Relevance Of Kant’s Ideas In Today’s Modern World

In his Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant formulated his theory of the Universal Law, which states that a person must act according to the maxim that he or she can will to become a universal law. Simply put, that maxim behind one’s behavior must be a principle that any other individual can apply, something that one â€Å"can rationally will that everyone adopt† (Van der Linden). Under this Kantian law, the very notion of harming one’s future self becomes a preposterous, if not criminal, idea because one cannot obviously will everybody to follow suit. The believe that in a government working its way towards the equality of its citizens. Freedom, for Kant, is obtained through a universal theory of right. Morality is at the center of Kant’s freedom and this is crucial in forming a government. John got his freedom, through murdering the tyrant. And in this case, the freedom and the rights of the rich man, tyrant as he is, was stepped upon proving the unrighteousness of the action. Kant values the sense of freedom in relation to reason. If man is fated or causally determined, then it is pointless for freedom to exist as man has already a determined course of actions. John earned the trust of the people by recognizing the general will of the community, or what is known as the people’s will. Acknowledging the general will creates the laws of the society. These laws, however, should be grounded by the good of the people. Only with the consent of the people will the laws and, ultimately, the government will turn to be legitimate. Kant defines the ideal government in such a way that morality is at the center of it. And with this notion, the actions of John were not justifiable. John’s government started out with a wrong foot, his concealment of the murder of the tyrant. Although this brought about the freedom of the people, the method of doing so was immoral in Kant’s views. This is the kind of society that is ideally set up. The theme of Kant’s moral philosophy is on how people deserve to be happy and not happiness in itself. This is prevalent in the teachings of John gave away the tyrant’s wealth to the people because they deserve to be happy. The morality of man’s actions does not depend on the outcome of the actions. However, we can control the reason behind the action. The morality then rests upon the motivation behind the action. But a motivation of a positive goal, such as making people happy or benefiting the people the same way as John did, is not the right motive, according to Kant. â€Å"No outcome, should we achieve it, can be unconditionally good. Fortune can be misused, by what we thought would induce benefit that might actually bring harm, and happiness might be undeserved. [†¦] It is the possession of a rationally guided will that adds a moral dimension to one’s acts. So it is the recognition and appreciation of duty itself that must drive our actions† (McCormick 2001). Morality of one’s actions is defined by pursuing a goal with no conditions. The reason is not the means for the ends. â€Å"All means to an end have a merely conditional worth because they are valuable only for achieving something else† (McCormick 2001). Thus, John’s actions were not morally right. He used immoral ways in achieving his goal. And this could also be used in performing other actions leading to harm of other people. Kant stresses that the moral worth of an action is not based on its effects, or on anything else publicly visible about it, but rather on why the agent performed it. Kant believes that the highest good requires both our moral perfection and our well being proportionate to our moral perfection, but we are not capable of bringing about either of those. It is in God that ultimate happiness commensurable to goodness can be experienced. Goodness and happiness can only be reached through actions towards morality, a maxim of duty that disregards the conditions.

Bad Credit Can Hurt Your Job Seekers

Monica Cotallat, Hudson Community College Professor Sakina Laksimi-Morrow English 102 March 17, 2013 BAD CREDIT CAN HURT JOB SEEKERS I am a student majoring in Graphic/Web Design. This is my 4th semester at Hudson Community College. A large number of employers use credit checks to make employee selections. A study made by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in 2010 reported that 47 percent of respondents only use credit background checks for job applicants in certain types of positions, for example, positions with fiduciary and financial responsibilities (SHRM, 2010).Thirteen percent of those surveyed conducted credit checks on all candidates while 40 percent in the SHRM study reported that they did not utilize credit checks on any job candidates (SHRM, 2010). Almost half of employers are running credit checks. What are they looking for? Is it an invasion of privacy? Is it fair? What can be done about? Are people with a blemished financial past scarred for life? The purp ose of my paper is to understand why this is happening, examine its reasons and what one can do to help themselves in a competitive work force.There is an array of tools employers use to examine and decide on job applicants and employee job promotions. Typically they will contact references, verify educational and/or professional history, request a criminal history report and in certain situations obtain an individual’s credit history. For some this can create a barrier in the search for employment. A study made by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in 2010 reported that 47 percent of respondents only use credit background checks for job applicants in certain types of positions, for example, positions with fiduciary and financial responsibilities (SHRM, 2010).Thirteen percent of those surveyed conducted credit checks on all candidates while 40 percent in the SHRM study reported that they did not utilize credit checks on any job candidates (SHRM, 2010). This show ing almost half of employers are using credit checks on job applicants which economic downturn has made it harder for some people to get a job due to bad credit. It’s a catch 22. You need a job to pay your debit down but because of your bad credit you can’t land a job. There is also the question of invasion of privacy.Many job applicants have concerns with employers asking questions or requesting an explanation on why they are behind on their bills. Whether tarnished credit is due to medical bills or a messy divorce is it really necessary to explain personal matters to an employer? Is this a violation of rights? From my readings it appears NOT to being a violation. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), employers are allowed to obtain and use employee’s credit report. However there are guidelines for requesting this information.An employer must inform the applicant about checking into their background and the applicant must sign giving permission to the emp loyer to access the credit/background check. One has the right to refuse such a background check but most likely a spot for candidacy will go out the window. Employers use it as a measure of character. Poor credit history may cause a potential boss to question your dependability, decision making skills, constancy and follow through abilities. Also presumably this helps employers prevent theft or embezzlement for fear of lawsuits.However, there is no concrete evidence connecting people’s credit histories to their on the job performance or productivity. In 2010, Eric Rosenberg, director of state government relations for Trans Union, one of the country’s largest reporting companies told Oregon legislators â€Å"At this point we don’t have any research to show any statistical correlation between what’s in somebody’s credit report and their job performance or their likelihood to commit fraud. † Oregon since then is one of 7 states who had passed a bill prohibiting/limiting the use of credit histories in job screening with certain exceptions.Other states who share this law are: Washington, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, California and Maryland. But some of the laws still need reinforcement and exemptions slimmed. For example Illinois allows employers to continue to do credit checks on managers and minor retails workers. Sixteen other states are considering legislation to limit employer use of credit checks: Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, Wisconsin and District of Columbia.While these states propose limiting the use of credit check none of the statutes imposes an out right ban. Besides the question of violation rights there is also the question of discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says, â€Å"Employer credit checks are legal, but can be discriminatory if they disproportionately exclude minorities, women or people older than 40 and are not essential to a hiring decision. A 2007 report conducted by the Federal Reserve Board found out that African-American and Hispanics had considerably lower credit scores than non-Hispanics whites. The last 10 years attractive lending schemes zeroed in on communities of color who lacked in wealth and assets. During the housing boom, minority borrowers were lured into subprime (high interest) loans when in reality they qualified for prime loans. In result after the crash, African Americans, Latinos and Asian-Americans lost half of their family wealth. Employment credit checks are hitting these families hard.This is why organizations like the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, National Council of La Raza and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) have publicly opposed the use of employment credit checks. Another factor is age discrimination. Perhaps an elderly person carries poor credit due to medical bills. As I mentioned earlier, it can be an invasion of privacy by feeling obligated to explain reasons for unpaid bills but to explain bills due to health issues can make the job seeker uncomfortable discussing personal medical histories.This brings fear of losing a job opportunity to a younger, healthier credit worthy applicant. Contrary to Americas strong belief in a right to privacy of their medical histories and an amended act in 2003 to the Fair Credit Reporting Act that requires medical debt to be masked on credit reports and the Americans with Disability Act, which prohibits employers from inquiring about medical history prior to making a job offer. Courts have recognized the discriminatory impact of employment credit screening.The Department of Labor won a verdict against Bank of America stemming in part from the bank’s use of credit checks to hire entry-level employees, which had a discriminatory impact on African-Americans. The country’s challenges with con stant layoffs and mortgage foreclosures leave many Americans struggling with maintaining healthy credit. As of April 2010, one-quarter of U. S. consumers, nearly 43. 4 million people, had poor credit. These people should not be omitted from the chance of recovery. Laws need to be tightened and screening should only be applied depending on the nature of the job.Even if hired with a less than desirable or acceptable credit post-employment credit checks can be used to facilitate promotions and transfers. If one has signed the credit consent document when started employment, the employer does not need your signature again. As per the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), if an employer denies you employment or promotion due to credit they must give you a copy of the report used to determine your worthiness and a document called A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act before taking adverse action.Of course for companies to be forth coming is different story. They can easil y say they opted for a different more qualified candidate. Nevertheless, I have listed below steps and tips to help with the job application and interview process. Until those states without credit screening laws pass a bill to protect job seekers we must learn to deal with the issue and voice our rights. †¢ Request your report from the three reporting agencies: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. You may request a free annual credit report by visiting www. nnualcreditreport. com or you may call 1-877-322-8228. Review your credit report to ensure its error free. Dispute any errors if found. It takes seven years to remove negative credit off your report but to improve a credit score the sooner you start improvement immediately shows. This is a good way to sell your self to employers as you can promote yourself as one who is aware of mistake and imperfection but you have taken steps to rectify and reestablish yourself. †¢ Do not be afraid to confess immediately.Not as quickly as stating it in your cover letter but when meeting face to face. This may eliminate you from consideration but in early process the company is still looking for reasons to eliminate candidates. Better to be forthcoming in the front to avoid 5 interviews down the road and having to hit that credit history bump. †¢ If you avoid mentioning early regarding your credit usually one knows the final stages of the interviewing process. At this point inform them about your credit. Most people do not like surprises especially companies ready to make an offer.This will add value and removes the surprise. †¢ Also how you address it influences how the information will be received. The bigger the deal you make of it, the more attention they’ll give it. Share the information with a smile and positive outlook off-handedly. You are communicating that it’s no big deal. May use this approach for example â€Å"I wanted to let you know that during my time unemployed I was juggli ng my bills and ruined my credit. Since you will be running a credit check I wanted to alert you. Will my temporary bad credit be an issue? In short words you have given them the â€Å"why† which would have put them on edge and eased them with the problem being â€Å"temporary†. In my opinion if credit screenings for employment is a must then only allow looking partial history. Perhaps just for the last 12 months. Companies should only be allowed to view history once at the hiring point and not during the life of the employed at the company. If a position is rejected to a candidate for credit reasons the company must be required to confess this to the unemployed.This gives the job seeker awareness to the issue. Fraud happens often in many institutions. Just because one hold bad credit does not make them a poor employee. In turn they maybe a superior employee as they need and value their job which helps pay their debit. Chris Ball, operations manager for the Jackson, Mi ss. , branch of Express Employment Professionals said â€Å"he understands that hiring managers who use credit scores are trying to protect their companies from people who might be desperate and turn to embezzlement or theft to cover their bills. But he also says he’s not sure that using credit reports is all that useful: â€Å"In this day and age, it’s hard to find anyone with perfect credit† I completely agree with the above statement. We have done just fine with regular criminal background checks. I do not find the need to also use credit screening with the exception of finical institutions. I ask the question â€Å"Did Bernie Madoff have bad credit? Surely not but was he not responsible for the largest financial fraud in U. S. history? Did someone run a credit background check on him? † I am sure NASDAQ did but did this prevent embezzlement?

