Financial analysis report

Letter of internal control from external auditors 5. Minutes of board meetings 3. Energy sector analysis Energy is considered to be the lifeline of economic development. For a developing economy with a high population growth rate, it is important to keep a balance between energy supply and emerging needs. If corrective measures are not effectively anticipated significant constraints start emerging for development activities. The rise in global energy demand has raised questions regarding energy security and increased the focus on diversification, generation and efficient allocation.The answer lies in the attainment of optimal energy mix through fuel substitution by promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy and interregional co-operation. However, oil and natural gas will continue to be the world's top two energy sources through 2040. Pakistanis economy has been growing at an average growth rate of almost 3 percent for the last four years and demand of energy both at production and consumer end is increasing rapidly. Pakistanis total energy consumption stood at 38. Million tones of oil equivalent in 2010-11. The relative importance of the various sources Of energy consumption of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LAP), electricity and coal has been broadly similar since 2005-06. The share of gas consumption stood at the highest equal to 43. Percent of the total energy mix of the country, followed by oil (29. 0 percent). 3. 1 crude Oil The total supply of crude oil for the fiscal year 2010-11 was 75. 3 million barrels. The 68. 1 percent was imported and 31. 9 percent was locally extracted. 3. Natural Gas The consumption of increasing natural gas is rapidly. As on December 31st 201 1, the balance recoverable natural gas reserves have been estimated at 24. 001 Trillion Cubic Feet. The average production of natural gas during July- March 2011-12 was 4236. 06 million cubic feet per day (Emcee) as against 4050. 64 (Emcee) during the corresponding period of last year, showin g an increase Of 4. 57 percent. Natural gas is used in general industry to prepare consumer items, to produce cement and to generate electricity.In the form of CNN, it is used in transport sector and most importantly to manufacture fertilizer to boost the agricultural sector. Currently 27 private and public sector companies are engaged in oil and gas exploration & production activities. 3. 3 Liquefied Petroleum Gas-LAP LAP currently contributes only 0. 5 percent to the total primary energy supply in the country. However, 87 percent of its demand is met through local production. The rest is imported. This lower share is mainly due to local apply constraints and the higher price of LAP in relation to competing fuels like fuel wood, dung etc.Currently, in Pakistan, out of 27 million households, approximately 6 million are connected to the natural gas network while the rest are relying on LAP and conventional fuels such as coal, firewood, kerosene, biomass etc. LAP has thus become a pop ular domestic fuel for those who live in areas where the natural gas infrastructure does not exist. The annual total supply of LAP remained 467,476 tones; 1 , 281 tones were produced daily during 201 2, out of this 46 percent is produced in the private sector while 54 percent is produced in the public sector. Financial analysis report Letter of internal control from external auditors 5. Minutes of board meetings 3. Energy sector analysis Energy is considered to be the lifeline of economic development. For a developing economy with a high population growth rate, it is important to keep a balance between energy supply and emerging needs. If corrective measures are not effectively anticipated significant constraints start emerging for development activities. The rise in global energy demand has raised questions regarding energy security and increased the focus on diversification, generation and efficient allocation.The answer lies in the attainment of optimal energy mix through fuel substitution by promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy and interregional co-operation. However, oil and natural gas will continue to be the world's top two energy sources through 2040. Pakistanis economy has been growing at an average growth rate of almost 3 percent for the last four years and demand of energy both at production and consumer end is increasing rapidly. Pakistanis total energy consumption stood at 38. Million tones of oil equivalent in 2010-11. The relative importance of the various sources Of energy consumption of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LAP), electricity and coal has been broadly similar since 2005-06. The share of gas consumption stood at the highest equal to 43. Percent of the total energy mix of the country, followed by oil (29. 0 percent). 3. 1 crude Oil The total supply of crude oil for the fiscal year 2010-11 was 75. 3 million barrels. The 68. 1 percent was imported and 31. 9 percent was locally extracted. 3. Natural Gas The consumption of increasing natural gas is rapidly. As on December 31st 201 1, the balance recoverable natural gas reserves have been estimated at 24. 001 Trillion Cubic Feet. The average production of natural gas during July- March 2011-12 was 4236. 06 million cubic feet per day (Emcee) as against 4050. 64 (Emcee) during the corresponding period of last year, showin g an increase Of 4. 57 percent. Natural gas is used in general industry to prepare consumer items, to produce cement and to generate electricity.In the form of CNN, it is used in transport sector and most importantly to manufacture fertilizer to boost the agricultural sector. Currently 27 private and public sector companies are engaged in oil and gas exploration & production activities. 3. 3 Liquefied Petroleum Gas-LAP LAP currently contributes only 0. 5 percent to the total primary energy supply in the country. However, 87 percent of its demand is met through local production. The rest is imported. This lower share is mainly due to local apply constraints and the higher price of LAP in relation to competing fuels like fuel wood, dung etc.Currently, in Pakistan, out of 27 million households, approximately 6 million are connected to the natural gas network while the rest are relying on LAP and conventional fuels such as coal, firewood, kerosene, biomass etc. LAP has thus become a pop ular domestic fuel for those who live in areas where the natural gas infrastructure does not exist. The annual total supply of LAP remained 467,476 tones; 1 , 281 tones were produced daily during 201 2, out of this 46 percent is produced in the private sector while 54 percent is produced in the public sector.

Feminism in Margaret Laurence’s The Diviners Essay

The Funk and Wagnall’s Standard Desk Dictionary defines feminism as, â€Å"A doctrine advocating the granting of the same social, political and economic rights to women as the ones granted to men.† Feminists consider woman as an oppressed group, those who must present themselves as individuals and human beings. In Margaret Laurence’s The Diviners, Morag Gunn’s struggle for female self-representation is seen as she writes about her life. This is shown through Morag’s desires for lust and profanity, that which females should keep hidden. Furthermore, Morag breaks social boundaries by writing her novel from the female perspective. Finally, Laurence allows the reader to become sympathetic for Morag as she is marginalized in a predominantly male society. Margaret Laurence shows the intricacy that is feminism through the depiction of the assertive, yet vulnerable Morag Gunn. Morag is unlike many females as she allows herself to curse and show lust. Knowin g it is socially unacceptable, Morag rejects swearing as a teenager: â€Å"Morag does not swear. If you swear at fourteen it only makes you look cheap, and she is not cheap, goddamn it.† (126) However, as Morag becomes more mature she revises her opinion: â€Å"Shit. Bloody bloody Christly hell. And the hell with not swearing, too.† (133) By being vulgar, Laurence shows Morag’s feminist attributes by having her go against the â€Å"social norm† of her time. Finally, throughout the novel Morag becomes more aware of her lustful desires and offers them bluntly. Alia Amer wrote about a woman’s lust in society: â€Å"Women are not allowed to look closely at a man, however, or to have a lustful or provocative look, or to look deliberately at them when they happen to be in the same setting (such as on a bus, or in a room).† (Amer) Laurence contradicts this statement as Morag’s sexual awakenings are seen as empowering to the female. In conclusion, Morag Gunn’s vulgarity is a representation of Margaret Laurence’s feministic ideology. Morag’s conflicting identities of both a woman and a writer provide an outlook on female roles in her own society. As a female author Morag makes an â€Å"attempt at self-representation† (Smith) though, â€Å"women have historically hesitated to attempt to the pen†¦the woman writer’s self-contemplation may be said to have begun with a searching glance into the mirror of the male-inscribed literary text† (Gilbart and Gubar). Laurence challenges this through Morag’s determination to finish her novel and writing the novel from a predominantly female perspective. Finally, at the end of the novel, Laurence shows Morag’s accomplishment: â€Å"Morag returned to the house, to write the remaining private and fictional words, and to set down her title.† (525) Morag finishing her novel is a representation of how a female can succeed in the â€Å"representative male life† (Smith) of a writer. To conclude, Laurence challenges male identity by identifying Morag as a woman writer, therefore giving a more feminist view on society. Finally, Laurence creates sympathy for Morag as she is marginalized in a predominantly male society. Wayne Booth states that, â€Å"The solution to the problem of maintaining readers’ sympathy is to use the heroine herself as a kind of narrator, though in third person, reporting on her own experience.† (Booth) Through Laurence’s narrative technique, having Morag as the narrator, sympathy is created for the female perspective. Furthermore, Morag’s downfall for making assumptions causes the reader to feel sympathetic for her consciousness. â€Å"Morag perceived that what she had taken to be hostility had been in fact self-reproach on his part.† (278) Laurence creates empathy as the female mind is presented as solitary. Lastly, the feeling of sympathy is created when Morag asks her absent husband for forgiveness: â€Å"I need you, too, Brooke. I care about you. I can’t stand this†¦Brooke, forgive me. May we forgive one another for what neither of us could help.† (359) Laurence shows how Morag is still dependant on a male figure and as a result creates sympathy for her. Overall, sympathy is used to identify with the female perspective in a male-dependant society. In conclusion, Margaret Laurence shows the complexity of women through the contrast of inferiority and self-confidence seen in Morag Gunn. Laurence creates a character with lustful desires and profane ways that are regarded as socially unacceptable by woman in her society. Morag challenges the, at the time, conflicting roles of being both a woman and a writer by writing from a predominantly female perspective and finally, Laurence creates sympathy for Morag as she struggles in an over-bearing male society. Overall, Margaret Laurence challenges masculinity and allows femininity to prevail.

