, Madi, Selim, and Rutledge state that expatriates are competent in almost all technical and manual jobs, while the UAE nationals are choosy and professionally disoriented (410). Notwithstanding their incompetence, the UAE nationals demand for higher compensation, favourable working conditions, proper job security, greater working benefits, and minimal working duration. The UAE nationals often yearn for the public sector jobs that offer better working conditions, and forcing them into the private sector may be illegitimate (Randeree 78). Governmentally forced occupations into the private sectors is a practice against the international labour laws that discourage forced labour. Lack of a Stable Succession Plan Emiratisation is increasingly approaching its targets, but the lack of a suitable succession plan, would hamper its progress and affect the future of the UAE economy. The most disturbing issue that would hamper the economic progress when the foreign expatriates depart is the lack of a strategic succession plan (Wilkins 155). There are currently no policies or strategies governing the smooth succession of the expatriates. Over 3,278,000 expatriates currently dominate the private and public sectors of the UAE (Randeree 76). To discourage an influx of expatriates, the Emiratisation model is unethically recruiting foreigners on fixed and non-renewable contracts with limited working durations. Such approaches are against equality of treatment and opportunity policy of the ILO. See table 1. (Randeree 73) Little Control over the UAE Private Firms The UAE economy has a very little sovereignty on the private organizations operating within its borders. The implications of Emiratisation is that forced resignations, dismissals and denial of rights for renewal of contracts in the private sector organizations would deem illegal and against the international business standards (Wilkins 159). Out of the 91% of the 2.4 million national workers of the UAE economy, 99% of the expatriates work in the private sector, and adhere to private sector regulations that the national government can barely interfere with (Wilkins 158). The UAE economy will attract legal controversies when they impose regulations to streamline the recruitment and retention practices of the private firms. The Plight of the UAE women in the Strategy The UAE female nationals are contemptuous about the mixed-gender workplaces, and often prefer working in the female-dominated sectors or opt to remain jobless due to their cultural beliefs (Randeree 82). The Emiratisation strategy is likely to affect the culturally controlled women who lack the required corporate competence or who adhere to the Islamic doctrines. Currently, the UAE women have remained underrepresented in the national workforce. Inclusion of the UAE women in the national workforce is relatively low. According to Randeree, out of the 13.8% of the unemployed natives, 12.0% are women, while only 2.0% are men (81). Dismissal of the foreign expatriates will pave way to the establishment of strong Islamic cultural norms that will undermine the female workforce. Breach of the International Labour Laws The international labour laws govern labour relationship between native workers, transnational companies, and foreign expatriates. The international labour laws form part of the national labour laws of the UAE economy. These laws control the foreign workforce appointments, workforce contracts, working conditions, employment regulations, equity in workplaces, and training and development issues (Wilkins 157). Forceful displacement of expatriates and foreign workforce would undermine the international labour regulations. The UAE has currently breached the international labour standards that advocate for equitable access to opportunities and fair treatment for all the employees regardless of their nationality. Wilkins (159) states that currently, 60% of the foreign expatriates working in the UAE remain subjected to unfair Emiratisation quotas and bans. Human Rights and Ethics of Business The UAE economy has enacted regulations that favour the UAE nationals and frustrate the immigrant workers. The concepts of equal opportunity and equal treatment of the international labour laws and standards are undergoing gradual demolition, as the majority of the immigrant workers in the private sector are suffering from over taxation (Forstenlechner et al. 406). The UAE has given international private firms an optional ultimatum to pay an annual sum of 60,000 AED to the Labour Ministry for the training of the unemployed and the unskilled Emiratis, or quit the Arabian markets (Wilkins 158). Such attempts have an indirect impact on the private workforce, because workers have to contribute through taxes to meet such corporate demands levied against their companies. Poor Policy Formulation and Implementation The Emiratisation approach has been ethically insensitive, since what matters most to the UAE economy is to experience an increase of the indigenous workforce in the national labour market (Forstenlechner et al. 409). Some of the UAE policies aimed towards workforce nationalization and reduction of the foreign expatriates include forcible deportation, strict policies towards visa issuance, denial of health insurance to foreigners and restrictions on the visa trade. Due to the enforcement of the unfavourable quotas and bans that seem to be in the form of discriminatory affirmatives, an estimated number of 10,000 secretarial staffs in the private sector will probably lose their jobs (Randeree 76). Emiratisation strategy uses non-renewable contracts that displace millions of the expatriates unfairly. The Unstable Educational Systems The most devastating impact of the forcible elimination of the foreign expatriates is the future of the UAE economy that would plunge due to the unstable and incompetent indigenous workforce that would replace the skilled expatriates (Forstenlechner et al. 415). The UAE educational system and the levels of professional expertise are considerably low, and the educational standards are pitiable. The UAE educational system is unstable, with the higher education institutions still relying on the same foreign expatriates to train and develop youngsters. Randeree states that the 60% productive youths with 20 years and above are gradually undergoing Islamic radicalization, and a mere percentage has undergone formal training (80). Of the 27% who have undergone college training, a few can communicate in fluent English. Low Innovation and Expertise among the Local Workers Emiratisation is putting the UAE economy on the verge of collapsing, since expatriates from the Western nations may not have adequate time to transfer the necessary commercial and entrepreneurial skills to the UAE nationals (Wilkins 161). Displacing and deporting foreign expatriates, who possess competent skills required to handle the international market competition between private firms, will plummet the private sector and hamper the UAE economy in general. A mere workforce population of 70,000 (1%) of the UAE nationals, works in the private sector, while a vast majority of about 192,000 (80%) explores their careers in the government and offer workforce services to the public entities (159). Such circumstances suggest that even the experienced public workers can barely fit into the private sector. Conclusion The blossoming oil extractions and oil ventures generated enough national revenue for the UAE economy, and encouraged laxity on the UAE nationals who failed to see the need of professionalism or career development. Emiratisation as a strategy that seeks to displace the foreign expatriates and immigrant workforce may have some devastating impacts on the UAE economy and its nationals. Low professional competence in the private sector jobs, unprofessional education, high salary expectation of the UAE nationals, culture, demand for favourable working conditions and generous vacations, are the disadvantages of Emiratisation that would make the UAE economy plummet. Furthermore, forcible displacement, retrenchment, dismissal, and revocation of working contracts are actions that are internationally unlawful, unethical, and unprofessional. Works Cited Al-Waqfi, Mohammed and Ingo Forstenlechner. “Barriers to Emiratisation: the role of policy design and institutional environment in determining the effectiveness of Emiratisation. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 25.2 (2014): 167-189. Print. Forstenlechner, Ingo, Mohamed Madi, Hassan Selim, and Emilie Rutledge. “Emiratisation: determining the factors that influence the recruitment decisions of employers in the UAE.” The International Journal of Human Resource Management 23.2 (2012): 406-421. Print. Jasim, Al‐Ali. “Emiratisation: drawing UAE nationals into their surging economy.” International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy 28.9 (2008):365-379. Print. Randeree, Kassim. “Strategy, Policy, and Practice in the Nationalization of Human Capital: ‘Project Emiratisation.” Research, and Practice in Human Resource Management 17.1 (2009): 71-91. Print. Wilkins, Stephen. “International briefing 9: Training and development in the United Arab Emirates.” International Journal of Training and Development 5.2 (2001): 153-165. Print.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: Emotional intelligence is important in the field of human resources for organizational growth and competence. Emotional intelligence makes a difference in human resources partitioning because it opens up the possibility for understanding of people and making good use of their input in the organization for the achievement of a competitive edge.

Emotional intelligence is important in the field of human resources for organizational growth and competence. Emotional intelligence makes a difference in human resources partitioning because it opens up the possibility for understanding of people and making good use of their input in the organization for the achievement of a competitive edge.

Emotional Intelligence in HR Essay (Critical Writing) There have been changes in IQ scores as years advance. The high scores recorded in the rise of IQ are because of the changing trend in evaluation taking a turn from strictly intellectual testing to testing of competence in the light of psychological statuses gauging empathy, initiative and the self-discipline of people (Riley, 2013). It is agreeable that IQ has limits because there are limitations to IQ as it relies mainly in intellectual intelligence without. It is more factual without express assurance of competence because it lacks any emotional connections. IQ limitations emerge from the incapability of encompassing other human qualities, which promote the success of an individual (Lopez-Zafra, Garcia-Retamero & Berrios, 2012). The great divide in competence is the utilization of emotions and cognition through the capability of using the mind and the heart in a concurrent manner. Through competence divide, there is a combination of expertise, thoughts and feelings. This differs with pure cognition in performance with no combination of feelings in performance (Queendom, 2013). Emotional intelligence helps in developing a manner for handling situations in an emotionally conscious way. That requires a capacity of intellectual competence through support of cognitive abilities. The great divide remains between the emotional and purely cognitive capabilities of the brain. The divide exists in professions where there is need for contact with people requiring connection to their feelings for a better delivery of services (The Hay Group, 2013). Emotional intelligence is important in the field of human resources for organizational growth and competence (Cherniss, Grimm & Liautaud, 2010). Emotional intelligence makes a difference in human resources partitioning because it opens up the possibility for understanding of people and making good use of their input in the organization for the achievement of a competitive edge (Hein, 2013). This happens in the human resources management because it is all about handling people and requires ample understanding of the thoughts and feelings of others, then integrating it into the needs of the organization for success (Skinner & Spurgeon, 2005). Peter Principle is the over reliance on individuals with too much expertise and skills in top positions within organizations without consideration of their people management skills (Smithson, 2010). While working in an editing firm, one the chief editor resigned to take up a better paying job in a different organization and the editor next in line got the opportunity of taking up the position of chief editor. He was a dedicated person, after getting the position of chief editor; he started bullying people and got at loggerheads with reporters on issues of interpersonal relationships. Attention to people is a valuable resource since it gives a chance for attending, and treating them in a manner that recognizes their needs, and feelings (Dickinson & Villeval, 2012). Emotional tone deafness is a social awkwardness initiator in that it does not take the feelings of people into consideration. Empathy, therefore, holds a social responsibility through promotion of consciousness to people’s emotions (Skinner & Spurgeon, 2005). The contagiousness of emotions runs through the fact that emotional consciousness helps in the practice of democracy, expressiveness and trust. This allows for open atmospheres providing chances for development of personal bonds within an organization. In sports, there is need for unity for the performance of a teams’ effectiveness (High performance systems. Inc, 2013). When a couch is flexible and trusting of the efforts of his team members, he creates a social atmosphere where each member feels valuable to the team following the example of their leader and that pays off to the leadership of the team leader. Through empathy, an initiator connects to the emotions of others and works at the realization of their innermost needs (Hosea, 2012). It provides room for development of trust and long-term relationships respecting the emotions of others with concern to their thoughts and feelings (Ingram & Cangemi, 2012). It allows conscious aware of feelings and the social appropriateness in the expression of physical influence of others. It promotes balance in all aspects of life such as health, work and family in the achievement of personal goals and values and this self-awareness helps in leadership (Team Technology, 2013). A social extrovert may be with a hindrance of some of the effectiveness of communication qualities required of a good leader (Zimmerman, 2013). Extroverts are naturally outgoing, but they lack communication skills to drive a leader into quality interaction with subordinates in an emotionally connected manner (Bonvicini, 2007). A change catalyst must possess special qualities, such as expertise, self-confidence, motivation, commitment, initiative, optimism, and influence for effective transformation (The Hindu, 2013). A change catalyst uses personal competencies to manage resistance and perseveres while presenting cases and handling of consultants as they influence change (Fleischer, 2012). Fear of litigation makes people incapable of speaking the truth afraid to go against company policies. Speaking out is damaging that most people stay silent on issues about incorrect factors. Whistle blowers face persecution because the implications of their action go against company regulations of protection of organizational secrets. Companies focused on breach of their policies made by whistle blowers (Lavan, & Katz, 2005). References Bonvicini, K. A. (2007). Physician empathy: Impact of communication training on physician behavior and patient perceptions. (PhD Thesis., University of Phoenix.) doi:10.1016/j.pec.2008.09.007 Cherniss, C., Grimm, L.G., & Liautaud, J.P. (2010). Process-designed training: A new approach for helping leaders develop emotional and social competence. Journal of Management Development, 29(5), 413-431. Dickinson, D. L., & Villeval, M. C. (2012). Job allocation rules and sorting efficiency: Experimental outcomes in a peter principle environment. Southern Economic Journal, 78(3), 842-859. Web. Fleischer, S. (2012). The perceived relevance of professional leadership competencies among mid-level managers in student affairs at four-year institutions of higher education. (Dissertation, California State University, Long Beach). Web. Hein, S. (2013). Critical Review of Daniel Goleman . Web. High performance systems Inc. (2013). Leadership Solutions for the 21 st Century . Web. Hosea, M. (2012). Empathy and the magic of influence. Marketing Week, 50-52. Web. Ingram, J., & Cangemi, J. (2012). Emotions, Emotional Intelligence and Leadership: A Brief, Pragmatic Perspective. Education, 132 (4), 771-778. Lavan, H., & Katz, M. (2005). Disciplining Employees for Free Speech, Whistle Blowing, and Political Activities. Journal Of Individual Employment Rights, 12 (2), 119-135. Lopez-Zafra, E., Garcia-Retamero, R., & Berrios Martos, M. (2012). The Relationship between Transformational Leadership and Emotional Intelligence from a Gendered Approach. Psychological Record, 62 (1), 97-114. Queendom. (2013). Emotional Intelligence Test. Web. Riley Guide. (2013). Self-Assessment Resources . Web. Skinner, C., & Spurgeon, P. (2005). Valuing empathy and emotional intelligence in health leadership: A study of empathy, leadership behaviour and outcome effectiveness. Health Services Management Research, 18 (1), 1-12. Web. Smithson, R. (2010). Smithson: Is Tiger Woods proving the Peter principle? Kelowna Capital News . Web. Team Technology. (2013). Emotional Intelligence and Leadership . Web. The Hay Group. (2013). Emotional & Social Competence Inventory- University Edition . Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations . Web. The Hindu. (2013). The Hindu Opportunities . Web. Zimmerman, M. (2013). Emotional Literacy Education and Self-Knowledge How to Make the World a Better Place Chapter 1. Web.

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Write a essay that could've provided the following summary: The study will examine whether the engagement strategy motivates employees to stay longer at the company.Whether the engagement strategy motivates employees to stay longer at the company.

The study will examine whether the engagement strategy motivates employees to stay longer at the company. Whether the engagement strategy motivates employees to stay longer at the company.

Employee Engagement in Google Coursework Project Description It is known that employee engagement increases retention rates in organisations. Research indicates that intrinsic and extrinsic rewards increase employee’s satisfaction level and reduces the intention to leave an organisation (Soni 2014). Google is one of the top IT companies that use employee engagement to create a productive workforce. It uses a combination of extrinsic (attractive benefits) and intrinsic methods (inclusion and transparency) to attract and retain skilled employees (Durmaz 2013). It has a ‘people analytics’ unit charged with the responsibility of determining the workers’ benefits and compensation based on career needs and productivity level. It also provides an atmosphere of trust, inclusivity, and transparency through regular feedback on pertinent issues. While statistics indicate that the program improves productivity, its effect on employee turnover is unclear. The proposed research will examine whether the engagement strategy motivates employees to stay longer at the company. The study comes at an opportune time because findings will help Google reverse its currently high turnover rate. It is worth noting that certain engagement programs do not work for particular employees (Haid & Sims 2009). This stems from the fact that workers have different career needs and skill levels. In addition, due to generational differences, the effectiveness of an engagement strategy is affected by age of the employees. Ideally, firms should use a different engagement strategy for a particular class of workers based on their needs, skill level, and age to increase retention. It is known that organizations that have good engagement programs have lower turnover rates. Engagement strategies commonly employed include monetary rewards for good performance, recognition, training and development opportunities, and promotions (Haid & Sims 2009). Google can adopt multiple extrinsic and intrinsic approaches to increase its retention rate. Being a technology company, a retention scheme that motivates (intrinsic) and rewards employees can reduce turnover. Key Stakeholders Husted and Allen (2010) define stakeholders as the people “who contribute to a company’s wealth-creating capacity” and potentially influence or are affected by the organisation (p. 12). The key stakeholders who may be affected by or have an interest in this study include Google’s HR managers, employees, shareholders, and directors. HR Managers According to the Bradfield Group (2010), the HR role affects all managers and workers and thus, engagement or communication should be tailored to meet each employee’s needs. The HR managers may be interested to know how the firm’s engagement strategy addresses the diverse needs of the employees. This will help them design engagement programs (intrinsic and extrinsic) that reflect the diverse needs of workers to curb the rising turnover rate. Employees The study will examine whether Google’s engagement programs fail to meet employees’ career expectations, forcing them to leave the firm. Their views about the programs will help reveal the causal factors that underlie the high employee turnover rate. Shareholders Employee turnover affects the productivity of organisations resulting in huge losses. Shareholders often measure a company’s growth potential based on its current sales volume and assets, such as its human resource. Thus, they often seek to know a company’s retention rate. For service-based companies, such as Google, attracting talented employees gives them a strong competitive advantage in the industry. Directors Directors may be interested in knowing which engagement programs are effective and worth investing in. As the people who influence decisions at the highest level, knowledge of the inefficacies of the current programs in preventing turnover can help them make better HR decisions. Sources of Secondary Research The study will consult multiple secondary research sources to enhance its credibility and evaluate alternative perspectives. The key secondary sources will include industry and company reports, academic papers, and professional publications. Industry reports will provide information about the turnover rate within the IT services industry. In contrast, company reports will give specific statistics regarding the number of employees leaving the firm per year. Company reports are important HR data sources (The Bradfield Group 2010). They reveal the period an employee works in a firm before leaving as well as the reasons for his/her departure. The study will also consult scholarly papers examining the link between employee engagement and turnover. Unlike company reports, academic publications are objective and peer-reviewed papers authored by distinguished scholars. Professional publications will be another important source of secondary data for this research. They will give insights into employee motivation dynamics in the contemporary business environment. The secondary research will complement the primary data obtained through first-hand inquiry. Secondary sources of information describing the work environments and an assortment of methods that Google uses to encourage their employees to stay will also be consulted. Technology firms assign employees special projects to engage them and encourage them to be creative and innovative. Thus, the researcher will rely on company reports on successful projects to draw secondary data. These approaches may be oriented towards job satisfaction or empowerment of the employee by imparting requisite skills or giving an opportunity to skilled workers to develop innovative products. Thus, technology projects utilise the skills of employees and at the same time serve as an engagement strategy. Methods of Primary Data Collection The study will use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to collect primary data. The primary methods that the study will use include questionnaires, observations, focus groups, and interviewing (semi-structured). Questionnaires – quantitative data will be collected using survey questionnaires administered on a sample of the current employees. The data will help reveal how employees rate Google’s intrinsic and extrinsic engagement methods. The questions will be structured in a way that they measure the effects of engagement. This will enhance the instrument’s content validity (Creswell 2009). Responses will be ranked on a five-point Likert scale. The participants will answer the questions on a voluntary basis. Both structured and semi-structured questions will be used to collect qualitative data from the participants. Observational research – the researcher will observe the respondents’ behaviour and attitudes towards the organisation’s engagement strategy. This will indicate their trust/loyalty to the organisation and its mission. Participant observations will enrich the data collected through the other methods. Focus groups – this method will yield qualitative data related to the respondents’ opinions about Google’s engagement programs. Since they allow interaction within a group, focus groups are an important tool for obtaining people’s experiences and views on a particular program (Creswell 2009). The interaction between the participants will give insightful qualitative information about the level of engagement in the company. Interviewing method – the study will use semi-structured interviews to collect qualitative data. The interviewer will ask a number of leading questions followed by minor ones to probe into different issues. Respondents will be interviewed on issues such their preferred engagement method, their satisfaction with the current program, and the period they expect to remain in the firm. The researcher will interview current and past employees and managers of the company. Additional data, in the form of respondents’ non-verbal cues, will be collected during the interviewing session. The intention is to collect as much data as possible for cross-validation purposes. The interviews will be conducted at the convenience of the respondents. The researcher will sample the employees using surveymonkey.com online tool. This approach will minimise the ethical issues related to confidentiality of personal information. The participants will indicate their preferred mode of engagement in online and answer a few survey questions. Survey forms will be mailed to the respondents to collect the data in a fast and cost-effective manner. The respondents will be required to share their personal data, including age, gender, level of education, and career prospects. The information will help the researcher to determine whether the participants receive intrinsic or extrinsic engagement from the corporation. It will also reveal their perceptions regarding the efficacy of the methods employed in meeting their career aspirations and dreams. The turnover statistics available in the company’s reports indicate how much the firm is losing in terms of human resources. Turnover is related to employee dissatisfaction and the absence of opportunities for career growth. Therefore, the researcher will relate the turnover statistics with the employee’s responses on satisfaction with the engagement methods. This will reveal their willingness to leave or stay in the organisation. A cross-case comparison involving Google and other technology firms in the IT industry will be done. Their engagement strategies and turnover rates will be compared to identify the most effective extrinsic and intrinsic approaches. However, before collecting the data, an evaluation will be done to determine if it will be possible to collect the type of data from the firms. The researcher will formally request the firms to allow him to access the turnover data for the study. Given the sensitivity of the data, the researcher will keep the information confidential. The researcher will use the student’s t-test to compare the cases and draw conclusions regarding the efficacy of the engagement strategies employed by the different organisations. The aim is to compare Google’s engagement methods with those used by similar firms to determine the best approaches for the industry. A permission letter will be sent to the VPs of Google and the other firms asking them to allow the researcher to use the turnover data of the respective firms for the research. In the analysis, it is expected that a difference in the engagement strategies used will result in different turnover rates. Additionally, since the companies belong to the same industry, the turnover rates are expected to be comparable. Presentation of Findings The study’s findings will indicate the impact of Google’s employee engagement strategy on retention. The results will be presented using summary reports and verbal presentations. The report, as outlined in the diagram below, will summarize the study’s findings and implications on employees and the management. It will briefly highlight the areas that the managers should change to improve the effectiveness of the firm’s engagement strategy in preventing turnover and improve productivity (Marchinton & Wilkinson 2012). These may include training, competitive packages, or promotions. According to Stewart and Rigg (2011) training and development is among the most effective employee engagement strategies with regard to productivity improvement. The report will also contain the aims and methodology used in the study as well as a conclusion. It will end with recommendations that will help the company overcome the turnover problem. Aims Purpose of the study Methods Data collection and analysis methods Findings Drawn from the results Conclusion and recommendations Based on the cost-benefit analysis The researcher will also use the presentation method to share the study’s findings. He will present key information to the stakeholders verbally using a PowerPoint presentation. This method is a quick way of disseminating findings to stakeholders. The researcher will present the findings in a formal meeting or a conference involving all stakeholders. The aim is to highlight the key challenges of the current engagement strategy and offer recommendations on how to respond to the high turnover rate. By comparing the engagement strategies that the corporation uses with the turnover statistics, the researcher will be able to determine the most effective methods for engaging employees. It will identify extrinsic and intrinsic methods that yield the most benefits for the organisation. Additionally, the researcher will compare Google’s engagement strategy with similar firms in the IT industry. The cross-case comparisons will help determine the most effective strategy within the industry. The findings will be useful in improving the organisation’s current corporate approach with regard to employee recruitment and retention. The engagement approaches in use in each organisation will be compared with its turnover rate in the industry to rank the best methods for use. References Creswell, J 2009, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches , Sage Publications, Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA. Durmaz, L 2013, Employee Engagement: How 3 Top Companies Increased It . Web. Haid, M & Sims, J 2009, Employee Engagement: Maximizing Organisational Performance. Web. Husted, B & Allen, D 2010, Corporate Social Strategy: Stakeholder Engagement and Competitive Advantage , Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Marchinton, M & Wilkinson, A 2012, Human Resource Management at Work, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, London. Soni, S, 2013, ‘Employee Engagement: A key to Organisational Success in 21 st Century’, Voice of Research, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 51-55. Stewart, J & Rigg, C 2011, Learning and Talent Development , Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, London. The Bradfield Group, 2010, Introduction to Workbook – Improving Organisational Performance , Bradfield Consulting Ltd, London.

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Write the original essay that generated the following summary: The essay discusses the problem of employee health and safety at Goliath Gold Mine, and offers a solution of best practices. The best practices include adherence to OSHA regulations, which are categorical about the health standards of employees within the work place. The regulations also obligate all employers to set a clean and non-hazardous work environment through training, outreach programs, and health education, especially when the work environment is likely to pose danger to the employees.

The essay discusses the problem of employee health and safety at Goliath Gold Mine, and offers a solution of best practices. The best practices include adherence to OSHA regulations, which are categorical about the health standards of employees within the work place. The regulations also obligate all employers to set a clean and non-hazardous work environment through training, outreach programs, and health education, especially when the work environment is likely to pose danger to the employees.

Employee Health and Safety at Goliath Gold Mine Problem Solution Essay Introduction Mining is an income generating activity that sees many countries scale the heights of power and economic success. Mineral rich countries in the world include West African states, Canada, Australia, and Russia among others. While the list remains endless, some countries continue to discover lead, gold, fluorspar, diamond, and alumina among other minerals (Cam, 2010). The main company of focus is the Goliath Gold Mine (GGM) listed in South Africa’s JSE 4 years ago ( Annual Report: Goliath Gold , 2011). Employees in various mines probably suffer chronic diseases due to exposure to poisonous gases. Others are buried in the weak mines, while several others get salaries that do not match the amount of work they do at the mines. Mining is a risk taking activity, and the international community seems to be on the spotlight. Some of the questions the submission will attempt to answer include – what are the ethical and legal implications for mining? If there are consequences of mining as an income generating activity, are there any codes that protect the workers? Lastly, is mining an activity that takes care of the health of the workers? Most oil or gold rich countries in Africa have British or American mining firms working with Africans as casuals. It means that the real owners of the resources do not have the right technological and intellectual assistance to mining; they have to be subordinates in their own countries in order to earn a living. This notwithstanding the potholes left after the mining activity and the health risks posed to the locals at the same time. Best practices Adherence to OSHA regulations The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regulations are categorical about the health standards of employees within the work place. According to the regulations, people should work in non-hazardous environments, and should get compensations for any injuries while at work (Koradecka, 2009). Alumina and Uranium have some of the worst effects on the miners, and it is important for the workers to put on protective gears. These include eye and nose masks and gloves to prevent any form of irritation caused by contact with various minerals. OSHA obligates all employers to set a clean and non-hazardous work environment through training, outreach programs, and health education, especially when the work environment is likely to pose danger to the employees. Bureaucratic companies dealing in minerals are likely to ignore such regulations, and the employees keep dying while at work or after few years of exposure to chemicals (Alana, 2012). For instance, at GGM, the precious commodity has to undergo different stages including extraction and washing. There are several chemicals involved, and without protection, the chemicals affect major body organs. Without prompt medical intervention, the case develops in other complex conditions including heart or kidney failure, cancer, or a chronic ailment leading to death ( Annual Report: Goliath Gold , 2011). Sometimes the mining company refuses to take responsibility, especially when the firm provided the protective gear, but the victim still got ill. The rationale is that the gases released from the ground have high levels of penetration, and in most cases, the victims die from suffocation. By enforcing the OSHA principles, it will be difficult to come across such cases in the future. Rather, the cases will reduce over time. Inalienable basis human rights Each person has a right to life, and nobody has the right to take it away from him/her irrespective of the circumstance. While many people go to jail because of manslaughter and murder, several mine owners and companies do not face a similar sentence even though their actions amount to murder or manslaughter (Cascio, 1998). Exposing an unskilled worker to several feet below ground level with poor lighting, no oxygen cylinder, and poor protection is like a life sentence while at work. One of the best practices recommended for such situations includes provision of the best work equipment that applies the latest technologies. ISO certification is paramount for each mining company because it helps in identifying firms that apply the commonwealth mining laws ( Goliath Gold Annual Report December 2012 , 2013). The first step to providing a safe and clean work environment is to recognize that workers are humans, they have families and friends who depend on them; therefore, their loss would have a great impact on the lives of their dependants. As such, workers need the assurance that they will get free medical cover when they fall ill at work. Besides being an element of motivation, it is a gesture to signify appreciation of life. Secondly, the mines such as gold fields and uranium fields need proper lighting below the surface to prevent tripping or collapse of the wall without the awareness of the team underground. Latest technologies are equally helpful in reducing workload meaning that they have the ability to conduct surveillance beneath the land surface. Some can also carry out excavation; this would limit the number of people going underground to serve a similar purpose. However, there are concerns that the machinery would replace human labor, and this form of displacement is a cause of conflict among international organizations in the industry and the casual laborers across the world. To respond to the growing need for safety and health, GGM should consider CSR programs such as the ones carried out by Harmony Gold mine in Lesotho and parts of South Africa (Zwi, Fonn, & Steinberg, 1988). Labor union representation and a functional code of ethics Labor union representation is equally paramount, but the workers have to prepare to part with monthly contributions towards the sustenance of such unions. Labor unions create an opportunity for the employees to address their grievances through the industrial courts, but most Middle East oil manufacturing and aero structures industry do not support the labor unions. For instance, Strata Manufacturing PJSC in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi believes that employees and the supervisors have a code of ethics and a mission statement that strongly supports comradeship. As such, the policies of the company cannot have any loopholes to accommodate any forms of conflict. Such assumptions should not prevail in the mining sector because of the various risks the employees face on a daily basis at work. A functional code of ethics at GGM provides a statutory authority to the supervisors to lead the organizations while the employees follow the due procedures. When the code of ethics fails to achieve the objective for which it was set, both the employees and the supervisors do not perform as per the company’s expectations (Breslow, 2002). For instance, application of health and safety standards is a two-way process that applies to both the managers and the workers. The supervisor provides the helmets, masks, and oxygen cylinders. He/she also invites professionals to educate the laborers on the significance of protection while mining. When the employee fails to heed to all these, the supervisors does not become liable to any accidents. In order to reinforce the same, supervisors and employees should sign the work contract with a clear knowledge of the principles of the code of ethics. This way, both the managers and the employees will take responsibility for any breach of organizational best practice. Reasons for adopting best practice Reputation building through adherence to OSHA regulations GGM has a long way to ensure that the project remains sustainable and the target consumers do not question any legal or ethical activities related to the firm. First, it has to consider engagement in a Local Economic Development (LED) program such as providing scholarships to bright, but poor students, establishing an institution for training laborers about mining, and funding hospices or diabetes treatment centers (Stellman, 1998). Such philanthropic or CSR programs would replace the image it has in relation to its inability to take care of the welfare of workers by exposing them to extremely deep fields. Most workers equally complain of underpayment or delayed payment; this led to defection from the firm in 2009. In a press release, the management of GGM apologized to the workers while explaining that since its inception, it was in the process of creating logistics on how to meet consumer needs while dealing with competition from companies established before South Africa’s independence in 1994. By adopting the OSHA regulations and ensuring that no one violates the principles, GGM will earn consumer goodwill, which will be important for reputation building. In its CSR program, it should refill the pitfalls left after mining, or promote the building of dams to assist the country during dry seasons. Besides mining, the country largely depends on tourism and agriculture (Steger, 2003). The water will be help in generating power and other domestic purposes save for cooking and irrigation because the gold or lead deposits that grow inside the plants often have long-term effects on consumers. Finally, by training people as the OSHA regulations reinforce, the company will get positive media attention, which is equally important in boosting its reputation and attracting new customers while retaining loyal consumers within Africa and the international community ( Goliath Gold Annual Report December 2012 , 2013). Significance of the code of ethics The codes of ethics adopted by GGM since inception in 2011 require appraisal after 3 to 5 years of operation. The reasons for such levels of strategic planning include the identification of strengths and weaknesses while providing recommendations on the next cause of action. In 2008, GGM realized that most minefields in South Africa incorporated artisanal mining techniques or the traditional extraction and washing methods. To the company’ realization, most miners got exposure to mercury, forcing the World Bank to support the closure of most artisanal mines in the country. To date, GGM is not a World Bank agency dealing in extraction of gold in various gold fields in South Africa, but it strives to implement the functional code of ethics adopted in 2011 ( Goliath Gold Annual Report December 2012 , 2013). There are several problems realized even after abandoning the artisanal techniques of mining since technological advancements equally come with challenges. Markedly, technology might not stop mercury pollution, and the code of ethics does not have the will to offer directives to the machinery. As such, GGM should review the code of ethics in order to make the company liable to any safety and health concerns instead of relying entirely on technology and ignoring the functional code of ethics the company adopted. By respecting the code of ethics, the company will no longer worry about the environmental land disputes because it will acquire the land mines legally. In addition, the safety and health of the workers and supervisors will be secure, and this will limit the negative international attention received by unethical firms (Koradecka, 2009). There are companies that face cases of illegal eviction of people in order to carry out mining. Like Harmony Mining, Goliath Gold Mining has the responsibility of resettling people, avoiding bureaucratic principles of governance, and incorporating ethics in all stages of product development (Breslow, 2002). Legal implications It would be irrational to ignore that no legal implications involve land acquisition, eviction of residents, leaving of pitfalls, and exposure to poisonous gases and chemicals. Acquisition of work permits for gold miners remains one of the most complex exercises for investors. It becomes manageable when the government runs the project, but individual mine owners such as Harmony have a very difficult time in South Africa. Notable legal issues observed by the firm are discussed below. Non-discriminatory training and seeking expert advice GGM is yet to establish an employment criterion that trains and appraises both employees and managers. Currently, there is no clear framework for identifying the number of minority workers in the firm, observing gender balance, and avoiding the deployment of child labor. Since GGM only has three years of operation in the market, it has to ensure that it does not have any biases during recruitment and retention. Child labor is equally a concern that destroys the reputation of many mining firms, but GGM does not have such allegations presently. GGM has an inclusivity campaign to ensure that the geochemists, laborers, geologists, and the engineers work together irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds. The firm focuses on expertise, and it should have plans of succession without any form of racial discrimination ( Goliath Gold Annual Report December 2012 , 2013). Observation of legal and civil law GGM does not formulate civil or legal regulations, meaning that it has to account for its land use and resettlement of displaced South African nationals in case the company seeks to acquire land for mining ( Annual Report: Goliath Gold , 2011). The executive, the judiciary, and the legislature play significant roles in determining different investment ventures in the country. As such, the judiciary formulates laws that the legislature supports while the executive assents. GGM should have an accredited title deed, a work permit, and a license of work in the various mines renewable by the Pretoria City council upon completion of work. Mines that are close to major roads or railway crossings and airports require way leaves because of future government construction plans (Steger, 2003). Government regulations Each sovereign country has a functional national government that approves most investment programs that are likely to provide jobs for the nationals. Therefore, the South African government has the responsibility of the citizens; it should not allow people to die in the name of earning a company income. GGM is partially dependent on the government; it has to adhere to various government regulations. Common factors worth observance include (Equal Employment Opportunities Codes) EEOC standards and CSR projects that GGM has to conduct in the environment of investment (Bennett-Alexander & Hartman, 2001). GGM has to construct social amenities such as schools and health care facilities for the residents of Pretoria among other cities that largely depend on the growth of the industry. The government regulates GGM by ensuring that it is a member of the JSE, the Natural Resource Charter, and the South African Securities Exchange (SAASX) ( Goliath Gold Annual Report December 2012 , 2013). In essence, the government regulations are important in keeping checks and balances while preventing GGM from using its individually crafted policies in running the South African economy. Taxation remains the most common regulation technique, but the costs increase for international companies investing in South Africa. Recommendations The best practice that would ensure that GGM adheres to all the safety and health standards is the appraisal of the code of ethics to match the changing market trends. The code of ethics will definitely address the risks of exposure to mercury and environmental effects of the pitfalls left after mining. GGM’s code of ethics should equally strive at training laborers in order to reduce the number of artisanal gold mining fields while increasing the number of expert laborers in the South African job market (Cam, 2010). A good code of ethics deals with discrimination, respect to authority, equal payment, equal employment, and the significance of obeying both civil and legal regulations. The code of ethics spearheads the strategic plan, which contains the mission and vision statements of the company. This means that employees and supervisors will have a common document that contains all the policies and implications of violating the same while working for GGM. Most companies violate the code of ethics even though they formulate good documents with best practices. By coming up with a good code of ethics that observes inclusivity, it will be difficult to ignore the same. The executive needs to provide the best example by paying taxes, filing returns, initiating CSR programs, and following OSHA regulations, as well as EEOC principles. When this happens, the code of ethics becomes effective to the rest of the team (Stellman, 1998). One of the most important things about the code of ethics is that it also covers the legal duties of GGM and other mining firms that have functional code of ethics. Since South Africa would not want to abandon tourism and farming, most GGM CSR programs should support similar initiatives since the public believes that the increasing number of mines causes a reduction in cultivation space. A code of ethics is likely to face many challenges including ignorance, neglect, and lack of support from bureaucratic leaders. As such, a company attorney and a member of the mining industry regulatory committee should be present when the company generates a code of ethics. The regulatory commission acts as the overseer of the implementation and execution of the code (Gunningham, 2008). This way the commission provides a non-partisan approach to issues while ensuring the GGM operates based on best practices as supported by the code of ethics. Conclusion In summary, the mining industry generates a lot of income for many countries. When countries discover oil, uranium, lead, or gold, they seem to forget other avenues of income generation. Sometimes the mining of various precious commodities becomes the source of various problems including health and safety. Both employees and managers play an imperative role in determining the level of safety and health requisite for each person working at the mine. A proposed best practice to deal with the issue is the establishment of a functional code of ethics that addresses both legal and ethical concerns in relation to mining. References Alana, W. (2012). Peru’s Social Conflict is About More than Mining . Web. Annual Report: Goliath Gold . (2011, June 24). Web. Bennett-Alexander, D., & Hartman, L. P. (2001). Employment law for business . Boston, MA: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. Breslow, L. (2002). Encyclopedia of public health . New York: Macmillan Reference. Cam, S. (2010). Soros Gold Bubble at $1,384 as Miners Push Buttons . Web. Cascio, W. (1998). Managing Human Resources: Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits . Boston: Irwin McGraw-Hill. Goliath Gold Annual Report December 2012 . (2013, May 28). Web. Gunningham, N. (2008). Occupational Health and Safety, Worker Participation and the Mining Industry in a Changing World of Work. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 29 (3), 336-361. Koradecka, D. (2009). Handbook of occupational safety and health . Boca Raton: Taylor & Francis. Steger, U. (2003). Corporate Diplomacy: The Strategy for a Volatile, Fragmented Business Environment . Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. Stellman, J. M. (1998). Encyclopaedia of occupational health and safety. Geneva: International Labour Office. Zwi, A., Fonn, S., & Steinberg, M. (1988). Occupational health and safety in South Africa: The perspectives of capital, state, and unions. Social Science & Medicine, 27 (7), 691-702.

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Write the full essay for the following summary: The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of corporate leadership on employee motivation in Spanish hotel chains. The analysis will be based on the causal attribution theory, goal setting theory, and abusive supervision theory.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of corporate leadership on employee motivation in Spanish hotel chains. The analysis will be based on the causal attribution theory, goal setting theory, and abusive supervision theory.

Employee Motivation in Spanish Hotel Chains Proposal Introduction Purpose of the study There are several types of leadership feedback attributions in organizations. For instance, addressing feedback with anger may result in abusive supervision. On the other hand, addressing feedback as evaluation that is based on the results of poor performance may not give the ideal picture for proactive organizational behaviour module. As a result, the subordinates may feel disengaged and might not display optimal performance. Organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and involvement are critical elements within an effective organizational culture (Wang, Tsui, & Xin, 201, p. 98). As a manager within an organization, job satisfaction should be the top priority towards the subordinates. Reflectively, job satisfaction translates into effective workforce since satisfied employees will meet their needs while fulfilling the organization’s work values. Besides, strategies promoting job satisfaction accommodate equity among the employees, in terms of rewards and treatment (Slack, 2012, p. 23). It is therefore important to review the impact of corporate leadership on employee motivation in Spanish hotel chains. The analysis will be based on the causal attribution theory, goal setting theory, and abusive supervision theory. Previously, the leadership feedback channel was depicted as a linear process in which a supervisor directly conveyed messages to the subordinates and tracks their performance. In the twenty-first century, the feedback models are interactions of transaction processes where both the supervisor and the subordinates have an influence on each other as they interact within the realms of organizational cultural context. Employee motivation captures the concepts of efficiency, efforts, ability, and strategies in place to accomplish an effective organizational behaviour (Chan & Mcallister, 2014, p. 46). The need for leaders’ feedback efficiency necessitates more research in the area of feedback systems and their impacts on organizational behaviour within the hotel industry in Spain. It is for this reason that the research will attempt to provide a framework for employee motivation as directly influenced by the type of leaders’ feedback and response by the subordinates. The dependent variable is the feedback attribution while the independent variables are personal ability, social ability, and structural motivation. Research rationale Employee motivation effectiveness determines the level of performance of an organization and business sustainability amidst competition, in terms of effort and ability of the subordinates. This research will assist the organizations within the Spanish hotel industry to implement effective leadership feedback styles that promote efficiency and sustainability of employee performance. It will be a compilation of best leadership feedback style practices among establishments with effective employee motivation system. The study will also provide recommendations on how organization can effectively manage their employee motivation strategies, as part of the active leadership feedback channel, in order to guarantee job satisfaction among the subordinates. Insufficient information exists concerning different leadership feedback styles and their influence on employee motivation within the Spanish hotel industry. The study will not be a magic bullet in the leadership feedback style and effective employee motivation proposal. It will only provide structures that must be combined with the values and goals of a particular organization to ensure effective behaviour as a management strategy. Therefore, organizations within the Spanish hotel industry cannot implement the recommendations without reflecting on external and internal weaknesses in different organizational behaviour systems and leadership feedback styles. If too much emphasis goes to emerging trends, then the case study organizations will not learn about the fundamentals of the practice that got those firms to their market positions. Research questions and hypothesis Research hypothesis Null hypothesis: Different leadership feedback styles have influence on the quality of employee motivation within the Spanish hotel industry. Alternative hypothesis : Different leadership feedback styles do not have influence on the quality of employee motivation within the Spanish hotel industry. Taking the role and importance of different leadership feedback styles into consideration, this particular research study aims to analyse the degree to which different leadership feedback styles influence the level of employee motivation within the Spanish hotel industry. The research study also has particular sub-objectives that are mentioned below: 1. To analyse the importance of different leadership feedback styles on employee motivation within the Spanish hotel industry. 2. To explore the different leadership feedback styles adopted by three selected hotel operating in the Spanish hotel industry. 3. To investigate the impact of different leadership feedback styles on the quality of employee motivation strategies in the Spanish hotel industry. Research questions 1. How effective are different leadership feedback styles in the orientation of employee motivation within the Spanish hotel industry? 2. What is the relevance of leadership feedback style in different employee motivation strategies within the Spanish hotel industry? 3. How effective is the role of an organizational culture as a leadership orientation in employee motivation sustainability within the Spanish hotel industry? Literature review Organization motivation effectiveness and business performance Over the last few years, the roles and responsibilities of managers within a company have significantly changed. According to Spector (2008), leadership feedback style can be explained as the overall leadership approach practiced by managers towards their subordinates. Further, there are several types of leadership feedback styles in terms of managing the subordinates of an organization. Management style can undoubtedly have a huge impact on how the employees perform. For example, employees in multinational organizations are free to decide their way of working and their managers follow a relaxed leadership feedback style, since it is suitable within such business environments (Chan & Mcallister, 2014, p. 48). On the other hand, government and public sector firms follow a stricter leadership feedback style due to the high level of bureaucracy (Wang, Tsui, & Xin, 2011, p. 101). According to Grenny (2012), each type of leadership feedback style serves a purpose grounded on the kind of operations and business environment and the situation. The highly efficient management styles are those that can help the managers to develop a good operating environment for all the individuals involved and motivate employees to put in their maximum efforts (Grenny, 2012, p. 11). Moreover, it is believed that management styles also have an impact on the quality of organizational behaviour within distinct industries such as the Hospitality Industry (Chan & Mcallister, 2014, p. 46; Sinclair, 2010). According to Jian et al. (2012), management style has a strong impact on employee motivation and ability to learn in an organization. Besides, highly effective managers differ in leadership styles based on knowledge and skills, the type of task, and time restrictions among other factors. These actions inspire and encourage optimal performance among employees (Jian, Kwan, Qiu, Liu, & Yim, 2012, p. 685). On the other hand, Martinko et al. (2013) note that leadership feedback styles differ in different sectors and industries. The authors are categorical in stating that different operation systems determine the type of leadership style a company is practicing. Irrespective of the leadership style, the authors conclude that leadership feedback styles have an impact on organizational behaviour in terms of motivation and performance among the subordinates (Martinko, Harvey, Brees, & Mackey, 2013, p. 123). Proper communication between the management and employees determine the success of any organization (Wang, Tsui, & Xin, 2011, p. 95). In fact, different leaders’ feedback styles have different impacts on the organizational communication channel. Thus, the choice of a management style is directly proportional to the effectiveness of communication in that particular restaurant (Moss & Martinko, 2008, p. 126). Organizational and leadership ethics determine the level of participation by the employees and interventions passed through a feasibility test for implementation to initiate a cultural shift in the organization. Besides, communication ethics defines content policy based on the need to address work related habits in order to create a friendly workplace environment (Tepper, 2007, p. 268). As a result of properly structured organizational behaviour ethics, the work environment becomes holistic, that is, soft and socially friendly to the staff. Besides, healthy ethical communication culture creates structural goals which develop norms, expectations of specific behaviour display and appropriate guideline controlling interaction with one another (Jian et al. 2012, p. 687). Aspired ideals of a stable organizational behaviour model include the need for an organization to strive to develop a good culture by fostering a strong alignment with the monitored path of achieving its goals, missions and vision. The model has written rules of engagement, expected behaviour, and repercussions for deviation. The aspect of organization behaviour system should be made effective in order to minimize conflicts of interest. Thus, the concept of aspired and profiled structures must be laid down to aid exchange of information, professionalism and pro-activeness in issue based interaction between the supervisor and the subordinates (Wilhelm, Herd, & Steiner, 2003, p. 540; Spector, 2008, p. 31). The part of principles in an effective organizational behaviour model encompasses laid down rules to enable the organization to be more efficient. This is in the form of a well organized hierarchy of workforce from management with administrative roles to service providing workers. Managers are empowered by the organization’s constitution to perform the role of prefects and offer leadership solutions upon consultation with one another. To control group behaviour, desirable leadership attributes are necessary, which are possessed by the managers gained over time in experience (Moss & Martinko, 2008, p. 129). Therefore, “actions are most often attributed to four causes: effort and ability (both internal and dispositional causes), luck, and task difficulty (both external and situational causes)” (Slack, 2012, p. 24). Whenever there is a strong professional relationship nurtured on the values of appreciation and respect within an organizational communication model, hidden talents are easily displayable for business sustainability (Tepper, 2007, p. 269). The concept of leadership can be broadly defined as the intrinsic ability to internalise a setting with the intention of empowering a group or team to proactively and creatively contribute towards problem solving (Moss & Martinko, 2008, p. 129). The main characteristics of leadership include adaptability, empowerment, commitment, contribution and critical problem solving skills. The aspect of adaptability effects the adjustments that may be required in exercising influence over a challenge. Through these adjustments, a person exercising leadership may be in a position to model a unique setting that reassures and discerns the wants and desires of the subordinates. The aspect of empowerment involves inspiring self-esteem and confidence among the subjects to align their feelings to specific intuition or instinct. These elements determine the effects of an organizational behaviour system on subordinate performance in terms of effort and ability (Powell, 2005, p. 19). Spanish hotel industry organizational effectiveness Several literatures indicate that the Spanish hotel industry is steadily growing in terms of scope and production (International Market Bureau, 2011, p. 2). The scope involves the increasing number of employees, while production involves management techniques that have been employed to ensure sustainable growth (Ernst & Young, 2012, par. 8). This requires organizations within the industry to put in place suitable management techniques to ensure effective retention and attraction of employees. Moreover, proper communication between the staff members and top management is considered as an important factor behind the success of any business (Vaccaro, Jansen, Bosch, & Volberda, 2012, p. 33). Organizations function best when the intra and intercommunication systems are perfect. Therefore, successful organizations manage information continuously. The practice of information management involves the science of processing information to facilitate informed decision making among managers. Thus, in reviewing performance based on feedback received, it is important to handle the voluntary information with care to boost trust and confidentiality which form the pinnacle of organizational behaviour (Peterson, Smith, Martorana, & Owens, 2003, p. 796). Therefore, it is critical to balance the feedback with the goals of such an organization as a remedy towards inclusiveness and active participation which translates into desirable performance. Research Methodology Research philosophy The researcher will be fully involved in preparing both quantitative and qualitative research phases, implementing the survey and interviews and analysing the data gathered. A sense of neutrality will be maintained and the researcher will conduct research as an explorer, whose goal is to establish the link between leaders’ feedback styles and effectiveness of organizational behaviour systems within the Spanish hotel industry. The large scale questionnaire survey for the quantitative phase will help identify which competencies and feedback styles are most common, while the qualitative phase will help focus on actual management methods used and communication channels in different organizations (De-Rada, 2005, p. 63). Research Approach Use of the qualitative research approach will facilitate understanding of the individual attributes that contribute to poor performance. Attributes of the subjects under study will be qualitatively studied through observation where the researcher will collect data using an observation schedule during the interview process. This will allow the researcher to enter observed qualitative behaviour indicative of lack of motivation in an organization. Quantitative methods used in this study will generally apply to the analysis of the collected data where analytical tools such as chi square, regression and correlation methodologies will be used. These methodologies will help in identification of statistical patterns in the data on motivation collected from organizations using questionnaires and interviews (De-Rada, 2005, p. 69). Research Strategy Data, to will be collected through one-on-one interviews, will be scrutinized in detail. Each question asked will be comprehensive to ensure that respondents have an opportunity to give deep and answers that provide an insight into the research problem. Transcription will then be done to each of the recorded interview process. For each response from each participant, the recorded transcripts will be perused to coin relevant and most appropriate response. Factually, instances of divergent or convergent opinions by one or more respondents will be marked appropriately (De-Rada, 2005, p. 66). Validity and reliability determine the accuracy of collecting data in research. In order to achieve validity in the questions presented in the questionnaire, it is essential to carry out question pre-testing (De-Rada, 2005, p. 67). On the other hand, reliability quantifies the magnitude of consistency of research instruments and the outcome created by the same. The way in which an event is experienced is related to the way in which the person, who has experienced this event, can give a different perspective. However, in this qualitative study, the researcher will have the opportunity to get the perspective of the participants. Utilising these experiences as a framework from which to develop the study, the work is likely to reflect the unique understanding that the personal experiences bring to the development of case studies (Persily, 2013, p. 29). The interviews will be conducted by the researcher because of common characteristics of culture and sector. Data used This research will target employee randomly chosen from organizations within the Spanish hotel industry, since they have the knowledge of the feedback attribution and systems management strategies that promote employee motivation. A sample space of 100 participants will be interviewed. The sampling criterion that will be used in the initial sampling plan represents the true picture of the activities on the ground. Adaptation of this sample plan as authentic would not compromise the aspect of comparative study in decision making, that is, it gives room for comparison to another set of data. Methods and techniques used Research survey technique This research will be conducted using research survey study approach. The researcher chose qualitative approach rather than quantitative, because the scope of the research is focused, subjective, dynamic, and discovery oriented. The qualitative approach is best suited to gain proper insight into the situation of the case study. Besides, qualitative data analysis is more detailed than quantitative one. Moreover, this approach will create room for further analysis using different and divergent tools for checking the degree of error and assumption limits. The researcher will use direct interviews with open ended and close ended questionnaires to target respondents (De-Rada, 2005, p. 67). Use of the qualitative research approach will facilitate understanding of the individual attributes of organizational employee motivation effectiveness as influenced by the leaders’ feedback attribution. Attributes of the subjects under study will be qualitatively studied through observation, where the researcher will collect data using an observation schedule during the interview process. These methodologies will help in identification of statistical patterns in the data on motivation collected from organizations using questionnaires and interviews. For interviews, as long as an interviewee agrees to be recorded, the interview will be recorded. This will ensure that all points made by the interviewee are documented and available for consideration in the analysis. Research Plan Week 1: Research Commencement This stage will involve reviewing the research topic and rationale for the proposed hypothesis. This stage may take one week, since choosing the topic will be dependent on available literature. Week 2 & 3: Choosing the case study Choosing the case study will be very challenging as research papers adopt different approaches. Specifically, I will have to choose the most convincing research variables from different research articles with a diverse approach to the research questions. Week 4 & 5: Background research Since materials are available for the research topic, I will have an easy time in merging the relevant material to the research question. This stage may take two weeks to accomplish. Week 6, 7, & 8: Conducting the literature review This stage will be very demanding, since different sources of information will be searched. The sources of information that will be probed include the internet, the university library, course notes and public libraries with relevant information on the topic of research. I will concentrate on scholarly papers, conference proceedings, and relevant books. Week 9, 10, & 11: Conducting interviews, collecting data and analysing data This stage will be the most difficult in the research study. I will have to balance direct interviews, questionnaires, and other methods of research to present information about the topic. Data collected through one-on-one interviews will have to be scrutinised in detail. Open-ended and closed-ended questions will be used. Transcription will be done to each of the recorded interview process. For each response, from each participant, the recorded transcripts will be perused to coin relevant and most appropriate response. This part will be more time consuming than any other part of the research paper. Week 12 & 13: Research conclusion Emerging themes will be identified and the findings will be interpreted and related to the research question. I will have to manage the data findings and interpretation within the scope of the research topic despite any research dynamics that may arise in the process. The final study will be reviewed to confirm its comprehensiveness in answering the research question before submission. References Chan, M., & Mcallister, D. J. (2014). Abusive supervision through the lens of employee state paranoia. Academy Of Management Review, 39 , 44-66. De-Rada, V. (2005). Influences of questionnaire design on response to mail surveys, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8 (1), 61-78. Ernst & Young . (2012). Research: Hospitality and leisure sector overview . Web. Grenny, J. (2012). Influence leaders. Leadership Excellence, 29 (2), 11-12 International Market Bureau. (2011). Food service profile: Spain . Retrieved from https://gov.mb.ca/ Jian, Z., Kwan, H., Qiu, Q., Liu, Z., & Yim, F. (2012). Abusive supervision and frontline employees’ service performance. Service Industries Journal, 32 , 683-698. Martinko,M. J., Harvey, P., Brees, J. R., & Mackey, J. (2013). A review of abusive supervision research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 34 (2), 120-137. Moss, S. E., & Martinko, M. J. (2008). The effects of performance attributions and outcome dependence on leader feedback behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 19 , 259- 274. Persily, A. (2013). Team Leadership & Partnering in Nursing & Healthcare. New York, NY : Springer Publishing. Peterson, R. S., Smith, D. B., Martorana, P. V., & Owens, P. D. (2003). The impact of chief executive officer personality on top management team dynamics: one mechanism by which leadership affects organizational performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88 (5), 795-796. Powell, T. (2005). Total quality management as competitive advantage: a review and empirical study. Strategic Management Journal, 16 (4), 15–37. Sinclair, M. (2010). Fear and Self-Loathing in the City: A Guide to Keeping Sane in the Square Mile. London: Karnac Books. Slack, N. (2012). Operations and Process Management: Principles and Practice for Strategic Impact. Alabama, Al: Pearson Education Limited. Spector, P. (2008). Industrial and organizational psychology: Research and practice . New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Tepper, B. J. (2007). Abusive supervision in work organizations: Review, synthesis, and research agenda. Journal of Management, 33 , 261-289. Vaccaro, G., Jansen, P., Bosch, J., & Volberda, H. (2012). Management Innovation and Leadership: The Moderating Role of Organisational Size. Journal of Management Studies , 49(1), 28-51. Wang, H., Tsui, A. S., & Xin, K. R. (2011). CEO leadership behaviours, organizational performance, and employees’ attitudes. The Leadership Quarterly, 22 (1), 92-105. Wilhelm, C. C., Herd, A. M., & Steiner, D. D. (2003). Attributional conflict between managers and subordinates: An investigation of leader–member exchange effects. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 14 , 531-544.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: Employee resistance and change management are two sides of the same coin. While employee resistance can be a hindrance to organisational growth, it can also be a power waiting to be unleashed. Ultimately, employee resistance contributes positively to change management.

Employee resistance and change management are two sides of the same coin. While employee resistance can be a hindrance to organisational growth, it can also be a power waiting to be unleashed. Ultimately, employee resistance contributes positively to change management.

Employee Resistance and Change Management Essay Organisational change calls for new ways of doing things. Besides, it alters the way of thinking. Bovey and Hede allege, “People have trouble developing a vision of what life will look like on the other side of a change. So, they tend to cling to the known rather than to embrace the unknown” (2001, p. 374). It is hard to predict the nature of employees’ reactions to the implemented changes. Employee resistance should not always be perceived as a hindrance to organisational growth. Instead, it should be understood as a power waiting to be unleashed. Consequently, employee resistance contributes positively to change management. Bovey and Hede (2001, p. 376) allege that for an organisation to avoid employee resistance, it ought not to make mistakes from the very beginning when implementing change. Employee resistance makes institutions to craft superior change execution procedures, which contribute to the success of the organisation. According to Bovey and Hede (2001, p. 377) a corporation can avoid employee resistance by capitalising on the fervour and optimistic feelings surrounding a change. In other words, employee resistance helps corporations to identify employee interests and exploit them to achieve organisational goals. The organisations develop structured change management approach when implementing changes. Eventually, the approach helps the organisation to ensure that it adheres to all the requisite steps, thus guaranteeing the success of the intended change. In many instances, employees resist changes whenever they find that the changes might lead to a total alteration in their departments. Therefore, organisational leaders use a systematic approach, whereby a change is introduced in phases to mitigate employee resistance. Some may argue that the method slows down change implementation. However, it is imperative to note that employee resistance gives human resource an opportunity to review and analyse the change, therefore ensuring that it is worth its execution. Additionally, organisations ensure visible and active involvement by senior leaders as one of the aspects of structured change management approach (Eilam & Shamir 2005). A corporation cannot succeed in change implementation if it does not get support of the senior leaders. At times, organisational leaders leave all the responsibility of running business activities to the junior leaders and employees. In the event of the change, employee resistance brings all the staff together leading to a concerted effort. The involvement of senior managers in change discharge helps the organisation to benefit from the skills and vast experience that the managers possess. An organisation can, therefore, come up with cheaper and efficient ways to implement changes. Besides, involvement of senior leaders in change management promotes employee commitment. It is difficult for a company to implement changes without bringing all the workers together (Eilam & Shamir 2005). Hence, leaders use advocacy as one of the tools of change management to reduce resistance. At long last, employee resistance leads to the establishment of a team of staff united for a common goal. The employees realise that the change is intended for their good and the good of the entire organisation. According to Elving, employee resistance has forced organisations to establish a formal approach to change management (2005, p. 130). Elving argues, “Managing resistance should not be solely a reactive tactic for change management practitioners” (2005, p. 133). He asserts that employee resistance is a blessing in disguise. Organisations have come up with a couple of proactive steps to deal with employee resistance during change execution. For instance, corporations have come up with reward schemes aimed at encouraging employees to embrace changes that would see the organisation improve its profit margin. Ultimately, employee resistance has led to institutions coming up with reward and contingency measures aimed at encouraging creativity within the organisation. The rewards act as mitigation to any adverse effect that might arise from the changes. Majority of the present innovations have come as a result of employees embracing changes. In a way, employee resistance has helped the employees to benefit from their creativity. Organisations reward employees who embrace changes and come up with novel products and services as a way to encourage them and avert resistance (Erturk 2008). Employee resistance promotes communication within the organisation, which is crucial to the success of an institution. According to Erturk (2008), communication is a critical component of change management. It reinforces change realisation by ensuring that all the stakeholders contribute to the change discharge process (Erturk 2008). During change implementation, organisational leaders collect feedback from the employees to understand their perception and conformity with the change. The feedback helps the managers to identify gaps and come up with measures to avert potential resistance. There are claims that employees resist changes due to personal interests. What many people do not understand is that some employees resist changes if they believe that the changes may have adverse short-term or long-term effects on the organisation. Employee resistance makes organisational leaders to use communication to create an atmosphere where every employee feels that the change is inevitable. They ensure that employees feel that the intended changes will be of immense benefits, not only to the organisation but also to the staff (Pessoa 2008). Additionally, employee resistance compels organisational leaders to call for workshops or seminars where employees are enlightened on the intended changes. The workshop creates a platform where employees inform the leaders about the dangers of the planned change if any. In other words, employee resistance establishes an environment where organisational leaders can learn from the workers and vice-versa (Oreg 2006). In due course, the corporate leaders make modifications in the intended change to ensure that it meets the anticipated objectives. Departmental managers and front-line supervisors are contiguous to employees, who eventually embrace a change. If they do not commit themselves to a change, the probability is that employees will resist the intended change (Pessoa 2008). On the other hand, if departmental leaders and supervisors commit themselves to a change, chances are high that employees will support the change. Hence, employee resistance prompts organisations to give the corporate managers and supervisors the mandate to identify and address resistance to change management. Consequently, corporate managers and front-line managers ensure that they monitor every step of change execution. In so doing, the organisation is guaranteed that the change will run as anticipated without hitches since the managers identify and address the hitches before they affect the organisation (Pessoa 2008). What’s more, the managers train the employees on how to execute the change leading to an institution benefiting from a skilled workforce. Change is the sole thing that is guaranteed in modern organisations. Consequently, institutions need always to be prepared for changes, which might arise due to changes in the business environment. Employee resistance has compelled corporations to come up with new methods of change management. Organisations capitalise on the fervour and optimistic feelings that arise from employee resistance. Additionally, employee resistance prompts senior leaders to show full commitment to changes. It triggers cooperation and communication between the staff. In the end, it encourages creativity and innovation. The resistance guarantees thoroughness in change execution as departmental leaders and front-line supervisors make sure that they monitor every stage of change discharge. Reference List Bovey, W & Hede, A 2001, ‘Resistance to organizational change: The role of cognitive and affective processes’, Leadership & Organization Development Journal , vol. 22, no. 8, pp. 372-382. Eilam, G & Shamir, B 2005, ‘Organizational change and self-concept threats: A theoretical perspective and a case study’, The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science , vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 399-421. Elving, W 2005, ‘The role of communication in organizational change’, Corporate Communications , vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 129-138. Erturk, A 2008, ‘A trust-based approach to promote employees’ openness to organizational change in Turkey’, International Journal of Manpower , vo. 29, no. 5, pp. 462-483. Oreg, S 2006, ‘Personality, context, and resistance to organizational change’, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology , vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 73-101. Pessoa, L 2008, ‘On the relationship between emotion and cognition’, Nature Reviews: Neuroscience , vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 148-158.

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Provide the full text for the following summary: Employment-at-Will from a Legal Perspective Essay discusses the implications of employment-at-will from a legal perspective. The essay notes that while employees may voluntarily accept the terms of their employment under the employment-at-will contract, it is still not fair for them to be fired without any satisfactory reason. The essay also discusses the need for employers to provide either verbal or written statements for employees before they assume duty in order to minimise any possibilities of erroneous dismissal from work.

Employment-at-Will from a Legal Perspective Essay discusses the implications of employment-at-will from a legal perspective. The essay notes that while employees may voluntarily accept the terms of their employment under the employment-at-will contract, it is still not fair for them to be fired without any satisfactory reason. The essay also discusses the need for employers to provide either verbal or written statements for employees before they assume duty in order to minimise any possibilities of erroneous dismissal from work.

Employment-at-Will from a Legal Perspective Essay Lack of job security in place is the main setback for workers who have be en employed-at-will. Even though employees may voluntarily accept the terms of their employment under the employment-at-will contract, it is still not fair for them to be fired without any satisfactory reason. According to the doctrine of employment-at-will, an employer has the express right to fire an employee at any time. This may take place even if an employee has not committed any mistake at workplace. In other words, there may be no cause at all for being fired. Nonetheless, there are some instances when an employee may be summarily dismissed from work for a very good reason. There is no written work contract between an employer and employee when it comes to the terms and conditions of the employment-at-will (Sentell & Robbins, 2008). In spite of the missing written contract, it does not imply that employers have the right to fire their workers at any time they wish and of course without any good reason. It is vital to mention that the terms of service for employees should be guaranteed so that they can feel safe and secure throughout their working period. When it comes to the law, there is a general assumption that workers are employed at will except when they are in a position to prove otherwise. This implies that it is the duty of employers to provide either verbal or written statements for employees before they assume duty in order to minimise any possibilities of erroneous dismissal from work. However, it can be cumbersome to substantiate oral statements from an employer especially when there are no records in place (Sentell & Robbins, 2008). The respect of workers is violated when they are employed at will. It is indeed true that employees should be contended with any outcome of their terms of service having accepted the prevailing conditions voluntarily. Nonetheless, it still calls for caution, respect and dignity before an employer makes the final decision to dismiss an employee from workplace. For example, whey would a worker be fired without any reason? After employees have been hired, they are usually expected to be top performers and productive workers throughout their tenure. As a matter of fact, employers expect a lot from employees once they have been hired. It does not matter whether there are written contracts in place. The main point of concern is productivity at workplace. On the other hand, an employee should be rewarded as part of motivation. Rewards may be given in different forms although they should focus in enhancing job satisfaction of workers. As already hinted out, job security is a crucial source of motivation for employees. Even for a short period an employee is hired, he or she should feel a sense of security. This goes along with respect and dignity (Sentell & Robbins, 2008). The latter also account for motivation that employees require at workplace. On a final note, most job seekers are often desperate to secure employment opportunities whenever any chances show up. They hardly care about reading the terms and conditions of the available working opportunities. In the event that they clearly understand the terms, the urgent desire to land on any job is usually the first priority. Consequently, they are employed-at-will and eventually subjected to the involuntary firing from workplace. Needless to say, employers who dismiss employees without any apparent good reason grossly violate the basic rights of such workers. Reference Sentell, E., & Robbins, R. (2008). Employment at-will. Journal of Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Issues, 11 (1), 1-15.

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Write the full essay for the following summary: The power industry in India is highly regulated. The government policy on the power sector focuses mainly on urban centres, with rural centres relying on special budgetary interventions to receive state-sponsored resources for electricity distribution. The present setup of the industry leaves the government annual budget as the main funds' source.

The power industry in India is highly regulated. The government policy on the power sector focuses mainly on urban centres, with rural centres relying on special budgetary interventions to receive state-sponsored resources for electricity distribution. The present setup of the industry leaves the government annual budget as the main funds' source.