“EU Design’s Rise in the Apparel and Fashion Industry Essay

Current Management Style EU Design’s management style was founded in a very small business environment. There was little standardization of individual tasks. In a small business, everyone on staff is expected to be involved in all day-to-day business activities. This creates a very informal relationship between workers and management. In addition to the small business aspect, EU Design is in a creative industry. Many of the people in this industry are not trained or educated in formal business practices. A creative mindset takes precedence over the structure of the business. For EU Design, quality of product is not an issue at the present time. The company is ISO 9000 certified with SA8000 accreditation. However, growing into a larger company requires a more formal management style to ensure this quality is kept up to standard. EU Design needs to develop a mission statement and corporate vision for the employees to have a common goal as a move toward a more formal management style. Without a defined mission statement, employees will have their own ideas of the company’s goals. Once a mission statement and business strategy is established, EU Design needs to identify which performance metric is most essential to the continued growth of the company. Balanced Scorecard While financials such as return on capital and cash flow are imperative to the sustainability of a company, customer-related metrics such as quality and timeliness of delivery are of upmost importance to keep the clients who will provide the profit. Customer feedback and surveys will provide the measurement of the value being created for clients. This will help EU Design’s management focus more on what the client’s actual needs are instead of focusing on what they perceive customer needs to be. An example of the balanced scorecard would resemble the exhibit below: Objectives Measures Financial perspective – Increasing profitability and revenue – Return on assets -Increased sales revenue – Profit ratio Customer perspective – Customer loyalty – Attaining new customers – Orders from current customers – Orders from new customers Internal perspective – Adherence to schedule – Customer driven products – Productivity – Ratio of actual delivery times to planned schedule – Ratio of on time deliveries – Number of new collections and designs added Learning and Growth perspective – Increased communication within the company – Increased education of employees – Number of monthly meetings held – Total budget for education courses – Number of employees attending courses Internal inadequacies need to be pinpointed for optimal efficiency. Formal procedures and work practices should be established and documented. This will highlight aspects such as time management, efficiencies, and employee competency. This will allow management to keep abreast of the working environment and augment employee stability. Fashion trends come and go very quickly, and being able to recognize what is trending and the ability to supply quickly is imperative to success. Management must track trends and concentrate on key suppliers that are providing the product for current trends, and all employee efforts must be directed toward this goal. Establishment of clear-cut goals and procedures is necessary to achieve  this. Formalization of management needs to begin from the top down. Berardi is too involved in day-to-day activities and cannot see the big picture of the company. He is functioning as an account manager and sales representative rather than performing duties of a CEO. He may not be able to make difficult decisions to cut or grow a particular segment because of his close involvement. Berardi needs to bring an employee up to take over his accounts so he can concentrate on his role of CEO. A new organizational structure would resemble the Exhibit 1. There needs to be standardization of communication between the two offices to ensure that all client information and requirements are shared and understood. Regular videoconference meetings with the staff of both offices can be implemented. Given the time difference one office would have to come in very early or the other office would stay late. This may be difficult but should be adhered to so all employees are receiving the same information. This could be tried on a monthly basis. These meetings would help to create a more cohesive environment between New York and Hong Kong. This would also give the Hong Kong office a chance to provide requested feedback to New York. As a supplement, an online open forum for questions from one office can be posted and answered by the other office when it opens. Incentive Systems Currently there is no formal incentive system. Many of the rewards are based on Berardi’s perception of employee performance. If he does not have the opportunity to have direct communication with all employees, it is a possibility that he is not able to appropriately assess individual performances. The employees themselves felt that â€Å"above-standard performance was not always noted.† This sometimes resulted in sub-optimal achievements being recognized while the employee going the extra mile was getting passed over. A new incentive system must include a formal evaluation method of employee performance. In order to evaluate, official job descriptions must be written to use as a benchmark. These descriptions give the employees the framework within which to efficiently perform their duties. The employee’s immediate supervisor must complete this evaluation. This is the person who has direct observance of day-to-day activities. Having the formal evaluation takes out the personal bias of the supervisors. Semiannual reviews will keep employees apprised of their performance and management  expectations. This will benefit both the company and the employees by keeping them both focused on a common goal. To encourage the employees to be sales oriented, a commission system could be introduced. Since company money is already directed toward training courses and classes, offering employees sales training courses will give them the opportunity to take advantage of the new commission system. If funds are limited and an official sales manager cannot be hired, then the classes would be the most efficient way to educate employees. These classes would be directed toward the Junior Merchandisers. The current duties for this position would fit best with the new sales system. Although hiring office managers would be beneficial, in the present financial climate this may not be feasible. However, one employee in each location needs to be responsible for office operations. Both offices have an accountant on staff that report directly to Berardi. This person could take on the role of office manager. Since the accountant would be the most business-minded person, he or she would be most qualified to monitor the costs and inefficiencies within the office. Overall EU Design’s growth has been slow and steady, as evidenced by a five-year gross margin increase of almost 300 percent. This growth has necessitated a change in management style. If Berardi acknowledges that changes need to happen, the implementation should happen rather smoothly.

Contemporary Issues in HR Service Delivery Essay

Contemporary Issues in HR Service Delivery - Essay Example Most recent articles have argued that HR management can be a critical source of competitive advantage if it becomes strategic. The paper explores the strategic function of HR and the core practices and outlines outcomes of HR practices. Ulrich’s model avails new opportunities to HR function as the need for a more strategic and business-linked is evident. This emanates from the fact that corporations are experiencing dramatic changes that manifest significant implications based on how critical human resources are to their performance. Several studies have explored the capability for the HR function to be a strategic partner and established that it possesses a critical value-adding function. HR function should become strategically proactive and goes beyond mere administrative expertise. HR function should be an expert in strategic business partnering, employee advocacy, and change management (Robinson and Robinson 2008, p.203). A well structured strategic business partner role combined with an effective delivery of operational HR functions can aid in transforming of the HR function. Human Resource as a discipline has manifested considerable changes within the last two decades with phrases such as â€Å"business partner† becoming common. Given the present turbulent nature of the business world and the resultant demands on human capital, the strategic business partner role can deliver value to organizations (Caldwell 2001, p.39). The establishment of strategic business role emanates from a combination of possessing skills and knowledge within the arena of Human Resources, organization development, and partnership. Nevertheless, once the competence profile is established, it is also critical to comprehend the usual tensions as the organization moves from their present HR state to the utilization of a strategic business model (Price 2007, p.55). The strategic business partner (SBP) concept should be structured around availing human capital