Persuasive Essay on Adoption

Homosexual Couples Should Be Allowed to Adopt New Jersey’s statewide parenting legislation espouses a progressive stance on the matters of same-sex parenting and child care in the processes of adoption and foster parenting. The Garden State allows for same-sex adoption; allows single homosexuals to adopt; and allows second parent same-sex adoption (â€Å"Same-Sex Adoption Laws,† n. d. ). New Jersey has passed progressive laws and policies that prohibit discrimination charged against gay individuals in the adoption process (Sudol, 2010).New Jersey state law also bans discrimination against gay individuals in the foster parent process (2010). New Jersey Statutes Annotated 9:3-43 enables for any person to adopt permitted the said person(s) pass a background investigation and meet adoption criteria for eligibility(N. J. S. A. 9:3-43). Unmarried joint adoptive parents petitioning to adopt a child can do so because of N. J. S. A. 9:3-43. In re Adoption of two Children by H. N . R. , 666 A. 2d 535 (N. J. Super. 995) permits second parent adoption; this statute exercises the possibility for an individual to petition for shared rights of custody with a parent who already possesses legal parental custody of a child. Several states prohibit joint adoption due to unmarried status. This statute is favorable for unmarried parents seeking to adopt in New Jersey. This New Jersey statute provides for an overall tolerant atmosphere for queer individuals and couples looking to adopt or become foster parents. In summary, laws and policies regarding same-sex adoption vary from state to state.The three common forms of adoptive guardianship are individual (single) parent adoption, joint adoption, and second parent adoption. Firstly, the most traditional type of adoptive parents is the single parent adoption. This is where an unmarried individual adopts a child that has been put up for adoption by the birth parent or by the state. Secondly, joint adoption is when an unmar ried couple can petition the court to adopt a child. Lastly, in the case of a second parent adoption, one parent has legal guardianship over a child and a second parent petitions the court to become a legally recognized co-parent.Bans on gay marriage vary state by state, as a consequence, gay couples cannot petition for adoption as a married couple but, as single individuals. This creates the opportunity for gay couples to become legal parents of foster children since most states prevent unmarried couples from adopting. As a result of state to state differences in the question of gay adoptive parents, second-parent adoptions are either permitted or the laws are unclear (Montana, 2009). Montana (2009) argues that ambiguity in court decisions are prevalent regarding gay second parent adoption petitions.Montana (2009) asserts how a state’s unclear and ambiguous position on second parent adoption places the decision on the judge to rule according to his or her personal beliefs co ncerning homosexuality rather than the letter of the law. The courts of twenty-one states including Washington, D. C. have granted second-parent adoption availability to several individuals applying to become legal second parents or co-parents of former foster children (Public Broadcasting Service, 2006).Mississippi law bars same-sex couples from all possibilities of adoption but, allows the viability for single gays and lesbians to adopt (Public Broadcasting Service, 2006). In Utah and New Hampshire, all unmarried couples, regardless of sexual orientation are allowed to adopt (Public Broadcasting Service, 2006). The following states allow adoption by openly gay and lesbian couples: Florida, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Washington, D. C. Social movements and countercultures during the 1960’s and 1970’s emerged and challenged institutionalized oppression.The Civil Rights movement addressed the pli ght of African Americans in a viciously racist society. Gay rights and the feminist movement actively subverted traditional gender norms through political activism. The American public’s disapproval of the Vietnam War served as the political platform to advance anti-war, civil rights, feminist, and queer political agendas in the increasing struggle for equal rights in a discriminatory inequitable society. The social movements of the 60’s and 70’s impacted the traditional views of adoption in the United States.The trend of challenging the dominant society’s oppressive social structures that best represent the interests of the dominant group, influenced society to question adoption laws during the 1970’s (Montana, 2009). Much like today, openly gay applicants were barred from adoption. The majorities of the cases was and still are second-parent adoptions, in which the biological parent is the legal guardian and their life partner petitions the state court to adopt (Montana, 2009). Adopting a child that is unrelated to either partner is still difficult in contemporary society; however, it is o longer illegal in most states (Montana, 2009). The seventies birthed professional organizations designed to advocate for disenfranchised oppressed groups. One of the most renowned organizations that continues to engage in public education and legal activism is Lambda Legal. Lambda Legal’s mission is to achieve full equality and secure the legal protection of the LGBT community. Throughout the 1970s, Lambda Legal was instrumental in winning some of the nation's first court cases on behalf of gay and lesbian parents and same-sex couples (Lambda Legal, n. . ). Since its inception in the seventies, Lambda Legal has battled to institute policy change, social change through political and legal activism, and to shape new positive attitudes about the LGBT community through educational awareness. For instance, a landmark court case, Finstuen v. Edmondson, was a paramount victory for LGBT individuals and same-sex parents everywhere. In 2004, the Oklahoma legislature exacted a punitive law that rendered children orphans if adopted in other states by same-sex couples.Thus, when their families returned, moved to or traveled through Oklahoma, the parents’ legal custody over the newly adopted children is not recognized by the state of Oklahoma. The three families in this case were headed by same-sex couples with children adopted in Washington, New Jersey and California respectively. Two of the families moved to Oklahoma. In the legal defense of the three families, Lambda Legal argued that the law is unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment violating the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses. All legal parents have a fundamental right to care for and raise their children, which is protected by the Fourteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution (Lambda Legal, n. d. ). Lambda Legal remains active in challenging discriminatory laws and policies on the local and state level that work to invalidate the legal adoptions of children by same-sex parents. Lambda Legal secured pivotal wins for the LGBT community’s adoptive parents in its most recent trials; these trials are similar to the Oklahoma court case where the rights of same-sex couples and their adopted children were denied. The Evan B.Donaldson Adoption Institute is another notable organization that partnered with the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to produce a legal document to ensure ethical practice and policy to secure the well-being of same-sex adoptive families. The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute and the NASW Illinois chapter are dedicated to promote the best interests of children by engaging in research regarding adoption. The adequate education and training of child welfare professionals encourages fundamentally sound and ethical practice when interacting with the gay community. In an effort to fight for ethical public policies and laws for same-sex adoption, the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute immerses itself in political activism to apply pressure to local and state political officials to consider issues that inhibit the likelihood of same-sex parents for homeless foster children. The number of children in need of homes is steadily increasing; organizations like the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute and Lambda Legal are instrumental in changing the willingness of adoption agencies to accept same-sex parents. Organizational response creates room for social change.Although the debate about same-sex adoptive parents continues to gain national attention, state, local courts and adoption agencies will continue to arbitrarily deny or accept same-sex petitions for adoption if the federal government does not intervene to standardize this issue by implementing an overriding national policy. Ryan Nishimoto, author of â€Å"Marriage Makes Cents: How Law ;um p; Economics Justifies Same-Sex Marriage,† suggests that society’s objections against same-sex marriage and same-sex adoptive parents are rooted in homophobic sentiments, religious views, and denigrating stereotypes (Nishimoto, 2003).The Supreme Court has historically undermined the gay rights question in contemporary American law (Nishimoto, 2003). The Supreme Court shares the general public’s sentiments about homosexuality’s immoral nature which deems same-sex couples unfit for marriage and parenting (Nishimoto, 2003). The prohibitions on same-sex marriage intimately impact the legal and economic dimensions of homosexual relationships. Marital benefits heterosexual couples receive do not apply to same-sex couples looking to adopt.Nishimoto (2003) lists how same-sex partners are excluded from insurance awards, social security benefits, public pensions, worker's compensation, income tax benefits, and estate tax benefits. Being that gays are not able to mar ry, their partners are not considered spouses. As a result, same-sex â€Å"unions† and â€Å"partnerships† are not legally recognized to qualify for the aforementioned benefits that heterosexual couples reap. This reality complicates adoption and custody cases for LGBT same-sex couples. Same sex couples must file for a second parent adoption so that both artners have legal custody over the adopted child. This process is emotionally draining and financially costly; a petitioning gay or lesbian parent faces extensive social work assessment to establish suitability (Nishimoto, 2003). State laws can prohibit same-sex second-parent adoption nullifying the possibility of a couple possessing joint custody of a child. Once again, second-parent adoption may be unclear in state legislations. This leaves the decision to appeal a petition on the court judge. A couple’s opportunity to gain joint custody relies on the judge’s personal views on homosexuality (Nishimoto, 2003).Nishimoto (2003) concludes the discussion of adoption and custody battles for LGBT couples by stating, â€Å"Thus, even if the parents overcome the lengthy, costly obstacles in their path, a judge may simply choose not to authorize the adoption. † Recommendation/Conclusion Interventions at the practice level can have far reaching benefits for same-sex parents and their children. Same-sex friendly foster agencies must engage in practice that does not further oppress the LGBT population with uninformed and unethical practice, policy, and unprofessional behavior.According to Sudol (2010) foster care agencies must cultivate a culture of inclusive practice integrated at the agency and case levels. At the agency level, staff training must have a comprehensive coverage of LGBT issues and topics; paperwork documentation, informational materials must use inclusive language, advertisements should portray a diverse representation of LGBT families, and inclusive recruitment effort s. Inclusive practice suggests that a practitioner uses culturally competent language as preferred by individual/family, avoids â€Å"outing† people, and includes other LGBT people/groups in family engagement/kin search (Sudol, 2010).In addition, Sudol (2010) adds that child welfare professionals and social workers alike, need to avoid focusing on the sexual identity of the individual/family by seeing the human not the identity. We strongly agree that the federal government must negotiate the contemporary question of same-sex parenting. It makes no sense for the federal government to give a blind eye and a deaf ear to same-sex parenting. Same-sex marriage coupled with this debate is gaining increasing attention as homosexuality gains legitimacy within the broader dominant society.The overview of current adoption law concerning lesbian, gay, and bisexual parents by the National Center for Lesbian Rights perfectly considers contemporary evidence justifying why LGBT parents are fit for adoption and why the Supreme Court must address this ensuing issue as opposed to leaving it for individual states to reconcile. One, a growing number of children lives in families with two same-sex parents. University of Maryland, Family Policy Impact Seminar, conducted research juxtaposing the rates of adoption in â€Å"gay-friendly† states in comparison to states with â€Å"anti-gay† policies.Studies showed that â€Å"gay-friendly† states adopted children and found permanent residencies as twice as much as â€Å"anti-gay† states. Two, sexual orientation is not relevant to parental ability. Discourse on the capabilities of same-sex parents to be adequate parents is governed principally by harmful stereotypes and moral judgments condemning homosexuality. â€Å"Not a single study has found children of gay or lesbian parents to be disadvantaged in any significant respect relative to children of heterosexual parents.Indeed, the evidence to date sugg ests that home environments provided by gay and lesbian parents are as likely as those provided by heterosexual parents to support and enable children’s psychosocial growth. † (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2002). Three, the need for adoptive homes and the increasing visibility of lesbian, gay, and bisexual parent families has contributed to a dramatic decrease in anti-gay discriminatory policies and practices on the part of adoption agencies and courts.Four, adoption provides legal protection to children of LGBT parents. The United States guarantees financial support, inheritance rights, social security benefits, retirement benefits, and state worker’s compensation benefits for children of heterosexual parents. The downfall to this is that current law is bias against LGBT couples. Children are not eligible for these benefits if the co-parent in a same-sex partnership is not legally recognized as a guardian.For example, if the child is sick and needs to be hosp italized, the second parent cannot give medical consent for treatment to his/her child. These incentives/benefits must apply to all children regardless of the parent’s marital status and sexual orientation. The LGBT community has made progressive strides for legal rights in the area of family law (NCLR, 2011). To strengthen and preserve the emotional health of a family in a same-sex parented household, society must change their traditional views of what constitutes a family.LGBT organizations remain fierce and persistent in advocating for equality and legal rights of the gay community. Custody, visitation rights, domestic partnership benefits, sick-leave benefits, marriage, and adoption are all arenas which the gay community continues to transform for their benefit (NCLR, 2011). Legal recognition of family relationships for same-sex families further enables courts, social welfare policies, and child welfare institutions to adopt LGBT inclusive protections. Mass media mirrors our society’s values and social attitudes.The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) encourages media outlets to recognize the highly increasing numbers of families with gay, lesbian and bi-sexual parents by incorporating their stories and experiences into the coverage of all issues related to families. The diversity of images in popular media aids in the reconstruction of the idea of the â€Å"ideal† family. It is more important than ever for literature, publication, television, cinema, advertisements, and music to be change agents in today’s society.Structural change may be slow; however, as a society we must realize that thousands of loving individuals and couples are being denied the chance of giving orphans a loving home. The numbers of orphans increasing in foster care services are disproportionate to the number of foster parents willing to adopt them. This fact alone without a shadow of a doubt calls to question the involvement federal govern ment to revise law and policy to integrate the needs of same-sex parents and the growing orphan problem in the United States.The investigation of same-sex parents continues to produce evidence suggesting that children growing up in same-sex households report feeling more tolerant of other groups. The quality of parenting and family functioning are not inhibited by the parent’s sexual orientation. Lastly, children raised by same-sex parents do not exhibit psychosocial and emotionally disruptive behaviors (Children Welfare Information Gateway, 2011). | |