Energy Generation Industry in India Report Introduction The Ministry of Power is in charge of the power industry in India. The country has the fourth largest total energy consumption in the world; 1.052 terawatt-hours (TWh) (India Brand Equity Foundation 2015). Companies are divided into generation, transmission, and distribution segments of the industry. There are central, state, and private levels under the production division, with each sector giving companies different opportunities for involvement. The primary sector, also referred to the public sector undertakings (PSUs), makes up 29.78 per cent of the industry in terms of total installed capacity. State-level corporations whose mandate is limited to particular states contribute 41.10 per cent of India’s electricity while private sector enterprises command 29.11 per cent of the industry. Maharashtra leads in electricity generation among all the Indian states. The country has a total electricity demand projection of 950,000 MW by the year 2030. Power sources in India are thermal, hydroelectric, nuclear, and alternate sources. Thermal sources contribute about 65 per cent of the total production, followed by hydroelectric sources at 22 per cent and nuclear sources at 3 per cent. The private sector in India generates electricity from coal, gas, and diesel as the primary thermal sources. Coal is the most popular thermal source, accounting for about 57 per cent of the total electricity generated. Gas and diesel generated electricity have about 8 per cent and 0.6 per cent of the thermal share respectively. The Power Grid Corporation of India transmits about half of the total long distance bulk power in the country. It operates an interconnected transmission system in five main regions, namely northern, eastern, southern, northeastern, and western regions. Identification and descriptions of the structure of the industry The Indian energy sector is highly regulated. The power industry consists of regulatory authorities that demand flexibility and compliance to rules from the industry participants. PESTLE Analysis of the Indian Power Sector Political The government policy on the power sector focuses mainly on urban centres, with rural centres relying on special budgetary interventions to receive state-sponsored resources for electricity distribution. The present setup of the industry leaves the government annual budget as the main funds’ source. On the other hand, India has state governments that charge different power tariffs to distributors. Companies in the industry have to grapple with various pricing regimes. The state government and national governments offer subsidies to companies engaged in electrification as part of a policy to increase electricity access to all the citizens in India (Sharma, Nairb & Balasubramanianc 2005). Economic Investments in transmission and distribution have been few, causing the country to rely on old transmission lines. Consequently, India suffers electricity losses due to transmission that reaches 28.44 per cent of the total transmitted power. Subsidy power arrangements allow state governments to offer affordable power to some sections under their jurisdiction, and then have industries and private consumers paying for the deficit created by the subsidy. However, the arrangement presents financial challenges for state electricity boards when they are unable to meet their targets. Social India has a population of more than 1.2 billion people, with most of them being under 65 years of age. They have varied work attitudes, income distribution, and education qualifications. The country provides a favourable cultural environment for investment with a small pension burden compared to most developed countries. Technology Electricity transmission relies on Alternating Current (AC) technology, but recent developments in the interconnection of regional grids relied on high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology. Legal India has legal statutes enacted to encourage competition in the electricity sector. The current provisions include open access to the transmission and distribution network, and the recognition of power trading as a distinct activity as presented in the Electricity Act 2003. The act also offers a liberal definition of a captive generating plant. It has special provisions that affect organizations dealing with electricity supply in the rural areas. The government issues license to private power generators and distributors to complement its work. The licenses provide a legal basis for doing business. Environment India has started implementing an environmental pollution-rating program for firms operating in the energy sector. The inaugural report shows that the sector as a whole performs dismally. The average score for the sector was 23 per cent, despite the fact that it was possible for it to score as much as 80 per cent. The contributing factors to the high level of pollution, especially for thermal power generation, include the inefficient use of resources and prevalent characteristics of technological backwardness. They lead to high levels of pollution because they violate most of the parameters used by environmental agencies in India to measure the environmental friendliness aspects of any firm (Center for Science and Environment India 2015). Given that most Indian power plants operate at 60-70 per cent efficiency, environmentalists call for 100 per cent utilization of existing firms so that there is no need to develop new plants to fill the current electricity deficit in the country (Center for Science and Environment India 2015). Reasons for the current industry structure and possible future structure The Indian power industry was vertically integrated prior to 2003. It still exhibits forms of the vertical integration, where state-affiliated companies deal with power generation, transmission, distribution, and trading. The industry’s value chain moves from electricity generators to the distributors, who rely on both high capacity and low capacity transmission options to cover markets. Consumers then connect to the power grid and pay for electricity usage on a monthly or a yearly basis. In the future, much of the production of electricity and distribution will be in the hands of private sector players, as the major public enterprises enter into joint production initiatives and the private sector players improve their capacities for production and distribution. Analysis of the Contribution of Each Sector The power sector is an important contributor to the gross domestic product in any country. Reliance on inexpensive power ensures that the cost of producing goods and services remains slow; therefore, prices for commodities in an economy remain affordable. At the same time, the cost of production is a major contributor to the competitiveness of industries. With affordable and reliable power, the products manufactured in India have a competitive advantage over products made in other parts of the world that lack a comparative advantage in power generation and distribution (Gillespie 2014). Unfortunately, in the case of India, the rate of increase in the supply of electricity has not caught up with the increase in demand. The Indian economy grew at a rate of around 8-9 per cent in the past few years. Similarly, power production and distribution have been increasing, thanks to the efforts of state agencies and private companies. Despite the increase, the primary consumers of power are commercial enterprises and industries. Little power remains for distribution to the rural areas. Consequently, the development of infrastructure and other electricity-reliant businesses have been in the developed urban and semi-urban parts of the country. The power sector in India continues to drive economic growth, but it lags behind when it is compared to other developing countries. India has one of the lowest per capita consumption of electricity in the world (Reliance Power 2015). Current power deficit (year 2013 – 2014) is 4.5 per cent, which is a marked reduction from 9.5 per cent in 2010 – 2011. It is also a significant improvement brought about by the increased capacity of both state-affiliated power producers and private companies in the industry (India Brand Equity Foundation 2015). The National Thermal Power Company The following part of the report discusses the National Thermal Power Company (NTPC) sustainability, targets, and organizational business plan in relation to various business frameworks and theories of strategic management. It also includes the effects of government sustainability targets on the company (Henry 2011). The National Thermal Power Company is an electricity utility company operating in the energy sector in India. It strives to transform lives as its primary value proposition. It also seeks to be the best company in the country, such that potential employees would want to work in NTPC. The company is in the segment that deals with agencies that are seeking to buy electricity. It targets state-owned electricity boards and attempts to position itself as the cheapest power supplier in India. Although NTPC started as a thermal only power generator, it increased its portfolio to include hydroelectric power generation. The company is a major central public sector enterprise in India recognized for its competitive business approaches, despite the fact that it is a public institution (Srinivasan 2004). The main competitors for the National Thermal Power Company are Reliance Energy and Tata power. Swot Analysis Strength NTPC has an employee-friendly work environment that allows it to attract and retain the best-qualified staffs to assist it in developing competitive capabilities in the Indian electricity industry. The company is also efficient in the production of power, compared to the national average rate of efficiency (Srinivasan 2004). In addition, it runs a fully integrated project management system that allows it to keep costs low and to provide reliable and stable power to its consumers. The company has been in the industry for decades. The experience gained so far allows its management and leadership to make appropriate long-term strategic plans. Moreover, the company enjoys the backing of the central government, which has an ownership stake in it. Lastly, NTPC has maintained an excellent record of efficient and timely completion of projects over the past few years (Behera, Dash & Farooquie 2010). Weaknesses Much of the electricity generated by NTPC comes from non-renewable energy sources. Therefore, the company continues to deplete raw materials by the virtue of its operations. In addition, its affiliation with the central government of India places it at the risk of government interventions that can cause disruptions or reduce its competitive advantages. The company is also subject to electricity pricing regulations provided in the Electricity Act 2003 (Srinivasan 2004). Opportunities The existing electricity demand surpasses the current generation capacity. Moreover, the trend will continue in the future, which leaves enough room for the current generating companies like NTPC to increase their production capacities to enjoy better economies of scale and associated profitability gain (Economic Times 2015). The experience of NTPC in the Indian electricity industry places it in an excellent position to offer commercial consultancy services to governments and private organizations that handle policy formulation and enforcement tasks. NTPC has options to advance its power generation focus to new sources, such as wind and solar. It can also rely on improved technologies to enhance its production efficiencies in thermal and hydroelectric generation (Tiwari, Hasan & Islam 2013). Threats The rise in the cost of production influenced by fuel supply prices and regulatory changes can affect NTPC’s profitability and growth prospects negatively (Prasad 2012). The increased involvement of private firms in power generation threatens to limit growth opportunities for NTPC, given that it relies on thermal sources for most of its power while the competitors offer cleaner power at the same price range for the consumers. Increased environmental activism in India and the world can influence policy changes that may lead to an increase in the demand for renewable power, thus placing NTPC in a disadvantaged position. Resource-based view The resource-based view (RBV) is a basis of competitive advantage that firms follow. RBV calls for the application of a range of tangible and intangible internal resources that the firm has access to both in the short-term and the long-term. It is applicable to all companies and useful in evaluating the competitive positioning of NTPC. Several unique capabilities of NTPC are identifiable using RBV. They contribute to the firm’s overall performance after the liberalization of the energy sector in India. NTPC has eight renewable power projects. It employs more than 24,000 employees in its 39 power generation projects and overall company operations departments. Presently, it has an installed capacity of 43,803 MW (Srinivasan 2004). The company has the largest power utility in India and provides about 20 per cent of the total installed capacity. Its core resources include its established electricity generation plants, its employees, and its financial reserves. The other resources are its present power-purchase agreements with various states and its research and development partnerships with different institutions. At the same time, NTPC carries out various corporate social responsibility projects with other organizations, which allow it to meet its overall brand reputation growth goals. The company relies on a comprehensive recruitment process, review of project feasibilities, and collaboration with technology and regulatory partners on its various sites for project implementation to develop its internal resources. It also relies on its core capital reserves to develop a new generation capacity, which allow it to remain the largest power producer in India. The company has built up remarkable experience, with the capabilities of providing consultancy services that differentiate it from its competitors in terms of attractiveness for joint-venture projects with foreign and local organizations (Hunt & Ivergard 2007). NTPC is investing in renewable energy, in addition to vast amounts of coal production facilities. Therefore, the company is positioned well for taking on new entrants into the market that already enjoy a favourable stakeholder outlook for their clean energy production methods. The company’s value proposition, as outlined by its mission, is to develop and provide reliable power and related products and services at competitive prices. The value proposition has influenced its development of internal capacities to take advantage of technological and regulatory improvements in the Indian power sector. Internal leadership at the company is also a resource capability that allows it to formulate tangible and reachable performance goals for its triple bottom line performance scorecard. The company enjoys a privilege of having an independent board of directors that has the power to run the organization as a private enterprise with minimal interference from the government. As a result, NTPC can remain innovative by embracing market-based practices for its internal operations (Indian Express 2010). The company’s brand, which follows its rechristened name, NTPC Limited, allows it to attract qualified job candidates suitable for various electricity generation competencies, such as solar, gas, hydroelectric, and thermal projects. It also places the company in a favourable position to rival other private sector firms as its new name enshrines its inclusion of alternative electricity sources. With a broad business outlook and a competent staff management program, NTPC has been successful in recruiting and maintaining highly qualified personnel in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, instrumentation engineering, civil engineering, and human resources, as well as finance. As a result, it has a human capital competency that allows it to pursue bold market strategies that its rivals are unable to copy in the short-term. Therefore, the human capital resource at NTPC gives the company a distinct competitive capability worth protecting (NTPC 2014). Balanced scorecard analysis Companies that fail to use the balanced scorecard strategy to run their businesses remained unbalanced in resource allocation and utilization. Some aspects of the company can go unnoticed, leading to market share loss. The adage behind the balanced scorecard is that ‘what gets measured eventually improves’. NTPC implements human resource accounting, which assists the company in the disclosure of non-financial metrics. In-depth reporting allows the company to present its investors with adequate information concerning its intangible assets. It also enables the company to understand the value of its resources better in a knowledge-based society. The valuation of human resources of NTPC is important for the brand. It also provides insights into the industry that other stakeholders can use. NTPC includes human resource value and brand value in its total balance sheet value. Thus, the company not only reviews tangible production elements, such as equipment performance in the quest to improve efficiencies, but it also evaluates the input of the employees in relation to the company expenditures on employee fitness and impact on production. Thus, human resources accounting provides NTPC with critical decision-making reports that allow it to achieve its objectives and improve its overall long-term output (Kashive 2012). The market value of the firm and its book value differences are attributable to the proper measurement of company’s intangible assets and their contribution to the overall performance. As capital markets become more transparent around the world, it is possible for firms to get more capital when they present adequate reports on their operations. Investors and other stakeholders have become more interested in the market value of enterprises, which extend beyond the book value. Thus, a competitive edge useful in sourcing for funds to expand on managing growth is realized in firms like NTPC that have established trustworthiness with stakeholders. It also uses the balanced scorecard related valuation of human resources as a marketing tool. The firm gains from its measurements and disclosures because of the enhanced reputation and positive external influence on its brand reputation (Kashive 2012). A report by Deloitte (2011), in collaboration with the Indian Chamber of Commerce, indicated India’s public enterprises pursuit of triple bottom line as a three-dimensional measurement of corporate performance. Therefore, apart from financial, the public enterprises like NTPC measure their performance in environmental and social matters. Sustainability of the business comes from adequate management of corporate, labour, and other stakeholder interests. Under human capital, NTPC has to offer fair and beneficial business practices toward employees and its community. The “planet bottom line” calls for NTPC to create and use sustainable environmental practices to address issues like pollution and global warming. Finally, the profit bottom line calls for the creation of economic surpluses to sustain the current operations and the future growth (Gurtoo 2009). NTPC was a recipient of the Golden Peacock Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance in 2009 for being the best central public sector enterprise in India (Deloitte 2011). Presently, the company implements a number of initiatives to empower its employees and communities. It provides quality education to students in 48 schools in various townships where it has power projects. The schools recruit more than 40,000 students (Deloitte 2011). The company also has a performance management system based on a joint goal setting principle that helps it track performance targets. The system ensures that the employees and reporting officers discuss project parameters appropriately and jointly arrive at performance objectives. The system ensures that goals are tangible and reachable, as they are the products of consensus among the internal stakeholders of the company. The implementation of the system begins with senior management and subordinate meetings to discuss and ascertain the overall annual targets. The second step is a review of the target achievement by either group. The last stage is for feedback from seniors when the cycles of evaluation come to an end. Finally, competency gaps are analysed to contribute to plans for training. Members of the organization’s different ranks also have appeal mechanisms for use in airing grievances within the system, particularly regarding dissatisfaction with the performance rating system (Deloitte 2011). For its senior management, NPTC implements a 360-degree staff appraisal that includes feedback from peers, subordinates, seniors, and customers. The feedback and evaluation provide the company with a comprehensive leadership assessment system that becomes useful for bridging competency gaps in its senior management staffs (Deloitte 2011). NTPC enters into a memorandum of understanding with the government for non-financial performance measures every year. Under the environmental pillar of its triple bottom line strategy, NTPC has to engage in corporate social responsibility programs focusing on environmental issues and introduce sustainable development initiatives (Aggarwal 2013). Presently, the company relies on its research and development partnership with institutions in India on the appropriate frameworks and technologies in exploration and production. The company also follows a government mandate to pursue the latest technologies in producing, which forces it to keep pace with industry development by procuring the available state-of-the-art technologies (Deloitte 2011). Porter’s Generic Strategy Power of rivals After the passage of the Electricity Act 2003, competition in the electricity industry became possible and private players have since increased their capacities that of NTPC. However, India has a huge power deficit and requires all the electricity that is generated, leaving no surplus in the industry. Rivalry pressures only arise in the pricing of power because the producers cater for fuel sourcing costs, licensing, and operations costs of their plants. The industry is also capital intensive, which ensures that competitive advantages enjoyed by one firm due to technologies do not quickly disappear because it takes time for the rivals to set up similar facilities. Power of suppliers Fuel suppliers have considerable power over the electricity generation companies. Companies seek the cheapest fuel they can get so that they can transfer cost savings to consumers. Thermal power producers rely on coal, gas, and oil suppliers. Therefore, they are susceptible to supplier price fluctuations in the market. Too high prices for fuel lead to high costs that are passed on to consumers to make the power generated by a given company to be uncompetitive (Pushkar & Kumar 2013). Power of substitutes In power generation, NTPC faces substitutes like solar and other renewable energy sources. Its threat of substitute remains small, given that the focus of the company being thermal and hydroelectric power. Renewable power production costs are still high. Moreover, the capital and regulatory approvals required to set up nuclear plants makes it hard for nuclear energy producers to increase their capacity in the short-term. Therefore, NTPC faces only a few threats from substitute power generating companies. In some cases, substitutes such as solar power act as complementary sources of electricity to assist consumers who are off the grid to get power as they wait to join the national power grid. Threat of new entrants The threat of new entrants remains low, as many companies have to start small and increase their electricity generation capacity slowly. However, new entrants also rely on the formation of joint ventures with existing players to gain considerable market share in the industry (KPMG India 2010). From April 2000 to September 2014, the electricity industry in India attracted foreign direct investment inflows worth US$ 9,309.96 million. The new entrants bid for new power projects and enter the market when they win power generation licenses. Licensing agreements are different for different states. Recently, SunEdison signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Rajasthan. The deal will allow the firm to offer solar power projects that generate 5,000 MW in the state (India Brand Equity Foundation 2015). Similarly, Reliance Power commissioned 100MW of power in the same state. The two examples show the activities of private companies entering into new market segments in the electricity industry in India. Conclusion The Indian electricity power sector experiences increasing growth as the country and its various power stakeholders make and implement plans to meet the current electricity supply deficit. India remains one of the least per capita consumers of electricity, despite the fact that the country is the fifth largest producer of electricity in the world. The power industry in India recently became market-based because of central government reform processes. The reforms, ushered by the Electricity Act of 2003, introduced the private sector to electricity generation, transmission, and distribution to consumers. Presently, individual states have the power to regulate power generation and distribution in their jurisdiction. They also rely on the power transmission contracts with transmission companies to export or import electricity to their states. Much of the current generated power feeds commercial and industrial demand, with rural domestic users facing more of the country’s electricity shortage. This report also analysed the competitive capabilities and strategies of the National Thermal Power Company, which has since renamed itself to NTPC Limited to symbolize its diversification from thermal electricity generation. It remains the largest electricity producer in India, and it is a public traded company. The company embraces a balanced scorecard framework for measuring its performance, with core parameters being finance, people, and the environment under a triple bottom line approach. It also deals with the growing competition adequately, although the results of deregulation of the industry by India’s central government have had a significant effect on the urgency of its operational goals and power production goals. NTPC continues to embrace employee capacity development programs at various company levels to ensure that it sustains its core competitive capability, which is its human resource, as analysed using the resource-based view framework. Reflection I have developed a better understanding of macroeconomic concepts after completing the first part of this assignment. The topic of research offered a good basis for looking at the economic perspectives, both from a firm’s level and national level, with the differences and similarities emerging succinctly throughout the discussion. Industries play a part in contributing to the gross domestic product of countries. The efficiency of a particular industry can have a significant effect on the country’s overall economic performance. After studying NTPC Limited in the Indian energy sector, I realize that government interventions through policy are critical enablers or disablers of a sector’s competitiveness. There has been a remarkable improvement in efficiency in just one decade following the introduction of competition in the electricity industry in India. At the same time, the country has been able to cut its domestic electricity supply deficit by half, which happens alongside the annual growth in electricity demand due to the overall increase in economic activities in the country. The government policy, which is realized through fiscal or monetary measures in an economy affect the level of consumption, prices, and associated supply capacity. At a microeconomic level, firms have to decide whether they should produce more or less, depending on the prevailing prices of their commodities. My study shows that price alone does not influence the production decisions of suppliers. The nature of an industry and its significance to a country also affects production decisions. Besides that, there are stakeholder demands that a company’s leadership has to consider at every decision-making opportunity, to cut or increase production. In the case of NTPC, as my study demonstrates, signing a pact with the government on performance ensured that despite market forces of demand and competitor’s power supply, NTPC still had to fulfil its objective to its major shareholder. The company had to embrace the state-of-the-art technology available in the market to improve its production efficiencies, and cement its position as a leading electricity generating company in India. At the same time, I realize that a company’s structure affects its decision-making possibilities. As a state-owned enterprise, NTPC Limited expects its principal shareholder to make the major decisions about its strategy and competitive focus, however, have been granted autonomy by the central government; the company can perform remarkably well in a competitive environment because it is free to embrace market-based principles of strategic management. The status of being a publicly-owned enterprise or a private-owned enterprise presents diverse implications on any company’s strategic positioning. I realize that, had NTPC not been operating as a private entity, despite major shareholding by government, it would have been unable to come up with distinct internal organization policies that improve the quality and quantity of its workforce output. Demand forces in an industry are capable of influencing supplier commitment to improving supply prices and product features. In the case of the Indian electricity industry and NTPC in particular, the national electricity deficit and a growing demand due to increased economic activities in the country compelled industry policy makers and company leaders to come up with long-term marketing plans to fill the gap. At the same time, the supply deficit allows the Indian electricity generator to be inefficient and still have considerable market performance, akin to the advantages enjoyed by a monopoly. However, where there is a surplus in electricity production, I do not expect the Indian electricity generators like NTPC, Tata energy, and Reliance Power to have the luxury of running inefficient power generation plants. The competition and market equilibrium forces will compel these companies to compete amongst each other based on their price offerings to electricity consumers, as well as the sustainability of their transmission contracts with the relevant service providers. Although companies can have the best strategies for taking on rivals and enhancing their market share, they remain limited to the provisions offered by the government policy on competition, protection of business capabilities, and access to opportunities. NTPC values its employees because it realizes that in the industry, which is marked by an identical product and plenty of inferior and superior alternative sources of the product, the main differentiating element in production is the quality of human capital that a firm possesses. As an experienced player in the industry, the firm has accumulated considerable organizational knowledge that uniquely places it ahead of its competitors in terms of strategic outlook and company positioning to capture new opportunities. The human capital allows NTPC to have tangible expectations of its supply capacity and utilize the current state of production technology. However, as the number of producers increases in the market and production increases, NTPC will have to reinvest in human resource training to match new competitive thresholds that will be introduced by new players. I am grateful for the immersive experience in studying economics and business strategy that this business analysis assignment has presented. I hope to use the insights gained so far in making assumptions and interpretations about other markets and business situations in my study and career work. In addition to the economic concepts learned, I have also had a first-hand experience in doing research, looking for significant information sources on a particular business subject, and finding out different expert views about a company’s situation, its past and future strategy, and how that adds up to shape an industry in the context of the overall country economic circumstances. I was also impressed by relativeness in economic indicator comparisons among countries. India is a developing country, yet its power generation capacity is larger than many developed countries. It reminds me that economic indicators must be viewed in a context, rather than isolation. This realization has made me appreciate the use of business analysis tools such as the Porter’s generic forces, balanced scorecard, and the resource-based view, as well as the SWOT analysis. Reference List Aggarwal, P. 2013, ‘Impact of sustainability performance of company on its financail performance: A study of listed indian companies’, Global Journal of Management and Busiess Research Finance , vol 13, no. 11, pp. 61-70. Behera, S. K., Dash, A. P. & Farooquie, J. A. 2010, ‘Performance analysis of coal fired power plants in India’, Proceedings of the 2010 International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management , Dhaka. Center for Science and Environment India 2015, India’s first-ever environmental rating of coal-based power plants finds the sector’s performance to be way below global bechmarks . Web. Deloitte 2011, Public sector enterprises in India: Pursuing the tripple bottom line . Web. Economic Times 2015, NTPC . Web. Gillespie, A. 2014, Foundations of economics , 3rd edn, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Gurtoo, A. 2009, ‘Adaptation of Indian public sector to market-based economic reforms; A resource-based perspective’, International Journal of Public Sector Management , vol 22, no. 6, pp. 516-531. Henry, A. 2011, Understanding strategic management , Oxford University Press, New York, NY. Hunt, B. & Ivergard, T. 2007, ‘Organizational climate and workplace efficiency: learning from performance measurement in a public‐sector cadre organization’, Public Management Review , vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 27-47. India Brand Equity Foundation 2015, Power sector in India . Web. Indian Express 2010, 4 PSUs get maharatna status . Web. Kashive, N. 2012, ‘Creating employer brands by valuing human capital in organizations and measuring intangible assets’, International Journal of Enterprise Computing and Business , vol 2, no. 1, pp. 1-7. KPMG India 2010, ‘Power sector in Idia: White paper on implementation challenges and opportunities’, Energy Summit , Nagpur. NTPC 2002, Chairman’s statement 2002 . Web. NTPC 2014, Annual report 2013-14 . Web. Pushkar, DNS & Kumar, S. S. 2013, ‘A study on power sector with role of NTPC limited in India’, Research Journal of Management Sciences , vol 2, no. 6, pp. 9-12. Prasad, R. 2012, India growth story attracts big power companies, like GDF Suez and E.ON despite local faults . Web. Reliance Power 2015, Indian power sector . Web. Sharma, P. S., Nairb, C. & Balasubramanianc, R. 2005, ‘Performance of Indian power sector during a decade under restructuring: a critique’, Energy Policy , vol 33, pp. 563-576. Srinivasan, R. 2004, NTPC: Invest at Rs 62 . Web. Tiwari, A. K., Hasan, M. M. & Islam, M. 2013, ‘Exergy analysis of combined cycle power plant: NTPC Dadri, India’, International Journal of Thermodynamics , vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 36-42.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: The paper is aimed at examining the way in which my school supports these students as well as their parents. In particular, it is necessary to compare the current strategies against the best practices recommended by researchers. Overall, it is possible to argue that such students should be supported by various professionals working in educational institutions.

The paper is aimed at examining the way in which my school supports these students as well as their parents. In particular, it is necessary to compare the current strategies against the best practices recommended by researchers. Overall, it is possible to argue that such students should be supported by various professionals working in educational institutions.

Supporting English Language Learners Exemplification Essay English language learners have a diverse range of needs that should be met by educators. This paper is aimed at examining the way in which my school supports these students as well as their parents. In particular, it is necessary to compare the current strategies against the best practices recommended by researchers. Overall, it is possible to argue that such students should be supported by various professionals working in educational institutions. This thesis should be elaborated in greater detail. First, it is critical to have school-wide commitment to the needs of students who are not native speakers of English. To some degree, this requirement is met in my school because the linguistic background of learners is considered by educators who do not teach English or literature. For example, one can speak about educators teaching mathematics, biology, or history. They often modify their instructional methods when they interact with such students. However, this requirement is not met by all teachers. Some of them are not willing to consider the difficulties faced by these people. This is one of the challenges that should not be overlooked by school administrators. In turn, it is establish connections to the culture and home of immigrants. For instance, the parents of these people should be able to express their views about education. The partnership with these stakeholders is important for the successful educational outcomes of students. In my school, the parents of immigrant children have this opportunity. This argument is particularly relevant to individuals who speak Spanish. However, in some cases, a parent may find it difficult to communicate with educators, especially if they speak languages that are not widespread in the United States. Therefore, their children may have to act as translators. This is one of the main problems that parents and students struggle with. Apart from that, it is critical to remember about the use of best methods in teaching English as the second language. In particular, one should speak about instructional practices that make English language learning both challenging and safe (Krashen & McField, 2005). In turn, they want to make sure that English language learners have an opportunity to use language for various purposes. Moreover, they make sure that a student’s academic performance is not impaired due to their linguistic background. Additionally, the teachers often take part in the workshops that enable them to improve their instructional methods. Thus, to some degree, my school meets the standards, set for educational organizations. In turn, my major task as a teacher is to create an environment in which students can effectively develop their English language skills. First of all, it is critical to develop a set of exercises that can enable people to elaborate their linguistic skills. Yet, at the same time, I need to focus on the inclusion of these students (Reed, 2003, p. 36). They should not be alienated from other students. The problem is that they do not always interact with other learners; as a result, they cannot improve their command of English. Additionally, I will need to work closely with other teachers who do not know much about the linguistic education. On the whole, these examples indicate that English language learning can be a very challenging and interesting process, especially if they are supported by the educators. The main goal is to create an environment in which English language learners are not excluded from classroom activities. Reference List Krashen, S., & McField, G. (2005). What works? Reviewing the latest evidence on bilingual education . Retrieved from http://users.rcn.com/crawj/langpol/Krashen-McField.pdf Reed, B. (2003). Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Teachers of English Language Learners . Retrieved from https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/ell.pdf

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Write an essay about: In the text, the author discusses the history of Juway's Cafe and how it has been able to remain competitive in the service industry. Juway's Cafe started as a small business outlet in 1999 and has been able to grow rapidly in the service industry, overcoming a number of challenges in the process. The management of the firm remained resilient in the face of stiff market competition. Currently, Juway's Cafe is one of the leading food outlets in Maldives. Besides offering various products to clients who visit its stores, the firm also offers catering services for events like weddings, birthday parties, and corporate functions, among others. Although 2015 has been predicted to be a year full of numerous challenges to the business fraternity in this country, Juway's Cafe has a clear game plan on how to overcome these challenges.

In the text, the author discusses the history of Juway's Cafe and how it has been able to remain competitive in the service industry. Juway's Cafe started as a small business outlet in 1999 and has been able to grow rapidly in the service industry, overcoming a number of challenges in the process. The management of the firm remained resilient in the face of stiff market competition. Currently, Juway's Cafe is one of the leading food outlets in Maldives. Besides offering various products to clients who visit its stores, the firm also offers catering services for events like weddings, birthday parties, and corporate functions, among others. Although 2015 has been predicted to be a year full of numerous challenges to the business fraternity in this country, Juway's Cafe has a clear game plan on how to overcome these challenges.

Enterprise Development: Juway’s Café Report Introduction Background of Juway’s Café Juway’s Café started in 1999 as a small business outlet that was started by Juwariya in Maldives. From a humble beginning, this firm was able to grow rapidly in the service industry, overcoming a number of challenges in the process. The management of the firm remained resilient in the face of stiff market competition. Currently, Juway’s Café is one of the leading food outlets in Maldives. Besides offering various products to clients who visit its stores, the firm also offers catering services for events like weddings, birthday parties, and corporate functions, among others. Although 2015 has been predicted to be a year full of numerous challenges to the business fraternity in this country, Juway’s Café has a clear game plan on how to overcome these challenges. An interview with the owner of this business clearly shows that this firm is prepared to deal with the problem of decreasing number of tourists in the country. Background of the service industry The service industry in the country has experienced massive growth over the past few years. In this paper, the focus will be on the hospitality industry as part of the service sector. This industry heavily relies upon the tourism industry. An influx of tourists into this country always boosts business in this industry. According to Kusluvan (2003), some events in the recent past have caused uproar in the international community, hurting the service industry, especially the tourism sector. Strict application of Shariah laws have made some tourists to avoid visiting this country. Main Target Market of Juway’s Café Juway’s Café’s main target market comes from the local population. As the owner of this firm stated, this café targets the local consumers, especially those who may want catering services for various events such as those discussed above. The international tourists who visit the country from time to time also make another attractive market segment for this firm. According to the statements of the owner of this firm, Juway’s Café is planning to look for markets beyond the borders in the near future. Competitive advantage of Juway’s Café The high number of firms in this industry has made it very competitive, making it necessary for Juway’s Cafe to find ways of gaining competitive edge over its market rivals. To understand the competitiveness of this firm, conducting a SWOT analysis will be necessary at this stage. Strengths Juway’s Cafe has been able to remain competitive in the hospitality industry because of a number of reasons that may be considered its strength. The experience in the industry is one of its major strengths. This firm started its operations in this industry at a time when competition was not very stiff. It witnessed the massive changes which brought with it a new strong wave of competition into this industry. This wealth of experience has enabled this firm to predict new market forces and how to deal with them in a way assures it of success. Another major strength that has enabled this firm to overcome market challenges is its team of dedicated and highly experienced employees. Juway’s Cafe is known for its unique capacity to retain its highly skilled employees. This is majorly because of the strategies put in place by the leaders of this firm. Weaknesses It is also important to note that this firm has a number of weaknesses that have limited its ability to achieve the expected success in the market. One of the major weaknesses of this firm, as noted from the interview, was the location of its stores. Some of its food stores are not strategically located. Another issue was the distance to be covered to get some of the raw materials. According to Walker (2012), the cost of transportation may affect the profitability of a firm. Having long cover from the sourcing points to the retail stores means that this firm has been spending a lot of money on transportation. Such long distances may also lead to breakage of the goods on transit. Opportunities The market presents a number of opportunities that this firm should take advantage of in order to enhance its competitive capabilities. According to Lehmann and Winer (2008), emerging technologies may be seen as either threats or opportunities, depending on the approach that one takes to deal with them. The emerging technologies may bring an opportunity to introduce a new production system which is lean and more effective than the existing systems. The new communication tools can also enable Juway’s Cafe to interact easily with its clients in the market. This makes it easy to monitor and respond to the changing market trends as may be appropriate. The increasingly globalised international market offers Juway’s Cafe an increase in the market. The firm is yet to make an emphatic presence in some markets in Asia-Pacific. These markets could be the magical key to its prosperity if the management can be serious about it (Temporal, 2010). The emerging middle and upper class in the country is another opportunity that this firm should not ignore. Threats The external environment presents some threats that must be dealt with to avoid their negative consequences (Keegan & Green, 2013). The threat of new entrants into the local market is expected to go high as many firms struggle to expand their operations in the global market. Any new firm that has the capacity to withstand such a competitive environment can easily join this market, and this can make the market to be very competitive. External Forces Affecting Juway’s Café In order to understand the strategic issues that affect Couch in the market, it will be necessary to conduct a detailed analysis of its external environmental forces. As McKeown (2002) suggest, using tools such as PESTEL and Porters Five Forces may be beneficial at this stage in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics in the market. Political environment The political environment may have serious consequences to the internal activities within a firm. According to Griffeth and Hom (2001), political instability may lead to serious insecurity within a country. Achieving success in a lawless country is not possible. Juway’s Cafe has flourished because of the peace that has been experienced in the Maldives. This country has enjoyed a long political stability. The political class has also made an effort to avoid any direct interference with the business community. Economic environment The economic environment in Maldives has remained relatively stable over the years (Starling, 2011). Other than the 2009 economic recession that hit the country, the markets where this firm operate have experienced economic prosperity. Social environment The social forces have a strong influence on the trends in the hospitality industry. According to Grigoroudis and Siskos (2010), the socio-cultural beliefs have a major impact on the purchasing patterns of the consumers. In the Maldives where Juway’s Cafe operates, the social environment is relatively diversified. Although majority of the population are Muslims, the society is opening up to Western civilisation. In such a diversified environment, this firm will need to find ways of meeting the unique needs of different classes of its customers. Technological environment Technology has transformed the production strategies used at this firm. When Juway’s Cafe started in 1999, the technology had not reached the current levels. The firm currently uses machines to enhance speed, standardisation, and quality of the products. Technology has also transformed the marketing strategies used by Juway’s Cafe. The firm now uses social media such as Facebook and Twitter to reach out to its targeted customers. Technology has also enhanced the interaction between the firm and its customers. Ecological environment Ecological issues also have an impact on the macro environment. The world is becoming very sensitive of the levels of greenhouse gases in the air and other agents of pollution (Novikova, 2009). Pressure has been mounting on all the manufacturers to cut down their emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This means that firms such as Juway’s Cafe will need to ensure that their production strategies conform to the new environmental policies. Legal environment The legal environment is another macro environmental factor that has affected the operations of Juway’s Cafe. According to Hernon and Whitman (2000), no firm can operate in a lawless region. A firm needs laws that will guide its relationship with other stakeholders and protect it from unfair practices that may be a threat to its existence (Lindenau-Stockfisch, 2011). The legal systems in the Maldives have enabled this firm to operate without unnecessary interruptions. Business Challenges Faced by Juway’s Café in the Year 2015 According to the interview by Juwariya, the year 2015 has brought with it some challenges which have affected its revenues. One major challenge is the reduction in the number of tourists visiting the country. Over the recent past, the number of international tourists visiting the country has reduced significantly. Local tourism is also very sluggish. Stiff competition in the market is also worsening the competition. According to Kronberg (2011), competition may be a serious threat to a business’ prosperity if it is not handled carefully. The increasing number of new entrants has reduced the size of market share for this firm. The stagnation of the economy is also another issue that Juwariya mentioned as an issue that is affecting business. Instead of eating in hotels, some people now prefer taking their meals at home as a way of adjusting to the increasing cost of living in this country. This means that the firm has to adjust its operations by reducing its volume of production. This means that there will be reduced profits because of the low sales. Opportunities for the Juway’s Café in the near Future According to Juwariya, the biggest opportunity for this firm is the prospects of going global. The current population is this country is estimated to be 393,500 (Gaurav, 2013). This is a small population considering the expansion plans for this firm. Going global will, therefore, offer it a wider market than what it currently has. The security measures put in place by the government has also offered an opportunity for this firm to expand its operations. The intended infrastructural developments scheduled to take place, especially in the road sector is expected to offer this firm a further advantage in the market. According to Juwariya, with improved transport system, the cost of operations will go down. The process of getting the raw materials from the suppliers will be simpler and will take a shorter time. Views from the Entrepreneur about the Sector The interview with Juwariya revealed a lot about this sector of the industry. It also enabled the researcher to understand the views of the entrepreneur about this sector of the economy. According to this entrepreneur, the hospitality sector has not been given enough attention by the government. This is seen not only in the annual budgets, but also in terms of marketing the country internationally. The government has done little to market the tourism sector to the international community. Juwariya also feels that the sector has a potential that can only be exploited if the stakeholders in this country makes an effort to improve the infrastructure and other support industry. He noted that the sector still over relies on tourism, something that needs to be addressed by the relevant stakeholders. Actions to be taken to Overcome Problems and to Ensure Business Sustainability To ensure business sustainability, Juwariya noted that a number of actions will have to be taken by different stakeholders to address specific problems. On the issue of infrastructure, he noted that it is the responsibility of the government to build transport network and other enabling structures within the country. It is also important to look for the market beyond the local borders. Increasing awareness of this country is another issue that may help increase the number of visitors into the country. Another action that will need to be taken is to enhance the security in the country. This will enable the players in the hospitality industry to operate 24 hours in a day. Key success Factors to Ensure Success and Future Growth of Juway’s Café Understanding the key success factors may be critical when analysing environmental forces that may affect the operations of the firm. One of the greatest success factors at Juway’s Cafe is the long experience it has had in the hospitality industry. The firm has been in the operations since 1999. It has an understanding of how to deal with the emerging trends in this industry. The acquisition of highly experienced employees to work in the production department also means that this firm is in a better capacity to come up with innovative products and production strategies that will help in cutting down the cost of operations. The firm has also introduced new strategies that encourage and define how to manage change in the workplace. The proactive approach to change makes it easy to deal with the new disruptive forces that may affect the normal operations of the firm. Discussion The discussion above has demonstrated that Juba Cafe has managed to withstand the market forces in this country. According to Juwariya, the owner of this business, the management has been keen to ensure that it offers the best products at the right time and competitive prices. The 4 Ps of marketing mix discussed below has benefited it a lot. Product The product element is the first factor that the management of Juway’s Cafe has laid a lot of emphasis on in the recent past. It is offering products that exceed the expectations of the customers. However, other competitors have been keen on improving the quality of their products as well. For this reason, the management will need to ensure that the quality of these products is maintained in order to meet the expectation of the customers. Price The pricing element is also important when defining the marketing approach that a firm uses in the market (Aaker, 2009). Customers value the pricing strategies because it not only defines their ability to access such a product, but it also tells them of the value of the product itself. According to Cook (2005), highly priced products are easily associated with high value in the market because it targets the rich. On the other hand, low priced products are considered to offer poor quality as it targets the poor. This makes it very challenging for a firm to set an appropriate price that will not devalue the product, but at the same time attract more customers. Jain (2011) says that it is very important to understand the market segment targeted in order to know their buyer behaviour. It is important to understand their capacity and expectations when they are looking for a food outlet. The management will also need to evaluate the market trends to determine the prices charged by other existing players and the view of customers about these prices. It should then determine its cost of operation (Nash, 2000). With this knowledge, the firm will be in a position to set competitive prices that will not jeopardise its profitability. The firm should avoid evoking price wars, especially given the fact that it is a new entrant in the market. Place The place element of the marketing mix entails having the product at the right place in the right time. Customers need to have the product readily available in the market (Kuballa, 2007). This will specifically apply when looking at the outside catering products offered by this firm. The management will need to ensure that the products are delivered to the clients at the right time in their designated place. Promotion The promotion element is very important when defining sustainability and profitability of a firm. Currently, Juway’s Cafe uses the social media, especially Facebook, to reach out to its target audience. The firm will need to compete with the existing players for the small market. This requires superior promotional campaign strategies that will endear it to the customers in the market (Knight, 2006). The promotional campaign methods should be specific in targeting the right consumer segment in this market. The campaign must be appealing to the target market. Conclusion It is clear from the analysis above that Juway’s Cafe is one of the emerging food outlets in this country. The hospitality industry is playing a major role in the country economy. However, factors such as low population and little attention given by the government are some of the issues that are hindering its expansion. Juway’s Cafe has a potential to expand its market coverage if the management can manage external environmental threats such as increased competition in the market. References Aaker, D.A. (2009). Strategic Market Planning . New York: John Wiley & Sons. Cook, J. (2005). Understanding Marketing Strategy and Differential Advantage. Journal of Business Strategy, 49 (2), 137-142. Gaurav, K. (2013). Drivers of employee satisfaction and attrition . New York: Grin Verlag. Griffeth, R. W., & Hom, P. W. (2001). Retaining valued employees . Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications. Grigoroudis, E., & Siskos, Y. (2010). Customer satisfaction evaluation: Methods for measuring and implementing service quality . New York: Springer. Hernon, P., & Whitman, J. R. (2000). Delivering satisfaction and service quality: A customer-based approach for libraries . Chicago: American Library Association. Jain, S. (2011). Marketing Planning and Strategy . Mason: Thompson Publishing. Keegan, W. J., & Green, M. C. (2013). Global Marketing . Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall / Pearson. Knight, G. (2006). Entrepreneurship and Marketing Strategy. Journal of International Marketing, 8 (2), 12- 32. Kronberg, I. (2011). Employee Satisfaction on Cruise Ships . München: GRIN Verlag GmbH. Kuballa, J. (2007). Employee satisfaction – A precondition for economical success of service companies? . München: GRIN Verlag GmbH. Kusluvan, S. (2003). Managing employee attitudes and behaviors in the tourism and hospitality industry . New York: Nova Science Publishers. Lehmann, D. & Winer, R. (2008). Analysis for Marketing Planning . New York: McGraw-Hill. Lindenau-Stockfisch, V. (2011). Lean Management in Hospitals: Principles and Key Factors for Successful Implementation . Hamburg: Master Publishers. McKeown, J. L. (2002). Retaining top employees . New York: McGraw-Hill. Nash, E. L. (2000). Direct marketing: Strategy, planning, execution . New York: McGraw Hill. Novikova, K. (2009). A study of customer satisfaction factors and employee satisfaction in the hospitality industry . New York: Cengage. Starling, G. (2011). Managing the public sector . Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Temporal, P. (2010). Advanced brand management: Managing brands in a changing world . Singapore: John Wiley & Sons. Walker, O. (2012). Marketing Strategy: a decision-focused approach . Melbourne: McGraw-Hill.

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Provide the full text for the following summary: The text discusses how an organization can implement an enterprise resource planning system and the benefits of doing so.To outline the steps involved in the implementation of an enterprise resource planning system.To discuss the challenges that organizations face when implementing an enterprise resource planning system.

The text discusses how an organization can implement an enterprise resource planning system and the benefits of doing so. To outline the steps involved in the implementation of an enterprise resource planning system. To discuss the challenges that organizations face when implementing an enterprise resource planning system.

How an Organization Can Implement an Enterprise Resource Planning System? Qualitative Research Introduction Background Information Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is commonly defined as the software that is designed to address the various business functions in an organization. According to Zeng and Skibniewski, the system is used to manage information and other related activities within a firm (333). Traditionally, ERP is associated with operations in the manufacturing and production sector. The expansion of global trade has led to the emergence of various business functions in different industries. The development has affected ERP. Today, the system is not restricted to the manufacturing industry. It has evolved and involves a number of business operations. Some of the processes addressed by this network include: 1. Electronic commerce. 2. Enterprise performance management. 3. Human capital management. 4. Supply chain management. 5. Business information warehousing. 6. Sales force automation. 7. Customer relationship management. 8. Educational students systems. The efficiency of an ERP system is regarded as one of the main reasons why it is applied in business management. According to Siau (as cited in Pamungkas 78), the benefits of the system are made apparent when one analyzes how it increases the performance of a company. Its effectiveness is further associated with the improvement of business processes and a reduction in the cost of operations. ERP systems are designed to ensure that data management and other processes in the organization meet the requirement for the best practices within the industry. Leiber (as cited in Zeng and Skibniewski 336) points out that ERP leads to a single transaction system. The integrative ability of this system increases the ability of the company to manage most of its core functions. The centralized mechanism associated with this approach reduces the maintenance costs related to information systems. Problem Statement ERP is regarded as an effective mechanism of improving the performance of an organization with respect to its core missions. Consequently, many firms have seen the need to implement the model and make it part of their business undertakings (Pamungkas 71). However, the actual mechanisms through which the efficiency of this system is realized are scarcely outlined in the various studies conducted in this field. The current study is meant to address this gap. Thesis Statement The research revolves around one main thesis statement: The implementation of an ERP system improves the performance of an organization due to the effective management of data and other functions. Objectives of the Study The current study has one major objective and three specific missions. The major objective is the determination of how an organization can implement an ERP system. The following are the specific objectives: To determine the benefits of enterprise resource planning. The implementation of an ERP system within an organization requires a rational approach. To this end, the benefits highlighted will inform companies on the need to implement the system. To highlight the various challenges involved in the implementation of an ERP system. The envisioned implementation entails a huge project that needs to be undertaken by the company. The current study examines the various hurdles that impede the effective implementation of an ERP model. Mapping out the challenges enables interested parties to navigate around them. To find out the strategies used in the implementation of an ERP framework in an organization. ERP systems are broad based policy measures put in place by an entity to improve its performance. Such undertakings are informed by the strategies formulated by the management to operate the organization. Research Methodology The study employs an exploratory research design. According to Creswell, such a research design relies on secondary sources of information (23). To this end, the study utilizes information obtained through an extensive literature review and a case study. An analysis of the various studies addressing the subject of Enterprise Resource Planning will provide a general idea on how organizations have implemented the system. Some of the information obtained addresses the issue of the applicability of ERP systems and their benefits. In addition, the factors affecting the success of the strategy are highlighted. The research involves a case study of the implementation of ERP at ENGCO. To this end, details pertaining to the company’s adoption of the strategy are outlined. Seo provides a holistic perspective of how the company effectively implemented the ERP framework (35). The study analyses the status of the company before the implementation and the various issues affecting the adoption process itself. The outcomes of the project are also outlined. The information obtained from the case study is compared to data generated from the literature review to establish the link between the two. The discussion segment reviews the findings from the secondary data. Consequently, a framework for the implementation is developed. Significance of the Study Industries that have appeared to shun ERP in the past are now indicating their interests in this system. A study on how to implement this strategy provides the stakeholders with the necessary information on how the process should be carried out. Seo posits that new industries that are slowly making ERP part of their operations require access to information (7). Consequently, a study like this one provides the necessary knowledge. For instance, the literature review section outlines the various aspects of ERP implementation. The study highlights the gaps in literature and provides a suitable model to address them. For instance, many studies emphasize on how ERP improves efficiency in an organization. However, as indicated by Pamungkas, such surveys ignore the intricacies behind these outcomes. The current research undertaking will address this problem. To this end, students and professionals interested in the subject will have access to new ideas on the benefits of ERP implementation. Research Questions The objective of carrying out any research undertaking is to ensure that the thesis statement is properly addressed. Creswell illustrates the need to have a set of research questions that will ensure the study does not drift from its objectives (57). In light of this, the following questions were considered relevant with respect to the current research undertaking; 1. What is enterprise resource planning? 2. How does an organization benefit from the ERP system? 3. Are there challenges involved in the implementation of an ERP framework within an organization? 4. What are the challenges encountered in the implementation of an ERP strategy? 5. What are the various strategies that are used in the implementation of an ERP system? 6. How does one evaluate the performance of an ERP system once implemented in an organization? 7. What are modules in relation to enterprise resource planning? Chapter Summary The chapter lays the foundation for the current study. Background information was provided to give a brief overview of enterprise resource planning in the context of a business setting. In addition, the problem statement was illustrated to ascertain the veracity to the identified thesis statement. In addition, the objectives of the study were outlined. The objectives will act as a guide to ensure the research undertaking stays on course. The significance of the study was highlighted to justify the current research undertaking. The justification was followed by the research questions to be addressed in the study. The next chapter is a review of the findings made in the various studies carried out on the subject of enterprise resource planning. Literature Review History of ERP Systems The adoption of ERP systems by businesses has a long history. The process can be traced back to the formative years of the model in the 1990s. According to Pamungkas, ERP is responsible for the creation of an organized computing system in an organization (45). Information is easily shared across different departments with the help of this framework. Pamungkas argues that ERP has evolved over time (45). The computerization process in most companies started with accounts. At the time, the software developed was used specifically for inventory purposes. Evolution of ERP saw the development of the Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) framework. Pamungkas points out that MRP was introduced in manufacturing companies to improve their operations (56). Further development and need for efficiency saw manufacturing companies come up with manufacturing resource planning packages (MRPII). ERP has subsequently spread to other areas of a contemporary business firm. The framework was created to address the inefficiencies of the main frame-based computing systems that existed in the 1970s and 1980s. The expense and limits associated with the main frame systems necessitated the introduction of an efficient model that is currently represented by ERP. Definition of ERP Systems In every industry, there are terminologies whose definitions are as diverse as the information about them. Enterprise resource planning systems are not any different. Minahan (as cited in Sun and Bhattacherjee 469) defines ERP from the perspective of a software system. Minahan argues that this system is basically a mechanism that is used to synchronize various basic processes associated with a business. Minahan associates an ERP system with a spreadsheet application in the conventional computer. The application is used to handle data generated and needed by the entity. ERP can also be regarded as the processes through which an organization conducts its affairs. The definition adopts generic connotations. The proposition was advanced by Koch (as cited in Sun and Bhattacherjee 470). Koch observed that all the departments in an organization can be brought together. To this end, ERP is defined as the combination of the software and hardware elements of the application. The elements are related to the various processes that are linked to provide solutions to the requirements of an organization. The two definitions outlined above highlight the need to discuss the features of an ERP system (Tsai et al. 38). Studies carried out in this field have identified a number of elements regarded as the features of the system. The following are some of the key aspects that support a proper definition of ERP systems: 1. Databases used to manage records in a company. 2. A modular integration that brings together the operational functions designed to ensure that the system works properly. 3. A server that provides network for all the computers in an organization 4. Excellent business practices Modules The ERP is a system. As such, it is characterized by a number of modules. The study by Tsai et al. observes that the modules of an ERP system relate to the specific functions of a series of applications. An example of such a component includes the payroll system used by the human resource department in a given entity. To this end, an ERP module depends on the system applied in a particular business firm. The most common component is the human resource module. Patel and Shah (as cited in Sun and Bhattacherjee 473) describe the said element as a series of applications that are used in the handling of all the information touching on the workforce in the company. The human resource module is characterized by a number of features. Payroll is one of the most common characteristics of this application. Sun and Bhattacherjee also mention the various processes associated with human resource management. The processes include travel and recruitment. All of them are part of the human resource module. Companies whose core operations include manufacturing and logistics have a component that is meant to deal with these processes. Hoffman (as cited in Pamungkas 125) carried out a study to evaluate how ERP works in the manufacturing sector. A manufacturing and logistics module illustrates the production and delivery of goods in a given manufacturing outlet. Hoffman (as cited in Pamungkas 125) justifies the existence of this module by pointing out the multi-faceted objectives of a manufacturing company. Such areas as the production line, storage, and eventual delivery require a system that will ensure their harmonization. When discussing modules, it is important to highlight the financial aspect of an organization. The finance department is seen as the major determinant of most processes taking place in the company. A finance module has been developed to manage this core element of business operations (Pamungkas 97). The component is designed to ensure that all the financial records of an organization are in order. Some of the information handled by this module includes data on assets and the accounts held by the company. Applicability of ERP Systems across Industries As already mentioned, ERP is mainly involved with operations related to organizations in the manufacturing industries. However, developments in the recent past have seen the increased adoption of these systems in various sectors of the economy. According to Al-Sehali (and cited in Tsai et al. 37), ERP systems are now applicable in industries that are not specifically dealing with manufacturing. The universal call for improvement of the performance of all sectors has led to the development of enterprise resource planning systems in industries like hospitality, banking and even military (Tsai et al. 37). As illustrated I section 1.1 of this review, ERP systems have evolved due to increased demand for efficiency from other sectors. The same explains its applicability outside the manufacturing industry. The Cost of Implementing and Sustaining an ERP System As already defined, the enterprise resource planning system incorporates, software, hardware and business processes. Tsai et al. argue that it is impossible to ignore the expense associated with each of the features mentioned, when a company intends to implement the ERP system (37). A similar notion is supported by Reed (and cited in Sun and Bhattacherjee 470). Some of the components that require monetary expenditure include the actual software coupled by the necessary support infrastructure. Once most of the components are acquired the cost of ERP system implementation enters another dimension. Sun and Bhattacherjee carried out a study to evaluate implementation of the ERP system in China (469). The study found that the financial cost of implementing an ERP model is driven up by such issues as customization and training. The components (hardware and software) acquired requires to be designed in such a way that it is compatible with the infrastructure of an organization. To this end, additional skilled labor is required. Also, the staff in the organization will require training to ensure they understand how to operate the system (Sun and Bhattacherjee 471). Consequently, the cost of implementing the ERP system is exponentially high depending on the location of an organization. The cost of implementing and ERP system is often associated by the revenues and expenditure of a given company. The study by Sun and Bhattacherjee carried out a survey in China to determine the cost of implementing the system among small and medium-sized enterprises (477). The results of the survey indicated that the companies that had annual revenues of $ 350 million had a cost overrun that stood at between 163% and 179%. The study also indicated that the consultancy cost for implementing the system was around 13% of a company’s annual revenue. Sun and Bhattacherjee recommend a sound financial buffer for companies that intend to implement an ERP system. The high costs have a direct impact on the productivity of a given company. Rationale and Benefits of ERP Systems in Contemporary Organizations The implementation of an ERP system in a company is not for aesthetic purposes. There are a number of reasons as to why companies will go the extra length of incurring the huge costs to acquire the system Weston (as cited in Pamungkas 132) argues that by virtue of being software enabled, ERP systems introduce automation in a business. Sun and Bhattacherjee observe that companies with an automated system tend to achieve most of their core business missions and objectives. To this end, ERP systems give an organization a certain competitive advantage within the market owing to the effects of automation. Another benefit of ERP systems is the provision of consistent information across the entire spectrum of an organization. Tsai et al. examined the infrastructure associated with an ERP system (38). The study indicated that ERP systems have the ability to share information in the database across all departments. Given the accuracy with which the database is created, the information shard in the finance department will be the same that is shared in an assembly line. Enterprise resource planning systems are known to reduce redundancy in many organizations. Sun and Bhattacherjee observed a trend in China where companies with the ERP system had a single database (478). However, companies without a single database were characterized with a lot of redundancies. The importance of a single database is such that once information is keyed into the system from one department, it can easily be accessed elsewhere. Consequently, repetitions are avoided across the organization thereby resulting in standardization in terms of operations within a given company. Other benefits of the ERP system include a reduction of operational costs and ensuring compliance with the cyber age creeping into organizations. Pamungkas also points out that ERP systems help organizations to adapt to the dynamic nature of the business environment (163). The ERP system also helps to reduce the cycle times especially in a production line. To this end, companies that implement the ERP system can expect exponential growth since the core missions are being implemented. Sun and Bhattacherjee argue that the growth of the Chinese business environment can be attributed to the increased use of ERP systems across various businesses (490). Strategies used in the Implementation of ERP Systems One way f reducing the cost of implementing the ERP systems is the existence of different modules. Zeng and Skibniewski carried out a study to examine how an organization can implement an ERP system (332). The study found that ERP systems can be implemented in phases and that there is no requirement to have an instant implementation. Bingi (as cited in Pamungkas 117) also recommends the implementation of the system to be carried out in phases. The different modules of the ERP systems make it possible for the phase implementation since they can always be interlinked later. However leading ERP vendors like SAP, while recommending phase implementation, emphasize on commencing the process using the financial module. Cissna (as cited in Tsai et al. 40) found that companies that started using the financial modules found it easier to introduce other modules like production and supplies. Such a strategy is referred to as the “inside-out” installation strategy and helps prudent expenditure n the ERP implementation process. ERP system implementation can also can also be formulated in such a way that a company acquires software packages that relate to the diverse functions in an organization. The strategy was first advanced by Miranda (as cited in Zeng and Skibniewski 335) who examines the need to avoid overall failure. According to Miranda (and cited in Zeng and Skibniewski 335), one part of the system can fail and in the event of a central database, the entire information in the network can be lost. However, courtesy of this best of breed strategy, the respective packages are interlinked through a series of programs (Zeng and Skibniewski 335). Consequently, depending on which applications system emerges as the best, one system is molded. The only flaw of this strategy is the absence of a single database which may result in redundancy. Companies can also implement an ERP system through a strategy termed as the true ERP strategy. Miranda (as cited in Zeng and Skibniewski 336) underscores the relevance of this strategy since it relies on respective ERP vendors. Several studies have referred to this strategy as a means of outsourcing the implementations process. Tsai et al. also advocate for this strategy since it helps in reducing the overall cost of the implementation. Essentially, a company allows a ERP vendor access to all their internal systems. The professional capabilities of the ERP vendors make it possible for the implementation to be effective. Implementation of ERP and Success Factors The implementation of a huge project like the one involving an ERP system relies on a number of factors to guarantee that the endeavor yields the desired fruits in a company. A study carried out by Umble and Umble (and cited in Zeng and Skibniewski 339) suggest that when a company implements the system for the first time the success depends on the following: 1. The strategy used 2. The personnel involved 3. The process followed The implementation of an ERP system within an organization is a huge policy move y any organization. To this end, there needs to be an involvement of the top management. The study by Sun and Bhattacherjee observes that the success of the system’s implementation among Chinese companies relied on the goodwill of the top management (476). Implementing an ERP system without the support and goodwill of the organization’s top management is catastrophic. The only way such a system can meet its desired expectation is through the involvement of the leadership. Other factors that ensure the success of an ERP system include the RP consultants and employees morale. The same were featured in a list of success factors prepared by Bingi, Sharma and Godla (and cited in Zeng and Skibniewski 339). The study by Zeng and Skibniewski outlines the following factors as key to the success of an ERP system implementation: 1. Commitment from the top management 2. A knowledgeable workforce 3. Capabilities of the ERP vendor 4. Capabilities of the ERP consultants 5. The duration of implementation 6. Training 7. Morale of the workforce Evaluating the Implementation of the ERP System The implementation of an ERP system is not complete unless it begins to yield results. Pamungkas, while making reference to SAP (leading ERP vendors), suggest that the results of a successfully implemented ERP system are realized within 18 months (114). Miranda (as cited in Zeng and Skibniewski 335) suggests that an ERP system is evaluated and regarded as successful depending on the speed with which the expected results come about. To this end, the implementation period ought to be very small to ensure the evaluation rings back a successful outcome. The evaluation of an ERP system implementation is also measured through the return on investment. According to Pamungkas, the ratio of the loss (or profit), relative to the amount invested makes up the return on investment. To this end, the return on investment is dependent upon the success factors outlined in the previous section. A successful evaluation of the ERP implementation must provide a high return on investment. Consequently, the management of the company must be seen to contribute towards the success of the system as a show of goodwill. Gaps in Literature The literature review has illustrated several aspects of ERP and how it relates to a business setting. However, a closer inspection of the information provided, reveals several aspects of literature that are either scantily mentioned or not discussed altogether. Pamungkas argues that ERP will only be beneficial once most of the challenges surrounding the subject are discussed (100). Consequently, the gaps in literature ought to be pointed out to prompt further research. The first aspect that requires attention is the high cost of implementing an ERP system within an organization. Studies like the ones by Tsai et al. mention the high cost of implementing the system (37). However, rather than point out the ways in which the costs can be brought down, such studies create the impression that businesses should look at the greater good of investing in the system. Whereas such a move is prudent in promoting interest in the field, many businesses end up being locked out of the process altogether. Consequently, research ought to be carried out to find out how the cost of ERP acquisition can be brought down. The essence of transacting business is to bring about profit to a given enterprise. Several studies indicate that ERP systems bring about profits in an organization (Dylst, Vulto and Simoens 735; Tsai et al. 41; Zeng and Skibniewski 334). However, what most of those studies fail to elaborate is the guarantee of profit especially after a heavy investment towards the acquisition of the ERP system. Consequently research ought to be undertaken to outline the exact steps that companies should undertake to ensure that the endeavor is not an exercise in futility. Chapter Summary The current chapter provides details of ERP systems from various studies. A historical perspective on how the concept came into being, followed by definitions on the subject are outlined. The chapter further examines the various modules that relate to ERP systems. The applicability of the concept is illustrated in details with an explanation on how the same spread to other industries being outlined. Other elements discussed in the literature review include the cost, benefits and implementation strategies of the ERP. Also, the chapter outlines the future of the concept in relation to business. The next chapter is a case study, outlining a company that implemented the same and has results to show regarding the same. A Case Study Of Erp Implementation At Engco Precursor to the ERP Initiative ENGCO is a leading engineering organization that engages in engineering contractual works for large factories in various parts of the world. According to Seo, the main business activities at ENGCO can be summed up using the acronym EPC (35). The acronym stands for engineering, procurement and construction, all of which are core activities of the company. Seo reports that the company relies on its domestic market for most of its revenue (35). Unfortunately, the company suffered huge financial challenges in 2003 owing to a slump in the domestic market. During their financial crisis, the company also engaged the services of a new chief executive officer (CEO). The new CEO decided to shift the company’s investment portfolio to the international market. Unfortunately, the company’s IT capabilities were found to be wanting. Seo argues that the only way ENGCO would compete with other leading engineering firms would be to improve on all the computerized systems within the organization (35). Separately, Sun and Bhattacherjee observe that a company with an excellent IT department has a fair chance of competing on the international arena (470). The CEO had a vision to ensure that ENGCO can properly compete with similar companies in the EPC business. The ERP initiative at the company is reported to have started way back in the year 2000. According to Seo, ENGCO had developed a two year roadmap that would see, key business functions integrated to enhance efficiency (35). Essentially, the key functions incorporated in the ambitious project included the cost control, sales, treasury and financial business functions. Unfortunately, the company had not factored in the international market. Consequently, when the slump in the market came about, the company was caught flat footed. Fortunately, the newly appointed head of the company came with a wealth of experience. Pamungkas notes that large corporations require an experienced hand to oversee the implementation of an ERP system (88). The same is also supported by the success factors outlined in the literature review. The intended transformation of ENGCO into the global arena largely depended on the successful implementation of the ERP system. The projected effect of the ERP was set for the sixth month after implementation. The assembly of the ERP implementation strategy requires commitment from the company’s leadership, as already illustrated. Consequently, the CEO introduced a new member of the corporate leadership structure in the capacity of the chief information officer (Seo 35). The CIO, in turn came up with a competent IT team that would directly carry out the ERP system implementation. ENGCO happens to be a subsidiary of a larger business conglomerate as is ICTCO (Seo 35). To this end, the former ended up outsourcing their IT department to the latter owing to the wealth of experience. The Implementation Process The ERP system implementation process, at ENGCO, commenced with an actual ERP section. According to Tsai et al. ERP selection is essential in ensuring that one gets the requisite personnel to carry out the actual works that constitute the implementation (38). The company settled upon SAP, which is a leading ERP vendor. According to Seo the decision was informed by consultants drawn from ENGCO’s sister company, ICTCO (36). The main reason given for the selection of SAP was that it would provide ENGCO with earned value management (EVM). As mentioned earlier, the implementation of an ERP system must be seen to yield results to the company in reference. The EVM, cited above, enables a company to evaluate the performance of the implementation project on the basis of schedule, cost and scope (Tsai et al. 40). Also, SAP was recommended as an ideal ERP vendor owing to the reliability. The company has built its reputation based on the need to deliver on quality (Tsai et al. 40). The decision to settle on SAP was, indeed, well informed. Implementing such a huge project requires a dedicated team. Zeng and Skibniewski argue that implementing an ERP system is akin to the handling f a new project by an organization (341). To this end, it is expected that a company forms some sort of task force that will oversee the implementation. In line with such sentiments, the CEO at ENGCO formed a taskforce that would coordinate the ERP implementation. Owing to the magnitude of the project, the members of this task force were drawn from the managerial level across all the departments. Other members included the team from ICTC and the initial IT department that created the domestic system. The task at hand requires season personnel who have a firm grasp of the technical matters relating to information technology. Seo reports that the task force was characterized with personnel who had limited experience relating to ERP systems (37). The most affected members of the task force were the ones drawn from the business departments. Fortunately, the consulting team that was brought on board provided a 2 week training course. The training targeted the basics of ERP systems to ensure that all the members of the task force are aware of what is expected of them once the implementation gets underway. The implementation of an ERP system within an organization requires the adoption of a number of modules. Zeng and Skibniewski point out that the modules that are usually adopted are in line with the various functions of an organization (333). During the implementation process at ENGCO, the taskforce adopted six modules upon recommendations from SAP. According to Seo, the task force was forced to make some alterations on the standardization modules suggested by SAP (39). The reason behind the alteration is that SAP had recommended standardization modules that were ideal for a manufacturing company. The modules adopted are as follows: 1. Materials management (MM) 2. Treasury (TR) 3. Financial (FI) 4. Sales and Distribution (SD) 5. Project system (PS) 6. Cost controlling (CO) Implementing an ERP system within an organization does not come without a number of hurdles. ENGCO faced a number of challenges in implementing the ERP system under the new CEO (Seo 39). The initial system developed for ENCO’s domestic market, was carried out using a method referred to as the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). In the new ERP system for the international market, the WBS was found to be ineffective. According to Seo, using the WBS inhibited the implementation of the schedule function (39). As already mentioned, the functioning modules proposed by SAP were meant for a manufacturing company. EPC companies have their own codes that are completely different from the ones suggested by SAP (Seo 39). The discrepancy in the materials codes required them to b fine tuned so that they may be compatible for the processes in an EPC business. The fine tuning is an expensive affair and the result added an extrat cost to the initial budget intended for the procedure. Outcomes The ERP system that was implemented at ENGCO was a success owing to the efficient project management by the task force. Seo indicates that the system made is possible for the existence of 7 standard WBS groups (40). The groups were designed to ensure a balance in terms of the contracts that the company engaged itself in. The ERP system that was implemented ensured the development of WBS elements basing on a cost breakdown structure. As a result, ENGCO was able to carry out effective communication among the MM, SD and the CO. The ERP enable all the project managers to come up with budgets that they could regulate. Seo adds that the ERP system further enabled the managers to develop and analyze the cost and profits for their respective tasks all through a centralized system (40). The centralized access of information within the company implied that regardless where one is based on the globe, the required tasks would be performed in the same speed, thereby increasing the efficiency of the organization at the international platform. Upon the implementation of the ERP system at EGNCO, the company witnessed an integrated business administration process that was faster than others in the industry. Tsai et al. also make reference to the brisk nature of ERP systems as a benefit once implemented in an organization (43). Initially, the closing process at ENGCO was one month (Seo 40). However, with the new system the duration was drastically reduced to 5 days. Consequently, a more accurate forecast of business transactions would be made. Courtesy of the enhanced forecasting, elements touching on foreign exchange rates were instantly overcome. The most common reason as to why companies opt for an ERP system is the improvement of communications within their organizations. Sun and Bhattacherjee observed that companies which have an improved communications platform are better placed in carrying out their core missions and objectives (481). At ENGCO, the communication was drastically improved owing to the ERP systems that were introduced into the company. According to Seo, the new systems were capable of processing multiple data in a short time (40). Consequently, transactions would be carried out at an even faster rate. Chapter Summary The chapter is a c case study of the implementation of ERP systems at ENGCO. A precursor to the implementation is outlined. The precursor illustrates the reasons as to why ENGCO saw it fit to implement the system as suggested. Thereafter the actual implementation of the ERP system within the company is discussed. The strategies adopted and hurdles faced are outlined. The chapter concludes by illustrating the outcome of the said implementation. The information obtained from this chapter is essential in developing the implications of the current study. The subsequent chapter is a discussion on the information obtained from the secondary data. Discussions The Rationale for ERP Systems The ever changing world of business requires such enterprises to carry out effective operations. One way of ensuring the operations are effective is the introduction of an enterprise resource planning system within an organization. According to Dylst et al., companies that require an expansion or internationalization process require the ERP system (729). As illustrated in the case study, ENGCO’s position in the global EPC market stood to benefit once they improved on their IT shortcomings. When a company has expanded its operations, there are also increased numbers of functions that ought to be responded to. Dylst et al. argue that when such functions are not effectively adhered to, the performance of a company begins to dwindle (729). However, the ERP system is capable of ensuring that all the functions of a company are properly coordinated. Consequently, the same provides a rationale for large companies that require efficient coordination of all their companies as illustrated by ENGCO. There are several other reasons as to why a company should make use of ERP systems. However, the implementation cannot be realized unless the company demonstrates some sense of readiness on their part. Towards this end, Gartner (as cited in Seo 43) insists that companies should be tested on their readiness activity. The test allows an organization to evaluate whether they are in a position to execute the system. The test further outlines the extent up to which such a project can be implemented. Such a test enables an organization to improve upon the areas of weaknesses as regards ERP systems implementation. The readiness of a company to implements an ERP system is based on a three level rating system. Seo points out that the ratings levels range from ready to limited and weak (43). A company is only rated as ‘ready’ when all indicators suggest that the company is very well prepared. A “limited” rating suggests that there company needs to add in more effort in a bid to insulate it against potential risks associated with the implementation program. Lastly, a company is rated as ‘weak’ on the ERP readiness meter on the account that it has not capacity whatsoever to handle the system. Historically, ERP systems derive their operations from manufacturing industries. At the time it was assumed that the industry had multiple roles that require handling (Pamungkas 186). The increasing business activity has led to an upsurge in the number of functions that a company can undertake. Towards this end, it is essential that such companies take steps to ensure that the functions, albeit many, do not inhibit the performance of the core duties. ERP systems provide a guarantee to ensuring that the multiple functions are coordinated to ensure that the core objectives of the company are met. Fulfillment of the Critical Success Factors In the literature review, there were a number of factors that were identified as contributing towards the success of the ERP systems implementation. According to Dylst et al., the commitment and support from the top management is one of the contributing factors (733). The same can be illustrated in the case study outlined by ENGCO. The CEO demonstrated goodwill by creating a corporate head of information. In addition, the task force that was constituted comprised of managers. When a company policy has the backing of the leadership apparatus, its success is inevitable. The success of the ERP system at ENGCO affirms this notion. The case study outlined in this paper illustrates a scenario where the ERP has a standard software package. However, the package may not necessarily fit all business environments (Seo 47). Consequently, it becomes necessary to restructure some of the business processes to suit the package requirements. During the implementation of the ERP at ENGCO, it emerged that the ERP provider, SAP, provided a module that only applies to a manufacturing industry. However, that did not deter the implementation process since there was a system customization coupled with a reengineering of certain business processes. The restructuring of the business processes tends to increase the cost of the ERP implementation. However, the long term benefits justify the extra costs as was the case at ENGCO. The implementation of an ERP system within an organization has an effect on the overall organizational structure. Such a scenario presented itself ant ENGCO, where a new position of CIO was created at the corporate level (Seo 35). The motivation behind such a move is largely meant to ensure that the implementation process is successful. The example presented in the case study illustrates how the change was necessary to ensure that the IT department at the company had adequate capacity to bring about the expected change. Also, the change can involve the task force which has an oversight role over the entire project. The changes should not be seen as an attempt to disorganize the company. Rather the changes should be embraced a means of ensuring the implementation process is a success. The success of an ERP implementation process relies on the communication plan that as been laid out. The complex nature of the project requires efficient communication among all the concerned parties (Seo 47). An example is illustrated in the case study, where there was an effective communication plan between the task force and the ERP vendor. Such issues as reengineering and customization depend on a communication plan that ropes in all the concerned parities. The success of the ERP at ENGCO underscores the importance of an effective communication plan. Such a plan must be transparent and with little or no administrative hurdles. Comparison between Literature Review and the Case Study The literature review presented a platform upon which an implementation strategy can be adopted. However, Sun and Bhattacherjee recommend the inclusion of all the components of an ERP framework prior to the actual implementation (333). To this end, it is important that a company establishes a database that will be used to channel out the information regarding the required functions. Similar sentiments were found in the case study. Seo refers to the internationalization of ENGCO as requiring technical assistance to integrate all information (35). Consequently, ERP is meaningless without a database. An ERP system requires a modular integration. In the literature review, Pamungkas suggests that modular integration is necessary to ensure that operational function work in tandem with the system (67). The case study presents a deeper insight into the aspect of modular integration (Seo 35). The ERP implementation at ENGCO outlines the need to reengineer certain business process and customize some functions. The same is brought about by the non uniformity of the modules issues by ERP vendors. To this end, modular integration is regarded as a pillar in terms of ERP implementation. The literature review associates an ERP system with an interconnectivity of computers. The same brings about the element of networks within an organization. Seo points out that ENGC also relies on networks to guarantee the success of the system (35). The upgrading of the IT department brought about improved interconnectivity within the organization’s departments. Finally, an ERP system requires excellent business services. The literature review outlined the various strategies of implementing an ERP system within an organization. One of the strategies mentioned referred to the implementation being carried out in phases (Tsai et al. 38). The phase implementation relies on a company’s preferred business practices. A similar perspective on business practices is shared by the company illustrated in the case study (Seo 38). ENGCO was required to align its business functions to respond to the unique nature of the modules presented by SAP (Seo 38). Consequently, the excellence of a company’s business services will determine the impact of the ER system. The Benefits of the ERP System to an Organization As already mentioned, implementation of an ERP system in a company is drive by the rationale. The major benefit outlined is the automation aspect. According to Sun and Bhattacherjee, companies with an automated system are more likely to meet their goals (470). Due to the automation an organization is able to handle multiple tasks. In the case study, ENGCO exhibits this benefit by pointing out the reduced service delivery times from a month to five days. The same is credited to the automation. Secondly, ERP systems provide consistent information throughout an organization. ERP systems are designed in such a way that they can share information stored in the database across all departments (Tsai et al. 38). Most, if not all, databases are created with pin point accuracy such that if details are logged in from one station, the same information will be found in a different station owing to the interconnectivity and tamperproof nature of the ERP systems. The same is exhibited in the case study, where ENGCO opted for an international system that can allow transactions from various points in the world. The reduction of redundancy makes up for the third benefit of the ERP systems. As indicated by Sun and Bhattacherjee, many companies in China with the ERP system relied on a single database (478). Such companies had effectively eliminated all forms of redundancies. Redundancies are common in companies where the database is not centralized. Redundancy emerges when certain functions are duplicated across the board in an organization. For instance, a function X can be carried out in the marketing department and repeated in the sales department. However, courtesy of an ERP system, such repetitions are avoided across the organization. The result of zero redundancy is increased company performance. ERP systems also help in the reduction of operational costs. The same is realized courtesy of the phased out redundancy. As mentioned in the literature review, ERP systems enable organizations to adapt to the dynamic nature of the business environment (Pamungkas 163). The ERP system also helps to reduce the cycle times especially in a production line. The same was evident in the case study outlining such an implementation at ENGCO. As illustrated in the literature review and the case study the implementation of an ERP system results in exponential growth since the core missions are being carried out quite well. The benefits illustrated are a representative of the advantages that ERP systems bring to companies. Chapter Summary The current chapter is a discussion of the information obtained from the literature review and the case study as the secondary sources of information. To this end, a rationale for the implementation of an ERP system is outlined. Thereafter, a discussion on the fulfillment of success factors is outlined in a bid to elaborate on how to evaluate ERP systems in an organization. A comparison of the literature review and the case study is outlined with the intention of developing a reference point for the implementation. The chapter concludes with the benefits touching on ERP systems. The next chapter summarizes the entire study by providing implications and conclusions on the entire subject. Implications And Conclusion Implications The discussions elaborated in the current study affirm the importance of ERP systems and the applicability in business. Dylst et al. suggest that ERP systems ensure that a company adheres to its core objectives (729). The adherence does not just happen automatically. ERP systems, primarily, integrate the functions of an organization and ensure that waste in the said organizations is completely avoided. The implication is that once waste, in form of redundancy and extra cost, is eliminated, the workforce can focus on the core objectives of the organization. ERP is a costly endeavor. Sun and Bhattacherjee argue that the cost of implementing the ERP in an organization is extremely high (471). As indicated by the example of companies in China, the process eats into the revenues of a company. The cost implications are such that a company is advised to evaluate their readiness on the ERP implementation front. In the event that a given organization grades as weak, it would not be prudent to invest in the system. The strategy of implementation builds upon the cost implications outlined. According to Sun and Bhattacherjee, the expense involved in implementing ERP systems inhibits many companies from taking that path (471). However, what many companies fail to realize is that the system can be implemented in phases. The cost implications have a direct impact on the strategy that a company can implement the system For instance, rather than implement the entire system all at once, companies can opt to start with a given department like the finance department followed by the human resource department. ERP systems are no longer the preserve of manufacturing industries. Increasing trade practices across the board have resulted in the need for efficiency. ERP systems provide this much needed efficiency by streamlining various functions. The system further ensures that all the information relating to various business practices is easily accessed (Dylst et al. 731). Some of the sectors in which the ERP system finds applicability include both public and private sectors. Industries like the military and finance are increasingly implementing ERP systems in their organizations. The study presupposes that the implementation of an ERP system ensures that a given organization is able to perform its core objectives. The same is brought about by the integration of data and functions. The implications, elaborated, are an indicator of the benefits associated with the system. To this end, once an organization focuses on its core objectives, profits and efficiency arise (Pamungkas 71). Conclusion Enterprise resource planning is beneficial to any business establishment. The example given of ENGCO, in the case study, illustrates the actual benefits associated with the ERP systems. Tsai et al. posit that the benefits are only realized once the implementation is carried out in a proper manner (38). As illustrated in the study, the success of the ERP implementation protocol is dependent of a number of factors. The support from the company’s leadership coupled with the reengineering of company roles have been cited as the most common contributors towards the success of the system. Organizations need to embrace the adoption of ERP systems owing to the increased number of functions. However, Zeng and Skibniewski (332) argue that the cost factor inhibits small and medium sized organizations from tapping on the benefits mentioned. Consequently, this study recommends further research on matters pertaining to cost implications of the ERP systems. The argument stems from the fact that the IT industry has witnessed significant strides in innovation that reduce the cost of their technology. The same should trickle down to subsidiary sectors like the ERP which, as illustrated in this study, is an integral aspect of efficiency in business. Chapter summary The current chapter concludes the study by providing the implications ad an overall conclusion. An overview of the study of the entire study is outlined, restating the thesis statement. The chapter affirms the sentiments advanced in the thesis statement. The implications made in this chapter are seen as an avenue through which an organization can implement the ERP system and reap the full benefits thereof. While concluding the study, the researcher is aware that there is need for further research. Consequently, a recommendation is made on research as to how the cost of implementing the ERP system can be brought down. Works Cited Creswell, John. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Method Approaches . 2nd ed. 2003. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. Print. Dylst, Pieter, Arnold Vulto, and Steven Simoens. “The Impact of Reference-Pricing Systems in Europe: A Literature Review and Case Studies.” Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research 11.6 (2011): 729-737. Print. Pamungkas, Bayu. ADempiere 3.4 ERP Solutions: Design Configure, and Implement a Robust Enterprise Resource Planning System in your Organization by using ADempiere , Birmingham, UK: Packt Pub., 2009. Print. Seo, Geoun. Challenges in Implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System in Large Organizations: Similarities and Differences Between Corporate and University Environment . Diss. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013. Print. Sun, Yuan, and Anol Bhattacherjee. “Multi-Level Analysis in Information Systems Research: The Case of Enterprise Resource Planning System usage in China.” Enterprise Information Systems 5.4 (2011): 469-494. Print. Tsai, Wen-Hsien, Lee Pei-Ling, Shen Yu-Shan and Lin Hsiu-Ling. “A Comprehensive Study of the Relationship between Enterprise Resource Planning Selection Criteria and Enterprise Resource Planning System Success.” Information & Management 49.1 (2012): 36-46. Print. Zeng, Yajun, and Miroslaw Skibniewski. “Risk Assessment for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System Implementations: A Fault Tree Analysis Approach.” Enterprise Information Systems 7.3 (2013): 332-353. Print.

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Write the original essay that generated the following summary: The article discusses the importance of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in organizations and how it can be implemented successfully.The article highlights the importance of using the model in the success of an enterprise. It also explains the four components that are important in implementation of the system. These components are software, change management, process flow and customer mindset.

The article discusses the importance of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in organizations and how it can be implemented successfully. The article highlights the importance of using the model in the success of an enterprise. It also explains the four components that are important in implementation of the system. These components are software, change management, process flow and customer mindset.

Enterprise Resource Planning Case Study Table of Contents 1. Abstract 2. Overview of the Article 3. Strengths 4. Weaknesses 5. Contributions 6. Possible Future Work in the Paper 7. References Abstract The article revolves around Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and its importance in organizations. Additionally, the article presents the components that make up the ERP system and the methodology that organizations can use to implement it. From the article, change management, process flow, customer mindset, and software are components of ERP that need integration with its methodology for successful implementation of the system. Overview of the Article ‘ A Conceptual Model for Enterprise Resource Planning’ is an article that focuses on the importance of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in organizations. The article highlights the importance of using the model in the success of an enterprise. Moreover, the article clarifies the essence of the ERP model and its productivity when organizations use it effectively. To substantiate its argument, the article presents a set of four components that are important in implementation of the system. According to Rahman and Sousa (2014), software, change management, process flow and customer mindset are ERP components that can lead to a momentous implementation of an ERP system. Therefore, by presenting the components, the article gives organizations a set of simplified components that are useful in their daily operations. In the article, a methodology must integrate and connect the components in order to ensure that all the concerned parties to the ERP undertake their responsibilities efficiently. The article states that the software is the first component that dictates the procedures and performances of an organization. In the assertion of Leon (2008), ERP software represents all the segments of organizations such as the human resource, suppliers, customers, and finances. As a result, the component stresses on the management of suppliers, customers, human resources, and finances of organizations. Moreover, the article outlines the essence of a systematic and smooth flow of information within and outside the organization in its second component, known as the process flow. From the article, it is fundamental for the flow of information to take place at the right time and to the right set of individuals. The third component, which is vital in implementation of an ERP system, is the customer mindset (Sharp, 2002). Remarkably, the component champions for the incorporation of customers into the system and their participation in its implementation. The changes introduced by implementation of the ERP system, require a component, which is change management. Principally, the article highlights that change management, the fourth component, addresses the changes that transpire from implementation of the ERP system. Strengths Some of the strengths that are evident in the article include definition of ERP, its components, and provision of a systematic methodology that governs its implementation. Essentially, the presence of a statement that defines ERP is one of the strengths as it facilitates a clear understanding of the subject that the article intends to discuss. Moreover, by presenting the components entailed by the system, the article displays one of the strengths because the components are easy to understand and apply. The components of the ERP simplify the implementation of the system, and thus, increase the chances of achieving rewarding outcomes (Rahman & Sousa, 2014). Another strength that is present in the article comprise the systematic and predefined methodology, which explains the various phases that organizations can follow in their quest to successfully implement the ERP system. Weaknesses Some of the weaknesses present in the article include limited presentation of arguments, overemphasis on ERP, and absence of linkage between organizational framework and the system. In the article, the arguments concerning ERP, its components, and the methodology are insufficient, a factor that makes understanding of the concepts challenging. Additionally, the article overemphasises ERP and pays little focus on its application in contemporary societies. In the article, the concept of ERP occupies the larger part of the article, whereas application and methodology takes a little space towards the end. Consequently, absence of a link between the organizational framework and the system proves to be another weakness since organizations require a system that they can conveniently harmonise with their established programs. Contributions The article has a number of contributions that can help organizations advance their operations. Some of the contributions advanced by the article include its comprehensive elaboration on ERP and its implementation, application of the system, and the systematic methodology that governs ERP implementation. Concerning its contribution on comprehensive elaboration on ERP and its implementation, the article helps organizations and concerned parties to successfully employ the system and use it to enhance their operations. To facilitate effective application of the system, the article breaks it down into four components and simplifies them into easy and practical concepts. Esser (2010) explains that the components of ERP are easy to understand and implement. By providing a comprehensive set of procedures that organizations can undertake in implementing the system, the article proves to be very practical in implementation of ERP. Another significant contribution that the article presents to organization and business entities is the systematic methodology that governs implementation of the ERP system. From the article, the methodology, which organizations can use, encompasses five steps that if applied in a systematic process can yield productive and rewarding results. Patel and Vij (2013) assert that ERP has five significant phases, which are pre-implementation, analysis, design, construction, and implementation. The ability of the article to provide a systematic methodology on how to integrate the components of the system and implement ERP boosts its importance in organizations. Therefore, the article is very important in organizations because it helps them to implement the conceptual ERP system effectively. Possible Future Work in the Paper The article is very important for organizations as it helps them understand the components of the ERP system and their effective integration into a systematic methodology. Conversely, the article requires some possible future work so that it becomes more productive and useful to several organizations globally. Increased discussion on ERP, its components, and methodology are some of the possible future work that can boost the magnitude of the article. Presently, the article does not provide an in-depth definition of ERP and scholars using it may not easily understand its concepts. As a result, some scholars and businesspeople opt for other articles that provide a range of all-inclusive ERP definitions. Additionally, the article has to increase its discussion on the components of ERP since the current discussion is minimal. Use of practical and authentic examples can be one of the ways that the article can employ to increase its significance in the dynamic and ever changing business environment. Other possible future works that the article needs to incorporate include increased in-depth elaboration on the integration of the components with the methodology. Apparently, the article does not provide a succinct explanation on how organizations can integrate the components with the ERP system, and thus, organizations can encounter challenges during its implementation. Although the article provides a systematic description on how to implement the ERP system, it should offer comprehensive explanation on the phases and the mode of implementation in the contemporary business environment. As such, the article needs a range of possible future work to advance its importance in the modern business environment characterised by dynamic and trendy consumers. References Esser, M. (2010). IT Change In Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Human Resource and Change Management Approach . Bochum: Projektverl. Leon, A. (2008). Enterprise Resource Planning . New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill. Patel, K., & Vij, S. (2013). Enterprise Resource Planning Models for the Education Sector: Applications and Methodologies . Hershey : Information Science Reference. Rahman, H., & Sousa, R. (2014). Information Systems and Technology for Organizational Agility, Intelligence, and Resilience . Hershey : Information Science Reference. Sharp, D. (2002). Customer Relationship Management Systems Handbook. Florida: CRC Press.