Mellow Assignment #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mellow Assignment #2 - Essay Example One such example can be given by the popularized total white prison gang founded after the state prisons started to become desegregated, The Brand. According to the article in The New Yorker, The Brand became the most lethal prison gang in the history of America, starting from California and spreading in other state prisons around the country. They brutally stabbed, strangulated and poisoned their inmates, rival gang members, blacks and homosexuals, child molesters, prison guards and anyone that annoyed them. Apart from the killings, the Brand leaders ordered contracted hits extorted the victims, robbed from them and were involved deeply into drug trafficking inside the prison wall. Also popularly known as the Aryan Brotherhood, they had the motto of Blood In/Blood Out meaning a person had to take a life to become a member and losing ones own life was how the membership ended. Another example in time is the incident that took in the California Institution for Men, which serves as a Level I, II and III prison where the designed capacity is overshadowed with present number of inmates. On January 10, 2005 the correctional officer Manuel A. Gonzalez, Jr. was stabbed by an inmate Jon Christopher Blaylock, who was transferred six months before from a Level IV maximum security prison. The inquiry in the matter found out that the inmate was inappropriately housed in a minimum security Level I area, was long awaiting transfer, had easy access to weapons and security was lax among several findings. According to the article in the Prison Journal, prisons in California are facing an increasing threat of overcrowding and high service costs. The goal to classify the inmates was to protect the public and help prisoner rehabilitation, was left in the dark when the budget constraints hit. Prisoners are either uselessly held in expensive facilities to maintain the ‘public safety’ while others are kept in minimum security zones. In California only 11%

Multinational Enterprises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Multinational Enterprises - Essay Example "Culture has a variety of embedded layers. National culture represents only the outermost layer with organizational culture, work culture, regional culture, familial culture, and so on constituting the inner layers." Brannen, M.Y. & Salk, J.E. (1999:34) cited in Beecher & Bird. However, there are much larger issues at stake. The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations requested as early as 1972 that a group of eminent persons be set up to study the role of multinationals and their impact on development especially in developing countries, and their implications for international relations and where necessary for Governments to have access to the information in order to facilitate their sovereign decisions and maybe even international action: Anti-globalisation voices argue that Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) are not concerned with development. MNEs tend to accentuate disparities and inequalities in the absence of proper government policies and social. Further, as their products and services target high net worth individuals, their activities are not sustainable and convey limited benefits to the majority of the indigenous population: "They affect patterns of consumption and the direction of innovation; they orient technological change and investment; and they own or produce most of the basic commodities used in industry and commerce; intentionally or unintentionally, they can affect political processes of both home and host countries" - United Nations (1974:29, 30). Whilst lauding companies like Co-op and Iceland for breaking ranks and working in collaboration with Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to put resources into building social enterprises, Roddick (2001) argues that their efforts are still inadequate: "Because the most powerful bodies in the world, the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are also the least democratic and inclusive. The result has been a major democratic deficit that threatens the delicate consent that globalization has been able to operate under, and also - as it happens - threatens what progress the NGOs have been able to make." Roddick (2001:14) In contrast, Rugman (2000:5) defines a multinational enterprise as: "a firm with production and/or distribution facilities in two or more countries." He denies the concept of a single global market and posits that the majority of business activity takes place in regional blocks, particularly Japan, North America and the European Union. Rugman gives critics of MNEs short shrift. For example, in reply to a claim that MNEs wield political power, he retorts: "These enterprises are preoccupied with survival, profitability and growth and, in general, are far too busy to deal in any meaningful way with the social, cultural, and related non-economic areas of government activity." (Rugman 2000:6) He goes on to demolish critics of the World Trade O

Labor unions. Workers, Industrialization and Happiness Essay

Labor unions. Workers, Industrialization and Happiness - Essay Example Reaction from family The movie brings out the aspect of the different family members' reaction to one’s involvement in union activities. After hearing Reuben’s speech Norma starts participating in union formation activities. This invokes negative reactions in her husband who feels Norma is not spending enough time with her family (Canby). In a way, this shows that he has some resistance to the idea of her involvement in the movement. However, his opinion changes with time with Sonny, Norma’s husband, telling her that he loves her and supports all decisions. Her father is also opposed to the idea of the movement seeking to form a union among the workers of the mill. This is because of he is a stockholder which makes him wary of the union. Her mother who works in the mill is also apathetic which is not expected of her (Canby). This shows the lack of support from family members and relatives when advocating for the formation of unions and improvement of working cond itions, which discourages the formation of the movements. Winning the battle The aspect of finally winning the struggle in the form of union formation and better working conditions is also brought out. The struggle for labor rights is usually an uphill task that is not for the faint hearted (Canby). A large number of challenges pose the threat of derailing the process. However, with deep emotional strengths that inspire courage and a complex network of feelings for the workers being ill-treated the activists almost always succeed in their endeavors to see improved rights in the labor sector of industries maintained by unions. This is the case in the movie where Norma ends up with a post in the cotton mill union. II. Workers, Industrialization and Happiness Researchers have made a... Labor unions. Workers, Industrialization and Happiness The American labor sector of today contrasts greatly with the labor sector of the early industrial days. The movements drew clear lines between the management of the industries and the labor aspects that based on the issues between the two. This was aimed to advocate for the improvement of their working conditions. It is sentiments like these that the screenwriters and the director of the movie â€Å"Norma Rae† shared and sought to evoke among the audience. The movie highlights the processes and trials experienced in the starting of a workers union (Canby). It shows that although the start of worker unions is marred by challenges, their successful formations eventually result in improved labor conditions. Challenges to labor union formations Victimization The employers victimize the founding figures of trade unions when they start advocating for the rights of the workers. The movie gives a clear illustration of this aspect that is replicated in nearly all scenarios involving t he establishment of labor unions. After hearing a speech from Rueben Warshowsky, Norma decides to unionize her workmates. This does not augur well with the managers of the cotton mill, who confront her (Canby). Researchers have made a distinction on the definition of happiness as a short-term state of lighting up of the mind depending on the temperament of a person and the external factors associated with the person.

Business Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Information Systems - Essay Example The company has a wide clientele that ranges from large supermarket chains to small health food shops. Organised under four main divisions, – manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, sales and marketing, and finance – FFC caters to ‘advance orders’ booked a week in advance as well as ‘priority orders’ that are immediately delivered. Apart from processing, cooking, and preparing food at its manufacturing site close to headquarters, the company also out sources pre-prepared and partly prepared food products from other vendor firms, and markets them after packaging. The annual turnover of FFC stands at an impressive UKP15 million, with a steady net profit of about 7%. Currently on an ambitious five-year plan to augment the annual growth rate to 10% discounting inflation, and net profit to 9%, FFC will take advantage of the growing demand for fashionable and quality food products. The company has been traditionally operating on a solely paper-based transaction processing, accounting, and reporting mode that is obsolete and incompatible with the information age, besides being cumbersome, time-consuming, and inefficient. As Allen and Gilmore (2004, p.180) rightly observed, the â€Å"factory of the future† that succeeds in the new millennium would be â€Å"organized around the computer.† And that future is right here and now. The power of the ubiquitous computer or laptop and the immense scope of the World Wide Web and Internet technology hold great potential to â€Å"integrate the various processes involved in the manufacture of a product or delivery of a service.† (2004). Towards the closing decades of the 20th century, computer technology was largely used for MIS (management information systems) applications, mostly on a stand-alone mode. The advent of network technology and Internet has now transformed the scope of computer applications as never

Information Technology and Information Systems for Business Essay

Information Technology and Information Systems for Business - Essay Example It also highlights the limitations of this project as well as advantages and disadvantages of implementing this technology in a retail business. Those companies who have already carried out the implementation process of RFID tags into their businesses are taken into account during this report. Conclusion is drawn from the research and recommendations have been made at the end of the report as to whether the company should go for applying RFID tags into their business or not. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether it is feasible for Naisten Pukutehdas to embed RFID tags in the products of all of its stores. This prospect has disadvantages and advantages as well but the pros of this proposal weigh better. It will provide customer satisfaction, a greater, better, newer and easier experience for the customer, optimization of the business, speed benefits to the business and loyal customers. In these challenging and turbulent times, where people find it difficult to risk new technology, this proposal intends to increase the market share of the company as well as to expand the market on cost which is relatively low. The examples of other companies who have successfully gone through this procedure have been discussed and the good and bad of this technology has been discoursed as well. The company of Naisten Pukutehdas started at the end of 1910 when young and vivacious Aino Rosendahl’s ambition of doing a sewing business was put into practice. Since then there has been no looking back. The apparel line includes clothes for young girls and women, ranging from sports, casual dresses, jeans and the famous pants for women and girls. After passing several consequential years, the company just celebrated their 90th anniversary in the spring of 2009. With 11 personal stores in Finland and 2 in St. Petersburg, NA aims to establish Finnish fashion internationally and