A cross cultural comparison into the significance of personal Dissertation

A cross cultural comparison into the significance of personal familiarity and respect within business arrangements in Romania and the United Kingdom - Dissertation Example The globalization has created an acute need to expand the business internationally. The cultural factor is one of the most influential factors in the accomplishment of business aims. Culture is the sentimental factor of every country. The business manners and etiquettes vary in every culture. So it is very important to be familiar with the culture of the country. Approach: The study is held with the comparative analysis of the corporate culture between the two European nations. Britain and Romania have been taken for the culture study on corporate scenario. The paper aims at finding out the cultural differences between Britain and Romania. Despite being European country, there is a vast difference between the cultures of these two different countries. The paper first focuses on the international business relationship between Britain and Romania with recent statistic. Further the paper discusses Romania’s corporate culture and Britain’s culture. Scope to the study: Thoug h it is a management and business related research paper, the paper focuses on the cultural issues in business world. Awareness, respect, and honour to the other cultures has become one of the major prerequisites of the corporate leaders Practical implication: The study includes the following corporate cultural aspects of Britain and Romania: Languages/ religious orientation Cultural Values Etiquettes and manners Behaviour Symbols Body language and their meaning Key words: Comparative analysis, Britain Romania, Cultural factors, corporate world. INTRODUCTION Due to globalization the business has crossed its local and national peripheries. ‘Globalization is rapidly breaking down our vision of a world with well-defined national, cultural and linguistic boundaries.’ (Irina Budrina 2011) For its growth and expansion, the businesses have to rely on international dealings. Mergers, acquisition, joint ventures are the common phenomena in today’s globalized corporate env ironment. The corporate tasks are majorly performed by the employees from different cultural background. Culture has an influence on the way people operate and manage their businesses. It also plays a significant role in the way managers negotiate and interact with other business people, organisations and consumers. ‘It is important that you adapt your management style to reflect the market in which you are working.’ (International Marketing Challenges, Smart Biz Connect) New strategies related to multiculturalism have been dominating in the organizations. Knowledge and well understanding and benefitting from cultural differences has become one of the major challenges to the organizations that are operating on global level. ‘Each nation has a distinctive culture and different beliefs about what business activities are acceptable or unethical.’ (Ferrell, Fraedrich 2009 p.150) Consequently it has become crucial to consider cultural aspects while designing the strategies. Intercultural competency has become one of the most important prerequisites in the increasingly global business. The term intercultural competency is associated with the ability communicate effectively with the people of different cultures. While training and orienting people who are going to be the leaders, they have been given the training of cultural knowledge needed for a successful business. It is essential for the manager to understand and respect the cultural aspects of the country in which they want to establish their business. ‘Failure to place marketing strategy in the cross-cultural context of the countries where a company is doing business will work to the detriment of brands and business relationships.’ (Emery and Tian, 2003, 2002; Tian 2000) The cultural factors include language, behavioural pattern, their