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Create the inputted essay that provided the following summary: The entertainment industry in India is one of the fastest growing industries.The entertainment industry in India is one of the fastest growing industries. The country has a very competitive business environment and the entertainment industry is one of the most active spheres. There are many opportunities for development and the competition is very high.

The entertainment industry in India is one of the fastest growing industries. The entertainment industry in India is one of the fastest growing industries. The country has a very competitive business environment and the entertainment industry is one of the most active spheres. There are many opportunities for development and the competition is very high.

Entertainment Industry in India Research Paper In the contemporary globalizing world the competition in the sphere of business is very high. Some of the world’s countries are known to be more active than others, these countries tend to have very high speed of development, they are involved into various international interactions and relations that help them develop their business and prosper. The biggest cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Kolkata and Ahmedabad are called the hotspots and occupy various positions in the list of the most competitive places of the world (Current Business Trends in India, par. 6). Indian retail business is filled with smaller companies that belong to different families. Knowing the size of India and its population, it is easy to imagine how difficult it would be for small family businesses to survive the competition in that country. At the same time, the opportunities for development are multiple; this is why a good businessman in India can find many ways to save the business. Indians call themselves a nation of shopkeepers for a reason (Bijoor, par. 14). Another rapidly developing business trend in India is mobile phone industry. The number of phones in the urban areas exceeds the number of people living there almost by fifty per cent. In the rural areas it is lower, but the general number of cell phones owned by the residents of India is close to nine hundred million pieces. Mobile connection providers and cell phone stores make huge money with the help of so many subscribers. It goes without saying that one of the most prospering industries in the Indian business world is the sphere of hotel business and entertainment. According to the data obtained by the ministry of tourism of India, at least forty four million of tourists visited their country last year. This popularity of India as a resort and a place of interest makes this country a great target for the hotel chains that are willing to expand (Hotel Industry in India, par. 2). In order to comfortably receive the growing number of visitors the hotel industry in India needs to increase the number of rooms it is able to offer. International global hotel chains are interested in starting their work in India as it is a very cost effective destination. In the contemporary age of information and digital technologies the Internet has become one of the major marketing trends for all types of businesses. Hotel business and entertainment in India is not an exception. Advertising through social networks and websites designed especially for travelers is extremely popular and effective nowadays. The websites of the modern hotels have to be mobile friendly, visually attractive, have their content updated frequently, present the special offers and allow an option of direct mobile booking (Bhatnagar, par. 8). In the contemporary Indian hospitality business is one of the fastest growing industries. According to the projects of the experts, it is expected to grow by eight per cent between 2007 and 2016 (Kumar, 2). Indian hospitality is based on a belief that “the guest is God”, this way of thinking comes from ancient times. The entertainment industry in India is currently facing a crisis. The number of dancers is getting lower, this is why the industry starts actively looking for talents today. Dancing is a very significant aspect of Indian culture, ethnical dancers are commonly employed in the sphere of hospitality, and the lack of dancers may create an issue for the tourism, as Indian dancing is well known all around the world. The rapid growth of hotel business makes the lack of dancers even more significant. Works Cited Bhatnagar, M. Top 10 Marketing Trends for the Indian Hospitality Industry. 2014. Web. Bijoor, H. Fashion Retail Comes of Age. 2014. Web. Current Business Trends in India . Amritt . 2014. Web. Hotel Business in India . Maps of India . 2010. Web. Kumar, S. Types of Hotels . 2013. Web.

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Create the inputted essay that provided the following summary: Tiffany and Company opened its door in New York City in the year 1837 in Broadway Street offering merchandise that included stationery and jewelry. It later abandoned the dealing of stationery to concentrate on selling costume jewelry mainly of silverware, perfumes and other luxury items. The company is a recognized brand in the US market and the world at large where it has continued to conquer more markets.

Tiffany and Company opened its door in New York City in the year 1837 in Broadway Street offering merchandise that included stationery and jewelry. It later abandoned the dealing of stationery to concentrate on selling costume jewelry mainly of silverware, perfumes and other luxury items. The company is a recognized brand in the US market and the world at large where it has continued to conquer more markets.

Environmental Analysis for Tiffany & CO. Evaluation Essay Introduction Tiffany and Company opened its door in New York City in the year 1837 in Broadway Street offering merchandise that included stationery and jewelry. It later abandoned the dealing of stationery to concentrate on selling costume jewelry mainly of silverware, perfumes and other luxury items. The company is a recognized brand in the US market and the world at large where it has continued to conquer more markets. The company is now said to operate in more than five continents with stores all over the world. This success can be attributed by the company concentration in ensuring better service delivery with a unique design and exclusivity. The company can be associated with introducing the engagement ring as it is usually known today. The company has had so much growth that every woman wishes to have an accessory made by the company. The products are often regarded as of high quality and customer oriented. Environment analysis The environment can be defined as the immediate surrounding of an organization and how the surrounding controls and affects the operation of an organization. The environment can be categorized as internal or external. The internal environment controls the operation of the firm internally. On the other hand, the external environment are the forces that affect the business of the organization outside the organization building. Tiffany and Company exist in both the internal and the external environment, and these forces affect the operations of the company either positively or negatively. Thus, for the company to co-exist well and stay on the market it must integrate its operations in a way that will suit both the environment and the company (Mirabella 1997). Internal environment The internal environment for the company normally revolves around the mission and objectives set in the company by its management team. The company management is led by the current CEO by the name Mike Kowalski. The CEO is very dedicated to ensuring the company conquers the market through ensuring that its customers are well satisfied. This is achieved by offering quality products at competitive prices. The company mission is dedicated to providing customers with fine and high quality jewelry that are original at competitive prices (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). The company has set very competitive prices for most of its products that include rings necklaces and other assorted jewelry products. The company has invested to protect its brand by ensuring customer loyalty from generation to generation. The company has been in existence for more than 170 years, and such an experience has provided the company with a competitive advantage. The company has over 160,000 employees all over the world where their employees continue to carry the company heritage and mission. With such a big number of employees, the management of the company has devised means that help in managing their employees. The management of employees forms part of the objective of the company. Thus, the success of the company depends on the labor force employed to offer services to the company. Employee appraisal and motivation are critical for the operation of any organization. It motivates employees deliver more and are more involved in running of the organization. The company has set up a human resource department to manage the company labor force so as to ensure their employees are well recognized and remunerated (Mintzberg, Ghoshal, Lampel, & Quinn, 2003). External environment Tiffany and Company exist in an external environment where the forces of the external environment also play a role in affecting the operations of the company. The external environment forces play a huge role that includes how the company competes with its rivals all over the world. The external environment includes the forces of government control, competitors and society through corporate social responsibility. The government plays a major role in controlling the business of an organization through issuing trade license and permits to a business premise. The US government has licensed the company as the company is incorporated in the country. The company pays tax to the government enabling the government to collect revenue that is used in development projects across the country. The company social responsibility structure is based on the importance to sustainability and protection of the environment. The company deals in selling precious metals in the form of jewelry that are mined and thus may pollute the environment. Therefore, the company ensures its supplies are mined in an environmentally friendly manner. The company suppliers are responsible in ensuring they protect the environment. The company exists in a very competitive environment. Thus, it has to take into account how to remain competitive by delivering better services and products to have an edge over its competitors (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). Through the company mission and objective, it has been able to ensure that its services are world class and the provision of quality products at competitive prices. The company also ensures that its suppliers are paid promptly to avoid delays and conflicts that may result from delayed payment between the client and the supplier (Barney, 2007). Conclusion Tiffany and Company has been in existence for more than 170 years where it has ensured it remains to be the best company in the world that deals in jewelry through better customer satisfaction, employee recognition and world class management of its operations. The success story of Tiffany and Company can be attributed to its management team. Over the years, the management has demonstrated how well to manage an organization that has conquered the world of jewelry. References Barney, J. B. (2007). Gaining and sustaining competitive advantage . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Mintzberg, H., Ghoshal, S., Lampel, J., & Quinn, J. B. (2003). The strategy process: Concepts, contexts, cases . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Mirabella, G. (1997). Tiffany & Co . New York: Universe/Vendome. Pearce, J. A., II, & Robinson, R. B. (2011). Strategic management: Formulation, implementation, and control . Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: The text discusses the environmental and health concerns of hurricanes. It highlights how hurricanes can have both direct and indirect environmental reactions, which can take shorter or longer duration. The text also mentions how hurricanes can affect the marine ecosystem, and how they can be a threat to human health.

The text discusses the environmental and health concerns of hurricanes. It highlights how hurricanes can have both direct and indirect environmental reactions, which can take shorter or longer duration. The text also mentions how hurricanes can affect the marine ecosystem, and how they can be a threat to human health.

Environmental and Health Concerns of Hurricanes Research Paper Environmental Effects of Hurricanes Hurricanes are one of the major natural disasters that have greater effects on communities, people and residential places (Kruczynski & Fletcher, 2010). Besides, hurricanes have intense effects on environment. The major impacts of hurricanes are found normally on coastal habitats and estuarine ecologies. The strong winds generated by hurricanes have the capability of clearing forest canopies and as such, resulting into stagy modifications in the wooded ecosystems (Kruczynski & Fletcher, 2010). In fact, intense rainfall, strong winds and gushes in storms usually kill animals directly or indirectly through created changes in the ecosystem. Generally, hurricanes usually cut the food chain and in severe cases cause extinction of endangered species. Jensen (2009) argued that imbalances in the ecosystem caused by hurricanes have profound effects on both animals and plants. Besides, the storms are capable of transforming the coastal landscape. In essence, strong winds and dangerous waves carry huge volumes of sand, which are deposited along the coastal lines thereby reformatting the entire coastal landscape (Jensen, 2009). In most cases, hurricanes lead to massive changes in the shoreline resulting into complete alteration of the coastal habitats (Kruczynski & Fletcher, 2010). In fact, estimates show that hurricanes normally change coastal shorelines by over one hundred meters. However, the changes caused by hurricanes differ depending on the intensity and the level of precipitation (Kruczynski & Fletcher, 2010). In fact, hurricanes create forces that have both direct and indirect environmental reactions, which normally take shorter or longer duration (Kruczynski & Fletcher, 2010). In terms of marine ecosystem, hurricanes are capable of affecting water quality through nutrient increases as well as sediment disturbances. Studies on the effects of hurricanes indicate that near shore water quality is affected mostly as runoffs bring more nutrients with decreased oxygenation processes (Kruczynski & Fletcher, 2010). Principally, increased nutrient content and little oxygen decrease the salinity, which dramatically changes the near shore marine ecosystem. Besides, the increased concentration of chemicals including nitrogen and phosphorus characterize the near shore water for long periods after storm. In addition, increased nutrients result in overgrowth of phytoplankton and reduced levels of oxygen, which cause deaths of millions of marine species (Jensen, 2009). Moreover, the changes in waterways and near shore ecosystem result in the death of most of the organisms. The high currents and massive waves have greater effects on offshore marine environment. In principle, high currents often clip off various species including sponges, sea whips and corals from their substrate bases (Adams & Berry, 2012). The sheared off sponges are carried hundreds of kilometers and deposited in wide-ranging brackets of fragments along the coastlines (Kruczynski & Fletcher, 2010). Besides, the high waves and strong currents have the ability of wiping off species. For instance, Hurricane Andrew of august 1992 led to the disappearance of spiny lobsters along the Caribbean coastline. In addition, losses of certain species of sea grasses were also recorded. Essentially, the damages of certain marine species were attributed to changes in water temperatures, degree of alkalinity or acidity and low oxygen concentration. Generally, hurricanes have devastating effects on environment. In fact, hurricanes have been cited as critical in the evolution of the tropical ecosystem (Kruczynski & Fletcher, 2010).The natural tropical forest covers are normally vulnerable to increased effects of anthropogenic factors such as dribbled petroleum and industrial effluents, which are also associated with hurricanes (Adams & Berry, 2012). Most entities studying environmental impacts of hurricanes indicate that approximately over 95,000 tons of oil and gas are spilled during hurricanes. The spillovers change the tropical environment particularly at the mouth of rivers and shallow marine ecosystems (Jensen, 2009). Large volumes of oil can lead to the death of various species due to increased acidity and low oxygen concentrations. During hurricanes, large volumes of accumulated fresh water in higher grounds are drained in coastal areas, which cause rapid drops of seawater salinity. The changes in saline conditions have greater impacts on the marine biota (Adams & Berry, 2012). In fact, marine lives such as turtles are greatly affected by oil spillovers and drops in salinity after hurricanes (Jensen, 2009). Generally, hurricanes cause long-lasting changes in both tropical and marine ecosystem. Public Health Concerns Resulting from the Evacuation of Hospitals during Hurricanes Disasters such as hurricanes are devastating particularly in areas where the storms make landfalls. However, hurricanes can be predicted and response management to the devastating effects can be planned ahead of the landfall. In fact, one of the responses entails evacuation of communities residing on the path of hurricanes. Hospital evacuations are also considered severe situations (Adams & Berry, 2012). Hospital evacuations are not recommended due to the safety and health of the patients as well as the medical staff. Studies indicate that over 90% of patients evacuated out of original hospitals during disasters either die or sustain injuries. According to Bish, Agca and Glick (2011), planning is a critical part of the hospitals’ emergencies management. In fact, evacuation planning is significant for the success of emergency management during disasters. During emergency evacuations, the safety and wellbeing of the patients remain major health concerns. However, the public health is concerned with the availability of fresh water and getting rid of accumulated wastewater (Bish et al., 2011). In other words, the major public health concerns integrate the availability of fresh supplies of drinking water as well as the removal of wastewater (Adams & Berry, 2012). Regarding the provision of safety drinking water, public health workers should include the elements of raw water supply, drinking water treatment and drinking water distribution in the mitigation procedures (Adams & Berry, 2012). On the other hand, the removal of wastewater involves three mitigation elements including wastewater collection, wastewater treatment and discharge of the treated wastewater to the environment. Fresh Supplies of Drinking Water In terms of drinking water supply, hospitals should understand the sources of water supply and determine contamination levels of such water. However, in most cases, the water supply sources are rarely contaminated by the hurricanes (Bish et al., 2011). During the evacuation process, the supply of water is critical not only for patients but also for the medical staff. Further, ensuring that the evacuating and receiving hospital is supplied with safety drinking water a major public health concern during the evacuation process. In circumstances where supplies are contaminated, the treatment issue becomes more important. In fact, during disasters, most hospitals lack supplies of fresh drinking water. As such, water treatment strategies remain essential. Waste Water Removal The manner in which accumulated wastewater is dealt with remains a critical concern for public health during hospital evacuation (Adams & Berry, 2012). In most cases, the safety of the medical staff and the patients are considered to be in critical conditions when water levels can accumulate above five meters of the first floor (Jensen, 2009). Under such circumstances, finding ways through which the accumulated water can be removed in order to facilitate safe evacuations is critical. In most cases, public workers are advised to treat and dispose water to the environment (Tayfur & Taaffe, 2009). Occupational Health Concerns for Hospital Staff during a Hurricane Health activities during hurricane disasters can be dangerous particularly the clean up after the catastrophe (Tayfur & Taaffe, 2009). Health workers, especially emergency response supervisors should be aware of the hazards that may result from response activities and devise ways though which safety measures can be enforced (Adams & Berry, 2012). Safety of the Patients and Medical Staff The main aim of hospitals during the evacuation is to reduce the risks associated with the transfer of the patients. The expectations are that the patients should arrive at destinations in the original or in better conditions (Childers, Visagamurthy & Taaffe, 2009). Studies indicate that disasters such as hurricanes pose greater psychological risks to patients particularly where the patients are knowledgeable about impending disasters. Besides, hospitals face greater challenges in the transportation of the patients. In fact, the transfer risks often raise the safety concerns of the patients. The greatest challenge hospitals face is that the patients are not a homogeneous community. In fact, patients are categorized according to the conditions and the type of the disease. Studies indicate that patients that are chronically ill normally die during or after the evacuation (Childers et al., 2009). In fact, the safeties of such patients are highly considered during transportation processes. Estimates put forward that during the hurricane Katrina, about 90% of critically ill patients died during the evacuation (Tayfur & Taaffe, 2009). Besides, patients suffering from communicable diseases can easily affect other patients as well as the medical staff. Majority of patients during disasters such as hurricanes suffer from communicable diseases (Kue, Brown, Ness & Scheulen, 2011). The increased spreads of diseases pose greater risks to both the patients and the medical staff during evacuation (Tayfur & Taaffe, 2009). Therefore, the safety of both the patients and the medical staff should also be greatly considered. Health of the Patients and Medical Staff Hospitals tend to maintain the health status of the patients during the evacuation process. In critically ill patients, risks associated with transportations are greatly considered. In fact, most patients die at the transportation stage (Kue et al., 2011). Besides, the health of support medical staff is also put into consideration (Adams & Berry, 2012). During the evacuation process, supporting equipment and facilities are not enough to keep both the patient and the medical staff safe (Tayfur & Taaffe, 2009). Generally, it is critical for hospitals to develop an emergency response management plans that take into consideration all the health concerns of both the health workers and the patients. Evacuations require extensive preparedness and planning due to the complexity and associated risks (Adams & Berry, 2012). In fact, evacuations are only considered in situations where the medical staff and patients face great dangers. Even though resources and budgetary constraints limit most evacuations, the major aim is to minimize risks of both the patients and the staff (Tayfur & Taaffe, 2009). References Adams, L. M., & Berry, D. (2012). Who will show up? Estimating ability and willingness of essential hospital personel to report to work in response to a disaster. Online Journal of Issue in Nursing, 17 (2), 8-9. Bish, D. R., Agca, E. & Glick, R. (2011). Decision support for hospital evacuation and emergency response. Annals of Operations Research, 94 (16), 1123-1129. Childers, A., Visagamurthy, K., & Taaffe, K. (2009). Prioritizing patients for evacuation from a health-care facility. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2137 (1), 38–45. Jensen, J. N. (2009). Public health and environmental infrastructure implications of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Collingdale, PA: DIANE Publishing. Kruczynski, W. L. & Fletcher, P. J. (2010). Major hurricanes can have major impacts on marine environment. Tropical Connections, 4 (5), 170-173. Kue, R., Brown, P., Ness, C., & Scheulen, J. (2011). Adverse clinical events during intrahospital transport by a specialized team: a preliminary report. American Journal of Critical Care, 20 (2), 153–161. Tayfur, E., & Taaffe, K. (2009). A model for allocating resources during hospital evacuations. Computers and Industrial Engineering, 57 (4), 1313–1323.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: The essay discusses the topic of dry air in the workplace and what it may lead to. It highlights the fact that dry air is a major concern for office employees and can lead to such diseases as stress, neurosis and even depression.

The essay discusses the topic of dry air in the workplace and what it may lead to. It highlights the fact that dry air is a major concern for office employees and can lead to such diseases as stress, neurosis and even depression.

Environmental Health in the Workplace Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Introduction: Dry Air in the Workplace and What It May Lead to 2. Occupational Health: Dry Air as a Hazard for Office Employees 3. Environmental Health: Dry Air and Change of Climate 4. Conclusion: Dry Air as a Major Concern for Office Employees 5. Reference List Introduction: Dry Air in the Workplace and What It May Lead to The recent researches on the key problems of most workplace environment types have shown that a range of employees suffer from extremely low humidity rates (Smith & Pitt, 2011). Though the issue might be seen as a minor problem compared to the rest of the issues that an ordinary employee faces on a regular basis in their workplace environment, it should be kept in mind that the problem in question may lead to rather serious diseases, including such disorders as stress, neurosis and even depression. Because of a seeming lack of the link between depression and low humidity rates in the place where a person spends 1/3 of their day, one may misinterpret the reasons for the depression developed and, therefore, make the process of recovery long and very complicated, with a very high chance for an instance of recidivism in the future. Occupational Health: Dry Air as a Hazard for Office Employees Though in a number of offices, local managers fall into the other extreme, and the office becomes oversaturated with humidity (OSHA, 2006), the problem of dry air is clearly the second worst factor that affects the staff’s health impressively. As a rule, the issue is triggered by a specific construction of the building (e.g., numerous ventilation holes, enhanced air conditioning, etc.), and specific rules, which lead to having little to no sources of water in the office (e.g., prohibition to drink tea or coffee in the workplace). Dry air poses a tangible threat to the health of the employees, especially to those, whose job is related to personal communication, i.e., requires an impressive strain of the throat muscles. The problem becomes especially evident when it comes to considering such jobs as a lecturer, a consultant, etc. According to the results of recent researches, an eight-hour exposal to a dry air environment may lead to such health issues, starting from heat stress and ending with neurosis (McCool, Reeder, Robinson, Petrie & Gorman, 2009). Environmental Health: Dry Air and Change of Climate Despite the on-coming climate change and a rapid increase in humidity rates triggered by the so-called greenhouse effect, the air in some cities, especially industrial ones, remains dry. According to what most sources say, the phenomenon of dry air in the era of global warming and, therefore, an impressive rise in humidity rates in most parts of the Earth ( Hurricanes in a warmer world , 2006) is much more of a threat to both people’s health and the environment in general. As a result, little to no attention is paid to a nonetheless serious threat of people being exposed to a dry air environment on a regular basis (Berlin, 2014). As recent researches state, such places as Nevada, Florida and Texas suffer from low rates of humidity greatly, and people are exposed to a serious threat in the specified regions ( Annual average relative humidity by US state , 2014). Conclusion: Dry Air as a Major Concern for Office Employees Although the problem of dry air may seem not as threatening as the opposite extreme, it still affects people’s health greatly. More importantly, because of the lack of attention paid to the issue, it becomes even more dangerous. Addressing the problem by installing humidifiers in the workplace environment is not enough; it is crucial that awareness concerning the threat of dry air in the workplace environment should be spread. Reference List Annual average relative humidity by US state (2014). Web. Berlin, G. L. (2014). Restoring the low limit for indoor relative humidity. Engineered Systems, 31 (2), 48–52. Hurricanes in a warmer world (2006). Web. McCool, J., Reeder, A., Robinson, E., Petrie, K. & Gorman, D. (2009). Outdoor workers’ perceptions of the risks of excess sun exposure. Journal of Occupational Health, 51 (5), 404–411. OSHA (2006). Preventing mold-related problems in the indoor workplace . Web. Smith, A. & Pitt, M. (2011). Healthy workplaces: plantscaping for indoor environmental quality. Facilities, 29 (3/4), pp. 169-187.

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Write an essay about: The text discusses the definition of liquid waste and how it can pollute water. It also talks about the role of the EPA in protecting the human health and environment in the United States from liquid waste pollution.

The text discusses the definition of liquid waste and how it can pollute water. It also talks about the role of the EPA in protecting the human health and environment in the United States from liquid waste pollution.

Environmental Protection: Liquid Waste Essay Liquid waste can be defined as the waste in the form of liquids or liquids containing waste. Liquid waste can be hazardous and it mainly pollutes water. However, liquid waste can also contaminate soils. While referring to the issue of liquid waste pollution, it is necessary to note that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the main agency responsible for protecting the health of humans and environments from negative effects of pollution. To understand the role of the EPA in protecting the human health and environment in the United States from liquid waste pollution, it is necessary to discuss the EPA’s activities and importance and to focus on identifying federal regulations developed to organize the environmental and human health protection in the country. The EPA was established by the United States Federal Government in 1970 in order to protect the human health and environments with the help of legal regulations and laws. The EPA is also responsible for providing the regulations regarding the issues of liquid waste pollution. In the United States, the liquid waste pollution mainly affects the country’s water resources ( United States Environmental Protection Agency , 2009). To overcome this problem and to prevent the pollution of the United States’ water resources, the EPA formed the specific permit system known as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) in 1972. The NPDES permit system works in order to control the quality of surface waters in relation to the aspects of water pollution which can be caused by discharging the liquid waste and pollutants into the water resources of the country ( National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System , 2009). The role of the EPA is preventing the liquid waste pollution is significant because it is the main federal agency to regulate the aspects of environmental protection in general and pollution in particular ( EPA Data , 2009). The role of the NPDES in protecting people from the negative effects of the liquid waste is considerable because this system’s work guarantees the quality of water used in the United States. Main federal regulations developed to address the risk of the liquid waste pollution are also associated with preventing the water pollution because liquid waste pollution is most hazardous for surface water in the United States. The situation is regulated with references to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 and the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 is followed to prevent the negative effects of pollution sources on all the types of water resources in the country. This law also addresses the problem of the liquid waste pollution. The Safe Drinking Water Act is developed to address the problem of the liquid waste pollution in relation to the issue of the drinking water quality (Hocking, 2006, p. 112). The role of the United States Environmental Protection Agency in preventing and liquidating the effects of the liquid waste pollution on the human health and environment is significant because it is the main federal agency which develops the laws and regulations to monitor and control the situation in the country. The problem of the liquid waste pollution is closely connected with the problem of water pollution. In the 1970s, the EPA made efforts to develop such laws to address the situation as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. Furthermore, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System was formed. References EPA Data . (2009). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/ Hocking, M. (2006). Handbook of chemical technology and pollution control . USA: Academic Press. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System . (2009). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/ United States Environmental Protection Agency . (2009). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/

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Provide a essay that could have been the input for the following summary: This paper is aimed at discussing various aspects of environmental racism. In particular, it is important to discuss the forms that this discrimination can take. Furthermore, one should focus on case studies that can illustrate such practices and their long-term impacts.

This paper is aimed at discussing various aspects of environmental racism. In particular, it is important to discuss the forms that this discrimination can take. Furthermore, one should focus on case studies that can illustrate such practices and their long-term impacts.

Problems of Environmental Racism Essay This paper is aimed at discussing various aspects of environmental racism. In particular, it is important to discuss the forms that this discrimination can take. Furthermore, one should focus on case studies that can illustrate such practices and their long-term impacts. One should keep in mind that environmental racism can adversely influence many people who can be disadvantaged due to their race or income level. As a rule, this form of discrimination can be described as irresponsible policies of companies and governmental organizations. Sometimes their representatives can disregard the interests of some communities simply because such decisions may not be punished. Moreover, those people, who are harmed by environmental racism, are not perceived as important stakeholders. These are the main questions that should be examined in greater detail. Overall, the term has often been defined as “a racial discrimination in environmental policy making” (Gaard and Murphy 140). For instance, African-American communities could often be exposed to such a risk (Pellow 68). However, in the modern context, the notion can refer to any environmental policy or practice that can endanger a certain group which can be marked by race, ethnicity, income level, or other characteristics (Gaard and Murphy 140). This broad definition is particularly important nowadays when many businesses based in advanced countries have an opportunity to operate abroad, especially in those regions in which the rights of individuals are not properly protected. It should be noted that in the course of history, minority reports have often been victimized by environmental policies of the government. For instance, one can speak about the construction of landfills in close proximity to certain communities (Pellow 68). Moreover, it is possible to mention the storage of hazardous waste near the settlements inhabited by the representatives of minority groups. One can argue that nowadays the problem of environmental racism has changed significantly. At present, such practices can be explained by the absence of environmental laws in some countries. This loophole is always exploited by international companies that do not want to spend extra costs on the adoption of eco-friendly technologies. These are the main examples that should be discussed more closely. One should keep in mind that environmental racism produces negative effects on a variety of stakeholders. For instance, it is possible to speak about significant health problems originating from air and water pollution (Sze 13). It is critical to mention that these effects can manifest themselves for a long time. Additionally, policy-makers should pay close attention to the economic consequences of such practices. In particular, many industries such as agriculture or fishing can be adversely affected (Sze 13). To a great extent, these factors can contribute to the dilapidation of many communities. These are some of the main aspects that can be distinguished. They should be taken into account by policy-makers who may take decisions affecting thousands of people and their children. It is possible to mention several case studies that can throw light on the nature of this problem. At first, one should discuss such a community as Altgeld Gardens which was built specifically for African-American war veterans. The main problem is that this settlement was constructed on the territory of a former landfill. Moreover, it was surrounded by recycling plants. Currently, this community is surrounded by 36 hazardous waste facilities (Pellow 68). Additionally, one should speak about cement plants, oil refineries, waste lagoons, or coke ovens (Pellow 68). Admittedly, this situation can be partly attributed to the legacies of racist policies which existed in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century. Nevertheless, the effects of such practices are still palpable nowadays because the residents of this community are more exposed to the risks of various illnesses such as cancer. This issue attracted much attention of the public in the seventies and eighties when many environmental activities focused on the discrimination of minority groups (Pellow 69). Furthermore, one can say that the legacies of environmental racism can be palpable for a long time. This is why this example should not be overlooked by policy-makers. Furthermore, one can discuss the construction of PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) landfill in Warren County. It should be mentioned that this community was also inhabited predominantly by black people whose interests could be simply disregarded (Steady 65). Apart from that, policy-makers were informed about the possible threats of water and soil contamination (Steady 65). Moreover, they assured environmental activists and representatives of the local community that the risks of such events were completely eliminated. Nevertheless, the later investigation proved that the misgivings of many people had been justified. In 2003, it was finally accepted that the constructions of the PCB landfill led to the contamination of water, and the government was forced to spend money on the detoxification program (Steady 65). Thus, one cannot suppose that such activities can go completely unnoticed. These examples show that environmental racism can eventually result in significant expenses for the government. Certainly, governmental institutions did not admit that the policy-makers had deliberately targeted by minority communities. Nevertheless, these groups were much more vulnerable. This is one of the arguments that can be put forward. There are other important examples of environmental racism. To some degree, these cases can be partly attributed to the differences in the economic and social development of different states. Currently, many companies based in advanced countries prefer to outsource some of their operations overseas. Sometimes, their activities can pose a threat to the community. For example, one can mention the notorious Bhopal catastrophe that took place in India in 1994 (Prashad 186). It gave rise to many debates about environmental racism. It should be noted that there was a gas leak in the pesticide plant operated by the company Union Carbide. As a result, more than 8.000 people died (Prashad 186). Currently, Bhopal has not overcome the effects of this disaster. One should also keep in mind that the company violated many of the safety norms. More importantly, they did not immediately inform medical workers about the dangers of the gas which was leaked. This is one of the reasons why there were so many casualties (Prashad 186). This case has attracted so much attention because it highlighted the importance of environmental regulations and social responsibility which are critical for the safety of the community. One should keep in mind that the construction of such a plant would have almost impossible in any developed country. Moreover, organizations that run such facilities are forced to comply with a great number of safety regulations. In turn, India was selected because it did not have the stringent environmental legislation adopted in the United States or other countries. To a great extent, such practices can also be compared to environmental racism. Certainly, this case differs from the previous ones, because the company that constructed and operated this plant did not hold any prejudice against people living in Bhopal. More likely, they just wanted to reduce operational costs by opening a plant in India, a country in which environmental regulations was not properly enforced at least in the eighties (Prashad 186). This is one of the main distinctions that should be considered. Still, in each of the three cases, the residents of local communities were regarded as unimportant stakeholders whose opinions could be easily disregarded. Furthermore, the decision-makers, who implemented these policies, did not expect any legal challenges. This is one of the main similarities that can be identified. Thus, this discrimination can take place many forms and it can exist at an international level. On the whole, these examples indicate that environmental racism can take many forms. Nevertheless, in each case, one can speak about a group of people who can be disadvantaged by governmental or private organizations. Furthermore, the cases discussed in this paper illustrate that the consequences of environmental racism. Sometimes, such a policy can result in the deaths of many people. Moreover, one should not overlook the economic impacts of such activities. To a great extent, the existence of environmental racism can be explained by the fact that policy-makers simply choose to disregard the interests of some stakeholders. The rights of these individuals were not properly protected because of racial prejudices or low income level. These are the main aspects that can be distinguished. Works Cited Gaard, Greta, and Patrick Murphy. Ecofeminist Literary Criticism: Theory, Interpretation, Pedagogy, Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 1998. Print. Pellow, David. Garbage Wars: the Struggle for Environmental Justice in Chicago , Boston, MIT Press, 2003. Print. Prashad, Vijay. The Karma of Brown Folk , Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2000. Print. Steady, Filomina. Environmental Justice in the New Millennium , New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. Print. Sze, Julie. Noxious New York: The Racial Politics of Urban Health and Environmental Justice , Boston: MIT Press, 2005. Print.

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Write an essay about: The paper critically examines the arguments of both sides of the debate surrounding the relationship between environmental security and human security. It shows that while it is important to acknowledge the changing nature of human security issues, people should understand how this new conception of human security issues interact with other discourses.

The paper critically examines the arguments of both sides of the debate surrounding the relationship between environmental security and human security. It shows that while it is important to acknowledge the changing nature of human security issues, people should understand how this new conception of human security issues interact with other discourses.

Environmental Security as an Approach to Threats Posed by Global Environmental Change Report (Assessment) Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. New Human Security View 3. Traditional Thinking of Human Security 4. Conclusion 5. References Introduction Climate change concerns and its effects on human security have characterised many international development debates (Barnett & Adger 2007; Barnett et al. 2010; Campbell 2009). In this debate, some researchers believe environmental issues do not share a direct relationship with human security issues, while other researchers say both concepts have a direct relationship. Both views exist within one continuum of environmental security analysis. On one end is the traditional thinking (realist thinking) that proposes a limited conception of human security, which excluded environmental issues, while the other end of the continuum adopts a new and broad definition of human security, which includes climate change. This paper critically evaluates both arguments and shows that while it is important to acknowledge the changing nature of human security issues, people should understand how this new conception of human security issues interact with other discourses. To understand this fact, this paper first explains the new human security view. New Human Security View Proponents of the new human security view have widely used the concept to explain international politics and international peace (Barnett 2003; Kaplan 1994). For example, Busby (2007) and Mathews (1989) say we need to expand our definition of human security. They also say, for a long time, people have perceived security through lenses that do not show the new realities of climate change (Busby 2007; Mathews 1989). Similarly, the United Nations (1987) says many countries are quickly realising that it is impossible to separate economic developmental from environmental issues. For example, many human activities have caused resource conflicts through environmental degradation, thereby threatening the bedrock that supports human cohesion (Webersik 2010). The relationship between these two factors (environmental sustainability and human security) manifests in different ways. For example, the United Nations (1987) says poverty is both a “cause” and “effect” of environmental degradation. Therefore, it is futile to understand both concepts in isolation. Such concerns led the UN to set up the 1983 World Commission on Environment and Development (it includes environmental factors in understanding human security). Based on the above assertion, Mathews (1989) believes that environmental strains are eroding the boundaries that defined international borders, and national sovereignty. This view prompted him to highlight the need to change human production factors that have supported civilisation. Mason (2005) also believes there is a strong need to understand human security issues through environmental lenses because this new framework recognises the danger that human societies face if they continue to ignore the impact of their economic activities. Relative to this view, Brown et al. (2008) say, “In recent years, our traditional ideas about security have unravelled. No longer do the main threats to our security come from the massed armies of hostile neighbours—but from terrorism, epidemic disease, organised crime, conflict over natural resources and environmental degradation” (1). Mason (2005) advances the above view through ethical arguments because he says that ignoring the impact of climate change on human security creates an accountability problem. Particularly, he stresses this point by highlighting the transnational and global hazards of climate change (Mason 2005). Unlike other researchers, Mathews (1989) paints a more positive outlook on the environmental-security issue by saying the global environment could support increased human populations if societies adapt to the new realities of climate change. Relative to the above conceptions of human security issues, Mathew & Fraser (2002) believe broadening security definitions to include non-military issues, changes the role of the state in human security matters. For example, within the new security framework, the roles of transnational and sub-national non-state actors increase. Technological innovation, increased information flows, and globalisation have helped such non-state actors to increase their influence in security matters (Mathew & Fraser 2002). Overall, human security interests do not align with national economic interests. Khagram et al. (2003) agree with the view of Mason (2005) when they say that the limited role of the state in this new conception of security is justifiable because human societies are the main victims of climate change. Indeed, states are not the main victims of climate change because the latter has immediate and direct effects on people’s livelihoods (Moran 2011). For example, although water scarcity may not necessarily lead to war, it could easily cause death from drought, dehydration, low food production, and similar calamities. Similar to the above view, Kaplan (1994) sums up the danger that human societies face from climate change by saying, “environmental scarcity inflames existing hatred” (p. 56) among communities. Traditional Thinking of Human Security Unlike the above researchers, proponents of the traditional view of security do not believe people should link climate change with human security. For example, Paris (2001) doubts the practicality of using a broad human security view for academic and policy-making purposes. He says the concept lacks a precise definition because, like sustainable development, everyone supports it, but few people have a clear definition of its meaning (Paris 2001). Secondly, Paris (2001) contends that human security holds together different institutions and organisations (such as non-governmental organisations and middle power states) which want to shift the balance from conventional national security issues to newer approaches of security to support their international development goals. Therefore, he believes the these organisations have biased views (Paris 2001). Detraz & Betsill (2009) also agree that there is no link between climate change and human security issues. They say both concepts fall within two frameworks of “environmental conflict” and “environmental security” and believe the new debate that links climate change and human security issues have only engaged “environmental security” issues (Detraz & Betsill 2009). Therefore, a discursive shift has not occurred. They also say the shift would be counterproductive because it would slow people’s resolve to find the real solutions to climate change (Detraz & Betsill 2009). Deudney (1990) supports this view by saying there is no relationship between climate change and political conflicts. He says it is self-defeating and dangerous to link the two concepts because human security and environmental concerns do not emerge from the same concerns. Based on the same view, he says environmentalists often exaggerate the prospects of war from climate change concerns. Comprehensively, Deudney (1990) believes climate change does not affect national security, but the institutions and mindsets that created it. Cudworth & Hobden (2011) also support the above view and say that merging environmental and security issues create two frameworks for understanding human security issues. These two approaches show that human societies “cause” climate change and climate change leads to insecurity (Cudworth & Hobden 2011). He cautions that this approach should not ignore complex human relations (complexity theory) that regulate this relationship. In an unrelated context, O’Brien (2006) believes that most people are missing the point about the relationship between human securities and environmental change. He says the debate should shift from determining if environmental disasters are products of climate change, or not, to debates that explore if human societies could manage such disasters (O’Brien 2006). Nonetheless, many human societies are unable to cope with these adverse environmental effects. Therefore, they compromise human security. Based on these assertions, O’Brien (2006) de-links environmental change from human security. He says human security depends on people’s preparedness to handle climate change. Therefore, if societies could manage the effects of climate change, there would be no concerns about human security issues. Redclift (2001) agrees with the above view. However, he says researchers have failed to include other discourses of environmental sustainability when they associate the concept with human security. Mainly, he says researchers need to include changing human security and natural resource issues when explaining the relationship between both concepts (Redclift 2001). He believes that by doing so, researchers would easily broaden security and sustainability concepts (Redclift 2001). This approach would also give them a broader insight into human security issues, within an environmental framework. Conclusion After weighing the traditional and new thinking of human security issues, this paper shows that science has often portrayed environmental problems as “scientific” and not “security” problems. This view largely defines traditional thoughts of human security. The broadened definition of human security suggests a strong interrelationship between science and security issues. This new thinking is important in managing today’s complex human security issues. Based on this fact, the new thinking of human security should guide future debates because it approaches the problem holistically. However, while it is important to acknowledge the changing nature of human security issues, people should understand how new human security views merge with other discourses (especially those that define traditional thinking) because human security is a complex phenomenon. References Barnett, J 2003, ‘Security and Climate Change’, Global Environmental Change , vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 7–17. Barnett, J & Adger, N 2007, ‘Climate change, human security and violent conflict’, Political Geography, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 639-655. Barnett, J, Matthew, R, O’Brien, K, & McDonald, B 2010, Global Environmental Change and Human Security , MIT Press, Cambridge. Brown, O, Crawford, A & Campeau, C 2008, Environmental Change and the New Security Agenda Implications for Canada’s security and environment . International Institute for Sustainable Development, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Busby, J 2007, Climate Change and National Security: An Agenda for Action . Web. Campbell, K 2009, Climatic Cataclysm: The Foreign Policy and National Security Implications of Climate Change , Brookings Institution Press, Washington. Cudworth, E & Hobden, S 2011, ‘Beyond environmental security: complex systems, multiple inequalities and environmental risks’, Environmental Politics , vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 42-59. Detraz, N & Betsill, M 2009, ‘Climate Change and Environmental Security: For Whom the Discourse Shifts’, International Studies Perspectives , vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 303–320. Deudney, D 1990, ‘The Case Against Linking Environmental Degradation and National Security’, Millennium – Journal of International Studies, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 461-476. Kaplan, R 1994, ‘The Coming Anarchy’, The Atlantic Monthly, vol. 273, no. 2, pp. 44-76. Khagram, S, Clark, W & Raad, D 2003, ‘From the Environment and Human Security to Sustainable Security and Development’, Journal of Human Development, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 289-313. Mason 2005, The New Accountability: Environmental responsibility Across Borders , Earthscan, London. Mathew, R & Fraser, L 2002, Global Environmental Change and Human Security: Conceptual and Theoretical Issues . Web. Mathews, J 1989, ‘Redefining Security’, Foreign Affairs , vol. 68, no. 2, pp. 162-177. Moran, D 2011, Climate Change and National Security: A Country-Level Analysis, Georgetown University Press, Washington. O’Brien, K 2006, ‘Are we missing the point? Global environmental change as an issue of human security’, Global Environmental Change , vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 1–3. Paris, R 2001, ‘Human Security: Paradigm Shift or Hot Air’, International Security, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 87–102. Redclift, M 2001, ‘Environmental Security and the Recombinant Human: Sustainability in the Twenty-first Century’, Environmental Values, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 289–299. United Nations 1987, Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future . Web. Webersik, C 2010, Climate Change and Security: A Gathering Storm of Global Challenges , ABC-CLIO, New York.

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Provide the inputted essay that when summarized resulted in the following summary : The paper discusses an experiment that was done by a researcher, whereby a student was expected to write about a topic. The learner's work was copied in a sheet. One sheet was corrected using the traditional approach, while the other was corrected using code errors. It is imperative to point out that to enhance writing skills, there should be continuous revision throughout the process.

The paper discusses an experiment that was done by a researcher, whereby a student was expected to write about a topic. The learner's work was copied in a sheet. One sheet was corrected using the traditional approach, while the other was corrected using code errors. It is imperative to point out that to enhance writing skills, there should be continuous revision throughout the process.

Error Coding in L2 Students Writing Research Paper Introduction Many people, including educationists view writing as a product of writing and not a process that results from learning (Seow, 2002). However, writing is a process that requires continuous effort (Writing as a process or a product? n.d., par. 3). It is debatable whether corrected work should be returned to student to correct them. Correcting requires instructors to focus on main errors to avoid demoralising the learners (Seow, 2002). Correction of written work should be done carefully and efficiently using the correct approach. Code error should be utilized. It is evident that when students go to learning institutions they do not know how to hold writing materials, but with time they learn and start writing. It requires both cognitive expertise and logical efforts to improve (Seow, 2002). Different approaches of correcting are utilised by different educators. The paper discusses an experiment that was done by a researcher, whereby a student was expected to write about a topic. The learner’s work was copied in a sheet. One sheet was corrected using the traditional approach, while the other was corrected using code errors. It is imperative to point out that to enhance writing skills, there should be continuous revision throughout the process (Writing as a process or a product? n.d., par. 4). Moreover, it is a process for the reason that as time progresses, students are able to express themselves genuinely through writing (Seow, 2002). In addition, error correction is crucial in the writing process. If done appropriately and correctly, learners gain, especially when the instructors do not concentrate on minor errors. The feedback from correcting work helps learners to improve their skills. Arguably, feedback should concentrate on content and not the language or organisation (Seow, 2002). This is due to the fact that language and organisation might impact students negatively. Despite the fact that formative feedback might not be useful to some students, it is recommended because it helps learners to understand their mistakes and rectify them (Writing as a process or a product? n.d., par. 9). It is not advisable to correct all mistakes because students might be demoralised. Nonetheless, learners should be encouraged to re-do the work incorporating the corrections. (Writing as a process or a product? n.d., par. 9). This will assist them in remembering what they have been taught by the instructors. Literature review Correcting students’ written works have been in discussion for a long time. Many scholars have provided different approaches that are significant in correcting the learners’ written work (Walz, 2007). Notably, correcting written work is different from correcting oral work. According to Walz (2007), there are five ways of rectifying written errors. They include provision of hints for personal corrections, doing it in the text, writing minor notes, applying mistakes as illustrations in class and explaining them orally to learners (Walz, 2007). Most studies have demonstrated that it is crucial for teachers to handle major errors and leave insignificant ones. Ferris (2006) contends that correcting each and every word might lower learners’ morale, which is critical for the development of high self-esteem and confidence. Thus, there is a likelihood of demotivating students, yet they should be reinforced to study. It is recommended that educators should focus on what is right and not errors (Ferris, 2006). This is for the reason that many students are discouraged if many corrections are done. Ferris (2006) suggests that students waste a lot of time in studying items they are afraid of losing, even if they are not very difficult. It is shown that learners find it helpful when codes are used to correct errors (Mahili, 1994). This was revealed by a study that was conducted in Japan learners to examine the best technique for correcting (Mahili, 1994). Another study that was conducted in Hong Kong indicated that the method is more effective than other methods (Lee, 2004). However, teachers were advised to be cautious when utilising the technique. This is because, for the method to be effective, and it requires adequate preparations. In addition, Lee (2004) notes that students prefer using the method. When investigations were done, the researcher found that students were more satisfied with coding method than others (Lee, 2004). The supporters of the technique argue that grammatical errors should be investigated, and both the instructor and the student should have the same understanding of the concepts that would be used in coding (Lee, 2004). This is crucial in enhancing communication between them. Furthermore, teachers should draw their attention on enlightening learners with items that are related to specific codes. This will facilitate the correction process, reducing the time that would be spent by students to guess. Explanations of the researcher’s experiment of correcting written work with codes The researcher’s personal experiment reveals involved written work from a student that was submitted for marking. The two sheets were given to two different teachers to mark. One of the teachers was expected to identify the mistakes by use of codes, while the other was required to mark the sheet. It was evident that the teacher who used codes took shorter time compared with the one who scored the paper by writing the answers. In addition, the first teacher gave back the paper for the learner to correct herself. From the scholar’s experiment, it is evident that coding is efficient and effective with regard to saving time and energy. This is for the reason that the instructor who used codes took a shorter time to score the sheet. Notably, there is a big difference, i.e. 00.22.02 hours. This time could have been used in other activities. The coding error method is efficient because learners also get time to revise corrections that have been made. Giving the learners their work to correct is important in helping them to recall, avoiding similar mistakes in the future. In fact, despite the fact that the instructor who utilized code spent less time does not mean he or she used a lot of energy. The energy applied is less using coding errors than the one that is spent in writing Usefulness of coding errors in saving time As aforementioned, coding as a technique of correcting is advantageous in error correction and saving time. First, it has fewer mistakes compared with the traditional strategic approach (Ho, 2004). As a result, the time that would be spent on handling errors for each student is saved. Short time is utilised to provide high-quality performance outcomes (Ho, 2004). From the researcher’s experiment, it is notable that learners discover their inaccuracies in their written work and refer to the checklists that have been provided by the educator. They are also free to access any information that is useful in correcting the errors and relate with their fellow students to correct mistakes, leading to an increase in gaining of knowledge within the shortest time possible (Ho, 2004). In addition, many errors can be corrected within a short period of time as revealed in the experimental results. Less energy is employed by the instructor in coding than it would have been the case if he or she corrected individual work. This would be tiresome, and a lot of energies would be applied. Coding mistakes were helpful to learners because they were provided support by the checklists and the materials that had been used by the previous class (Ho, 2004). It also improved their memory because experience is the best teacher. Learning by doing increases memory retention. The scholar’s experimental results reveal a lot of information about coding errors. They indicate that coding errors is efficient and effective compared with the traditional approach. This implies that error code is an appropriate methodology, especially at the initial stages (Ho, 2004). The method advances linguistic competence. Nonetheless, the researcher contented that it is the best way of helping students to solve problems with regard to correcting written work. It enables learners to construct a grammatical composition with the aim of making them more adequate than it would be if other strategies are utilised (Ho, 2004). It is evident from the results that there should be a design that would yield the best effects. The design should be clear and easily recalled to produce the desirable effects. The strategy that is vital in achieving the desired effects is apparent from the results (Ho, 2004). This involves preparing the learners mentally about the questions they would ask their teacher, making the process successful. Reference resources are critical in coding errors. In cases where learners encounter difficulties, they consult reference materials. Some learners are lazy and do not engage in coding errors (Ho, 2004). The researcher concluded that the habit could have resulted from the system of education that spoon-feeds students. Another conclusion that was made was that students could have been busy with other activities and did not have time to carry out the research proposal. Failure of the software to perform complex tasks made the learners feel frustrated. Conclusion/suitability of the method In conclusion, error coding is crucial in correcting written work. Arguably, error correction through coding is the most appropriate method to correct written works. According to the researcher’s experiment, it saves time and energy, making it effective and efficient. Accuracy is promoted when code errors are used. In addition, it promotes independent thinking among intermediate stage student, i.e., the beginners. This is the case, especially when learners are given their work to correct. Furthermore, writing is a process that engages various activities that promote learning. It is learning in itself and is achieved gradually through reinforced practice. Therefore, the method should be encouraged and practised by the instructors because it saves time for both the instructor and the learner. The two teachers from the experiment used different approaches to correct errors and coding error proved best in relation to saving time. Recommendations Using the researcher’s experiment, these recommendations concentrates on guiding what should be done to facilitate error corrections. First, further studies should be carried out to investigate more about error correction using error codes. Second, it is advisable to use more students in the study than the one that were used in the experiment. More students should be involved in conducting the research to get different views about the application of coding errors. The duration of conducting the research should be increased for comprehensive data collections and analysis. Students should be given their papers back to make correction as evidenced in the experiment. This will motivate them to learn more. Nevertheless, time should be spent by both educators and students to familiarise themselves with the rules governing the usage of the technique. References Ferris, D. R. (2006). Does error feedback help student writers? New evidence on the short-and long-term effects of written error correction. Feedback in second language writing: Contexts and issues , 8 (4) , 81-104. Ho, B. (2004). Using Error Codes to Help Error Correction: Working Papers in English &Communication. Web. Lee, I. (2004). Error correction in L2 secondary writing classrooms: The case of Hong Kong. Journal of Second Language Writing, 13 (4), 285-312. Mahili, I. (1994). Responding to student writing . Web. Seow, A. (2002). The writing process and process writing. Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of current practice, (23) 4, 315-320. Walz, J. C. (2007). Error Correction Techniques for the Foreign Language Classroom . Web. Writing as a process or a product? (n.d). Web.

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Provide the inputted essay that when summarized resulted in the following summary : The text discusses the importance of marketing in the automotive industry and how it can be used to achieve corporate objectives. It also highlights the role of marketing managers in creating marketing mixes that correspond to customers' needs. Finally, it examines the organizational adherence to marketing concepts and how it can affect the success of a marketing campaign.

The text discusses the importance of marketing in the automotive industry and how it can be used to achieve corporate objectives. It also highlights the role of marketing managers in creating marketing mixes that correspond to customers' needs. Finally, it examines the organizational adherence to marketing concepts and how it can affect the success of a marketing campaign.

Essentials of Service Marketing Report (Assessment) Introduction Marketing is an inevitable process for every business because it enables a firm to communicate to its clients about its products (Gary & Kotler, 2005). There are various marketing concepts that a firm can adapt to market itself and its products. The choice of the concepts is dependent on the product under sale and the organizational objectives. Corporate objectives and how they lead to the marketing objectives Objectives are important because they define the course of action of the firm (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). The automotive industry targets different customers with varying needs. The objectives of the automotive manufacturers are thus customer predetermined (Pride, Ferrell, Lukas, Schembri, & Niininen, 2012). Marketing managers endeavour to create marketing mixes that correspond to customers’ needs (Wells, Burnett, & Moriarty, 2006). Therefore, a marketing manager in this industry has to consider variables such as price, distribution, promotion, and the product (Diamond & Pintel, 1972). The Freelander model from Land Rover, for instance, targets customers in their 30s and 40s (Ghauri & Cateora, 2014). The automobile is a sports utility vehicle with high off-road and on-road capabilities (Quester, Pettigrew, & Kopanidis, 2014). The objective of the carmaker is to sell this vehicle to an age group that is financially stable. However, this objective is not logical, as there is a bigger unexploited market beyond the set age bracket. Organizational adherence to marketing concepts Marketing concepts involve the production of products aimed at creating customer satisfaction (Pickton & Amanda, 2005). Therefore, the Land Rover Company focuses on selling the Freelander model to customers to satisfy their needs. The selling concept, conversely, aims at attracting customers to buy a product (Hoffman & Bateson, 2001). The Freelander automobile boasts of features such as a stylish design, impeccable performance on-road and off-road, premium pricing, and an economical engine (Pride et al., 2012). These advanced features appeal to customers and help market the product (Reed, 2010). Therefore, the company aims at selling more product units by flaunting the product’s superior features (Quester, Pettigrew & Kopanidis, 2014). The company also uses motion pictures during advertisements and television shows to attract potential customers (Barrie & Furnham, 1992). T he adverts highlight the superior features of the vehicle, which inform potential customers on the vehicle’s capabilities. Additionally, these features arouse a desire to own the vehicle in the customers. The company adheres to selling and product marketing concepts of promotion as it focuses on the product’s quality and informs the customers of the product (Kotler, 1999). The company’s core marketing strategy for achieving its objectives Land Rover’s marketing strategies include creating awareness of the vehicle’s sports utility features, coordinated distribution, promotion, pricing, and targeting of customers with high buying ability (Kotler & Lane, 2009). These marketing strategies are central because they aim to increase sales and revenue. The use of selling and marketing concepts also creates confidence in potential clients (Drummond & Ensor, 2005). The attractiveness of the vehicle catches the attention of customers and achieves the objective of the marketing manager, which is to attract customers. The use of superior product features creates a strong brand thereby helping the company to sell its automobiles at premium prices (Ghauri & Cateora, 2014). Land Rover’s core marketing strategies of superior quality and attraction are sound strategies. The strategies, however, face challenges from other smaller models (such as the Mini Cooper) that are cheaper and cause less pollution (Pride et al., 2012). The price of the Mini Cooper is far below that of the Freelander, and its fuel consumption is comparatively lower (Pride et al., 2012). Additionally, there is a market shift from large cars to smaller cars that offer practical solutions to common problems such as parking space, fuel economy and maintenance fees. Conclusion With the increase in utility concerns over status, companies have to market their products using a societal approach (Philip & Lane, 2009). Moreover, consumers have become aware of their needs and the best way to satisfy them (Priest & Welch, 1988). References Barrie, G., & Furnham, A. (1992). Consumer profiles: An introduction to psychographics. London: Routledge. Diamond, J. & Pintel, G. (1972). Principles of marketing . New Jersey: FT Press. Drummond, G. & Ensor, J. (2005). Introduction to marketing concepts . Great Britain: Butterworth-Heinemann. Gary, A. & Kotler, P. (2005). Marketing: An introduction (7 th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall. Ghauri, P. N. & Cateora P. R. (2014). International marketing . New York: McGraw-Hill Education. Hoffman, D. K. & Bateson, J. E. G. (2001). Essentials of service marketing: Concepts, strategies and cases (2 nd ed.). Sydney: Cengage Learning. Kotler, P & Lane, K. K. (2009). Marketing management (13 th ed.). Australia: Pearson Education International. Kotler, P. & Gary, A. (2010). Principles of marketing . New York: Pearson. Kotler, P. (1999). Marketing management: Analysis, planning, implementation, and control. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Pickton, D. & Amanda, B. (2005). Integrated marketing communications (2 nd ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Pride, W. M., Ferrell, O., Lukas, B., Schembri, S., & Nininen, O. (2012). Marketing principles (1 st Asia Pacific ed.). South Melbourne: Cengage Learning. Priest, S. & Welch, J. (1988). Creating a stress-free office . Hampshire: Gower Publishing Ltd. Quester, P. G., Pettigrew, S., & Kopanidis, F. (2014). Consumer behaviour: Implications for marketing strategy (7 th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education. Reed, P. (2010). Strategic marketing: Decision making and planning (3 rd ed.). Sydney: Cengage Learning. Wells, W., Burnett, J., & Moriarty, S. E. (2006). Advertising: Principles and practice (6 th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

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Provide the full text for the following summary: The article examines the importance of ethical business practices. It explains how such practices can support the needs of different stakeholders. The article also offers concrete examples to explain how the ethical practices of various companies have supported their goals.

The article examines the importance of ethical business practices. It explains how such practices can support the needs of different stakeholders. The article also offers concrete examples to explain how the ethical practices of various companies have supported their goals.

“Motivating Corporations to do Good” Report (Assessment) Introduction The article “Motivating Corporations to do Good” highlights the ethical issues associated with business organizations. The author begins his article by identifying the behaviors, actions, and strategies undertaken by different companies within the past one century. A company that engages in ethical business practices will attract more stakeholders. Such a company will also support the changing demands of its customers. This discussion examines the importance of ethical business practices. Ethical conduct in business organizations According to Porter (2014, p. 4), “businesses and corporations should be ready to address the economic, social, political, and environmental challenges affecting their stakeholders”. According to the article, business corporations should undertake the best practices in order to emerge successful. The article also explains how ethical corporations will always attract more customers. This approach will eventually make such companies successful. The author explains why “Henry Ford (the owner of Ford Motors) decided to increase its wages to $5 a day” (Gagnon, 2007, p. 12). This effort supported the needs of its employees. The approach empowered more workers in order to support the company’s goals. More companies such as Coca Cola decided to examine the needs of their customers, communities, and employees. This development established better labor relations in order to produce the best outcomes. In 2004, new concepts emerged in order to support the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Many companies started to support the rights of their workers and consumers. Many firms created new policies in order to deal with corruption. This practice has continued to support the changing needs of many stakeholders. The above article explains why business organizations should promote the best ethical practices. This strategy will ensure every company supports the needs of its stakeholders. This development will eventually increase the profitability of many companies. The author offers concrete examples to explain how the ethical practices of various companies have supported their goals. Ford Company “became a profitable company after increasing its wage costs” (Porter, 2014, p. 3). The approach satisfied the needs of many laborers thus improving the level of productivity. Positive ethical practices make it easier for companies to support their consumers, marketers, and laborers. Some of these ethical practices include “the production of quality goods, provision of the best working environments, effective remunerations, and appropriate consumer information” (Porter, 2014, p. 7). Such practices can make every company transparent and successful. Most of the ethical practices identified in the above article can support the goals of many companies. Many companies such as Ford, Costco, Novo Nordisk, and Unilever have always embraced positive business practices. Such companies have also addressed the environmental and social issues affecting their communities. This practice has made most of these companies successful (Porter, 2014). Their employees and consumers have also achieved the best goals in life. Many companies are usually motivated by the power of capitalism. Many corporations “have been motivated by self-interest” (Velasquez, 2011, p. 34). This fact explains why such firms have promoted unethical business practices. The ethical practices identified in the article can therefore support the needs of many societies. For instance, many companies such as Unilever and Ford Motors introduced new strategies in order to support their communities. These initiatives have also supported many communities. Companies and entrepreneurs should therefore implement new policies in order to support their business goals. Such policies will ensure every company addresses the changing needs of its stakeholders. Several challenges such as “climate change and global warming are forcing many companies to engage in environmentally-friendly practices” (Velasquez, 2011, p. 84). NICET code of ethics Many business ethicists encourage entrepreneurs to examine the best practices that will support their goals. The “government should identify the best ethical principles in order to support the practices of different corporations” (Gagnon, 2007, p. 29). NICET offers several codes of practice to monitor the performance of different organizations. Managers and stakeholders should “be transparent and honest” (Gagnon, 2007, p. 31). These principles discourage business firms from engaging in any form of corruption. Companies should also safeguard the information of their stakeholders and consumers. Corporations should also be ready to safeguard the needs of their clients. This approach will make them ethical and profitable. Business organizations should also undertake the most appropriate assignments. They should also complete such assignments in a competent and ethical manner (Gagnon, 2007). The above article examines how different companies have embraced these ethical principles. The author has identified the best practices that can make more organizations profitable. Ethical actions can improve the participation of employees and laborers. The practice also empowers companies to support the changing demands of their customers. Eduardo Porter’s article offers powerful discussions and arguments that can make many companies profitable (Velasquez, 2011). Organizational leaders should examine the effectiveness of different ethical practices in order to realize their potentials. Ethical practices can therefore support the goals of many organizations. Concluding remarks Many individuals will support a company that engages in friendly or ethical business practices. Many companies such as Wal-Mart have engaged in unfriendly business practices. Such practices have affected the performance of many employees in the company. Corporations should therefore be ready to address every social concern affecting their surrounding communities. Positive business practices “encourage more consumers to purchase their services and products from their favorite companies” (Gagnon, 2007, p. 42). According to Velasquez (2011), this approach will encourage more companies to become socially responsible in order to realize their potentials. Reference List Gagnon, R. (2007). Design of Special Hazard and Fire Alarm Systems. Independence, KY: Cengage Learning. Porter, E. (2014, July 15). Motivations Corporations to do Good. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/16/business/the-do-good-corporation.html Velasquez, M. (2011). Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases . New York, NY: Pearson.

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Provide the full text for the following summary: The essay discusses the importance of ensuring ethical decision-making at the workplace, and how to go about implementing a program to ensure this.The essay discusses the importance of ensuring ethical decision-making at the workplace, and how to go about implementing a program to ensure this.

The essay discusses the importance of ensuring ethical decision-making at the workplace, and how to go about implementing a program to ensure this. The essay discusses the importance of ensuring ethical decision-making at the workplace, and how to go about implementing a program to ensure this.

Ensuring Ethical Decision-Making at the Workplace Report Table of Contents 1. Issues with Ethical Decision Making 2. Ensuring Ethical Decision Making 3. Implementing a Program 4. Conclusion 5. Reference List Issues with Ethical Decision Making Businesses are primarily profit driven and, as such, seek to maximise profits and reduce costs in any way that they can. It is within this context that the concept of ingrained corporate ethics, especially when it comes to managerial activities, is brought into question since, at the end of the day, managers and corporate executives have the responsibility of ensuring the continued survival of the company. Studies such as those by De Cremer, Dick, Tenbrunsel, Pillutla & Murnighan (2011) help to emphasise this point by stating that since businesses are primarily profit driven entities which is seen in the case of Carroll’s pyramid wherein economic responsibilities form the base of the pyramid are the primary focus of all businesses today. Thus, when it comes to the importance businesses place on the concept of corporate ethics, it can be seen that in the business decision matrix they consider it to be less than the need to be profitable. This is not to say that corporate ethics do not exist, far from it, ethical decisions are made by corporations all the time as seen in the case of Market Basket’s former CEO Arthur T. Demoulas who focused more on providing better salaries, benefits and profit sharing opportunities to employees rather than focus entirely on shareholder payouts. However, it should be noted that such actions are not a constant aspect of business decision making as seen in the case of GE’s former CEO Jeffrey Immelt wherein despite being given significant tax breaks for the company by the Obama administration in order to generate more jobs within the U.S. actually transferred a significant portion of the company’s manufacturing division outside of the U.S. instead. From a business operations standpoint, the actions of Immelt are within reason since manufacturing products in a far cheaper location simply makes good business sense, however, when taking into consideration the fact that the tax break given was to help generate local jobs the mere fact that he did the complete opposite questions the ethics behind the decision undertaken. The linkage between effective leadership, decision making and ethical management is supported by stewardship theory which states that managers need to “do the right thing” despite how such actions could potentially compromise the profitability of the company. Under such a concept, the use of ethical training and existing ethics codes become the best way in order to ensure ethical actions among the employees of a company wherein the focus is on operating and managing a company in a way that benefits the local community which is in line with CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) oriented business practices (Shelley, 2005). Under the perspective of stewardship theory, ensuring organisational decisions are made ethically is done through a business environment based approach wherein the internal culture of a company influences the manner in which business decisions are made ethically (Shelley, 2005). This internal culture is often brought about through the actions of the CEO and the upper management of a company wherein their actions and supportive behaviours reflect on the employees as a whole. For instance, when comparing the benefits, salaries and profit sharing of employees from Market Basket to those received by employees of Wal-Mart, it can be seen that there is a world of difference between the two wherein Market Basket employees are actually given a “living wage” and benefits that actually help them survive as compared to the tactics utilised by Wal-Mart. The reason this is being brought up is due to the fact that the case of Market Basket shows that if there is sufficient will in the executive branch of the company, then it is possible to create organisational decisions that are done ethically instead of being for pure profit (i.e. low pay for Wal-Mart employees). This is where the theory of the firm/strategic leadership is applied which states that: CEOs have the capacity to influence how likely a company is to engage in the act of ethical decision making. Under this particular theoretical assumption, a well structured ethical code of conduct and ethical training will result in ethical actions by the company as a whole. The reason ethical actions are important within the context of operational management is due to the work of Groves, Vance & Paik (2008) who stated that employees are not so dumb as to not realise when they are being subject to unethical decisions for the benefit of others (i.e. lower employee wages for higher shareholder returns for investors) and, as such, respond accordingly to the situation (i.e. unethical decision making. Thus, when examining both cases of Wal-Mart and Market Basket, it must be asked: “what organisation is mostly likely to produce employees that ascribe to ethical decision making?” The answer is immediately obvious given the statement indicated by Groves et al. (2008) regarding employees and their response to being subject to unethical decisions. One way of looking at concept of ensuring that organisational decisions are made ethically is from the perspective of Bowen & Heath (2005) and their view regarding self-interest and consensual constraint for corporations. From the perspective of Bowen & Heath (2005) it is actually impossible for a corporation to act or make a decision against its own interest. This manifests itself in the decision to pursue an act of self interest in order to maximise the utility that can be derived from operating in a particular manner (Ferrell, Rogers, Ferrell & Sawayda, 2013). For instance, since the early 2000s there has been a trend in outsourcing wherein companies within the U.S. have been outsourcing their production processes to countries such as China, India and Taiwan in order to lower the cost of labour associated with the production of their goods (Ferrell et al., 2013). Apple and Microsoft are notorious for such a practice by outsourcing the production of their iPhone and Xbox One devices to Foxxconn which is the largest third party manufacturer in the world. While there is nothing with the practice of outsourcing, the problem in the case of many third party manufacturers are the conditions that their employees are subject to. For instance, in the case of Foxxconn they actually had to place suicide prevention netting on several of their buildings in order to prevent workers from jumping to their deaths. Such actions are in part due to the horrendous working conditions in such companies and the relatively low pay workers get in compensation. From an organisational ethics standpoint, the continued practice of outsourcing the means of a company’s production to such locations is extremely unethical given the conditions the workers there are subject to, however, from a competitive standpoint, companies that outsource their methods of production cannot simply stop and revert to their original method of production due to the price point advantage their receive through outsourcing (Verbeke, Ouwerkerk & Peelen, 1996). Evidence of this can be seen in the various news stories where Microsoft and Apple have actually stated to the media that they would evaluate their position regarding their outsourcing of production to Foxxconn due to recent news stories regarding the deplorable conditions workers are subject to. However, when examining the current third party manufacturer of these companies, it can be seen that it is still Foxxconn. Simply put, when it comes to the perspective of Bowen & Heath (2005), they are absolutely right since when it comes right down to it, self-interest in the face of intense competition is the only means by which a company can continue to survive. Due to the competitive nature of companies, it becomes harder to implement ethical decision making as corporations struggle to make profits in an economy where morally ambiguous corporate actions result in differing price ratios which are not in favour of a company that is not willing to pursue alternative actions of possible moral ambiguity. Ensuring Ethical Decision Making When it comes to ensuring ethical decision making within an organisation, this comes in the form of adhering to a certain moral code involving the way in which a business provide goods and services to their consumers or deal with their competitors. It is based on this that in order for leaders to ensure ethical decision making within an organisation, it is important that the eight ethical principles found in the Global Business Standards Code are implemented within the company. By ensuring their adherence in company operations, it makes it more likely that the organisation as a whole will become more ethically oriented. Since Bowen & Heath (2005) state that it is actually impossible for a corporation to act or make a decision against its own interest, then in order to bring about ethical decisions within an organisation, ethical actions must be in the direct interest of the company. The following are the principles of the Global Business Standards Code and how they are applied to ensure ethical decision making within a company: Fiduciary principle – can be described as a form of duty or obligation of an employee to the firm wherein they work in order to promote the interests of the company, ensure that other employees are benefitted from ones actions and lastly does not pursue any action that promotes one’s own self interest. In essence, the fiduciary principle can be described as one’s own loyalty to the company. Property principle – is oriented towards an employee respecting the property of the company as well as other individuals. This comes in the form of ensuring that should the opportunity arise between a choice of stealing from the company or another individual or choosing an ethical course of action, it is hoped that a person will choose the most ethically sound choice. Reliability principle – is directly connected to honouring ones commitments. This comes in the form of following the guidelines set in employee contracts or following on through with a promise made to a customer. Transparency principle – specifically states that an employee must work in an open and truthful manner so as to better reflect company rather personal agendas. The principle of transparency is an important matter to take into account since if an individual is transparent in the way they work then it is likely that they will not get into any trouble regarding issues relation to honesty. Dignity principle – is connected to the belief that an employee has the obligation to respect the dignity of all individuals. This comes in form of ensuring company operations in production or services adhere to proper ethical guidelines that ensure that a safe working environment is assured to employees and that adequate compensation is given for their work. Fairness principle – connected to the belief that stakeholders who have a vested interest in the company should be treated fairly. When it comes to corporate actions this take the form of fair competition wherein companies will not utilise underhanded techniques in order to get ahead in a competitive business environment, rather, they will utilise fair business strategies that ensure the company is looked upon respectfully by others. Citizenship principle – is based on the belief that an employee should act as a responsible citizen within a community. Within companies this takes the form of the employee committing to adequate moral codes of conduct that do not harm either the company or the various employees that work in it. One example of a company that follows these types of principles would have to be one that immediately puts a stop to unethical business procedures when it is discovered that the means of production degrades human dignity. For example, with so many companies outsourcing to China it is easy to turn a blind eye to the environmental conditions in a Chinese factory since not only is the facility far away but it assures the company of a steady profit. A company that follows the Global Business Standards Codex would insist on better working standards for employees at an outsourced factory despite increased production costs in order to better uphold the principle of human dignity and fair business. On the other, hand a company that does not follow these principles would have to be one that is well aware of the unethical working environment in Chinese factories yet does nothing about it in order to preserve profits. Implementing a Program Based on the various facts that have been presented so far, it can be seen that in order for leaders to ensure that organisational decisions are made ethically there is a need to implement a program in the company where the aforementioned principles in Global Business Standards Codex are implemented on a company wide basis. One way in which this can be accomplished is through a program entitled “Employee Ethics and Integrity” which will be a Code of Ethics that shall be strictly enforced by a company that all employees are expected to conform to. The value of implementing these particular standards is that it ensures that the company has a proper ethical basis by which it conducts its business. This will reflect in aspects related to corporate social responsibility, adherence to proper ethical methods of accounting and environmental protection as well as generally ensuring that employees within the stick to practices which are to the benefit of the company itself. Conclusion It can be assumed that if such a program is properly implemented within the near future, problems related to corporate mismanagement, falsification of data, skirting laws and government regulations can be avoided with employees taking into consideration the consequences of their actions based on prescribed disciplinary action should violations of the ethical code of conduct be violated as outlined by the Global Business Standards Codex. Not only would this adherence benefit a company but it would most likely benefit consumers as well. Reference List Bowen, S. A., & Heath, R. L. (2005). Issues management, systems, and rhetoric: exploring the distinction between ethical and legal guidelines at Enron. Journal Of Public Affairs (14723891), 5 (2), 84-98. De Cremer, D., Dick, R., Tenbrunsel, A., Pillutla, M., & Murnighan, J. (2011). Understanding Ethical Behaviour and Decision Making in Management: A Behavioural Business Ethics Approach. British Journal Of Management , 22 S1-S4. Ferrell, O. C., Rogers, M., Ferrell, L., & Sawayda, J. (2013). A Framework for Understanding Ethical Supply Chain Decision Making. Journal Of Marketing Channels, 20 (3/4), 260-287. Groves, K., Vance, C., & Paik, Y. (2008). Linking Linear/Nonlinear Thinking Style Balance and Managerial Ethical Decision-Making. Journal Of Business Ethics , 80 (2), 305-325 Shelley, S. (2005). Ethical interpretations of management decision making in higher education. International Journal Of Management & Decision Making, 6 (3/4), 1. Verbeke, W., Ouwerkerk, C., & Peelen, E. (1996). Exploring the Contextual and Individual Factors on Ethical Decision Making of Salespeople. Journal Of Business Ethics, 15 (11), 1175-1187.

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Provide the full text for the following summary: The case study in question discusses the ethical issues that occurred at the radiology department when an elderly Asian woman with a feeding tube was admitted into a hospital.The case study focuses on the breach of ethics by the radiographer who conducted a computer tomography on the patient's brain without her informed consent. The reason for this was because the patient could not speak English and the radiographer was not concerned with this fact.

The case study in question discusses the ethical issues that occurred at the radiology department when an elderly Asian woman with a feeding tube was admitted into a hospital. The case study focuses on the breach of ethics by the radiographer who conducted a computer tomography on the patient's brain without her informed consent. The reason for this was because the patient could not speak English and the radiographer was not concerned with this fact.