BIO 345 - Topic Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BIO 345 - Topic Paper - Essay Example n of human breast cancer cells by upregulating ZNF703 expression†, Yongguo et al (2015) target an lncRNA SPRY-4-IT1 which has a close association with cancer. SPRY-4-IT1 or SPRY-4 intronic transcript 1 is almost 708 basepair long non-coding RNA which is present on a locus in chromosome 5. The lncRNA SPRY-4-IT1 was studied thoroughly and it was seen that this particular product was highly expressed in melanoma cells. To understand the role of this gene and the association of the gen with breast cancer, Yongguo et al conducted a clinical study. The tissue to be studies was collected from 48 patients who had undergone surgical breast cancer resection Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical,  China between 2012- 2013. The 48 different breast cancer cell lines were taken, RNA was extracted from them and quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR was performed on each of samples collected. Gain and loss of functions methodology was adopted to understand the role of the gene in-vitro. Using microarray bioinformatics analysis of the potential targets was computed. These results were further verified using other methods such as rescue experiments, western blotting and quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction methods. The results show that up regulation of the SPRY4-IT1 occurs which was far above that in the normal breast tissues. The researchers also found a close association between the expression of the gene and the size of the tumor. Pathologically, it was seen that the gene was also expressed in advance cases of breast cancer. The researchers noticed that when this particular gene was knocked down, the proliferation of the malignant breast cells was drastically reduced and apoptosis in the cancerous cells was also induced. Using computational methods and other wet laboratory methods the target of the gene was recognized to be ZNF703 gene. ZNF703 is a breast cancer oncogene which helps in the regulation of normal cell division in the cells and

The management of salivary gland infection Essay

The management of salivary gland infection - Essay Example The management of these two types of salivary gland infection is possible with certain preventive measures and treatments. In certain cases, treatment is not required for curing these infections. The acute bacterial infection of the salivary glands occurs because of two important physiological mechanisms. Firstly, there are certain bacteria present in the oral cavity. Due to poor oral hygiene, the salivary duct and parenchyma tissue inhabited by these bacteria is contaminated which results in the infection. Secondly, the obstruction of salivary gland results in the stasis of salivary flow through the ducts and parenchyma promotes acute suppurative infection. The bacterial infection can affect any of the three pairs of the salivary glands however the most commonly affected gland is the Parotid gland. Several physiological and anatomic factors attribute to the predilection of the Parotid gland's infection. The composition of the Parotid gland secretion is completely different from that of the submandibular and sublingual glands. The saliva secreted by the Parotid gland is serous while that of the other two glands have higher proportion of mucinous material. The kind of saliva secreted by the other two glands contains lysosomes and IgA antibodies, which serve an antimicrobial function in protecting these glands from the bacterial infection. Mucins also contain sialic acid, which agglutinates bacteria, preventing its adherence to host tissues. Finally, specific glycoproteins found in mucins bind epithelial cells, competitively inhibiting bacterial attachment to these cells. There are certain anatomic factors as well that contribute to the p redilection of the parotid gland's infection. Stensen's duct lies adjacent to the upper mandibular molars, whereas Wharton's ducts rests on the floor of the mouth near the tongue. Tongue mobility may prevent salivary stasis in the area of warton's ducts, reducing the rate of infections involving the submandibular gland. The submandibular gland is more prone to bacterial infection rather than the sublingual gland in spite of its composition. Sialothiasis can produce mechanical obstruction of the duct, resulting in salivary stasis and subsequent bacterial infection. Calculus formation is associated frequently with acute bacterial infections of the submandibular gland because Wharton's duct is far more likely to harbor a calculus than stensen's duct.85 % to 90% of salivary calculi is located in the submandibular duct. Submandibular secretions are more mucinous than parotid secretions and therefore more viscid. They are also more alkaline containing a higher percentage of calcium phosphates. These characteristics contributes to the formation of submandibular calculi, despite the submandibular gland's predisposition for calculus formation. The parotid gland remains the most common site of acute suppurative salivary infection. Sialography, a method used for diagnosis of the internal structure of the salivary gland can also result in the infection of the submandibular glands rather than sublingual glands. There are small and numerous sublingual ducts which may not allow the catheter to enter unless there are anatomic variations.[ Bailey, Byron , Healy, Gerald ., Johnson, Jonas , Jackler, Robert , Calhoun, Karen , Pillsbury, Harold ,

Bookmaster Essay Example for Free

Bookmaster Essay Background The case bookmaster explains how Drew went to bookmaster to buy a book he wanted to enjoy reading. When Drew arrived at the bookstore and explained to the CRA what book he wanted. The CRA informed Drew that the book was instock and that there were actually two copies of the book on the shelf. However, when Drew and the CRA went to the shelf to get the book there were no copies available. Drew would have to drive to another store that was 15 miles away to get the book. The CRA then suggested to Drew to buy the ebook which was almost $20 cheaper. Drew would have to download the ebook on his computer since the Kindle and iPad’s were too costly for him at the time. Kindle an Ipad both have many restrictions on their work and try to prevent piracy to maximize profits. Case Questions 1. Each player in the above value chain makes money by creating value for the stakeholders. 2. 3. The ebook has many advantages and disadvantages. the first advantage is the development, marketing, and decreasing costs for eReaders. The second advantage is its easy accessible and can be read on any device if it’s an apple because they are linked together. The third advantage is that marketing the product is easier on line than in a book store. The first disadvantage is that the sale price is lower so the profit margin is relatively the same. The second disadvantage is that piracy is more common and the content is easier to duplicate. The third disadvantage is that competition is very high in the digital industry. The hard copy book also has many advantages. The first is that hardcopy books are easier to stay focused on because the web-surfing variable is eliminated. The second advantage is that you can jot down your thoughts while reading. The third advantage is hardcopy books are not subject to the failure of technology. Some disadvantages to hard copy books are as follows; The cost to make the books are high. Books are harder to carry around if you have more than a few with you. The third disadvantage is the costs of books are high. 4. The role of operations in the hardcopy value chain is to print books. The role of operations in ebooks is to produce digital content and to store the content. 5. The other issues that are important on critiquing both of these is the future. Where are books headed in the future? It is important to try and forecast whether ebooks or hardcopy books will be a thing of the past.

Communicative Language Teaching And Communicative Competence

Communicative Language Teaching And Communicative Competence Hymes pointed out that those rules are the knowledge of the rules of socio-cultural communication with others; how, what, where, when and in what aspect language is spoken in a proposed society. Therefore, according to Chomsky it can be described as the knowledge of the grammatical and speech rules of a language and the ability to use these rules in the away that does not deviate from the native-speakers style to use the language. Hymes, however declared that this definition is not appropriate and, instead, he suggested that effective performance is not the result of linguistic competence given by Chomsky, but by knowledge of the rules of the socio-cultural communication too, and hence communicative competence is actually what results in appropriate performance. Hymes theory took the attention of many syllabus designers to adopt on communicative competence. For instance, Canale and Swain, suggested models for classroom teaching using Hymes views. Van Ek and Alexander (1975), and Wilkins (1976) presented the Notional Syllabus. This syllabus is distinguished by its attention to functions and notions as applications of Hymes views. Curriculum writers like Widdowson (1978,1979), Munby (1978), Breen and Candlin (1980), Littlewood (1981), Brumfit and Johnson (1983), Yalden (1983) Johnson, applied Hymes views and devised communicative teaching materials based on these views (Richards and Rodgers, 2001). The CLT has been widespread based on Hymes views occurred in the 1970s. It has established as an approach in the field of language teaching, in which the four language skills (reading, listening, writing and speaking) are correlated appropriately, comprehensively and communicatively. This way of teaching defers it from the other teaching methods as for it engages the teachers and students, along with and the materials working as one component towards the use of language as one unit. Lindsay (2006: 21) points out that it could be said that the communicative method is a result of linguists satisfactory with the traditional methods as these methods put little, if any, emphasis on the ability to communicate or interact. However, Richards Rogers (1986: 50) pointed out that Communicative Language Teaching is best considered as an approach rather than a method. Also, Rogers (2001: 9- 10) made a distinction between methods and approaches: methods are teaching systems with prescribed techniques and practices, but approaches deal with language teaching philosophies that can be implemented in the classroom in different styles. Widdowson (1990: 159) explained that the communicative approach concentrates on getting learners to do things with language, to express concepts and to carry out communicative acts of various kinds. The content of a language course is now defined not in terms of forms, words and sentence patterns, but in terms of concepts, or notions, which such forms are used to express, and the communicative functions which they are used to perform. Richards Rogers (1986: 49) stated that the theory of teaching underlying the Communicative Approach is holistic rather than behaviouristic. It starts from a theory of language as communication, which implies knowledge of the grammatical system as well as performance. Also, Aqel (2006) pointed out that the aim of this Communicative approach is to prepare students for meaningful communication, where errors are tolerated. The amount of exercises and activities involved with a communicative approach is not restricted and connected with the constructivist theory of learning. George (1999: 16-17) pointed out that Constructivism is basically a theory based on observation and scientific study about how people learn. It says that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. This means that the students effectively create their own subjective representations of objective reality. In addition, the teacher in communicative approach is not the centre of all classroom activities as the focus is mainly directed towards the learners (p. 22). Lantolf (2000) called the communicative methodology and constructivist theory of learning activity theories. It means that teachers and students have to interact and reconstruct socially with ideas and knowledge. (pp. 12-13). 2.2 Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) Communicative Competence (CC) The difference between CLT and traditional teaching methods, like the grammar translation method (GTM) and the audio- lingual method (ALM), is that the CLT approach mainly focuses in teaching and learning a language. The basic goals of teaching using the CLT approach is not rather its structure but communicative function (Littlewood, 1981; 1998). That is, the main goal of teaching and learning a language is to improve students communicative competence (Li, 1998). Thus, theoretically, it is useful to understand and introduce what is communicative competence, before understanding CLT. 2.2.1 Communicative Competence: In the 1970s, many researchers distinguished between linguistic and communicative competence (Hymes, 1967; Paulston, 1974) to point out the difference between the knowledge of the language forms and knowledge that help learners communicate functionally and interactionally. According to Savignon (1997: 272) Communicative Competence is: functional language proficiency; the expression, interpretation, and negotiation of meaning involving interaction between two or more persons belonging to the same (or different) speech community. In addition, Savignon divided communicative competence as having the following elements; 1) communicative competence is a dynamic, but not a static concept. It depends on the negotiation of meaning between two or more learners who share to some extent the same symbolic system; 2) communicative competence involved in both written and spoken language, as well as to many other symbolic systems; 3) communicative competence is context specific. Communication takes place in an infinite variety of situations, and success in a particular role depends on ones knowledge of the context; 4) competence and performance defers theoretically. Competence is defined as a presumed underlying ability whereas performance as the overt manifestation of that ability. Competence is what one knows. Performance is what one does and 5) communicative competence is relative, not absolute, and depends on the cooperation of all the participants (p. 14-15). Savignon has worked on communicative competence, and her work is known and considered in the field. However, Canale and Swain (1980) presented the four- area framework of knowledge and skill regarding communicative competence. They declared that communicative competence involves grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence, discourse competence, and strategic competence. Then Canale (1983: 7) pointed that grammatical competence focuses directly on the knowledge and skill required to understand and express accurately the literal meaning of utterances. Sociolinguistic competence refers to the learners ability to use the language appropriately in social contexts. Therefore sociolinguistic competence shows the learners ability to go beyond the literal meaning of utterances and recognize what is the intent of such utterances in particular social situations. In addition, Canale (1983: 8) says that sociolinguistic competence is important in explaining utterances for their social meaning. It is important to acknowledge that communicative competence is a major aspect of CLT, and teachers are said to understand its many aspects. 2.2.2 Communicative Language Teaching: Researchers and linguistics have focused on the shift from the language to communication. Brumfit (1988) referred to communication as a task to be performed,