Turnover intentions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7250 words

Turnover intentions - Essay Example Retention and productivity levels of the existing workforce are an essential concern in human resource management. Employee turnover is one of the most studied aspects in organisational psychology (Mitra, Jenkins, & Gupta, 1992) and is of interest to other professionals, including personnel researchers, behavioural scientists, and management practitioners (Mobley, Griffeth, Hand, and Meglino, 1979). Employees may exit an organisation either voluntarily or involuntarily. For the purpose of this research, the criteria variable 'turnover intention' is defined as an individual's inclination to leave an organisation voluntarily (Dougherty, Bluedorn & Keon, 1985; Kiyak, Namazi & Kahana, 1997; Mobley, 1977; Stedham & Mitchell, 1996). Employees leave for a variety of reasons, some leave to escape negative work environments, some to enhance their career goals and some to pursue more attractive opportunities (Roseman, 1981). Involuntary turnover is usually employer initiated, where the organisation believes the employee does not match its requirement. Involuntary turnover can also include death; mandatory retirements and ill health which can be a part of the voluntary separation In literature, turnover intention has been identified as the immediate precursor for turnover behaviour (Mobley, Horner & Hollingsworth, 1978; Tett & Meyer, 1993). It has been recognised that the identification of variables associated with turnover intentions is considered an effective strategy in reducing actual turnover levels (Maertz & Campion, 1998). Consequences of Employee Turnover An employee's exit from an organisation is a direct cost, in the form of having to select, recruit, and train a new employee (Dalton, Todor, & Krackhardt 1982; Staw, 1980, Hall 1981). The exit also has indirect cost implications that include reduced morale, pressure on the remaining staff, costs of learning, and the loss of social capital (Des & Shaw, 2001). This assumption was popular in the research literature in the late 20th century (e.g. Herman 1997; White, 1995). One of the main consequences for organisations that have a high turnover is the financial cost. The total costs of employee turnover are hard to measure, in particular, the effects on the organisations' culture, employee morale, and social capital or loss of organisational memory (Des & Shaw 2001). The focus has been on the tangible costs associated with turnover in the areas of selection, recruitment, induction and training of new staff, learning costs and the cost of being short-staffed (Cascio, 1987; Cheng & Brown 1 998). The cost of losing a high performer who has a high degree of responsibility, or an employee who is employed in an area where there is a labour market shortage, can be substantial. Dalton & Rador (1986) have estimated the cost of turnover to an organisation has been on average one to one and a half times the employee's salary. Indeed, Clark-Rayner and Harcourt (2001) estimate the costs of external recruitment of personnel at a New Zealand bank to be NZ$4,500 for non-management cadre employees and NZ$12,500 for management cadre employees. In addition, turnover can have a negative impact on other employees by disrupting cohesiveness and increasing internal mobility, which can lead to triggering additional turnover (North, Rasmussen, Hughes, and Finlayson 2005). Turnover of employees may in itself triggers additional turnov

Toyota Motor Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Toyota Motor Corporation - Essay Example On pursuing its business model, Toyota periodically reviews the carrying value of its long-term assets used in the business, including intangible assets as circumstances deserve such review. The company carries out the review using estimates of future cash flows and fair value that the management think would influence the accurate valuation of assets. In the same way, Toyota also needs to consider the assets like high quality fixed income bonds and fixed income bonds that are presently available and anticipated to be available in the future. The company also takes into account the deferred tax assets as there are chances for the actual taxable income to differ from the estimated amounts due to various assumptions (Toyota Motor Corporation, 2010). There are liquid assets in the business which the company defines cash and cash equivalents, time deposits, marketable debt securities that are taken into account to make sure that the company is in line with its business model. However, goo dwill is not material to Toyota’s consolidated balance sheet, and intangible assets with a definite life are amortised on a straight-line basis with estimated useful lifetime of five year. Intangible assets with indefinite life are examined for impairment whenever incidents or circumstance signify that a carrying amount of an asset may not be recuperated. The company evaluates the impairment loss when carrying amount of an asset exceeds the estimated undiscounted cash flows. Toyota’s strategy and aim for plan asset management is to maximise returns on plan assets to meet future benefit payment requirements under risks that the company thinks to be permissible (Toyota Motor Corporation, 2010). Assets in financial accounting can be considered as the economic resources of the firm. Anything that is touchable or intangible and able to be owned by or administered to produce value by preserving it on the process of obtaining a positive economic value can be regarded as an as set. In simple worlds, asset can be stated as an ownership that can be converted into cash (cash itself is an asset). Asset in simple sense is anything of value that a company owns, including cash and should be recorded on the balance sheet of the company. Even if the firm used credit to purchase an asset, the company still owns it. In such case, the original cost of the asset must be recorded on the asst side of the balance sheet as well as the amount that the company owes should be recorded on the liability side of the balance sheet. The three components that constitute a company’s balance sheet, which illustrate the business’s financial position at any point are assets, liabilities, and owners’ equity (U.S. Securities Exchange Commission, 2007). This association among these three components can be explained using the following equation: Assets = Liabilities + Owners’ Equity This equation sets the framework for keeping trace of money as it flows in and out of the business. Every penny in the business should be recorded into appropriate ledgers, every single transaction into the books using a double-entry system of debit and credit. In general accounting practice, assets are recorded on the top left side of the balance sheet. Assets may be classified in many ways and the principal distinction normally made for business purposes is between: Fixed assets and Current assets. There are other business

Network Societies and the Implications for their Privacies Essay

Network Societies and the Implications for their Privacies - Essay Example The popularity of the SNSs is quite evident when we find in a 2009 report, which stated that globally almost 38% internet users are a member of one or many of the SNSs, and maintain regular profiles in the social networking sites (Wray, Social Networking Booming with Doubling of Online Profiles, 2009). Facebook, at present is the most popular SNS, with a rise of nearly 86.1% in user percentage (ibid). One major characteristic of these SNSs is that the users can upload their personal data on these sites on a daily basis. As per the recent study made by OfCom in 2010, â€Å"Social networking accounts for nearly a quarter of all time spent on the internet (23 per cent compared to 9 per cent in 2007).   This has been driven by the rapid growth of Facebook, which grew by 31 per cent. The average Facebook user spent 6 and 30 minutes on the site during May 2010,† (OfCom, Consumers spend almost half of their waking hours using media and communications, 2010. The 2008 OfCom report no ted that an adult user, on an average, maintained his/her profile on around 1.6 SNSs, while enter their profiles at least once, every two days (OfCom, Social networking: a quantitative and qualitative research report into attitudes, behaviours & use, 2008). This expeditious rise in the usage of social networking sites in the past decade, has created new problems, where there are increased instances of user personal data being misused through identity theft and cyber stalking, for various commercial activities related to unauthorised searching for employees, or fishing for prospective clients (Brown, Edwards, and Marsden, Staking 2.0: privacy protection in a leading social networking site, nd). The internet and SNSs being open to all, the uploaded user information (even personal information) becomes accessible to a much wider user spectrum, besides the intended user group. Often user inexperience and a general unawareness coupled with inappropriate SNS website designing, unintentiona lly help in the misuse of private information by various commercial organisations. These misuses and the future potentiality of fraudulent activities using the obtained personal information have raised questions and concerns over the issue of creating a stronger security system that would assure SNS user privacy, and the inaccessibility of the uploaded information outside the targeted viewer group. As for example, a member of the medical SNS PatientsLikeMe, may opt to discuss his/her condition only with a specific group of people (like those sharing similar medical problems), thus making it imperative that the site gives the user his/her right to privacy. In this context, we will discuss network societies and the implications for their privacies, focussing on Facebook, as it is the leading SNS now. Discussion What is a SNS? Boyd and Ellison, defined SNSs as services provided that are internet-based and allow its users to: Create user profiles which can be kept partially public or co mpletely public, within the provide domain of the site; Create a ‘friends’ list and a group where they can upload and share private information; Have an access to the friends’ profiles, and to these friends’ ‘friend list,’ where the user can view all the connections made by their friends and often by ‘other users’ (who are not direct friends, but may have common friends or common interests) within the domain of the same SNS (Boyd, and Ellison, 2007, 210-211). The ‘