Ethical Issues at the Radiology Department Case Study Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. History 3. Patient Consent 4. Ethical Dilemma 5. Handling of Ethical Dilemma 6. Learning Outcomes 7. Conclusion 8. Reference List Introduction Being a radiographer means being very cautious and careful with instructions. It is especially important to follow the existing code of ethics once a patient and a radiographer do not speak the same language. Since the radiographer was not concerned with the fact that the patient could not speak English properly, the former broke the principles of radiography ethics by conducting a procedure that could harm the patient in the case study provided. History The case of ethics in radiography, which is discussed below, is quite simple. According to the case details, an elderly (56-year-old) Asian woman, who had a feeding (nasogastric) tube implanted, was admitted into a hospital. In the hospital, she underwent a computer tomography on her brain. Due to the specifics of her condition (a feeding tube), she had to have her chest and abdomen checked with X-rays every day for more than fifteen days, which is considered inacceptable due to exposure to great doses of radiation and the following negative effects on the functioning of the organs. Since the radiographer was aware of the threat that the procedure poses to people, it was imperative that the procedure should have been carried out less frequently or that the patient should have given a written consent for the radiography to be carried out. It seems that the procedure was not obligatory in the given case, since the patient supposedly felt well and did not need an urgent examination, yet the standard daily examination of the tube was still desirable (Duncan & Warwick, 2011, para. 9). In order to avoid the threat of disclosing the patient’s personal data, including her name, it will be required that the patient should be nicknamed in order to address her without revealing her identity. The patient will be referred to as Xiu in the process of the case analysis and discussion. Patient Consent The patient’s consent is, in fact, one of the key issues in the study. First and most obvious, the case study in question never mentions that the informed consent was obtained in the first place. Indeed, according to the details of the study, the patient has not been provided with the explanations concerning the procedure. More to the point, since the patient was unable to give an informed consent in English, it is impossible to figure out if the patient actually understood what she was told; neither is it possible to define whether the radiographers actually received the confirmation for the procedure to take place. The case description is admittedly obscure when it touches upon the discussion of the specifics of the procedure between the radiographers and the patient’ it can be suspected that there was no informed consent retrieved at all. Ethical Dilemma The ethical dilemma faced by the radiographer in the given case is, in fact, very complicated. On the one hand, it is imperative that the informed consent of the patient should be obtained before the procedure is started. Performing radiography on a patient, who does not speak English and, therefore, is most likely to be unaware of the possible negative consequences of the radiography, seems unethical. Hence, it was obviously required that a translator should have been invited as the radiographer’s assistant. On the other hand, radiography is one of the procedures that must be carried out regularly; therefore, it was imperative that the patient should undergo the procedure as prescribed by the doctor. Hence, the radiographer faced a difficult choice between making sure that the feeding tube, which the patient’s life depended on, was in order, and preventing the patient from receiving an additional dose of radiation. The issue of informed consent, therefore, though doubtlessly relating directly to the case, is not the key ethical issue in it. It is the factor determining the impossibility of retrieving informed consent from the patient that matters in defining the ethical paradox in the given case. To be more exact, the ethical concern in the case with Xiu can be defined as performing an urgent procedure on a patient, when it is clear that they do not understand what is happening due to the language barrier. It is obvious that in the environment specified above, the patient is practically unable to give their informed consent (Seiden, Galvan & Lamm, 2006); therefore, the two ethical concerns (i.e., Xiu’s unawareness of the procedure consequences and the absence of her informed consent) should be included in the case. After all, the Code of conduct and ethics published by the Society of Radiographers specifies that a radiographer must satisfy themselves “that the appropriate informed consent has been gained prior to undertaking any examination or procedure and follow the SCoR guidelines in Consent to imaging and radiotherapy treatment examinations: an ethical perspective and good practice guide for the radiography workforce” (The Society of Radiographers, 2008, p. 6). Hence, both the principles of consent and communication (The Society of Radiographers, 2008, p. 5) were challenged in this case. Handling of Ethical Dilemma Though quite questionable, the decision made by radiographers seems quite adequate. Indeed, the negative effects of an excessive radiography session are considerably less threatening than the possible problems with the nasogastric tube and the following impossibility for Xiu to obtain food (Lamont, 2011). Despite the adequacy of the choice made by the radiographers, one still must address the issue of informed consent and the handling of the essential information related to the patient. Technically, the breach of the healthcare ethics is still evident, seeing that little to no investigation concerning the procedures that the patient had undergone by that time was conducted. According to the existing Code of practice for radiographers (2007), making sure that the radiography session complies with the prescriptions provided by the doctor is obligatory: Radiographers should not carry out a procedure that may be considered dangerous without first confirming instructions for the procedure with the person authorized who has made the request, and satisfying themselves that the instructions contain no error” (Australia Institute of Radiography, 2007, p. 3) Learning Outcomes The case study under consideration offers a lot to learn. It shows how flexible and resourceful a radiographer must be in order to facilitate the provision of the medical services of the finest quality and the protection of the patients from the possible threats to their health. More to the point, the study gives the information concerning the possible issues that a radiographer may face with a non English speaking patient. Consequently, the study encourages a radiographer to act more cautiously and make sure that the actions to be carried out comply with the existing instructions, as well as with the healthcare ethical principles. Finally, and most importantly, the case study makes a very valid point concerning the issue of informed consent. It is a very clever way of reminding a radiographer about the workplace ethics. What may seem a legitimate step in addressing the patient’s disorder and maintaining the patient’s safety may finally turn out to be a faulty move that will lead to drastic consequences. In a wider sense, the aforementioned piece of advice can be interpreted as a suggestion to be extremely cautious when it comes to retrieving any kind of information from non English speaking patients. It is obvious that, had the patient provided the radiographer with the related information, i.e., the fact that she had already had two brain computer tomographies and experienced fifteen radiographies in a row by that point, the radiography would have not been carried out. Therefore, the very fact that the patient did not speak English should have been a warning sign for the radiographer. The study, therefore, offers an important lesson in carrying out a specific procedure on a patient, who is unaware of what is going on due to the language issues. It is essential that the patient should know what is going on and what medical procedure they are going to undergo; thus, a patient will be able to inform the radiographer on the details that may conflict with the procedure in question and trigger major complexities. Conclusion Having a range of responsibilities and bound by the existing ethical code, a radiographer must be very careful in their work. It is essential to make sure that the procedures conducted meet the requirements and comply with the current medical standards. In addition, a radiographer must be able to communicate with the patient in order to avoid making harm to the latter. Once a patient and a radiographer understand each other, the amount of mistakes and misconceptions will be reduced to nil. Reference List Australia Institute of Radiography. (2007). Guidelines for professional conduct for radiographers, radiation therapists and sonographers . Melbourne, AU: Australia Institute of Radiography. Web. Duncan, K. & Warwick, R. (2011). X-ray confirmation of nasogastric tube placement: documentation in patient notes . The Royal College of Radiologists . Web. Lamont, T. (2011). Checking placement of nasogastric feeding tubes in adults (interpretation of X ray images): summary of a safety report from the National Patient Safety Agency . The British Medical Journal, 342, 1–4. Web. Seiden, S. C., Galvan, C. & Lamm, R. (2006). Role of medical students in preventing patient harm and enhancing patient safety. Quality and Safety in Healthcare, 15 (4), 272–276. The Society of Radiographers. (2008). Code of conduct and ethics . London, UK: The Society of Radiographers.

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Provide a essay that could have been the input for the following summary: The essay discusses the ethical issues in the academic world. It notes that using the service can be seen as unethical as it prevents students from gaining critical thinking and writing skills. The essay also discusses whether the service is unethical. It notes that the service can be seen as unethical as it leaves young and vulnerable people without choice.

The essay discusses the ethical issues in the academic world. It notes that using the service can be seen as unethical as it prevents students from gaining critical thinking and writing skills. The essay also discusses whether the service is unethical. It notes that the service can be seen as unethical as it leaves young and vulnerable people without choice.

Ethical Issues in the Academic World Opinion Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Academic Research 3. The Service 4. The Use of the Service 5. Reference List Introduction Ethics in the academic world is as important as in any other sphere. There are a variety of ethical issues in this area. One of these issues is ethical conduct while completing academic papers. Some claim that there is nothing unethical in using such works as they can be seen as any other resource for an academic paper. Others argue that students are overwhelmed with tasks and these papers are very helpful. Nonetheless, there are certain elements that make the use of the service quite unethical. Academic Research In the first place, it is necessary to identify the major features and goals of an academic paper. Clearly, students implement tasks to obtain a deeper understanding of a topic through extensive research (Resnik, 2011). Notably, these two elements are equally important. Thus, the student learns about a particular topic and simultaneously obtains skills which help him/her search for information and analyze it. Therefore, these papers prevent students who use them from obtaining critical thinking and writing skills. This type of assignment becomes useless if students resort to the service. It is also doubtless that the use of the service is unethical as the student uses ideas of another person without referring to the author (Hartman, DesJardins & MacDonald, 2013). The Service At the same time, it is necessary to identify whether the service itself is unethical. Clearly, the service is often used by students who do not research and simple read the paper and submit it (or even submit it without reading). However, students may use the paper as a draft or a template, not as a complete paper. Selling cigarettes or alcohol are also quite unethical types of business. However, people claim that it is each individual’s choice whether to buy or not to buy those harmful things. Likewise, it is the student’s choice whether to resort to the service or not, whether he/she wants to study properly or he/she chooses to know nothing on the matter. Therefore, the major burden of fault is still on students who use the service. Some note that the service is a great temptation and abundance of companies providing the service leave young and vulnerable people without choice (Schulman, 2004). This argument can slightly reduce students’ responsibility and put a part of the blame on educators who do not explain harmfulness and negative outcomes of the use of the service. The Use of the Service To address the issue, it is necessary to employ a complex approach. Educators have to invest their time to explain the dark side of the use of the service. Students have to understand the aim of their studies as they are not confined to getting good marks but gaining the necessary experience and knowledge which will be applicable in their career lives. Apart from this, it is also necessary to introduce stricter regulations where expulsion can be one of punishments. It is also possible to consider the use of social networks or the school’s website to make the case public. This may also prevent people from using the service as this may have significant outcomes in the student’s academic or career life. Clearly, it is important to improve tools to detect plagiarism and the use of such services. This approach may be utilized in all educational establishments nationwide but the approach has to be subjected to changes as it should respond to the changing academic environment. Reference List Hartman, L., DesJardins, J., & MacDonald, C. (2013). Business ethics: Decision making for personal integrity & social responsibility . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Resnik, D.B. (2011). What is ethics in research & why is it important? Web. Schulman, M. (2004). Internet ethics: I have a question. Web.

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Create the inputted essay that provided the following summary: The first decade of democracy in South Africa saw drastic changes in the media in relation to the normative frameworks, the ownership of the media companies, and a broadening audience. These changes propagated more friction between the government and the media because of content coverage, and the need for the politicians in power to protect their reputations.The first decade of democracy in South Africa saw the media industry go through a series of changes in response to the new political environment. The media had to adapt to

The first decade of democracy in South Africa saw drastic changes in the media in relation to the normative frameworks, the ownership of the media companies, and a broadening audience. These changes propagated more friction between the government and the media because of content coverage, and the need for the politicians in power to protect their reputations. The first decade of democracy in South Africa saw the media industry go through a series of changes in response to the new political environment. The media had to adapt to

Ethics in Reporting Political Issues and Elections Evaluation Essay Summary The first decade of democracy in South Africa saw drastic changes in the media in relation to the normative frameworks, the ownership of the media companies, and a broadening audience. These changes propagated more friction between the government and the media because of content coverage, and the need for the politicians in power to protect their reputations. Structural issues of the media were a particular source of conflict between the media and the post-apartheid government. For instance, in 1994, Mandela was among the first politicians to condemn the media companies because they were racially imbalanced. Most of the companies were still owned by white men who had no experience in the dynamics of the difficult life that the majority of the South Africans led (Wasserman, 2006). The situation got worse toward the end of the 1990s, and the Human Rights Commission was compelled to conduct an investigation of the alleged cases of racism on the part of the media. Strengths and Weaknesses The conflict between the South African media and the government led to the development of a workshop to develop media ethics to ensure that the media didn’t serve as a tool for spreading racism. Thabo Mbeki, the successor of Mandela also indicated his worry that the media companies were extremely biased in reporting political issues of the nation (Wasserman, 2006). One of the strengths of the South African media over the years has been the ability to highlight the multicultural issues that face the citizens. Its greatest weakness has been the attainment of a balance in unbiased reporting in relation to the issues facing the minority and the majority racial groups. Significance and Implication to Ethics in Reporting The implications of ethical reporting in the nation were the development of cohesion in the society by using the media as a tool for preaching peace and love to the nation. Working under the set guidelines also meant that journalists in the different media houses had to take part in a national audit that evaluated their qualifications. The development of ethics in reporting saw the South African media undergo various phases of change. The media started from the exclusionary phase, whereby the whites and the blacks had their respective media reporters who covered information relevant to the respective groups. The threatening-issue phase was engulfed by the whites media reports that portrayed blacks as a threat to peace. The confrontational phase began after independence, whereby the government fought to change the ownership of the media. The stereotypical selection phase involved the elimination of racially focused reporting to address other stereotypes in the society like gender. The current stage is the multi-racial coverage stage, which entails the media and the government striving to eliminate racial bias in reporting. Contribution to Understanding International Media Through the lens of the eye of the South African Media, one can understand the dynamics of reporting, whereby the media is always on a quest to deliver public interests. Media reporting is a powerful tool that can build or destroy a society, depending on the willingness of companies to embrace reporting ethics. South Africa’s case also enlightens people about the constant conflicts that the international media companies face with different political entities. Critical Questions What is the distinction between public interests and national interests? Who is the victim in unethical reporting, the government, the media or the public? Should people always trust the media to deliver public interests? What can compel the media to become an advocate for national and international cohesion among the people in the society? Summary The article focuses on safety for journalists in their workplaces. Journalists who remain adamant about broadcasting the truth and criticizing politicians and their ideas have faced a rough time (“Media and Political Globalization,” 2011). Many journalists have been killed under mysterious circumstances that point to their boldness in reporting political issues. For instance, the beheading of the renowned journalist, Daniel Pearl, revealed the danger that journalists face in different parts of the world as they try to report on different political issues. Many international organizations have taken the responsibility of addressing the plight of journalists. For instance, UNESCO, CPJ, Reporters without Borders, and many other organizations have developed programs that look to advocate the protection of journalists and their freedom of expression. It is apparent that the globalization of politics has led to the rise in killings of journalist. In the past, journalists from different nations could mingle with conflicting groups without the danger of being attacked. In the current state of globalization, journalists are becoming easy targets for terrorist groups and other conflicting militants. Strengths and Weaknesses Many journalists have died in mysterious circumstances, and this is an indication that the freedom accorded to the media is only theoretical (“Media and Political Globalization,” 2011). Others have been killed while handling fieldwork, whereby their encounters with terrorists turns sour. Journalism is a dangerous profession, especially for those who dare to report controversial stories. The globalization of the media and politics has led to an addition to the political pressures that journalists and their media companies face while reporting. One of the strengths of being in the media is the power to change the world through the delivery of authentic controversial political information. It is, however, a dangerous endeavor for most journalists. Significance and Implication to Ethics in Reporting Ethics in reporting dictate that the media should always give authentic information to the people. Inciting the society to make specific political decisions is unethical, and it should be eliminated by ensuring the media is protected from politicians and business entities (“Media and Political Globalization,” 2011). Failing to observe the required ethics presents the media as a direct enemy and hurdle to both public and national interests. Contribution to Understanding International Media The media companies are perfect tools for influencing political changes across the world. The article highlights different cases of journalists who have faced the ultimate injustice in the quest to bring information to the international community. The article clearly highlights the need for the international community to develop mechanisms to safeguard journalists in their work. Reporting issues of public and international interests has continually become a challenge because of the dangers that journalists face at work (“Media and Political Globalization,” 2011). The article paints a clear picture of the dangers of being involved in international journalism. The changing climate of politics in the globe has subjected journalists to murderous treatment by conflicting political groups, and this call for the international community to focus on the plight of journalists. Critical Questions What is the plight of journalists? What factors in the globalization of politics have led to the sudden change in the way conflicting groups treat journalists? Does the bias in reporting political issues have a role to play in the current challenges facing journalists across the world? Which intervention programs, besides the existing efforts, must be implemented? References Media and Political Globalization: Killing Stories-and Journalism. (2011). In J. Lule (Ed.), Globalization and Media: Global Village of Babel (pp. 95-120). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Wasserman, H., & De Beer, A. S. (2006). Debating the media’s role in post-apartheid South Africa. In K. Voltmer (Ed.), Mass media and political communication in new democracies (pp. 59-73). London: Routledge.

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Provide the full text for the following summary: Humanistic mathematics is a rather complex subject; it provides the learners with a lot of challenges and allows them to exercise their mind making it more flexible and sharp. This course shifted my perspective on math shedding light on its sides that used to be unknown to me.

Humanistic mathematics is a rather complex subject; it provides the learners with a lot of challenges and allows them to exercise their mind making it more flexible and sharp. This course shifted my perspective on math shedding light on its sides that used to be unknown to me.

Ethnomathematics: a Multicultural View of Mathematical Ideas Reflective Essay Humanistic mathematics is a rather complex subject; it provides the learners with a lot of challenges and allows them to exercise their mind making it more flexible and sharp. Unfortunately, this subject is not something everyone is fond of. Mathematics is normally viewed as a boring and incredibly difficult study. This course shifted my perspective on math shedding light on its sides that used to be unknown to me. Humanistic mathematics course has been one of the most inspiring courses I have ever attended as a mathematician. What I learnt during this course altered my perception of human mind and abilities. First of all, I found out that the so-called “math gene” does not exist. The belief that some people are better at mathematics than others is nothing but a popular myth. Everyone is able to exercise their mathematical skills and improve them. Solving mathematical problems, playing board games, applying strategic and logical thinking are good ways to become better at mathematics. Challenging one’s own brain stimulates its growth and makes it more flexible (Byers 28). One more idea I learnt during this course is that self-motivation is very important in mathematics (Byers 54). One should not give up after a mistake; on the contrary, making mistakes is the only way to learn. Problem solving is not about speed, but depth. Math is also not about fast thinking, but deep thinking. One’s academic success in mathematics is defined by how creative and flexible one is. Mathematics is present in every culture, yet the approaches towards it vary. Members of different cultures use materials around them to build numerical guides such as the Incan quipus (Ascher 43). Finally, during this course I learnt to think of mathematics as a connected subject. This means that all mathematical theories relate to one another. Besides, sense and intuition play a big role in mathematics, because math is about patterns. A mathematician has to apply logical reasoning to be able to solve problems. Mathematical reasoning thus forms one of the basic pillars of individuals’ success in math (Boaler 76). A few facts surprised me during this course. First was the number of people uninterested in mathematics in America. The way mathematics is presented in the American schools makes a lot of people develop negative attitude towards it. Secondly, I was surprised to find out that math skills are not determined by any genes, they are not something people are born with, but something they obtain through practice turning their fixed mindsets into flexible ones. Boaler’s “What’s Math Got to Do with It?” and “Math Through the Ages” by Berlinghoff and Gouvea were the readings that made me react the most as they made me understand I had a fixed mindset. After realizing this, I started to exercise more in order to evolve as a mathematician. I am now aware that mistakes are good in mathematics. This was very encouraging and motivating because it made me believe that every mistake I make brings me closer to success. These readings depicted math as an exciting and vivid subject where one may apply intuition, use drawings, speak out the problems. This approach allows one to use creativity and critical thinking in math. The application of critical thinking helped me identify the ideas I valued and the ones I disagreed with in the readings. For example, I disagree with Boaler on traditional ways of teaching math (Boaler 38). To my mind, traditional and modern ways of teaching should be combined in order to form a new approach towards the techniques of teaching this tricky subject without dividing the class into people that “have the brain for math” and the people that do not. In “A Mathematician’s Apology”, Hardy classifies mathematics as a young man’s game. I am convinced that anybody can be creative in mathematics regardless of their age. As a Muslim, I completely disagree with Murad Jurdak’s “In Religion and Language as Cultural Carriers and Barriers in Mathematics Education”. Having been brought up in an Islamic environment, I find no teachings that impede the study and growth of mathematics. I was really surprised to learn how Arabs contributed to mathematics and its growth in the past. It made me wonder why we, the current Arabian mathematicians, cannot make any constructive contribution. It goes without saying that math is a complex subject, which becomes easier to study through practice. I found this course very helpful because it fights stereotypes such as women’s inability to perform well in math. During this course it became clear that the idea to teach women softer versions of mathematics sounds rather judgmental. This made me think about societal stereotypes, because math, which is one of the most objective studies, seems to be also one of the most prejudiced. This course taught me that math is a living, breathing, and all-consuming subject and it changed my relationship towards math. I respect math for its applicability in life, yet, everyone seems to view this subject from different perspective and value various aspects of it. Some are interested in shapes while others in the ways problems are solved and how that could be proved (Gutstein 64). The course was very inspiring for me, taking it I started to encourage others to change their stereotypes about mathematics. During the course there were aspects that went especially well for me. For instance, books and videos were very interesting. I was very pleased with the information rich MTA. It was really deep and appreciated the history of mathematics (Berlinghoff & Gouvea 43). Class activities were also fascinating and could easily change a person’s view towards mathematics. Both HMT and “A Mathematician’s Apology” offered insights on the greatness of mathematics and pure mathematics respectively. This made me value and appreciate mathematics more than ever. Finally, Boaler’s view that women are naturally inclined towards communication and connection making greatly resonated and inspired me. These natural features make female learners potentially stronger at math that their male peers. Unfortunately, most female students drop mathematics due to the misrepresentation of mathematics generated in American schools. In my opinion, MOOC was the most important part of this course, so if the instructor were to teach this course again, I would recommend that MOOC part is emphasized and enhanced. Ideas I learnt from MOOC touched me deeply and stuck in my head, the material was straight to the point and every single bit of information was valuable for me. In the world of nowadays employing MOOCs is very progressive and provides an instructor with new techniques of teaching on the distance and also teaches students how to learn math. MOOC for this course was very strong, I appreciate it for the knowledge I gained from it. In conclusion, I think mathematics should be promoted in schools and the research in this field should be oriented at finding new techniques of teaching math and creating equality in the classrooms instead of portraying this subject as something no everyone was born to understand. After all, a mind developed to solve complex mathematical problems is more flexible and provides an individual with a number of benefits not only at school but in personal everyday life too. Works Cited Ascher, Marcia. Ethnomathematics: A Multicultural View of Mathematical Ideas . New York: CRC Press, 1994. Print. Berlinghoff, William & Fernando Gouvea. Math Through the Ages: A Gentle History for Teachers and Others . Expanded ed. Washington: Oxton House, 2004. Print. Boaler, Jo. What’s Math Got to Do With It? How Parents and Teachers Can Help Children Learn to Love Their Least Favorite Subject. New York: Viking, 2008. Print. Byers, William. How Mathematicians Think: Using Ambiguity, Contradiction and Paradox to Create Mathematics. Georgia: Princeton University Press, 2010. Print. Gutstein, Eric. Reading and Writing the World with Math . Milwaukee: Routledge, 2012. Print.

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Create the inputted essay that provided the following summary: The essay discusses how companies can adjust the mix of retirement benefits to fit the current needs of compensation packages in Western Europe. It also recommends possible incentives that could reverse the trend of a burdening compensation system and eventually examines implications for human resource planning.

The essay discusses how companies can adjust the mix of retirement benefits to fit the current needs of compensation packages in Western Europe. It also recommends possible incentives that could reverse the trend of a burdening compensation system and eventually examines implications for human resource planning.

Europe Straining Under a Pension System Burden Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Adjustment of Compensation Packages 3. Compensation Package Incentives 4. Implications for Human Resource Planning 5. Conclusion 6. Works Cited Introduction Globally, workforce management is becoming a challenge with time owing to the increasing burden of pension systems. Different countries across the world have devised diverse pension systems, which are unique to their needs. For example, in Europe, the pension system has become an economic liability because people retire at an early age of 55 or 65 when they are still productive. Moreover, the aging population of Europe has led to a decline in gross domestic product. Vance and Paik describe the pension system of Europe as a burden because it is economically unsustainable (352). Factors that make the pension system burdensome to the government include the declining value of pension schemes in stock markets owing to intermittent financial crises, loss of workforce through aging population and early retirement, and increased spending on pension systems. Therefore, this essay explains how companies can adjust the mix of retirement benefits, recommends possible incentives that could reverse the trend of a burdening compensation system, and eventually examines implications for human resource planning. Adjustment of Compensation Packages To fit the current needs of compensation packages in Western Europe, companies should adjust benefits according to the amount of earnings, the number of credits earned, and the age of retirement. The benefits should be commensurate with one’s earnings to prevent retirees from earning more than what they contributed to the social security, as in the case of the compensation benefits in the United States. The adjustment of benefits according to earnings is appropriate because it would relieve Western Europe of the pension system burden, which is increasing with time. According to Social Security Administration, employees should earn at least 40 credits, which is equivalent to at least 10 years of work to become eligible for retirement benefits (4). The adjustment of benefits according to the credits earned or the number of years worked fits the compensation needs of Western Europe because employees are yearning to reach retirement age in spite of their retirement savings. The most crucial adjustment of benefits is increasing the age of retirement and changing benefits system. In the United States, the early eligibility age for retirement is 62, wherein employees can claim retirement benefits early at the age of 62 or delay until full retirement age of 67 (Knoll and Olsen 22). The amount of retirement benefits claimed progressively increases from the early eligibility age of 62 to full retirement age of 67. Hence, increasing the retirement age in Western Europe and distributing the retirement benefits according to the time of a claim would significantly discourage the culture of early retirement among Europeans. Compensation Package Incentives The possible compensation package incentives, which would reverse the trend of early retirement, change the cultural expectation that is in Western Europe, and promote retention of employees, are the provision of monthly bonus, allowance of flexible working schedules, provision of long-term care insurance, and increment of retirement benefits. In addition to earnings, potential retirees require monthly bonus as incentives for the period that they work after reaching their eligible retirement age. Given that potential retirees are productive, the provision of flexible working schedules as benefits would encourage them to continue working despite reaching their retirement age. Additional benefits such as long-term care insurance would entice employees not to retire early lest they lose the benefits. The increment of retirement benefits according to retirement age is an effective compensation package incentive. Knoll and Olsen argue that the increment of retirement benefits delays claiming and discourages early retirement (21). In this case, employees in Europe would change their cultural expectation of retiring at the age of 60 because they will earn minimal retirement benefits. Implications for Human Resource Planning The loss of experienced employees at the age of 60 when they are still productive is a great loss to organizations, companies, and governments. Given that it is expensive to recruit, train, and retain employees, early retirement of employees causes a great loss of human resources. To avert the loss of human resources through early retirement, long-term human resource planning is essential. In essence, the human resource management should recruit, train, and retain the young employees, but not the old employees, because they have many years to make immense contributions before they reach their retirement age. Moreover, early retirement can discourage employees from working in Europe and cause brain drain. Employees can migrate to countries with a higher retirement age and better employment benefits than European countries. Conclusion The increasing burden of the pension system in Europe is becoming an economic liability because it is unsustainable. Reforms are necessary to adjust compensation benefits to be in line with those of the United States. Adjustment of the compensation benefits to reflect the amount of earnings, the number of credits earned, and the age of retirement fits the needs of Western Europe. To discourage early retirement, change cultural expectations, and improve the retention of employees, the provision of monthly bonus, flexible working schedules, long-term care insurance, and better retirement benefits are the possible incentives. Overall, the implication of this case for long-term human resource planning is that it promotes recruitment, training, and retention of young employees and prevents brain drain in Europe. Works Cited Knoll, Melissa, and Anya Olsen. “Incentivizing delayed claiming of social security benefit before reaching the full retirement age.” Social Security Bulletin 74.4 (2014): 21-43. Print. Social Security Administration. Retirement benefits. 2015. Web. Vance, Charles, and Yongsun Paik. Managing a Global Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities in International Human Resource Management. New York: Routledge, 2014. Print.

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Provide the full text for the following summary: The essay discusses the importance of market availability in the context of a supermarket that deals with organic products. The supermarket will be located within the central business district (CBD) of a given city.Evaluation of a Supermarket of Organic Products Report (Assessment) In the contemporary world, many people value organic products such as foods, flowers, and herbs among others. These products contain both unprocessed and unrefined substances that are beneficial in a variety of ways.

The essay discusses the importance of market availability in the context of a supermarket that deals with organic products. The supermarket will be located within the central business district (CBD) of a given city. Evaluation of a Supermarket of Organic Products Report (Assessment) In the contemporary world, many people value organic products such as foods, flowers, and herbs among others. These products contain both unprocessed and unrefined substances that are beneficial in a variety of ways.

Evaluation of a Supermarket of Organic Products Report (Assessment) Introduction Evaluation of a prospective business venture is a process that requires planned operation to determine areas that need modification. Many young entrepreneurs fail to achieve predetermined business goals due improper execution of ideas, poor planning, and insufficient identification of market. The most important requirement in any business endeavour is market availability. The prospective venture has to yield substantial amount of revenue that sustains it until it gains stability. Another factor that should be considered during the evaluation is competition. In the context of this assessment, the business idea is unique; hence, there is minimal competition. This assessment paper elaborates on the evaluation of a supermarket that deals with organic products such as fresh flowers, fruits, and vegetables in a city that has no similar business ventures. The evaluation will focus on the entrepreneurial aspect of the venture rather than the business itself. The Organic Products Supermarket In the contemporary world, many people value organic products such as foods, flowers, and herbs among others. These products contain both unprocessed and unrefined substances that are beneficial in a variety of ways. The supermarket will be located within the central business district (CBD) of a given city. Various reasons underpin the suitability of this business location. At the outset, transport cost is factor that favours the appropriateness of the supermarket since it is strategically located within the CBD. The primary objective of the business enterprise is to sell organic products such as foods, flowers, and herbs among others. Its success will majorly depend on sales of unique, quality, and fresh organic products that will be availed to customers on a timely basis. The business will start in March 2016 as a small and medium enterprise (SME). A sole proprietor who will also serve as the manager will own the supermarket since the business will be a springboard of an individual’s ideas. Owing to the uniqueness of the business and its location, it will serve as a source of hands-on experience (Barringer & Ireland 2012). Another advantage is an impact result that will be gained from an input of individual skills in the business. Excellence flexibility of the individual will be enhanced through various business operations. There will be contact with members of the organisation in matters that pertain to responsibility, creativeness, and initiatives that enable advancement of careers (Barringer & Ireland 2012, p. 427). Section 2.1: The Business Value and its Deliverance to Customers (Business Model and Value Proposition Canvases) The purchasing power of a customer is always vested upon the value of a product and/or service (Osterwalder & Pigneur 2010, p. 42). Value controls the emotional and psychological wellbeing of the customer. This situation compels them to buy products that that they deem satisfactory. Contemporary business landscape does not only require provision of products at better prices but also embracement of elements such as innovation, sales benefits, and empathetic marketing among others. Inculcation of such exchanges has driven businesses to become customer-centred venture rather than owner-oriented (Osterwalder & Pigneur 2010, p. 45). The organic products supermarket will embrace innovation, quality, and additional value-added experience to customers. It will also focus on outcome through provision of quality products to the customers. The quality will be emphasized through examination of services and products such as fresh vegetables, fruits, and other organic foods that will be offered. These products will be chosen based on quality of evaluation and affordability. Establishment of the psychological needs of customers will be accomplished through market research. This strategy will enable determination of good products that satisfy them emotionally (Osterwalder & Pigneur 2010, p. 46). Delivery Ways of the Quality Products Delivery of the products will involve the following processes. Identification of Key Partners The key partners will comprise the manager who will be the owner since the business will be under sole proprietorship and staff who will run the operations. Other key stakeholders will be suppliers that are based in both rural and urban areas. Their key activities will be ensuring constant supply of organic produce from their farms. Key Activities to be undertaken The various activities that will be undertaken to ensure quality include proper reception of products, preparations and cleaning, preservation techniques, packaging and storing, and observation of hazard control processes and methods among others. Distribution channels that will be deployed in the business include use of direct-marketing channels; hence, consumers will be able to purchase products without involvement of intermediaries (Osterwalder & Pigneur 2010, p. 51). Key Resources that will be required The key resources will include tracks for transportation, communication structures, computers, refrigerators, electricity, packaging materials, skilled labour, and capital among others. Value to be delivered Quality of products is crucial for the success of the new venture. Therefore, high quality products will be delivered to compliment low quality processed foodstuffs that are delivered to customers by other companies in the city. The products will be packaged in various proportions to meet requirements of different customer segments. In addition, the products will bear varying brands, nutritional value, price tags, and convenience of use by the customers among others (Osterwalder & Pigneur 2010, p. 52). Customer relations Relationship between the business and customers will be enhanced through provision of assistance, self-service, and after-service delivery among others. These strategies will enable the business to maintain repeat customers. Customer segments The established quality will target whole customers (mass market) who value superiority of goods, high-end delivery, and reputable services among other things (Osterwalder & Pigneur 2010, p. 53). Price Structure The price of various products will be established based on factors such as quality, variable costs, fixed costs, and the overall economy of scale (Osterwalder & Pigneur 2010, p. 54). Revenue streams The business will use the most convenient ways to accumulate revenue. For instance, willingness of customers to pay for the value of quality rather than portability that many businesses use in the processed mechanisms will be highly observed in the supermarket. The manager will use various ways to ensure understanding of consumer value concepts amongst staff. At the outset, the manager will identify values that are most important to the customer through development the business’s market. Secondly, understanding customer value concept will require creation of dimensions that align with the desirable values of customers. This strategy will involve identification of opportunities for creating new values. For customers whose needs change with time, observation of consumer behaviour will enable the management to understand the dynamism of their requirements (Aulet 2013, p. 163). Customer Relationship Customer relationship is an aspect that requires maintenance of good rapport to build a dependable business network. The network will comprise business colleagues, customers, friends, and/or professional acquaintances among others. Since the venture is a long-term investment, addition of value to relations to contact customers will be a good approach to maintenance of such relations (Hatten 2011, p. 111). Another way of maintaining customer relation will be constant communication. Making follow ups will be considered after various meetings with esteemed customers. E-mail marketing will also be practiced to keep the customers informed about new products and price offers that will be revised periodically (Osterwalder & Pigneur 2010, p. 61). Relationship with Suppliers A strategic approach to suppliers is paramount to success of any business. Suppliers are crucial stakeholders who influence the enterprise through various ways. At the outset, suppliers affect the quality of products that are sold to customers. Secondly, delivery of items enhances dependability of the business. Timely delivery boosts market competitiveness. Reasonable pricing, product and service quality, reliability, knowledge of business trends, and suitable technology among others are key factors that enhance business-supplier relationships. In addition, suppliers are also innovators who contribute largely to the development of new products (Hatten 2011, p. 113). Challenges and Risks Facing the Business Raising Capital and other Financial Risks Inappropriateness and inadequacy of proper financial planning and budgetary projections has led to closure of new business ventures. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the value of products is strong to support various financial issues of the business. Insufficient capital is considered a big threat to such ventures (Beaver 2002). A viable investment requires sufficient capital to cater for expenses until the business becomes stable. Issues that pertain to inventory, equipment, office materials and marketing tools among others are crucial for running such ventures effectively. Securing funds from well-wishers and personal savings will ensure that the supermarket starts successfully. Other sources of capital will include bank loans and soliciting of money from private sectors among others. However, convincing such entities can be a challenge due to availability of limited personal savings (Beaver 2002, p. 203). Managing Cash Managing cash flow will be a significant problem due to availability of inadequate capital that will limit the manager to spend within a restrained budget. As a result, the manager will be too selective on spending patterns. This situation implies that the business will require creativity to manage such funds successfully (Ries 2011, p. 253). Physical Damage There is a possibility that the business can be damaged by natural causes such as floods, fire, and hurricanes among other catastrophes. Such occurrences can lead to incurrence of unbearable losses (Beaver 2002, p. 205). Procedure on how the risks will be managed Step 1: The plan of the business operation will be written down to enable efficient evaluation and planning for the operating risks in areas such as functionality, marketing, and finance. Step 2: Determination of insurance cover against losses that might arise due to occurrence natural calamities in the business locality. Other insurance covers against probable losses due to fault installations and internal accidents among others will also be determined. Step 3: Establishment of unique risk management plans that are separate from the business canvas and plan will also be taken into account. The plan will give clarity of the steps, procedures, and means of dealing with such risks. Step 4: Training employees who will help in running the enterprise will also be in cooperated to avoid associated to untrained staff like pilferage. Step 5: There will be periodic update of the plans to provide current ways of solving problems that might arise during the business operation. Other ways of managing risks will include analysis of market performance to determine the viability of products and services. The business’s plan will be significant in determination of market location to provide a dependable framework for studying customer needs. Issues concerning failure to start the venture will be curbed through studying the spending trends of consumers and the variety of product and service quality offered that are offered in the city (Hatten 2011, p. 116). Location of the Organic Products Supermarket Identification of a suitable business location is a significant phase of any business. In this context, the organic products supermarket will be located within the central business district of the city. This strategic position will ensure that majority of the customers within the town are captured. The place will also be convenient since most of the customers will incur minimal transportation costs to reach the supermarket. The location will also ease access to services that are offered by the city’s local authorities such as the municipal council (Blank& Dorf 2012, p. 206). The city also provides a noble environment where no competition will be realized since no other businesses offer organic products to the residents of the town. Building Networks for Success of the Business A successful business is comprises a network professionals, customers, and businesses among others. Efficient investment in time and energy is paramount to development of strong business network of contacts (Rae 2007, p. 32).The supermarket will have a network that is based on mutual benefits. The first network will target individuals for business and career matters through direct and indirect contacts. Esteemed customers will be informed via e-mails, phone calls, and newsletters mentions among others about new products and services. These people will also serve as sales representatives because there is likelihood of passing any new information to their friends and colleagues (Beaver 2002, p. 208). Entrepreneurial skills that I need to start the business venture An entrepreneur requires various skills to build relationships with workforce teams, customers, and suppliers among other people. These skills are necessary for accomplishment of business goals since they facilitate execution of ideas. They include leadership and motivation, communication, ability to listen, observance of work ethics, and negotiation skills among others. Leadership and Motivation Entrepreneurs should be able to lead and motivate others, especially the employees. They should delegate duties to others and work with them to create motivation towards accomplishment of business goals (Burns 2014, p. 181). Communication Skills Communication is paramount to establishment of apt business networks through investors, consumers, and personnel among other stakeholders. Communication also enables establishment of market networks, rapport, and creation of bonds with customers and other businesses (Rae 2007, p. 35). Good Listener Good entrepreneurs should pay attention to their employees, customers, and colleagues among other stakeholders who serve as sources of information that pertain to weaknesses or strengths of the business. The capacity to listen either builds or breaks a good profile. They should also focus on both active and empathetic listening (Rae 2007, p. 36). Relations Personality is also a key element in working with others. An entrepreneur should focus on emotional intelligence. Many people, especially customers and suppliers, pay attention to personal attitudes that affect the way they relate with their immediate environments (Rae 2007, p. 34). Negotiation Ability Good negotiators strive to ensure reasonable prices that are affordable by their customers. They also solve business differences in a manner that brings unity and mutual benefits (Adams & Spinelli 2012, p. 480). Ethics An entrepreneur should have respect and integrity. He should also practice truth and fairness during execution of leadership roles to build a committed and motivated team (Adams & Spinelli 2012, p. 481). Various networking skills that the entrepreneur will require include communication skills, good personal profile, and ability to share credible ideas. Development of the skills Skills especially networking skills can be developed through private studies, attending conferences as well as seminars, collaborate with colleagues in work and meet new friends as well as the likeminded individuals who are interested in sharing ideas among others. Other skills that require development are leadership, listening and team building among others. These should be prioritised on for success in business (Burns 2014, p. 188). Conclusion After a critical analysis of the idea, the business opportunity seems viable due to a variety of factors that make it unique. The evaluation reveals that organic foods, herbs, and flowers have a feasible market in the town. Therefore, there is a promising future for the supermarket. According to the evaluation (using value proportion and business model canvases), the business primarily places its worth on the quality of products that will be delivered to customers. These models are focused on customer satisfaction. Skills of the entrepreneur such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and networking among others have also been regarded as vital in implementation of successful operations of the venture. References Adams, R & Spinelli, S 2012, New Venture Creation: Entrepreneurship for 21 st Century, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. Aulet, B 2013, Disciplined Entrepreneurship: 24 steps to a successful startup, New John Wiley & Sons, Jersey. Barringer, B & Ireland, D 2012, Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures, Prentice Hall, Upper saddle River, NJ. Beaver, G 2002, Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development , Prentice Hall, Harlow, FT. Blank, S & Dorf, B 2012, The Startup Owner’s Manual, K&S Ranch Inc., Pescadero, Calif. Burns, P 2014, New Venture Creation: A Framework for Entrepreneurial Start-Ups, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke. Hatten, T 2011, Small Business Management: Entrepreneurship and Beyond, Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Osterwalder, A & Pigneur, Y 2010, Business Model Generation, Hoboken, NJ, Wiley. Rae, D 2007, Entrepreneurship: From opportunity to action, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke. Ries, E 2011, The Lean Startup, Crown Business, New York, NY.

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Write the full essay for the following summary: The essay examines the suitability of the novels, 'I am Malala' and 'Every Day' for young adults in different levels and grades in schools.The essay finds that the novels are suitable for young adults in different levels and grades in schools. The novels provide insights into the importance of working hard and engaging in activities that are moral and ethical.

The essay examines the suitability of the novels, 'I am Malala' and 'Every Day' for young adults in different levels and grades in schools. The essay finds that the novels are suitable for young adults in different levels and grades in schools. The novels provide insights into the importance of working hard and engaging in activities that are moral and ethical.

Evaluation of Novels ‘Every day’ and ‘I am Malala’ Report (Assessment) Introduction Education is a very important aspect in the life of a person. Through education, individuals become enlightened and gain the ability to undertake their activities successfully. Remarkably, education employs several techniques and strategies, which include the use of novels and storybooks. Out of novels and storybooks, young adults receive insights concerning the importance of working hard and engaging in activities that are moral and ethical. Imperatively, storybooks and novels suit various students in different levels of education, and thus, certain novels fit young adults, whereas others suit the youth. It is within this context that the essay examines the suitability of the novels, ‘I am Malala’ and ‘ Every Day’ for young adults in different levels and grades in schools. Grades 7-8 ‘I am Malala Novel’ Introduction The novel ‘I am Malala’ is a real life story of a young teenager, who defied numerous challenges in pursuit of education. In the novel, the young girl, Malala, who is the main character, faced challenges focused on preventing the girl child from accessing education. As a child born in Afghanistan and raised in a society, which believed that girls were lesser beings, Malala faced numerous challenges that several girls encountered. For instance, as a young girl, Malala’s mother did not receive sufficient education and had to continue with her studies at an advanced age (Yousafzai, 2014). It is important to note that the drive for Malala to study and achieve the best in her education occasioned from her father, who instilled the importance of education in her and encouraged her to study. Notably, Malala’s father was a teacher, who had established a school to educate and help children in the society to acquire the much-needed education. The novel attained its peak when the atrocities of the Taliban became rife and heightened to an extent where they murdered individuals, who refused to practice some activities that they practiced. When the Taliban arrived at the village where Malala lived and burned down several girl schools, Malala continued with her education hiding her books in her shawl, while attending school. Eventually, when the atrocities executed by the Taliban worsened, the family relocated to a different place away from the war stricken border of Kabul and Afghanistan. However, the Taliban continued engaging in schemes geared towards preventing girls from accessing education. According to Yousafzai (2014), the novel concludes with the attempted assassination of Malala, because of her continued fight for education of the girl child through media interviews and other social sites. During the fateful event, a Taliban fighter shot Malala from a close range on the head inside a bus. Conversely, Malala survived and after a number of operations in Afghanistan and later in the United States, she recovered and continued her fight for the education of the girl child. Characteristics of Young Adult (YA) Literature and Literary Genres in the Novel Some of the young adult characteristics, literature, and literary genres that the novel employs include the use of personal experiences and the tender age of the main character. Apparently, the three literary characteristics employed by the novel comprise one young adult component of literature and two components of literary genres. The component that pertains to young adult entails the use of a young girl and the challenges faced during her tender age. On the other hand, the two literary genres include the application factors such as irony and tragedy in the novel. Butcher and Hinton (2010) explain that use of genres such as irony and tragedy captivate the readers and make them enjoy the novel. By using a young girl as the main character, the novel qualifies as the best for young adults. The novel qualifies because when young adults read it, they acquire the relevant skills and insights concerning their unique abilities after relating the character with their ages. In essence, young readers can easily relate with the novel and in turn understand it effectively. The novel contains several instances that clarify the presence of young adult literature and literary genres. For example, in the novel Malala, states ‘I was a girl in a land where rifles are fired in celebration of a son, while daughters are hidden away behind a curtain, their role in life simply to prepare food and give birth to children’ in page 17 (Yousafzai, 2014). The statement proves that she faced challenges and struggled to overcome them. Notably the statement is very instrumental in appealing to students of the respective grade as it shows them that they can deliver the best if they develop a determination similar to that held by Malala. Principally, the implication of the assertion in the novel is increased motivation from young adults that the novel targets. It is fundamental to explicate that the novel best suits the age group of students within grades 7-8. Barriers in the Novel and Their Solutions Some of the major barriers demonstrated in the novel include the location and the challenges faced by the main character. In the novel, the main locations where the character encounters challenges are Kabul and Afghanistan. These areas are far and some students cannot decipher the relevance of the novel in the practical scenario. Moreover, since the challenges faced by Malala comprise problems like inadequate education of the girl child, which are not common in other parts of the world, the essence of the novel can fail to materialize. The barriers occasion because young adults prefer stories that are relevant and those that they can easily understand (Butcher & Hinton, 2010). As a result, the use of a novel that highlights the challenges of a young girl from Afghanistan is challenging. To overcome the barriers and disinterest from the young adults, comprehensive narration and humor are useful so that the target group create an association with the ideas contained in the novel. Grades 11-12 ‘Every Day Novel’ Introduction ‘ Every day’ is a novel that revolves around a creature, which is not human. The creature, which the author calls ‘A’ is unique and can change bodies every day. Levithan (2012) asserts that the novel is interesting as it uses a being that can recall the memories of the body used as well as the feelings, emotions, and passions. One day the creature is in an addict, another day the creature occupies the body of a suicidal girl, and in another instance, it is in the body of an obese teen boy. The turning point in the novel occurs when the creature occupies the body of Justin, who is the boyfriend of Rhiannon. Significantly, although A had lived for more than 5000 days on earth and had laid down rules that governed its interactions, feelings, and emotions, meeting and falling in love with Rhiannon initiated notable changes in its life (Levithan, 2012). After falling in love with Rhiannon, the creature relaxed all its rules and started spending more time with the girl. As a result, A was compelled to visit the newfound love every day in a different body, which was initially weird for Rhiannon, who later accepted the creature and loved it. Characteristics of Young Adult (YA) Literature and Literary Genres in the Novel The novel employs various YA characteristics and literary genres. Among the YA literature used by the novel is fiction through a creature, which changes bodies every day. Conversely, the two aspects of genre used by the novel include romance and comedy. Vitally, romance and comedy are some of the genres used in various young adult novels (Butcher & Hinton, 2010). By using a creature that switches bodies every morning and can adapt to different emotions, the novel captures the attention of young adults in the particular grade. The ability to capture the attention of young adults emanates from the use of fiction alongside genres like romance and comedy. Fundamentally, young adults in the respective grade are emotionally active and have challenges presented by the novel such as sexuality, obesity, and addiction. Therefore, by employing these young adult literature and literary genres, the novel becomes the best for young adults in grades 11-12. In the novel, various examples justify its usefulness for young adults. Use of elements such as addiction, romance, obesity, and suicide makes the novel practical as it touches on challenges that the young adults of the respective grade face every day. According to Levithan (2012), some of the examples include ‘This is not my body, but it’s the body she wants. I feel like a pretender.’ statement made by A in page 250. The statement substantiates the fact that love is a powerful experience that many teenagers face in their daily endeavors. Moreover, when A fights to overcome the whims advanced by the addictive body, it is clear that the novel discourages teenagers from abusing substances and drugs. Principally, the significance of the novel for the particular grade is a factor that scholars and teachers cannot downplay in their quest to select a suitable novel that best fits the young adults. Barriers in the Novel and Their Solutions Some of the barriers that are evident in the novel include overemphasis on some issues such as romance and little emphasis of factors like religion. Moreover, other barriers that can lead to disinterest from the target young adults comprise judgmental behavior of the main character in the novel. The novel focuses on romance and revolves around A and Rhiannon. Consequently, the issue of religion does not have a pronounced coverage in the novel, and thus, young adults, who value different religions, may develop disinterest towards the novel. The use of judgmental language in the novel on some bodies worn by the creature makes it judgmental. For instance, when A states ‘I had to drag the heavy mass of the obese teenage boy to class’ in page 337, it creates a negative attitude on individuals, who have weight problems (Levithan, 2012). To overcome the barriers, solutions such as creativity, humor, and comprehensive explanation would be very instrumental. Conclusion The process of selecting the right novels has instilled a lot of skills and expertise in my field of teaching. Ethics, morality, and social presentation of the novel are some of the essential components that are very vital when selecting a novel for a particular grade. In addition, creativity, application of humor, and use of comprehensive explanations are very critical in ensuring that the novels selected are practical and well understood by the target young adults. In future, the lessons learned will enhance my teaching skills and advance the quality of knowledge that the young adults in different grades acquire from the respective learning institutions. References Butcher, K., & Hinton, K., (2010). Young Adult Literature: Exploration, Evaluation, and Appreciation (2 nd Edition.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon/ Pearson. Levithan, D. (2012). Every Day . Melbourne: Text Publishing. Yousafzai, M. (2014 ). I am Malala: Young Readers Edition . New York: NY 10017.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: BackTrack is a Linux security distribution or the penetration testing suite which was released in 2012. The purpose of BackTrack is to provide complete tools for the effective penetration testing process. As a result, BackTrack can be used for gathering information, checking network activities, identifying vulnerabilities, auditing specific web application, maintaining the access to the system and network, and conducting penetration testing.

BackTrack is a Linux security distribution or the penetration testing suite which was released in 2012. The purpose of BackTrack is to provide complete tools for the effective penetration testing process. As a result, BackTrack can be used for gathering information, checking network activities, identifying vulnerabilities, auditing specific web application, maintaining the access to the system and network, and conducting penetration testing.

Evaluation of the BackTrack Software Suite Proposal Essay Table of Contents 1. Description and Purpose of BackTrack 2. Feedback and Reviews 3. Experience with BackTrack and Test Results 4. Benefits of BackTrack 5. Cost of the Product 6. The Software’s Impact on the Production Environment 7. Proposal 8. References Advanced Research is an actively developing medical research company, and it needs to test and promote the corporate network security in order to avoid cyber attacks and losses of the corporate information. Advanced Research’s main requirements to the security testing software are the ability to identify vulnerabilities, prevent attacks by unauthorized sources and the cost-effectiveness of the security project. The company uses a mix of Microsoft and *NIX technologies in order to support the corporate network. That is why, the BackTrack software suite can be discussed as an effective choice to meet the company’s requirements. The purpose of this proposal is to describe and evaluate the software and present its purpose and benefits supported with credible evidence. Description and Purpose of BackTrack BackTrack is the Linux security distribution or the penetration testing suite the latest version of which was released in 2012. The purpose of BackTrack is to provide complete tools for the effective penetration testing process (Ali & Heriyanto, 2011, p. 12). As a result, BackTrack can be used for gathering information, checking network activities, identifying vulnerabilities, auditing specific web application, maintaining the access to the system and network, and conducting penetration testing (Simpson, 2012, p. 24). BackTrack operates with the focus on penetration testing approaches which are supported with vulnerability assessment methods. Thus, the effectiveness of identifying vulnerabilities and overcoming these problems increases. BackTrack is appropriate to be used in professional fields. Feedback and Reviews Linux managers and developers focus on collecting the feedback on BackTrack 4.0 and BackTrack 5.0. According to the reviews, BackTrack can be easily used in the commerce environments because of the open access to the tools, and BackTrack is “good for web application assessment”, and it is “perfect for penetration testing” (Ali & Heriyanto, 2011, p. 54; Ramachandran, 2011, p. 89). The specialists in the field of hacking note that the most advantageous feature of BackTrack is the variety of proposed tools which are quickly installed and can be actively used by professionals in many spheres (Walker, 2011, p. 22-28). BackTrack is also one of the first systems which began to propose the tools for digital forensics (Simpson, 2012, p. 24). Experience with BackTrack and Test Results The experience with BackTrack supports the idea that the security distribution can be effectively used in different environments. The suite is quickly installed and easily operated. The effectively organized menu provides a lot of options which can be actively used to realize different types of penetration testing. The forensics mode is effectively operated while providing the opportunity to investigate a system efficiently. The BackTrack suite is effective to test the network because it includes such a network scanner as Nmap and such a gathering tool as Maltego. Benefits of BackTrack The benefits of using BackTrack at Advanced Research are in the fact that the security testing software is developed specially for identifying vulnerabilities and conducting the penetration testing. The suite can be effectively used within the Advanced Research’s system because it is based on the Linux platform, it is appropriate for Windows XP and 7 used in the company, and it works with Cisco Routers. The variety of the proposed security tools addresses the main company’s needs. The software can be discussed as effective to meet the company’s objectives. Cost of the Product The BackTrack suite can be freely downloaded from the Linux website. The downloaded information is a live ISO file for DVD, and it can be saved as a live DVD version (Ali & Heriyanto, 2011, p. 22). The use of the USB stick is also possible. The distribution can be downloaded for 32-bit and 64-bit machines (Ali & Heriyanto, 2011, p. 23). The downloaded versions are used for Windows XP and 7 that is why there are no additional costs for software or hardware. To work with BackTrack, the additional training is not necessary, but it is possible to freely download the manuals from the official website. The Software’s Impact on the Production Environment To contribute to saving the important Advanced Research’s data and to avoid unauthorized accesses to the databases, it is necessary to test Backtrack for Denial of Service (DoS) attacks and for database attacks. These tests do not interrupt business operations significantly because they can be conducted by IT managers during extra hours. Two tests can be conducted during an hour, and it is possible to avoid production outages effectively. The test for DoS attacks is conducted with the help of Stress Testing option, and it is possible to use the Cisco Router information to cope with the attacks. Advanced Research uses the MySQL database among others, and the test for it can be conducted without interrupting the work with other databases. Backtrack solves effectively the problems associated with weak credentials, and the default accounts are checked in time (Ramachandran, 2011, p. 38). Proposal The BackTrack suite should be proposed for using at Advanced Research because this open-source system is cost-effective, and it contains all the tools which are necessary in order to resolve the problems experienced in the company. The security testing software provides a variety of updated tools which are appropriate for using within Advanced Research’s environments in order to identify vulnerabilities and prevent attacks realized by unauthorized users. References Ali, S., & Heriyanto, T. (2011). BackTrack 4: Assuring security by penetration testing . NewYork, NY: Packt Publishing. Ramachandran, V. (2011). Backtrack 5 wireless penetration testing: Beginner’s guide . NewYork, NY: Packt Publishing. Simpson, M. (2012). Hands-on ethical hacking and network defense . NewYork, NY: Cengage Learning. Walker, M. (2011). CEH Certified Ethical Hacker . New York, NY: Mcgraw-Hill Osborne Media.

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Revert the following summary back into the original essay: The dehumidifier market has a significant potential for a company wishing to invest in new areas. The use of the appliances has become popular over the years following the realisation of the benefits associated with them. #1: The dehumidifier market has a significant potential for a company wishing to invest in new areas.#2: The use of the appliances has become popular over the years following the realisation of the benefits associated with them.

The dehumidifier market has a significant potential for a company wishing to invest in new areas. The use of the appliances has become popular over the years following the realisation of the benefits associated with them. #1: The dehumidifier market has a significant potential for a company wishing to invest in new areas. #2: The use of the appliances has become popular over the years following the realisation of the benefits associated with them.

Evaluation of the Dehumidifier Market Report Executive Summary Dehumidifiers are some of the most commonly used household appliances. They are used for the purposes of reducing the levels of humidity in the air. Ideal levels of humidity range between 30 and 50 percent. At this level, the growth of microbes and other disease vectors is inhibited. The appliances are of great importance since they help the population deal with a number of health issues. The use of the appliances has become popular over the years following the realisation of the benefits associated with them. Statistics have shown that in countries like Korea, the sales of the appliances rose from 40,000 to 1.5 million units between 2009 and 2013. In addition, Samsung recorded a 631 percent increase in sales between May and January 2013. In light of this, it is apparent that the dehumidifier market has a significant potential for a company wishing to invest in new areas. Introduction Companies need to regularly evaluate their markets to determine their success. A company may also seek to enter new markets in order to support growth. Such a business requires information touching on the new market in order to make an informed decision (Esslinger 2009). For example, it is important to gather information on the customer needs. Data about other businesses operating in the market should also be sought. It is important to study the nature of the existing regulations to better understand possible barriers to entry. Companies seeking to enter new markets have to make a number of considerations prior to making any investments. To begin with, the market must be viable and able to achieve higher returns compared to other possible opportunities. The new market should also be easy to enter. As such, the company should encounter minimum constraints as it seeks to invest capital into the new opportunity. Before selecting the preferred opportunity, the management team must discuss and review a number proposed opportunities. The most promising venture is then selected. In most cases, the board of directors is involved in the evaluation process (Hague 2003). Usually, a project manager is then appointed to help the company further explore the market opportunity and determine its feasibility. The project manager is required to evaluate the new market. Following the assessment, the project administrator makes recommendations to the board. They may propose for the company to enter into the new market or abandon the venture. In cases where it is recommended that the opportunity presented by the new market be exploited, the project manager needs to present to the board what actions need to be taken in order to enter into the new frontier. As such, they must come up with an action plan that is to be implemented. Timescales need to be clearly stated in order to help the board determine the implications that the implementation will have on their business. An execution proposal is also required to guide the implementation of the project (Kelley & Littman 2001). The current paper entails an evaluation, action plan, and execution proposal for a refrigeration appliances manufacturing company wishing to enter into the dehumidifier market. The company has identified the need to expand its activities. After careful considerations, the dehumidifier market was identified as a potentially good opportunity for the company (Chakravarthy & Krishnamoorthi 2013). As the manager appointed to spearhead the evaluation, planning, and execution of the market entry process, the author of this report is required to assess the venture and recommend to the board of directors the next course of action. If entry is recommended, the author will provide an action plan and a proposal for the execution of the project. An Evaluation of the Dehumidifier Market Dehumidifiers are mostly used in homes. However, they can also be used in an industrial setting, especially in climatic chambers. The appliance is used to reduce humidity. It works by extracting moisture from the atmosphere, which is then collected as water and later discarded once it has reached the maximum level. The water collected from the appliance is not suitable for drinking since it has a large population of contaminants. Other dehumidifiers expel the water in form of vapour. As a result, the user is not required to manually discard the water that is extracted. There are a number of companies that manufacture the appliances across the world today (Warmefjord 2011). Most of the entities that produce refrigerators are also involved in the manufacture of dehumidifiers. They include LG, Samsung, and Ramtons. The main reason behind this is that the appliance operates almost on the same principles as the refrigerator. The company analysed in this report chose to venture into the dehumidifier market. The decision was arrived at following consultations made by the members of the board of directors. It was clear to the board that the dehumidifier market will provide the business with enhanced opportunities to make profits (Stelzner 2011). Being a common household appliance, most individuals purchase this product. As a result, there is high demand for the appliance in the market. The gadgets also have a simple design that makes it easy to manufacture them. They are also small in size. As such, less material is required to build them. Dehumidifiers are also portable. As a result, they are easily installed in homes, offices, and manufacturing plants (Tomovic 2009). Their energy efficiency greatly depends on the technology used to assemble them. The efficacy of a humidifier is determined by the amount of moisture it can extract in a day. The water collected is usually measured in form of pints. Dehumidifiers with high ranges of functionalities are mostly preferred. The need for the appliance is mostly informed by health and comfort concerns among the buyers (Norman 2012). By reducing the amount of moisture present in the surroundings, musty odour, which is usually associated with dampness, is eliminated. Most people find high humidity to be a major cause of discomfort. The situation is worsened during hot seasons when the body attempts to cool itself through perspiration. Since the air is already saturated, it cannot take up any more moisture. As a result, the sweat remains on the body surface. Individuals become extremely uncomfortable since their bodies are unable to lose heat. Dehumidifiers improve the quality of life by stabilising the quality of air in the surroundings. Being a luxurious item, most customers are not concerned with the price attached to the appliance. On the contrary, they focus more on the quality of service that they experience from it. A company wishing to enter into this market must carefully evaluate the quality of the appliances that it can produce. However, it is important to note that the dehumidifier is not a preserve of the wealthy in the society (Haines 2009). Most middle class families also purchase this item. In developed countries, the appliances are common in most households. To effectively serve the needs of the various market segments, it is paramount to produce dehumidifiers of varying quality and prices. Dehumidifiers have also been found to help ease the people’s way of life. With the use of the appliance, laundry can dry at a faster rate since the air in the surrounding is not saturated with moisture. Through the use of the dehumidifier, foodstuffs, such as cereals, can be better preserved through drying. The absence of excessive moisture ensures that the growth of pathogenic microbes, such as moulds and aflatoxin, is prevented. The ideal level of moisture in the atmosphere is usually below 50 percent. Preferably, relative humidity should range between 30 and 50 percent. In case of lower temperatures, the air is said to be dry (Haines 2009). Dehumidifiers are commonly used for health reasons. As stated earlier, the accumulation of moisture in the atmosphere causes leads to musty odours. The dumpiness resulting from the moisture supports the growth of pathogens. Bacteria flourish in such environments, predisposing the population to a wide range of diseases. As a result, health practitioners, especially those specialising in respiratory problems, encourage their clients to purchase the appliance. High humidity also leads to the growth of mould, which is a major cause of food poisoning today. Health practitioners have also discovered that body moisture that remains on the skin following perspiration as a result of high humidity may lead to loss of sleep. High humidity has also been found to encourage the growth of woodlice, cloth moths, dust mites, cockroaches, and fleas. The organisms are vectors for most microbial diseases. The realisation by the members of the community that the appliance will not only improve their quality of life, but also help promote their health, has helped expand the humidifier market across the globe (Kalb 1992). As stated above, the importance of the dehumidifiers cannot be underestimated. As a result, the demand for these appliances has increased over the years. The sales of dehumidifiers have also gone up over the past few decades. In Korea, the sales of these gadgets have grown from 40,000 units in 2009 to 1.5 million in 2013. Samsung, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of dehumidifiers, reported a 631 percent growth in the sales of the appliances in the period between January and May 2013 (Funk 2014). The statistics serves as evidence that the market is viable for the company reviewed in this report. Many companies are moving in to exploit the opportunities available in this market. The organisation should not be left out in this quest. As the population becomes more aware of the reasons necessitating the purchase of the appliances, the demand is likely to go even higher (Nassar & Lupien 2004). The company should be effectively positioned to exploit the opportunity in the coming fiscal year. Action Plan with Timescales Following an evaluation of the dehumidifier market, the project manager recommended to the board of directors for the company to enter into the new segment. The various departments involved in the project were notified in order to ensure that the adoption process goes on smoothly (Chakravarthy & Krishnamoorthi 2013). As the manager, I requested for a team of four individuals who would help in the formulation of the action plan. The team is to be comprised of individuals from various departments in the company. More specifically, the team members will be drawn from the finance, human resource, production, and sales departments. The four are specialists in their various fields and have in the past participated in similar projects implemented by the company. Each of the members is expected to represent the interests of their department. Prior to making key decisions, the heads of the departments will be consulted in order to ensure that the project succeeds (Chakravarthy 2001). One of the major reasons why the team members were selected from the various departments is to ease the process of lobbying the sections to support the decisions of the team. As the project manager, I will be required to coordinate all the activities of the team and report to the board of directors on the progress achieved. In order realise the goals set for the project in venturing into the dehumidifier market, the team will be required to come up with an action plan. The plan will be composed of the steps that are to be followed to achieve the set objectives (Chary 2009). In the plan, all the resources required for the successful completion of the project are clarified. As such, it will serve as the blueprint to be followed by the project manager. The main goal of the project will also be broken down into smaller and better manageable milestones. The milestones are to be evaluated using SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time based) guidelines. Timelines to be adhered to are also to be realistic and attainable in the event that all goes well for the team as planned (Trott 2008). All the team members are required to do their best to ensure that the timelines are met. The action plan for the company’s entry into the dehumidifier market will be broken down into five major parts. The sections involve initiation, planning, execution, control, and closure. The tasks are to be carried out in this specific order to ensure that activities are executed in a systematic manner. Execution Proposal As stated earlier, initiation is the first step of the project. During the initiation process, the proposed venture will be evaluated once more and additional recommendations made. The project charter will then be developed. The charter will entail all the stakeholders involved in the realisation of the plan. In this case, the stakeholders will be the company’s shareholders, the board, the competitors, and the customers (Stratten 2012). The needs and possible concerns of each and every group of stakeholders will be evaluated. The project charter will then be submitted to the board for further assessment. Once the board has evaluated it, the members may decide to go ahead and endorse the plan or oppose it. In this case, the project manager will present a strong case to the board prompting the approval of the charter. The team will then embark on the second phase of the project, which is planning. Once the project has been endorsed, it will be up to the project manager to start planning for its implementation. The first step will be to formulate a scope statement. During planning, the project manager will work in collaboration with the heads of departments in order to help them provide a specialist who has worked in similar projects before (Thompson 2007). Consultations with the heads of departments will also ensure that the team members are exempted from their every day jobs and responsibilities in the company until the project is completed. The project team will then hold a kick-off meeting (Benyus 2009). In the meeting, the project plan will be developed and discussed. The plan is to be in line with the objectives of the project. Timelines will also be specified in order to ensure that the team remains objectives. The proposal will then be passed on to the departments involved in the implementation of the project. The departments are finance, human resource, production, and sales. The purpose for this is to make the plan as realistic as possible (Steffen 2008). The heads of department will be expected to give their concerns regarding the plan and suggest changes where needed. The final stage of planning will involve submission of the plan to the board of directors. Since they mark the authority of the company, they will approve the plan. They may also decide to suggest changes to the project team. Once the plan has been approved, the venture will progress to the next stage, which involves execution. At the start of the execution process, a meeting will be convened. Here, team members will get an opportunity to discuss what they expect to encounter. Based on the plan, an estimated budget will have been prepared. The finance department will be required to release the necessary funds in order for the project to kick off. The team will then start the procurement process (Papanek 1992). Other companies that deal with the installation of dehumidifier manufacturing plants will be invited for the tendering process. The suppliers of the building materials will also be expected to tender their offers to the project team. Since professionals dealing with the production of dehumidifiers will also be required, the project team is requires to identify firms offering such services (Poli 2001). The offers will then be examined to identify which firms will offer goods and services in the most cost effective and convenient manner. After the procurement process is over, the installation of the necessary structures will commence. It is expected that the finance department will provide all the necessary funding in order to ensure the success of the project. The human resource department will also be expected to provide the team with a professional workforce whenever need arose (Ferrara 2012). The department will also be required to train workers on how to manufacture dehumidifiers. Training of the existing workforce is considered to be more beneficial to the company since it will be able to retain its already existing workforce. Hiring of new workers is also expensive to the company (Mayo 2010). Production will then kick off shortly afterwards. At the beginning, it will be done on a small-scale basis. The company can then gradually increase on its level of production. The amount of units manufactured within a given duration of time will depend on the ability of the marketing department to ensure that those that are produced are adequately distributed and promoted. As such, close collaboration will be required between the production and the marketing department while making decisions on the level of production (Roberts 2011). Once the implementation of the project has kicked off, the team will proceed to the next stage which is control. Once the project has become operational, it is important that the team carries out a number of activities aimed at improving on the efficiency of production (Benyus 2009). It is important to note that the entry into the new market involves a great deal of changes for the company. As such, a lot of capital will be required in order for the dehumidifier sector to be fully operational. A lot of costs will also be incurred (Simmons 2002). Good management is therefore paramount. For the new venture to be of economic value, the revenues generated must exceed the costs. It is important for the project team to therefore track revenues and costs (Fuad-Luke 2009). The evaluation will be done by the finance department and report tabled to the board of directors as an indication of the company’s progress. The members of staff who are working in the new sector will also be monitored closely to ensure that they are in a position to steer production in the right direction. Once the product is already in the market, it will be important to monitor the response of customers to the introduction of the new dehumidifiers. The main purpose of the monitoring of the customer service issues will be to ensure that the product fully satisfies the needs of the customers (Tavares, Cardoso & Dias 2010). The team will then be required to hold the project status meeting with the main aim being to brief the board on the progress that has been achieved. The team will also be required to monitor the progress of the new sector and identify potential risk areas. Mitigation measures will therefore need to be put in place. Once the project is running smoothly, the final stage of the execution process, closure will start. During closure, it will be important for the project team to conduct an audit. The project manager will be required to work in collaboration with the head of the finance department in order to ensure that an auditor is availed to the project team (Usero & Fernandez 2009). The team will also be required to document all the progress that has been achieved during the execution process. Lessons learn are also to be documented. The documentation process will help the company achieve sustainability in the new sector since all the strengths and weaknesses of the company in regard to the new sector will be known. Documentation also allows for future reference. It is believed that documents are also an important decision making tool. The records will be constantly updated as new information surfaces. The project will by then have gained formal acceptance within all departments in the company (Tomovic 2009). The board of directors will also have formally identified the newly created sector as one of its divisions. Funding for the maintenance of the dehumidifier manufacturing will therefore be often allocated. As such, the manufacture of the dehumidifiers will be given special attention just like that of refrigeration appliances. All records are also to be stored safely in the company’s achieves to ensure that they are safe and can be easily retrieved in case they are needed in future. A timescale will also be included in the project plan to ensure that a specific schedule is adhered to (Tomovic 2009). The timescale will also be an indication of the progress that has been achieved. It will also form a basis for the evaluation of the team’s success (Lefteri 2006). The timescales are not to be changed unless there is when it is considered to be very necessary for the team. The timescale is as follows. The project is to commence on the 1 st of September 2014. The project team will only be required to work within the normal working days, Monday to Friday. The plan will also provide allowances for a few days to prevent the team from lagging behind schedule. The schedule is presented below: Table 1: Schedule D Task Name Levelling Delay Duration Start Finish Resources 1 Initiation 0 Days 0 days Mon1/9/14 Mon 1/9/14 2 Evaluation & Recommendations 0 Days 1 day Wen 3/9/14 Wen 3/9/14 3 Develop project charter 0 Days 2 day Thurs 4/9/14 Friday 5/9/14 Project Team 4 Deliverable: Submit Project Charter to the board of directors 0 Days 0.3 days Mon 8/9/14 Mon 8/9/14 Project Team 5 Project Sponsors (The board of directors, through the finance department) Reviews Project Charter 0 Days 1 days Tue 9/9/14 Tue 9/9/14 Sponsor 6 Project Charter Signed/ Approved 0 Days 0.3 days Wen 10/9/14 Wen 10/9/14 Sponsor 7 Planning 0 Days 1 day Thurs 11/9/14 Thurs 11/9/14 Project Team 8 Creating Scope Statement 0 Days 1 day Friday 12/9/14 Friday 12/9/14 Project Team 9 Determining Project Team 0 Days 1 day Mon 15/9/14 Mon 15/9/14 Project Manager 10 Project Team Kickoff Meeting 0 Days 1 day Thurs 18/9/14 Thurs 18/9/14 Project Team 11 Develop Project Plan 0 Days 1 day Friday 19/9/14 Friday 19/9/14 Project Team 12 Subject Project Plan to Evaluation 0 Days 1 day Fri 20/9/14 Fri 20/9/14 Project Team 13 Project Plan Approved 0 Days 0.3 days Tue 23/9/14 Tue 23/9/14 Project Team 14 Execution 0 Days 0 days Tue 23/9/14 Tue 23/9/14 15 Project Kickoff Meeting 0 Days 1 day Thurs 25/9/14 Thurs 25/9/14 Project Team 16 Initiate the Procurement process. 0 Days 3 weeks Mon 29/9/14 Friday 17/10/14 Project Team 17 Making Installations 0 Days 5 Months Mon 20/10/14 Friday 20/3/15 18 Training Staff 0 Days 2 weeks Mon 23/3/15 Fri 3/4/15 Project Team 19 Funding from the Finance Department 0 Days 0.3 days Mon 6/4/15 Mon 6/4/15 Project Team 20 Production of Dehumidifiers commences 0 Days 0.1 days Mon 6/4/15 Mon 6/4/15 Project Team 21 Distribution of the Dehumidifiers 0 Days 0.05 days Mon 6/4/15 Mon 6/4/15 22 Commencement of Product Promotion of the Dehumidifiers 0 Days 0.05 days Mon 6/4/15 Mon 6/4/15 23 Control 0 Days 0 days Mon 13/4/15 Mon 13/4/15 24 Project Management 0 Days 0 days Mon 13/4/15 Mon 13/4/15 Project Manager 25 Revenue & Cost Tracking 0 Days 2 days Wen 15/4/15 Thurs 16/4/15 Project Team 26 Staff Monitoring 0 Days 2 days Mon 20/4/15 Tue 21/4/15 Project Team 27 Customer Services & Issues 0 Days 1 day Wen 22/4/15 Wen 22/4/15 Project Team 28 Project Status Meeting 0 Days 1 day Fri 24/4/15 Fri 24/4/15 Project Team 29 Risk Management 0 Days 2 days Mon 27/4/15 Tue 28/4/15 Project Team 30 Monitoring and Mitigation Measures 0 Days 0.05 days Wen 29/4/15 Wen 29/4/15 Project Team 31 Closure 0 Days 0.1 days Wen 29/4/15 Wen 29/4/15 32 Audit 0 Days 2 days Mon 4/5/15 Tue 5/5/15 33 Document Lessons Learned 0 Days 0.5 days Thurs 7/5/15 Thurs 7/5/15 Project Team 34 Update records and files 0 Days 3 days Mon 11/5/15 Wen 13/5/15 Project Team 35 Gain Formal Acceptance 0 Days 2 days Thurs 14/5/15 Friday 15/5/15 36 Record and Store Data Safely 0 Days 1 day Mon 18/5/15 Mon 18/5/15 Project Team Production Production refers to the process in which various inputs, both material and immaterial, are handled to come up with the desired output. Production can also refer to economic means through which human wants are satisfied resulting from the consumption of the commodities produced (Chary 2009). In this case, the dehumidifiers produced should have the ability to improve the well being of the customers. As such, the company should put in place measures to improve on the efficiency of the appliance. However, it should consider the current regulations touching on the manufacture of such appliances (Kelley & Littman 2006). Rules set aside by regulatory agencies should also be adhered to. Since dehumidifiers use refrigeration gas, their manufacture is regulated by organisations that seek to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses. Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is a multi trillion organisation that seeks to expose the levels of greenhouse emissions emanating from some of the world’s largest corporate. The aim of the organisation is to ensure that corporate are socially responsible and adhere to environmental conservation calls (Zheng & Possel-Dolken 2002). In order for the company to succeed in the new market, corporate social responsibility is of great importance (Salkeld 2011). There are five CDP programs, investor CDP, CDP public procurement, CDP water disclosure, CDP supply chain, and CDP cities. Investor CDP helps investors move to economies with lower carbon emission. The company wishing to enter the dehumidifier market must be viewed to be environmental friendly to be allowed to expand its operations in foreign jurisdictions (Kalb 1992). Based on CDP public procurement program, governments are able to identify corporate that are not environmental friendly. It will therefore be in the best interest of the company to abide to the set regulations. CDP water disclosure encourages corporate to use water in a manner that is sustainable. Dehumidifiers are used to extract water from the atmosphere. The water must then be discarded after the collecting container has been filled up. The water should be disposed in a responsible manner to prevent pollution. CDP supply chain advocates for collective purchasing to reduce wastage of power and resources (Yim 2007). The company wishing to enter the dehumidifier market can use these avenues to obtain inputs and distribute outputs in a cost effective and environmental friendly manner. The CDP cities program help provide data about emissions in major urban areas in a standardised manner (Brown & Katz 2009). Cities with higher emissions discourage the entry into markets associated with high emissions. The information is vital for a company seeking to enter the dehumidifier market since it is associated with the emission of high levels of greenhouse gasses (Bellgran & Safsten 2010). Product Realisation in the Market Product realisation refers to the attainment of the product that is sought by a business. The term is also used to refer to the process that a firm needs to undergo in order to produce their final product. For the case of the company, product realisation will be the successful manufacture of the dehumidifier appliances (Poli 2001). For the company to successfully achieve their set goal, manufacture of the dehumidifiers, they must first adequately prepare for it. The company must first evaluate the market that they wish to enter (Chakravarthy 2001). Evaluation of the market helps a business to have a clear understanding of the market and its aspects, such as customer characteristics, competitors, and the nature of the market. It is also important to formulate an action plan in order to ensure that the working of the team is systematic (Demeyer, Pich & Loch 2013). Timelines must also be indicated in order to guide the process. In most cases, proposals are also prepared in order to give the stakeholders a clear picture of the work that is ahead of them (McDonough & Braungart 2002). Post Market Launch Checks Post market launch checks are carried out by any given company to check the relevance, attractiveness and the awareness of its brand soon after its launch (Hague 2003). A number of factors affect the position of a given commodity in the market. One of these issues entails the offer. In this case, the success of the company is anchored on a number of elements. The elements include, among others, value for money. Line extensions, re-launches and new developments are some of the major ways that need to be used to improve and consolidate position of the product in the market (Brownell 2010). Reliable and authenticated information about the product market and the new status of the launched brand, including that of the most active competitors are early indicators for a very strategic market planning (Demeyer et al. 2013). The company should focus on the quality of the products. The company needs to apply three main post launch market research instruments to ascertain some of the most important market data (Trott 2005). The three instruments include product quick check, product performance tracking and brand trend monitor (Phillips 2011). For an effective and quick clarification of product success, just before the company’s panel data can successfully determine whether or not the product launch is going well, the product quick check procedure gives the company clarity about its product attractiveness and its potential reservations in the market (Stelzner 2011). The company should also use the product performance tracking instrument to aid in understanding some of the major changes in the active market and also in giving the company an idea on the best ways to manage product launch or re-launch process (Funk 2014). Finally, the organisation should keep track of the major developments of its product with regards to awareness among target customers. It is necessary for the company to realise that this approach gives clarity on how the attractiveness of its product is developing (Stratten 2012). Conclusion Dehumidifiers are common household devices. They are used to reduce the levels of humidity in the atmosphere. Following an evaluation carried out by the project manager, it is clear that the dehumidifier market is viable, especially for companies that deal in refrigeration appliances. Dehumidifiers and refrigerators are similar given that they both use the cooling effect to perform their functions. 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Convert the following summary back into the original text: The British company looking to invest in a foreign market requires clear understanding of the potential held by various markets before making the investment. China may present a unique opportunity for the British company, but it is also apparent that there are many Chinese companies that produce electric bicycles.