Why do people start their own business

Why do people start their own  business There are many reasons why people want to start their own business(es). The most obviously reason is about making money, which is translated into making a better life for himself/herself and also the family. However, studies have shown that some people start their own businesses for other reasons as well. Some do it for the time that they will have to share with those closest to them. If one is an employee, his time is controlled and dictated by this job. There are times when his child is sick, or he needs to send his wife for a medical checkup. Unless he takes a day off, and provided that his boss approves his day off, he is stuck. However, having ones own business, he is also the boss. So, who is the boss to say he cannot take 2 hours off to run a family errand. People like to be recognized for their achievements. But by whos standard? In an organization (it is even worse when the organization is big), many employees achievements are overlooked and made to look like as if they are something employees were paid to do anywhere. However, when   a mistake is done, the repercussions are big. Have you heard the saying that Being an employee is a thankless job. When you do right, your boss does not see. When you do wrong, the entire organization talks about it. With businesses, there are opportunities to grow, to broaden the mind, to meet more people. Do you know why so many people meet and marry their spouses from the organization? That is because they never get to meet anybody else outside the organization. At times, these may not be the best match, but there is very limited choice. Employees circles of friends seemed to be limited people at work and maybe people from church. After a while, the circles may even shrink. Why? Well, people move on, especially those who have started owning their own business. Now, I do believe that it is a basic human desire to be able to help others, whether financially or otherwise. That is why those in need of financial assistance will always make a plea via the   public media as the donations just keeps pouring in. Have you ever felt frustrated that you are not able to chip in more because your own finances are not much better, perhaps. That is why many people have started their business based on this purpose and desire to help others. Free Brian Tracy Video There are perhaps a lot of other reasons why people want to start their own businesses. Wanting to start is a common desire but knowing how to do it is a whole new ball game. Then comes the obstacles of starting a business so of which are:- No Time No Money No Network No Product And the list goes on. Yeah, there are many businesses out there where it does take a lot of time to start, heavy financial investments, no special unique products which are not already sold in the market and nobody to sell it to. Would you be interested if there was a business out there where you choose the amount of time you want to put into the business, very little money down, excellent products and a mentor who will guide you to building the network that you want and need for your business? If you are, then this is just the business for you. This is the perfect business to start you on your dream of owning your own business. Give yourself this one chance.. go and have a look at this opportunity. Why Do People Start their own  Business Q1.2: The Seven Pitfalls of Business Failure Summary: When youre starting a new business, the last thing you want to focus on is failure. But if you address the common reasons for failure up front, youll be much less likely to fall victim to them yourself. Here are the top 7 reasons why businesses fail and tips for avoiding them. The latest statistics from the Small Business Administration (SBA) show that two-thirds of new employer establishments survive at lease two years, and 44 percent survive at least four years. This is a far cry from the previous long-held belief that 50 percent of businesses fail in the first year and 95 percent fail within five years. Brian Head, Economist with the SBA Office of Advocacy, noted that the latest statistics are a much more accurate assessment of new business success rates, and that as a general rule of thumb, new employer businesses have a 50/50 chance of surviving for five years or more. Better success rates notwithstanding, a significant percentage of new businesses do fail. Expert opinions abound about what a business owner should and shouldnt do to keep a new business afloat in the perilous waters of the entrepreneurial sea. There are, however, key factors that if not avoided will be certain to weigh down a business and possibly sink it forevermore. 1. You start your business for the wrong reasons. Would the sole reason you would be starting your own business be that you would want to make a lot of money? Do you think that if you had your own business that youd have more time with your family? Or maybe that you wouldnt have to answer to anyone else? If so, youd better think again. On the other hand, if you start your business for these reasons, youll have a better chance at entrepreneurial success You have a passion and love for what youll be doing, and strongly believe based on educated study and investigation that your product or service would fulfill a real need in the marketplace. You are physically fit and possess the needed mental stamina to withstand potential challenges. Often overlooked, less-than-robust health has been responsible for more than a few bankruptcies. You have drive, determination, patience and a positive attitude. When others throw in the towel, you are more determined than ever. Failures dont defeat you. You learn from your mistakes, and use these lessons to succeed the next time around. Head, SBA economist, noted that studies of successful business owners showed they attributed much of their success to building on earlier failures; on using failures as a learning process. You thrive on independence, and are skilled at taking charge when a creative or intelligent solution is needed. This is especially important when under strict time constraints. You like if not love your fellow man, and show this in your honesty, integrity, and interactions with others. You get along with and can deal with all different types of individuals. 2. Poor Management Many a report on business failures cites poor management as the number one reason for failure. New business owners frequently lack relevant business and management expertise in areas such as finance, purchasing, selling, production, and hiring and managing employees. Unless they recognize what they dont do well, and seek help, business owners may soon face disaster. They must also be educated and alert to fraud, and put into place measures to avoid it. Neglect of a business can also be its downfall. Care must be taken to regularly study, organize, plan and control all activities of its operations. This includes the continuing study of market research and customer data, an area which may be more prone to disregard once a business has been established. A successful manager is also a good leader who creates a work climate that encourages productivity. He or she has a skill at hiring competent people, training them and is able to delegate. A good leader is also skilled at strategic thinking, able to make a vision a reality, and able to confront change, make transitions, and envision new possibilities for the future. 3. Insufficient Capital A common fatal mistake for many failed businesses is having insufficient operating funds. Business owners underestimate how much money is needed and they are forced to close before they even have had a fair chance to succeed. They also may have an unrealistic expectation of incoming revenues from sales. It is imperative to ascertain how much money your business will require; not only the costs of starting, but the costs of staying in business. It is important to take into consideration that many businesses take a year or two to get going. This means you will need enough funds to cover all costs until sales can eventually pay for these costs. 4. Location, Location, Location Your college professor was right location is critical to the success of your business. Whereas a good location may enable a struggling business to ultimately survive and thrive, a bad location could spell disaster to even the best-managed enterprise. Some factors to consider: Where your customers are Traffic, accessibility, parking and lighting Location of competitors Condition and safety of building Local incentive programs for business start-ups in specific targeted areas The history, community flavor and receptiveness to a new business at a prospective site 5. Lack of Planning Anyone who has ever been in charge of a successful major event knows that were it not for their careful, methodical, strategic planning and hard work success would not have followed. The same could be said of most business successes. It is critical for all businesses to have a business plan. Many small businesses fail because of fundamental shortcomings in their business planning. It must be realistic and based on accurate, current information and educated projections for the future. Components may include: Description of the business, vision, goals, and keys to success Work force needs Potential problems and solutions Financial: capital equipment and supply list, balance sheet, income statement and cash flow analysis, sales and expense forecast Analysis of competition Marketing, advertising and promotional activities Budgeting and managing company growth In addition, most bankers request a business plan if you are seeking to secure addition capital for your company. 6. Overexpansion A leading cause of business failure, overexpansion often happens when business owners confuse success with how fast they can expand their business. A focus on slow and steady growth is optimum. Many a bankruptcy has been caused by rapidly expanding companies. At the same time, you do not want to repress growth. Once you have an established solid customer base and a good cash flow, let your success help you set the right measured pace. Some indications that an expansion may be warranted include the inability to fill customer needs in a timely basis, and employees having difficulty keeping up with production demands. If expansion is warranted after careful review, research and analysis, identify what and who you need to add in order for your business to grow. Then with the right systems and people in place, you can focus on the growth of your business, not on doing everything in it yourself. 7. No Website Simply put, if you have a business today, you need a website. Period. In the U.S. alone, the number of internet users (about 70 percent of the population) and e-commerce sales (about 70 billion in 2004, according to the Census Bureau) continue to rise and are expected to increase with each passing year. In 2004, the U.S. led the world in internet usage. At the very least, every business should have a professional looking and well-designed website that enables users to easily find out about their business and how to avail themselves of their products and services. Later, additional ways to generate revenue on the website can be added; i.e., selling ad space, drop-shipping products, or recommending affiliate products. Remember, if you dont have a website, youll most likely be losing business to those that do. And make sure that website makes your business look good, not bad you want to increase revenues, not decrease them. When it comes to the success of any new business, you the business owner are ultimately the secret to your success. For many successful business owners, failure was never an option. Armed with drive, determination, and a positive mindset, these individuals view any setback as only an opportunity to learn and grow. Most self-made millionaires possess average intelligence. What sets them apart is their openness to new knowledge and their willingness to learn whatever it takes to succeed. http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/business-failure.htm Q1.3: Important Factors in Setting Up a Business Setting up a new business takes imagination, research, analytical skill, time and money. Whether you buy an existing business or start a new one from scratch, the steps you take must have a structure that, formed comprehensively and executed cleanly and efficiently, give you the best likelihood of succeeding. You should create a feasibility study and business plan that you can present to advisers and funding sources, whether theyre loan officers or potential investors, that offers dispassionate analysis and displays your enthusiasm for the project. Imagination Maybe you have an idea for a new business, or there may be an interesting business for sale in your area. Either way, its critical that you see the potential and risks to help inform your decisions as you move forward. Your community may lack a certain retail or service business, or there may be a business for sale that you believe you could sustain and improve. You might have ideas that would lead you to build a business that competes with a similar one, believing you can provide higher quality products, more variety or better and/or faster service. If you a need for a business and believe it could work, its just a matter of finding a client base to satisfy. Research A feasibility study reveals, in statistical data, the size of your potential customer or client base. State governments put great volumes of demographic data on their economic development websites, so you can gather counts of individuals, numbers of households, age brackets, education and income levels and other demographic informationall identifiable by zip code, county and community. If your idea involves school children, you can find data relative to student enrollments by age, gender and school district, for public, private, parochial and home-schooled children. Specific state agencies have data on preschool children, children in foster care and those who are otherwise wards of the state, as well as all manner of data on seniors and incarcerated individuals. Analytical Skill Once youve gathered sufficient data about your potential trade area, you should estimate how many people and geographies dont fit your model. For example, your bicycle shop might find many more customers in a community in the central plains states, where the topography is relatively flat, than in downtown San Francisco, which is full of very steep