Games Workshop Group Plc Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Games Workshop Group Plc - Coursework Example There is a significant increase in ROE from 1.51% in 2008 to 14.3% in 2009. The reason behind this huge change is the amount of profits in two years. The company successfully generated ?5,432,000 in 2009 in comparison to ?446,000 only in 2008. Overall distributable profit/ loss from continued and discontinued operations is ?5,550,000 in 2009 and loss of ?446,000 in 2008. This net loss in 2008 is due to the fact that the group sustained loss from discontinued operation in 2008. Extraordinary Items As mentioned in the Note 11 in the financial statements, Games Workshop Group plc discontinued some operations in 2008 for which the group sustained a heavy loss of ? 1,186,000. The revenue from this operation was only ?1,308,000, and the total expenses were ? 2,414,000 excluding tax of ? 80,000. Contrary to this, the group in 2009, not only avoided loss on discontinued operation, but also successfully generated ?118,000 profit from these operations. Operating Profit Margin Operating profit margin has increased to 7.17% in 2009 from 2.31% in 2008. Major reason behind this increase is the boost in profit in 2009. The company earned ?9,014,000 operating profit as compared to ?2,552,000 in 2008. Although the sales have increased by 14% ((125,706-110,345)/110,345=14%), but the increase in operating profit is greater than the increase in revenue ultimately improving the operating profit margin. Gross Profit Margin The group has reasonably high gross profit ratio is both years. It has improved to 71.43% in 2009 as compared to 69.43% in 2008 which represent 2% change. The group has made efforts to control the cost of sales. It is very important to note that, there is a huge decline from gross profit to operating profit. Gross profit declined by 64.26% and 67.12% in 2009 and 2008 respectively and also the company is operating with significantly high operating costs. Group’s operating cost is ?84,244,000 and ?75,798,000 in 2009 and 2008 respectively. Assets Turnover Asse ts Turnover indicates how efficiently the company has used its assets in generating profits. It has increased to 1.79 times in 2009 from 1.63 times in 2008. This is because the sales volume has increased by a net of ? 15,361,000 in 2009 representing 14% increase, while the total assets have increased by a net of only ?2,414,000 which represents 2% increase. Interest Cover Due to improved profitability, Interest Cover has reached 5.17 times in 2009 from 1.55 times in 2008. There is a slight decrease in total finance cost in both years. It has decreased by a net of ?110,000. This is due to the fact that the group has lesser financial liabilities than previous years. The cost of loans and over draft has decreased from ?1,644,000 to ?1, 2,201,000 from 2008 to 2009 because the group has repaid ?5 million for the long term debt during the year. Balance Sheet Gearing Balance sheet gearing describes the degree to which the Group’s business activities are finance by the owner’s equity and the creditors (Ogilvie, 2008). It is good to see that the financial gearing has decreased from 37.6% to 24% in 2009. The reasons for this decrease are the increase in equity due to net profits and other reserves, and the decrease in financial liabilities because the group has repaid ?5 million against long term liabilities. Total financial liabilities decreased to ?12,002,000 in 2009 from ?17,792,000 in 2008. Similarly total equity increased to ?37,991,000 in 2009 from ?29,526,000 in 2008. Current Ratio Current ratio indicates the availability of the current assets to pay the current liabilities when they fall due (Brigham Eugene Foster, 2009). This is one of the commonly used indicators of the liquidity. In both years the group has very high

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 25

Ethics - Essay Example The corollary to this is, of course, that if a woman chooses to deny her fetus the sustenance it needs to thrive, then she has a right to deny it that, and therefore a right to decide on an abortion. Markowitz wishes to divert from these issues, not because of the strength or weakness of their positions, but because as a true feminist the issue should relate to the woman as woman. It will be noted that the personality of the fetus and the right of a person over her (or his) own body is not related in anyway to a woman’s gender. This is not, therefore, a feminist issue but a morality issue like any other. The way Markowitz sees it, women are, as a class, systematically oppressed by the male-dominated society (this is known as the â€Å"feminist proviso’), a cornerstone principle of all feminist stands. Together with this, Markowitz espouses another principle, that of impermissible sacrifice. She said that it is the right of an oppressed or dominated class to refuse to sacrifice itself for the sake of the dominant class. The reason for this is that this practice tends to propagate the oppression and causes greater injustice to the oppressed class. A quotation from t he selection â€Å"A Feminist Defense of Abortion† by Sally Markowitz explicitly expresses the impermissible sacrifice principle as follows: â€Å"When one social group in a society is systematically oppressed by another, it is impermissible to require the oppressed group to make sacrifices that will exacerbate or perpetuate this oppression.† Taking this one step further, Markowitz views conception and childbirth as a sacrifice by women in order to serve the purposes of men – to produce him heirs or issue, to give him children to carry on his name and fill his household. In the Western cultural context, women are seen as being forced by men to bear the latter children. To Markowitz, this is an impermissible

A Good Man is Hard to Find Essay Example for Free

A Good Man is Hard to Find Essay By the title, â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†, a reader would not suspect what the story is really about. One might assume that Flannery O’Connor’s short story is about finding love perhaps, rather than moral, murders, and convicts. Contrarily, the meaning of this story is even deeper than the naked eye can reveal. Throughout Flannery O’Connor’s short story, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† a manipulative setting, leads to domination over the other characters in the story; moreover, leading to symbolic animalistic attributes, fabricating a profound meaning of hypocritical aspects. The monkey presented in the story symbolizes the animalistic nature of humans. The monkey represents the stubborn, bias, and shallow views of the people of the time period in the quote, â€Å" a gray monkey about a foot high, chained to a chinaberry tree, chattered nearby. The monkey sprang back into the tree and got to the highest limb as soon as he saw the children jump out of the car and run toward him.†(O’Connor 325) The animal is chained to signify the limitations to the views the characters like the Grandmother and Red Sam believe. When someone poses animal-like characteristics, humans completely dominate their environment that our social structures have become ecosystems unto themselves. Animals learn to act exactly like their parents as they grow to adulthood; furthermore, once the animal is an adult, it has the behaviors, ideas, and motives of the parents that will never change and will pass those traits on to the next generation. This corresponds with the Grandmother and the story, with her children and grandchildren; for example, when a person is the most dominant character in the family, the inferior ones follow behind grasping the beliefs of the dominate character. The Grandmother’s immutable ways make her the dominant character in the allegory. It is written in the story, â€Å"..The old lady settled herself comfortably, removing her white cotton gloves.. The children’s mother still had on slacks and still her head tied in a green kerchief, but the grandmother had on a navy blue straw sailor hat.. a navy blue dress with a small white dot in the print.. In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (O’Connor 323) It makes the reader wonder that, why was she dressed so dressy for a prolonged drive in a cramped car? For one, this statement is also an example of foreshadowing. Later on in the story, when she is held at gun point, she constantly recites â€Å"I know you wouldn’t shoot a lady!† Ironically, she got what she wanted because when people find her dead, she will be dressed like a lady. The outfit she is wearing also tells about her demeanor. The references to the navy, for example navy blue hat, means that she was strong and domineering like the navy. Later on in the story, unfortunately leading to their demise, she uses her domineering tactics to get where she wants to go using the children’s curiosity. â€Å".. She knew that Bailey would not be willing to lose any time looking at an old house, but the more she talked about it, the more she wanted to see it once again and find out if the little twin arbors were still standing. ‘There was a secret panel in this house,’ she said craftily, not telling the truth but wishing that she were, ‘and the story went that all the family silver was hidden in it when Sherman came through but it was never found’†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (O’Connor 327) The Grandmother purposely says something false to ensure the children will cajole their dad into going there. She knew this was a lie and she knew that she was not going to talk Bailey into it single-handily. The only way possible was to manipulate the children through the use of their excitement and curiosity to dominate over her son. The grandmother manipulates all of the characters except the Misfit who turns the tables on the grandmother in the end. She tries to make the convict feel better about himself by conveying, â€Å"‘Yes, its a beautiful day, said the grandmother. ‘Listen,’ she said, ‘you shouldnt call yourself The Misfit because I know youre a good man at heart. I can just look at you and tell.’† (O’Connor 330) The Grandmother knows of the crimes this man has committed. She thinks she can manipulate him the way she does Bailey but the man can sense this all along. The Grandmother uses manipulation by saying that the Misfit is a good man so he can believe that he is a good man deep down inside and spare the lives of the family. In addition, the grandmother has a hypocritical standpoint, which makes using religion as a manipulation tool goes completely wrong. She  questions her faith in the quote, â€Å" ‘Maybe He didnt raise the dead,’ the old lady mumbled†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (O’Connor 334) The grandmother is humbled as she sees that she has lost the fight. She is now inferior to the Misfit unlike in the beginning, where she stood before him; now she sits faintly on the ground looking up to the convict. The Grandmother could be questioning her faith as if saying â€Å"How could God do this to me?† or the line could be indicating that she did not have very much faith at all. At this point in the short story; it seems as if the Misfit has more faith than she does. She tries to regain her dominance in the quote, â€Å" ‘Why youre one of my babies. Youre one of my own children!’ She reached out and touched him on the shoulder. The Misfit sprang back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest.† (O’Connor 334) It is as if he has encountered something very threatening. It is hypocritical because a snake is usually associated with evil or â€Å"enemy of man† like the biblical story of Adam and Eve. It symbolizes how genuine good appears to genuine evil. To conclude, this story has so many points that you have to examine in between the lines. Basically, the story is about a woman with a domineering personality that has to die to be brought back down to size. The writer conveys this meaning through the use of symbolism, domination, manipulation, and hypercriticism.