The British company looking to invest in a foreign market requires clear understanding of the potential held by various markets before making the investment. China may present a unique opportunity for the British company, but it is also apparent that there are many Chinese companies that produce electric bicycles.

Evaluation of World Markets Report (Assessment) The current state of globalization has opened up different international markets for companies operating in different business industries. The globalisation concept enables companies to invest in foreign markets and expand their market share across the globe. One of the clear phenomena following this development is that most of the companies investing in different international markets have to evaluate the target markets for viability. The British company looking to invest in a foreign market requires clear understanding of the potential held by various markets before making the investment. The most feasible target market is the one with the highest chances of success in the business in both the short-term and long-term basis. The company needs to understand the trends of consumption of its products, and relate this to the business environment in the various potential markets. The Chinese market is one of the largest producer and consumer of Bicycles. The high population in China influences the citizens to find alternative sources of transportation, and cycling is the most feasible alternative to using automobiles in the overcrowded streets. Statistics reveal that more than half the Chinese population owns a bicycle. This statistic indicates that China would be a potential target nation for the British company. While China may present a unique opportunity for the British company, it is also apparent that there are many Chinese companies that produce electric bicycles. Companies like the Zhejiang Jueshuai Electrical & Mechanical Technology Co., Ltd and the Wuxi Hansun Autocycle Co., Ltd have operated in the Chinese market for several years, and their competitiveness could easily knock out the British company out of business (Transportation 2014). The Chinese market is not feasible for a start-up company because the auto-cycle industry is at an advanced level, and the competition is too stiff. There are many local and international companies in the market, and their prices are quite competitive. Operating in such a market would require the British company to form a partnership, which may result to lower profits. Netherlands is known as the country of cyclists because the majority of the society cycles to work. Cycling is the most popular mode of transportation in the nation; hence, the society spends a large amount of their individual income in purchasing bicycles. The business environment in the Netherlands is competitive because the society has shifted from looking for affordable bicycles to focusing on the quality of the products. Some of the wealthiest companies in electric bicycle production in the nation include Sparta Ion GL Blackline, Mother Bike Power, and Gazelle Orange Pure Innergy among many others (Dutch Electric Bicycles 2014). The companies offer a wide range of prices and qualities for their bicycles; hence, a company at the start-up level would have a rough time harnessing a profitable market share in this market. The German market has similar characteristic with the Netherlands; thus, the British company should consider another market. It needs to invest in an emerging market with high growth potential. India is one of the fastest growing international markets in the retail business. The globalisation of products leads to an increase in the number of foreign companies looking into investing in the nation, and it is a potential target market for electric bicycles. The large population of people in the nation depends on scooters and bicycles as their main mode of transport. In the recent years, companies from Europe and Asia have identified the country as a potential market for electric bicycles. There is a substantial demand for the bicycles, with several companies operating in the local market to supply the products. The main competition in India lies in the pricing of the electric bicycles. Any company with the ability to provide competitive prices enjoys an advantage over other rival companies in the retail market in India. The British company should consider investing in the upcoming market because it offers the best business environment compared to other developed markets like China and Netherlands. Economic/political and social environment of the potential market India liberalised its foreign direct investment policies to allow faster development of its economy through the private investors from different parts of the world. The country allows foreign investors to conduct their business processes in the local market as long as they provide healthy competition with the already established business enterprises. The technology industry is one of the business sectors that the Indian government invests, and it allows companies from across the globe to invest directly into the market. The competition for market share is not as stiff as it is in other markets because India is an emerging market; hence, the British company in question has the ability to develop a successful company in the market depending on the mode of entry it chooses. The company should consider venturing into the retail market because the majority of the foreign companies in the business target this lucrative field. The demand for alternative transportation in India is ever growing because the large population in the nation. The majority of the people in the nation owns the traditional bicycles, whereas many people own scooters. Providing the society with electric bicycles is likely to satisfy the demand for alternative transportation for the many Indians who cannot afford scooters. The electric version of the bicycle is likely to fetch high numbers of customers who would prefer electrically powered bicycles to the peddle-powered products. The product offered by the British company offers customers the chance to own a fast bicycle that requires less manual effort from the riders. While scooters are the most popular kind of bikes in the Indian society, the introduction of electric bicycles could has a positive reception based on the current companies in the Indian market. The British producer is a single-brand company; hence, it has the legal requirements for investing in the Indian retail market as well as in the wholesale market. It is, however, advisable for the company to focus on the retail market because it would be more profitable because of the nature of consumption of technological products of the Indian society. The Indian society is also not too strict with foreign companies as long as the ethical issues like environmental and social sustainability issues are met by foreign companies (Archana, Nayak & Basu 2007). Entry mode The best entry mode into the Indian market is through foreign direct investment. The Indian market experienced fundamental changes from the 1990s, and it is developing into a free market for foreign direct investments in a wide range of industrial sectors (Pillania 2012). The technology industry is one of the industries that are free for international companies to exploit fairly. The British company is at the start-up stage; hence, most consultants would advocate for the formation of a merger with an already existing company in the foreign market. In this case, however, the formation of a merger would be unreasonable because the British company is not likely to face adverse risks at the start-up period. The Indian government offers investor-friendly policies for foreign direct investors as an incentive to attract more investors (Foreign Direct Investment 2014).The British company should move into the market as a single-brand company and develop its production company in the nation. Depending on the availability of raw materials, the company should opt for a supply chain that promotes the best prices for the products. The liberal policies in foreign direct investment in India provide a good economic environment for the British company (Chakraborty & Nunnenkamp 2008). Foreign direct investment in India is a common entry method for many companies in the current business world because the nation has limited competition in some business industries (Benassy-Quere, Coupet & Mayer 2007). The Indian government is looking to develop fair business practices for the local and international companies by developing a free market where the companies can engage in fair competition. The transportation industry in India faces numerous challenges with relation to the availability of faster modes of transportation for workers. Over the past decade, the Indian government has invested in a railway system that offers transportation for the Indian people, but the system is not sufficient in providing the most effective transportation for people. Indian streets are overcrowded; hence, most people do not find the need to purchase vehicles. Scooters and bicycles provide the best alternative transportation; thus, companies in the business export bicycles in the nation. The British company should take the opportunity to bring the bicycles to the local market, and develop a production company in India to eliminate the cost of exporting its products. The social environment is quite demanding, with respect to sustainability and giving back to the society, but this should not be a difficult task for the management in the company (Rajagopalan & Zhang 2008). There are several companies in the Indian market involved with the production and importation of electric bicycles, but the demand is too high to worry about competition. The British company can harness a bigger market share by offering competitive prices for quality products. There are few production units in the nation; hence, an acquisition may not be possible. Joint investment into the market may be a plausible entry method, but the government’s policies on foreign direct investment in India dictate against multi-brand product foreign direct investment (Foreign Direct Investment to India 2014). The only viable option is for the company to venture into direct investment into the nation independently. Advantages Independent foreign direct investment provides an advantage to the investor by allowing the management to make independent decisions on how to allocate resources in the new market for the best results (Filatotchev, Strange, Piesse & Lien 2007). Compared to joint ventures, independent foreign direct investment is better for a company operating in an upcoming market like India because it allows the company in question to make independent decisions. The British company in question will have the chance to make decisions on how to run its production unit in the new market without having to consult other stakeholders (Nocke & Yeaple 2008). The British company will also have the advantage of independently dealing with its investment budget. In most cases, mergers and other forms of entry into foreign markets fail because of lack of cohesion in goals between partnering companies. With independent foreign direct investment, the British company will focus on its main objectives without the interference of other parties. With the right information about the business environment in the target nation, the company will be adequately equipped with information to eliminate the risks involved with this type of entry into a foreign market. Independent foreign direct investment also allows companies to practice their innovative ideas, unlike when they are involved in partnerships (Zhang, Zhang & Liu 2007). The British company produces innovative products, and operating independently in the Indian market will provide its management function with the chance to evaluate the market and employ strategic business models to eliminate risks. Independent FDI also provides a unique opportunity for companies to attain higher profits because they have absolute control over their business processes. Disadvantages Embarking on an independent foreign direct investment is costly for a company because it has to bear the entire start-up cost in the target nation. The British company has to incur heavy financial liabilities to develop a production unit in the Indian market. Starting a manufacturing company in the Indian market is more plausible that the direct exportation of the electric bicycles because it will eliminate the transportation costs and the duties placed on exports by the Indian government. While the strategy may incur high start-up costs for the company, the long-term results will highlight big profit margins. It will also be easier for the company to operate in India because the production process will be cheaper because of the cheap labour available in the market, and there is a high likelihood that the company will secure an affordable supply chain from the local companies. The method of entry into the target market may also lead to challenges in the management function (Greenaway & Kneller 2007). The Indian society is quite sensitive to matters of ethics; hence the company will be obliged to observe the social norms in conducting business in the nation to fetch a profitable market share. Independent foreign direct investment also requires more time for a company to reach a breakeven point in business (Dikova & Witteloostuijn 2007). It will take a long time for the company to become profitable, but since the Indian retail market is gradually growing, the company will have high a high potential of becoming profitable in the future. The presence of stiff competition from the already established companies is also one of the disadvantages of venturing into an independent foreign direct investment. The Indian market has several players supplying electric bicycles, but most of them import the products from companies in Asia and other parts of Europe. Locating a manufacturing company in the local Indian market will offer the British company a competitive advantage in terms of prices. The FDI entry method may also attract political issue in a developing market if the investors engage in unfair business (Busse & Hefeker 2007). The British company will have to observe foreign policies strictly. List of References Archana, V, Nayak, NC & Basu, P 2007, ‘Foreign Direct Investment in India: Emerging Horizon’, Indian Economic review , vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 255-266. Benassy‐Quere, A, Coupet, M & Mayer, T 2007, ‘Institutional determinants of foreign direct investment’, The World Economy , vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 764-782. Busse, M & Hefeker, C 2007, ‘Political risk, institutions and foreign direct investment’, European journal of political economy , vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 397-415. Chakraborty, C & Nunnenkamp, P 2008, ‘Economic reforms, FDI, and economic growth in India: a sector level analysis’, World development , vol. 36, no. 7, pp. 1192-1212. Dikova, D & Van Witteloostuijn, A 2007, ‘Foreign direct investment mode choice: entry and establishment modes in transition economies’, Journal of International Business Studies , vol. 38, no. 6, pp. 1013-1033. Dutch Electric Bicycles 2014. Web. Filatotchev, I, Strange, R, Piesse, J & Lien, YC 2007, ‘FDI by firms from newly industrialised economies in emerging markets: corporate governance, entry mode and location’, Journal of International Business Studies , vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 556-572. Foreign Direct Investment 2014. Web. Foreign Direct Investment to India , 2014. Web. Greenaway, D & Kneller, R 2007, ‘Firm heterogeneity, exporting and foreign direct investment*’, The Economic Journal , vol. 117, no. 517, pp. F134-F161. Nocke, V & Yeaple, S 2008, ‘An assignment theory of foreign direct investment’, The Review of Economic Studies , vol. 75, no. 2, pp. 529-557. Pillania, RK 2012, ‘Foreign Direct Investment in India’, Journal of Applied Research in Finance Bi-Annually , vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 110-121. Rajagopalan, N & Zhang, Y 2008, ‘Corporate governance reforms in China and India: Challenges and opportunities’, Business Horizons , vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 55-64. Transportation: Electric Bike & Parts 2014. Web. Zhang, Y, Zhang, Z & Liu, Z 2007, ‘Choice of entry modes in sequential FDI in an emerging economy’, Management Decision , vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 749-772.

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Write the original essay for the following summary: The essay discusses how World's Expo 2020 in Dubai Report (Assessment) will affect the real estate market, the hospitality industry and the logistics market. It is expected that these three markets will see an increase in demand before and during the Expo 2020 event, which will be held in Dubai.

The essay discusses how World's Expo 2020 in Dubai Report (Assessment) will affect the real estate market, the hospitality industry and the logistics market. It is expected that these three markets will see an increase in demand before and during the Expo 2020 event, which will be held in Dubai.

World’s Expo 2020 in Dubai Report (Assessment) World’s Expos are held on a regular basis. The next expo will be facilitated in the year 2020 in Dubai after the latter won the bid. Hence, Expo 2020 refers to a mega global event that will be staged in Dubai in the stated year. The event is expected to last for a period of six months. This expo is anticipated to lure millions of visitors. There are numerous points of attractions in such a major world event. For example, thousands of participants will be given a chance to demonstrate numerous cultural events. There are also hundreds of exhibits and pavilions that will be discovered by visitors. Some of the notable participants who will take part in Expo 2020 are well established business enterprises, international organizations and various nations across the globe. As already mentioned, Expo 2020 will be held in the city of Dubai. In order to drive the agenda for this event, the organizing team adopted the phrase “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” as the main theme. The key tenet of this theme is based on the concepts of cooperation and partnership. The latter are largely believed to be the main driving forces that have spurred both cultural and economic growth in Dubai as a modern metropolitan. The real estate segment is one of the markets anticipated to take part in the Expo 2020 exhibition in Dubai. It is pertinent to mention that Dubai is a fast growing urban area that will continue to experience exponential broadening in the construction sector. Before the actual dates of Expo 2020, there will be a construction boom in the real estate market in order to provide the required infrastructure. After the expo, the real estate market will get secured formidable position in the Dubai market as well as the surrounding regions. It is crucial to underscore the fact that capital inflow will significantly increase in the wider United Arab Emirates. As a consequence, the desire and willingness to purchase or build property will obviously skyrocket. Although real estate market will be one of the beneficiaries of Expo 2020, the hospitality industry is anticipated to secure the growth and development opportunities in Dubai. It is interesting to learn that most visitors of the Dubai Expo 2020 event will also double up as tourists. As a matter of fact, such a world expo is regarded as a tourist attraction destination. Thousands of both local and foreign visitors will plan to visit the event. Therefore, there will be need to construct additional state-of-the-art hotels and other relevant recreational facilities. The hospitality industry demands efficient services such as transport and communication. Hence, another sector of the market that will grow ahead of Expo 2020 is the logistics. Movement of both people and goods will be a vital area of operation before and during Expo 2020. The logistics market will also employ thousands of workers owing to the new opportunities. When employment opportunities are created in this type of market, business enterprises that operate under the sector are also bound to experience a major boom. In the long run, the logistics market will remain vibrant. The latter market is also likely to attract potential investors in the region owing to the profitability of the sector. This will be a major boost in the tourism sector bearing in mind that Dubai is already one of the most attractive destinations across the world.

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Write an essay about: Nodan Yogurt is a low involvement product that has been able to compete with other yogurt brands due to its high quality and low price. However, in order to further increase its market share, Nodan needs a unique marketing campaign that will distinguish the product from a competing product.

Nodan Yogurt is a low involvement product that has been able to compete with other yogurt brands due to its high quality and low price. However, in order to further increase its market share, Nodan needs a unique marketing campaign that will distinguish the product from a competing product.

Factors affecting marketing strategy: Nodan Yogurt Problem Solution Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. The Product 3. Size of the market segment 4. Reference groups influencing the segment 5. Promoting the product 6. Learning need for the product 7. Impact of lifestyle on consumer behavior 8. Evaluation of the campaign 9. References Introduction Nodan is a type of off-brand yoghurt manufactured by a local company that sells milk products. The product is available in several stores in the U.S where the company has business partners willing to sell the yoghurt alongside other branded products like Chobani and Cantaloop among many others. According to consumers, Nodan Yogurt is similar in quality with the branded products, and its flavors are rich enough to compete with the other products. The store manager also claimed that the product has developed some loyal customers, mainly because of its prices. Nodan is one of the off-brand products that can easily take over the competition in the industry. The Product Nodan is a low involvement product. Yoghurts and other milk products attract customers because of the quality and prices. Nodan is one of the many yoghurt products that the store sells, and the management has realized that some consumers have developed the habit of purchasing Nodan exclusively. Others select the product just because it goes for slightly lower prices than the other products. There is also a large customer base that selects their yoghurt by simply picking the nearest product, or the first product they see regardless of the brand, and Nodan is doing great in the competition. Nodan’s high quality and low price are the main strengths of the product with reference to its perceived quality signals. According to some of the consumers, one cannot tell the difference between the branded products and the off-brand yoghurt. The producer has simply provided consumers with quality yoghurt at a fair price that beats other products. This competitive advantage indicates that given the right kind of product marketing strategy, Nodan can fetch a larger market share. Nodan needs a unique marketing campaign that will distinguish the product from a competing product. Companies like Chobani have developed expensive marketing strategies that are incorporated in their producing company’s CSR programs, but Nodan is in the initial stages of entering the market; hence, a low budget marketing strategy will be appropriate. The strategy should avoid mimicking the approaches used by other companies to bring out the uniqueness associated with the product. This strategy will raise curiosity among the potential consumers, and promote sales for the product. Size of the market segment Low involvement products like yoghurts are mainly purchased by families. In a homogenous market like in the United States, a product like Nodan would make more sales through families doing their house shopping. It is apparent that the majority of the people in the population belongs to a family that does its shopping ones in a while. While some people may not be yoghurt consumers, it is fair to assume that more than half of the 321,130,000 Americans in the 2015 population projection will create demand for milk products like yoghurt. This statistic means that with the right brand marketing strategy, the product can harness a large market share. The strategy should assume a long-term approach toward meeting the objective to make the brand a nationally recognized product. The product is independent of age group variations in the population because of its status as a low involvement product, and people in different age groups consume the product. Over the next ten years, the population of the United States will have increased by 0.64%, and this growth in population will translate to a similar growth in sales for the brand (Population Projections, 2012). One of the factors that may affect any market segmentation is the growth rate expected from the market segment. The family segment in the United States is bound to expand with time as indicated by population growth projections by the national census. As the population grows the demand for milk products like yoghurt increases, and this would be a good thing for Nodan. Tastes and preferences are also factors that affect the family segment in their consumption of low involvement products. While some of the consumers may develop a habit to consume specific products like Nodan, it is possible that some families may opt for other products exclusively. This freedom of preference means that the marketing strategy must persuade the consumers to become loyal to the product in order to predict their behavior in purchasing a brand. The sustainability of the segment depends on the competitiveness of the brand in terms of quality and prices. Reference groups influencing the segment Normative and comparative groups in the society are influential in the development of consumer behaviors and attitudes toward different products (Bandyopadhyay & Martell, 2007). In the family market segment, the tastes and preferences of the parents are influential in developing attitudes about products on the part of their children. For instance, some parents purchase specific products because their parents taught them to consume the specific brands since their childhood days. Nodan must appeal to parents and their shopping groups to gain a loyal consumer base. The appropriate diffusion rate for the product is a stochastic model. Most of the elements associated with the diffusion of low involvement products are not definite; hence, the marketing strategy should operate on a probabilistic approach toward introducing the product on a national level. The Crossing the Chasm model would help in targeting specific groups in the family segment to promote sales on a national level. Consumer reviews can build or destroy a product; hence, Nodan should maintain its high-quality standards (Lee, Park & Han, 2008). Promoting the product For the marketing strategy for Nodan to pay off as intended, it is important to highlight the required blend of product features that will enhance its chances to gain market shares on a national scale. The current behavior in consumer goods reveals that most customers settle for products with high quality and reasonable prices. The sales in the store indicated that most customers opted to purchase Nodan over the rest of the popular brands because Nodan is rich in quality, and its price is lower than other products with similar quality standards. The brand will be associated with high standards of quality and significantly appealing prices to connect with the potential buyers. This strategy will potentially develop sufficient demand for the brand across the nation. Price setting and product promotion should form the core of the marketing dimension for Nodan Yoghurt. The company already knows that consumers want cheaper quality products, and it should work toward providing the same to the national market. Promoting a brand is the important part of the marketing strategy. The promotion-focused strategy should incorporate broadcast advertising and endorsements to popularize the brand (Hawkins, Mothersbaugh & Best, 2013). Learning need for the product The product lies in the low involvement category of consumer products because the potential customers do not have to spend a lot of time deciding whether to buy Yoghurt (Russell-Bennett, McColl-Kennedy & Coote, 2007). It is one of the usual family shopping products in the United States. The marketing strategy should provide consumers with information about quality and pricing for the product to create the need for customers to purchase it. Impact of lifestyle on consumer behavior Consumer behavior is dependent on the lifestyle assumed by the individual customers. For instance, when people shift from one economic status to a higher level of income, their tastes and preferences in consumer products are likely to change. In the same capacity, when people adopt healthier lifestyles, they change their consumer behaviors (Hawkins, Mothersbaugh & Best, 2013). Nodan yoghurt is bound to encounter changes in consumer behavior, especially on issues concerning healthy eating. The producer should provide consumers with a variety of healthy products to maintain high sales. For instance, Nodan could develop low-fat products to meet the demand for people who opt for healthier milk products. Consumers in the current world want to be associated with quality products (Solomon, 2009). Evaluation of the campaign The selected campaign will be effective in developing a promotion-focused approach to market the product. Its target is to achieve national sales for the product, with high competitiveness against the existing brands. It also has the potential to identify problems in the future for the products because of the chosen diffusion rate. Working through a probabilistic approach will help the marketing team predict the potential levels of success and failure, and also help in preparing for solutions in case of failure in the strategy. References Bandyopadhyay, S., & Martell, M. (2007). Does attitudinal loyalty influence behavioral loyalty? A theoretical and empirical study. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 14 (1), 35-44. Hawkins, D. I., Mothersbaugh, D., & Best, R. J. (2013). Consumer behavior: Building marketing strategy with DDB Data Disk (12th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill / Irwin. Lee, J., Park, D. H., & Han, I. (2008). The effect of negative online consumer reviews on product attitude: An information processing view. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 7 (3), 341-352. Population Projections: 2012 National Population Projections: Summary Tables . (2012). Web. Russell-Bennett, R., McColl-Kennedy, J. R., & Coote, L. V. (2007). Involvement, satisfaction, and brand loyalty in a small business services setting. Journal of Business Research, 60 (12), 1253-1260. Solomon, M. R. (2009). Consumer behavior: buying, having, and being . New Jersey: Pearson Education.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: The decline in oil prices is likely to cause an increase in consumption, a decrease in inflation, and an increase in real GDP growth rate in the next few years. In recent times, oil prices have been falling and seem to stabilize at around 40 dollars a barrel. This paper examines factors determining the changes in oil price and how it affects the country's economy, with a focus on the U.S. economy.

The decline in oil prices is likely to cause an increase in consumption, a decrease in inflation, and an increase in real GDP growth rate in the next few years. In recent times, oil prices have been falling and seem to stabilize at around 40 dollars a barrel. This paper examines factors determining the changes in oil price and how it affects the country's economy, with a focus on the U.S. economy.

Factors Affecting the Changes in Oil Price Research Paper Introduction Statement of the thesis The decline in oil prices is likely to cause an increase in consumption, a decrease in inflation, and an increase in real GDP growth rate in the next few years. In recent times, oil prices have been falling and seem to stabilize at around 40 dollars a barrel. This paper will examine factors determining the changes in oil price and how it affects the country’s economy, with a focus on the U.S. economy. There are uncertain reasons regarding this recent steep fall in oil prices, such as temporary and permanent shifts in oil demand and supply, such as the entrance of the United States as a leading producer in the market. We will further investigate how changes in oil prices affect a country’s GDP and its economy as a whole, considering selected economic indicators such as nominal and real interest rates, real GDP growth rate, real wages, and final consumption. If the change in oil prices has a strong influence on the rate of inflation, there is a need to specify the actions that policy makers should consider in response to the changes. Statement of the problem/ issues The main problem is to find out whether there is a strong association between crude oil prices and other economic indicators, such as interest rates, final consumption, real GDP growth rate, and inflation rate. If there is a strong correlation between oil prices and selected macroeconomic indicators, the government should consider an intervention to protect the economy from fluctuations in oil prices and the rate of inflation. The decline in oil prices is likely to cause a decline in export demand because of reduced income from oil exporting countries. The decline in oil prices is also associated with a decline in investment in the oil & gas sub-sector (Baffes at al., 2015). Reduction in investment in the sub-sector may have a small negative impact on aggregate demand. There is uncertainty on how long the low prices will last. It may prevent interest rates from dropping further when interest rates have a correlation with oil prices. If the low prices are short-lived, any intervention from the government will cause a distortion that may last longer than expected. Blinder & Rudd (2008) suggest that a rise in inflation raises concern in a similar manner to disinflation. Nelson (2004) discusses that the economic policies should not react to the changes in oil prices in a similar manner it had reacted in the past oil shocks. Hypothesis There are multiple graphical presentations in existing literature that portray that inflation and oil prices follow the same trend line. This paper seeks to establish whether there is a strong correlation between changing oil prices and the selected macroeconomic indicators. It follows the first impression they give when one studies the graphical presentations. We state the following hypotheses to assist in finding a solution to the strength of the influence of oil price changes to the economy. H 0 : There is no strong correlation between changes in oil prices and selected macroeconomic indicators. H 1 : There is a strong correlation between changes in oil prices and selected macroeconomic indicators. The hypotheses are derived from the perception that inflation rates respond quickly to oil supply shocks. When historical data is plotted on graphs, the trend lines indicate that key economic indicators follow the same trend as that of oil prices. However, some economic indicators tend to move in an opposite direction, such as real GDP and real interest rates. The periods of oil shocks have been followed by periods of recession. Proponents claim it is the U.S. government’s response that caused the recessions (Blinder & Rudd, 2008). Opponents claim that the government’s response did not increase the intensity of the oil shocks. They blame the delayed policy in response to the oil shocks (Nelson, 2004). Policy makers can determine the level of intervention to similar oil shocks by finding the strength of the influence of changing oil prices to key economic indicators. A disproportionate application of policy may intensify the effects of oil price changes. Literature review and analysis of historical data Effects of the 1970s oil embargo and other oil shocks on the level of the GDP and employment. Oil prices are affected by the supply and demand of crude oil on the global market. In the 1970s, the supply of oil reduced when the OPEC countries reduced their oil production (Baffes et al., 2015). They also banned member states from selling oil to the U.S., and other countries that supported Israel in the Arab-Israel conflict. It was labelled as OPEC I, which saw the oil prices quadruple within a short period (Blinder & Rudd, 2008). OPEC II developed as a result of Iraq invading Iran in the late 1970s. At the time, the U.S. was more reliant on oil for energy than it is today. Figure 1, shown below, shows that a recession followed the periods of oil shocks. Figure 1 Data sources: World Bank (2015), BEA (2015), and EIA (2015a). Figure 1 shows that the real GDP annual growth rate and the trend of oil prices moved in opposite direction in the 1970s. According to the graph, there were recessions in 1970s, early 1980s, early 1990s, and towards 2010 (the 2008 financial crisis). The Real GDP dropped to touch the 0% growth rate line when the purchase price of oil increased. The percentage of those who were unemployed also increased side by side with the increase in oil prices (see Appendix A for tables). In the 1970s, the trend lines in the graph indicate that unemployment levels took similar turns as the trend line of oil prices. The graph also shows that the influence of the changes in oil prices weakened in the period that followed the mid 1990s. Annual oil consumption in the U.S. over the last four decades In the beginning of the study, we expected that the production of oil in the U.S. had increased while the consumption had declined. Figure 2 shows that the U.S. still needs to import crude oil. However, the size of oil import that needs to be imported has declined to levels that are similar to those in the mid 1970s and mid 1980s. By the end of 2013, oil production was on a steep upward trend. Figure 2 Data sources: EIA (2015b), and EIA (2015c) From Figure 2, it can be seen that oil production in 2013 rose above the level it was in the 1980s. The difference between oil production and consumption also approached zero, which indicates a reduced need to import crude oil (see Appendix A for tables). The reduced need to import reduces the demand for oil in the global oil market. It may also result in a further strengthening of the dollar against foreign currencies, as it creates a less supply of ‘petrodollars’ to the global market. The effects of cost-push inflation and the phenomenon of stagflation arising from the oil shock of the 1970s Based on the graphs, there is a strong indication that inflation rates rose during periods of higher oil prices. Blinder & Rudd (2008) discuss that the 1970s and 1980s experienced two periods of double-digit inflation rates, which were attributed to oil prices. Blinder & Rudd (2008) mostly relied on trend lines to elaborate that the movement in oil shocks is similar to that derived from inflation rates. As it can be seen in Figure 3, inflation follows a similar trend to changes in oil prices. The periods with the highest inflation rate in the four decades include the 1973-1974 period and 1978-1980 period (Blinder & Rudd, 2008). During the 1973-1974 period, inflation rate varied between 11.04% and 9.13%. During the 1978-1980 period, it varied between 7.65% and 13.51% (World Bank, 2015, see Appendix A for tables). There is a strong indication that inflation rates are influenced by changes in oil prices. Inflation has never been higher than it was during the two periods over the forty-year period. Blinder & Rudd (2008) link the high inflation rates in the early 1970s to the increase in food prices, oil prices, and the removal of price controls during Nixon’s administration. While higher food prices were linked to the shortage in food supply, it is visible that food prices are also affected by oil prices in the current oil supply shocks. Energy prices were the main source of inflation in the late 1970s (Blinder & Rudd, 2008). Cashell & Labonte (2008) explain that energy prices may affect the prices of other products because it is a key input in the production of many other products. Low inflation rate targets and low unemployment rates may be a challenging combination for policy makers (Nelson, 2004). The 1970s’ economic condition was known as stagflation. It is a term used to describe rising inflation rates and high unemployment rates occurring at the same time. Cashell & Labonte (2008) explain that the belief that policy makers had on Phillips curve made them experience a dilemma in dealing with rising inflation levels in the 1970s. The Phillips curve predicts that inflation will rise and unemployment will fall in an inverse relationship. An expansionary monetary policy increases demand, but it also stimulates inflation. The economy needs growth in demand to drive investment and economic growth. Nelson (2004) discusses that monetary policy was not viewed as an appropriate instrument to restore stability during the 1970s cost-push inflation. Cashell & Labonte (2008) suggest that stagflation should not raise a lot of concern because the economy will return to its natural level of full employment, despite supply shocks. The periods of high oil prices are also known to be the periods with the highest levels of inflation. However, in the last decade, the inflation rates appear not to respond with the same magnitude as the changes in oil prices. It may be an indication of an effective application of monetary and fiscal policies. In 2008, oil prices changed because of a decline in demand derived from the global recession. The increase in oil prices, after 2008, can be seen as a retraction of the lost upward trend. It may explain the reason for less volatility in inflation rates. In the last decade, there has been a decline in oil-intensity in energy production in the U.S. Figure 3 Data sources: BP (2015), EIA (2015a), and World Bank (2015) Figure 3 elaborates that the changes in the selected macroeconomic indicators do not match the volatility of oil price changes in magnitude. Nominal lending rates and inflation rates were more volatile to changes in the 1970s and 1980s than they have become in the last decade. The figure elaborates that real GDP growth rate reduced each time there was an increase in oil prices. It is only in 2008 that real GDP growth rate fell, despite a fall in oil prices. The growth rate of final consumption also declined in a similar manner. In the 1970s, it was expected that the reduction in employment levels would reduce the demand for oil. Reduction in demand would reduce the level of inflation (Blinder & Rudd, 2008). Different views held that the rising oil prices only accounted for about a third of the inflation experienced in the U.S. (Blinder & Rudd, 2008). Figure 3, shown above, may contribute to the argument because there is a big difference between the size of the percentage change in oil prices and the percentage change in key macroeconomic indicators. The main reason for the low impact in the U.S. is that local production cushioned against the effect of oil supply shocks. The price of oil increased four times in the global markets, but the refiners’ acquisition cost increased by about 100% in the U.S. (Blinder & Rudd, 2008). In the future, as the economy turns to renewable energy alternatives, the effect of oil shocks may be reduced further. Some authors blamed the government for the delay in using monetary policy to reduce demand for oil (Nelson, 2004). Blinder & Rudd (2008) discuss that the government should not be blamed because the inflationary pressures did not originate from its monetary policy. Historical data also shows that the supply of money almost declined during the period (Nelson, 2004). Cashell & Labonte (2008) discuss a research carried out by Bernanke and other authors that indicates that policy responses may make the effects of oil shocks to have a larger impact on prices. The change in oil prices has a small impact on overall price levels when there is no intervention. The government is expected to overlook the effect of oil shocks when proposing policies. In response to Bernanke’s findings, some authors propose that it is unreasonable to withdraw economic policy when the economy is experiencing higher inflation levels (Cashell & Labonte, 2008). Bernanke and his colleagues separated the effects of oil shocks on the economy using a simulated model. Opponents suggest that it is problematic to separate the effects of oil shocks from the effects of monetary policy in reality. It requires the government to respond, even when oil prices fall. One of the limitations of using a contractionary monetary policy to contain inflation is that reducing the U.S. demand will not affect the demand of other countries. However, the U.S. contributes a lot to global demand, reducing its demand would have an impact on reducing global demand. Another weakness of monetary policy is that there is a lag between application and effects, which may take time before they affect aggregate demand (Cashell & Labonte, 2008). The 1978-1980 oil supply shocks lasted a shorter period. Using monetary policy, in trying to stabilize the economy, would have effects occurring in a period they are not needed. It is more appealing to allow the short-term market shocks to be restored through the market mechanism, back to the equilibrium price. Oil prices have an impact on inflation when they are changing. Once they have adjusted and are stable, Cashell & Labonte (2008) explain that it should not be of concern to policy makers. Higher oil prices have no effect on inflation, provided they are stable. Market forces will take the economy back to the natural rate of employment. The only challenge is that there are different levels of the natural rate of employment in different periods and countries. The Current Oil Prices Causes There are a number of periods in which oil prices have fallen since the 1970s. Oil prices fell in 1985, 1990, 1998, 2001, and 2008 (Baffes et al., 2015). In 2008, the fall in oil prices was associated with the fall in demand as the world economy sank into recession (McCafferty, 2015). In 1997-98, it was caused by the Asian economic crisis (Baffes et al., 2015). In all the oil shocks, the market was affected by either the supply of oil or its demand. The current sharp decline in oil prices is caused by increased supply. The other causes act through their effect on demand and supply. In the historical periods, one of the causes of the fall in oil prices has been an increase in production. In 2014, the fall in oil prices responded to a similar cause. Prior to the fall in prices, there was an increase in oil supply, followed by an accumulation of oil reserves. There has been an increase in production in the U.S. as shown in Figure 2. There has been an increase in oil supply since 2010 (McCafferty, 2015). In the global market, disruptions in supply only occurred in 2013 through the political instability in Libya and Iraq. The difference between the falling prices in 2014-2015 and other periods is that the supply has not been cut by OPEC as it has been happening in similar situations. Saudi Arabia used to play a crucial role of reducing supply, which allows prices to stabilize. In the recent period, Saudi Arabia intends to push back firms that supply oil from high production cost rigs into cutting their supply. Baffes et al. (2015) discusses the point as a change in OPEC objectives. They have shifted from using oil prices to keep their market share to keeping their current production levels and relying on their competitiveness. Saudi Arabia holds the advantage of producing oil using one of the lowest costs in the global market. In the U.S., some drilling firms have postponed production in high production cost rigs (McCafferty, 2015). The current increase in oil supply may last a longer period than previous oil shocks because of the presence of new producing countries that want to capture a larger market share. Another reason is that the non-OPEC producers account for 58% of the global oil production, which may reduce the influence of OPEC. Baffes et al. (2015) predict that the lower oil prices will stabilize before the end of 2016. The high prices that followed the 2008 recession were one of the drivers of an increase in investment in oil production. McCafferty (2015) explains that the high oil prices made high production cost oil rigs to become economically viable. An increase in oil rigs caused the supply of oil to increase. The introduction of new technology in the U.S. for the extraction of oil and gas also increased supply in the U.S. In the 1980s, the venture into deep sea drilling and harsh climate environments caused an increase in supply in a similar manner (McCafferty, 2015). The U.S. shale oil production has been able to increase global production levels by about 1% annually since 2011. The demand for oil declined in the global market fell by about 0.8 million barrels per day while the U.S. oil supply increased by 0.9 million barrels per day (Baffes et al., 2015). It has resulted in increased supply and reduced demand. The appreciation of the U.S. dollar against major currencies is cited as one of the contributing factors to falling oil prices. Baffes et al. (2015) explain that simulations indicate that a 10% appreciation in the USD will cut oil prices by between 3% and 10%. The impact of an appreciating USD is felt through a loss in purchasing power from countries that use the dollar to engage in international trade. Baffes et al. (2015) discuss that there was about a 10% appreciation of the USD in the last half of 2014, which may contribute to falling oil prices. A stronger dollar reduces the demand for oil in the global market through the loss of purchasing power. Effects The downward trend in oil prices may increase global economic growth in the next two years. According to the IMF, the recent fall in oil prices may result in the world economy growing by about 3.5% in 2015 and 3.7% in 2016 (McCafferty, 2015). Baffes et al. (2015) discuss that models have been used to estimate that a 30% decrease in oil prices will result in about 0.4% to 0.9% decline in global inflation. Oil prices affect the economy through three channels, which include input costs, changes in real income, and the response of policy makers (Baffes et al., 2015). These channels directly and indirectly affect other economic indicators. In the UK, lower oil prices have been associated with a fall of inflation below targeted levels. In 2015, the inflation rate was 0.5% in January and 0.3% in February (McCafferty, 2015). Cheaper oil increases the purchasing power of workers through real wages. As the prices of other products fall, workers will be able to purchase more commodities using the same level of nominal income (McCafferty, 2015). It may increase aggregate demand, which will stimulate increased production. There are also negative effects of higher real wages. Blinder & Rudd (2008) discuss that higher real wages relative to productivity will put pressure on wage rates and reduce employment demand. In the medium-term, high real wages will increase unemployment. In recent years, wages are considered to have absorbed most of the prices changes derived from oil shocks than it was in 1970s (Blinder & Rudd, 2008). McCafferty (2015) supports the notion that lower oil prices does not translate into higher capital accumulation and higher productivity. Other factors have to be used to increase income levels. According to McCafferty (2015), there is a lack of a model that elaborates how to set interest rates in response to sharply falling oil prices. The lack of a clear level of interest rates may cause policy makers to avoid using interest rates in response to the current fall in oil prices. An inappropriate level of response may have adverse long-term effects on the economy. The study by Bernanke and co-authors gives a finding almost similar to the simulation by the Bank of England, which suggests that lower oil prices have a very small impact on the level of GDP (McCafferty, 2015). Bernanke and co-authors estimated that GDP would rise by 1.3% and inflation by 0.13% when oil prices rose by 10%, if there was no intervention from monetary policies (Cashell & Labonte, 2008). The Bank of England estimated that a 10-percent fall in oil prices would increase the GDP by 0.1% in two years (McCafferty, 2015). These studies tend to indicate that the effect on oil prices on the GDP is minimal without the interference of government policies. Cashell & Labonte (2008), as well as Blinder & Rudd (2008), highlight the notion that the government’s effort in trying to control inflation from oil prices has been the source of recessions in the past. Previously, Figure 3 has shown that the effect of oil prices fluctuations on economic indicators was small and is becoming smaller. It shows that government intervention should be minimal in response to oil shocks. One of the reasons that the U.S. has become less sensitive to oil shocks is that the economy has become less oil-intensive than it was in the 1970s (Blinder & Rudd, 2008). The U.S. has also reduced its reliance on imported oil through the years. Figure 4, shown below, shows that the reliance on oil for energy production has reduced as a percentage of energy needs. Figure 4 Source of data: World Bank (2015) A less percentage of the U.S.’s energy consumption is derived from oil. Baffes et al. (2015) discuss that the impact of falling oil prices may have an impact of varying magnitude on different countries depending on the intensity of oil consumption in a country. In Asian countries, the fall in oil prices is weakening their currencies and causing an increase in capital outflows (Baffes et al., 2015). It is one of the ways oil shocks may affect financial markets. Policy in response The effect of the oil shocks has grown weaker in the last decade. According to Baffes et al. (2015), the effect of oil prices may end in 2016. Central banks do not need to respond to the fall in oil prices through a monetary policy because the phenomenon will be short-lived. However, in the European countries, the rate of inflation was maintained at low levels, an expansionary monetary policy may be needed to maintain inflation closer to the targeted levels. Disinflation may not be preferred. In countries such as Egypt, the lower oil prices provide countries, which usually support oil consumption through subsidies, to withdraw subsidies if it is part of their long-term goals (Baffes et al., 2015). In response to lower oil prices, the U.S. does not need to respond with a cut in the government expenditure. Methodology Explanation of theoretical model The paper starts with an examination of the literature review of the causes and effects of oil shocks to the economy. There was examination of policies in response to changes in oil prices. In line with existing literature, the paper has used graphs for analysis. The graphs were developed from historical data, which covers four decades on economic indicators. Percentages are used for most indicators because they allow a better comparison of effects than the use of absolute values. Spearman’s rank correlation has been applied in trying to find out whether there is a strong association between oil prices and other macroeconomic indicators. One of the reasons for applying the rank correlation is that the curves are non-linear. There is the presence of outliers. Rank correlation has been used by Blinder & Rudd (2008) to analyze the effects of oil shocks to the U.S. economy. Pearson product moment correlation has been used by Baffes et al. (2015) in describing the association between changes in oil prices and macroeconomic indicators. In this paper, the product moment correlation has been used to compare results from the rank correlation. Correlation is preferred because it is difficult to separate the effects of oil shocks from the effects of government policy. Baffes et al. (2015) analyze trends in oil prices using correlation and finds out that only the core inflation rate may have a negative correlation with oil prices. Inflation derived from the CPI should have a positive correlation with changes in oil prices. In line with the literature review, changes in oil prices should be used instead of oil prices to assess their impact on the economy. The results show that using absolute values in oil prices results in findings that are contradictory to existing literature. Statistical analysis In the results, the Spearman’s rank correlation indicates that there is a weak positive correlation between inflation and changes in oil prices over the forty-year period. However, the Pearson product moment correlation indicates that there is a strong relationship between changes in oil prices and the inflation rate. The results conform with existing studies that inflation responds to changes in oil prices rather than higher oil prices. Cashell & Labonte (2008) and Baffes et al. (2015) suggest that once prices have stabilized, high oil prices have no impact on inflation. Table 1 There are a few reasons for contradictory results when absolute prices are used. The reason for negative correlation is evident from the fact that the forty-year period is a long period, the highest inflation rates are in the 1970s and the highest oil prices appear after 2009. It causes the rank correlation to be negative. Another reason for the negative correlation is the nominal oil prices. Result would be different if oil prices were chained to a base year. There is an accumulative inflation rate that makes oil prices in recent years higher than in the 1970s. The result leads to the acceptance of the null hypothesis (H 0 ) that there is no strong association between changes in oil prices and selected macroeconomic indicators. However, inflation rates show a strong positive correlation with changes in oil prices under the Pearson product moment correlation. There is a weak negative correlation between changes in oil prices and real GDP growth rate, final consumption, and real interest rates. Changes in oil prices have a weak positive correlation with nominal lending rates. Data collection Data used in the paper was collected from government agencies’ databases and corporate databases. The World Bank (2015) database provided a large group of data, in Excel format, from which data on real GDP growth rate, nominal lending rates, real interest rates, inflation rates, and annual growth rate of final consumption was obtained. The EIA (2015a) provided data on the first purchase price of crude oil from 1970 to 2014. The EIA (2015b) and EIA (2015c) provided data on consumption and production of oil from 1980 to 2013. The BP (2015) database filled the gap by providing data for oil production and consumption from 1970 to 1979. There was a negligible difference between data provided by EIA and BP databases on oil production and consumption. The BP database worksheet also included data on oil prices, though it was not used in the analysis. Preference was given to the EIA historical data on oil prices. BEA (2015) provided data on the level of GDP. Conclusion Summary of the results There is a weak relationship between changes in oil prices and key economic indicators. The weak correlation may be explained by the reduced impact of oil shocks in the last decade. In 2008 recession, changes in oil prices and changes in key economic indicators moved in a different direction than it was expected. The effect is also reduced by the fact that the government has implemented policies that keep the nominal interest rates at a fixed lower level. It has also used an expansionary monetary policy that may overshadow the effects of increasing oil prices since 2009. Existing theories indicate that only about a third of the effect of changing oil prices may be reflected on the macroeconomic indicators. One of the limitations of the study is that it is difficult to separate the effects of changing oil prices from the effect of government policy using historical data. They are applied simultaneously and the effects are spread across different macroeconomic indicators, which have a second-wave of effects. As a matter of fact, the correlation results only measure the extent to which macroeconomic indicators have a similar trend to changes in oil prices. Inflation rate is the macroeconomic indicator that appears to be greatly influenced by changes in oil prices. Recommendations 1. Policy makers do not need to respond to current changes in oil prices. One of the reasons is that the falling oil prices are expected to stabilize by the end of 2016. It makes the oil shock to be considered a short-term phenomenon. Monetary policy has time lags between application and effect, which may cause an unwanted effect in the long run. The literature review indicates that government policies may intensify the effect of an oil shock. 2. It is an opportunity to implement fiscal policies that cut expenditure on oil subsidies in countries that relied on them. The contraction of fiscal policy should only be used when it is regarded as a long-term objective. 3. The fall in oil prices may be followed by an increase in unemployment when there are higher real wages relative to productivity (Blinder & Rudd, 2008). It may cause a decline in the demand for labor. The government can ease its monetary policy by a small margin to contain rising real wages. It should be done in a timely manner to prevent the lagging effects. References Baffes, J., Kose, A., Ohnsorge, F., Stocker, M., Chen, D., Cosic, D., Gong, X., Huidrom, R., Vashakmadze, E., Zhang, J., & Zhao, T. (2015). Understanding the plunge in oil prices: Sources and implications. Global Economic Prospects . Web. BEA. (2015). National data: gross domestic product . Web. Blinder, A., & Rudd, J. (2008). The supply shock explanation of the great stagflation revisited . Web. BP. (2015). BP statistical review of world energy June 2013 . Web. Cashell, B., & Labonte, M. (2008). Understanding stagflation and the risk of its recurrence . Web. EIA. (2015a). Petroleum and other liquids: U.S. crude oil first purchase price (dollars per barrel) . Web. EIA. (2015b). Total petroleum consumption . Web. EIA. (2015c). Total petroleum consumption . Web. McCafferty, I. (2015). Oil price falls – what consequences for monetary policy? Web. Nelson, E. (2004). The great inflation of the seventies: What really happened? Web. World Bank. (2015). United States: World development indicators . Web.

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Provide the inputted essay that when summarized resulted in the following summary : Bettelheim's view on fairy-tales is that they are important for children's development. He argues that fairy-tales help to improve children's cognitive development and teach them important skills about life.

Bettelheim's view on fairy-tales is that they are important for children's development. He argues that fairy-tales help to improve children's cognitive development and teach them important skills about life.

Bettelheim’s Views on Fairy-Tales Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. How Fairy-Tales Guide Children’s Development 3. Credibility of Bettelheim’s Arguments 4. Conclusion Introduction Bettelheim argues that fairy-tales offer important lessons for children’s development. In the book, The Uses of Enchantment: the Meaning and Importance of Fairy-Tales, he argues that fairy-tales help to improve children’s cognitive development. Although some people disagree with this fact, this paper supports his arguments by showing how fairy-tales guide children’s development. Furthermore, after considering my personal experiences, I find that his arguments are convincing because fairy-tales help to deconstruct life and teach children important skills about it. How Fairy-Tales Guide Children’s Development Bettelheim says fairy-tales are useful in inculcating important values among children. For example, he says they teach children how to handle problems because, unlike many modern stories, fairy-tales introduce them to evil as an omnipresent feature of life. This is why many fairy-tale writers talk about an “evil character” from the start to the end of their narratives. For example, “snow white” has an evil character – the cunning queen. The same is true for fairy-tale stories that have powerful witches and mighty dragons, which symbolize evil. Similar to Hollywood movies and other modern films, these evil characters temporarily prevail over the hero in the story. For example, in “Cinderella,” the evil sisters temporarily prevailed over the protagonist, but, eventually, Cinderella “won” by marrying a handsome prince. Since these villains do not receive any punishment at the end of fairy-tale stories, the narratives have a moral appeal to children, as opposed to a legal or criminal value (as would be the case in crime drama series and similar stories). Similar to real-life, fairy-tales show that punishment is only a temporary deterrent to crime and evil. This is why at the end of fairy-tale stories, the villain always loses. Although virtue appears to supersede evil in most fairy-tale narratives, the stories aim to make children like the heroes. The writers package the personalities of these heroes into traits that improve the children’s personality development. For example, in many fairy-tale stories, the heroes are persistent, honest, and humble (desirable qualities for children to learn). By associating the audience with these heroes, the children can share the successes and failures of the protagonists (children often associate with the heroes almost automatically because writers appeal to their innocence). Such skills are useful to children because they learn life skills for navigating through life. Particularly, this is true because fairy-tales help children to connect with their lives, dreams, and anxieties, through the fictitious characters in fairy-tales. This way, they expand their imagination through fantasy. This process helps children to appreciate the value of positive thinking, which is vital in their adult years. Through such lessons, children learn how to handle problems. Fairy-tales are effective tools for imparting such values to their audience because writers design the stories simplistically for children to understand. They do so by explaining complex life issues, briefly and pointedly. For example, writers rarely mix the personality traits of the villains and the heroes (a person is either good or bad). Therefore, there is little contradiction about how the audience should perceive a character. For example, in “Cinderella,” the sisters are evil, while the protagonist is good. In “Beauty and the Beast,” the man is ugly, while the woman is beautiful (complete opposites). Using character polarity helps the children to understand people’s differences. In real-life, this analysis is false because people could have different characters that neither identifies them as good or bad people. However, exposing the children to this reality may confuse them. Therefore, using character polarity (this way) helps children to understand the main issues about a narrative. In fact, if writers explained fairy-tale stories using complex narratives, they would confuse the children. Therefore, their simple plots help to explain complex life issues. Lastly, fairy-tales also eliminate unnecessary information in their narratives to help children to learn important life lessons. Comprehensively, such stories help children to understand real-world issues in ways that (only) they can understand. This way, they could live a more satisfying, truthful, honest, and independent life. Credibility of Bettelheim’s Arguments I agree with Bettelheim’s arguments about fairy-tales because of their emotional and symbolic importance to children’s growth. Explaining complex life issues through simple stories help children to grapple with everyday issues by inculcating important values in their personalities. Indeed, life is too complicated for children to understand, if writers included its complexity in the stories. Therefore, fairy-tales help to simplify important lessons that would be useful to a child’s life. Particularly, it helps them to understand important virtues, such as honesty and patience (among others). Furthermore, it helps them to prepare for “adult” problems. For example, the fairy-tale, “Hansel and Gretel” helps children to prepare for isolation. This way, they would be better equipped to manage anxiety disorders and other problems that may affect them in their older years. “Snow White” also teaches the same lesson because it helps children to understand the natural order of transferring attachment. Similarly, it teaches them about loyalty and its benefits to human relations. The author of “Snow White” teaches these values by highlighting the plight of a girl who ran away from her evil stepmother and lives with a group of strangers. Like “Snow White,” “Hansel and Gretel” also teaches about the dangers of greed. This way, children learn important virtues that would help them to become responsible citizens. Fairy-tales have taught me important virtues about human behavior. For example, I have come to learn how to act appropriately when I am around other people (mostly when I am around people who do not like me). I learned this virtue from “Cinderella” because she learned the same behavior when people around her treated her unfairly. Despite the harsh treatment, she was kind and thoughtful (virtues that later paid off when she met the fairy and the handsome prince). Fairy-tale stories have also taught me how to appreciate my self-worth. When I was a child, I looked like a boy. I had short hair and never wore skirts. My peers never thought I looked pretty and neither did I. However, one day, my grandmother told me the story of “The Ugly Duckling.” The story taught me that despite what people thought of me, I was still valuable and beautiful. I have used this principle throughout my life. Conclusion People always strive to find meaning in life. Advanced cognitive skills adults help adults to easily comprehend its meaning, but children cannot. Therefore, children need to understand life through fairy-tales. Such narratives highlight human flaws and make children aware of them. Consequently, they develop important life skills, through their curiosity and imagination. For example, this paper shows that character polarity stresses the difference between right and wrong and helps children to understand the differences between the two extremes. Based on these arguments, Bettelheim is convincing. Therefore, fairy-tales are important tools for children’s cognitive development because they help to deconstruct life and highlight useful life lessons (in ways that they can understand). Overall, through the lessons I learned from fairy-tales (coupled with Bettelheim’s credibility), the stories are essential tools for children’s cognitive development.

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Write the original essay that provided the following summary when summarized: A fall in oil prices can be either a big tax cut or a contributor to potential deflation in the UK.A fall in oil prices can be either a big tax cut or a contributor to potential deflation in the UK.

A fall in oil prices can be either a big tax cut or a contributor to potential deflation in the UK. A fall in oil prices can be either a big tax cut or a contributor to potential deflation in the UK.

Fall in Oil Prices in the mid 2014 Report Introduction There has been a dramatic fall in oil prices across the world in the recent past beginning in mid-2014. The decline in oil prices will have impacts on the economies of the world. One of the economies that have already begun experiencing economic effects of the declining oil prices is the United Kingdom (UK). The fall in oil prices has been described as either a big tax cut or a contributor to potential deflation in the UK. However, these two arguments are subjective since they will vary in terms of consistency and industry. It is expected that the drop in oil prices will boost employment and investment and hence raise revenues in the UK. It is also projected that the drop in oil charges will negatively affect the oil and gas extraction industry. However, the cost of the input will fall to counter the negative effects. Oil-consuming industries such as the transport sector will also benefit since people will relocate their capital, especially from less oil-dependent sectors. Household income will also increase with a decline in oil prices. The overall outcome will be a rise in consumer spending. Household income will go up due to two major factors that are pegged to oil prices. First, prices of consumer goods will fall with the falling oil prices in the UK. However, the reduced prices of goods and services will result in devaluation of the UK economy. Inflation rates will also decrease to the extent of forcing the UK banks to reconsider their lending rates (Bloomberg 2015). Secondly, the real wages will also rise with the falling oil prices. In fact, Lincoln (2015) addresses the issue of inflation in the UK. In fact, the Bank of England tabled a written document to a British government official demanding answers concerning the witnessed deviations (Lincoln (2015). This outcome will be attributable to the fact that a fall in oil prices will result in a fast growth of various sectors of the economy. As a result, these sectors will highly require labour. Competition for the available labour will result in an increase in wages. This paper seeks to explore the assumption that a fall in oil prices is either a big tax cut or a contributor to potential deflation in the UK. Oil Decline and its Impacts Inflation The argument that a decline in oil prices has resulted in tax cut in the UK is a misplaced projection. On the contrary, a fall in world oil prices has resulted in increased revenue and tax collection by the government of the UK. Since a fall in oil prices increases economic activities in the UK, the amount of government tax revenue has also been on the rise. The amount of tax to be collected from personal income by the government has also increased with the increased employment and spendable income. Moreover, tax collection from the corporate sector also increases with a fall in oil prices since many companies intensify their manufacturing activities with reduced cost of production. The trade deficit has been narrowly affected by the fall in oil prices. A low cost of oil prices translates to a decline in the cost of production, especially for oil-intensive industries. If the prices of oil continue to fall or fall permanently, the cost of production in industries that depend on energy is expected to be low. The low cost of manufacturing will then be transferred to the clientele of the manufactured products, thereby reducing the rates of inflation directly. However, a rise in the real GDP and collective demand is likely to make the charges of merchandise go up. In his view, Barwell (2007) says that this effect will be offset by the saved purchasing cost, thereby resulting in low consumer prices. Therefore, the low oil prices are good news for the UK consumers and the government. Consumers are expected to continue benefiting from the cheaper prices of goods and services. They have increased their spendable income following the cost-saving mechanisms that have come with the decline in oil charges. On the other hand, the government has collected more tax from the increased number of employed people and from the increased amount of goods that citizens have been able to purchase. As Rafiq (2014) asserts, the balance between GDP and the reduced cost of goods and services will result in reduced inflation. Household Spending Consumers in the UK market will benefit from the reduced oil prices. Household spending increases with the available cost-saving strategies that result from the reduced oil prices (Misati, Nyamongo & Mwangi 2013). Since most of the industries depend on energy for production, a reduction in energy prices in the UK has translated to the witnessed low cost of production. As a result, the industries have reduced the cost of their goods and services to the advantage of the UK consumers. Real house spending has also increased with the reduced oil prices. Since low oil prices increase the activities of most of the industries, labour demand has also increased to the extent of raising the wage levels in the UK economy. Increased wages have augmented the spending power since money is available in the hands of the UK people. However, according to Misati, Nyamongo and Mwangi (2013), if the demand for goods and services continues to increase, there is a possibility that goods will run out of stock and consequently result in high prices. This claim implies that the projected devaluation in the UK economy is unlikely to happen due to this balancing effect. It is important to consider the likely direct effect of reduced oil prices on spendable income that has to be witnessed, regardless of whether the changes in price are temporary or permanent. Government Revenue Barwell (2007) confirms how the UK government collects revenue from the process of oil exploration, production, and distribution. Such taxes are classified as petroleum revenue tax, supplementary tax, and corporation tax. Trends in revenue collection by the UK government have followed the situation in the oil industry over the years. However, this condition may not hold in the near future. For example, there has been a decoupling relationship between the prices of oil and the amount of collected revenue since other factors in the economy may offset the expected decline in revenue because of the reduced oil prices. In the UK oil industry, revenue collection declined by 45% in the 2012-2013 fiscal year and 25% in the 2013-2014 fiscal year. This state of affairs was attributed to the low levels of oil production and the increased expenditure. However, as Rafiq (2014) reveals, low revenue collection from the oil industry may not necessarily mean low proceeds to the economy. On the contrary, a reduction in oil prices across the world has a positive impact on government tax revenue in the UK. It is true that the total amount of tax revenue that the government of UK collects from the oil industry will decline with reduced oil prices in the world market. However, it is clear that the avenues that low prices of oil are likely to open will increase tax revenue with a higher mark compared to the amount that is currently gathered from the oil industry. The implication is that the balance of revenue tax that could have been collected from the oil industry will be easily offset by the contribution from other sectors (Misati, Nyamongo & Mwangi 2013). Such contribution will include employee taxable income, tax levies from the expanded industrial avenues, and the increased tax collection from consumer goods whose demand will have gone up following the available high spendable income. The UK Trade Deficit A balance of import and exports is crucial to the UK economy. MacCoille (2008) confirms how both domestic spending and exports are great contributors to the economic growth of a particular country. Although the UK is a big importer of oil and oil products, a decline in the world oil prices may have a small effect on its economy. However, a decline in oil prices results in the expansion of the UK’s domestic industries that in turn lift people’s spending power (Guidi 2010). This outcome is expected to narrow the UK’s trade deficit. It is also likely that the decrease in oil prices will result in an increase in exports as the UK economy continues to expand. The low cost of production in the UK’s oil-intensive industries implies a higher rate of production and hence more goods and services for the export market. However, this economic situation is likely to be balanced by the increased spendable wages. Since low prices of oil will result in discounted goods in the UK, the long-term effect will be an increase in spendable income and hence wealth creation. Empowerment of the local citizenry means that most of the goods that are produced locally have to be consumed locally since people have the money to spend in purchasing the products. When the UK domestic spending rises, there is a likelihood of wealth creation within the country. Industries will expand their production since the cost will continue to be low while people will continue to save and purchase more with the available spendable income. In the end, exports will significantly go down. MacCoille (2008) confirms how a decline in exports implies reduced export taxes. Since the available income is anticipated to be high, part of the spending will be focused on buying more imports. The implication is that tax collection from imports will also increase. Guidi (2010) asserts that the quickly expanding economy that will result from the low cost of production will also lead to the growth of the overall UK economy. The intensification of the economy will translate into increased demand for imports such as machinery, labour, and raw materials. As a result, the economy of the UK will experience a narrowing of trade deficit with the decline in world oil prices. Conclusion A decline in the world oil prices will result in increased tax collection and devaluation of the UK economy. The overall impact of the falling oil prices will be positive economic growth in the UK. Industries and economic activities will expand. The cost of industrial production will decrease, thus allowing quick expansion and increased production of goods by industries that are currently highly reliant on oil. However, low prices of oil in the world market will affect the UK’s oil industry negatively, thereby contributing to low tax revenue to the economy. This discussion finds that low tax revenue from the oil industry will not affect the overall revenue collection by the UK government. On the contrary, various industries will expand with the decline in oil prices. Low cost of production, for example, in the agriculture industry, transport, and manufacturing industries will be witnessed. These industries will increase their tax remittance to the government. Moreover, the industries will raise employment in the countries. Consequently, many employees will also pay taxes to the government. Consumers will also have a spendable income, meaning that they will purchase more products and save money through the reduced prices of goods. Hence, the low cost of production in industries because of the reduced oil charges will end up at the consumer doors since the prices of goods and services will go down. Therefore, this discussion confirms that devaluation of goods and services will not necessarily imply a tax cut since a tax decline in the UK’s oil extraction, production, and transport industry will be offset by other sectors that will grow rapidly, thanks to the reduced oil prices. References Barwell, R 2007, ‘The macroeconomic impact of higher energy prices on the UK economy’, Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin , vol. 47 no. 4, pp. 522-532. Bloomberg 2015, UK Annual Inflation Rate Falls Below Zero . Web. Guidi, F 2010, ‘The Economic Effects of Oil Prices Shocks on the UK Manufacturing and Services Sectors’, IUP Journal of Applied Economics , vol. 9 no. 4, pp. 5-34. Lincoln, H 2015, British Monetary Policy: Wrong Target . Web. MacCoille, C 2008, ‘The impact of low-cost economies on UK import prices’, Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin , vol. 48 no. 1, pp. 58-65. Misati, N, Nyamongo, M & Mwangi, I 2013, ‘Commodity price shocks and inflation in a net oil-importing economy’, OPEC Energy Review , vol. 37 no. 2, pp. 125-148. Rafiq, S 2014, ‘What Do Energy Prices Tell Us About UK Inflation?’, Economica, vol. 81 no. 322, pp. 293-310.

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Write an essay about: The text discusses the feasibility study on children's entertainment centre report, which includes brand analysis and choice, market analysis and segmentation, operating model, and performance measures.

The text discusses the feasibility study on children's entertainment centre report, which includes brand analysis and choice, market analysis and segmentation, operating model, and performance measures.

Feasibility Study on Children’s Entertainment Centre Report Background Information As a leading commercial hub, Dubai is bulging with vast world-class business opportunities that have enabled it to become a major business attraction for both established and upcoming entrepreneurs in the world. As a matter of fact, the UAE business centre provides vast business opportunities to both local and foreign investors planning to invest in the UAE region (Marchal 2005). As a result of its strong economical platform, the centre enjoys all the advantages that come with highly developed economies around the world. The centre is also known for its well ordered business climate that offers entrepreneurs attractive environments to conduct their businesses. Among other key developments, Dubai enjoys a sophisticated financial sector, modern telecommunications, first class hospitality facilities, highly developed transport and communication infrastructure, and reliable power utilities (Michael et al. 2011). All these opportunities have continued to play a significant role in facilitating quality and efficiency business activities in the UAE region, thus making Dubai a pro-business environment. Based on these reasons, Dubai has emerged as a key business attraction for many investors planning to do business in the Middle East. For the purpose of exposing the vast business opportunities that can be found in Dubai, this paper provides a business strategy guide for an organization that plans to establish a shopping mall in the region. In this regard, I have been hired together with other four people to serve as strategic consultants for the company in its investment plan. Each one of us is expected to handle a specific component of the feasibility study and I am responsible for the kids’ entertainment zone that will feature a Franchise Lego. This paper will address four key elements of feasibility study in regard with my choice of brand. The four elements are brand analysis and choice, market analysis and segmentation, operating model, and performance measures. Brand Analysis and Choice As it would be observed, entertainment zones for both adults and children in malls are emerging as hotspots for many people across the world today (Keivani, Parsa & Younis 2003). These zones provide all sorts of entertainment to different categories of people visiting the malls for various reasons. There is no doubt that children entertainment zones feed off the traffic in the shopping malls and vice versa, thus serving as key attraction for different types of consumers visiting the malls (El-Adly 2007). In this regard, indoor entertainment and gaming for young children act as crowd pullers for other businesses in the malls. This clearly explains the reason why most mall developers have turned to entertainment zones currently. The idea of building malls with entertainment zones for young children has been taking place in many developed countries across the world, and Dubai has now embraced the trend in its development plans (Rashid 2007). The business centre in the UAE has been placing considerable focus on indoor entertainment zones as a core requirement that should be integrated in their state-of-the-art architectural designs and plans (Rehman 2008). As a matter of fact, mall developers in the region will rarely erect a modern business premise without including a one-stop entertainment and recreation zone for children. The brand chosen for this assignment is a Kid’s entertainment zone that will form part of the new shopping mall. As a leading business hub in the world, Dubai offers a wide range of entertainment for all categories of people in the family, including children and toddlers (Hill & Jain 2007). Business investors in Dubai understand the many benefits associated with leisure for kids, thus ensuring there are as many modern children entertainment zones as possible to cater for the needs of the young ones in the society. As it would be observed, children in Dubai enjoy all kinds of indoor funfair from various places of interest in the region, with malls forming the largest part of the zones offering these services (Duane & Webb 2007). Apart from fun, these entertainment zones also provide excellent and unique children educational activities to the participants in a more engaging manner, thus helping them to master important lessons that will see them through the initial developmental stages of life. Entertainment and gaming for young children is gaining much popularity in Dubai nowadays, probably as a result of the many benefits associated with the trend. As a matter of fact, this popularity has attracted the interest of many entrepreneurs planning to invest in the region, who have been setting up entertainment zones in malls and other strategic points of the city (Ong 2011). The choice for the children entertainment centre is an indoor Franchise Lego land that would comprise of various kid activities. Here, toddlers will have access of all activities meant to amuse children of all ages. Among the main areas that will make up the centre is an indoor soft play area where activities such as amusement riding, biking, and driving can take place. There will also a bowling alley and a video game arcade that would feature both motion-gaming and console-gaming. The facility will also feature a Baby Gym nursery that will enable kids to enjoy maximum fitness from various play materials, a First Aid kid clinic to take care of minor injuries resulting from careless play, and a children’s bookstore from where the youngsters can practice reading. All these gaming activities will provide children with a unique and fascinating learning experience in a number of ways (Grodal 2000). For example, this will enable the kids establish their individual as well as social identities that are essential for perfect child development. Moreover, the activities will play a key role in enhancing the thought processes of the participants, thus stimulating their desire to experience and seek knowledge. Market Analysis and Segmentation We are living in a changing world, and it is therefore important for modern day investors to be familiar with all the aspects that would tend to influence the trends of consumers and competitors so as to maximize their business operations in the market. As it would be observed, the gaming and entertainment industry is at its top stage currently, and this provides great business opportunities for the investors in the field. Investment in the gaming and entertainment sector has become a norm for many developing and developed countries in the world, considering the vast economical benefits associated with the trend. As a leading international business centre, Dubai has been making substantial efforts to match other developed regions of the world in providing business opportunities to the people in the industry by promoting the idea of children entertainment centres in malls (Saxena 2011). Just like any other business, Franchise of children’s activity is fetching a lot of income for the investors taking place in the field within the UAE’s business centre. The trend of gaming and entertainment for kids is gripping in Dubai as a result of the centre’s outstanding status as a global business hub as well as a pro-business environment that welcomes all kind of commercial activities. Among other economic advantages, Dubai is at the centre of one of the richest regions of the world today (Darby, Jones & Al Madani 2003). In this regard, the region provides a unique value added platform for all types of businesses, including the ones specializing in gaming and entertainment for children. Dubai is a busy business hub characterized with all sorts of economic activities that can be found in a global business hub (Vogel 2010). This will have the meaning that most people in the region are ever busy in their areas of accountability and this makes it hard for them to find extra moments for their young ones. In this respect, children amusement zones in malls, high-street areas, and residential places serve as a convenient option for many parents in Dubai, who will opt to leave their young ones in the entertainment zones as they take care of other businesses. For instance, parents can leave their young ones under the care of the staff in children’s play areas in malls as they go off to conduct their shopping without worrying about them. This makes children entertainment centres in malls a better choice for many parents and guardians intending to stay free from the bother of their children as they attend to important business or personal missions in the malls. As a broadly diversified economy that attracts players from allover the world, Dubai has enhanced its attractiveness in many ways, with entertainment and gaming facilities topping the list of the City’s priorities when it comes to matters regarding leisure (Noack 2007). In this regard, the city provides a superior quality lifestyle with excellent entertainment and gaming opportunities for both children and adults. Most of these entertainment zones are situated in malls, where security for toddlers is guaranteed even when their parents or guardians are away. More importantly, some children entertainment zones in Dubai also act as party centres, thus serving as key attractions for parents wishing to give their young ones a special treat during special moments. Here, parents and guardians can celebrate their children’s special moments such as birthday or graduation ceremonies with party celebrations that are relevant to the occasion being marked. Everything appears to have taken a different course as far as the gaming and entertainment for toddlers is concerned. This transformation, however, has come as a result of the current innovations and technologies that have played a key role in making next generation gaming accessible to all people across the world. Being one of the most advanced regions in the world today, Dubai enjoys a wide range of user-friendly gaming and entertainment programs and activities that would appeal to children of all ages (Kaplan & Norton 2001). Most of these entertainment and gaming programs are tailored to fit the needs of a franchise model, thus making children entertainment more substantial. The nature of the gaming and entertainment programs is rapidly being modified using modern technologies to suit the playing needs of the current generation (Venaik, Midgley & Devinney 2005). Parents and guardians in Dubai are keeping with the times and are doing everything to ensure that their children enjoy the latest brands in the entertainment industry. In that case, the parents will tend to make frequent visits to children entertainment centres in malls to see if there are any latest arrivals that will amuse their children. This is a clear indication that there is a promising potential in this market segment in Dubai. Market segmentation is very important, since it helps to determine the success of a business within a particular region (Acuto 2010). In this regard, the company should conduct a thorough analysis of the market in order to come up with an informed identification of the existing market needs as far as this type of business is concerned. Even though it is impossible for the company to transfer the mall to a feasible location after it has being established, it will be easy for the management to establish effective marketing strategies that will enable the business to succeed. One way by which this objective can be attained is through effective market segmentation. Competitors are just allover in the region, and they will tend to impact the way the company performs. However, through a thorough market segmentation analysis, the company will manage to do things in a different manner, thus beating the obstacle of competitors in the market. On the same note, the company can go for those gaming programs and equipment that are not very common in the local market as a way of differentiating itself from the competitors. More importantly, the organization can make use of incentives such as discounts and bonuses to attract and retain more customers. Operating Model The model of operation for the business is very important for it will play a crucial role in determining the end goal. In most cases, children entertainment centres tend to operate within certain guidelines depending on a number of determinants that include things such as the age of the children being served and their playing needs, among other key aspects. Following is a plan of the operating model for the Franchise Lego land. Opening Time and Hours of Operation Like all other businesses in the mall, the gaming and entertainment centre should be opened in the mornings and operate through the normal hours of the day. However, this may change on the weekends and during public holidays to fit the requirements of the company or the people in charge of the entertainment business. Cost of Services As it is the case with most entertainment and gaming zones, charges in the Franchise Lego land should be variable depending on the type of gaming or entertainment services offered and the average amount of time spend per visit. Additional services offered on top of the normal gaming and entertainment services could also apply in determining the cost of services in the centre. Examples of additional services may include things such as recreational services, birthday parties, and special treatment for kids. Charges may also vary depending on the nature of the services offered. For example, supervised children engagement in the centre whereby the kids are accompanied by their parents or guardians will not cost the same as unsupervised engagements where a staff aligned to the centre is given the responsibility to take care of the children. Obviously, charges for the latter should be a bit higher compared to the ones in those scenarios where children play under the watch of their parents or guardians. More importantly, the children entertainment centre should operate on both peak and off-peak costs based on the days of operation. There is no doubt that the business will tend to attract varied numbers of customers on different times. For instance, while the number of children visiting the centre may remain constant during weekdays, it is likely to go up on weekends and during public holidays when most parents are free to take their children out for leisure. As it would be observed, the price of commodities and services in the market depends on a number of variables (Mellahi, Demirbag & Riddle 2011). For example, the price for both commodities and services are likely to rise when demand increases and fall when the demand falls. On the same note, the cost of charges for different gaming programs in the entertainment centre should be a bit higher on weekends and during public holidays when the number of visitors is high, compared to the weekdays when the number is down. Performance Measures The children entertainment centre should adopt various performance measures that would enable it survive in today’s competitive business environment. There is no doubt that every business in today’s business world is focused on utilizing all available resources to stay ahead of competitors in the market. While offering excellent services to customers is likely to offer a strong competitive advantage to the gaming and entertainment business, doing things in a different manner will steer the business to greater heights in the market. This objective can be attained through the provision of gaming concepts that appeal most to children during this era of modern technological advancements. More importantly, the provision of a wide array of customizable entertainment experiences that comprise of friendly and intuitive playing options will play a crucial role in enhancing the performance of the business (Voelpel, Leibold & Tekie 2004). Another way through which the business can operate differently and stabilize itself in the market is by offering its entertainment services for children at a lowered cost. This objective can be achieved by offering gaming services at a cost slightly lower than the ones provided by competitors in the market. There are various approaches that can be used to measure the performance of businesses to determine whether they are making a progress in the market (Kochan et al. 2003). For instance, the management of the children entertainment centre can apply the observation method to read the facial expressions of the customers and try to determine their perceptions about the services they have received. This approach can also be used to assess people’s satisfaction based on how frequent they visit the centre. The business can also supply customers and clients with survey templates which they can fill up and return to the company expressing their views about the services their children have received from the entertainment centre. Brief oral interviews can also be carried out randomly on parents to determine their views and suggestions on the services provided. All these interventions will play a significant role in helping the business achieve great success in the UAE business centre. Reference List Acuto, M 2010, ‘High-rise Dubai urban entrepreneurialism and the technology of symbolic power’, Cities , vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 272-284. Darby, R, Jones, J & Al Madani, G 2003, ‘E-commerce marketing: fad or fiction? Management competency in mastering emerging technology. An international case analysis in the UAE’, Logistics Information Management , vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 106-113. Duane, R & Webb, J 2007, ‘Strategic entrepreneurship: Creating competitive advantage through streams of innovation’, Business Horizons , vol. 50, no.1, pp. 49-59. El-Adly, M 2007, ‘Shopping malls attractiveness: a segmentation approach’, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management , vol. 35, no. 11, pp. 936-950. Grodal, T 2000, ‘Video games and the pleasures of control’, Media Entertainment: The Psychology of Its Appeal , vol. 35, no. 26, pp. 197-213. Hill, C & Jain, A 2007, International business: Competing in the global marketplace , McGraw-Hill/Irwin, New York, NY. Kaplan, R & Norton, D 2001, The strategy-focused organization: How balanced scorecard companies thrive in the new business environment , Harvard Business Press, Boston, USA. Keivani, R, Parsa, A & Younis, B 2003, ‘Development of the ICT sector and urban competitiveness: the case of Dubai’, Journal of Urban Technology , vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 19-46. Kochan, T, Bezrukova, K, Ely, R, Jackson, S, Joshi, A, Jehn, K & Thomas, D 2003, ‘The effects of diversity on business performance: Report of the diversity research network’, Human resource management , vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 3-21. Marchal, R 2005, ‘Dubai: global city and transnational hub’, Transnational connections and the Arab Gulf , vol. 16, no. 7, pp. 93. Mellahi, K, Demirbag, M & Riddle, L 2011, ‘Multinationals in the Middle East: Challenges and opportunities’, Journal of World Business , vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 406-410. Michael, I., Armstrong, A., Badran, B., & King, B 2011, ‘Dubai outbound tourism: An exploratory study of Emiratis and expatriates’, Journal of Vacation Marketing , vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 83-91. Noack, S 2007, Doing business in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates , McGraw-Hill, New York. Ong, A 2011, Introduction: worlding cities, or the art of being global , Wiley‐Blackwell, New York. Rashid, H 2007, ‘Performing Elegance’, Architectural Design , vol. 77, no. 1, pp. 76-81. Rehman, A 2008, Dubai & Co: global strategies for doing business in the Gulf states , McGraw-Hill, New York. Saxena, R 2011, Dubai mall: a multipurpose destination in the Middle East , Wiley‐Blackwell, New York. Venaik, S, Midgley, D & Devinney, T 2005, ‘Dual paths to performance: The impact of global pressures on MNC subsidiary conduct and performance’, Journal of International Business Studies , vol. 36, no. 6, pp. 655-675. Voelpel, S, Leibold, M & Tekie, E 2004, ‘The wheel of business model reinvention: how to reshape your business model to leapfrog competitors, Journal of Change Management , vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 259-276. Vogel, H 2010, Entertainment industry economics: A guide for financial analysis , Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom.