hills. In addition, some communities advertise themselves as being bicycle-friendly. Your demographic data might suggest that opening a day care business in a predominantly retirement-aged community is a bad idea because there are not enough children to support your operating expenses. Use conservative estimates to determine your potential market and market share. Loan officers and potential investors want certainty that you havent padded the numbers to increase revenue projections, so be prepared to defend your numbers. Business Plan Write a comprehensive business plan that includes sections on management (your experience and fitness for the specific effort you propose), operations (how youll actually conduct the business), marketing (how youll reach your target audience) and key advisers and staff (where will you get the human capital to ensure success). Your plan should also include data from the feasibility study that supports your estimates of market share and the time line to profitability. Again, use conservative estimates of revenues and liberal estimates of expenses. Funding sources will want confidence that youve thought things through carefully and thoroughly. Time Frame You may have the luxury to work full-time on your project, but if you have a day job that requires your attention then youll have to set aside evening and weekend hours to set up your business. Getting permits, licenses, FDA approval and patents take time. You might get a building permit or a business license in a few days, but FDA approval for a food or cosmetic product can take years. Patent research in the hands of a dedicated patent attorney takes time and can be expensiveas much as $30,000 or more. The same holds true if youre renovating a property and your new effort requires an architects stamp, which might cost 10 percent of the construction cost. Simply put, plan on having your project take more time than you originally thought. Funding Sources You may start your business with your own funds, then get support from friends and family. The next layer of funding can be a bank or Small Business Administration loan. SBA funding typically tops out at $150,000. Beyond that there are angel investors, who are individuals of means who take financial risks with entrepreneurs in return for an expected high return on their investment (ROI). If your project requires large sums of investment money, you may be able to find venture capital called professional money with a solid, conservative business plan. Venture capital money requires a very high ROI, though, because of the great risk of failure among start-up businesses. Tax increment financing (TIF) funds help entrepreneurs rehabilitate distressed properties in certain communities. While TIF funds are set up as loans, some, most or all of the funding can be forgiven if the entrepreneur and the new business satisfy certain requirements, such as creating a certain number of jobs. Other Considerations and Resources Along the way, youll probably need the advice and counsel of an accountant, attorney, contractor or architect. The SBA has offices in most major cities and a number of medium-sized ones as well. Become familiar with the National Business Incubator Association (NBIA). Incubators provide physical space and certain amenitiesperhaps phone, fax, copy and Internet serviceat no or minimal cost. They can provide access to consulting, accounting, legal and other resources, again at zero or minimal cost. They may charge a modest rent or take an equity position in your new company. In some cases the incubator may take a royalty or share in your licensing revenues. Learn about the Kauffman Foundation, a comprehensive resource for entrepreneurs. http://www.ehow.com/about_5382205_important-factors-setting-up-business.htm Q1.4: 5 Resources You Need To Succeed To Start A Business Anyone can start a business. But to start a business that succeeds and continues to flourish isnt so easy. According to Statistics Canada, at least half the new companies in Canada go out of business before their third anniversary, and one in four new enterprises dont survive longer than one year. If youre going to start a business that has staying power, there are five resources that you must have in place before you open your literal or figurative doors. To turn a start up venture into a successful business, you must: Fully Commit Successful entrepreneurs are people who are fully committed to their business ventures. You have to be prepared to put your heart and soul into what youre doing. You have to truly believe in your product or service, and be prepared to work long hours to get others to believe in your product or service, too. You have to be ready to go without treats such as holidays, and even necessities such as salary, for what may seem like an endless stretch of time. And you have to do all this without the safety net that salaried employees are used to, such as benefits and pension plans. Be a Type D People commit themselves to all kinds of things; causes, hobbies, other people. Just being able to make a commitment doesnt automatically lead to business success. If youre going to get where you want to go in business, and start a business that will endure, you also have to be what I call a Type D person; someone who has desire coupled with drive, with strong discipline and determination. You have to not only have the business ideas, but be able to execute them. Successful business people are tenacious; obstacles are temporary barriers to work around. They may take No for an answer, but only for as long as it takes them to reframe the question from another angle and ask again. But desire and drive alone are not enough to start a business; you dont want your business to be a temporary comet streaking across the sky. Discipline and determination are what give successful business people the endurance to follow through on their business ideas, and weather the storms and calms of the economic climate. Knowledge is another resource you need to have in place before you start a business. Continue on to the next page to learn what types of knowledge and skills you must have if you want to start a business with staying power. Get The Business Knowledge You Need Many people have tried to start their own businesses without bothering to acquire the business knowledge they need to make their business a success and their businesses have failed. To start a business, you have to be knowledgeable about many different aspects of business and have many different skillsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ or at least have done the research to find and hire the people who have the skills you lack. If you arent knowledgeable enough about accounting to keep your own books, for instance, youre going to need to hire a bookkeeper and/or an accountant. If your business is Internet-based, youd be wise to hire a company to design your web site and handle the back end, unless you personally are an expert in site development. When youre creating your business plan, one of your first steps needs to be a frank assessment of your skills and expertise. What aspects of the business are you qualified or willing to handle, and which aspects will necessitate either more learning on your part or calling in outside help? Managing people is only one skill set youre going to need to start a business thats going to be successful. You also need to be knowledgeable about sales and marketing.  For example, suppose youve developed a better mousetrap. Who are your competitors? What are the mousetraps theyre offering like and how are they priced? What makes your mousetrap better? Is there even a need for a better mousetrap out there? Where is out there? Do you have the skills needed to identify and contact customers? Are you good at selling mousetraps? Can you develop a feasible marketing plan and promotional material? And what about business operations? Do you have the business knowledge to manage inventory and fill orders? Where all you going to store all your mousetraps and how are you going to get them to your customers? Have you found the suppliers you need and developed relationships with them? Have you set up a customer support policy? Business knowledge before you start a business is critical. All the drive and determination in the world isnt going to help you if you dont have the knowledge to actually run a successful business and dont bother to research and plan for your success appropriately. A friend of mine had long dreamed of opening a bookstore. So he did. Unfortunately, he hadnt bothered to study the competition or the demographics of the market in the area. It took less than a year for his bookstore to fail. He had the desire and the drive, but didnt have the knowledge he needed to apply them. So lets assume that you are a Type D Personality with all the business knowledge necessary to start a business. Are you a shoo-in for success? Not unless you have the money you need to start a business. Continue on to the next page to learn about finding start up money. Find Adequate Business Start Up Money Unless you personally have deep pockets, such as inherited wealth, figuring out where youre going to get the money to start your own business and getting the financing in place beforehand is going to be one of the most important components of planning your business. Finding adequate business start up money is especially critical because theres no guarantee that your business is going to make money right away, and certainly no guarantee that your new business will bring in enough money for you and your family to live on. You cant start a business without start-up capital, the total amount of money you need to open your doors for business, and to keep them open until sufficient revenue can be depended on. Youre also going to need operating capital to start a business, the amount of money it takes to keep the business going. Operating capital includes expenses such as salaries, wages, rent, expenses, supplies, utilities, advertising, depreciation, and interest payments. Small business advisors recommend that start-up expenses include at least six months operating capital. If you dont have deep pockets of your own, where do you get the business start-up money you need? According to a 1998 study of small- and medium-sized enterprises by Thompson Lightstone and Company, fifty percent of small- and medium-sized business owners report that they currently borrow from a financial institution, such as a bank. Twelve percent of SMEs finance their companies through private loans from friends or relatives and three percent by loans from non-related individuals. Forty-one percent use personal credit cards to finance their businesses. Personal assets, such as savings, (including RRSPs, pension funds, severance allowances), remortgaging property, credit cards, and personal property, are the most common initial source of business start up money for small businesses. This may be because people starting new businesses have no alternative; if you dont have much collateral or an established credit history, getting a small business loan can be difficult. (See my article, How To Get A Small Business Loan, to learn how to increase your chances of making a successful small business loan application.) In Right From Home: How To Start a Successful Home-Based Business, Barbara Mowat and Ted James state that money borrowed from family, relatives and friends makes up more than fifty percent of the loans to home-based businesses. They advise avoiding misunderstandings and bad feelings by always getting agreements about loans in writing and making sure that all loans are set up with proper security, any terms or conditions, and a payment schedule. This is sound advice to follow whenever you borrow money. What else do you need to start a business with staying power? Support. Click to continue reading The last of the five resources you must have to start a business that will be successful is a good support system. When youre thinking of business support, look first to the home front. Its no coincidence that most successful small business operators are married. While we like to talk about going it alone and running our own show, you cant start and run a successful small business without the support of other people. And who better than a supportive spouse to listen to your ideas or problems, and provide the encouragement or advice that keeps you going? In Entrepreneurship: A Profile For Canadians, (available from the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education), William E. Jennings points out that the successful entrepreneur usually has an exceptionally supportive spouse. He adds that these exceptional spouses dont just provide love and stability, but also specific support for the business, such as helping to provide the capital needed to start a business, or working in the company without pay to keep costs down. Spouses who contribute financially by working outside the business are also a common small business scenario. Having a supportive spouse is especially critical if you want to start a home-based business. As Barbara Mowat and Ted James say, in reality, you dont start a home business, your whole household does (Right From Home; Starting A Successful Home-Based Business).  You cant start a home-based business without considering what your family members think about the idea, what role(s) your family members might play in your business, and how your business is going to affect your home life. Without the active support of your family, your home-based business will fail. Talk out these issues beforehand and explore how supportive your family is before you start a business. Other business people are another valuable source of business support. No matter what kind of business youre thinking of starting, someone has been there and done that. Talking to other business people who have already established a successful business can go a long way towards avoiding pitfalls and provide insight into what works and what doesnt. Ive always found that other business people are willing to share their knowledge with others; if you cant find someone locally to talk to, theres a ever-growing network of business communities online (like this one!) where you can get the information you need, and sometimes good advice, too. Youre always welcome to post your questions and comments on the Small Business Canada forum. And my Business Support library has links to Canadian organizations where you can get advice, find a mentor, or just talk to someone. Q1.5:

