Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Gender violence and human rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Gender violence and human rights - Essay Example X was too scared to go back, she was scared her husband and his family would kill her. After hearing about Newham Asian Women's Project from a friend, X came to see us at the Advice Service. We tried to find a refuge space for X but none was available, particularly as X did not have access to public funds in the UK due to the nature of her spousal visa. For centuries and millennia, women had been suffering the brunt of physical abuse by their spouses in grim silence. But as shocking as it may sound to us, domestic violence never even was much of a social issue until the advent of the feminist movement in the 1970's. The myth of family harmony and bliss exploded as the ugly face of domestic violence was finally exposed. It was only in the late 60's and early 70's that the enormity of this problem started coming to light, thanks to the vehement articulations of women's groups bringing the issue out of closet and into the public awareness. The struggle for change and transformation in the lives of all women was the hallmark of the feminist movement which emerged in the UK and the US at the end of the wildly rebellious decade of 1960's. The awareness of and the movement for abused women gradually went global (Dobaash and Dobash, 2001). On the basis of this spreading awareness of women's abuse in home settings, feminist activists sought social and political change, urging the state to intervene in order to provide support and relief for the abused women. Since then a lot of progress has been made that militated against domestic violence. As can be surmised from the case study cited above, there is presently a very impressive degree of support available for victims of domestic abuse in the UK. On a more basic level, however, the prevalence of domestic violence even within the Western countries can be seen to be raging unabated. On the one hand, there have been many radical changes beginning with the increasing recognition and acknowledgement of this problem over the past couple of decades, this awareness in itself being a phenomenon of fundamental importance in tacking the issue. The fact that it is becoming increasingly unacceptable for a man, in the common ethos of the society, to use physical or sexual violence against his female partner, is in itself an impressive achievement. However, on the other hand, in spite of the positively changing ethos and perceptions, a favourable justice system, policy intervention, and the tremendous support provided by social service and voluntary agencies, the actual extent of the problem continues to be a major concern for feminists, human rights activists, and all responsible

Monday, October 28, 2019

The field of arts Essay Example for Free

The field of arts Essay Since my childhood years, my passion in the field of arts, music and dance has trained me to focus on my goals and strive for excellence. The skills that I have mastered in playing the flute and violin as well as in dancing were not learned overnight. It took many years of hard work, discipline and determination to perfect my craft but the fulfillment was worth all the efforts that I have given when I performed on stage from the age of 4 to 17 years old and when I won first prize in the art contest when I was 6 years old. In my entry to the University of Southern California, I would apply the same discipline and drive in my studies so I can earn a degree in Business Administration minor in Marketing. In the future, I would like to establish a business related to music and dance and train children and young adults who are aspiring to be musicians, artist or dancers. I will also offer my services to the at-risk youth to keep them away from criminal activities and to help them find meaning to their lives that will lead them to become contributing members of their communities. I plan to turn my passion into a business that is wholeheartedly fulfilling and lived up to the saying of the 18th-century French philosopher, Denis Diderot that, â€Å"only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things†. Being an international student in a foreign country is a challenging experience. However, this will open doors to learn new things, and to meet a lot of people with diverse nationalities and cultures. As I travel and study in a foreign country, my knowledge and exposures in various areas of business will be enhanced and at the same time whenever time permits during summer and holiday breaks, I would like to volunteer my services to the animal shelters and learn about the business of establishing shelter homes for the animals. The United States is one of the major countries that is noted for extending rights and protection to the animals. Establishing a foundation related to worldwide animal shelter is also a passion that I want to pursue after gaining years of work experience and after I have earned a Masters degree in Business Administration. I have heard a lot of abuses and neglect to animals in other countries. I want to be part of a worldwide campaign to end animal abuse and to provide homes to the homeless and abandoned animals. The University of California is noted around the world for its excellent business programs. My studies in the field of business and marketing in the United States will provide me with the extensive knowledge that will help me fully understand the common problems that foreign business people encounter. This will also enable me to establish a network in preparation for my future business plans. Since I have good communication, organization and budgeting skills and love to be with people, I would like to specialize in marketing as I want to understand marketing management, consumer behavior, advertising, product research and development, competitive pricing, promotion and sales so I can effectively serve the needs of my clients. In addition, I would also like to learn about theories and practices of marketing and gain hands-on experience during my studies as the Marshall School of Business recognizes the importance of integrating education with experience. The externship and internship programs will maximize my opportunity for professional development and will provide me with an edge in employment after graduation. The knowledge and experience that I will learn in the university will be applied in my country of birth where I plan to initially work in a company and establish a business and a foundation after getting a better grasp of the industry. This is my short and long term goals and I am determined to reach my goals after completing my studies in the prestigious University of Southern California.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