World Health Organization (WHO) Priorities

World Health Organization (WHO) Priorities THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS Abstract In the field of international public health policy and international public health, a significant role is played by WHO. To coordinate and direct health is the main responsibility of the World Health Organization (WHO), which is a body of the United Nations (UN). To assess and monitor health trends, to provide technical support to countries, to articulate evidence-based policy options, to set standards and norms, to shape the health research agenda and to provide leadership on global health matters are the other responsibilities of WHO. In the eradication of small pox, a leading role has been played by WHO, since its creation. The current priorities of WHO are networking, publications, driving the development of reporting, substance abuse, occupational health, health eating and food safety, nutrition, aging and development, reproductive and sexual health, the mitigation of the effects of non-communicable diseases, tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS/HIV. The World Health Organizations Introduction On 7th April 1948, the constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO) came into force. In the field of international public health policy and international public health, a significant role is played by WHO. On 22nd July 1946, the constitution of the WHO was signed by sixty-nine countries. To coordinate and direct health is the main responsibility of the World Health Organization (WHO), which is a body of the United Nations (UN) (World Health Organization, 2006). To assess and monitor health trends, to provide technical support to countries, to articulate evidence-based policy options, to set standards and norms, to shape the health research agenda and to provide leadership on global health matters are the other responsibilities of WHO. In the eradication of small pox, a leading role has been played by WHO, since its creation. The current priorities of WHO are networking, publications, driving the development of reporting, substance abuse, occupational health, health eating and food safety, nutrition, aging and development, reproductive and sexual health, the mitigation of the effects of non-communicable diseases, tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS/HIV (World Health Organization, 2010). Discussion Health is being considered as a shared responsibility in the twenty-first century that involves collective defense against transnational threats and equitable access to essential care. WHO is increasingly operating in a rapidly changing and complex landscape that extends into other sectors and that influence health outcomes and opportunities, with the boundaries of public health action becoming blurred (World Health Organization, 2008). Through use of 6-point agenda these challenges are responded by WHO that addresses 2 operational approaches, 2 strategic needs and 2 health objectives. Improving performance, enhancing partnerships, evidence and information, harnessing research, strengthening health systems, fostering health security and promoting development are the six points in the agenda. The agenda of health development of WHO is directed by the ethical principle of equity, i. e. , health-promoting interventions or access to life-saving must not be denied for unfair reasons, involving those with social or economic roots (World Health Organization, 2007). Priority is given to health outcomes in vulnerable, disadvantaged and poor groups by activities of WHO, whose aim is health development. Addressing the neglected tropical areas, treating and preventing chronic diseases and attainment of health-related Millennium Development Goals are the factors that are included within its development and health agenda (World Health Organization, 2005). Through enforcement of revised International Health Regulations and by strengthening the ability of the world to defend itself collectively against outbreaks, the health safety has been fostered by WHO. For WHO, one of the highest priorities is strengthening of health systems. WHO also ensures that health systems do reach underserved and poor populations of the world (World Health Organization, 2007). It addresses areas, like, access to appropriate technology involving essential drugs, suitable systems for collecting vital statistics, sufficient financing, and the provision of adequate number of appropriately trained staff. To monitor the evolving global health situation, to articulate evidence-based policy options, and to set standards and norms, it generates authoritative health information in consultation with leading experts. With the collaboration and support of many partners, involving the private sector, civil society, donors, international organizations and UN agencies, WHO carry out its business partners implementation programs within countries. These countries are encouraged by WHO through use of the strategic power of evidence, so that the activities are aligned with the priorities established by countries, as well, with best technical practices and guidelines. Both within countries and at the international level, WHO participates in ongoing reforms aimed at improving its effectiveness and efficiency as a means of improving its performance. For the ten-year period from 2006 till 2-15, the framework for organization-wide program of results, resources, budget and work is provided by the eleventh General Program of Work, whose title is â€Å"Engaging for Health. † (World Health Organization UniceF, 2009). Core functions of WHO are set out by the General Program of Work. These core functions are assessment of health trends, monitoring of health situation, building of sustainable institutional capacity, catalyzing change, providing technical support, articulating evidence-based and ethical policy options, setting of standards and norms and monitoring and promoting their implementations, dissemination and translation of valuable knowledge, stimulating the generating, shaping the research agenda, engaging in partnerships where joint action is required and providing leadership on matters critical to the health. The attainment by all people of the highest possible level of health is the objective of WHO as set out in its Constitution. Health is not defined as the absence of infirmity or disease but a state of social, mental, and physical well-being by the Constitution (World Health Organization, 2009). For Who, the supreme decision-making body is the World Health Assembly. It is attended by delegations from all 193 member states and is held annually in Geneva. WHO has 147 country offices and 6 regional offices in which more than eight thousand people from more than one hundred and fifty countries work. Its headquarters is located in Geneva. Experts in the fields of emergency relief, economics and health statistics, and people trained to manage information, financial and administrative systems and epidemiologists, scientists, public health specialists and medical doctors are all included within the staff of WHO. Since year 1950, a â€Å"World Health Day† has been celebrated annually on 7th April, to make the founding of the WHO. For World Health Day, each year a theme is selected and a priority area of concern for WHO is highlighted by this theme. To focus on key public health issues that affect the international community, this celebration is a global opportunity. Longer-term advocacy programs are launched by WHO on this day. Since year 2001, the themes adopted by WHO were, making hospitals safe in emergencies, protecting health from climate change, international health security, working together for health, making every child and mother count, road safety, shaping the future of life, moving for health and mental health (World Health Organization, 2009). Health and urbanization were focused by World Health Day of year 2010. To make cities healthier, a global movement has been called out by WHO, with the campaign, â€Å"1000 cities 1000 lives. † To open up streets for health activities, cities are being called and events are being organized worldwide. To illustrate the things done by people in order to improve health in their cities, the stories of urban health champions are being gathered. To open up public spaces to health is the global goal of the campaign, whether it may be activities in closing off portions of streets to motorized vehicle in thousand cities, or in clean-up campaigns, town hall meetings and parks. Conclusion Working in alignment with UNAIDS strategies and objectives is considered as important by WHO that works within the UNAIDS network, in terms of AIDS/HIV (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS World Health Organization, 2006). To eradicate polio is also one of the major aims of WHO. Since its Global Polio Eradication Initiative launched in year 1988, it has been successful in helping to reduce cases by ninety-nine percent. WHO also works to promote healthy and active aging for all individuals, to improve reproductive and sexual health, to reduce mortality and morbidity and to improve health during key stages of life, such as, adolescence, childhood, the neonatal periods, childbirth and pregnancy. References Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. , World Health Organization. (2006).  AIDS epidemic update, December 2006. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=q2H0b-WY1pUCoi=fndpg=PP7dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=o81vt6dHNBsig=w-igCuZIHqhnN14d8Vl-xWjQ6ho World Health Organization (Ed. ). (2005).  Preventing chronic diseases: a vital investment. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=F1yj1OloKkECoi=fndpg=PR6dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=AjyzxbbucWsig=8uB9EYpPQVaNQJeHVO2gpjTZPeg World Health Organization (Ed. ). (2007).  International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health: Children Youth Version: ICF-CY. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=SWFQDXyU-rcCoi=fndpg=PR5dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=G6RLput0Jusig=ylQmuhg4-KfmHLpDjFhEDBTVstU World Health Organization (Ed. ). (2009).  Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=Ycbr2e2WPdcCoi=fndpg=PR5dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=aeG20uWfbpsig=YYv-sVCkhxmGdgvLlwVsYO2GBwc World Health Organization (Ed. ). (2009).  Global status report on road safety: time for action. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=Ndrf6DuCQHMCoi=fndpg=PP2dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=tclGNoiWXysig=87inySftslVc06SnetZIAvkOjV4 World Health Organization, UniceF. (2009). Towards universal access: scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector: progress report 2009. Retrieved from:  http://apps. who. int/iris/handle/10665/44217 World Health Organization. (2006). The world health report: 2006: working together for health. Retrieved from:  https://extranet. who. int/iris/restricted/handle/10665/43432 World Health Organization. (2007). Everybodys businessstrengthening health systems to improve health outcomes: WHOs framework for action. Retrieved from:  http://apps. who. int/iris/handle/10665/43918 World Health Organization. (2008).  International Health Regulations (2005). World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=YRBoCh3ErrYCoi=fndpg=PR1dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=Xo3mvOQ5pdsig=haHbCg1_ZJ5VfctL0psN90J8oyk#v=onepageq=World Health Organizations (WHO)f=false World Health Organization. (2010).  Global tuberculosis control: WHO report 2010. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=BxV0zjM7M8oCoi=fndpg=PP2dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=9TlNotHoP4sig=nKT9pBQnCgx_39qCByn_4OcflyM