marketing segmentation :: essays research papers

The Greatest Marketing Secret of All If there is something about which I am pretty adamant, it's the concept of attracting clients that are pre-qualified and willing to do business. And this involves many different things. In fact, most of it comes down to three core practices: 1) Focus, 2) targeting, and 3) multiplication (such as focusing on a niche, market targeting, and multiplying one's marketing efforts). However, this fundamental magnetism is not only based on pure marketing practices or strategies. It also involves something at a much deeper level that is far more effective than any other marketing tool or process. This "thing" to which I am referring is, I believe, the most important marketing secret that I can ever teach you -- and it's far from being a secret at all. But it is considered as one to a certain degree simply because this "secret" is often neglected or ignored by many business people. What is this elusive secret? Before I divulge it to you, let me give you a little preamble. First, I must admit that it upsets me terribly to see when people tend to scoff their most valuable marketing assets. No, I'm not referring to salespeople or promotional activities. I'm not referring to prospects or clients either. I'm referring to talents, dreams, and passions. "Marketing is not a battle of products, but of perceptions," marketing expert Jack Trout once wrote. If people perceive that doing business with you has an implicit added value, especially when compared to your competitors that are fiercely fighting for your market's attention, you will often end up with their confidence (and their repeat and referral business) as a result. Of course, there are numerous ways that value can be added to your business -- e.g. by specializing, by packaging (naming) your products and services, by presenting benefits rather than features, by delivering personalized services, by presenting a professional image, by offering something for free, and so on. But the most effective way to communicate this added value is through the genuine, sincere, and passionate zest you have for what you do. People have a tendency to gravitate toward other people who love what they do -- their enthusiasm, charisma, and authentic desire to serve others are instantly communicated through their actions and particularly their marketing efforts. Sadly, however, the marketplace is filled with so many people who jump into business for one sole purpose: Money.

Coal :: Research Essays

Coal As the granddaughter of an Irish immigrant coal miner, I thought I knew everything there was to know about coal. I was wrong. After learning about coal rank, and the different types of coal mines, I gained a much deeper appreciation for the work of my grandfather. Being from Tamaqua, I knew what anthracite coal was as soon as I could understand my Pappy’s ramblings. Among the Top 20 Signs You’re from the Coal Region, included â€Å"You think only God has the proper resume to take over after Joe Paterno leaves Penn State† (Top Ten). Another was â€Å"You’ve eaten coal candy† (who hasn’t?) (Top Ten). However, I know now that there are different types of coal mining techniques, such as underground mining, longwall mining and shaft mining. I also learned about the different types of underground mines, like shaft mines, slope mines, and drift mines. Shaft mines are usually the deepest type of coal mine. They use elevators to vertically transport workers and equipment to the level of the coal seam. Slope mines incline from the surface to a coal seam. Drift mines have entrances to coal seams from the hillside horizontally (UMWA). My Pappy, however, was a shaft miner. I can now more easily identify with my Pappy’s old coal mining stories since he worked in a shaft mine, and I know now the general set-up of that type of mine. For instance, there are two shafts, the man shaft, and the air-shaft. Also, I learned about the different layers underground, like sandstone, shale, and limestone, before the coal seam appears. Decisions about what type of mine to construct depend on surrounding terrain and the depth of the coal (UMWA). In recent years, however, coal production has decreased in the Appalachian Region, causing plenty of Gaelic tantrums during the holidays. In 2003, Coal production in the Appalachian region declined, due to lawsuits, underground mine fires, geological problems, and depleted reserves (Annual†¦). With my newfound knowledge of coal, coal mines, and coal production, I intend to have many more intelligent conversations with my Grandfather in the years to come. Coal :: Research Essays Coal As the granddaughter of an Irish immigrant coal miner, I thought I knew everything there was to know about coal. I was wrong. After learning about coal rank, and the different types of coal mines, I gained a much deeper appreciation for the work of my grandfather. Being from Tamaqua, I knew what anthracite coal was as soon as I could understand my Pappy’s ramblings. Among the Top 20 Signs You’re from the Coal Region, included â€Å"You think only God has the proper resume to take over after Joe Paterno leaves Penn State† (Top Ten). Another was â€Å"You’ve eaten coal candy† (who hasn’t?) (Top Ten). However, I know now that there are different types of coal mining techniques, such as underground mining, longwall mining and shaft mining. I also learned about the different types of underground mines, like shaft mines, slope mines, and drift mines. Shaft mines are usually the deepest type of coal mine. They use elevators to vertically transport workers and equipment to the level of the coal seam. Slope mines incline from the surface to a coal seam. Drift mines have entrances to coal seams from the hillside horizontally (UMWA). My Pappy, however, was a shaft miner. I can now more easily identify with my Pappy’s old coal mining stories since he worked in a shaft mine, and I know now the general set-up of that type of mine. For instance, there are two shafts, the man shaft, and the air-shaft. Also, I learned about the different layers underground, like sandstone, shale, and limestone, before the coal seam appears. Decisions about what type of mine to construct depend on surrounding terrain and the depth of the coal (UMWA). In recent years, however, coal production has decreased in the Appalachian Region, causing plenty of Gaelic tantrums during the holidays. In 2003, Coal production in the Appalachian region declined, due to lawsuits, underground mine fires, geological problems, and depleted reserves (Annual†¦). With my newfound knowledge of coal, coal mines, and coal production, I intend to have many more intelligent conversations with my Grandfather in the years to come.