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Write the original essay that generated the following summary: Shake Burgers intends to enter the Oman fast food industry with a focus on offering healthy, fresh, and unique burgers.Shake Burgers will target consumers aged between 15 to 40 years due to the high rate at which people in that bracket are consuming fast foods. The firm will be strategically located at Muscat, Oman.

Shake Burgers intends to enter the Oman fast food industry with a focus on offering healthy, fresh, and unique burgers. Shake Burgers will target consumers aged between 15 to 40 years due to the high rate at which people in that bracket are consuming fast foods. The firm will be strategically located at Muscat, Oman.

Feasibility Study: Shake Burgers Research Paper Executive Summary The fast food industry in Oman is undergoing remarkable revolution, which has emanated from change in consumer behaviour. The emergence of the information age has increased the level of information amongst consumers. Subsequently, consumers are making informed choices in their purchase decision-making process. One of the industries that have been affected by these changes relates to the food industry. Consumers are increasingly inclining towards the consumption of healthy food products. Subsequently, there is a high market potential for investors in the food industry. In order to tap this market potential, Shake Burgers intends to enter the Oman fast food industry. The firm will specialise in offering freshly produced, healthy, and unique burgers. The burgers will be produced using the Omani way in order to differentiate them from the competitors’ products. Shake Burgers will target consumers aged between 15 to 40 years due to the high rate at which people in that bracket are consuming fast foods. The firm will be strategically located at Muscat, Oman. Business opportunity Market gap The fast food sector has experienced remarkable growth over the past few decades. A study conducted by Food & Hospitality Oman (2014) shows that the sector is ranked amongst the fastest emerging markets for fast foods in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Another study conducted by Alpen Capital (2011) shows that Oman food sector accounted for 7.1% of the total food consumed in the GCC region, which ranked the country third (Hardy 2014). The industry’s growth has been stimulated by a number of factors, which include an increase in the consumers’ purchasing power, especially amongst the young generation, and a rise in the level of inbound tourism. It is estimated that the number of tourists’ arrivals in Oman will increase by 38.7% by the end of 2017, which is estimated to reach1.45 million tourists. Subsequently, the volume of tourist spending will increase to US$2.96 billion, which indicates the market potential for growth ( Alpen Capital 2011). However, the local and multinational industry players such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonalds have mainly focused on providing customers with fast food products of western taste. Some of the fast food firms in the market such as McDonalds have inclined towards the provision of carbohydrate and vitamin-rich burgers as opposed to protein-rich burgers. Additionally, the fast foods are made from highly processed and refined sugars ( Skills You Need 2014). Subsequently, the market has largely ignored the provision of fast food products with an Omani taste, which represents a significant market gap. Product offering Shake Burgers will specialise in the production of protein rich burgers. The burgers will be specially produced from beef, chicken, and camel meat in order to align with the growth in preference for protein-rich products (Morelli 2002). Furthermore, the burgers will also be comprised of organic vegetables. The firm will ensure that the burgers take into account the Western and Omani tastes in order to appeal to diverse consumer groups (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson 2009). The tangible offerings will include a main course, which will entail organic beef burger, organic chicken burger, and camel meat burger. The burger products will also be comprised of organic vegetable sauce, which will be made of garlic mayo and spicy homemade sauce. However, all the burgers will be grilled in the Omani way in order to create a unique taste. Moreover, the burgers will be served alongside different drinks such as soft drinks [beer and Coca-Cola soft drinks] and milk shake [camel milk shake, banana milk shake, and dates]. The firm will create an attractive ambience as illustrated by the image in appendix 1 in order to attract customers. This goal will be achieved by employing effective interior design (Hoshmand 2009). The store will also be fitted with free Wi-Fi. Moreover, the firm will offer services associated with birthday parties. Feasibility: Micro-market analysis Target market size The concept of targeting will be adopted in order to increase the firm’s level of profitability. Fahy (2000) contends that market targeting enables an organisation to focus its marketing activities to a specific market segment rather than focusing on the overall market. The firm will adopt demographic market segmentation (Rae 2011). Some of the demographic market segmentation variables that the firm will adopt include age, occupation, and level of income (McDonald & Dunbar 2012). The firm appreciates the view that all consumers can consume burgers regardless of their age group. However, considering the firm’s goal to maximise its level of profitability, Shake Burger’s core target market will be comprised of consumers aged between 15 years and 40 years. The firm’s decision to target this market group arises from identification of the market potential (Ingram 2010). Table 1 below illustrates the Oman’s age structure according to 2013 statistics. Graph 1 shows that a significant proportion of the country’s population is comprised of consumers aged between 0 to 54 years, which the firm intends to target. Age [years] Percentage of the total population 0-14 30.60% 15-24 20.20% 25-54 42.10% 55-64 3.90% Over 65 3.20% Table 1 Graph 1 Source: (Index Mundi 2013) Current trends The fast food industry is characterised by a significant change in consumption patterns. The emergence of affluent young consumers has led to an increment in preference for protein-rich diet, as opposed to carbohydrate-rich diet ( Alpen Capital 2014). This trend is expected to be sustained into the future. Moreover, the high rates of workforce participation and urbanisation have led to the emergence of a hectic lifestyle amongst consumers (Karubaran, Sami, Ahmad, Al-Abed & Syed 2012). However, consumers prefer healthy ready-to-eat products. The preference of healthy fast foods has arisen from the increased association of the foods with the rising cases of obesity and other diseases associated with poor eating habits (Karubaran et al. 2012). The firm has identified a trend whereby university students and the working class, who constitute a significant proportion of Shake Burgers’ target market, are experiencing an increment in the level of workload from school and their workplaces (Rafidah, Azizah, Norzaidi, Chong & Noraini 2009). Thus, the majority of these customers do not have ample time to prepare their meals. Currently, Oman is ranked amongst the middle-income economies ( Alpen Capital 2014). The country’s economy is mainly dependent on oil resources. However, Muscat is increasingly diversifying its economy by investing in privatisation and industrialisation programs. Subsequently, there is a high probability of increment in the population’s purchasing power. Dynamics The global food industry is undergoing a remarkable transformation arising from change in consumer behaviour ( EuroMonitor 2013). Some of the functional foods that consumers are increasingly consuming include vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, and tomatoes, which enhance the consumers’ physiological activities. Moreover, urban consumers are shifting towards the consumption of protein and fat-rich products ( Alpen Capital 2014). This aspect has led to the growth in demand for meat, milk, dairy, and vegetable products. It is estimated that the total food consumption in the GCC countries such as Oman, the UAE, KSA, and Qatar will increase in the future as illustrated by the graph below. Graph on change in consumption of different food products. Source: (Alpen Capital 2011) Target profile The firm’s target profile is based on the findings of a primary market research. The study adopted mixed research design, which entailed using qualitative and quantitative research design. The research was conducted using the Academic Mintel website. An effectively designed questionnaires as illustrated in appendix 5 was administered to the selected respondents online in an effort to understand their opinion regarding fast food products. Thirty respondents [30] were selected from the target population. Below is a profile of the respondents. * Age; 15-40 years * Occupation; 25 students [10 college and 15 university students], 15 working class. * Prefer consuming fast foods frequently. Target consumer behaviour Most consumers in the GCC countries including Oman have undergone remarkable change in their consumption patterns due to increased awareness on the risks associated with unhealthy eating habits. Shane (2013) emphasises that the GCC countries are ranked amongst the regions with the highest rates of obesity. However, consumers have become increasingly knowledgeable following developments in Information Communication Technology (ICT). Thus, consumers are making informed choices in their purchase decision-making process, which is evidenced by the high rate at which consumers are inclining towards the consumption of healthy foods ( Skills You Need 2014). Feasibility: Macro-market drivers PESTEL analysis Political environment The firm’s success will be subject to the prevailing political environment in Oman (Ghuman 2010). First, the level of political risk in Oman is moderate in comparison to other countries in the Middle East. Additionally, the relatively high level of political stability in Oman will enable the firm to operate in a serene business environment. Furthermore, the Oman government has implemented well-defined tax incentives, which are aimed at fostering the establishment of sustainable and profitable business through entrepreneurship. Thus, Shake Burgers will benefit from the tax incentives by venturing into the Oman’s food industry. Economic environment The Omani economy continues to experience economic growth due to the strong oil prices. Additionally, the high rate at which the Oman government is advocating for economic diversification will stimulate the country’s economic growth ( Trading Economics 2014). Subsequently, there is a high probability of the country experiencing a new generation of affluent consumers due to their high purchasing power (Hair 2008). Furthermore, the consumers’ purchasing power will be enhanced by the relatively low rate of inflation in the country. By the end of June 2014, the country’s inflation rate was estimated to be 1.2%. The graph below illustrates the fluctuation in the Omani rate of inflation over the past two years ( Trading Economics 2014). Source: (Trading Economics 2014) The country’s ascension into the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will improve trade relations with other member states. Furthermore, the recently signed Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the WTO will enhance trade with the WTO member states. One of TFA’s provisions entails an improvement in custom procedures at the point of entry through cooperation of the member states (James 2014). Therefore, the firm will be in a position to import the necessary food products such as meat, cereals, and milk products from the member states conveniently. Additionally, the firm’s operations will be facilitated by the WTO’s choice of Oman as the ideal hub for distributing goods in other parts of the GCC region (James 2014). Social environment A significant proportion of the Omani population is comprised of citizens aged between 1 to 54 years. This age group accounts for 92.9% of the total population ( Alpen Capital 2014). This aspect shows that the country is characterised by a substantial market size that Shake Burgers can exploit. Furthermore, the country has also experienced a significant increment in the number of consumers who are inclining towards the consumption of fast foods. This trend has emanated from change in the consumers’ lifestyle. Moreover, the country is also experiencing an increment in the number of tourists and expatriates especially from the Western countries. Thus, the country’s social structure is undergoing remarkable transformation, which the firm can exploit through the provision of unique and healthy fast food products ( Alpen Capital 2011). Technology The high rate of technological development presents a perfect opportunity for the firm to succeed in the Omani food industry. For example, the emergence of food processing and handling technologies will enable the firm to produce burgers in a clean environment. Subsequently, the firm will be in a position to enhance its customers’ safety by minimising the likelihood of food-borne diseases (Ferrell & Hartline 2011). The technological development being experienced in the contemporary business environment has encouraged consumers to become knowledgeable in terms of technology (Fernando 2011). Therefore, consumers are increasingly using different information communication technologies in their purchasing process ( Hotelier Middle East 2013). For example, consumers have adopted mobile and Facebook ordering. Furthermore, consumers are increasingly demanding convenient service delivery. Therefore, Shake Burgers will be required to invest in emerging technologies in order to align with the prevailing market trends ( Forbes 2014). Legal environment In an effort to stimulate economic growth, the Omani government has adopted an open economic system, which has increased trade with other countries in the GCC and world. Subsequently, the firm will be in a position to import food materials required for its operation more efficiently. The Omani government is committed to fostering an enabling environment for working. This goal has been achieved by simplifying the legal procedures during the establishment of a business. On average, it is possible to start a business within 34 days as opposed to the world average of 48 days (James 2014). Additionally, the government has set relatively low tariff rates in its trade policy with its trade partners such as the US through the Free Trade Agreement. The country’s business environment is fostered by moderate corporate tax and low duty on products ( Food Export Association of the Midwest 2011). Feasibility: competitive environment and direct competitors Porter’s five forces 1. Threat of new entrant ; (moderate to high) the industry is characterised by a moderate threat of entry due to the prevailing profitability potential. Moreover, the industry is experiencing an increment in demand for food products that are aligned with the Muslim culture. Furthermore, the barriers to entry into the market are relatively low due to the low financial requirements. 2. Bargaining powers of suppliers; (moderate to high) the Omani food industry mainly depends on imports from the US and Europe. Subsequently, the suppliers have the capacity to influence the price of the food products. The food prices may also be affected by the global price fluctuations. Additionally, the suppliers bargaining power is increased by the low supplier concentration. 3. Threat of substitute; (high) a number of local and multinational companies dominate the fast food market in Oman. The entry of multinational fast food companies such as KFC and McDonalds has increased the number of fast food products in the market. Thus, consumers have an opportunity to make a choice from a wide range of products. 4. Buyer bargaining power; (high) firms in the fast food market are adopting product line extension strategies in pursuit for higher profitability. Consequently, consumers are presented with a wide range of products (Phillips & Gully 2013). Additionally, the product variation has led to a significant reduction in the switching cost. 5. Rivalry ; (high) the industry is experiencing a significant increment in the intensity of competition due to the high consumer purchasing power and the change in the consumers’ lifestyle. Feasibility: sustainability Unique selling point Shake Burgers will focus at attaining a high competitive advantage by developing a number of unique selling propositions [USP]. * Customer service; the firm will ensure that customers are optimally served. * Store ambience; the firm’s store will be designed effectively in order to attract customers. Critical success factors The firm’s competitive advantage will be based on a number of factors as listed below. Factor Description The firm will ensure that its burgers are of unique taste by incorporating the Omani taste. Additionally, the firm will ensure that its operations lead to the production of fresh burgers. Product differentiation The firm will also ensure that its products are unique by integrating healthy sandwiches. Currently, only a few shops in Oman are offering such a menu and none is offering a burger cooked in the traditional Omani way. Camel burger will attract locals and tourists due to its preference as a traditional course amongst the Gulf countries. Location Shake Burger will be strategically located in the city centre of Oman, Muscat. Subsequently, the firm will be in a position to market its products to a large number of customers due to the various offices and learning institutions located in Muscat (Gotimer 2008). Operations and marketing In order to sustain the ‘Omani tradition’, Shake Burgers will source its raw materials from the local market. The firm will adopt emerging marketing technologies such as social media platforms [Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram] in creating market awareness. Appendix 2 illustrates the projected cost of creating market awareness (Witt & Meyer 2010). Start-up financing Shakes Burgers will be established using personal savings and donations from family members. The initial start-up capital is estimated to be US$ 80,000. I will contribute $ 5,000 from my personal savings while my parents will assist me in raising $75,000. This amount will be used in leasing the premises within which the firm will be set up. The firm will start with an inventory worth US$25,000, which will be sourced from the local market. In a bid to ensure consistency of supply and timely replenishment of stock, Shakes Burgers will enter a contract with the local suppliers. It is estimated that the firm’s profit margin will be 30% after the first year of operation as illustrated in appendix 4. Post start-up financing It is projected that Shakes Burger will achieve financial sustainability within the first year of its operation, which will emanate from its unique product offering. Furthermore, the firm’s effectiveness in implementing the critical success factors will enhance its profitability. It is projected that sales will increase over time. In order to reach the break-even point, the firm will be required to sell 4,200 units. The breakeven revenue is estimated to be US$35,280, which is estimated to be attained within 6 months of the firm’s operation. In order to achieve this goal, it is assumed that the average revenue per unit will be US$ 8.39, while the average variable cost per unit is estimated to be US$ 2.29. The graph below illustrates the firm’s breakeven point. Feasibility: Managerial capabilities Personal capabilities The success of the new venture will be enhanced by my entrepreneurial capabilities such as risk taking, hard work, and market research skills. I will exploit my risk taking characteristics in ensuring that the venture is successful. This goal will be achieved through investing in product improvement, which will be enhanced by my effective market research skills. Thus, I will understand how to make the necessary adjustments to the product. However, I will be required to improve my leadership skills in order to ensure that the other internal stakeholders in the firm such as managers are motivated adequately. Nurturing the leadership skills will aid in fostering teamwork (Moore, Justin, William & Leslie 2006). Execution of Critical success factors The firm’s success in implementing the critical success factors will depend on the effectiveness with which different roles are established and implemented as illustrated in the chart below. Roles Responsibility Chef (1) The chef will be charged with ensuring that the burgers are produced freshly and they have an Omani taste. Waiters (2) 2 waiters The waiters will ensure that the customers’ orders are served efficiently. Delivery guy (1) A delivery guy will be employed and will be charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the orders made by customers at home are delivered in time. Manager The manager will ensure that all the firm’s operations are executed effectively in order to develop and sustain repeat purchase behaviour amongst the target customers. Appendices Appendix 1: Shakes Burger interior design Appendix 2 Marketing budget Item Amount in US$ Cost of promotion Advertising via television, social media, radio and print media 1,000 Sales promotion 2,000 Total expected cost of creating market awareness 3,000 Appendix 3 Breakeven chart Description Units sold 4,200 Estimated break-even revenue $35, 280 Assumptions Revenue per unit $8.4 Variable cost per unit $2.3 Appendix 4 Income statement Particular Amount in $US Sales revenue 5, 500,000 Total cost of sales 2,300,000 Gross profit 3,200,000 Administration expenses 400,000 Operating profit 2,800,000 Tax 30% 960,000 Profit after tax 1,840,000 Appendix 4 Projected Cash flow statement Item Year 1 Total from cash operations 1,000,000 Other cash received 0 Sales tax& VAT received 0 Current borrowings 0 Other liabilities 0 New long-term liabilities 0 Sale of other current asset 0 Sales of long term assets 0 Investment received 0 Total cash received 80,000 Expenditures Operation expense Cash spending 3,000 Payment on bill 5,000 Total on operation 8,000 Other cash spending Sales tax & VAT paid 0 Principal paid on current borrowing 0 Additional liabilities on principal payment 0 Principal payment –long term liabilities 0 Purchases on other 0 current assets Purchase of other long term assets 0 Dividends 0 Total on operation 8,000 Net cash flow 72, 000 Reference List Alpen Capital: GCC food industry 2011. Web. EuroMonitor: Food processor and blender manufacturing industry 2013. Web. Fahy, D. 2000, Foundations of marketing, McGraw-Hill International Limited, London. Food Export Association of the Midwest: Middle East market profile 2011. Web. Ghuman, K. 2010, Management: concepts practice and cases , Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi. Hair, C 2008, Essentials of marketing, Cengage, London. Ferrell, O. & Hartline, M. 2011, Marketing strategy , Cengage Learning, Mason. Fernando, A. 2011, Business environment, Pearson, New Delhi. Food and Hospitality Oman: Oman 2014. Web. Forbes: How restaurants are using technology to deliver better customer service 2014. Web. Gotimer, J. 2008, Customer satisfaction is worthless, customer loyalty is priceless: how to make them love you, keep you coming back, and tell everyone they know, Bad Press, Austin. Hardy, J. 2014, GCC food sector offers great prospects . Web. Hitt, M., Ireland, D. & Hoskisson, R. 2009, Strategic management: competitiveness and globalisation; concepts and cases , Southwestern, Mason. Hoshmand, R. 2009, Business forecasting , Routledge, New York. Hotelier Middle East: The hotelier Middle East awards 2013 . Web. Index Mundi: Oman demographic profile 2013. Web. Ingram, D. 2010, About process selection and facility layout operations management . Web. James, A. 2014, SMEs can take advantage of trade facilitation agreement . Web. Karubaran, G., Sami, A., Ahmad, Q., Al-Abed, A. & Syed, A. 2012, ‘Social and psychological factors affecting eating habits among university students in a Malaysian medical school; a cross sectional study’, Nutritional Journal, vol. 11, no. 48, pp. 11-48. McDonald, M. & Dunbar, I. 2012, Market segmentation; how to do it and how to profit from it, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester. Porter, M. 2008, Competitive strategy; techniques for analysing industries and competitors, Simon and Schuster, New York. Moore, C., Justin, L., William, P. & Leslie, P. 2006, Small business management; an entrepreneurial emphasis , Cengage Learning, London. Morelli, N. 2002, ‘Designing product/service systems; a methodical exploration’, Design Issues, vol.18, no.3, pp. 3-17. Phillips, J. & Gully, S. 2013, Human resource management , Cengage Learning, Mason. Rae, D. 2011, Entrepreneurship; from opportunity to action , Palgrave McMillan, New York. Rafidah, K., Azizah, A., Norzaidi, M., Chong, S. & Noraini, I. 2009, ‘The impact of perceived stress and stress factors on academic performance of pre-diploma science students; a Malaysian study’, International Journal of Scientific Research in Education , vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 13-26. Shane, D. 2013, GCC states among the world’s most obese. Web. Skills You Need: Diet and nutrition 2014. Web. Trading Economics: Oman inflation rate 2014. Web. Witt, B. & Meyer, R. 2010, Strategy process, content, context; an international perspective , Cengage Learning, Andover.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: Feasting in Southeast Asia is a common practice that has been in place for centuries. The practice involves a great deal of planning and preparation, and it consumes huge amounts of food, time, and effort. Feasting also plays a important role in defining social order and classifying people into different social groups.

Feasting in Southeast Asia is a common practice that has been in place for centuries. The practice involves a great deal of planning and preparation, and it consumes huge amounts of food, time, and effort. Feasting also plays a important role in defining social order and classifying people into different social groups.

Feasting and Power in Southeast Asia Essay Introduction Feasting is a common practice in most societies in the world. The practice has persisted over time and space. It is common in contemporary society as it was common in traditional societies. The practice serves various purposes. For example, people feast to celebrate weddings, initiation, and such other events. The practice brings people together. Southeast Asia is one of the regions in the world where this practice is widespread. Most of the feasts in this region involve a great deal of planning. The preparations, as well as the feast itself, consume huge amounts of surplus food, time, and effort (Dalton 2001). The practice revolves around consumption of food and drinks within social settings. Feasts in Southeast Asia (and in other parts of the world) are of great importance to the host and the guests as well. In most cases, the feasts are prepared as an indication of the host’s prestige in the society, as well as to obtain blessings. As already indicated above, the feasts are usually linked to such occasions as weddings, funerals, the completion of a house, a successful raid, and to celebrate a surplus harvest. The feasts are used not only to entertain the guests and the hosts, but also to achieve prestige in the society. The feasts also play a very important role in establishing social order and categorising people into the various social classes in the society. In addition, they are used to confer political power on the guest or on the host. Feasts are also major sources of socio-economic inequalities in the society (Gregor 2002). The current paper is written against the backdrop of feasting and its social implications in the society. The major aim of the paper is to discuss feasting as a source of power in Southeast Asia. The various forms of power emanating from feasting (including social power, political power, and economic power among others) are discussed. The author gives an overview of the Southeast Asia region and feasting in general. The author analyses the various levels of feasting and how they are used to define power hierarchies in the society. The author then outlines the social-political organisation of most communities in the region and how feasting is practiced in those societies. In addition, the author looks at resource organisation associated with a feast and how the gifts exchanged in such occasions symbolise the power and status of the guest. Finally, the author explains how hosting a feast earns the individual respect from other members of the society. The conversion of this respect into power will be analysed. Feasting and Power in Southeast Asia Feasting in Southeast Asia: Historical Context Southeast Asia has played host to humanity since the beginning of mankind. Prior to colonisation, the communities of Southeast Asia coexisted peacefully with each other. As a result, the whole region was largely united. Since then, many communities in Southeast Asia have adopted a communal- house type of life. A communal type of life is evident where an entire village, an extended family, or a clan, lives together. The individuals in such communal settings share the resources among themselves, regardless of whether they are related by blood or not. Most societies in Southeast Asia are organised into large villages inhabited by groups of families. The villages are made up of many groups of families, which belong to one or several clans (Velde 1998). Fairing and animal husbandry are the primary sources of livelihood in Southeast Asia. In this region, feast and ceremonial exchanges play a very significant role in the society. The practices are viewed as major sources of rank and prestige in the society. Most feasts are associated with a particular occasion of rite of passage, such as a wedding, a funeral, successful a raid, and any other occasion regarded as important by the villagers (Dalton 2001). However, some feasts, such as Ovasa, which is practised in Nias, may be an event on their own. Such feasts are not related or tied to any occasion. Feasts are held regularly in the various villages in this region. They are regarded as very important events to the participants and the host (Beatty 1991). In most cases, different villages come together to form alliances, as a result creating a complex network of loyalties. The purpose of these networks is to recognise a historical series of wife-givers . The relationship so established is enhanced and celebrated with feats, which are accompanied by the necessary rituals performed for the wife-givers. The wife-givers are ritually superior in these communities. As a result, they give blessings and are regarded highly during the feasts of their wife-takers . To maintain their position of power, men from high social status have to ask for tributes from a large number of wife-takers. They are expected to redistribute their wealth during feasts (Beatty 1991). In most Southeast Asian societies, the guests in a particular feast are drawn from several categories. The most important participants in a wife-givers’ feast, for instance, are the two sets of wife-givers involved. The villagers hosting the party are invited as guests and supporters. The guests and supporters are treated differently during the feasts, depending on their social ranking and status in the village. Senior men from other villages, such as chiefs, may also be invited (Janowski & Kerlogue 2007). The number of high ranking guests invited to a particular feast determines the prestige of the occasion in the society. Feasts attended by social, political, and economic elites are regarded as more prestigious than those organised and attended by the ordinary members of the society. Feasting in Southeast Asia: Levels of Feasts Most feasts in Southeast Asia are held at different levels for various purposes and functions. Most of them, however, are held at the household level. Others are held at the lineage, clan, or village level (Gregor 2002). The level of the feast is, in most cases, determined by the nature of the occasion around which the feast is organised. Such occasions as weddings and funerals bring together members of the whole community. Others, such as birthdays, may only involve members of the immediate family. Household level feasts are mainly regarded as solidarity events. The main purpose of such feasts is to unite a household and create one economic and social unit. The household feasts reinforce the hierarchy and power held by members of different generations and different sexes. For example, during such feasts, the roles and status of women vary from those of men. In most cases, the household feasts are held to honour ancestors. In most instances, the feasts are determined by the agricultural cycle. For example, most feasts are held after harvests when people have a lot of free time and enough food to feed the guests. In addition to serving as sources of social solidarity, household feasts may be used as forms of penalties or conflict resolution mechanisms (Beatty 1991). A lineage or clan level feast may be held for various reasons. Like the household level feast, a clan feast may be held for solidarity socio-economic solidarity purposes. A Southeast Asian family may hold a feast at the clan level on such occasions as those marking the reunion with a lineage member who is coming back to his family from elsewhere (Kirsch 2001). A lineage may also give a promotional or status display feast, such as a funeral. The feasts vary, depending on class and wealth of the lineage hosting it. Such events are used to promote status and enhancing social ranking in the community. They are used to settle conflicting claims of relative ranking, status, and power among the members of the lineage. In addition to a feast, it is possible to settle such claims through physical confrontations or other forms of power display. Most promotional feasts also serve as occasions for reinforcing socio-economic solidarity and enhance support for the occasioned social units (Hayden 2000). In communities living in Southeast Asia and other parts of the world, the village level feast is held to mark various occasions, such as weddings. The major purpose of such feasts is to acquire status and blessings in a particular society. Individuals from a particular class may host such a feast to show solidarity and alliance (Hayden 2000). Alliance feasts may be hosted by different villages in turns to signify their loyalty to each other. The village feasts are also aimed at recognising social status and hierarchy in a particular village. The recognition is displayed through gifts to the chiefs and elders. It is noted that the quantity and quality of gift presented to the chiefs and elders depends on the power and social status of the individual. In Southeast Asia, the chief receives the largest portion of gifts, followed by the elders in order of their influence in the society (Suzuki1999). Socio-Political Organisation and Feasting in Southeast Asia In most of the communities living in Southeast Asia, people are categorised into three main social classes. The three are ordinary villagers, elders, and chiefs (Ames 1998). Feasting in this region serves as a confirmation of one’s status in the community. It also serves as a means of advancing one’s social division. In most occasions, ordinary villagers host small-scale feasts. Village elders speak with authority in customary matters and assist the chief to rule the villagers. They often host major feasts to affirm their status in the village. The chief exercises seniority in authority in a given village. The chiefs draw from their political and economic privileges to host the biggest feasts in the village. The feasts are characterised by exchange of gifts, which should be repaid some time in future. Through exchange of gifts, an individual can increase their influence in the society by having a large number of people indebted to them. The social debts translate to a rise in rank in the individual’s village, granting them more political power (Janowski & Kerlogue 2007). The host of such a feast as Ovasa mostly aims at acquiring prestige in the society and obtain blessings. The blessings and prestige are acquired by giving gifts during the feast. Prestige is later converted to influence, increase the power of the host in the community (Beatty 1991). The guests receiving gifts becomes obligated and indebted to the host. By creating a big network of individuals indebted to them, the host achieves prestige and loyal alliances, giving them a higher rank or social status in the society. Blessings are obtained from wife-givers and are characterised by exchange of women and presents (Dalton 2001). Resource Organisation and Feasting in Southeast Asia Most people in Southeast Asia conceal their wealth through investments. The concealment is of great importance as it helps them avert envy from other people in the society. In addition, concealing the wealth from creditors or from anyone with a claim, until a more advantageous moment, is highly beneficial. Wealth is essentially measured through what a person has given away in form of gifts or friendly loans (Gregor 2002). Both transactions are reversible and reclaimable in future, unlike keeping wealth at hand, since it eventually gets consumed or taken away by others. In most instances, households lack the capacity to raise a large number of pigs or such other commodities needed for economic exchange. As a result, the animals are loaned or donated as soon as they mature (Price & Feinman 2009). When hosting a feast, the dispersed wealth is brought together for consumption. Some of the wealth is brought together to be redistributed to other members of the community. In some cases, the person hosting the feast contributes less than a third of the resources needed to successfully accomplish the fete. The remaining portion of the resources is provided by a multitude of relationships (Ames 1998). Most of the contributions are converted into debt owed to other people by the person hosting the feast. There are various sources of materials needed to host a feast in Southeast Asia. The various sources include, among others, the pigs owned by the host, rice, gold, friendly loans, as well as reciprocal loans. Others include tributes from wife-takers, ceremonial donations, as well as repayments on earlier loans made on the day of the feast. Bigger feasts measure the extent of allegiance to the host. Consequently, such feasts are an indication of the power of the host in the community (Suzuki 1999). The resources of a given feast depend on the status of the person in the society. Individuals drawn from high social status are able to organise more resources than individuals from a lower social status. Friendly loans are neutral in this regard given that the parties may seek allegiance from the transactions. Their contribution may account for a small portion of the resources mobilised by the host (Price & Feinman 2009). Reciprocal loans, unlike friendly loans, are free from interest. The reciprocal loans signify allegiance between people of different social status. They signify solidarity between people drawn from the same socio-economic status. The quantity of the resources derived from wife-takers depends on the status of the host. To this end, the hosts affiliated to the chieftain can rely on the tributes from wife-takers to cover for up to two thirds of the resources required to organise the party. Another important thing to note is that repayments of loans and such other sources take up a significant portion of the resources mobilised (Kirsch 2001). Gifts, Feasting, and Power in Southeast Asia The food consumed by persons invited in any feast is usually a very small portion of the total resources mobilised during the occasion. Though the portion consumed as food takes up as little as a tenth of the total resources mobilised, it is, nevertheless, important in a feast (Dalton 2001). Portions of cooked meat are divided and served among the guests according to status in the society. The size of meat is scrutinised, compared, and at times contested fiercely. The remaining portion of resources is exchanged as gifts. As a result of the exchange, the host acquires prestige. The influence of the host also increases as a result of public recognition. The size of the portions given varies depending on a number of factors (Gregor 2002). One of the factors determining the exchange of gifts during a feast is the status and rank of the guests in attendance. People with more power receive bigger portions than those with less power. A chief, for instance, receives up to three times as much as anyone else invited to the party, depending on his feasting record. Elders who have previously hosted a feast are given the same amount as the chief. The elders who are regarded as powerful in the society are given amounts that are slightly bigger than those of the rest. Men who have hosted a feast before receive gifts that are slightly less or similar to those given to the elders. The rest of the participants are given gifts that are largely similar without any form of discrimination (Ames 1998). The debt owed by the host (or owed to the host) of the feast is another significant determinant of the size of units given to a guest. If the host is indebted to a particular guest from a previous feast, they may decide to settle the debt in full, in part, or exceed the debt, thus indebting the guest. The host may also give a portion to someone whom they are not indebted to (Gregor 2002). However, the size of the portions given out depends on the ratio of the guests to the total resources organised. If more guests than expected attend the feast, the size of the portions is reduced to accommodate each and every participant (Schulting 1995). Power and Feasting in Southeast Asia By holding a feast, a host acquires a reputation and a name for themselves in the society. The people who often criticise the host are silenced and the guests are forced to take them seriously. Silencing the critics and taking the host seriously translates to more influence in the society for them (Beatty 1991). The host is respected and their views carry weight in any debate or controversy in the society. The reason for this is that most customary debates and controversies involve exchange of views. It follows that those who have not hosted feasts lack credence in such matters. Anyone who has hosted a feast, however, is aware of the fact that they will not have achieved it without the organisational abilities and confidence of their supporters. It is the supporters who loaned them resources, confident that there will be returns (Price & Feinman 2009). Elders have power over upstart juniors given that they have a wide experience of hosting feasts in the past. In Southeast Asia, individuals who have never hosted a feast are silenced by referring to this advantage, without the need for explicit rebuke. A disagreement or confrontation of any kind between two individuals can end in a disappointing manner, but with finality, when one party mentions their achievements in hosting feasts. It is possible to resolve a controversy by making a mere reference to the unpaid feast debt. The junior party in such cases avoids further humiliation and submits to the senior party (Janowski & Kerlogue 2007). The influence of a feast has two possible sources. One of them is the sense of obligation that the recipient has towards the giver. The recipient of a gift is not shamed, but rather honoured by the gift. Though there is no immediate pressure to reciprocate, there is always the expectation that the generosity will be reciprocated (Kirsch 2001). The gift returned cancels the asymmetry introduced in the first payment. Consequently, individual debts are not in any way affected by the gifts given out during a feast. The debts are not publicly recognised and they do not affect the status of the debtor. However, subordination may result when the debtor submits to the wills of the creditor. The implication of the submission is that the debtor will not contradict the creditor and will support them when possible (Clarke 1998). The other possible source of influence during a feast is the ‘renown’ or status acquired by the host, which commands public respect. In this respect, what matters is the number of pigs killed and the feasts hosted, rather than particular portions. However, to achieve power, one need not exhaust their stock or run up a huge debt with others (Leach 2001). A man of power should not be diminished by a feast. They should be able to support future projects and solicit the help of wife-takers with regular gifts. It is not possible to gain power if one is not wealthy (Ames 1998). In addition to their personal abilities, the authority and power of a chief in Southeast Asia depends on public support and the influence created from their network of debts. Feasting increases their influence as a result of public acknowledgement, as well as glory and spiritual potency (Clarke 1998). The influence derived from a feast depends not only on the resources available, but also on the manner of doing things, the character of the host, and the timing of the occasion. In addition to the inherent power, an equally important trait is the concept of charisma. A chief should be able to charm others, bending them to his will, and even defeating rivals in combat (Beatty 1991). Conclusion In this paper, the author discussed feasting as a source of power in Southeast Asian communities. The author gave an overview of the region and the feasting practice. The author analyzed levels of feasting and how they are used to define hierarchy and power. The author looked at the social-political organisation of most communities in the region. In addition, the author looked at resource organisation associated with feasts and how the gifts exchanged during a feast symbolise the power and status of the guest. Finally, the author explained how hosting a feast earns the host respect and power in the society. References Ames, T 1998, Feasting on change: the impacts of modernization and development upon Toraya traditional roles, rituals and statuses , Archaeology Press, British Columbia. Beatty, A 1991, ‘Ovasa: feasts of merit in Nias’, Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, vol. 147 no. 2/3, pp. 216-235. Clarke, M 1998, Feasting among the Akha of Northern Thailand , Archaeology Press, British Columbia. Dalton, G 2001, Tribal and peasant economies, The Natural History Press, New York. Gregor, CA 2002, Gifts and commodities, Academic Press, London. Hayden, B 2000, Torajan feasting in South Sulawesi, Archaeology Press, British Columbia. Janowski, M & Kerlogue, F 2007, Kinship and food in Southeast Asia, NIAS Press, Indonesia. Kirsch, T 2001, Feasting and social oscillation: a working paper on religion and plateau , Archaeology Press, British Columbia. Leach, ER 2001, Political systems of highland Burma, Beacon Press, Boston. Price, TD & Feinman, G 2009, Foundations of social inequality , Plenum Press, New York. Schulting, R 1995, Mortuary variability and status differentiation on the Columbia-Fraser society in Upland Southeast Asia, Cornell University Press, Ithaca. Suzuki, PT 1999, The religious system and culture of Nias, Nias Press, Indonesia. Velde, P 1998, Prehistoric Indonesia: a reader, Floris Publications, Dordrecht.

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Write the original essay for the following summary: The essay discusses the external and internal environment of the company, focusing on the factors that have been affecting the company over the past several years. It is apparent that as more companies engage in diversified business strategies, there is a possibility that some companies may venture into the business. However, current rivals to the company also pose high threats in luring its customers to use their services through competitive prices.

The essay discusses the external and internal environment of the company, focusing on the factors that have been affecting the company over the past several years. It is apparent that as more companies engage in diversified business strategies, there is a possibility that some companies may venture into the business. However, current rivals to the company also pose high threats in luring its customers to use their services through competitive prices.

FedEx Company’s Environment Case Study External environment and capabilities One of the factors affecting the external environment at FedEx is the current socio-cultural environment in its target markets. The socio-cultural environment consists of cultural elements like the values shared by the clients and the laws governing ethics for the company. The elements also include technology, and the aesthetics held paramount by the society in relation to the conduct of business with the company. Social elements include client organizations, business groups and their partnerships with the company, and the social status of its clients. Over the past several years, the most influential socio-cultural issue in the company has been technology development. While the use of technology has increased over the past several years, only the younger generation has taken up the use of technological devices actively. The older generation is yet to come to terms with the use of technology (Mc Namara, 2011). This element has affected the business processes at FedEx because the company has to develop strategies that satisfy the needs of the different generations of people it serves. Each generation has its specific needs, and this has affected the company in the marketing segment. Technology provides an opportunity for the company to enhance its market share by luring higher clientele from the younger generation. It also poses a threat to the company because a shift to the use of technology exclusively would result in a huge loss of clients from the older generation. The recommended strategy to solve this issue is for the company to stick to its traditional marketing strategies while targeting the clients from the older generation, and to use technology to lure more clients from the younger generation. The company should focus on maintaining its current market share while using technology to target new clients to increase its profitability (Grant, 2010). Internal environment Substitutes are part of the aspects that comprise the internal environment at FedEx. The company has been in the market for quite a long time, and it has established a very strong brand in the industry. The threat of new entrants in the business has always been low because of the operational costs of the business. It is apparent that as more companies engage in diversified business strategies, there is a possibility that some companies may venture into the business. Current rivals to the company also pose high threats in luring its customers to use their services through competitive prices (Berger, 2011). The advancement in technology, especially the fast growth in the use of the internet is a very great force affecting FedEx. The ability for clients to use their technological gadgets for faster communication has seen a decline in the demand for some services offered by the company. The internet has provided its clients with a faster and more convenient way to send messages and to access information, leaving FedEx in a disadvantaged position. While this threat is all too real for the company, FedEx has developed a new platform that allows its clients to send their electronic documents through its website (Chen et al., 2004). This strategy has helped the company to maintain its younger clients, and to help the clients from the older generation to transition into the use of technology. FedEx should continue to embrace technology in its service delivery to maintain the competitive nature of its brand because the world is shifting to the use of technology in service delivery ( The Internal Environment , 2014). The company should also look into developing more channels for its clients to send and retrieve messages while maintaining loyalty to the company. References Berger, A. (2011). Case Study A FedEx Corporation . Munich: GRIN Verlag. Chen, C., Duong, L., Yang, H., Susanty, M., Vellandi, M., & Betro, A. (2004). FedEx Corporation: Strategic Audit . Web. Grant, R. M. (2010). Contemporary Strategy Analysis . New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Mc Namara, F. K. (2011). FedEx Stakeholder Analysis . Web. The Internal Environment: Resource, Capabilities, and Core Competencies . (2014). Web.

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Write the original essay that provided the following summary when summarized: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the most well-equipped disaster preparedness agency in the country. FEMA steps in when local and state authorities do not have the capacity to handle a certain disaster. The National Response Framework (NRF) is a representation of the guiding principles that enable all response partners to prepare for and provide a unified national response to disasters and emergencies – from the smallest incident to the largest catastrophe.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the most well-equipped disaster preparedness agency in the country. FEMA steps in when local and state authorities do not have the capacity to handle a certain disaster. The National Response Framework (NRF) is a representation of the guiding principles that enable all response partners to prepare for and provide a unified national response to disasters and emergencies – from the smallest incident to the largest catastrophe.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Programs Analytical Essay FEMA’s (Federal Emergency Management Agency) “role in preparedness is to improve the citizens’ ability to respond to, prepare for, recover from, and prevent disasters” (Department of Homeland Security 1). According to the organization’s website, its vision is “A Nation Prepared”. The role of FEMA is to coordinate the federal government’s involvement in disaster preparedness. Consequently, FEMA steps in when local and state authorities do not have the capacity to handle a certain disaster. FEMA’s main strength is that the agency is the most well-equipped disaster preparedness agency in the country. Therefore, the agency has the ability to marshal the necessary resources in times of disaster. FEMA’s preparedness programs are also effective because the agency operates independently as a branch of Homeland Security. Some of the preparedness programs that FEMA is currently undertaking involve readiness against man-made and natural disasters. One of FEMA’s weaknesses is that it lacks the capacity to be fully prepared against mega disasters and emergencies. This weakness prompted FEMA’s change of status from a fully independent body to an affiliate of the Department of Homeland Security. FEMA’s lack of preparedness was highlighted after the agency was overwhelmed in its response to the Hurricane-Katrina disaster. Another area of weakness for FEMA is the agency’s systemic shortfalls that inhibit the scope of its preparedness programs. These systemic incapacities include FEMA’s affiliation to the Department of Homeland Security, its regional presence across the country, and its grant allocation modalities. The opportunities that can eliminate these weaknesses include Congress legislations and a redefinition of FEMA’s institution. Legislations have the ability to improve FEMA’s preparedness programs. The National Response Framework (NRF) is a representation of “the guiding principles that enable all response partners to prepare for and provide a unified national response to disasters and emergencies – from the smallest incident to the largest catastrophe” (Nicholson 79). The NRF is a recognized set of guidelines that defines how all citizens should respond to a disaster as a nation. The NRF came about as an initiative of the Department of Homeland Security and its aim was to unify the country’s domestic preparedness and response. NRF utilizes the nation’s NIMS (National Incident Management System) and ICS (Incident Command System) to implement disaster response in any administrative level and at any given time. NRF operates under five distinct principles including tiered response, engaged partnership, scalable operations, readiness to act, and united effort. These principles tend to enhance the partnership between NRF and local communities. Communities across the country utilize the NRF by aligning their activities with those of the government. Consequently, communities will align their response programs, resources, and support mechanisms with government-led initiatives. The NRF is quite effective when delivering its services. The NRF has managed to bestow citizens with an active role in disaster preparedness. The partnership between communities and the NRF is indiscriminate in nature. Furthermore, the NRF is a representation of the citizens’ need to take charge in preparedness matters (Waugh and Streib 138). Previously, the responsibility of preparedness was solely bestowed upon the government and other units of administration. However, due to the NRF citizens are now actively involved in disaster response programs. For example, American citizens have been actively involved in several hurricane-disaster responses over the last decade. Most natural and man-made disasters can be traced back to poor management of the environment and global warming. Forestry management has been known to limit the extent of disasters both directly and indirectly. For instance, the impact of the 2004 Tsunami disaster was largely reduced by mangrove forests and other coastal tree plantations that slowed down the tidal waves. Forestry management has a significant impact on the context of forest fire disasters. Forest fire disasters can be significantly reduced by good forestry management practices. Good forestry management practices include a protection of the undergrowth, use of segments that can institute control burn strategies, adequate firefighting resources, use of forest-fuel modification systems, and installment of quick forest fire detectors. Communities that are afflicted by natural disasters such as Tsunamis, floods, and forest fires should take good forestry-management initiatives. Controlled burn is a strategy that is used to reduce the impact of fire disasters (Dale 730). Control burns are intentional man-made fires that are meant to reduce fuel for disastrous fires. The advantages of the control burn strategy include its effective and inexpensive nature. However, controlled fires are disadvantageous because they are not always controllable and they can still end up being disastrous. Furthermore, control burn strategy is not environment-friendly. Works Cited Dale, Virginia. “Climate Change and Forest Disturbances.” BioScience 51.9 (2009): 723-734. Print. Department of Homeland Security. Federal Emergency Management Agency . 01 Jun. 2014. Web. < https://www.fema.gov/ >. Nicholson, William. Emergency response and emergency management law: Cases and materials , New York, NY: Thomas, 2003. Print. Waugh, William L., and Gregory Streib. “Collaboration and leadership for effective emergency management.” Public Administration Review 66.1 (2006): 131-140. Print.

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Provide the inputted essay that when summarized resulted in the following summary : "The article discusses how Hillary Clinton's political success was a feminist victory. It argues that despite the progressive feminism movements that advocate for parity in the different aspects of the society, feminists are less concerned with achieving the liberation of women.

"The article discusses how Hillary Clinton's political success was a feminist victory. It argues that despite the progressive feminism movements that advocate for parity in the different aspects of the society, feminists are less concerned with achieving the liberation of women.

Hillary Clinton: Furthering Political Agenda Through Feminism Case Study Identification of a Problem Hillary Clinton: Contradictions of Feminism and the 2008 Presidential Candidacy The 2008 presidential candidacy primaries heightened the profile of women. The campaigns illuminated aspects of gender and feminism in the American society (McGinley, 2008). Hillary Clinton was contesting for the presidential candidacy. The trail of the campaign and her past feminism views came to limelight. There were arguments that Hillary contradicted her feminism credo during the 2008 campaigns. The following is a prospectus that will be used for rhetorical feminism criticism in relation to Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential candidacy. Rationale Feminism entails the advocacy of freedom, political and economic parity for all people (Dziedzic, 2012). According to Nudd and Whalen (2009), many women agree with ideologies that advocate for the feminist agenda. Nudd and Whalen (2009) noted that the equality agenda by feminists sought to challenge the patriarchal systems experienced for many years. In the modern society, there are arguments that the modern world is past patriarchal system. The arguments are augmented by young women and relate to statistics that point to many women in positions that traditionally were male dominated (Lopez, 2009). However, Nudd and Whalen (2009) noted that matters that affect gender identity are complex and fluctuate. According to Nudd and Whalen (2009), the cultural, political and economic orientation of our society is male centered. The assertion by Nudd and Whalen (2009) imply that many aspects of the society focus on males. The implied order goes against the arguments forwarded by young women that we are leaving in a post-feminist society. Despite the progressive feminism movements that advocate for parity in the different aspects of the society, Nudd and Whalen (2009) argue that the feminists are less concerned with achieving the liberation of women. Instead, they strive to satisfy the fantasy of males. Therefore, the main aim of the project will be to provide adequate knowledge of whether Hillary Clinton’s political success was a feminist victory. Statement of the Problem The feminism movements experienced in the late twentieth century endeavored to address the issues of oppression and discrimination (Reynaud, 2004). The ideology of the movements was prompted by the interlocking systems that negated the role of women. The movements’ arguments were that gender roles were advanced by the culturally constructed ideas about the male and female roles (Kuypers, 2009). Feminists argued that the society was sexist and discriminated women based on the socio-economic circumstances. Therefore, feminism sought to address the social system and structure issues that glorified the patriarchy. Then, the ideology advanced by the feminists was that women were supposed to arise and occupy positions that were male dominated (Nudd & Whalen, 2009). In the contemporary society, there are arguments that feminist are not concerned with achieving the equality; instead, they strive to glorify the fantasy of males (Nudd & Whalen, 2009). In the context of the social and political gains, it thus becomes important to review whether the social and political ascension of Hillary Clinton was a victory for feminists. In order to explore the feminism rhetoric, the project will be guided by the following research questions. 1. Was Hillary Clinton’s political success a victory for feminists? 2. Did Hillary Clinton use contradicting feminism to further her political agenda? Method Research Design In order to answer the questions and establish whether the political success and aspirations of Hillary Clinton pointed to feminism victory, the research design that will be employed will be Feminist Criticism Method. Feminist Criticism Method is a method of investigation that collects specific information that relate to a given feminist (Ramazanoglu & Holland, 2009). According to Nudd and Whalen (2009), the Feminist Criticism Method collects data by application of the ideological or political method. In order to understand Hillary’s feminism agenda, the critical concepts of the method that will be used include redefining, recovering, recording and visioning. Recovering technique investigates feminist’s modification of speech or communication that is aimed at aligning to the changing roles (Nudd &Whalen, 2009). The technique entails the acknowledgment of the rhetoric that has been erased by the male-dominated society. The rhetorical tradition ideologically excluded women from the various dimensions of public participation. However, Nudd and Whalen (2009) argued that a complete exclusion of women was not complete; the women were left at the peripheral in the significance discourse. The patriarchal system pushed women to the margins. Therefore, the recovering technique entails the mechanism applied by feminists to reintegrate the gender balance in the male dominated society. The feminist are thus concerned with recovering of female rhetoric. On the other hand, recording technique involves the analysis of the cultural production to determine the persons behind artifacts and the processes applied to put together the artifacts (Nudd & Whalen, 2009). The processes and systems of production of artifacts predict the construction of gender messages and foster the understanding why particular messages are packed in a given way. Redefining concept entails the analysis of language usage to depict gendered ideals that are deemed stereotypical (Nudd & Whalen, 2009). In order to advance the agenda of gender parity, feminists create a language that is not aligned with patriarchal dimensions (Lots, 2003). The feminists reclaim words to demystify patriarchy. Therefore, redefining is a technique that is used to examine the use of words to depict a picture that is gender biased. The redefining technique is based on the reinvention of language that upholds gender possibilities. Revisioning, on the other hand, entails the creation of theories that relate to rhetoric. The revisioning technique identifies and analyzes artifacts (Nudd & Whalen, 2009). The revisioning of rhetoric emanates from ordinary people and does not relate to the historical accomplishments. The revisioning includes the use of progressive rhetorical dialogs. The technique transcends the ritualistic work carried by women due to the impermanent nature (Nudd & Whalen, 2009). Thus, revisioning entails the symbolic activities that are undertaken by women, and that are less concrete and finished. The revisioning of ideas helps in identification of significant rhetoric undertaken by specified women. For instance, the traditional role of women at the family levels such as baking and writing letters signify meaning. However, in the patriarchal world, women are pushed to the periphery; hence, the significance of their activities are diminished. Revisioning is based on questioning what underlies a desirable rhetoric. It further provides the frameworks that can be applied to establish meaning for feminist ideology. The project will apply the redefining and the revisioning techniques as the basis for investigating Hillary Clintons’ 2008 presidential candidacy. The techniques will help to ascertain whether the success of Hillary in politics was a feminist victory. Materials Rhetorical feminism research is normally concerned with investigating broader perspectives that are aimed at changing the conditions of women (Ramazanoglu & Holland, 2002). Therefore, in the rhetoric criticism, different materials will be used to collect data. The materials will include published books and artifacts about Hillary Clinton. The published materials will provide in-depth data that relate to Hilary and her feminist principles. In addition, the materials by different authors will assist to explore different perspectives of Hillary Clinton. The published materials will be advantageous because they will provide information over different periods; hence, rich background information on the subject that will be investigated (Letherby, 2003). The exploration of the issue by use of various published books and artifacts will bring to light the issues that may not be obtained through interviews or other data collection methods. In addition, the use of the published materials and artifacts will be inexpensive process and will explore information in different contexts; hence, providing a holistic analysis. Procedures for Gathering Materials The evaluation of the quality of the materials to be used in a project depends on the methods applied to collect the information (Ramazanoglu & Holland, 2002). The process of selecting the different artifacts and publications for a study denotes the quality of information obtained and the applicability of the generalization of findings. Therefore, the gathering of the published materials that will be used for the project will be based on the capacity of the artifact or the material to provide reliable information that relate to Hillary Clinton. The materials will be collected from credible sources. Before the inclusion, the materials will be reviewed using a rubric to grade whether they qualify for the study. Only the materials with exemplary score will be used. The grading will help to eliminate materials that provide biased information. Discussion and Conclusion Published books and artifacts are very useful for rhetorical scholars. They provide in-depth information that relate to different scenes. The published materials require critical reading in order to identify the different perspectives presented. The aim of the project will be to gain in-depth information that relate to Hillary Clinton activities and communications that relate to feminism. The project will mainly focus on the presidential candidacy of 2008. However, sources that relate to the political ascension will be used for the project. The primary focus will be on the campaigns for Bill Clinton and her various perspectives on women during her tenure as a senator. Anticipated Findings Wearing (2007) stated that the majority of women do not identify as feminists; however, they concur with the feminist agenda. The assertion relates to the treatment of women as equal partners in different aspects that both the women and men are involved. The common perspective by women about equality and the endeavor to redefine stereotyped perspectives of women indicates a general focus of feminism (Stockill, 2006). However, feminism has different perspectives that make it difficult to determine the thoughts of an individual in relation to feminism. The study will explore whether Bill Clinton acted as a springboard for the political success of Hillary Clinton. For example, during the tenure as first lady, Hillary Clinton insisted that she was an equal partner with Bill in the White House. The equality notion by Hillary will be explored to determine whether it pointed to progression as a feminist and its implications in relation to other feminist movements. Nudd and Whalen (2009) stated that a complete feminism is not based on noting the male domination but on a complete revolution that aims at striking the balance in the society. In the review to determine whether Hillary Clinton used contradicting feminism to further her political agenda, various materials will be analyzed to determine her political standings. According to Lots (2003), feminism is about altering the social landscape so that all people experience freedom and ensure that the society is not aligned with patriarchy system but a balanced platform for both men and women. In the modern society, competition is a value that is embraced. Despite the embrace of the value of competition, there are societal expectations placed on women. For example, there is a societal requirement that women should act in a feminine manner. For the females, being aggressive and competitive is often construed as a lack of feminine qualities. The societal expectations are based on the male domination notion that designed the gender roles (Nudd & Whalen, 2009). The feminist role is based on redefining and revisioning the concept to create a platform that dispels the women stereotyping and the male identification. Men have dominated the political landscape in America for many years. In addition, political landscape is very competitive. The political success depends on striking a balance that attracts voters from both the men and women. For women to gain the competitive edge, the role of patriarchy-oriented society cannot be undermined (Heath, Toth & Waymer, 2009). The women have to get approval from male voters. Furthermore, they have to impress the fellow women by pushing for parity in the male-dominated political scene. Therefore, for a feminist, it becomes a difficult landscape to navigate. Therefore, the study will investigate the different perspectives employed by Hillary Clinton to gain the political success. For example, in the campaign for Bill Clinton, Hillary emphasized that she was not the type of a woman to stay at home to bake for the family (McGinley, 2009). The notion alluded to her equal role in the White House. However, the sentiments were interpreted as demeaning the stay home women. In the 2008 primaries, she played an assertive role that was aimed at upholding the male roles in society and at the same time ensuring women equality. Limitations The analysis of Hillary Clinton feminism in the political ascension will require the application of equal part solution and equal part critique. There will be a potential bias that relate to failure to consider the role of patriarchal order in the Hillary’s rise to political success. For example, Hilary Clinton could have changed views that related to feminism in order to gain politically from men and women. As such, there is the possible failure to failure to consider the implication of the alternative change of views amidst the competitive political landscape. Furthermore, there will be a probability of personal bias that may arise by concentrating on the aspects that elucidate domination factors and the rigidity of language use. Amidst the complex political landscape, there is the possibility of failure to objectively establishing establish Hillary’s feminism ideology. Despite the limitations, the anticipated conclusions will not be lacking. The project will apply the various techniques for feminism criticism research. The materials that will be used and the procedure for inclusion will ensure that credible information is acquired for the study. Therefore, the issues that relate to the limitations will be addressed and the potential bias reduced. References Dziedzic, N. (2012). Feminism . Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Heath, R., Toth, E., & Waymer, D. (2009). Rhetorical and critical approaches to public relations . New York, NY: Routledge. Kuypers, J. (2009). Feminism rhetorical criticism . Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. Letherby, G. (2003). Feminist research in theory and practice . Buckingham: Open University Press. Lopez, D. (2009). Hierarchy, unity, and imitation: a feminist rhetorical analysis of power dynamics. Women’s Studies International Forum, 17 (3), 369-371. Lots, A. (2003). Communicating third wave feminism and new social movements: challenges for the next century of feminist endeavor. Women and Languages, 15 (1), 1-9. McGinley, C. (2009). Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Michelle Obama: performing gender, race, and class on the campaign trail. Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 23 (1), 810-823. Nudd, D., & Whalen, K. (2009). Feminist analysis: rhetorical criticism. Perspectives in Action, 1 (1), 257-284 Ramazanoglu, C., & Holland, J. (2002). Feminist methodology: challenges and choices . London: Sage. Reynaud, E. (2004). Holy virility: the social construction of masculinity. Feminism & Masculinities, 136 (1), 142-44. Stockill, C. (2006). Gender Talk: feminism, discourse and conversation analysis. Feminism & Psychology, 16 (4), 501-504. Wearing, S. (2007). The rhetoric of feminism: readings in contemporary cultural theory and the popular press. Feminist Review, 86 (1), 195-196.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: The essay discusses the feminist pro-porn during sex wars of 1970s and 1980s. It highlights how these women fought for their beliefs in a time when the society was against them.

The essay discusses the feminist pro-porn during sex wars of 1970s and 1980s. It highlights how these women fought for their beliefs in a time when the society was against them.

Feminist Pro-Porn During Sex Wars Thesis Introduction Feminist Sex Wars of 1970s and 1980s were acrimonious debates about a number of issues relating to sex, and the role of women in this context. In the debate that was uniquely feminist in nature, the focus was on various issues about sex and how different members of the society viewed it. One of the main issues was pornography and how it impacted on the fight for equality in the society. The anti-porn feminists argued strongly against porn. To this group, pornography portrayed women as objects for sexual gratification for men. It takes away the dignity from women, leaving them empty. On the other hand, the pro-porn feminists held that, pornography did not have any negative connotation about women. They argue that the actors are consenting adult men and women who believe that what they are doing is morally right. According to Martindale i , the pro-porn feminists were opposed to the idea of the anti-porn feminists that women should avoid exposing their privacy before the camera. This was seen by the pro-porn feminist as an oppressive approach of dealing with the issue. In the current society, women, just like men, should be allowed to express their sexual orientation without any prejudice. This is one of the ways of empowering women. For this reason, pornography should not be viewed from a partial angle of just looking at the female actress. It should be taken from a holistic form where the analysis should focus on both male and female actors. Both are involved in the industry, and it would only be fair to analyse the industry by addressing this fact. Giving a biased focus on men gives the impression that women are still the weaker sex than men in the society. This is what the pro-porn feminists were opposed to in this war. They argued that both parties are equal and that if the anti-porn feminists thought that women in the pornographic films are used as objects, then they should show maturity in the fight for equity by defending the men in those films as well. In this research, the focus will be on feminists who were pro-porn during the sex wars in the 1970s and 1980s. Feminist Sex Wars According to Jeffreys ii , the feminist sex war was one of the unique revolutionary debates that had the main players as women. Men played a partial role in these debates, preferring to let women fight their own battle. This scholar says that there was a growing discomfort among many women about the issue of sexuality. The film titled ‘ Snuff ’ which was produced in 1976 sparked the public debate on the role of women in the society, and the effects of pornographic films. Andrea Dworkin was one of the pioneers of this debate. She was concerned about the perception that the society, especially men, had towards women. To her, women were seen as objects meant to offer sexual gratification to men. She argued that this was not only demonstrated in prostitution that was common in New York and various parts of the world, but also in pornographic films. It was a concern to her that the government was ignoring the issue of pornography as it was gaining popularity in the society. When this debate started, many thought that it would be a revolutionary debate that would pitch women on one side, and men on the other side. Andrea Dworkin was able to convince women that pornography was wrong. She traversed the country and organised public rallies to denounce it. She argued that, pornography was the main factor that led to increased cases of rape in the country. She was able to get the backing from other staunch human rights activists such as Ellen Willis, Susan Griffin, and Kathleen Barry. It is strange that Kathy Acker and Susie Bright were some of the followers of the anti-porn feminism during its early days. Andrea was seen as a hero who opened a topic that no one had dared talk about, and most women were in support of her efforts. In the early 1980s, there seemed to be a shift of ideology from among some of the followers of Andrea. Led by Susie Bright, a section of women started approaching this debate from a different point of view. While the anti-porn crusaders used public forums such as rallies to champion for the crimination of pornography in the country, a new outfit that was pro-porn took a scholarly approach. They wrote books and articles in the newspapers criticising the ideology of the anti-porn crusaders. Susie was particularly concerned of the approach that anti-porn crusaders had taken about issues of pornography and commercial sex workers. According to her, the sex workers went to the streets out of their own free will to earn a living iii . Their concern is to offer service to willing people and get paid out of this, just like a painter or a gardener. The claim that this was a patriarchal-motivated act was, therefore, not convincing to her. Similarly, she believed that, pornography was offering women the opportunity to get liberation when talking about the issue of sexuality. Women, just like men, should be allowed to enjoy sex and express their views freely without feeling intimidated. Criticising women who act in pornographic films and ignoring the fact that men are also part of the action is unfair to women. It is a clear demonstration that this group feels that women are lesser beings when compared to men. Similarly, appearing to defend women who act in these films and ignoring that men are also part of the action is unfair to women. This is so because it emphasises the belief in the society that women are weak and need a constant protection. To Susie, this was wrong, and demeaning to women that the pro-porn activists claimed to protect. It would be important to focus on the events that took place in this war in order to understand how the pro-porn feminists fought to make their voice be heard and their contributions be appreciated in this debate. Samois Samois was the earliest pro-porn feminist group to be started in the United States in 1977. It gave rise to what would be called feminist war because till then, the war against pornography and prostitution seemed to be a fight between men and women. However, this group of lesbians came out to strongly oppose the arguments put forth by the anti-porn activists. One factor that brought members of this group together was that they were lesbians. They analysed principles laid by the anti-porn activists and realised that their practice was part of what was criticised by this group. This made them feel outsiders to the movement. According to Nestle iv , the name Samois was taken from a story titled ‘ Story of O’ where one of the main characters was a lesbian. The founders of Saimos were convinced that women deserve to be given the right to define their sexual orientation. They argued that men were living in a free world where no one questioned their choices. However, this was different when the issue concerns women. The society still had the belief that women should be closely controlled, and this denied them the liberty to make any choices. In particular, this group was determined to fight for the rights of the lesbians as they realised that the arguments of the anti-porn feminists were against their freedom. It is important to note that this group was not very successful because it was the first organisation that was coming out publicly in support of pornography and prostitution in the society. Most of their contributions were made in the print media, avoiding public rallies for fear of a possible attack by the extremists. The group was criticised by the anti-porn feminists, especially the Women against Violence in Pornography and Media. They were seen as a thorn in the flesh, fighting against the principles that were viewed as acceptable by women. Gayle Rubin and Pat Califia were some of the founders of this group. This organisation only lasted for six years, and in 1983, it split up to various smaller groups. The split was caused by infighting among members who disagreed on some of the fundamental principles. For instance, while all members of agreed on the need to fight for the rights of lesbians in the society, a section were opposed to violence in pornography, a view that was shared by the anti-porn feminists. The disagreements led to the split of the organisation in 1983, with members forming realignments based on their personal principles. One of the biggest groups formed after the split was The Outcasts which lasted until 1997, later changing its name to The Exiles. This new group was pro-porn, arguing that the parties involved in pornography are consenting adults. Some of the members of this group published articles and books in support of their view towards this philosophical war. Lesbian Sex Mafia In 1981, a sex-positive feminist Dorothy Allison founded a group she named Lesbian Sex Mafia v . She was concerned of the criticism that the lesbians, bisexuals, transsexual, and sexual women were facing in New York. They were forced to live in fear of possible attacks from the anti-porn feminists. Most of them were forced to hide their sexual orientation because of the momentum that the anti-sex feminists had gained in this state. According to Allison, the anti-porn feminists were rigid minded, with principles that belittled women they claimed to protect. In one of her publications, Allison claimed that men had thrived in the field of sexuality as they were free to express themselves and decide on the sexual orientation. On the other hand, women have lived in a society where they are expected to be dormant when it comes to issues of sexuality. They are supposed to be recipients and not initiators. To Allison, this era was long gone, and it was the right time to allow women to make the decision about their own sexuality, a freedom that was enjoyed by men. She believed that controlling women sexuality in any way was the equivalent of taking power away from women and handing it over to men. This is contrary to the belief of the pro-porn feminists who believed that their principles centred on empowering women. Some of the principles that this organisation strongly supported included fantasy role playing, fetishes, sadomasochism, unrestrained sexual expressions, and alternate gender identities. It is important to note that some of these principles were strongly opposed by the anti-porn feminists formed the basis of this organisation. For instance, this organisation strongly supported sadomasochism as they considered it a practiced that allowed women to express themselves in various forms as long as they were not forced into the act. However, the anti-porn feminists considered this one of the worst acts that belittled women and made them be seen as objects of pleasure for men. This was a major point of disagreement among these two warring parties. According to Meika vi , while one party saw this as a demonstration that women were in bondage and used the way men desired, the other section felt that this was another form of expression for women. Another fundamental disagreement between Lesbian Sex Mafia and the anti-porn feminists was on alternate gender identities. The anti-porn feminists were conservatives who believed that women shall remain women and they should be proud of this fact when expressing their sexuality. On the other hand, the Lesbian Sex Mafia believed that women could alternate gender identity when expressing their sexuality as this formed the basis of lesbianism. According to this group, for one to be a lesbian, she must have a feeling that she is a man in her sexual orientation, and this will make men unattractive to her. She will view men to be of her same gender. For this reason, she will be attracted to other women. This essentially means that there is an alternation of gender identity. Lastly, these two groups largely differed on their view of unrestricted sexual expression. The two groups claimed that they supported unrestricted sexual expression of women. To the anti-porn feminists, women should be respected, and be allowed to make their own choices on the people they would want to be intimate with in their lives. Their romantic lives should not be subject to filming because the pleasure generated from the intimacy should be enjoyed by the two parties, and not a third party. They should not be used as the objects of sexuality by men who may be interested in funny exploration of the body of women. This is contrary to the view held by the Lesbian Sex Mafia. To this group, women should be granted total freedom to express their sexuality. Those who wish to act in pornography should not be restricted simply because they are women. Women who are interested in watching pornographic should be given the liberty to do so because men have never been restricted from such films. The group also argued that women should not be restricted in their dressing code, something that anti-porn feminist was very critical about. The Mafia sought to give total liberation to women, handing them the power to choose their personality in as far as sexuality was concerned. This organisation remained very strong during the feminist sex war, especially due to its liberal approach to various issues of sexuality. Membership was open to women aged 18 years and above. The group would organise play parties where members would watch erotic movies or practical plays by some of the members. They would also sell sex toys to its members or other parties that visited their dungeons. This was seen as an open defiance to the moralist approach taken by the anti-porn feminists, a fact that that intensified the war. Their act received massive criticism, especially in some of the rallies in New York organised by Andrea Dworkin. They were seen to be the force that was acting against the right course that would liberate women from the bondage. The group was bringing a new approach to the war against pornography and male dominance in the area of sexuality. Women were now doing what Dworkin and her movement had associated men with, and the group had a substantial following. This was seen as a betrayal to the women in the society according to Dworkin. While they were busy fighting for some of these vices from being committed by men to women, a section of women were not committing the same acts to fellow women, and publicly justifying their course. Dworkin and her movement realised that the real enemy in their fight for liberation was not men, but fellow women. On the other hand, the pro-porn feminists viewed the anti-porn feminists as the real enemies of the fight for their total liberation. Herbert says that, the development of these two strong factions in this debate made men completely withdraw from the war to let the women find the course they thought was the best for all. In fact, the only parties that joined in the battle were the pornographic film producers and religious leaders because of their vested interests. The research by Nestle shows that this group still exists in New York and various parts of the United States, and it has held to its initial principles so dearly. Feminists against Censorship The feminist war was not just fought in the United States. It was also experienced in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom. According to Meika, unlike the United States that was seen to be more liberal, the United Kingdom had strict laws concerning possession and use of pornographic materials in the society. This is very different from what was the case in the United States. In the U.S., the law was defining production and usage of pornographic materials only focused on individuals who were below the age of 18 years. To adults, there was no censorship to the materials, and this was what anti-porn feminists were fighting against. They wanted clearly defined laws that would help regulate the industry. As the feminist revolution swept across the Europe, British women realised that they were unfairly treated by the law that largely favoured men. It was illegal to be in possession of pornographic materials, but this law seemed only applicable on women. The majority of consumers of pornographic materials were men, but the most of those who were prosecuted for this crime were women. The law gave powers to the Queen of England to confiscate any pornographic materials found within the kingdom, but this law was unfairly applied. It was a common knowledge in the 1980s that the number of gays in the country was higher than that of lesbians. They also went public over their sexual orientation quite often than the lesbians who still feared stigmatisation from members of the society. This meant that only a small fraction of the smaller population of lesbians was easy to identify in this society during this time. However, it was strange that the police rarely raided homes of the gays to look for the pornographic materials. This meant that women were targeted in such raids simply because they were women. To fight what they considered social injustice against female sexual orientation and freedom, a group of scholars, lesbians, and their sympathisers started Feminist against Censorship in 1989. This was a network of women that were focused on what they viewed as social injustice directed towards women in the society. The network was spearheaded by Roz Kaveney and Linda Semple who started organising feminists’ forums in the City of London vii . It is important to note that this network was different from the other pro-porn feminist organisations in the United States. Unlike the American organisations that were registered and with their own membership, this remained a forum for discussion for those who supported the course. It had no membership other than the two pioneers who were involved in organising the rallies for the members whenever this was necessary. It is also important to note that the context under which this group operated was very different from what other pro-porn groups in the United States operated. In the United States, there were no clear laws that censored pornographic materials among adults. In the United Kingdom, this law existed, and was seen to be subjective in nature by the feminists. Although the wave of anti-porn feminists’ activities was felt in the United Kingdom, its impact was largely felt in the United States where the groups organised public rallies to champion for their course. For this reason, the pro-porn feminist movement received backing from many women in the United Kingdom than was the case in the United States where there was a divided opinion. Feminist against Censorship was particularly against government’s censor against pornographic materials. They argued that these materials should be confiscated from children. However, adults should be given the liberty to choose whether or not to consume these materials. The group was particularly concerned of the impartial implementation of the law of confiscation of these materials. They complained that police officers were harassing women in the society by constantly organising unwarranted search for these materials on homes of the lesbians. At times, such police raids would come late in the night, infringing into the rights of privacy, especially when the raids took place when the couples were intimate. The movement considered this a deliberate effort by the law enforcers to intimidate them based on their sexual orientation. According to Jeffreys, the co-founders of this movement were very intelligent ladies that were able to bring women in this society into a near similar approach of reasoning in this fight. For instance, in 1990, the two organised a rally in London to protest against women in this society. In their protest, they were keen not to publicly champion for the rights of lesbians because they knew some of their supporters abhorred lesbianism. For this reason, they tied the rights of lesbians to that of every other woman in the country. They gave the image that they were fighting for the rights of all women in the United Kingdom. When talking about night raids, they were keen to mention that the police unfairly targeted women, and not lesbians. When talking about pornography, this movement was very keen because it was aware that many women had a low opinion about it. For this reason, they mentioned that men in the society were at liberty to use the pornographic materials without police harassment, a right that was not common among women. In this context, they supported the pornography without directly saying so, and this made many women rejected to pornography change their opinion towards it. Their arguments were more inclined to empowering women and allowing them to enjoy their rights, other than liberalising pornographic materials. viii This was the group managed to instil the spirit of rebellion on many women, and pornography was largely viewed merely as an object in this rebellion. For this reason, many women viewed it as a lesser social evil as compared to the discrimination they faced in the public. Many contended that if pornography could be used to liberalise the society and free women from the bondage, then it was an acceptable social evil. This saw many women make contributions in newspaper articles and public rallies criticising the censorship of pornographic materials in the country. This group is believed to be still active in the country. Feminists for Free Expression In the late 1989, there was a group of women who were thinking of forming a group that would be more vibrant in supporting the rights of women to express their sexuality without feeling intimidated. This group was that the Lesbian Sex Mafia was not fighting for the rights of a section of women, especially the prostitutes within various cities in the United States. As its name suggests, the Lesbian Sex Mafia was also viewed as a society for lesbians. Most of their activities also showed more inclination towards lesbianism other than overall protection of rights and freedom of women sexuality. As a result, some of these women felt that their views were not fully represented in the ongoing feminists’ wars. This formed the basis of the formation of this new organisation in the late 1989. The founders of these groups included Candida Royalle and Veronica Vera who were human rights champions. In the past, they had come out strongly to champion the rights of prostitute and a time when mentioning a world about prostitution by women was considered taboo in this society. They argued that this new organisation would be focused on fighting for the interests of all women in the society, irrespective of their profession, religion, sexual orientation, or social status. According to Nestle, this organisation attracted a high number of prostitutes within the City of New York. In fact, many thought that it was specifically meant for prostitutes, a fact that made some women shun it during its inception. However, the founders were able to convince pro-porn feminist that this organisation was focused on fighting for the rights of all women. It only happened that prostitutes formed part of the women in the society and, therefore, they were rightfully presented in the movement. During its early days, the society had a slogan which stated, “Let us stop hypocrisy by legalising abortion.” Veronica Vera criticised Andrea Dworkin and her group saying that in prostitution was not unique to the United States. She was against criminalisation of prostitution in the society that made prostitutes look like criminals. According to her, men were hypocritical by stating that prostitution should be legalised while the truth is that they form 100% of the market for prostitutes. For a crime of prostitution to be committed, there must be the presence of a prostitute and the client. If prostitution is a crime, then both parties are liable and should be answerable to their actions. However, this is not the case. Some states have criminalised the prostitution, making the lives of prostitutes in those states unbearable. According to Vera, criminalising prostitution does not bring the act to an end, but only makes the process more complex for women. For instance, the report by Barton ix observes that prostitutes who practice in the states where prostitutions are illegal suffer a lot in the hands of the law enforcers. Some come to their joints, not to arrest them because of their crime, but to harass them and demand sexual favours. In this regard, the law does not help to protect the women from molestation from men. On the contrary, it takes away power from women, leaving them vulnerable to sexual abuse from men. The law enforcers know that these prostitutes have no ability to report them for the molestation because their business is criminalised. This makes them commit such atrocities without a second thought. For this reason, this group believed that the prostitution should be decriminalised in order to hand over power to women. Prostitutes should be treated just like labourers or physiotherapy and probably allowed operating with a license that would see them pay tax. According to Nestle, there is always an irony when it comes to criminalising acts such as prostitution or use of hard drug. It makes it more attractive to the youth who are rebellious in nature. It also eliminates the ability of the government to levy a tax in that sector. It becomes a black market. Burns says that black markets are always thriving, because they do not have to operate under the strict laws of the state. This society argued that this is what is making prostitution even more popular and dangerous in the society. It is done without regulation, and some of the main players involved are the very law enforcers who are expected to arrest the prostitutes. Feminist for Free Expression did not restrict its programs to fighting for the rights of prostitutes. It was also vocal in fighting for the rights of women who decided to act in the pornographic films. Their message was very clear on pornography. To them, pornographic materials may pollute the minds of those who are aged below 18 years. For this reason, children under the age of 18 years should neither participate in the production of the pornographic materials or be allowed to watch the materials. However, adult women, just like men, should be allowed the freedom to choose on whether they want to participate on the production of the films or not. During the first forum they held in 1989 when they were still largely seen to be part of Lesbian Sex Mafia, Candida stated that they were strongly opposed to criminal gangs that kidnapped women and young girls and subjected them to prostitution against their wish. x To them, this constituted a crime that should be prosecuted in a court of law. She also stated that using any form of force, whether financial or psychological, to force women to act in a pornographic film was illegal and they rejected it as a vice that degrades women. However, she was very categorical that most women in this industry were acting out of their own free will. In fact, some of them even had websites where they sold their pornographic films which they were the main actors. It is wrong to claim that such individuals are forced into the act. Developing legislation that prohibits pornography would render these women jobless. It is their wish to be in this industry, and they believe that they are making decent earning out of it. It would only be fair to have laws that would protect them as they do what they consider appropriate. The group was also critical of the laws that prohibited consumption of pornographic materials by adults. Although it did not have direct links with the British Feminists against Censorship society, it shared their views about consumption of such materials. The group became very active in 1990s when it became apparent that it had broken away from Lesbian Sex Mafia. The Impact of Feminist Sex Wars The feminist sex wars finally came to an end, and just like any other conventional wars, there were losers and winners. It is important to analyse the impacts of this war in order to determine the winners and losers of the war. Expansion of the pornographic industry Following the feminist sex wars, the pornographic industry has experienced massive expansion over the years. When Andrea Dworkin and Susie Bright were fighting over the position that women should take about pornography, the industry was very small, and the society was very cautious of any pornographic materials. However, this changed in the 20 th and 21 st centuries. The more the war between the two factions raged on, the more the society talked about pornography and the more it became acceptable. At first, people viewed the topic as taboo. However, this war provided a forum where people could talk about this issue freely and address some of the myths and misconceptions about pornography. According to Meika, the United States along produces about 13,000 pornographic films in a year. The society has come to embrace these materials. This researcher also notes that almost 90% of these films have some form of aggression by men towards women. xi This is part of what the anti-porn feminists were against during the war. Even the pro-porn feminists stated that although they were not opposed to pornography, they disapproved of the violent acts that men in these firms expressed towards women. They championed for a pornography that was free from any form of violence, especially those that are directed towards women. Increased rates of prostitutions There has been a drastic rise in the cases of prostitution, not only in the United States, but also in other countries around the world. According to Jeffreys, the industry of prostitution has boomed even beyond the pro-porn feminists who were fighting for the rights of prostitutes. In some countries, the industry is legalised and earns such countries good revenue of form of taxation. The war game prostitutes a voice and they can now come out freely and defend their profession, something that was very rare before the war. They feel that the society has finally accepted their profession. High number of children below 18 years accessing pornographic materials According to Hewitt xii , the number of children aged 14-17 who access pornographic materials has skyrocketed. In fact, this report states that 99% of boys, and 86% of girls within this age bracket have accessed pornographic materials in one way or the other. This is one of the fundamental issues that the anti-porn feminists were determined to eliminate during this war. Most of minors get these materials from online sources such as YouTube and other pornographic websites. Some of the girls get the materials from adult men, especially those with ill intentions towards them. The pornographic materials have serious negative impact on these minors, especially young boys. Increased cases of child prostitution One of the concerns for both the pro-porn and anti-porn feminist is that the war has led to increased child prostitution in the society. During this war, both sides stated clearly that they were against child prostitution. Susie Bright once stated that her organisation was strongly opposed to child prostitution and that the best way of addressing the issue is to talk about it. This was one of the rare principles that both sides of the divide shared. They both believed that a child should be protected from prostitution as one of their fundamental rights. However, the report by Meika indicates that the war did not spare children. They were constantly subjected to a society that was full of discussion of sex-related issues. Some became involved in sexual activities out of curiosity. They wanted to know more about what was constantly discussed in social forums, along the streets, and in the mass media. This was a war that was lost by both parties. Introduction of sex tourism Sex tourism was something that was unheard of when the feminist sex wars begun in the 1970s. However, Nestle argues that sex tourism can be directly attributed to the feminist sex wars of the 1980s and 1990s. During the war, the society was made to form a different opinion about sex, pornography, and prostitution. These were three words that were rarely spoken in the society then. However, the war made society rethink about the topic and each faction came to its own conclusions. For the section that embraced pornography and prostitution, they viewed it as normal for the society to talk about sex. During this time, prostitution gained entry into the field of tourism. Male tourists started gaining more preference towards regions where prostitution was common than those areas that restricted it. There was a shift from the love of animals to the love of women and men who offered sexual satisfaction to the male and female tourists. This became common in the third world countries that were under the burden of poverty. Tourists from Europe and the United States would flock into these countries not only to enjoy the beauty of nature, but also to get the pleasure offered by the prostitutes, some as young as 12 years xiii . Reasons Why Pro-Porn Feminists Won the War According to Jeffreys, although there are cases when one would consider both factions to have lost in the battle, the truth is that the anti-porn feminist lost this war in totality. It is evident from the above impacts that the pro-porn won the battle only that sometimes their success went beyond or even against their expectations. One of the main reasons why the pro-porn feminist won the war is that they targeted the younger generation and convinced them that their ideology was meant to protect women and men in equal measure. On the other hand, the anti-porn feminists received massive support from the aging population who were conservative. As time went by, the older population became irrelevant in this debate, making the ideologies of the anti-porn feminists irrelevant. Another factor is that the pro-porn feminists were secretly backed by men who make the highest percentage of the consumers of pornography. Although this war was largely a feminist battle, men played some role in ensuring that the anti-porn feminists were defeated in this war. Nestle attributes this success to the fact that the pro-porn were genuine in this war, while a section of the anti-porn feminists were only there to protect their reputation. Some of the anti-porn feminists were consumers of the pornographic materials, but to hide their true identity, they joined the anti-porn feminists. This contributed to their course being defeated. Conclusion The feminist sex wars of 1970s and 1980s sharply divided women into two factions. The first faction was the anti-porn feminists who were opposed to pornography and prostitution in the society. This group argued that, pornography where women were treated like slaves or sex objects was detrimental to the fight for equity that was gaining pace during this period. These feminists stated that the way these women were treated in such movies was the same way some men treated in real life scenario. After watching such materials, men would try to implement them on their wives and girlfriends. They also argued that prostitution was a clear demonstration that women were objects meant to offer men sexual gratification. For these reasons, law should be established to criminalise pornography and prostitution. On the other hand, the pro-porn feminists championed for decriminalisation of pornography and prostitution, arguing that women who were in this field had made their own choices as adults. They argued that the law should only focus on protecting children and women who were forced into the industry against their own free will. To them, these laws would only limit freedom of women. The women who had considered pornographic industry or prostitution as the best means of earning their income should not be criminalised in any way. The impact of these wars is that there has been increased pornography and prostitution in the society. It is evident that the pro-porn feminists women the war as many countries around the world became more liberal on the issue of pornography and prostitution. Bibliography Barton, Bernadette. Stripped: Inside the Lives of Exotic Dancers . New York: New York University Press, 2006. Burns, Lynda. Feminist alliances . Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2006. Cossman, Brenda. “Pornography, Feminism, and the Butler Decision.” Bad Attitudes 3, no.2 (1994): 54-135. Herbert, Walter. Sexual violence and American manhood . Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2002. Hewitt, Nancy A. No Permanent Waves: Recasting Histories of U.S. Feminism . New Brunswick, N.J: Rutgers University Press, 2010. Jeffreys, Sheila. The lesbian heresy: a feminist perspective on the lesbian sexual revolution . Melbourne: Spinifex, 1993. Juffer, Jane. At Home with Pornography: Women, Sex and Everyday Life . New York: New York Univ. Press, 1998. Lishinsky, Rose. “On Our Backs Porn.” Off Our Backs 15, no. 3 (1985): 29-121. Lyndon, Neil. No More Sex War: The Failures of Feminism . London: Sinclair-Stevenson, 1992. Martindale, Kathleen. Un/popular Culture: Lesbian Writing After the Sex Wars . Albany: State Univ. of New York Press, 1997. Meika Loe. “Feminism for Sale: Case Study of a Pro-Sex Feminist Business.” Gender and Society 13, no. 6 (1999): 705-732. Nestle, Joan. The persistent desire: a femme-butch reader . Boston: Alyson Publications, 1992. Susie, Bright. “Welcome to OnOurBacks: The Best of Lesbian Sex.” On Our Backs 1, no. 4 (1985): 1-75. Footnotes 1. Kathleen, Martindale, Un/popular Culture: Lesbian Writing After the Sex Wars (Albany: State Univ. of New York Press, 1997), 87. 2. Sheila, Jeffreys, The lesbian heresy: a feminist perspective on the lesbian sexual revolution (Melbourne: Spinifex, 1993), 35. 3. Lynda, Burns, Feminist alliances (Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2006), 110. 4. Joan, Nestle, The persistent desire: a femme-butch reader (Boston: Alyson Publications, 1992), 39. 5. Walter, Herbert, Sexual violence and American manhood (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2002), 48. 6. Loe, Meika “Feminism for Sale: Case Study of a Pro-Sex Feminist Business” Gender and Society 13, no. 6 (1999): 732. 7. Jane, Juffer, At Home with Pornography: Women, Sex and Everyday Life (New York: New York Univ. Press 1998), 49. 8. Rose, Lishinsky “On Our Backs Porn” Off Our Backs 15, no. 3 (1985): 29 9. Bernadette, Barton, Stripped: Inside the Lives of Exotic Dancers (New York: New York University Press, 2006), 54. 10. Bright, Susie, “Welcome to OnOurBacks: The Best of Lesbian Sex” On Our Backs 1, no. 4 (1985): 45. 11. Brenda, Cossman, “Pornography, Feminism, and the Butler Decision” Bad Attitudes 3, no.2 (1994): 78. 12. Nancy, Hewitt, No Permanent Waves: Recasting Histories of U.S. Feminism , (New Brunswick, N.J: Rutgers University Press, 2010), 121. 13. Neil, Lyndon, No More Sex War: The Failures of Feminism (London: Sinclair-Stevenson1992), 63.