Applications And Types Of Smart Materials Engineering Essay

Applications And Types Of Smart Materials Engineering Essay Smart material are those that change in response to changing conditions in their surrounding or in the application of other directed influences such as passing an electric charge through them. Modern products increasingly use them, shirts that change color with changes in temperature. Smart materials are the materials that have one or more properties that can be significantly changed in a controlled style such as stress, temperature, moisture, pH, electric or magnetic fields. There are many types of smart material some of which are already common. Some examples are as following: Types of smart material Some types of smart materials include: Piezoelectric On applying a mechanical stress to these materials it generates an electric current. Piezoelectric microphones transform changes in pressure caused by sound waves into an electrical signal. Shape memory After deformation of these materials they remember their original shape and return back to its original shape when heated .Applications include shape memory stents tubes threaded into arteries that expand on heating to body temperature to allow increased blood flow. Thermo chromic These are the materials which change their color in response to changes in temperature. They have been used in bathplugs that change color when the water is too hot. Photo chromic These materials change color in response to changes in light conditions. Uses include security ink sand dolls that tan in the sun. Magneto rheological: it is a fluid that fluids become solid when placed in a magnetic field. They can be used to construct dampers that suppress vibrations. These can be used for buildings and bridges to suppress the damaging effects of, For example, high winds or earthquakes. 1.1 pH-sensitive polymers These are materials which swell/collapse when the pH of the surrounding media changes. PH sensitive or pH responsive polymers are materials which will respond to the changes in the pH of the surrounding medium by varying their dimensions. Such materials swell or collapse depending on the pH of their environment. This behavior is exhibited due to the presence of certain functional groups in the polymer chain. 1.2 Magnetostrictive materials exhibit change in shape under the influence of magnetic field and also exhibit change in their magnetization under the influence of mechanical stress Fig 1.1 Magnetostrictive material (inside) then magnetizing coil over it and magnetic enclosure completing the magnetic circuit (outside) It can convert magnetic energy into kinetic energy that is used to build sensors. 1.3 Temperature-responsive polymers These are materials which changes upon temperature. A temperature-responsive polymer is a polymer which undergoes a physical change when external thermal is applied. The ability to undergo such changes makes this class of polymers the category of smart materials. 1.4 Self-healing materials These materials have the intrinsic ability to repair damage due to normal usage, thus expanding the materials lifetime .These are the class of smart materials that have the structurally incorporated ability to repair damage caused by mechanical usage over time. The inspiration comes from biological systems, which have the ability to heal after being wounded. Initiation of cracks and other types of damage on a microscopic level has been shown to change thermal, electrical, and acoustical properties, and eventually lead to whole scale failure of the material. Usually, cracks are mended by hand, which is difficult because cracks are often hard to detect. A material (polymers, ceramics, etc) that can intrinsically correct damage caused by normal usage could lower production costs of a number of different industrial processes through longer part lifetime, reduction of inefficiency over time caused by degradation, as well as prevent costs incurred by material failure Chapter 2 Applications of Smart Materials There are many possibilities for such materials and structures in the manmade world. Engineering structures could operate at the very limit of their performance envelopes and to their structural limits without fear of exceeding either. These structures could also give maintenance engineers a full report on performance history, as well as the location of defects, whilst having the ability to counteract unwanted or potentially dangerous conditions such as excessive vibration, and affect self repair. The Office of Science and Technology Foresight Programme has stated that `Smart materials will have an increasing range of applications (and) the underlying sciences in this area must be maintained at a standard which helps achieve technological objectives, which means that smart materials and structures must solve engineering problems with hitherto unachievable efficiency, and provide an opportunity for new wealth creating products. 2.1 Smart Materials in Aerospace Some materials and structures can be termed sensual devices. These are structures that can sense their environment and generate data for use in health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS). To date the most well established application of HUMS are in the field of aerospace, in areas such as aircraft checking. An airline such as British Airways requires over 1000 employees to service their 747s with extensive routine, ramp, intermediate and major checks to monitor the health and usage of the fleet. Routine checks involve literally dozens of tasks carried out under approximately 12 pages of densely typed check headings. Ramp checks increase in thoroughness every 10 days to 1 month, hanger checks occur every 3 months, interchecks every 15 months, and major checks every 24000 flying hours. In addition to the manpower resources, hanger checks require the aircraft to be out of service for 24 hours, interchecks require 10 days and major checks 5 weeks. The overheads of such safety monitoring are enormous. An aircraft constructed from a sensual structure could self-monitor its performance to a level beyond that of current data recording, and provide ground crews with enhanced health and usage monitoring. This would minimize the overheads associated with HUMS and allow such aircraft to fly for more hours before human intervention is required. 2.2 Smart Materials in Civil Engineering Applications However, sensual structures need not be restricted to hi-tech applications such as aircraft. They could be used in the monitoring of civil engineering structures to assess durability. Monitoring of the current and long term behavior of a bridge would lead to enhanced safety during its life since it would provide early warning of structural problems at a stage where minor repairs would enhance durability, and when used in conjunction with structural rehabilitation could be used to safety monitor the structure beyond its original design life. This would influence the life costs of such structures by reducing upfront construction costs (since smart structures would allow reduced safety factors in initial design), and by extending the safe life of the structure. Sensual materials and structures also have a wide range of potential domestic applications, as in food 2.3 Its properties which enable them for civil engineering application are    Repeated absorption of large amounts of strain energy under loading without permanent deformation. Possibility to obtain a wide range of cyclic behavior -from supplemental and fully reentering to highly dissipating-by simply varying the number and/or the characteristics of SMA components. Usable strain range of 70% Extraordinary fatigue resistance under large strain cycles Their great durability and reliability in the long run. 2.4 STRUCTURAL APPLICATION OF SMART MATERIALS The development of durable and cost effective high performance construction materials and systems is important for the economic well being of a country mainly because the cost of civil infrastructure constitutes a major portion of the national wealth. To address the problems of deteriorating civil infrastructure, research is very essential on smart materials. This paper highlights the use of smart materials for the optimal performance and safe design of buildings and other infrastructures particularly those under the threat of earthquake and other natural hazards. The peculiar properties of the shape memory alloys for smart structures render a promising area of research in this field. Fig 2.1 to achieve speed improvements on existing bridges and to maintain the track in a straight and non-deformed configuration as the train passes With the help of optimal control methodology the train will pass the bridge with reduced track deflections and vibrations and thus velocity could be safely increased. Fig2.1 shows various positions of the train with and without active railway track support. Chapter3 3.1 Reducing waste Producers are forced to consider the entire life of a product at the design stage and customers are increasingly demanding more environmentally sensitive products. Innovative use of smart materials has the potential to reduce waste and to simplify recycling. Electronic waste Electronic waste is the fastest growing component of domestic waste in the UK. Electrical equipment requires that it should be processed before disposal to remove hazardous and recyclable materials. Disassembly of product is expensive and time consuming but the use of smart materials could help to automate the process. Research in this active disassembly has been carried out by UK companies. Active Disassembly Research Ltd. One example uses fasteners constructed from shape memory materials that can self release on heating. Once the fasteners have been released, components can be separated simply by shaking the product. By using fasteners that react to different temperatures, products could be disassembled. 3.2 Research in the UK Smart materials and systems are interdisciplinary subject areas so funding does not come from a single research council. However, the majority of research council funding is allocated by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Materials research is one of its six core programmers and it currently has a commitment of  £21m to smart materials research in 28 UK universities. This includes the EPSRCs contribution to smart materials projects run in collaboration with 35different organizations including the Ministry of Defense British Aerospace In addition to research councils, the government also allocates funding through the Technology Strategy Board. This is an executive non-departmental public body established by the Government to stimulate innovation in those areas which offer the greatest scope for boosting UK growth and productivity. Advanced materials are one of the Technology Strategy Boards key technology areas, which provide the framework for deciding w here it should invest funding and support activities. In 2007, as part of its support for collaborative research and development, the Technology Strategy Board allocated funding of  £7m to a competition for research proposals in Smart Bioactive and Nano structured Materials for Health The Ministry of Defense identifies smart materials and active structures as a priority technology. However, its investment in these areas has decreased markedly in recent years as developments are increasingly driven by global civil markets and commodity products that are often adequate for itsneeds.2 It currently emphasizes monitoring external research rather than producing it in-house. 3.3 Research worldwide The US is the world leader in smart materials research mainly because of the large defence research and development budget. The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has had an in-house programme of smart materials and structures research since the early 1990s, in contrast to the UK. However the UK is strong in many areas and is at the forefront of research into structures that can repair themselves. Other observations so that materials can be sorted automatically. The companies have collaborated with Nokia and believe that this technology could be in use in the next two years. 3.4 Reducing food waste Food makes up approximately one fifth of the UKs waste. One third of food grown for consumption in the UK is thrown away, much of which is food that has reached its best before date without being eaten .These dates are conservative estimates and actual product life may be longer. Manufacturers are now looking for ways to extend product life with packaging, often using smart materials. CHAPTER 4 FUTURE 4.1 In Nanotechnology to Revolutionize Smart Materials Technology The nanotechnology is set to accelerate development of improved and complicated smart material technologies. Researchers are now considering the possibilities of designing, altering, and controlling material structure at nanoscale levels in order to enhance material performance and process efficiency. The advancements in nanomaterials are expected to increase product quality and performance, and they are finding acceptance in diverse applications such as sensors and electronic devices. Nanosensor particles assist in creating tools for analyzing living cells and serve as reporters in industrial process monitoring. In the future, smart materials are likely to derive their success from nanotechnology that is likely to be instrumental in creating more varied, complex, and intelligent systems. 4.2 Smart Materials Expected to Cater to Diverse Applications The advances and improvements in smart materials allow them to cater to a diverse set of applications, especially in the defense, aerospace, healthcare, electronics, and semiconductor industries. Although very few of these applications are at present commercially viable, their potential for future acceptance is irrefutable. Smart materials are particularly useful for cellular production, observes the analyst. With the addition of cellular fluid and by regulating the cells shape and mechanical conditions, smart materials especially polymers can mimic these cells interactions and exhibit effective results. The computer industry is also adopting smart materials for read/write head micropositioners and next-generation data storage devices. Researchers are developing piezo-accelerometers that anticipate and correct head-motion-related read/write errors. In the healthcare markets, smart material technologies are making their way into several analytical devices for detecting and diagnosing complex medical conditions. With future advances, smart materials are also likely to be useful for fabricating insulin pumps and drug delivery devices.