Prisoners Abuse in Guantanamo Bay Essay

Research indicates that the prisoners at the Guantanamo bay are usually subjected to torture by the prison administrators and guards at the bay. This torture is reported to come up as a result of the torture policy in the United States has led to many inmates at the Guantanamo Bay being treated badly by the prison administrators and guards, who always term them as animals, since they have no one in the legislative to represent them during their trials as they do not have enough knowledge on the judicial systems of their country. In the cases where the offenders are women who are in prison, they happen to undergo a tougher physical and sexual abuse than if the offenders are said to be men. The women normally suffer from mental illness due to the recurring physical or sexual abuse. Apart from the above problem the women also suffer from eating disorders resulting to health problems. Discussion A great number of detainees have been recorded to have been tortured willingly by the united states forces at the Guantanamo Bay while others are jailed with no reason this inmates are found to be mistreated in a manner that can not be avoided this torture usually include; sexual humiliation, threats put on the inmates with dogs these among others are filed as a mode of interrogation in the united states an example of this is in the case where the military guards at the Bay were reported to have tortured the Iraqi inmates whereby, we find that the prisoners were tortured as from being threatened with dogs, being striped naked and also they were forced to wear female underpants on their heads, it was believed that this techniques were authorized by the senior states officials. (Bill 2004) We also find that, President Bush’s administration has advocated for the use of electric shock devices to torture the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay this is well explained in a situation where we find that the state has been exporting devices such as the stun buttons, stun guns among others being exported to other countries such as Cuba, Haiti, India, Turkey and Lebanon. In this case we find that many companies dealing with the production of such weapons have been shipping these products without a license from the government. Through this, there has been an increase in the cases of torturing prisoners in other countries apart from the United States of America. A case of Zahide Durgun who was tortured by the Turkish police in Hakkari where she was tortured with electric shocks to her ear and was later beaten this happened as a result of the police wanting her to accept that she was a member of the political party opposing the government of Turkey. This is well presented in the case released by the FBI report claiming that he had ordered the State to have an inhumane interrogation system against the Iraqis’ detainees; these methods included the sleep deprivation, stress positions and the use of military dogs it is therefore propounded that the Defense department had adopted systems which were illegal and immoral in this instances we find that the CIA had many times refused to contradict the existence of many record of torture in America since it had been confirmed to be involved in the torturing of especially the prisoners in Iraq and in many other CIA facilities for detention globally. The federal has been engaging in torturing its detainees in a manner that provokes their country of originality the best example for this is the situation where interrogation was being conducted by an official in the department of defense where the prisoner was wrapped in an Israel flag whereby the detainee was later shelled with loud mus ic and strobe light. (Johnston, 2006) In the year 2002, the White House was opposed by the Collin Powell who was then the Secretary of the State who had cautioned about the United States breaching the Geneva Convention but the federal went ahead claiming that, the countries inmates were not protected by the Geneva Conventions since some of the detainees were those from Afghanistan who were termed as unlawful enemies, this therefore attracted the attention of most lawyers in the country who came up with legal guidelines for the unlawful act, this action made the military lawyers informed that the breaching of the Geneva convention will lead to the exposure of the states soldiers who were captured to the same torture, after which theses military lawyers took a step forward to see the international human rights lawyer Scott Horton asking the lawyer to give them a stipulated effort in the creation of an environment that has legal ambiguity and also one that shows how the Geneva Conventions was to apply to detainees in the Ba y. (Scranton and Paula 1991) The Effects of the Torture Policy on the Prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay The main policy implication that makes the criminals to be hard cores is always the length of time that the criminals spend in the jails. When they are released for example and directed to attend rehabilitation programs they feel to be wasted because they think that by serving in jail for a long period they are isolated in the society and others may get involved in revenging activities which may cause them more danger of being punished. Under longer prison sentences at the Guantanamo Bay the offender has nothing that will guarantee him protection against the offence he commits which sometimes ends up wasting all his life in jail. Due to the limited informational, educational sources in the prisons, the offender finds it hard to accept change in his mode of life and the behavior that he is addicted in him/her. This means that there are no correction measures which makes the person to become devastated psychologically thus feeling uneasy and may seek to live where he need to help himself escape such a feeling of loneliness and lack of social support through which he may decide to pay any price and sacrifice self-esteem thus forfeiting his life. (Eysenck and Hans, 1996) In some cases the offenders at the prison who are under solitary confinement, are reported to be suffering from disruption of a normal mental function that is normally caused by threats, lack of sleep, starvation and fear of death. Though the incarceration form was meant to encourage a person to confront his own consciousness, it has only led to the offenders at the Bay being stressed because they are under jail conditions that are always cruel and not effective. The conditions in prisons are not normally conducive for an offender such as the coldness of the cells, the food given to the prisoners is always bad and lack of human decency plus noise normally causes resistance to the prisoners for rehabilitation programs. Recommendations As a recommendation for the reduction of the prisoners’ torture at the bay we find that the US federal is urged to come up with laws that enable the treatment of criminals without harsh conditionality. Although, the offenders are entitled to particular constitutional laws, they have various rights in their lives including; the right to be tried by the jury, to be cross-examined and the right to an immediate trial. Since the society has developed a growing concern over the criminal behavior which is ever increasing, the justice system is urged to provide a delinquent preventive measure that will be aimed at preventing the members of the society from indulging in criminal activities. Due to growing concerns over the increased number of criminals, countries have formulated laws that ensure that the criminals especially those detained at the Guantanamo bay involved in criminal cases are restored back to being good people in the society and they have identified rehabilitation policies or program as the best way to nature them instead of putting them under torture like what is happening the Guantanamo bay. Rehabilitation is widely believed by many to be the principal reason of reducing crime. (Committee on Law and Justice, 2004) Rehabilitation normally involves the teaching and training the persons who are addicted to a particular behavior to stop the defective behavior and try to become acceptable members of the society. Therefore under this, the society is given the responsibility of assisting these addicts or criminals by helping them to get hope through various programs that they will be educated thus helping them to heal their bodies and mind. The strengths associated with rehabilitation policies are that the addict will achieve through these Programs education which allows the offender an opportunity to re-enter into the society as a responsible and productive citizen. For example, the people who undergo rehabilitation programs are normally allowed to receive counselling and guidance. For example a rehabilitation program may involve the offenders at the Guantanamo bay in doing community work, such as cleaning the environment and activities that they think suits to the foundation of their interests. This will make them appreciate who they are and accept their presence and roles in the particular society. (Kleinman, 2000) The strength for rehabilitating criminals is that there is always a collective supervision that will be able to provide an environment favourable enough to meet the special needs of the offenders which will help them to join the society newly as responsible and respected persons. However, rehabilitation is prone to some weaknesses which hinder the process of trying to help the offenders to be good and reliable people in the society. For example, the criminals or offenders subjected to rehabilitation programs at the Guantanamo bay feel isolated in the society and thus will not corporate during the entire process. They view themselves as rejected people in the society who are treated maliciously. These aspects make them to feel unworthy in the society and hence after the rehabilitation programs they don’t change but instead continue with bad behavior that they used to engage themselves in. Also another weakness is lack of government support in supporting rehabilitation programs, for example laxity in funding the programs thus few drug addicts and criminal offenders are subjected to such programs. This has resulted to seeking donors who can fund the programs, an activity which is difficult because it’s very hard to find willing donors. (Eysenck and Hans, 1996) Conclusion Torture in the Guantanamo bay prisons is a major problem for many in America and other nations, but the war on Iraq and Afghanistan and the whole issue of terrorism has been stressing the Americans because of the harsh policies imposed by the Bush administration on torture. In general we can therefore deduce that President Bush has not performed his responsibilities and the duties of the president in the maintaining the rights of the detainees in the required way. America is not better of since Bush took over power therefore the next president has a lot of work ahead in rebuilding and restructuring the country’s’ prison administration, for this reasons the federal is given an opportunity to amend and address the effects caused by the torture policy in Guantanamo bay. (Scranton and Paula 1991)