brest cancer Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"One in every ten women in the United States will develop breast cancer sometime during her life†. (Breast Care). More than six percent of these cases are linked to hereditary. There are many measures that can be taken to detect breast cancer early in its stages. Women who believe they have a higher risk should have the breast cancer gene testing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order for a woman to consider her case of breast cancer to be hereditary, she must contain either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation in her genetic make up. Hundreds of mutations have been found in both genes and almost all of the mutations identified are primitive mutations found in only a single family. Most of the mutations result in a miss-formed protein product; thus the nature of these mutations is easily interpreted. Two successive acquired mutations occurring in a single cell are necessary for the development of cancer. Mutations anywhere along either gene are associated with an increased risk for breast cancer. (Transmed Network-Breast Cancer-Characteristics of Hereditary Breast Cancer, 1997). More than six hundred different mutations have been identified on the BRCA1 gene. (Gene Clinics, 2000). The number of mutations found on the BRCA1 gene is different than those found on the BRCA 2 gene. The prevalence of cancer predisposing BRCA1 mutations in the general population is estimated to be between one out of five hundred and one out of a thousand cases. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations indicate that elevated breast cancer risks begin in the late twenties and early thirties. Doctors normally recommend that women began yearly mammograms at the age of fifty. If the gene can be detected as early as the age of twenty, women should take advantage of the extra precaution and have the test done in addition to the mammograms to prevent late diagnosis of cancer. (Gene Clinics, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Virtually all individuals with a cancer predisposing mutation in BRCA1 and BRCA2 have inherited it from a parent. (Gene Clinics, 2000). The parent may or may not have had a cancer diagnosis depending upon the penetrance of the mutation, the gender of the parent, the age of the parent with mutation and other variables. It is appropriate to offer mutation analysis to both parents of an individual with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 cancer predisposing mutation. (Gene ... ...nbsp;  Ã‚  Genetic mutation testing has become another easy way for women to detect breast cancer early. A woman will never truly know if she will definitely develop breast cancer. Test such as genetic mutation testing will definitely help in early detection and prevention against spreading. Works Cited Gene Clinics. (March 4, 2000). BRCA1 and BRCA2 Hereditary Breast/Ovarian Cancer. Retrieved November 19, 2000 from the World Wide Web: Http://www.geneclinics.org/profiles/brca1/ National Action Plan on Breast Cancer. (September 5, 1996). State of the Science on Hereditary Breast Cancer and Genetic Testing. Retrieved November 19, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.napbc.org/napbc/state.htm Transmed Network. (1997). Breast Cancer-Characteristics of Hereditary Breast Cancer. Retrieved November 19, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.breastdiseases.com/genebr3.htm Transmed Network. (1997). Breast Cancer-Genetic Epidemiology. Retrieved November 19, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.breastdiseases.com/genebr2.htm Transmed Network. (1997). Hereditary Breast Cancer. Retrieved November 19, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.breastdiseases.com/genebr1.htm

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Observations Of Life :: essays research papers