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Provide the full text for the following summary: Overall, it is possible to argue that current historiographic views on this period can supplement each other. Yet, none of them can fully explain the complexities of this political, economic, and legal system which could vary across regions and evolve with time passing.

Overall, it is possible to argue that current historiographic views on this period can supplement each other. Yet, none of them can fully explain the complexities of this political, economic, and legal system which could vary across regions and evolve with time passing.

Major Historiographic Views on Feudalism Research Paper Introduction The history of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance continues to attract the attention of many contemporary historians. Much attention is paid to such a concept as feudalism and its major peculiarities. Researchers focus on such questions as the evolution of this socio-political system, conflicts between various interest groups as well as the reasons why it eventually fell into oblivion. This paper is aimed at discussing the major historiographic views on this system. In particular, one should mention that feudalism can be interpreted from a political and legal perspective. This research paradigm is supposed to examine the relations between the main stakeholders such as lords and vassals. From this viewpoint, the main characteristic of feudalism is the decentralization of authority. In turn, some scholars prefer socio-economic analysis of this phenomenon. In particular, they regard feudalism as a system that legitimized the exploitations of peasants by the aristocracy. One should keep in mind that contemporary researchers such as Marc Bloch tend to combine these historiographic views. These two interpretations form the basis of their discussions. This is why it is necessary to analyze these approaches in great detail. Furthermore, one should mention that some historians such as Susan Reynolds believe that the concept of feudalism is rather contradictory and it may not fit various societies which existed at that time. Overall, it is possible to argue that current historiographic views on this period can supplement each other. Yet, none of them can fully explain the complexities of this political, economic, and legal system which could vary across regions and evolve with time passing. This is one of the main arguments that should be examined more closely. Critique of the major historiographic views Political and legal interpretation One should mention that some historians such as François-Louis Ganshof concentrate primarily on the legal and political foundations of feudalism. Researchers, who accept this approach, regard feudalism as a body of institutions that regulated the relationship between the landowners who provided tenure and knights offering military service 1 . Therefore, one can say that feudalism is primarily aimed at facilitating the exchange between stakeholders. This historiographic view can be important for understanding the work of institutions which were supposed to re-enforce the rights of these stakeholders; for instance, François-Louis Ganshof examines the institution of vassalage which was supposed to reconcile the interests of landlords and knights 2 . Moreover, according to political and legal interpretations, feudalism has several important characteristics. In particular, one should speak about the decentralization of authority which means that kings could not impose their will on landowners. Additionally, much attention should be paid to land as the main source of authority. This approach implies that during the period, states in the modern sense of that word were only at the stage of formation. Furthermore, according to this approach, feudalism can be viewed as a system for recruiting military professionals who were critical for the sustainability of the communities which existed at that time. This view of feudalism is one of the major research paradigms that can used for examining medieval societies. Overall, this approach is helpful for analyzing the main political and legal norms of the society. Moreover, this framework can be useful for analyzing the way in which the empowered interest groups regulated their relations. Nevertheless, there are several important limitations of this approach. In particular, this historiographic view completely excludes peasants who had no political or legal representation. It should be noted that these stakeholders also played a critical role for the sustainability of feudal societies. Furthermore, this historiagraphic approach does not show how these people could oppose to the existing hierarchy. For instance, one can speak about anti-feudal rebellions that took place in England and France 3 in the twelfth century. Therefore, this particular approach can lead to the exclusion of many narratives that are important for understanding the peculiarities of this historical period. This framework can certainly explain the behavior of people who set the legal and political norms of feudal societies. However, one should pay more attention to people who were underrepresented due to existing social, political, and legal norms. The voices of these people could be almost completely silenced. This is one of the limitations that should be considered by people who study the development of feudal societies. Socio-economic interpretation Additionally, it is possible to focus on the economic interpretation of feudalism. This approach is aimed at discussing the experiences of various social groups. Therefore, feudalism can be defined as the political and legal system which was supposed to subordinate peasantry to the interests of the landowning aristocracy 4 . Therefore, this approach implies that this socio-political system can be regarded primarily as the system of exploitation. Thus, this view of feudalism was often adopted by Marxist historians who attached much importance to the concept of class struggle. Although, this particular concept may not be applicable to feudal societies, social and economic interpretations are not fully rejected by the modern scholars. Historians who adopt this approach pay attention to the experiences of the most underprivileged classes. One can distinguish the following characteristics of the feudal system: 1. the use of coercion to subdue underrepresented groups; 2. social stratification; 3. unequal bargaining power of different stakeholders 5 . Admittedly, this approach should not be disregarded because it is important for understanding the experiences of different social groups. Nevertheless, this interpretation does not fully explain the conflicts between the most powerful stakeholders in the feudal society. In particular, one should speak about monarchs and landlords. It should be mentioned that sometimes, vassals could have conflicting obligations to monarchs and land owners 6 . In other words, one cannot examine this period only from an economic viewpoint because this approach cannot fully the power struggles which existed at that period. This is one of the drawbacks that should not be disregarded. This historiographic continued to be used by historians because it is more inclusive, especially in comparison with the paradigm developed by François-Louis Ganshof who examines primarily the interactions between stakeholders who could better protect their interests. Marc Bloch’s views on feudalism It should be mentioned that some historians attempt to combine legal and socio-economic views on fuedalism. For instance, one can speak about the works of Marc Bloch. He focuses on the following characteristics of feudalism: 1. the subordinate position of peasantry 2. the decentralization of authority; 3. the use of service tenement instead salary; 4. regular conflicts between kings and landlords 7 . To some degree, this method lays stress on the legal and political structures of feudalism, but at the same time, it can throw light on the experiences of different social groups. It is important to remember that Mark Bloch distinguishes two stages of feudalism. In particular, this historian believes that economic transformation of feudal societies led to the eventual centralization of power and formation of more powerful monarchies. Overall, Marc Bloc believes that the economic perspective should not be excluded because the intensification of trade and commerce strengthened the bargaining power of monarchs 8 . Overall, Marc Bloch’s approach is more beneficial because it enables the author to examine the experiences of different stakeholders who represented the medieval society. Additionally, this historiographic view is advantageous because it shows how feudal system evolved and why it eventually disappeared. In this case, one should mention that technological and economical development diminished the role of agriculture and land ownership 9 . In turn, growing trade could lead in the strengthening of the centralized power. In particular, this paradigm demonstrates the connections between economy, law, and politics. These are the main strengths of this framework. Nevertheless, this approach may not show how feudalism evolved in various in various cultural environments that could profoundly influence the interactions between different groups. Additionally, this approach does not show how individual decisions of monarchs or landlords could have shaped the development of feudalism. This is one of the limitations that should be considered because researchers should not assume that the development of this socio-political system could be predetermined. To a great extent, this perception reduces the role of a separate individual who could also shape the way in which a certain community could evolve. Re-evaluation of feudalism as a concept These approaches that have been described are based on the premise that feudalism as a system existed in various regions or countries. Furthermore, they imply that there are certain common principles which are inherent to the nature of this political and legal system. Therefore, the experiences of people could be similar in such countries as England, France, Germany, and so forth. Nevertheless, one should also keep in mind that some researchers do not believe that feudalism was a universal and consistent phenomenon. This opinion is expressed by different historians such as Susan Reynolds 10 . This approach implies that it is not permissible to generalize the experiences of different countries. For instance, the institution of vassalage was not the same in different medieval societies. The customs adopted in different countries could differ dramatically. This is one of the points that should be considered. This is why even researchers such as Marc Bloch focus on different lands and regions while discussing feudalism. Apart from that, researchers may examine the distinctions between feudalism in England and Scotland 11 . Overall, it is important to examine local customs that were not similar to one another. Furthermore, these customs could evolve significantly with time passing. This is one of the reasons why researchers speak about the existence of pre-feudal and post-feudal societies 12 . In many cases, these societies had the main characteristics identified by Ganshof and Bloc. Moreover, researchers argue that the relations between various groups were not always the same because they could be influenced by the cultural norms established in various feudal societies. This approach implies that historians should not try to twist historical evidence so that it could match historical constructs or concepts such as feudalism. Instead, they need to concentrate on primary evidence which can throw light on the diversity of feudal societies. Thus, one can say that feudalism can be depicted as a changing and diverse phenomenon that cannot be described with the help of a single model. These are the main peculiarities of this historiographic view. The main advantage of this approach is that it urges researchers to focuses on the particularities of the feudal system in different countries. In this way, historians can gain better insights into various aspects of feudalism. This historiographic view is also popular since modern researchers examine the cultural peculiarities of feudalism. Conclusion These examples demonstrate historians do not have the same perception of feudalism. The differences can be explained by the fact that researchers focus on different aspects of this historical period. In particular, it is possible to speak about the distribution of power in the society and the norms regulating the relations between the main stakeholders. In turn, scholars can focus on the study of economic development and the way in which some social groups could be marginalized. Apart from that, many researchers such as Marc Bloch tend use each of these paradigms. Apart from that historians may discard the ideas that feudalism was a universal construct that existed in different countries. In particular, it is important to mention that feudalism could take different paths, and one cannot say that it could always fit the models constructed by historians. Overall, none of the historiographic views discussed in this paper can be dismissed because each of them can throw light on the experience of different social groups. Furthermore, the use of these paradigms is important for understanding the evolution of this socio-political system. These are the main aspects that can be distinguished because they can be helpful for understanding the main peculiarities of feudalism. Bibliography Bloch, Marc. Feudal Society. Translated by Leonard Manyon. London: Routledge. 1962. Braun, Jerome. Democratic Culture and Moral Character: A Study in Culture and Personality . New York: Springer Science & Business Media, 2013. Ganshof, François-Louis. “Benefice and Vassalage in the Age of Charlemagne.” Cambridge Historical Journal 6, no. 2 (1939): 147-175. Hammond, Matthew, New Perspectives on Medieval Scotland, 1093-1286 . New York, Boydell & Brewer Ltd, 2013. McKitterick, Rosamond, and Michael Jones. The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 6, C.1300-c.1415 . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Murray, Mary. The Law of the Father?: Patriarchy in the transition from feudalism to capitalism. New York: Routledge, 2005. Reynolds, Susan. Fiefs and Vassals: The Medieval Evidence Reinterpreted . New York, Clarendon Press. 1994. Sanderson, Stephen. Social Transformations: A General Theory of Historical Development . New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 1999. Tendler, Joseph. Opponents of the Annales School . London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. White, Lynn. Medieval technology and social change . Oxford University Press. 1962. Footnotes 1 Joseph Tendler, Opponents of the Annales School (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013), 158. 2 François-Louis Ganshof, “Benefice and Vassalage in the Age of Charlemagne,” Cambridge Historical Journal 6, no. 2 (1939): 147. 3 Rosamond McKitterick and Michael Jones, The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 6, C.1300-c.1415 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 457. 4 Stephen Sanderson, Social Transformations: A General Theory of Historical Development (New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 1999), 157. 5 Mary Murray, The Law of the Father?: Patriarchy in the transition from feudalism to Capitalism (New York: Routledge, 2005), p. 10. 6 François-Louis Ganshof, “Benefice and Vassalage in the Age of Charlemagne,” Cambridge Historical Journal 6, no. 2 (1939): 175 7 Marc Bloch, Feudal Society, trans. Leonard Manyon (London: Routledge. 1962), 13 8 Marc Bloch, Feudal Society, trans. Leonard Manyon (London: Routledge. 1962), 69. 9 Lynn White, Medieval technology and social change (Oxford University Press. 1962), 63. 10 Susan Reynolds, Fiefs and Vassals : The Medieval Evidence Reinterpreted (New York: Clarendon Press, 1994), 32. 11 Matthew Hammond, New Perspectives on Medieval Scotland, 1093-1286 (New York, Boydell & Brewer Ltd, 2013), 10. 12 Jerome Braun, Democratic Culture and Moral Character: A Study in Culture and Personality (New York: Springer Science & Business Media, 2013), 119.

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Write the original essay that provided the following summary when summarized: The FELTP is a type of program that can help people from different African countries to build a powerful system, detect various health threats, and prevent these threats' spreading.The FELTP is a type of program that can help people from different African countries to build a powerful system, detect various health threats, and prevent these threats' spreading.

The FELTP is a type of program that can help people from different African countries to build a powerful system, detect various health threats, and prevent these threats' spreading. The FELTP is a type of program that can help people from different African countries to build a powerful system, detect various health threats, and prevent these threats' spreading.

Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program Evaluation Evaluation Essay Brief Description of a Disease Dengue is a well-known epidemic disease caused by the dengue virus that may be developed as a result of an Aedes mosquito bite. The mosquito is under a threat of being infected by the virus under consideration when it bites a person. Only after it is infected, it may spread the same inflection to another person. People are not able to get this kind of infection by air or any other method. This is why it is possible to identify a mosquito as the only dangerous vector of the disease under analysis. As a rule, fever, skin rash, pain in muscles and joints, and headache are the most common symptoms of this disease. On the one hand, measles may have the same symptoms, and it seems to be easy to confuse measles and dengue; on the other hand, life-threatening fever and possible bleeding should never be ignored to overcome the most unexpected and terrible outcomes. As soon as a person suffers from fever and cannot explain the appearance of other symptoms, it is necessary to address the nearest hospital and be provided with the required portion of professional medical help. Current Situation in Africa It is reported that dengue fever is a type of vectorborne disease (Rolle, Pearson, & Nsubuga, 2011) that has already touched upon 34 African countries and continue spreading and influencing human health from the 1950s. Tanzania and Kenya are the two countries, which are interested in analyzing, diagnosing, and preventing this disease. A number of African countries aim at developing special health programs that help to learn better dengue fever and its effects on people. The Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program was offered to the citizens of Kenya and Tanzania and proved to be an effective means of educating, treating, preventing, screening, and diagnosing dengue as well as many other epidemic diseases. Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program General Overview and Goals The Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP) is the type of program that can help people from different African countries to build a powerful system, detect various health threats, and prevent these threats’ spreading (Mosha, Oundo, Mukanga, Njenga, & Nsubuga, 2011). One of the goals the FELTP is to build an appropriate public health workforce capacity in order to strengthen the existing public health institutions and provide citizens with a chance to fight against such diseases like dengue fever. It is necessary to create epidemiologic and laboratory services and focus them on particular diseases so that people can learn better the conditions under which dengue can be spread and the symptoms, which cannot be neglected. Laboratory management and its improvement is another goal that is defined by the program. Program Description In 1998, the World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa (WHO-AFRO) introduced the strategy by means of which the assessment of strong and weak points of the existing public health system was conducted (Mmbuji, Mukanga, Mghamba, Ahly, Mosha, Azima, & Senga, 2011). Still, the assessment has proved that the system was not perfect, and it was decided to create a program that helped the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to collect and analyze data about different epidemic disease and inform people about the most crucial changes and preventive methods. The program was established in 2008. Its representatives demonstrate their best abilities in managing and evaluating disease control and developing preventive programs available for people regardless their financial and social status (Mmbuji et al., 2011). Future Plans Taking into consideration such factors like rapid population growth, unplanned urbanization, and even a constantly increasing rate of travelling, it is possible to predict that the spread of such diseases like dengue may be dramatically dangerous to the citizens of Africa as well as for the citizens of other regions. People have to know more about the current situation in the country and the threats spread by such small but dangerous insects like mosquitoes. This is why the FELTP representatives admit the necessity to involve more people in their activities and think about any possible means to spread information and support the Ministry in their intentions to improve the current public health system. It is possible by means of additional sponsors’ search, development of special education programs, and promotion of preventive means via the Internet. General Impact In general, it has been proved by a number of cases that people are usually not bothered by a particular problem in case it does not bother them. Unfortunately, such attitude to the reality decreases the level of life and proves the egocentric intentions of a society. This is why people have to think about each other and offer their support if they can. FELTP is a successful example of how a group of people may influence the general state of affairs and improve the work of a particular African ministry. The chosen program offers a number of changes that can be used to decrease the speed of spreading dengue fever and help people to define the most appropriate treatment and preventive methods. Reference List Karimuribo, E.D., Mboera, L.E.G., Mbugi, E., Simba, A., Kivaria, F.M., Mmbuji, P., & Rweyemamu, M.M. (2011). Are we prepared for emerging and re-emerging diseases? Experience and lessons from epidemics that occurred in Tanzania during the last five decades. Tanzania Journal of Health Research, 13 (1). doi: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/thrb/article/view/72121 Mmbuji, P., Mukanga, D., Mghamba, J., Ahly, M., Mosha, F., Azima, S., & Senga, S. (2011). The Tanzania Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program: Building and transforming the public health workforce. PanAfrican Medical Journal, 10 (1), 9. Mosha, F., Oundo, J., Mukanga, D., Njenga, K., & Nsubuga, P. (2011). Public health laboratory systems development in East Africa through training in laboratory management and field epidemiology. PanAfrican Medical Journal, 10 (1), 14. Rolle, I.V., Pearson, M.L., & Nsubuga, P. (2011). Fifty-five years of international epidemic-assistance investigations conducted by CDC’s disease detectives. American Journal of Epidemiology, 174 (11), 97-112.

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Write the original essay that generated the following summary: A presentation concerning accounting and finances was provided by Dr. Ebenezer. In his presentation, Dr. Ebenezer provided a brief overview of the phenomenon of financial accounting, as well as the process known as operational accounting. The presented identified the key functions of FA and the means of carrying out the procedure within an organisation. Though the issues related to finances and accounting are traditionally perceived as #1: A presentation concerning accounting and finances was provided by Dr. Ebenezer.

A presentation concerning accounting and finances was provided by Dr. Ebenezer. In his presentation, Dr. Ebenezer provided a brief overview of the phenomenon of financial accounting, as well as the process known as operational accounting. The presented identified the key functions of FA and the means of carrying out the procedure within an organisation. Though the issues related to finances and accounting are traditionally perceived as #1: A presentation concerning accounting and finances was provided by Dr. Ebenezer.

Financial Accounting by Dr. Ebenezer Reflective Essay Discoveries, Revelations and Impressions A presentation concerning accounting and finances was provided by Dr. Ebenezer. In his presentation, Dr. Ebenezer provided a brief overview of the phenomenon of financial accounting, as well as the process known as operational accounting. The presented identified the key functions of FA and the means of carrying out the procedure within an organisation. Though the issues related to finances and accounting are traditionally perceived as “dry,” the lecture provided by Dr. Ebenezer seemed really enthralling to me. I was literally captured by the new and exciting facts about the phenomenon of accounting, the possibilities that it opens for a businessman, and the benefits that a company may obtain with the choice of a proper accounting strategy. Particularly, the fact that financial accounting is opposed to operational accounting was quite a surprise for me. Before reading the lecture, I had no idea that the concept of FA had any phenomenon to oppose it to begin with. The resulting discovery of to two phenomena and the way, in which they completed the concept of accounting, made me feel that eventually some light has been shed on the issue. The consequences of understanding the specified detail are beyond impressive – by using only FA in my practice, I would suffer considerable losses because of the lack of focus on the internal users 1 . The idea of taking huge losses, which may even exceed an organisation’s revenues (e.g., around $ 500,000 from the lack of attention to the knowledge management issues), literally made be relieved that I have acquired this essential piece of information. The concept of financial accounting can be related to the Positive Accounting Theory. Allowing for an identification of the methods of accounting that lead to maximising the company’s profits, the specified theory strikes me as truly brilliant. Suggested in 1990s as the means to explore the methods of accounting further and increase revenues, the specified theory, in fact, allows for improving the performance of a company to an impressive extent. The theory in question seems especially viable once the material covered in the lecture is integrated into it. Indeed, by including both the processes related to the financial transactions, and the ones that concern organisational behaviour, into the accounting strategy, one will be able to predict the efficacy of specific actions taken by the company with huge precision. 2 The presentation in question has clearly affected my decision-making strategies. Impressed beyond belief by the information concerning two types of accounting, I will necessarily make sure that the methods for both are well developed in the organisation that I will work for. The possibilities, which the use of efficient accounting strategies with regard to the two accounting types opens, enthral me, and I feel very enthusiastic about my future professional progress. Though the challenges, which I may face in the course of these strategies implementation, frighten me and make me feel somewhat uncertain, I am positively sure that I will be able to come up with a viable approach for addressing them. I have strong doubts that the two types of accounting described in the lecture occur in reality in a manner just as distinctive and obvious as Dr. Ebenezer represents them in his lecture; nevertheless, the fact that I already know so much about the financial issues in general and the process of accounting in particular fills me with hope for achieving success. Bibliography Ebenezer, S. “ChE 423 Process Economics & Management. Introduction to Financial Accounting.” Presentation for Project Management & Decision Analysis School of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, 2014. Mourik, Carien van and ‎Peter Walton. The Routledge Companion to Accounting, Reporting and Regulation. New York, NY: Routledge, 2013. Footnotes 1. S. Ebenezer, “ChE 423 Process Economics & Management. Introduction to Financial Accounting” (presentation, Project Management & Decision Analysis School of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, 2014). 2. Carien van Mourik and ‎Peter Walton, The Routledge Companion to Accounting, Reporting and Regulation (New York, NY: Routledge, 2013), p. 104.

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Create the inputted essay that provided the following summary: The 2008 financial crisis was caused by a combination of factors, including the bursting of a housing bubble in banking regulations, and the fact that too much unregulated bank capital was tied to the sub-prime mortgages.

The 2008 financial crisis was caused by a combination of factors, including the bursting of a housing bubble in banking regulations, and the fact that too much unregulated bank capital was tied to the sub-prime mortgages.

US’s Financial Crises in 2008 Cause and Effect Essay Discuss the Different Reasons and Causes of the Financial Crisis When examining the causes of the 2008 financial crisis, the facts present a logical sequence of events of a housing bubble that burst in the United States. From this perspective, the logical conclusion would be a crisis in the housing sector. However, as it turned out, the crisis was in the entire financial sector and its effects were not just in the United States, but throughout the world. The linkages of the housing bubble and the financial crisis emerge when observing two factors. First, there were assets like securitized mortgages placed temporarily in off-balance sheet entities. They remained visible during general scrutiny in their temporal placement. Secondly, banking regulations were revised to lower the ratio of capital versus assets, as reflected in the balance sheet. Banks only needed to move as many assets as possible out of the balance sheet for them to have as much reduction in their capital requirements. Overall, the trend led to a significant reduction in the amount of capital that banks held against their balance-sheet assets. When destabilization occurred in the market, many banks were exposed to difficulties of meeting their trading obligations. Too much unregulated bank capital was tied to the sub-prime mortgages, thereby explaining the link between the housing bubble and the financial crisis. The following section takes an in-depth look at different reasons and causes of the financial crisis. Banking crises The 2008 financial crisis acted as a foundation to the 2010 crisis that most affected the European countries. Besides that, the IMF identified 124 systemic banking crises that occurred between 1970 and 2007 (Laeven & Valencia 2008). The key characteristic of all financial crises is the fact that they lead to a lack of liquidity in the financial market of the affected countries, causing some financial institutions to become technically insolvent. What the above facts denote is a bank crisis, where a country’s corporate and financial sectors suddenly have to deal with heightened amounts of defaults. At the same time, during a banking crisis, financial institutions and corporations are unable to pay contracts on time. A combination of these events and factors leads to a situation where the sector experiences a surge in non-performing loans. Non-performing loans exhaust the banking system capital and could also lead to depressed asset prices. For example, there could be a reduction of prices on real estate equity. The rapid decline happens after a sharp increase in the asset prices. The economic situation of an industry usually looks very prospective prior to a financial bubble burst. However, signs of a looming crisis are evident in the high real interest rates present at the moment. The actual cause of the crisis can be a single incident of a large depositor going to the bank for withdrawal, which leads to a series of borrowings among banks as they try to meet their obligations. Panic then ensues, which causes more depositors to withdraw and further exhaust the available capital reserves of banks, causing the distress. Currency crises According to Laeven and Valencia (2008), a currency crisis occurs when there is a normal depreciation of the currency of a country by at least 30 per cent, while the rate of depreciation is an increase of 10 per cent or more as compared to the previous year. Currency crises are more common than banking crises. They can also be attributed to large devaluations of a country’s currency, which temporarily destabilizes currency markets. In the following section, this paper concentrates on financial crises that mainly affect a banking sector. Going back to the introduction section of this paper, the housing sector bubble in the United States caused an increased demand for deposits from banks because the sector could no longer assure investors the returns that they eyed. In addition to that, the sector’s assets were attached to bank assets in a previous credit boom that made it easy to obtain financing for assets in the housing sector, such that a drop in asset value led to a collapse of the attached asset value. Within the housing sector, there were mortgages given to people who technically were not able to pay them back and were, therefore, not ideal customers in the first place. Nevertheless, the poor lending habit persisted because the assets were being temporarily shielded from the balance sheets of the banks. That explains why the crisis’ unfolding was under wraps for a while, before finally blowing up as an ugly event in the financial market sector. Mortgages alone were not the only cause, despite the fact that they had a significant effect due to the hoodwinking of investors using AAA ratings (Acharya & Richardson 2009). Unlike the 2000 crash, the 2008 crash was escalated by large, complex financial institutions. These included universal banks, investment banks, insurance companies, and even hedge funds. These institutions dominate the financial industry, thus they create a crisis for the entire industry when they all subscribe to a trend that leads to challenges in liquidity. In the case of 2008, these financial institutions disregarded securitization and preferred to go with a transfer of the credit risk to investors. Securitization The intention of securitization is to reduce risk by providing securities that should compensate asset losses (Acharya & Richardson 2009). Securitization helps banks to spread the risk to other investors in minimal concentrations. Unfortunately, for the 2003 to 2007 period just before the crises of 2008, the banks’ option to use the securitization option was mainly due to the need to go around the capital-adequacy regulations, which have been mentioned earlier in the paper. They included the requirement for banks to hold capital reserve in proportion of their balance sheet assets. Thus, moving the assets away from the balance sheet by spreading them to investors was a way to reduce the capital reserve requirement for a particular bank (Acharya & Richardson 2009). In mid-2007, there was an industry wide fall in syndicated loans. The use of syndicated loans denotes a shadow banking system that was in development for the last three decades (Gorton 2009). A syndicated loan is created when a major bank recruits other financial entities to partake of the loan. While that happened, the United States banks witnessed a surge in commercial and industrial loans on their balance sheet as corporate borrowers placed drawdowns on existing credit lines. A run on the banks emerged following many borrowers going for the credit-line drawdowns. In this case, the situation was not that of uninsured depositors running to the banks to withdraw their money in fear of it going away. Instead, this bank run was due to short-term creditors, counterparties, and borrowers who wanted as much liquidity as possible on their part because they had concerns about the actual liquidity of the banks and their solvency. In addition, those who already held debt assets payable by the banks refused to roll them over to allow banks additional time to pay. With a rollover, the banks are able to maintain their liquidity. On the other hand, the lenders to banks demanded more collateral to back loans and trades. Every activity in the industry was causing a drain on the liquidity of banks and the banks were facing insurmountable challenges of obtaining additional funds to boost their liquidity levels (Gorton 2009). According to Acharya and Richardson (2009), banks with more deposit financial cut theory syndicated lending by less than their counterparts with limited access to the same facility. In a typical bank run, the banks with more deposits would be adversely affected as they experience surges in withdrawals. However, as indicated above, the 2008 crisis was different because the bank run was not caused by depositors. Here, the banks with low deposit levels were the most affected because they did not have enough reserves to tap into temporarily to cushion their low liquidity exposure. Financial crisis in Europe The European situation for banks was different from that of the United States. In Europe, cross-border banking was the main characteristic of the crisis. In the past decade, cross-border mergers and acquisitions gained prominence in Western Europe. Meanwhile, in the same period, many state-owned banks and mono bank systems transferred to foreign-bank dominated systems (Allen et al. 2011). The move towards multinational banking was advised by its implications for stability. Banks were attracted by the option of lending funds through local subsidiaries and branches with longer maturity than to go through the option of cross-border lending. There are less regulatory impediments to the interbank movement of funds to subsidiaries for subsequent lending than it is the case when moving from one institution to another in different national jurisdictions. With an internal capital market that exists in global banks, it is possible to reduce shocks of liquidity and complement funding from external sources (Allen et al. 2011). Also, in Europe, just like the in North America, big banks opted to move away from a position of originating loans and holding them to a position of originating and distributing the loans. Securitization tendencies also increased, which moved loans away from balance sheets into structured investment vehicles. There were also sales of derivatives of assets in the form of collateralized obligations (CDOs). The financial innovation ensured that there was risk diversification and a myriad of new investment opportunities (Allen et al. 2011). These two factors contributed to the popularity of the various aspects of the innovation, which are described above. The chain lengthened on the intermediaries that were taking part of the risk of the loans and selling them as investment assets to other investors. With a full uptake of the securitized loans from the original lenders, it became less demanding for banks to scrutinize lenders’ ability to repay. Screening and monitoring systems became lax and the legal obligation for banks was not there. Just like the U.S. situation, most of the assets with distributed risks were off the balance sheet and they did not require an underwriting bank’s reputational obligations. However, after the reputation of banks came into question, many banks had to bring back the assets into their balance sheets, thereby exposing themselves to scrutiny from investors and regulators. Scrutiny led to compromises on solvency and liquidity positions. Nevertheless, the securitization was still serving its purpose of regulatory arbitrage. Assets that were not really prime received AAA ratings, which meant that banks and investors could get funding based on these securities without the need for capital charge. To this point, everything went on fine in Europe, until the cross-border operations came into the picture. The three decades of changes in the major banking institutions in Western Europe that led to their multinational operations also exposed them to the U.S. market conditions. A good number of the European banks, among other banks around the globe acquired their securities using the “subprime mortgage loans” in the US (Allen et al. 2011). From 2003 to 2007, banks were opting for the wholesale market to seek financing in the global level, instead of concentrating on their national levels. While intermediation chains increased, the international banks in Europe increased their search for large scale economies. Merging or acquisition became the preferred growth mode and entry into new markets. The emerging economies in Europe had their banks acquired by the dominant banks in Western Europe. After a short while, the largest multi-country banking groups controlled the cross-border bank flows. As Haldane (2009) explains, the five largest banking groups in Europe controlled more than 16 per cent of the banking assets in 2008. The new figure was more than double of what the banks had a decade earlier. With the ease of moving into new country markets, the big banks were able to cut their lending rates in their host countries by increasing their competition and relying on their cost efficiencies (Haldane 2009). Consolidation on a multinational scale led to the existence of systematically important financial institutions (SIFIs) (Allen et al. 2011). Moreover, most of these SIFIs also dominated cross-border banking activities among nations. Given these large institutions were from a few countries, the resulting composition of the market was dominated by a small number of countries. France, Germany, the US, UK, Switzerland, and the Netherlands were home to the largest banking institutions. They, indeed, became the dominant countries for cross-border banking. About 50 per cent of cross-border liabilities were divided among these countries, with the addition of Japan. There were differences in the manner of operation within the multinational banks. The Spanish banks were highly decentralised, while the Swiss, the US, and Canada banks relied on intragroup funding (Allen et al. 2011). The parent bank was the main source of funds for many Japanese subsidiaries, while Germany and French banks chose to spread their liabilities away from the bank (Allen et al. 2011). As international banking activity increased, it also led to expansion in international financial markets. A bank plays a key role in enabling organizations to acquire foreign securities. Banks also issue foreign securities and source their credit from different banks. At the same time, the use of the Euro currency in Europe positively influenced the increase in cross-border financial activity. The financial crisis across the globe Bank flows were a characteristic of Europe’s cross-border flows. Many other markets in the world also experienced similar changes and their securitization processes mainly included buying or selling of assets as investment vehicles to European banks. Cross-border purchases of securities remain attractive because they provide banks with liquidity options beyond their national boundaries. As such, banks can still weather shocks in their local economies. However, most of the assets of the euro area banks remained domestic; therefore, buying of securities from these countries would expose the international banks to liquidity challenges that would arise in Europe. The dominance of foreign banks in the major lending markets also meant that financial industry in the non-western countries were tightly integrated with the activities of the Western European financial market. In turn, these activities were tied to their exposure of subprime mortgage assets offered by financial institutions in the United States. The increase in efficiency and outreach caused by the entry and the dominance of foreign banks led to increased financial deepening of a country’s financial sector into the international sector. Ease of access to credit facilities brought by economies of scale of foreign banks also led to an increase in household credit after year 2000. Many banks opted to fund their loan books with non-deposit sources to cope with the high demand of credit. Lending internationally increased and contributed to lending in foreign currency trends. Getting funds in foreign currency terms meant lower interests for the institutions that were borrowing and bigger profit margins when the same banks loaned within their economies. The lenders on the supply side also favoured using the foreign currency because it eased the funding structure. This exposure to foreign currency loans also contributed to sufferings by local banks in countries that were, otherwise, geographically detached from the United States and Europe. The interconnections exposed all participants to the vulnerabilities of challenges occurring on either side of the market. Effectiveness of the Policies and Actions Implemented in Response to the Crisis This second part of the paper looks beyond the financial crisis and delves into the interventions by policy makers, institutions, and governments to prevent other crises and to mitigate the effects of a crisis. The section highlights the rationale behind various intervention measures. Some measures are already typically used in the overall sector management, while others like the bailout being special intervention measures to deal specifically with the financial crisis. The aftermath of the banking crisis in the US spread to the rest of the globe. Europe was a major casualty as compared to other regions. The transfer of vulnerabilities during the crisis from 2007 to 2010 happened rapidly to every interconnected country because of the financial integration of the world. Western Europe experienced a large reduction in cross-border flows. Elsewhere, the suffering corresponded with the level of integration with the internal financial market. In the U.A.E, the shocks of the crises were felt in the economy due to drop in oil prices and destabilization of overextended domestic banks. The exposure of local banks meant that they could no longer rely on non-deposit sources of funds from the international market for subsequent lending to their domestic sectors. The lack of liquidity caused the real estate bubble of the U.A.E. to burst. The fiscal policy response for the U.A.E, just like in many Gulf States affected by the crisis, has been expansionary. The major aims are to stimulate demand and to stimulate activity in the private sector. Fiscal prudence is a natural response to the crisis, as countries realize that the lack of monitoring and adequate scrutiny of banking activities contributed to the extent of losses suffered (Reinikka 2010). Macroeconomic policy responses to banking crises There are clear causes that are associated with the 2008-09 financial turmoil. These causes chartered the responses that the crises elicited. These include the global imbalances, low world interest rates, loose monetary policies in the advanced countries, among other probable causes (Serven 2010). A key lesson from the crisis was the need to have in place adequate focus on systemic risk. The existing regulations focused too much on the management of risk at an individual financial institution level. Compliance with these regulations meant that an institution was well secured and protected against risks in the books; however, the reality as shown by the crisis was different. Systemic risk acts as a negative externality imposed by all financial firms to the system. The social cost of failure of a financial institution is very high because it causes losses that exceed the private costs of the collapsing institutions. In response, prudential regulation can focus on the micro or macro levels of regulation. At the micro level, the regulations look at the resilience of individual institutions to exogenous risks (Serven 2010). At the macro level, the regulations look at the management of endogenous system-wide risks (Serven 2010). The review of the regulations to focus on the endogenous situation of the overall system comes after realizing that actions meant to enhance the stability of individual institutions can actually weaken the stability of the financial system. For example, the regulation to have capital reserves match the balance sheet assets was one of the reasons that promoted the securitization and use of syndicated loans by institutions in the developed countries. Another example is that an institution, cutting lending as a way of coping with its risk exposure regulations actually ends up weakening other institutions that need funding. Proposals on reforms look at capital, liquidity of assets and liabilities, leverage, size of complexity, and interconnectedness. There is a view of risk distribution across the financial system. In addition, there is a view of systemic risk evolution over a cycle. Therefore, an intention of new regulations is to have institutions internalize their contribution to the system-wide risk. They can do this by having capital requirements, using taxation measures, and having other related regulatory changes matching systemic impact. The regulators are able to look beyond the balance sheet of a bank by focusing on systemic rather than big. This comes after Lehman Brothers’ fall. The institutions were relatively small, but had very deep integrations to the financial system that collapsed (Serven 2010). Another realization that informs the view of regulations as part of a cycle of events is that financial crises are not random events. They always follow booms and the goal is to have booms decelerate gradually to prevent panics and irrational decisions in the market. Nevertheless, fundamental will always be pro-cyclical. Investment opportunities and credit demand increase when the market is on the upswing. At the same time, riskiness of prospective borrowers reduces because it is measured in relation to market performance. Lack of adequate regulatory policy contributed to the cyclic behaviour as risk-weighted capital requirements decline in a boom and rise in slump periods (Reinikka 2010). Pinpointing the period between the start and end of a financial crisis is possible, but specifying the exact period of the aftermath is hard. Focusing on the aftermath would concentrate on economic conditions that were challenged by the crisis, such as employment, availability of credit, and the performance of many markets within an economy. A key distinction of emerging economies and advanced economies is the level of available social safety nets. Without safety nets, the population in emerging economies receives the biggest blow as compared to those in advanced economies. However, they also face the biggest incentive to get back on their feet and rebuild the collapsed economy. Relying on safety nets has its drawbacks. It increases the demand for funds, away from the financial institutions affected by the crises that need available funds in the economy to shore up their liquidity (Reinhart & Rogoff 2009). After a financial crisis, lasting effects on asset prices, output, and employment ensue. If there is a reaction caused by the crises, then it is likely to persist for at least half a decade, as the government incurs massive debts with its various efforts to increase private sector output and stimulate overall economic activity. In theory, monetary policy should contribute to financial stability in an economy. It is usually the short-term response by governments after a financial crisis. Monetary policy is also effective as an overall regulatory tool because it can assume cyclic tendencies to cover the financial cycle. It could be restricted in the credit and asset price boom and then become accommodating in a crash. However, most regulatory agencies do not prefer to use the monetary policy to administer controls in the financial sector because its traditional role is to manage inflation of goods’ prices (Serven 2010). Fiscal policy measures can also contribute to financial stability. For example, the removal of widespread tax incentives to borrowing by the corporate sector eventually creates situations working against credit growth. The external policies can also play a role in ensuring financial stability. Most booms in emerging economies like the U.A.E. are preceded by surges in capital inflows. They also come from financial reforms or overall economic productivity gains, but the share of these factors in the eventual boom is often lower than the capital inflow contribution. In the East Asia financial crisis of the 1990s, countries had borrowed massively from the international financial markets. The crisis was then caused by foreign creditor runs that caused exchange rates to fall and caused a financial distress. The rationale for controlling inflows of capital is that regulation can help to limit exposure so that credit runs do not cause massive falls in exchange rates or jeopardize liquidity positions of local banks (Reinikka 2010). Another option for institutions would be to self-insure against foreign creditors. The option has opportunity costs for the capital reserves held to mitigate risks. However, the position could be jeopardized by the move to international insurance that works well at first, until it also becomes intertwined just like the syndicated loans and special investment vehicle assets that caused the financial crisis of 2008 (Serven 2010). Self-insurance allows financial institutions to deliberately avoid too many linkages with the financial markets, which could jeopardize its ability to cushion itself against liquidity shocks that arise with the collapse of one of the institutions in the tightly linked system. In Europe, when the effects of the U.S. financial crisis were clear, regulators moved swiftly to dry up the international financial markets. Central banks in various countries moved in to provide enormous amounts of liquidity. They also enhanced availability of foreign exchange swap facilities, with some opting to become purchasers of last resort for many asset markets. The intervention by central banks was supposed to solve liquidity problems for the involved financial institutions. The central bank’s action would allow banks to have alternative sources of capital to weather the shocks caused by credit runs by providing capital and releasing tight rules on capital reserves. As other financial institutions refused to roll over their debt and increased their demands of interests on assets, which the concerned banks were unable to provide, the only remaining option was to refer back to the central bank for assistance. Bailouts In the United States, the government provided USD 700 billion as an emergency bailout for the banking industry (Clark 2008). A bailout works by letting the government, usually through its treasury department or central bank, to purchase the distressed securities from banks that are facing financial crises. In the case of the financial crisis of 2008, bailouts meant buying almost all the subprime mortgage backed securities to eliminate the problem that caused the crisis. In the UK, the government had a similar rescue package to that of the United States, but its intervention was more extensive (Werdigier 2008). Other than just buy the distressed assets and leave the affected back with a clean balance sheet, the UK government’s intervention was to offer banks 50 billion pounds to shore up their capital. The government purchased an equity stake in the banks as a return for its assistance. The additional capital would help the banks deal with the liquidity problems presented by the crisis. Meanwhile, government’s intervention was meant to create positive externalities in the financial sectors. Preventing a collapse of another bank would provide stability for a whole industry and subsequently reduce chances of collapse in additional institutions. The rationale behind the action by the UK government was that merely buying of assets was out of date. It would only provide a temporary solution that did not address the cause of the problem. The UK government was also providing 250 billion pounds to assist banks refinance their debts (Werdigier 2008). As the lender of last resort, the Bank of England would double its loans to banks through a special liquidity scheme. The UK intervention was reacting to possible losses of asset value that would be caused by the publicity of the various banks’ liquidity problems, leading to less demand for their assets and the fall in asset prices. A value collapse automatically led to a drying-up of credit lines because the value of the assets was attached to the credit facilities enjoyed by the banks in other intuitions. With alternative credit lines from the government, the respective banks would still be able to operate in a stable manner. Another intervention by the United States, as part of the bailout plan, was to increase the insured limit of US bank balances from USD 100,000 to USD 250,000 (Clark 2008). In other countries, the bailouts by the United States government and the United Kingdom governments were examples to follow. However, in other countries, asking banks to increase their capital reserves would not be possible in markets that experienced heightened credit risk avoidance. Even the cross-border banking situation of the European major banks would not suffice to change the situation; most of their assets were held in the local economies. Besides, the international financial markets were already dry due to various actions by policy makers (Allen et al. 2011). Banks could only look for assistance from their governments (Werdigier 2008). Meanwhile, governments had every intention to offer bailouts because they wanted to limit the effects of the financial crises to their economies. Long term responses and mitigation plans Long-term interventions by institutions and policy regulators will likely mirror cyclically sensitive capital charges and provisioning schemes. Governments will most likely seek to make it costly for banks to use financial intermediation as a way of moving assets away from their balance sheet and escaping regulatory scrutiny. With taxes on financial intermediation, banks would have to really consider their risk exposure and reputation of assets before they purchase or sell within the financial intermediation chains. This should contribute to a system-wide increase in risk awareness and make financial crises avoidable (Serven 2010). Emerging economies that were exposed to the financial sectors of the developed countries and those that were affected by the global turmoil should focus more on macro sensible reforms. They should continue using fiscal policies to stabilize their financial systems. In the U.A.E. large fiscal spending by state governments was instrumental in mitigating the effects of reduced purchasing powers in the economy as credit lines dried up due to the global financial crisis. Spending by the government also helps to increase economic activity and cushion local businesses from liquidity problems affecting banks. It is also supposed to increase deposits to banks by organizations that are direct beneficiaries of the government spending. The overall effect is a more stabilized economy, with every sector benefiting from the government intervention to stimulate growth (Reinikka 2010). European policy makers and individual institutions will continue to favour cross-border banking because it can positively contribute to risk diversification. While engaging in cross-border banking, domestic banks will need to take cautionary measures to ensure that they also adequately expose their capital outside their countries, as much as they can easily obtain capital from international market. As the paper discussed, one problem with too much reliance on capital inflows is that foreign banks can decide to ‘cut and run’ (Allen et al. 2011). To foster the benefits of cross-border banking and to limit its associated risks, policy makers continue to the present rules of engagement among financial institutions with a view of stabilizing the system, such that the entire European Union is well diversified outside the region (Allen et al. 2011). Overall, the policy responses will rely on the nature of a crisis. As shown above, the central banks have to tighten fiscal policies, while at the same time being ready and willing to provide liquidity support. This is important because monetary policies help to contain market pressures, but they may also lead to heightened liquidity problems. As the various examples show throughout the paper, intervention should happen quickly to avoid associated externalities of a systemic crisis (Laeven & Valencia 2008). Taking too long to intervene in the hope that an institution will recover can present unwanted stress on the entire system and cause bigger problems. Reference List Acharya, VV & Richardson, M 2009, ‘Causes of the financial crisis’, A Journal of Politics and Society , vol. 21, no. 2-3, pp. 195-210. Allen, F, Beck, T, Carletti, E, Lane, PR, Schoenmaker, D & Wanger, W 2011, Cross-border banking in Europe: Implications for financial stability and macroeconomic policies , Center for Economic Policy Research, London. Clark, A 2008, Bush signs %700 economic bail-out plan approved by Congress . Web. Gorton, G 2009, ‘Slapped in the face by the invisible hand: banking and the panic of 2007’, Unpublished working paper , Yale School of Management. Haldane, A 2009, ‘Banking on the state’, Annual Federal Reserve of Chicago International Banking Conference , Federal Reserve of Chicago, Illinois. Laeven, L & Valencia, F 2008, ‘Systemic banking crises: A new database’, IMF Working Paper, Research Department, IMF , International Monetary Fund. Reinhart, CM & Rogoff, KS 2009, ‘The aftermath of financial crises’, Working Paper, 14656, National Bureau of Economic Research , Cambridge, MA. Reinikka, R 2010, ‘The financial crisis, recovery, and long-term growth in the Middle East and North Africa’, in O Canuto, M Giugale (eds.), The day after tomorrow , The World Bank, Washington, DC. Serven, L 2010, ‘Macroprudential policies in the wake of the global financial crisis’, in O Canuto, M Giugale (eds.), The day after tomorrow , The World Bank, Washington, DC. Werdigier, J 2008, Britain announces huge bank bailout. Web.

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Provide a essay that could have been the input for the following summary: This comparative study of Turkey and Mexico discusses the financial planning for national disasters in the two countries with an aim of bringing to the fore the key measures that the two countries have put in place towards ensuring disaster risk reduction and planning and hence reducing the impact of disasters whenever they occur.MexicoMexico is also a highly disaster-prone country. It has a long history of natural disasters, majorly hurricanes, which have caused serious damage to the Mexican communities in the past.

This comparative study of Turkey and Mexico discusses the financial planning for national disasters in the two countries with an aim of bringing to the fore the key measures that the two countries have put in place towards ensuring disaster risk reduction and planning and hence reducing the impact of disasters whenever they occur. Mexico Mexico is also a highly disaster-prone country. It has a long history of natural disasters, majorly hurricanes, which have caused serious damage to the Mexican communities in the past.

Financial Planning for National Disaster Report Abstract Whether natural or fabricated, disasters strike unexpectedly. When they occur, they can cause serious disruptions in the normal way of life of the affected communities. Aftermaths of a major disaster in a society often shatter routines, disrupt jobs, and/or destroy property and people’s lives. If it were possible, disasters would be avoided at all cost because the emotional toll, financial impacts, and disruptions that they cause are very traumatic to the affected society. In line with the realisation that it is difficult to stop some hazards that cause disasters from happening, there have been sustained efforts from the international community to focus on disaster risk reduction and disaster planning. This comparative research on Turkey and Mexico presents the financial arrangement for national catastrophes in the two countries. The goal is to shed light the key measures that the two countries have put in place towards reducing and planning for the many risks that are associated with disasters. Introduction Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Disaster Planning are efforts that are undertaken by a given community or a nation towards promoting disaster preparedness and resilience. In the event of a hazard, the losses of property, injuries, loss of lives, and disruptions to the social and economic wellbeing of the society are greatly reduced and/or eliminated altogether (Ragin, 2004). Owing to the enormous financial losses that are associated with disasters, as well as the financial resources that are required to respond and/or to lead recovery plans, financial planning has become a major tenet of the modern disaster risk reduction and disaster planning activities around the world. This comparative study of Turkey and Mexico discusses the financial planning for national disasters in the two countries with an aim of bringing to the fore the key measures that the two countries have undertaken towards ensuring disaster risk reduction and planning and hence reducing the impact of disasters whenever they occur. Country Profiles and Disaster Management Situations Turkey Turkey is the most disaster-prone country in Europe. It has a long history of natural disasters, majorly earthquakes, which have caused serious disruptions to the Turkish communities in the past (MCEER, n.d). The nation of approximately 80 million people is 80% mountainous. As Sengezer and Koa (2005) confirm, “Primary and secondary risk zones cover 66% of the country” (p. 173). Geologically, the nation lies at the boundary of the African and Arabian plates, which are both moving towards the north. Following the continuous movement of the plates, a large-scale fault line of more than 1000 kilometres referred to as the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) has formed from the eastern to the western side in the northern territory of Turkey. Along this fault line, many earthquakes have occurred in Turkey. Figure 1: Map of Turkey Showing the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) and other tectonic features Source: (Sengezer & Koa, 2005) The history of Turkey cannot be precise without a mention of major disasters that claimed thousands of lives in the 20 th century. For instance, in 1939, an earthquake struck Erzincan City that is located in the eastern part of Turkey. According to MCEER (n.d), “This earthquake devastated most of the city and caused approximately 160,000 deaths” (Para. 5). Ranguelov and Bernaerts (n.d), it killed between 30, 000-40, 000 people in addition to economic losses that almost brought the city to closure. The same city was the victim of another earthquake in 1992 where more than 700 people perished. In this last earthquake, although the figure that represented the lost lives was significantly lower than the previous earthquake of 1992, losses that were incurred through damages of property, including collapse of buildings, destruction of social amenities, and devastation of important infrastructures were enormous. In fact, Ranguelov and Bernaerts (n.d) say, “The famous Erzincan earthquake (M~8.0) on 26 December 1939 generated many effects… as well as big destruction and many human deaths (more than 30-40 000)” (p. 62). The situation required massive financial resources to bring back the city to its previous state. However, the turning point in the approaches to disaster management came after 1999 following the crucial lessons that were learnt from two earthquakes, namely Izmit Earthquake and Duzce Earthquake. The first earthquake, Izmit, occurred in the late 1999 at a magnitude of 7.6. It caused tremendous loss of human lives and property. This earthquake caused the deaths of more than 17,000 people, especially in the hardest-hit Marmara region where over 31, 000 commercial buildings were destroyed (Bibbee et al., 2000). It is estimated that more than 120000 houses were irreparably damaged while between 27000 and 35000 others had to be demolished due to the irretrievable dents. The cost of the earthquake was estimated to be roughly USD3billion. In November 1999, another earthquake, the Duzce, which was approximately 100km from the first earthquake, occurred again along the NAF region. It was recorded to have had a magnitude of 7.2. This earthquake led to death of approximately 1000 people. It brought about numerous injuries and destruction of property. Previously, the disaster management approaches that were used by the Turkish government were focused on disaster recovery. There was no motivation for disaster risk reduction or disaster planning at the time. However, since then, the government and the international community have increased efforts to establish elaborate disaster risk reduction and disaster planning to minimise the impact of the disasters as will be discussed later. The chart below shows how the Turkish government has developed an organisational chart that addresses various catastrophe management roles. Mexico Located in the “fire belt” where more than 80% of the world’s seismic activities occur, Mexico is a nation that has suffered many geological disasters. Further, because of its diverse geographical landscape and climatic conditions, Mexico is exposed to a variety of natural hydro-meteorological hazards such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, volcanoes, and droughts. For instance, in the period 1970-2010, more than 60 million people in the country that has a population of 113 million people had been affected by natural disasters. These figures have placed Mexico in the top 30 nations in terms of exposure to three or more natural hazards (World Bank, 2005). Annually, it is estimated that more than 90 earthquakes of a magnitude of more than 4.0 in the Richter scale are recorded in Mexico. Almost all territories in Mexico, including the Mexico City, are located in earthquake-prone zones. In addition to the earthquake risk, Alva-Valdivia et al. (2000) confirm that Mexico City lies within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt that is well known for its nine active volcanoes that have been a major risk to natural disasters in the region. The risk of tsunami is very real in Mexico, especially along the nation’s Mexico Pacific Coast. In addition, hydro-metrological disasters frequently affect the nation where the events range from severe tropical cyclones to heavy rainfall events and high-intensity storms along the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts. The agricultural sector is also faced with the risk of droughts, which can be very disruptive to many people whose main economic activity is farming. The nation has experienced an increased risk of disasters, especially following the evident amplified economic growth and urbanisation. For instance, more than 75% of the population in Mexico lives in urban cities. Mexico City, which is the world’s fifth largest city, has seen a rapid increase in its population. With the augmented economic wellbeing and urbanisation, more assets, infrastructure, and social amenities have become essential. Consequently, they have increased the risk of loss of lives and property in the region (World Bank, 2005). Another significant risk factor in the Mexican nation is the tendency of people who have lower incomes to conglomerate in high-risk zones such as slums or mountainous areas, as well as exposure to poor quality infrastructure that is susceptible to destruction in case of a natural disaster such as earthquakes or hurricanes. In the past, Mexico had various disasters that had major impacts on the society. Such catastrophes have revolutionised how disaster management approaches and efforts are coordinated. For instance, in 1985, one of the largest earthquakes in the Mexican history occurred. The Mexican city earthquakes of September 19 and 20, 1985 with a magnitude of 8.1 and 7.3 respectively, had the highest impact. They affected millions of people. Firstly, the earthquakes led to the loss of lives of more than 6000 people. They also led to direct and indirect losses that were estimated at USD$8.3billion. They are among the costliest disasters in the history of Mexico (Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d). Almost 87% of the total losses were recorded from the destruction of building and infrastructure while the remaining 13% went to the loss of productivity, increased cost of service provision, loss of income, emergency response, and temporary rehabilitation. More than 1700 schools were damaged while approximately 30% of hospital capacity in the Mexico City was destroyed. More than 250,000 people became homeless while other 900,000 citizens had their homes damaged. In fact, Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (n.d) say, “More than 400 buildings collapsed, and thousands more were damaged” (Para. 3). Of all the major disaster occurrences in the history of Mexico, the 1985 Mexico City earthquakes marked an awakening point where the nation of Mexico put more sustainable efforts and emphasis towards disaster risk reduction and disaster planning. Previously, the focus had been on disaster recuperation. However, the impact of these two earthquakes clearly showed that recovery was very costly and that it would cost less to have risk reduction measures to trim down the impact of disasters on the community and nation. Henceforth, Mexico has done a commendable work towards the establishment of disaster risk reduction initiatives that have greatly helped the country in terms of early warning, financial planning, and resilience of the vulnerable communities. Comparison of the Financial Planning for National Disaster in Mexico and Turkey Financial planning for national disaster refers to the efforts that a given nation puts towards disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness to reduce the financial impact of disasters in case they occur. The financial losses that happen in large-scale disasters are highly disruptive. Sometimes, they require the intervention of the international community for the country or the affected communities to recover wholly. If disasters are not anticipated and financially planned for, the risk of delays in post-disaster response often worsens the adverse human and economic consequences. As such, disaster risk reduction efforts offer the best chance for a country to take a proactive role in preventing or drastically reducing the losses that it may suffer in the event of a disaster (Arnold, 2008). Both Turkey and Mexico face high levels of risk for disaster events. Their history is marred by major disaster events, which have marked an awakening point when the need for disaster risk reduction, including financial planning has become evident as the way to go in addressing future disaster occurrences (Stallings, 1997). With the two countries featuring in the top-ten list of nations that have a high risk for natural disasters, with Mexico at position five and Turkey at position 8, the need for disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness can only be ignored at the peril of the two nations. In other words, it is no longer tenable for the two nations to sit and wait for a disaster to occur without initiating any recovery plans. From the two 1999 earthquakes in Turkey, where “At least 17,118 people were killed, nearly 50,000 injured, thousands missing, about 500,000 people homeless and estimated 3 to 6.5 billion U.S. dollars damage in Istanbul, Kocaeli and Sakarya Provinces” (MCEER, n.d, Para. 20), the government was put in a difficult place. Finances that were meant for other development activities and the provision of services to citizens were diverted and directed towards disaster recovery efforts. More than ever, there was a need for the government to revisit its disaster management and response strategies to ensure that such events and disruptions would never face the nation again. In recognition of the need to establish an elaborate disaster risk reduction and management approaches to reduce the economic impact of future disasters on the people and the government, Turkey put forward a ten-year roadmap from 1999 to achieve the goals of a well-established disaster risk reduction and management apparatus. The plan included, “the establishment of a national information centre for processing of all kinds of earthquake data, such as the preparation of earthquake catalogues and earthquake hazard maps of Turkey” (Bibbee, Gonenc, Jacobs, Konvitz, & Price, 2000, p. 19). During this time, a wide consolation and involvement of experts from different organisations such as the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the USAID, and JICA among other bodies that had an extensive experience in disaster risk reduction efforts around the world were engaged. These efforts were aimed at ensuring successful formation of elaborate policies and authorities that would be in the forefront to coordinate disaster risk reduction efforts in Turkey (Cummins & Mahul, 2009). Besides, the framework below was successfully adopted to address disasters in the country. At the end, the government saw that the future of disaster risk reduction lay in the establishment of a central authority that would lead in the coordination of disaster risk reduction efforts that covered preparedness, financial planning, and resilience. The first step in this process was the collapsing of the existing institutions that were focused on disaster management. They had many inadequacies that hindered their capacities to respond to disaster occurrences. The institutions that collapsed included the Directorate General of Civil Defence, Directorate General of Disaster Affairs, and Directorate General of Turkish Emergency Management. Instead, in 2009, a new umbrella body of all organisations that dealt with disaster management was formed. The body became the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (IFAD in Turkey) under the Prime Minister. The IFAD was given enormous resources and authority to be the sole authority in all efforts that were geared towards disaster risk reduction, preparedness, emergency response, and recovery. However, much of the organisation’s efforts have concentrated on preparedness and risk reduction. For instance, the organisation is actively engaged in promoting insurance schemes towards disasters, which have been absent in the nation for a long time. In addition, according to Anan (2011), IFAD recognises the importance of financial planning towards disaster risk reduction. In this case, unlike in the past, the organisation has a strong financial resource base that is allocated by the central government to allow it to carry out disaster risk reduction awareness activities while at the same time responding promptly in the event of a disaster emergency in the country. The success of the organisation has already been tested and proven, especially during the Elazig Simav and Van earthquakes where the organisation intervened swiftly and responded accordingly to help victims and/or offer disaster recovery plans. Currently, 1% of the national budget of the Turkish government goes to the IFAD, which represents one of the highest percentages of money that is set aside by governments towards DRR in Europe. The situation in Mexico follows almost the same script as that of Turkey. Accordingly, for a very long time, disaster management and coordination efforts were dedicated towards disaster recovery. Very little efforts were focused on disaster risk reduction. Indeed, the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, which in its aftermath left over 6000 people dead and over USD$8billion of financial and economic losses, was the awakening point that effectively changed disaster management and coordination efforts in Mexico forever. In the aftermath of the disaster, the Federal Government of Mexico (GoM) established a National Commission for Reconstruction in October 1985 to coordinate disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts (Arnold, 2008). After the recovery, efforts were commissioned to start the process of ensuring that future disasters would not have such devastating impacts in Mexico. In 1986, the Sistema Nacional de Protection Civil (SINAPROC) was established as an umbrella body for various government bodies, as well as non-governmental organisations whose mandate was to promote engagement between these bodies to ensure that good approaches to future disasters would be deliberated and adopted where necessary. The SINAPROC, which is now under the control of the Ministry of Interior, is charged with the coordination of disaster risk reduction efforts. Under the leadership of SINAPROC, a Natural Disaster Fund (FONDEN) was established to ensure financial preparedness in the event of a disaster in Mexico. Through this fund, the government of Mexico is now able to dedicate not less that 0.4% of the nation’s budget to disaster risk reduction efforts and recovery. The funds that are available through the kitty can be used to towards emergency response, infrastructure reconstruction, building of low-income housing, and other efforts that are geared towards cushioning the community and government from financial shocks during disasters. While a large share of the budget of FONDEN goes towards disaster recovery, a significant share goes towards disaster risk reduction efforts (Cummins & Mahul, 2009). The success of the fund, especially in disaster risk reduction, has been evident through the establishment of an elaborate early warning system for major hazards in the country such as volcanic activities, hurricanes, storms, droughts, and earthquakes, which have helped communities to prepare early or to be evacuated to safety before any disasters strike. A good example is the Hurricane Dean, which did not cause any direct death in the nation, despite its magnitude. Other success stories of the fund have been evident through the collaboration between SINAPROC, which has ensured consistent adoption of better housing codes such that buildings and infrastructure can withstand earthquakes and hurricanes and hence greatly reduce the impact of the disaster on the society (Cummins & Mahul, 2009; Neuman, 2006). In addition, the increasing adoption of insurance covers towards disasters is a clear indication of SINAPROC’s efforts towards the transferring of risk to third parties by property owners to guarantee faster recovery and return to the normal state of affairs in the event of disasters. While Turkey has had better success stories in its financial planning for national disaster efforts, Mexico has also achieved considerable success. Both countries are good examples of how disaster risk reduction efforts can greatly cushion the government and society from extreme impacts of disasters. For better disaster risk reduction efforts, both countries will have to dedicate more resources to financial planning and/or establishing collaborative efforts that will allow more partnerships with other nations and organisations to achieve better results in disaster risk reduction. Discussion The impact of natural and fabricated disasters can cause serious devastations to societies and nations. In many cases, the impacts overwhelm the affected nations’ capacity to cope with the situation. As such, the approach of waiting for disasters to occur to initiate disaster response and recovery efforts is no longer tenable (Twigg, 2004). It is very costly as evidenced in the case of Turkey and Mexico. The aftermath of disasters often leaves nations in economic disasters where they have to appeal to international allies for financial support towards recovery. Therefore, in this case, financial planning and preparedness forms a central tenet of disaster risk reduction, which organisations must adopt to ensure that they can reduce the impact of disasters while at the same time helping in recovery efforts (McEntire, 2006). The success of financial planning in Turkey and Mexico is a good example of why nations around the world must put more efforts towards disaster management instead of applying the wait-and-see attitude, which often backfires on them while leaving hundreds of people dead, billions of dollars worth of properties’ destroyed, and other devastations that have a lasting impact. Conclusion The relevance of financial planning in disaster management and coordination has been laid bare in this paper. Despite the two countries being geographically separated and distinct, they face unique disaster risks that make them susceptible to disaster events such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and other hazards. The path towards financial planning did not happen overnight. It followed hard lessons and bad experiences that the two countries faced from past disaster events. Consequently, disaster risk reduction efforts that encompass many programmes, including financial planning, play an important role in the two nations’ efforts towards disaster management and coordination. Reference List Alva-Valdivia, L., Goguitchaichvili, A., Ferrari, L., Rosas-Elguera, J., Urrutia-Fucugauchi, J. & Zamorano-Orozco, J. (2000). Paleomagnetic data from the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt: implications for tectonics and volcanic stratigraphy . Web. Anan, K. (2011). Rural Poverty Report. Web. Arnold, M. (2008). The role of risk transfer and insurance in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. Sweden: Swedish Commission on Climate Change and Development. Bibbee, A., Gonenc, R., Jacobs, S., Konvitz, J., & Price, R. (2000) . Economic Effects Of The 1999 Turkish Earthquakes: An Interim Report Economics Department Working Papers No . 247. Web. Cummins, D., & Mahul, O. (2009). Catastrophe Risk Financing in Developing Countries: Principles for Public Intervention. Washington, DC: The World Bank. Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Mexico City Earthquake of 1985 . Web. MCEER. Major Turkish Earthquakes of the 20th Century. Web. McEntire, D. (2006). The Importance of Multi-and Inter-disciplinary Research on Disasters and for Emergency Management. Denton: University of North Texas. Neuman, L. (2006). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Boston: Pearson. Ragin, C. (2004). Workshop on Scientific Foundations of Qualitative Research. Arlington: National Science Foundation. Ranguelov, B., & Bernaerts, A. The Erzincan 1939 Earthquake – A Sample Of The Multidisaster Event . Web. Sengezer, B., & Koa, E. (2005). A critical analysis of earthquakes and urban planning in Turkey. Disasters, 29 (1), 171-194. Stallings, R. (1997). Introduction: Methods of Disaster Research: Unique or Not. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters 15, 1 (1), 1-29. Twigg, J. (2004). Good Practice Review: Disaster risk reduction, Mitigation and preparedness in development and emergency programming. London: Humanitarian Policy Network. World Bank. (2005). Natural Disaster Hotspots: A Global Risk Analysis”. Disaster Risk Management Series No. 5. The World Bank: Hazard Management Unit.