Lady Of Shallot by Alfred Lord Tennyson :: essays research papers

Lady Of Shallot   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Lady of Shallot is an interesting poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In this poem he tells a story of sadness and disappointment. This story is showing how a person crushed his life somehow. My guess would be he had his heart broken and felt trapped in depression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning he talks about the scenery and how beautiful it is but he can’t get out to go where everything is ok in Camelot. He sees people enjoying their lives and longs to join them outside in the freedom of the world. He realizes he is trapped in the castle just like a prisoner. He feels as if nobody can see or hear him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later, he sees all the great things Camelot has to offer him but is reminded that if he goes a curse will fall upon him. He watches the whole world pass him by but he is scared by just the threat of the curse so he stays. He realizes just how alone he is wishing he had a lover to be with, someone to keep him company. He sees a new couple deeply in love and he watches wishing someone would come along.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the next stanzas he meets someone and is completely stunned by her beauty and charm she is perfect in his eyes. Everything she does is right to him the way she walks and talks and presents herself, but she doesn’t even know he is alive. He decides he can’t take not being with her so he leaves the castle to go find his love he knows the curse has got him but he would rather live for just one more day in love and with hope then 100 years of sadness, regret and despair.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He goes out looking for her but can’t find her then the cures begins to take him and he starts to die before he can ever tell her how he feels but he would still prefer to die like this than in the prison of a castle. Lady Of Shallot by Alfred Lord Tennyson :: essays research papers Lady Of Shallot   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Lady of Shallot is an interesting poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In this poem he tells a story of sadness and disappointment. This story is showing how a person crushed his life somehow. My guess would be he had his heart broken and felt trapped in depression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning he talks about the scenery and how beautiful it is but he can’t get out to go where everything is ok in Camelot. He sees people enjoying their lives and longs to join them outside in the freedom of the world. He realizes he is trapped in the castle just like a prisoner. He feels as if nobody can see or hear him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later, he sees all the great things Camelot has to offer him but is reminded that if he goes a curse will fall upon him. He watches the whole world pass him by but he is scared by just the threat of the curse so he stays. He realizes just how alone he is wishing he had a lover to be with, someone to keep him company. He sees a new couple deeply in love and he watches wishing someone would come along.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the next stanzas he meets someone and is completely stunned by her beauty and charm she is perfect in his eyes. Everything she does is right to him the way she walks and talks and presents herself, but she doesn’t even know he is alive. He decides he can’t take not being with her so he leaves the castle to go find his love he knows the curse has got him but he would rather live for just one more day in love and with hope then 100 years of sadness, regret and despair.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He goes out looking for her but can’t find her then the cures begins to take him and he starts to die before he can ever tell her how he feels but he would still prefer to die like this than in the prison of a castle.

A Historical Overview of the Geography, Politics, and Culture of Montserrat :: Essays on Politics

A Historical Overview of the Geography, Politics, and Culture of Montserrat Montserrat is a small Caribbean island with an interesting geographical, economic, political, and cultural history. Montserrat was inhabited by a succession of Amerindian groups before being discovered by Spanish explorers in the 1400s. In the seventeenth century, Montserrat was claimed by Great Britain, and settled by an English ruling class, and their Irish indentured servants and African slaves. These new inhabitants created a plantation economy in order to grow sugar cane, thereby significantly changing the landscape. The combination of English, Irish, and African residents also created a unique culture and a form of English Creole. Politically and economically, Montserrat has depended on Great Britain for nearly four centuries. In the late-1990s, a volcanic disaster devastated Montserrat and changed the island’s geography, economy, and political relationship with the United Kingdom. Montserrat’s culture was also affected, as many people fled the isl and, and those who remained were forced to drastically alter their lifestyle. Geography Montserrat is a small, Leeward Island in the Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles, located 27 miles southwest of Antigua, at 16 45’ N, 62 12’ W. The island is roughly 12 miles long by 7 miles wide, with a land area of 62 square miles. The climate is tropical, with a mean temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit, and only slight daily and seasonal temperature variation. The average relative humidity is 75%, and average rainfall is 35 to 40 inches a year. The wet season lasts from June to December and the dry season stretches from January to May, but droughts can last close to a year. Like many of the other islands in the crescent of the Lesser Antilles, Montserrat was formed by volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago. This volcanic formation resulted in Montserrat’s rugged, mountainous landscape, and inspired Columbus to name the island after a mountain in northeastern Spain. Until 1995, the lay of the land was as follows. In the Northern part of Montserrat lie the oldest volcanic structures, the Silver Hills. These hills have undergone much erosion, with strong northeastern breezes constantly blowing on them. They are less than 1,000 feet in elevation, with rounded slopes and broad ghauts.