INTRODUCTION I am not a psychologist by far, I have no degree in the field of psychology nor do I wish to have, I am just an everyday person that observes and analyzes the things I see. As I am writing this I am at the ripe old age of 18. To some people this may imply that I do not have any credibility in writing these things because I do not have the wisdom of age. Well, to those people I say that they should hear me out on these perceptions and continue reading, because you can not judge someone else unless you have heard their side of the story. By writing this I hope to achieve one thing and one thing only: that someone, somewhere will remember my way of seeing things. In no way do I wish to offend anyone. This is just how I see the world we live in. I believe that age has no effect on how you perceive things. If anything you just become less credible as you get older. For instance, young children have the tendency to completely tell the truth, that is until they discover how to lie. In my observations I have noticed that parents believe the younger sibling more than the older sibling. This may be because the parents favor this child more than the older one or could it be that the younger child has more credibility because the older one has been known to tell lies from time to time. If you have seen or watched kids you know that this, in most cases, is true. One thing about life that I never understood is pay role. It makes no sense at all. It seems to me that the more work you do the less you get paid and the less work you do the more you get paid for it. For example, my father started out working as a garbage disposal man. By this I mean that he was the guy hanging off the back of the garbage truck. He would work long days and the physical demand was just exhausting. Could you imagine doing this work in the biting cold of winter or the humid heat of the summer all day long? The pay was not very good. Currently he still is in the same business but I would say a lot further up the ladder than he used to be.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Lord of the Flies Homework Essay

Piggy is clearly a clever boy, but he is a victim too? How does the writer use him in the novel? Lord of the Flies is about a group of schoolboys stranded on an island. The boys have to fend for themselves and try to get rescued. One of the main characters in the book is Piggy. The second person we find out about on the island is Piggy. We never find out his real name because he was always called Piggy and at the beginning Piggy also says â€Å"They used to call me â€Å"Piggy†Ã¢â‚¬ . He said this to Ralph because he trusted him and wanted to build friendship with him. Ralph makes fun of him, which shows the first sign that he is a victim. When Golding first introduces Piggy, he is described as â€Å"the fat boy†, whereas Ralph is described as â€Å"the fair boy† and as an athletic person. This contrast between the two characters makes Piggy seem inadequate in comparison to Ralph. This consequently makes him a likely victim too. It also makes Piggy the most physically vulnerable character because he is overweight and has asthma. Golding uses Piggy as a representative of an adult on the island. Even though at the start he repeatedly talks about his aunt, â€Å"My auntie told me not to run†, which sounds very childish, but as the rules of civilisation fall away from the island, he does not mention his auntie any more. On several places throughout the novel Piggy wonders about what grownups would say. He longs for the order and structure that adults impose. On times when Ralph thinks about what will happen next Piggy says they just have to carry on because that is what grownups would do. When the boys go rushing off to light the fire on the mountain, Piggy describes them as â€Å"crowd of kids† and follows them with the â€Å"martyred expression of a parent†. These examples clearly show that Golding uses Piggy to replace the grownup world. Another example of his maturity is when he wants the shelters to be built, â€Å"The first thing we ought to have made was shelters down there by the beach†¦ Then when you get here you build a bonfire that isn’t no use. Now you been and set the whole island on fire†. This shows also that Piggy had common sense by wanting to build the shelters on the beach first, which might be boring, but better than the doing exciting things first like the other boys think. The writer also uses Piggy as a symbol of intelligence and civilisation. This however did not benefit the rest of the boys directly. If this was the case, he probably would not have been victimised at the end. The main reason for this might be that he did not have any leadership qualities, as an obese person, having asthma and wearing glasses would not be able to do certain things. His look did not fit into the profile of a powerful leader and he did not have the charisma a leader needs. Instead of this Piggy’s intelligence was used and published by Ralph, which left him with nothing to tell the group that they would recognise. This made Piggy even more of a victim because nobody apart from Ralph really noticed Piggy’s intelligence. Ralph needed Piggy and that is why he was able to notice his intelligence. Piggy was someone who reminded Ralph back to civilisation when his thoughts began to drift away. Piggy knows all sorts of things like at the beginning he finds and also tells Ralph how to use the conch and that it would make a noise, which would then call all the boys together. This also shows his intelligence. The physical appearance of Piggy is his biggest fallback of his ideas he puts into the assemblies. Often his ideas are completely ignored, because nobody recognises how important they might be. Because Piggy is very sensitive too and Jack continuously bullies him, he does not get any respect from the other boys. The fact that Jack is successful in doing this to Piggy, other boys get frustrated and choose to ignore him and follow Jack’s influence. Once rules are established, in Piggy’s eyes, breaking them is unthinkable because he stays civilised throughout the whole novel. On several places in the book he says â€Å"I’ve got the Conch. Let me speak† and a lot of referring to the conch because he sees the conch as an important symbol unlike the other boys. Whereas the other boys on the island do not care about rules at all Piggy cares a lot about them. He is unable to adapt the living without law and order and does not comprehend why the other boys can. Piggy gets killed in the end because Jack’s tribe gets fed up with Piggy and his importance of the conch and rules. By the treatment of Jack’s tribe towards Piggy Golding wants to show that a society also needs a scapegoat. The boys choose Piggy because of his physical appearance and because they do not understand his intelligence and the need of it. By picking Piggy as the scapegoat they make themselves feel better. Jack, who bullies him most, also slaps him on the mountain because he knows that Piggy will not be able to take revenge on him as Piggy is a fat boy having asthma. This makes Piggy a victim too, because it shows that everyone on the island could do anything to Piggy without worrying that he might not revenge. Even the name ‘Piggy’ makes him a victim. I think Golding called him so because he is the victim of the island. His name is used as he is the prey of the island just like the pigs that are killed for food. This is done to show how society victimises people. In conclusion Piggy’s character is the symbol of civilisation and intelligence. He mainly becomes a victim because of his physical appearance and his inability to do certain things because of his asthma. I think Golding chose to victimise Piggy because he wanted to make the reader feel sympathy towards a civilised, kind and intelligent character, no matter how his physical appearance is.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