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Provide a essay that could have been the input for the following summary: This paper compares the disaster risk reduction and financial planning strategies and approaches for Belize and Cuba. It is evident that despite the importance of risk insurance for disasters, the two countries have not put in place the right measures to boost insurers' capacities to provide catastrophe risk insurance. The situation requires a fast redress.

This paper compares the disaster risk reduction and financial planning strategies and approaches for Belize and Cuba. It is evident that despite the importance of risk insurance for disasters, the two countries have not put in place the right measures to boost insurers' capacities to provide catastrophe risk insurance. The situation requires a fast redress.

Financial Planning for National-Scale Disasters in Cuba and Belize Report Abstract Disasters cause devastations to nations. They can completely derail a country’s economic progress. The comparative study of the financial planning for national-scale disasters for Cuba and Belize offers a deep analysis of the various disasters that the two countries have faced. In addition, the focus is on the financial planning approaches that the two countries have put in place, especially on the issue of disaster risk transfer. It is evident that despite the importance of risk insurance for disasters, the two countries have not put in place the right measures to boost insurers’ capacities to provide catastrophe risk insurance. As the paper confirms, the situation requires a fast redress. Introduction Disasters can be defined as catastrophes of unimaginable proportions that are caused by natural or man-made activities. They are associated with the destruction of property, infrastructure, and economic disruptions that overwhelm the capacity of a country to cope with the damage. As Schipper and Pelling (2006) confirm, “disasters that are triggered by natural hazards are a consequence of development failure, as much as failed development is the product of disasters” (p. 22). In the last one decade, the world has woken up to this reality and realised the need to review disaster preparedness, emergency response, and recovery approaches that are in place with the view of not only reducing the impacts of such disasters but also with the desire to cushion people, organisations, and governments from financial losses. Therefore, this paper addresses the financial planning for national-scale disasters by comparing the disaster risk reduction and financial planning strategies and approaches for Belize and Cuba. Countries and Disaster Risk Profile Cuba Cuba is a Caribbean Island, which forms the most populous nation in the Caribbean region. The nation, which lies approximately 150km from Florida, the USA, has a population of approximately 11million people. The island is the only nation that has a high human development index among communist-led nations. In fact, Human Development Report (2014) presents, “Cuba’s HDI value for 2013 as 0.815—which is in the very high human development category—positioning the country at 44out of 187 countries and territories” (p. 2). The diagram below is a map of Cuba showing its location relative to other nations in the Caribbean Sea. Figure 1: Map of Cuba. Source: (WorldAtlas, n.d). Owing to its location, Cuba faces different risks of natural and human origins. Firstly, the country is located in the Western Caribbean Sea. Therefore, it is exposed to extreme hydro-meteorological events such as Hurricanes, tropical storms, and high-intensity rainfalls. The nation of Cuba has a 6-month hurricane season that lasts from July to November. “The hurricane season is from July to November…September and October are the months with the highest probability of cyclone activity” (Cuban Adventures, n.d, Para. 3). In a 10-year period between 1998 and 2008, the country experienced more than 20 tropical storms. 14 of them became hurricanes while seven were very intense. In the same period, more than 10 million people had to be evacuated from their homes to avoid loss of lives and injuries. In addition, during this time, the hurricanes and storms led to destructions of infrastructure, damages to over one million houses, and economic losses that were estimated at USD$18billion. For this reason, the storms affected more people than any other hazards in the nation of Cuba. The second hazard that the Caribbean nation faced was floods (Medic Review, n.d). Due to its high and intense tropical storms, the country received very high rainfalls from June to November. This situation exposed it to the risk of flooding. Indeed, according to Oxfam America (2004), flooding produces a serious devastation in Cuba where an approximated 540, 000 are affected. For example, between 1980 and 2010, floods killed approximately 107 people out of the slightly more than 200 deaths that are reported in the country. This finding represents a casualty rate of 53.5% of all deaths that result from disasters in the nation. Other events that the country has faced include droughts, earthquakes, and diseases, although some of them have not caused any deaths or noticeable damages. For example, the country faces the risk of earthquakes, especially due to its location near the Oriente Fault Zone. This location has been blamed for almost all tremors and earthquakes that have been reported in the history of Cuba. The diagram below shows the location of the Oriente Fault Zone relative to Cuba. Figure 2: Oriente Fault Zone. Oxfam America (2004) confirms, “2,137,000 of 11 million people in Cuba are classified as vulnerable population living in high risk areas” (p. 26). Six significant hurricanes occurred from 1996 to 2002. The total number of people who lost lives during this period is estimated at 16 while the number of those who were directly and indirectly affected stood at more than 2.3 million people. Storms account for a better share of losses and damages to property and economy in the nation, although the country seems well-prepared to handle storm disasters (Bermejo, 2006). As Bermejo confirms, “When hurricane Jeanne assaulted Haiti in 2004, more than 3,000 died (4)…In Cuba, where the same storm came ashore even more powerfully, no one died” (p. 14). The diagram below shows Cuba’s share of each hurricane disaster in the number of people who lost lives, the number of affected people, and economic losses. Year Deaths Cost 1926 600 $300million 1932 3033 $40million 1944 300 Undetermined 1963 >1000 Undetermined 1993 Undetermined Undetermined Number of people Killed by Disasters. Source: (Cuba Hurricanes, n.d). Belize According to the World Fact Book (2014), Belize is a small Central American nation of approximately 300,000 people. It borders Mexico to the North, Guatemala to the West and South, and the Caribbean Sea to the East. As the figure below shows, ninety-five Percent of the country is on a mainland while the rest is distributed on several islands in the Caribbean Sea (World Fact Book, 2014). Figure 5: Belize. Source: (World Fact Book, 2014). The country’s location is one of the most active hurricane zones of the world. It has a long lying coast of over 300km that makes it highly vulnerable to hurricanes and floods. Others include tidal waves, wind damage, fire disaster, and landslides. Of these hazards, hurricanes have had the most devastating impacts on the small nation while high winds and storms have caused considerable damages. For example, since the beginning of disaster events in 1871, the nation has been hit by a major storm every three years. In the recent past, during the period 1935-2005, the country was hit by 11 hurricanes. Specifically, according to Marty (2014), “The 1931 Belize hurricane was a devastating Category-4 tropical cyclone that struck British Honduras on 10 September 1931, killing an estimated 2,500 people” (Para. 1). The cyclone destroyed residential and commercial buildings. The government was financially impaired since it had to secure finances to bring business back to life by restoring the destroyed residential and commercial structures. The principal hazards that affect Belize, namely tornados and tropical gales, cause enormous losses that range from wind destructions to blizzard gushes and extensive downpour. In 1961, another hurricane, which was referred to as Hurricane Hattie, caused significant financial losses. As Marty (2014) confirms, “Hattie left about $60 million in damage and caused 307 deaths” (Para. 63). This figure represented the largest economic loss to ever face Belize to date. It is categorised as the most fatal catastrophe ever to strike the country. Recently, Hurricane Sandy that happened in 2012 was destructive where “132,733 homes were damaged, of which 15,322 were destroyed and 43,426 lost their roof” (Cuba Hurricanes, n.d, Para. 3). The witnessed loss went up 50mil GBP. This loss put the country in a great debt, as it struggled to renovate the many damaged areas such as Santiago, Guantanamo, and Holguin among other regions (Cuba Hurricanes, n.d). In 2006, it had to restructure its public debt to avoid running into a financial crisis. The country also faces minor seismic and tsunami risk due to its relative position near the boundary of three tectonic plates. Three major flood events and eight (8) hurricanes affected the country from 1980-2010. The following table shows a summary of the events. No of events: 13 No of people killed: 64 Average killed per year: 2 No of people affected: 213,170 Average affected per year: 6,876 Economic Damage (US$ X 1,000): 557,004 Economic Damage per year (US$ X 1,000): 17,968 Source: (UNISDR, n.d). In addition to the increased threats to infrastructure and property, the country’s agricultural sector provides only 13% of its GDP according to World Fact Book (2014) after the industry and service sectors that provided 23% and 64% respectively as at 2012. Hence, the farming sector is highly threatened, especially by tropical storms and hurricanes. Consequently, in realisation of the threats that the country faces, especially from hurricanes, it has had to review its disaster preparedness and emergency response approaches with the aim of reducing the impact of such disasters on the economy. Financial Planning for National-Scale Disaster in Belize and Cuba In the process of disaster risk reduction, financial planning relates to the efforts that nations put in place to reduce the risk of financial losses because of disasters. It is evident that the enormous losses that disasters inflict on populations and nations are no longer tenable and hence the need for mechanisms to be put in place to reduce or transfer the risk of financial losses to third parties. As Bermejo (2006) says, “Lack of preparation is common, even in rich countries, although preparedness is the only way to save lives and preserve natural resources” (p. 14). Looking at the cases of Belize and Cuba, although they have not experienced major disasters as compared to other countries such as the USA and Japan, the few catastrophes that have happened have left them on the brink of financial disaster. However, the use of mainstream insurance has proven that such insurance approaches of financial risk transfer are inadequate to cover the losses that are incurred during mega-disasters. A case in point is the Hurricane Andrew of 1992 in the US where total losses from the disaster amounted to more than $19billion. What followed this disaster were numerous insurance claims that exceeded the capital reserves of many insurance companies, which forced their closure and collapse. In fact, as McChristian (2012) asserts, “Limited availability of insurance coverage for the most vulnerable property was a problem before 1992, yet became amplified in Andrew’s aftermath” (p. 3). The events of this period were an awakening point for many insurance companies, governments, and the international community on the need for new approaches to catastrophe risk insurance, which would effectively handle the large losses in such events. The fact that disasters are also increasing in terms of frequency and devastations than the previous times paints a grim picture of the catastrophe insurance sector where insurers are facing difficult times while trying to meet their obligations in the event of disasters. In the light of these factors, in addition to catastrophe insurance services, the international community, led by the UNSDR and governments of respective nations, has put in place elaborate Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) plans (Jaffee & Russell, 1997). These measures that start with disaster awareness, application of building codes, early warning systems, emergency response, and recovery are aimed at reducing the impacts of hazards on communities, thereby reducing the subsequent financial losses that would have been incurred in the absence of such DRR measures. With such DRR measures, it is expected that the world will have more resilient societies, more withstanding buildings, and infrastructure, as well as coping mechanisms that will not only reduce the financial impacts of disasters but also ensure a faster recovery and return to normalcy after the disasters (Twigg, 2004). The measures to eliminate the need for catastrophe insurance will greatly reduce the amount of claims, which will ensure that the insurance providers can cope with the situation. As Trench-Sandiford (2006), the country established the Disaster Preparedness and Response Act in 2000, which was later revised in 2012 as the primary legislation on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in this Central American country. The goal was to “to provide a coordinating framework for disaster management” (Trench-Sandiford, 2006, p. 4). Through the Act, the government established the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) whose role was to coordinate general government policies relating to disaster mitigation, response, recovery, and preparedness (Trench-Sandiford (2006). However, this Act had one major drawback. It did not expressly deal with risk transfer. The leaving out of this important part of disaster risk management effectively reveals that Belize has lagged behind in its efforts of disaster risk management. The country is vulnerable to large financial losses in the event of large disasters in the country. However, important efforts in the form of insurance have been vital in reducing financial losses to the country, although they are not directly related to risk transfer. Consequently, such efforts have allowed the country to be better prepared to respond and recover from disasters. Insurances play the role of “risk assessment to determine premiums” (Trench-Sandiford, 2006, p. 44). For instance, it is important to note that major economic losses to a country due to disasters have been caused by increased developments in terms of infrastructure and buildings, which have exposed a large number of vulnerable resources to the risk of destruction in the event of disasters. In the light of this situation, with its favourable economic growth, Belize has experienced increased growth in terms of developments that are likely to be exposed to the risk of destruction by disasters. To address this issue and to cushion the government and people from financial losses from property destruction, the government put forward the Belize Building Act of 2003, which was later amended in 2005. The Act was meant to “to regulate the construction of buildings countrywide” (Trench-Sandiford, 2006, p. 4). In this Act, the government provided regulations for building operations, covering building and infrastructure codes. These codes are very important in ensuring that buildings can withstand the forces of hurricanes and tropical storms that are common in the country. The Land Utilisation Act of 2000 provided a room for the subdivision and utilisation of land. Due to the high amounts of rainfall that the country receives, it is highly vulnerable to flooding, which causes the second highest losses in the country after hurricanes and storms. Of great concern is the devastation that the agricultural sector, which is the main foreign exchange for the country, faces (Trench-Sandiford, 2006). Consequently, to protect the country’s agricultural lands and/or cushion farmers from financial losses because of destroyed farm produce due to flooding, the land utilisation Act plays a vital role in guiding farmers on how to utilise and subdivide land to reduce the risk of flooding. By reducing the risk of flooding, which may affect a vital economic activity for the country, Belize can ensure that it can continue to access foreign exchange, which can be used to support other DRR projects in the country. The country also has the Environmental Protection Act, which guides the carrying out of environmental impact assessments and to approve environmental impact assessments, which are subject to consultation with the National Emergency Coordinator (NEC) (Trench-Sandiford, 2006). Through this Act, the government can ensure that all projects incorporate disaster risk considerations, and where necessary ensure that such projects are built to be resilient and resistant to hazards that have been identified during the assessment. The Coastal Zone Management Act is an important ruling that provides a room for the management of coastal zones that are very vulnerable to high waves. The Act “promotes sustainable development of the coastal areas and associated ocean areas” (Trench-Sandiford, 2006, p. 39). It enhances the incorporation and undertaking of sustainable development of coastal resources. Lastly, although it is very shallow, the Insurance Act of 2004 provides a framework through which domestic insurers can strengthen their risk coverage for disasters. However, these provisions have not strengthened the insurer’s capacities to effectively cover major disasters. Consequently, there is a minimal coverage for major disasters due to the limited financial reserves by companies. As such, from the above discussions, it is evident that while the government puts important emphasis on disaster risk management activities as evidenced by the various Acts that cover important segments of DRR, financial risk transfer in terms of insurance is less developed, despite the important role that it can play in cushioning the government and people from financial losses to disasters (McChristian, 2012). Overall, the country’s policy framework with reference to disaster risk management in Belize is highly fragmented with overlapping sector-based policies that make accountability and centralisation of such activities very difficult. To address this challenge, it will be important for the government to strengthen the regulatory framework for insurers to allow them to grow their capacities to effectively offer catastrophe risk insurance. In Cuba, Disaster Risk Reduction efforts are highly considered. The government has put in place extensive measures towards reducing the risk of hurricanes, floods, and other hazards that affect the country. However, these efforts, just like those of Belize, have failed to address the necessary considerations to the financial planning and catastrophe risk insurance that is highly desirable for the country. Firstly, the country has enforced building codes that guide the construction of buildings and infrastructure with the aim of ensuring that they can withstand hazards. The goal is to protect the country from financial losses that relate to the destruction of buildings and infrastructure. IT has introduced the GIS mapping plan that investigates the strength of structures in disaster-prone areas (Oxfam America, 2004). Secondly, the country has also been at the forefront together with international organisations in the designing and putting in place of early warning systems that can allow a room for evacuation of people and property when necessary. The strategy is meant to effectively cut down on the financial losses that can be incurred in the event of a disaster. Thirdly, although the country has a robust insurance sector, it has failed to effectively offer catastrophe insurance services, owing to the high risk that such a coverage poses to companies by threatening their existence. Catastrophe insurance is very costly. It requires organisations to have the financial muscles in terms of monetary reserves to offer compensation in the event of disasters. As such, the lack of capacity of insurance providers to offer catastrophe insurance is a major challenge in the sector that must be addressed accordingly in Cuba. Discussion Financial planning in disaster risk management plays a critical role in cushioning nations and people from serious financial losses that can be very disruptive once they happen. As disasters become more destructive and more costly, nations have been forced to a look into alternative methods of risk reduction. Insurance will play an important role in this approach to DRR. However, as discussed above, due to the high costs that are involved in catastrophe risk insurance, there is a need to find approaches that will increase insurance firms’ capacity to handle such risks. The case of Belize and Cuba clearly shows the risks that the two nations face from different hazards, yet their efforts towards DRR have ignored risk insurance in relation to disasters. As such, in addition to their ongoing DRR activities, the two countries will have to revisit their regulatory frameworks on risk insurance and help the insurance sector to expand its capacity to offer catastrophe risk insurance, which will cushion them (countries) from financial losses from future calamities. Conclusion The comparative study of Cuba and Belize has highlighted important aspects relating to disasters that face the two countries. The two countries have had their unique hazards and a fair share of past disasters that have caused major disruptions to their economies. Therefore, they need to revisit their approaches to financial planning with the aim of providing risk transfer options such as insurance covers that can protect people from financial losses. Financial planning is becoming the new best practice as far as disaster risk reduction efforts are concerned. Consequently, the two countries must join the bandwagon to reduce the financial impact of their future disasters. Reference List Bermejo, P. (2006). Preparation and Response in Case of Natural Disasters: Cuban Programs and Experience. Journal of Public Health policy, 27 (1), 13-21. Cuba Hurricanes. Cuba Hurricanes Historic Threats. Web. Cuban Adventures. Climate and Weather in Cuba. Web. Jaffee, M., & Russell, T. (1997). Catastrophe insurance, capital markets, and uninsurable risks. Journal of Risk and Insurance, 1 (1), 205-230. Human Development Report. (2014). Sustaining Human Progress : Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience. Web. Marty, B. (2014). 10 th of September, 1931 . Web. McChristian, L. (2012). Hurricane Andrew and Insurance: The Enduring Impact of an Historic Storm. Florida: Insurance Information Institute. Medic Review. In the Eye of the Storm: Disaster Management Lesson From Cuba . Web. Oxfam America. (2004). Weathering the Storm: Lessons in Risk Reduction from Cuba. Web. Trench-Sandiford, C. (2006). Belize National Hazard Mitigation Plan. Belize: Development Solutions, LTD. Schipper, L., & Pelling, M. (2006). Disaster risk, climate change and international development: scope for, and challenges to, integration. Disasters, 30 (1), 19-38. Twigg, J. (2004). Good Practice Review: Disaster risk reduction, Mitigation and preparedness in development and emergency programming. London: Humanitarian Policy Network. UNISDR. Belize Disaster Statistics. Web. Worldatlas. Cuba . Web. World Fact Book. (2014). Central American and Caribbean: Belize . Web.

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Convert the following summary back into the original text: The paper explores the transformation caused by technology in the economics of banking. Focus will also be directed to the deregulation of the 1970s and 80s, which freed financial institutions to take advantage of the emerging opportunities through financial innovation and globalization.

The paper explores the transformation caused by technology in the economics of banking. Focus will also be directed to the deregulation of the 1970s and 80s, which freed financial institutions to take advantage of the emerging opportunities through financial innovation and globalization.

Financial Service in the United Kingdom Coursework Introduction The financial services industry in the UK offers three basic services. This includes paying an intermediate role between borrowers and savers. They also provide payment services. Lastly, they offer insurance against risks. The financial service industry in the UK has a number of players including banks, insurance companies, saving firms, and stock exchange markets. These services are critical in facilitating the functioning of the economy. These different areas of functionality are very important to the proper functioning of the UK economy. While the financial services mentioned are fairly timeless, the characteristics of the industry and the systems offering them changes endlessly. These changes are guided by both regulatory and economic developments (Amel, Barnes, Panetta and Salleo 2004). This paper tracks the changes of a core part of the financial services industry in the UK, the banking sector, focusing on one player’s major strategic service marketing variables. The paper also explores the association between these strategic variables and theoretical principles of service marketing. The paper explores the transformation caused by technology in the economics of banking. Focus will also be directed to the deregulation of the 1970s and 80s, which freed financial institutions to take advantage of the emerging opportunities through financial innovation and globalization (Amel, Barnes, Panetta and Salleo 2004). This has led to the expansion of the banking groups. This has resulted in public-policy attention targeting the issue of the costs. This aspect has been characterized by huge and intricate institutions appearing to be very stable (Dale 1999). Banking Sector structure The structure of the United Kingdom’s banking sector is highly determined by the changing role of banks in the financial system and services industry over the years. By the end of the 1950s, about 100 banks offered information, collected to evaluate the working of the UKs monetary system. Sixteen clearing banks from Scotland and England controlled about £ 8.3 billion in the form of assets (Dale 1999). This accounted for about 85 percent of the assets held by the UKs banking sector. The amount also accounted for about 30 percent of the GDP of the UK (Piesse, Peasnell and Ward 1995). Clearing banks were comparatively focused on commercial lending, deposit taking services, and the provision of payment services (Figure 1). Furthermore, they got funding from customer deposits. This included 60 percent in the form of current accounts, and 35 percent from interest-earning time deposit accounts. These deposits funded liquid and low risk assets (Piesse, Peasnell and Ward 1995). During the 1960s, 35 percent of the assets of the London clearing banks were held in treasury bills, cash, and discounted bills. A further 28 percent went to gilt-edged securities, while customer loans comprised about 30 percent (Buckle and Thompson 2004). Between the 1960s and 1970s, the assets of banks and building societies grew steadily. This could be associated with the emergence of London as an international financial center. During the same period, banks owned by foreigners experienced growth within the UK. In the late 1970s, financial establishments in the United Kingdom owned over 170 billion pounds as part of foreign currency assets. This constituted above half of their total assets. The banking institutions by foreigners concentrated on wholesale activities (Piesse, Peasnell and Ward 1995). The structure of the UK banking sector was further affected by the consolidation sector between 1960 and 2010. At present, more than 3000 building societies and banks are allowed to accept deposits in the UK. Most of the clearing banks that were operating in the 1960s have changed ownership, and are now being owned by the largest banks in the UK (Wolgast 2001). Notably, the large banking institutions in the UK account for the largest share of the customer base. This is with respect to the deposits and lending capabilities. As clearing banks continued consolidation and growth over the years, they have also adopted a wider range of functions. The established banking institutions in the UK have spread to other parts of the world. They have establishments that offer different financial services to other parts of the world (Figure 2). The UK banks have established themselves as principal international players in these markets (Singh 2007). For example, 3 banking institutions in the United Kingdom were ranked among the best performers in various markets based on various aspects. In this case, they performed better in foreign exchange trading. They also recorded a good performance in bond underwriting. Furthermore, these banks had a good score in interest rate swaps. The expansion of the banking industry to encompass other parts of the world has been a great achievement (Piesse, Peasnell and Ward 1995). Collectively, the balance sheets of UK banks amount to more than 500 percent of the annual GDP of UK (Table 1). Much of the growth has taken place during the past one decade. Some of the well established banks had an asset base that was more than the the annual gross domestic product of the United Kingdom (Figure 3). In addition, the capacity of the banking institutions in exploiting the opportunities presented by these economies have been on the rise. For instance, previous restrictions made it impossible for the banking institutions to thrive and adjust when necessary. Financial deregulation helped break these forces, as well as bringing into operation stronger competitive forces across the UK banking sector. This encouraged them to move to markets presenting higher margins (Christiansen & Baird 1998). For this study, focus will be directed towards exploring the Barclays group, which is headquartered in London. The bank runs operations internationally, in more than 50 territories and countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, South America and North America. As of 31 December 2010, the bank held assets totaling to USD 2.33 trillion. It is the fourth largest and the 6th oldest bank in the world. The focus of the bank is split into two: retail and business banking and corporate and investment banking together with investment and wealth management (Barclays Bank PLC 2011). P and (Ferran & Goodhart 2001). The opportunities available in the UK banking sector The opportunities available to the banks operating within the UK banking sector of include that banks could increase their base profitability through venturing in international financial markets. This was made possible by the consolidation of the UK banking sector, which made it simpler local banks to venture beyond the local market. Another opportunity to the players within the UK banking sector is the liberalization of the banking services sector. This allows them to deliver a wider range of banking services. Particularly, in the UK, banks are allowed to offer a range of services ranging from foreign exchange trading, bond underwriting, and interest rate swaps. The incorporating of new technologies and and banking approaches in the UK banking sector has created areas of business expansion (Slattery and Nellis 2005). Examples include trading in international transfers, which are receiving most usage during the present time of international business transactions. The UK banking services market is fully developed, which offers different lines of business expansion for banking institutions within the sector (Slattery and Nellis 2005). For instance, the UK banking sector consumers are high financial services performers as compared to the banking industries of other developed nations, as well as the underdeveloped nations. The recent collapsed of weaker UK banks within the banking sector created space for more market share acquisition among the stable banking groups like Barclays. During the liquidation of collapsed banks also created an avenue for asset acquisition among the banks that remained stable during the economic downturn. Another opportunity for bankers within the UK banking sector is that they are allowed to impose relatively higher interest rates, which may not be available at other national banking markets. The threats facing the UK banking sector The marketing strategy of the Barclays group is primarily based on implementing a product development and market penetration that captures the current account market portion of the banks that have been weakened by the economic crisis. The group’s strategy. The acquisition of the assets, as well as the business of collapsed banks, which collapsed during the crisis, could prove to be a significant error, despite its positive side, in case the economic downturn prolongs. In the UK banking sector, bankers face the threat of legal suits, in case they fall victim to the situation of moving loss-making investments related to the sub-prime market of their accounts. There is a threat that customers may opt to move to bankers who are more specialized due to shift to more universal banking service delivery. Despite that, they are few in the UK. Another UK banking sector threat facing the UK bankers is that banks are in a less strong situation as compared to industry leaders at their overseas operations centers. PESTEL Analysis The political structure in the country favors the banking industry. This is because politics in the country do not affect business activities in the country. The country is politically neutral, and accepts people from different political backgrounds. The economy of the country is vibrant because there is a lot of income from oil. The economy of the country is supported by investors from other countries. The banking industry has grown tremendously because there are many business activities. Technology in the country is high because the government has encouraged the adoption of modern technologies. The government has established strategies to encourage the use of technologies in all industries. The social factors encourage the use of banking services. Most businesses are large enterprises and there is need to use banking services to conduct corporate businesses. The legal systems have supported businesses in the country because businesses are protected against illegal activities. Commonalities and differences service marketing strategies of the major players within the UK banking sector The commonalities of service marketing strategies existing between the major players within the UK banking sector include the adoption of a service model that focus on individual banking, as opposed to corporate banking. Some of the major layers in the industry are HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays among others. Standard Chartered In this case, the underlying fact is that these players are developing services that are customer-population oriented. For this reason, the focus of many players is savings products, current and transaction accounts, small business lending, consumer lending, large business lending, and mortgage lending. Among the products that are not offered by many of the major players include security lending and security insurance. These major players are also similar in the area of value delivery to their employees. The services included in this case are employee development, neighborhood improvement projects, and employee retention. Through these services, the major players seek to create a favorable image among the customer population, as well as offer high value services by keeping their employees motivated (Moran 1991). Among the main players, there was a commonality that all were in pursuit of setting profit levels that were not necessarily exorbitant. However, this was for those that could enable them to continue service provision and product development. The different players also employed an integrated strategy, where market and non-market components are incorporated into service and product development. In essence, these banks research both the market, as well as the non-market environment for strategies (corporate social responsibility), implementation coordination and strategy formulation (Moran 1991). Differences in service marketing strategies among major players within the UK banking sector include that the outlook of investing in international markets is not shared among all. In essence, the international investing outlook of the different major players differs, in that some are more reserved than others. For example, Barclays and HSBC hold a fairer outlook, have invested more in international diversified than the other major parties (Turner 2010). This is mainly the case, when focus is placed on investing in developing countries. In the area of diversification through acquisitions, some players like Barclays were more open to acquiring collapsed industry players. That was the case, especially after the crisis, where Barclays as compared to others was more open to acquisition negotiations. For instance, Barclays ventured in a partial acquisition of Lehman’s despite fears among other major players, that in case the crisis prolonged, the move would prove detrimental. Another fundamental difference is evident in their price setting outlook, as players like Barclays were more likely to enforce questionable interest rates as compared to the others. The focus of these other major sector players was imposing rates that will allow for service continuity. For example, Barclays faced the threat of a legal suit, contesting the interest rates it had imposed. Marketing strategy of Barclays Bank Then, also, focuses on the development of products that counter non-traditional financial institutions. An example was the group’s launch of a prepaid card service, which marked a milestone in the current account market. Like before, the group’s strategy entails trying innovative sales and marketing mechanisms at London, which it uses to stage entry into its overseas market. The group has historically identified with the use of a differentiation strategy, which allows it to capture a larger market share from industry players that are weakening. Key strategic service marketing issues for Barclays Bank, during the next 5 years In the area of market positioning – which entails imposing the company and its services among the customers – Barclays positions itself in differentiating ways, which enables it to remain a competitive brand within the UK banking sector. The bank has done this by ensuring that it remains a truly, globally linked bank, which incorporates its international networks in service development. In the area of market segmenting and targeting, Barclays focuses on addressing the needs of customers will similarly pressing needs and wants. For instance, it recently launched the student card service, which offers value to the segment, and an area which has not been exhausted by its competitors (Devlin 2005). Regarding the future of Barclay’s positioning and market segment in, the bank will remain a competitive banker as it launches its services and products after duration of effectiveness testing. For example, the student card services were tested at UK alone for over six months before it could be extended to other markets. From the bank’s market outlook, it has secured its future by capturing the market of collapsed competitors like Lehman’s. By doing that, the bank expands its customer coverage, and it’s more market influence for future competitiveness (Devlin 2005). Among the key strategic marketing issues of the bank is the area of researched product development. For instance, before developing the student card, the bank sought to encourage prudence in spending, by reducing levels of overspending. The bank has also capitalized on the strategic development of banking services with unique features (Fletcher 1985). An example is the case of their prepaid cards: budget manager and financial manager, which are designed to enable customers transfer their their spendable money from the bank to the card. Other banking services that will form part of the future of Barclays banking services is online banking, which allows customers the flexibility to change their standing orders as well as the amounts to be transferred to the spending account. Based on PESTLE analysis, Barclay Banks price setting is guided by a number of factors. These factors include profit maximization, survival, market share maximization, personal objectives, and social considerations (Fletcher 1985). These factors help the bank establish the balance between price reduction and ensuring business success, which is a strategic marketing service issue, which is likely to keep the bank ahead of its competition in the future. In ensuring that it keeps its competitiveness among customers, the bank has invested in the development of its employee-base, to ensure that they attend to customers as the bank would expect. Through these strategies, the bank will be able to reach its customers as well as address their changing, unique needs in the future. The relationship between the service marketing issues identified and theoretical principles of service marketing The principle of service marketing place emphasis on the fact that services differ from other products in a number of ways (Lovelock and Wright 2001). These ways include that services are comparatively more heterogeneous and unchangeable in their very nature. Therefore, due to these characteristics, it is important for a service delivery organization to develop marketing and management approaches that differentiate them from competitors. Bearing in mind that the banking sector is primarily service based, the players within the UK banking sector have sought differentiation based on customer outlook (Brockman and Morgan 2003). For example, in the case of Barclays bank, the management has continually worked on the development of services that are unique from those of their competitors. An example is the case of the student card, which is designed to limit and control the expenditure of the bank customers. Through service differentiation, it is clear that the bank will receive familiarity among its customers as well as potential customers. Therefore, the link between service marketing issues and principles of service marketing is the ability to break the homogeneity that is perceived between different services (Lovelock and Wright 2001). In the case of Barclay bank, they have been able to achieve in many cases, therefore, remaining highly competitive in the UK banking sector (Christiansen and 1998). Conclusion The UK financial services industry provides three basic services including intermediation between borrowers and savers, payment services and offering insurance against risks. These service areas are very important to the effective functioning of the UK economy as they touch on various critical areas, including production. However, due to technological and regulatory changes, the structure and the nature of the systems offering them changes constantly, which forces industry players to review market approaches. The UK banking sector, which has changed in structure, market coverage and its contribution to the UK’s GDP are of great importance to the financial services industry are. The structure of the sector has changed due to technological and regulatory changes, resulting in opportunities and threats among the sector players. The opportunities include the expansion of service sin to the international market, and the collapse of market players, which created further market. The threats facing the sector include the adverse nature of acquisitions during financial crises and the threat of customer preference for institutions more specialized in their service delivery. The commonalities existing among major industry players in the areas of service marketing include the imposition of rates that can sustain continuation of service delivery. Among the differences in service marketing strategies evident among major sector players are that some place focus on developing services with the customer in mind. The marketing strategy of Barclays relies on market positioning and differentiation, to ensure that they keep a major portion of the UK banking services market. The relationship between service marketing issues and the theoretical principles of service marketing is that – service institutions should ensure that they differentiate their services, so as to overcome the hurdle of service homogeneity. Reference List Amel, D Barnes, C Panetta, F and Salleo, C 2004, Consolidation and efficiency in the financial sector: a review of the international evidence, Journal of Banking and Finance , Vol. 28, no. 10, pp. 2,493–5102. Barclays Bank PLC 2011 , Barclays Bank PLC: Annual Report 2011 . Web. Brockman, BK & Morgan RM 2003, The role of existing knowledge in new product innovativeness and performance, Admin. SCI. Quart ., vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 385-419. Buckle, M & Thompson, J 2004, The UK financial system: theory and practice , Manchester Univ. Press, Manchester. Christiansen, CM & Baird, B 1998, Cultivating capabilities to innovate: Booz-Allen & Hamilton. HBS Case 9-698-027 , Harvard Business School, Boston. Dale, BG 1999, Managing Quality , Blackwell, Boston, MA. Devlin, J 2005, A Detailed Study of Financial Exclusion in the UK, Journal of Consumer Policy, vol. 28, no. 1. pp. 75-108. Ferran, E & Goodhart, C 2001, Regulating Financial Services and Markets in the 21st Century, Hart Pub., Oxford. Fletcher, F 1985, Getting the credit: an analysis of consumer financial services in the UK, Economist Publications, London. Lovelock, C and Wright, L 2001, Principles of service marketing and management , 2 nd edition, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Moran, M 1991, The politics of the financial services revolution: the USA, UK, and Japan, Macmillan, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. Piesse, J Peasnell, K and Ward, C 1995, British financial markets and institutions. An international perspective , Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Singh, D 2007, Banking regulation of UK financial markets , Ashgate, Aldershot. Slattery, D and Nellis, J 2005, Product development in UK retail banking – Developing a market-oriented approach in a rapidly changing regulatory environment, International Journal of Bank Marketing , vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 90-106. Stationery Office U.K. 2009, Legislative Scrutiny: Financial Services Bill and the Pre-budget Report Third Report of Session 2009-10 Report, Together With Formal Minutes and Appendices House of Lords Paper 21 Session 2009-10, The Stationery Office/Tso, London. Turner, A 2010, The future of finance: the LSE report, London School of Economics & Political Science, London. Wolgast, M 2001, The Cruickshank report on competition in UK banking: Assessment and implications, Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance , vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 161-170. Appendix Table 1: Peer rankings of UK banking groups in selected market segments 2010 International bonds Corporate bonds Foreign exchange Interest rate swaps Barclays 1 4 3 1 HSBC 4 8 7 – RBS 8 10 5 3 Source: Slattery and Nellis (2005) Figure 1: Financial intimidation during 1958 (Figures in £ billions) Figure 2: Lending and Deposit-taking services by clearing banks 1960 and 2010 (Percentages of total deposits and loans) Figure 3: UK bank’s sources of earnings

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Revert the following summary back into the original essay: The essay discusses the importance of SMEs in stimulating economic growth through employment creation, stimulating innovation, promoting social cohesion, and regional development.SMEs are important for stimulating economic growth through employment creation, stimulating innovation, promoting social cohesion, and regional development.

The essay discusses the importance of SMEs in stimulating economic growth through employment creation, stimulating innovation, promoting social cohesion, and regional development. SMEs are important for stimulating economic growth through employment creation, stimulating innovation, promoting social cohesion, and regional development.

Financing Small Businesses Report Introduction Entrepreneurship has gained great significance over the past few decades in both developed and developing economies. Its significance is evidenced by the numerous small and medium sized enterprises [SMEs] being established. Keasey and Storey (2003) assert that the definition of SMEs differs from one country to another. For example, Dalberg (2011, p.6) holds that in Egypt, ‘SMEs include business that have a workforce of between 5 and 50 employees, while Vietnam defines SMEs as businesses that have a workforce of between 10 and 300 employees’. On the other hand, Dalberg (2011, p.6) adds that according to the World Bank, ‘SMEs include businesses whose annual sales revenues is $15 million, total asset base of $ 15 million, and a maximum workforce of 300 employees’. The Dubai Chamber of Commerce in the United Arabs Emirates [UAE] defines businesses that have a human resource base of less than 10 employees as micro, 20-25 employees as small, and less than 100 as medium-sized. However, the small businesses’ annual turnover has to be less than $10 million while that of medium enterprises has to be less than $25 million. Despite the variation in the definition, most governments have realised the importance of SMEs in stimulating growth in different economic sectors. A report released by Dalberg (2011, p.7) reveals that the ‘SME sector is the backbone of the economy in high-income countries, but it is less developed in low-income countries’. Furthermore, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) asserts that over 95% of all enterprises in OECD member states are SMEs. Similarly, SMEs account for over 75% of the total formal employment in the Middle East and North Africa [MENA] region. SMEs also play a key role in the economic growth of the Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC] member states such as the UAE. Over 200,000 SMEs have been established in the UAE, which accounts for approximately 86% of the total private sector employment (Hunt 2014). Subsequently, the role of SMEs in stimulating economic growth through employment creation, stimulating innovation, promoting social cohesion, and regional development cannot be underestimated. Problem statement The long-term success of SMEs is dependent on a number of factors, which include human capital, financial capital, and the creation of an environment conducive for doing business. The UAE is characterised by an environment conducive for the establishment of SMEs. For example, the income levels in the country are relatively high, which means that the citizens have a high purchasing power. Additionally, the country’s infrastructure is well developed and the national population is moderately well educated. Subsequently, most SMEs established in the UAE are professionally operated (Hertog 2008). Nkuah, Tanyeh, and Gaeten (2013, p.12) emphasise that credit ‘is crucial for the growth and survival of SMEs’. Therefore, it is imperative for policymakers to formulate effective policies that will promote the success of SMEs. Finance is a major challenge for most SMEs globally. SMEs in the UAE face major challenges due to the existence of financing challenges. Hertog (2008) argues that the financing challenge is predominantly stifling in the emerging economies such as the UAE. Hertog (2008) further contends that due to their informal nature, most SMEs in the GCC region encounter financing challenges. Financial institutions such as banks are reluctant to extend credit finance to SMEs. A report released by the World Bank in 2005 on world development showed a great disparity with regard to access to finance between SMEs and large enterprises. According to the report, only 30% of SMEs were in a position to access credit finance from external sources as compared to 48% of large enterprises (Le 2012). Some of the barriers to credit finance experienced by SMEs include high lending rates, lack of collateral and financial institutions’ unwillingness to lend (Le 2012). A report released in 2008 by Dun and Brandstreet shows that 50%-70% of the total credit applications by SMEs were rejected due to failure to meet the set loan requirements (Hertog 2008). Rationale of the study Le (2012) asserts that finance is a critical aspect in the success of any business enterprise as it improves the effectiveness with which the firm invests in various strategic activities such as research and development, market expansion, and development of an effective and efficient human capital base. Considering the importance of finance in the success of a business entity and the significance of SMEs in the UAE’s economic growth, it is fundamental to understand the issues and challenges faced by SMEs. Objectives of the study This study aims at achieving the following objectives 1. To evaluate the issues and problems faced by small businesses in accessing credit finance from financial institutions. 2. To assess the measures that can undertake in order to eliminate the financing barriers faced by SMEs. Research gap Numerous studies have been conducted in an effort to investigate the financing challenges faced by SMEs in the UAE. However, none of these studies has emphasised the role of Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development Centre in assisting entrepreneurs in the UAE to invest in small businesses. Limitations of the study Despite the view that financing challenges are common amongst all SMEs in the world, this study specifically focuses on the UAE. Due to the scarcity of resources in relation to time and finances, it was not possible to conduct the study on all SMEs in the UAE. Subsequently, the researcher selected a number of respondents from SMEs established in different economic sectors in the UAE. Subsequently, it is assumed that the experience of the selected respondents with regard to the financing challenges experienced in operating their businesses is representative of the prevailing conditions in the UAE. Organisation of the report The report is organised into a number of sections, which include the literature review, a case Study of Khalifa Fund, methodology, findings and analysis, and conclusion and recommendations Literature review Uma (2013, p.120) asserts that entrepreneurship ‘is indispensable in accelerating industrial growth’. However, the contribution of entrepreneurship is only possible through the establishment of SMEs. SMEs have greatly been recognised as a model of economic growth. Their significance is illustrated by their contribution to domestic foreign exchange earnings, innovation, and employment creation (Beck, Demirguc-Kunt & Peria 2008). One of the major questions facing SMEs relates to how to promote their growth. Previous studies have assessed the importance of the entrepreneurs’ personality features to the policy environment (Pedrosa-Garcia 2013). Wong, Ho, and Autio (2005) cite the investment climate conditions as one of the major barriers in the establishment of SMEs. During their formative stages, SMEs depend on personal savings and donations from family and friends. This assertion arises from the prevailing difficulty in establishing credit finance compared to well-established businesses (Were & Wambua 2013). Hertog (2008) asserts that access to finance is essential in establishing an environment whereby firms can grow and prosper. SMEs in developing economies face significant financing challenges. A study conducted on 4,000 SMEs in 54 countries cites financial constraint as a major barrier in the operation of SMEs. Most banks in the UAE are reluctant in extending credit finance to SMEs especially start-ups. Most SMEs that have not been in operation for a period of 2-3 years are not in a position to receive credit finance. On the contrary, Hertog (2008) asserts that over 70% of SMEs established in the European Union are in a position to access credit finance. Some of the major challenges that complicate credit finance amongst SMEs in the UAE relate to enforcement aspects and collateral requirement. Most SMEs in the GCC region do not have valuable assets that can be used as collateral in securing large loans. According to Hertog (2008), banks in the MENA region demand assets worth 150% of the total amount of money extended as loan as collateral. This amount is relatively high as compared to the international average. Scott and Irwin (2010) further assert that most SMEs depend on personal loans in meeting their finance requirements. Subsequently, most citizens in the UAE have their assets tied up in personal property. Hertog (2008) emphasises that the justice system in the GCC is reluctant to impose eviction orders on debtors from their property due to the strong Islamic region beliefs, which prohibit such acts. In an effort to access finance, most small entrepreneurs use their mobile assets such as vehicles as collateral (Coleman 2000). This aspect has played a significant role in the promotion of the establishment of secondary market for expensive cars, which are mainly recorded as collateral. Furthermore, high bank interest rates prohibit SMEs from accessing credit finance from banks and other formal financial institutions. According to Hertog (2008) the interest rate on loans from banks in the UAE are usually 10% higher than the average interest rate set by the Central Bank. The high interest rates on loans aim at cautioning banks from the perceived risk (Howorth 2001). In order to benefit from such loan, a firm must have high returns on investment. However, this aspect is not usually the case, which undermines the growth of SMEs. The low returns on interest increases the rate of default on loan repayment (Nkuah, Tanyeh & Gaeten 2013). Moreover, banks issue credit finance on short-term basis, which increases pressure on SMEs to settle the loan. The short duration within which SMEs are required to repay hinders their ability to undertake long-term business planning. Therefore, most SMEs in the UAE exclusively depend on their cash flows and donations from family and friends in financing their operations. Failure to repay debt in most Gulf countries can lead to imprisonment, which further makes credit-based business planning repulsive. Roper and Scott (2009) further cite the attitude of bankers towards SMEs and skills as other barriers in accessing credit finance. Additionally, Hossain (2013) argues that the inability of SMEs to access credit finance limits SMEs’ ability to have a substantial amount of working and fixed capital necessary to facilitate their operations. The existence of demanding requirements in SMEs quest to access credit finance is one of the major problems faced. This assertion explains the high rate at which SMEs depend on credit finance from informal sources such as friends and relatives and traditional moneylenders (Nkuah, Tanyeh & Gaeten 2013). Pedrosa-Garcia (2013) points to a significant room for improvement with regard to accessing credit finance amongst SMEs in the UAE. Case Study; Khalifa Fund Different programs have been established in an effort to support the growth of SMEs. These programs have led to the establishment of new operational models, which have greatly revolutionised issuance of credit finance to SMEs. Hertog (2008, p.35) asserts that these ‘models have far removed from the mechanical and indiscriminate grant giving used to dominate government supported development funds’. An example of such fund is the Khalifa Fund, which supports SMEs in different emirates such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai. According to the Khalifa Fund (2014, par.8), the fund was ‘established on 3 rd June 2007 with the objective of assisting local enterprises operating in Abu Dhabi with investment capital of up to AED 2 billion’. Moreover, the fund aims at enriching local entrepreneurs with adequate investment culture. The fund has grown substantially over the years. By summer 2009, the Fund had issued over 320 million Dirham to approximately 200 SMEs. Khalifa Fund recognises the challenges faced by SMEs in accessing credit facilities. One of the problems identified relates to the high interest rate. In an effort to deal with this challenge, the fund offers interest-free loans to entrepreneurs who require credit financing of less than one million Dirham. Moreover, higher loans are issued at a relatively lower interest rate as compared to banks. Start-ups and already existing SMEs can access loan of 3 million Dirham and 5 million Dirham respectively. The Fund also provides SMEs with financial support through micro-loans of 250,000 Dirham. In a bid to promote the long-term operation of SMEs, the Khalifa Fund offers entrepreneurs with a flexible payment plan. The loans are processed through the local banks. In an effort to stimulate economic growth in Abu Dhabi, Khalifa Fund has exempted entrepreneurs from various administrative fees. In order to receive financial assistance from Khalifa Fund, the entrepreneurs undergo a comprehensive application process. First, the idea has to be approved. Additionally, the entrepreneur must provide a comprehensive business plan outlining how the intended venture will operate. The chart below illustrates a summary of the application process. Source: (Khalifa Fund 2014) Methodology The objective of this research is to explore the financing challenges faced by SMEs in the UAE. In a bid to conduct the study effectively, the researcher adopted qualitative research design. Maxwell (2005) asserts that research designs make a study logical, hence improving its reliability. The researcher adopted qualitative research design in conducting this study. The rationale for adopting this study arose from the need to gather substantial information from the study field. Moreover, the researcher decided to adopt qualitative research design in order to explain effectively the major financing challenges being experienced. Furthermore, adopting qualitative research design was informed by the need to ensure that the relevant authorities and non-governmental organisations in the UAE understand the financing challenges faced by most SMEs. Sampling In order to gather a substantial amount of data, the researcher targeted entrepreneurs in different sectors of the UAE economy as the study population. This decision arose from the recognition of the view that they have a better understanding of the financing challenges experienced by SMEs. However, the researcher could not conduct a study on all the SMEs established in the UAE due to resource limitations. Deming (2002) is of the opinion that sampling makes a study easy and manageable, which enhances the effectiveness with which a researcher can conduct a thorough analysis on the issue under investigation. Subsequently, a sample of 100 respondents was selected from the total population. Random sampling technique was adopted in selecting the sample. Data collection Deming (2002) asserts that the quality of data collected influences the credibility and relevance of the study. In conducting this study, the researcher adopted primary sources of data. The decision to adopt this type of data arose from the need to gather first hand data on the challenges faced by SMEs. Primary data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires were sent to the respondents through emails in order to minimise the cost involved. The questionnaires were semi-structured in nature, which entailed integrating open and close-ended questionnaires. Using open-ended questionnaires provided the researcher with an opportunity to gather a wide range of information as the respondents had the opportunity to respond to the questions freely. Prior to issuing the research questionnaires, the researcher conducted a comprehensive review on the questionnaire in order to eliminate and form of ambiguity. This move increased the likelihood with which the respondents understood the questions. Data analysis and presentation In a bid to improve the outcome of the study, the researcher ensured that the data collected was effectively analysed. The data collected from the field was voluminous, and hence the need for simplification. Furthermore, the data should be presented effectively in order to make it easy for the respondents to understand the research findings. The data collected was analysed using Microsoft Excel using percentages. Moreover, using Microsoft Excel enabled the researcher to present the data effectively using graphs, tables and charts. Findings and analysis Accessing finance is a fundamental element in the operation of SMEs, hence stimulating the UAE’s economic growth. However, the success of SMEs is threatened by the existence of the prevailing financial constraints. Financing challenges is predominant amongst the GCC countries such as the UAE. The objective of this study is to understand the major hurdles in accessing credit finance amongst SMEs in the UAE. The study has taken into account respondents characterised by diverse demographic characteristics as illustrated below. The respondents selected were of different gender and age as illustrated in the chart below. Age group [years] Number of respondents 21-30 10 31-40 25 41-50 35 51-60 20 Above 60 10 Total 100 Table 1 Graph 1 The educational level of the respondents also varied as illustrated by the table below. Educational level Number Vocational training 10 High school 20 University 45 Never attended school 10 College 15 Total 100 Table 2 Graph 2 The graph above shows that entrepreneurship is a common trend amongst Emiratis despite their level of education. However, the number of respondents who have acquired a certain level of education is relatively higher as compared to those who have not attended school. Analysis of the research questions When asked about main issues and problems faced in accessing credit finance from formal institutions such as banks, the respondents’ opinions varied. The graph below illustrates the respondents’ opinions. Respondents opinion percentage High interest rate 25% Short loan repayment period 25% Perceived risk 15% Collateral requirement 35% Total 100% Table 3 Graph 3 Twenty five percent (25%) of the respondents cited high interests as a major hindrance to accessing credit finance. When asked the main reason behind the high interest rate, 15% of the respondents were of the opinion that most banks in the UAE perceive SMEs as high-risk investments. On the other hand, 34% of the respondents interviewed argued that banks perceive SMEs to lack the necessary financial shrewdness to sustain their operations into the long term. The respondents further argued that this perception arises from the SMEs’ inability to meet the set loan conditions. Subsequently, banks perceive the rate of defaulting from loan repayment to be relatively high. Thirty five percent (35%) of the respondents argued that most UAE banks have set high collateral requirements in order to issue credit finance. The respondents were of the opinion that they do not usually have the collateral requirements necessary to access loans. Lack of the high collateral requirement arises from the view that the SMEs are relatively small. Moreover, the respondents were of the opinion that most banks do not trust SMEs. On the other hand, 25% of the respondents were of the opinion that the loan repayment period is relatively low. This aspect hinders the effectiveness with which SMEs undertake long-term planning such as business expansion. Gap analysis Despite the enabling environment for the operation of SMEs, firms in the UAE experience a number of challenges. Some of the challenges arise from the existence of structural rigidity. The analysis above shows a significant gap between SMEs’ efforts to access credit finance and the banks’ willing to extend credit finance. Most SMEs in the UAE experience high rejection rates with regard to the application of their loan. According to a survey conducted by the Abu Dhabi Council of Economic Development [ADCED], SMEs experience major difficulties in accessing credit loans from banks (Haider 2013). According to the survey by ADCED, only 33% of SMEs evaluated reported that they received the total amount of loan sought. Furthermore, the respondents also argued that bank usually take a long time before approving their loan application. This aspect makes banks unattractive source of external finance amongst SMEs. Conclusion and recommendations Banks rank amongst the main suppliers of credit finance for most SMEs in the MENA and Gulf regions. However, entrepreneurs are not in a position to access credit finance from formal institutions such as banks. Some of the major obstacles relate to high interest rates, high collateral requirements, perceived risk on the operation of SMEs, and short repayment periods. These conditions hinder the SMEs’ ability to access credit finance from banks. Subsequently, it is essential for policy makers such as the UAE government to enhance the development of an enabling environment for the establishment and long-term operation of SMEs. It is imperative for the UAE government to improve the financing environment for SMEs by taking into account the following aspects. 1. The UAE government should ensure that commercial banks adhere to the interest rate set by the Central Bank. This aspect will prevent exploitation of SMEs by banks through high interest rates. 2. The UAE government should also support the development of SME unit in banks that will focus on improving the efficiency with which banks process the SMEs loan applications. One of the ways through which the UAE government can achieve this goal is by developing a loan guarantee program. 3. It is also imperative for financial institutions to minimise the collateral requirement by adopting other strategies such as mortgages and leases. Reference List Beck, K, Demirguc-Kunt, A & Peria, M 2008, Bank financing for SMEs around the world ; drivers, obstacles, business models and lending practices , The World Bank Development Research Group, New York. Coleman, S 2000, ‘Access to capital and terms of credit; a comparison of men and women owned small businesses’, Journal of Small Business Management , vol. 38 no. 3, pp. 37-52. Dalberg: Report on support to SMEs in developing countries through financial intermediaries 2011. Web. Deming, W 2002, Sample design in business research , John Wiley and Sons, New York. Haider, H 2013, Financing key SMEs obstacle . Web. Hertog, S 2008, Benchmarking SMEs policies in the GCC: a survey of challenges and opportunities, The EU-GCC Chamber Forum, Dubai. Hossain, M 2013, ‘Leasing; an alternative financing mechanism for SMEs’, ABC Journal of Advanced Research, vol. 2 no. 1, pp. 1-21. Howorth, C 2001, ‘Small firms demand for finance’, International Small Business Journal , vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 78-86. Hunt, D 2014, SMEs have a big role to play as UAE economy roars ahead . Web. Keasey, K & Storey, D 2003, ‘A theory of discouraged borrowers’, Small Business Economics , vol. 17 no. 3, pp. 11-29. Khalifa Fund: about us . 2014. Web. Le, P 2012, ‘What determines the access to credit by SMEs; a case study in Vietnam’, Journal of Management Research , vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 90-115. Maxwell, J 2005, Qualitative research design: an interactive approach , Sage Publication, New Jersey. Nkuah, J, Tanyeh, J & Gaeten, K 2013, ‘Financing small and medium enterprises in Ghana; challenges and determinants in accessing bank credit’, International Journal of Research in Social Sciences , vol. 2 no. 3, pp. 12-26. Pedrosa-Garcia, J 2013, ‘Access to finance by small and medium enterprises in the Arab region; policy considerations’, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia , vol. 3 no. 6, pp. 1-16. Roper, S & Scott, M 2009, ‘Perceived financial barriers and the start-up decision: An econometric analysis of gender differences using GEM data’, International Small Business Journal , vol. 27 no. 2, pp. 149-171. Scott, J & Irwin, D 2010, ‘Barriers faced by SMEs in raising bank finance’, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research , vol. 16 no. 3, pp. 245-259. Uma, P 2013, ‘Role of SMEs in economic development of India’, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing & Management Review , vol. 6 no.4, pp. 120-127. Were, M & Wambua, J 2013, Assessing the determinants of interest rate spreads of commercial banks in Kenya: an empirical investigation, Kenya Bankers Association, Nairobi. Wong, P, Ho, Y & Autio, E 2005, ‘Entrepreneurship, innovation and economic growth; evidence from GEM data’, Small Business Economics , vol. 24 no.2 pp. 335-350. Appendix. Research Questionnaire Dear sir/ madam I …………………………. intend to evaluate the financing challenges experienced by small and medium sized enterprises in the UAE. The objective of the study is to illustrate the importance of policy makers addressing the issues and problems faced in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency with which SMEs can easily access credit finance. Subsequently, this questionnaire intends to gather data on the financing gaps experienced. I am kindly seeking your assistance in gathering relevant data. The data will specifically be used for academic purpose and hence the confidentiality of the respondent is assured. Personal information: 1. Age [Years] 2. Educational background 3. Type of business 4. Company General questions: 1. In your opinion, how can you rank the business environment in the UAE especially for the operation of SMEs? Please tick your answer appropriately. 2. Please explain your answer in (1) above in the space provided below. 3. What is your opinion on credit financing from institutions, such as banks, amongst SMEs in the UAE? Please tick your response in the box provided. 4. What challenges do you experience in your effort to access credit finance? Please explain in the space provided below. 5. How can you rank the rate of interest on loans charged by UAE banks on SMEs? Please tick appropriately. 6. Please explain your answer above in the space provided below. 7. In your opinion, can you consider credit finance to be a reliable source of finance for SMEs? 8. If your answer in (7) above is yes, what is the basis of your opinion? Please explain your answer in the spaces provided below. 9. If your answer in 8 above is no, please explain what makes credit finance to be inaccessible for SMEs in the UAE in the space provided below. 10. Do banks in the UAE ask for collateral when seeking loans? 11. If your answer in 10 above is yes, what type of collateral do they demand? Please list and explain in the space provided below. 12. What alternative sources of finance do you consider in an effort to achieve the desired growth and expansion? Please explain your answer in the space provided below. 13. In your opinion, do you consider the alternative sources of finance to be more effective compared to bank loans? 14. Please explain your answer in 13 above in the space provided below. 15. In your opinion, what should the UAE government and financial institutions do in order to enhance the financing environment for SMEs? Please explain your answer in the space provided below.

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Write the original essay for the following summary: The case study examines the challenges facing the president of First Security Bank of Cleveland, who is in a dilemma over the growth rate of the bank. The study finds that the current organizational structure is the major problem, but poorly defined goals, lack of accountability, and communication deficits are also to blame. The study concludes that having defined roles for every team player and insisting on accountability are the major solutions to the problems in question.

The case study examines the challenges facing the president of First Security Bank of Cleveland, who is in a dilemma over the growth rate of the bank. The study finds that the current organizational structure is the major problem, but poorly defined goals, lack of accountability, and communication deficits are also to blame. The study concludes that having defined roles for every team player and insisting on accountability are the major solutions to the problems in question.

First Security Bank of Cleveland Case Study Abstract The executives of many organizations encounter challenges in their errands. In this case, the president of First Security Bank of Cleveland is in a dilemma, as the growth rate of the bank is questionable. From a literal point of view, the current organizational structure seems to be the problem; however, poorly defined goals, lack of accountability, insufficient team skills, and communication deficits are the major problems affecting the bank. Apparently, having defined roles for every team player and insisting on accountability are the major solutions to the problems in question. Major problems in the case Poorly defined vision and goals Bank executives formulated the organizational structure without a clear vision of the future operations of the bank. Therefore, the president is worried that more than 50% of the projects done in the previous year needed interaction of various departments, but it was impossible due to the erroneous organizational structure (Gray & Larson, 2014). On the other hand, the vice president thinks that it is normal for the complexity of their problems to grow as the bank grows. Indeed, if that could be the case, most organizations would shut down after operating for several years. Insufficient team skills President Tom Hood made a remarkable change of bringing computer technology into First Security Bank of Cleveland. However, he did very little in training the team players or particular managers on how to make maximum use of the technology. Hood fears that the current employees would have difficulties in integrating with the complexity of the new computer project due to lack of sufficient knowledge (Gray & Larson, 2014). Communication deficit Apparently, First Security Bank of Cleveland has poor communication pathways to deliver information to the right people. The president has identified major problems affecting the bank, but he does not access the right team of executives to air his views. He has no clear communication pathway to reach the people on the ground and inform them of the troubles that the bank is facing and the way forward. Lack of accountability It is evident that First Security Bank of Cleveland has poorly defined roles, thus project players are not responsible for their actions. The issue of the salaries comes in, as the bank lacks clearly defined job scales, job titles, and salary scales. The president fears that the employees might become title-oriented, where power struggles might arise at the expense of the organization. Solutions to the problems 1. The executives of First Security Bank of Cleveland should make an initiative to develop clearly defined goals that can sustain the growth of the bank. It would be wise to adopt a composite organizational structure that will facilitate the integration of functional departments. 2. Whenever the bank plans to adopt a new technology, it should have plans to invest in research, development, and training. Tom Hood should make a point of organizing training programs to enable the current employees to have the capacity to adopt the new computer technology system. 3. The board of managers should develop a defined communication pathway. The bank executives, president, and vice president of First Security Bank of Cleveland should communicate directly to the functional managers and project managers. Thereafter, the managers can pass the vital information to the minor staffs in every department. 4. The bank should have clearly defined roles and responsibilities of every project participant. Moreover, there should be defined risks for failure to attain certain targets or the anticipated results. The salary scale should be in line with the specific job scale, roles played in the organization, and the performance level. Reference Gray, C., & Larson, E. (2014). Project management: The managerial process . New York: McGraw-Hill.

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Provide the full text for the following summary: The purpose of this report was to analyze and discus the competitiveness of Flydubai. The analysis indicated that the market in which Flydubai operates is an oligopoly. Although the market has a few airlines, competition is high because customers are price sensitive. In addition, they require high quality services.

The purpose of this report was to analyze and discus the competitiveness of Flydubai. The analysis indicated that the market in which Flydubai operates is an oligopoly. Although the market has a few airlines, competition is high because customers are price sensitive. In addition, they require high quality services.

Flydubai Competitiveness Evaluation Essay Abstract The purpose of this report was to analyze and discus the competitiveness of Flydubai. The analysis indicated that the market in which Flydubai operates is an oligopoly. Although the market has a few airlines, competition is high because customers are price sensitive. In addition, they require high quality services. Air Arabia is the main competitor of Flydubai at the national level. In Asia and the Middle East, the main competitors include Qatar Airways, Oman Air, and Saudia Airline. The demand for flights is price elastic at the regional level. Demand is expected to increase in the medium-term as economic growth improves. Introduction Flydubai is one of the leading low cost carriers (LCC) in the Middle East. The airline launched its operations in 2009 and is owned by the government of Dubai (CAPA, 2013). Despite being in the market for only five years, Flydubai has grown very fast by expanding its seat capacity and route network in the Middle East and Asia. This paper will analyze the competitiveness of the airline. The analysis will cover the market and demand for low cost flights. It will also include the competitors, demand elasticity, and profitability of Flydubai. Moreover, the strategies that the airline can use to improve its profitability in a sustainable manner will be discussed. Market The market in which Flydubai operates (Asia and the Middle East) is an oligopoly. This perspective is supported by the fact that a few large firms dominate the market. Over 50% of the market in various routes in the region is controlled by only four airlines (CAPA, 2013). For example, in the UAE-Saudi Arabia route Flydubai, Air Arabia, Saudia Airline, and Emirates Airline have a combined market share of nearly 83%. In the UAE-Qatar market, Emirates Airline, Qatar Airways, and Flydubai together control 84% of the market (CAPA, 2013). Similarly, Oman Air, Flydubai, and Emirates Airline together control nearly 62% of the UAE-Oman market (CAPA, 2013). Airlines are providing differentiated products to increase their competitiveness. Differentiation is promoted mainly by increased competition from international airlines that operate in the region. Low cost airlines such as Flydubai and Air Arabia differentiate their products in terms of price and service quality (Buller, 2014a). They charge very low prices to overcome competition from full service airlines. However, Flydubai has adopted a hybrid model to offer unique services. This includes offering both business and economy class services. Another important characteristic of the market is price interdependence among airlines. Price and output decisions of each airline are contingent on the actions taken by its main competitors. This means that if one airline decides to increase its output and prices, its competitors will always react by changing their prices and capacity to overcome competition. For instance, the capacity of Flydubai, Qatar Airways, and Emirates Airline in the Dubai-Doha route is 12,210, 11,840, and 11,470 seats per week respectively (CAPA, 2013). The seat capacities of the three airlines are almost identical because each of them has to take into account the output decisions of its competitors. Several factors prevent firms from joining or quitting the market. These include high sunk costs, intensive regulation, and the market strength of the incumbents. New entrants find it difficult to join the market due to the high cost of acquiring new aircrafts in order to compete effectively with companies such as Flydubai, which use only brand-new jets (Flydubai, 2014). Price Elasticity Price elasticity of demand “is a measure used to capture the sensitivity of consumer demand for a good or service in response to a change in the price of that particular good or service”. The price elasticity of demand (PED) for air travel in intra-Asia routes, which are the main markets for Flydubai are summarized in table 1. At the regional level, the PED for short-haul flights is 1.5, whereas that for long-haul flights is 1.3. This means that the demand for air travel is price elastic. Therefore, an increase in price will result into a more than proportionate decrease in demand. At the national level (intra-country routes), demand is inelastic as indicated in table 1. Thus, an increase in price will not cause a significant decrease in demand. One of the main factors that explain the high PED at the regional level is availability of substitutes. Most countries in Asia have national airlines, which compete with each other in various inter-country routes. For instance, over 150 airlines operate from Dubai International Airport to various destinations in the Middle East and Asia. Thus, customers can easily switch from one airline to another in the event of a price increase. At the national level, PED is expected to be low or inelastic because of limited availability of substitutes that can enable customers to avoid a price increase (CAPA, 2014). For instance, Flydubai, Emirates, Air Arabia, and Etihad Airways are the only airlines that provide regular flights within the UAE. If these airlines increase their prices due to a rise in fuel cost or a tax imposed by the government of the UAE, passengers will have limited options to avoid the increase. For instance, they can avoid the price increase by using cars, which might not be appropriate for long distance journeys. Figure 2 and 3 show the variation in price elasticity of demand in regional and national markets respectively. They show that long-haul flights have a higher PED than short-haul flights. This could be attributed to the fact that virtually all full service airlines provide long-haul flights, thereby increasing competition. Most full service airlines operate wide body aircrafts, which allow them to achieve economies of scale. Thus, they can charge low prices to compete with LCCs. In sum, the high PED is explained by the large number of airlines that provide long-haul flights and their ability to reduce prices. Income Elasticity Income elasticity of demand (IED) “is a measure of the sensitivity of demand for a good or service to changes in individual or aggregate income levels”. Table 2 shows that the IED in developing countries where Flydubai operates is greater than 1 in both national and regional markets. Thus, demand for air travel increases more than proportionate to a rise in disposable income. This means that customers consider air travel a luxury service. The high IED can be attributed in part to customers’ low income. Air travel in developing countries is a luxury that can only be consumed in the event of an increase in income. Customers will always explore alternative modes of transportation in order to save on travelling costs. In countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait, the uptake of air travel services is less than the level in developed countries such as the US where household income is very high. The implication of the high IED is that travelers are likely to use full service airlines that offer luxury services during periods of economic boom. However, they are likely to use low cost airlines that focus on reducing travelling expenses rather than providing luxury flights during economic downturn. Therefore, low cost airlines must provide service packages that allow travelers to enjoy high quality flights at affordable prices. This will enable them to avoid losing customers to full service airlines such as Emirates Airline, which are able to provide luxury flights at low prices. Figure 4 and 5 show the variation in IED in regional and national markets respectively. Clearly, IED is higher in developing than developed economies. This means that a change in income is more likely to cause a significant increase in demand in developing than developed countries. In this respect, LCCs should focus on serving developing economies that are experiencing rapid economic growth to increase revenue and profits. The low IED in developed countries is a sign of high competition and slow market growth. In developed countries, airlines must focus on aggressive marketing techniques to attract existing customers. LCCs with limited capital can hardly survive intense competition. Competitors Flydubai competes with several airlines within the UAE and other destinations in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. In the UAE, Air Arabia is the main competitor of Flydubai (CAPA, 2014). The main strength of Air Arabia is that “it has a larger and more diversified route network than Flydubai” (CAPA, 2014, p. 3). It operates from three different hubs, which enable it to connect to various destinations in the Middle East at a low cost. By contrast, Flydubai operates from only one hub in Dubai. As a result, Air Arabia is able to serve 91 routes, whereas Flydubai serves only 66 (CAPA, 2014). Air Arabia also has a strong brand image and adequate knowledge of the market because it has been in operation since 2003. This helps it to develop products that allow it to retain customers. Despite its strengths, Flydubai has already overtaken Air Arabia in terms of passenger traffic. For instance, in 2013 Flydubai transported 6.82 million passengers, whereas Air Arabia handled only 6.1 million travelers (CAPA, 2014). Flydubai also has a larger market share than Air Arabia in most routes in the Middle East. For instance, in the UAE-Qatar route Flydubai has a market share 23%, whereas Air Arabia has only 5% (CAPA, 2013). In the UAE-Saudi Arabia route, Flydubai has a market share of 22%, whereas Air Arabia has only 12%. The success of Flydubai is explained in part by its hybrid business model. The airline combines the features of a LCC with those of full service airlines, thereby delivering superior value to customers. In the GCC, Asia, and Europe, Flydubai competes with large airlines such as Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Saudia Airline, and Oman Air. Flydubai counters competition from these airlines by cooperating with Emirates Airline (CAPA, 2013). The cooperation “allows Flydubai to serve Emirates Airline’s passengers in routes that are not served by the latter” (CAPA, 2013, p. 4). Flydubai also cooperates with international airlines in Dubai to attract passengers in underserved markets. These strategies have helped the airline to increase its market share at the expense of its competitors. Substitutes and Complements The main substitute for air travel is road transportation using cars or trains. In markets such as the UAE, passengers can substitute flights with road transportation to avoid high costs or inconvenience. However, cars can only be used for short distance journeys. Using cars to travel for long distances is very expensive and time consuming. Moreover, travelling across the border in the Middle East and Asian countries by road is not easy due to lack of infrastructure and insecurity. Therefore, there are no close substitutes for medium and long haul flights. Lack of close substitutes is an advantage to airlines since they face little or no competition from other industries. Nonetheless, brand substitution is a major challenge in the industry due to high competition and sensitivity to prices. Customers often substitute one airline for another to enjoy favorable prices and excellent services. The main complementary good in the airline industry is jet fuel. Every airline needs adequate supply of cheap fuel to operate its aircrafts profitably. Since fuel accounts for nearly 40% of airlines’ operating costs, an increase in its price causes a reduction in profits, especially, if the increase cannot be passed to customers (Flydubai, 2014). Ground handling services are also very important in the industry. LCCs need efficient ground handling services to transfer passengers and luggage from other airlines to their terminus. Lack of high quality ground handling services can result into customer dissatisfaction and lose of market share. Demand The demand for low cost flights is growing rapidly in the Middle East and Asia. Demand is expected to grow at an annual rate of 6.6% in the next 10 years. The factors that account for the expected growth include the following. First, emerging markets in Asia and the Middle East are characterized by rapid economic growth. Specifically, economies in Asia and the Middle East are expected to grow at an annual average rate of 6% and 4% respectively in the next three years. The growth will be characterized by increased business activities that will necessitate cross-border transactions. For instance, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are expected to become major commercial hubs in the Middle East due to increased foreign direct investment (FDI) from developed countries. The resulting increase in travelling among business executives will increase demand for flights in the region. High economic growth will also increase disposable income. Thus, more people will be able to afford flights. Second, emerging markets in Asia are experiencing rapid population growth, which will increase demand for cheap flights in future. For instance, Flydubai serves a market with nearly 3 billion people (CAPA, 2013). The market is underserved due to lack of airlines that focus on serving short distance routes. Finally, the penetration of low cost airlines in the Middle East and Asia is still less than 20%. This means that the market is still at its growth stage and will take several years to mature. Thus, the demand for flights is expected to increase as the popularity of LCCs increases in Asia and the Middle East. Training Labor Force The employees of Flydubai can be trained further to increase productivity and reduce costs in several ways. To begin with, the company is in the process of acquiring 75 new aircrafts (Flydubai, 2013). Several pilots with advanced skills and knowledge in flying commercial aircrafts will be required after the acquisition. Given the short supply of qualified pilots in the UAE, Flydubai can reduce staff costs by training its own pilots. Currently, the company incurs high labor costs since it hires pilots from developed countries in Europe and North America where wage rates are very high (Flydubai, 2014). Flydubai can also train its cabin crew to increase productivity. Undoubtedly, every airline needs employees with excellent customer care skills to provide excellent services to passengers. Excellent services lead to customer loyalty. It also enables a company to attract customers from its competitors. The resulting increase in market share leads to an increase in profits. Therefore, Flydubai should continuously provide customer service training programs to employees to improve its competitiveness. Managers can also contribute to profit maximization and cost reduction if they are trained on leadership. Managers with effective leadership skills are likely to stimulate innovation among employees. An innovative workforce will help Flydubai to develop superior products that will increase sales and profits. In addition, employees will be able to develop a more efficient business model to reduce operating costs without compromising service quality. Profitability Flydubai has maintained a consistent growth in profits since 2012 (CAPA, 2013). The growth in profits and revenue is illustrated in table 3. Net profits increased from AED 151.9 million to AED 222.8 million in 2013 (Buller, 2014b). It further increased to AED 250 million in 2014 (Flydubai, 2015). Overall, these statistics show that the airline realized a 64.58% growth in net profits in the last three years. The increase in profitability can be attributed to the fact that Flydubai has the largest market share among low cost carriers in most routes in the Middle East as shown in figure 1. This allows the firm to earn high revenue, which translates into huge profits. The airline will be able to sustain high profitability because of its ability to reduce operating costs through strategies such as fuel hedging (Flydubai 2014). Cooperation with other airlines and using online distribution channels will also help Flydubai to reduce costs. Low operating costs will allow the airline to increase its profit margins. Rapid expansion of route network and fleet size will also support growth in profitability (Flydubai, 2015). Flydubai will double the number of its aircrafts and triple the number of routes that it serves in the next five years. The expansion will be accompanied by an increase in passenger traffic, which in turn will increase revenue and profits. Increasing Profits Flydubai can increase profits by considering the following strategies. First, the “airline should explore new markets in Africa and Asia”. Currently, the penetration of LCCs in Africa is only 9.9%. This means that the market has great growth opportunities that have not been exploited. In addition, most short-haul routes are not served by full service airlines because they cannot support their business model. This reduces competition in short-haul routes. Serving new routes that lack competition will increase revenue and profits. Second, the airline must focus on innovation to increase its profits. As a hybrid airline, Flydubai has embarked on introducing the services of full service airlines such as meals, long haul flights, and business class (Jones, 2014). These services will increase operating costs significantly. Therefore, innovative ways of reducing costs such as retiring aircrafts after five years to improve fuel efficiency must be adopted to ensure growth in profitability. Finally, Flydubai should launch operations in new hubs in Asia and Africa to allow it to serve more routes at a low cost. For instance, operating from Morocco will enable the airline to serve parts of Europe and Africa by providing flights that take less than four hours. This will reduce operating costs, thereby increasing profitability. Conclusion Flydubai operates in an oligopoly market where competition is high among the leading firms. Air Arabia is the main competitor of Flydubai in the UAE. However, Flydubai has already outperformed it in terms of passenger traffic. Other competitors in Asia and the Middle East include Qatar Airways, Oman Air, and Saudia Airline. The demand for air travel in the market is price elastic at the regional level. In addition, the income elasticity of demand indicates that customers consider air travel a luxury service. Despite the high competition, the demand for air travel is expected to increase in future due to robust economic growth. Flydubai should focus on training its employees and reducing operating costs to improve its long-term competitiveness. Appendix Figure 1: Flydubai’s market share in various markets Source: CAPA (2013) Table 1: Price elasticity of demand Source: Smyth & Brian (2014)/ IATA Figure 2: Variation in price elasticity of demand. Regional level Figure 3: Variation in price elasticity of demand. National level Table 2: Income elasticity of demand Source: Smyth & Brian (2014)/ IATA Figure 4: Variation in income elasticity of demand Figure 5: Variation in income elasticity of demand Table 3: Flydubai’s profits and revenue Year Revenue (AED million) Net Profit (AED million) 2014 4,400 250 2013 3,700 222.8 2012 2,778 151.9 References Airbus. (2012). Global market forecast. Herndon, VA: Airbus. Buller, A. (2014a). Exclusive: Flydubai CEO on the low cost airline’s meteoric rise. Gulf Business . Web. Buller, A. (2014b). The low-cost airline announced full-year 2014 net profit of Dhs 222.8 million. Gulf Business . Web. CAPA. (2014). Air Arabia lags Flydubai in the battle for Middle East LCC supremacy but opportunities abound . Web. CAPA. (2013). Flydubai has bright outlook after recording first profit and emerging as close partner of Emirates . Web. Flydubai. (2015). 2014 sees Flydubai achieve increased revenues of AED 4.4 billion up 19.1% and profits of AED 250 million . Web. Flydubai. (2014). Flydubai announces 47 percent profit increase over 2012 results . Web. Flydubai. (2013). Flydubai soars to new heights in 2013 . Web. IMF. (2015). World economic outlook. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund. Jones, R. (2014). Flydubai putting the squeeze on Air Arabia, says NBK Capital. Wall Street Journal . Web. Nazar, T., & Al-Jubran, J. (2013). Flying Low: The evolution of low cost carrier in Middle East. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Aljazira Capital Ltd. Smyth, M., & Pearce, B. (2014). Air travel demand. Geneva, Switzerland: IATA

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