buy custom The Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering essay

buy custom The Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering essay The Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering What do we see on TV or in magazines? - Ideal slim and sporty Photoshoped models. Whom we are admiring? Intellectual, multi-task active positive person. Idealization is in the core of people minds which transformed into a fetish today. Gyms, dietitians, plastic surgery are all selling us the perfect image we have to imitate. How about ideal food with the best nutrition features? How to win a fight against deadly diseases? Genetic engineering can be a solution, the perspectives of this new born science is sky high. The society has already added on their armoury genetic engineering, but in the process of targeting hot issues a human had found a lot of ambiguous questions we still cant answer objectively. The scientific progress is growing and advancing so rapidly that people cant find solutions huge ethical dilemmas. Every progress has the side effect of its own. Where are milestones of genetic engineering hiding? Genetic engineering is a course when specific features, genes are taken from one organism and inserted into another (plant or animal). Off course long time before this science appeared farmers tried to yield the sweetest corn, the biggest potato, the most productive wheat etc. Same situation was with the livestock. They were selecting healthier and fatter animals to produce good stock in future. With the help of breeding technologies humanity had produced new breeds of animals and better quality plants. Lets recall brief history of genetic engineering. Right in the beginning of 1990s two grains was modified genetically, which were corn and cotton. A famous goat Dolly was genetically cloned in 1996. This fact brought high resonance among people. In 2003 first human genome was defined. Some scientists predict that by 2015, new parents will pay ten dollars to have their babys DNA sequence read at birth and placed in his or her medical file. (Kafka, 2009, 10) With every year scientists introduced new spheres where genetic engineering can function. The science has occupied the field of medicine, research, industry and agriculture. What gains this science brought to each field and what were the donts which caused so many questions among humanity? Medicine has adopted the best from genetic engineering. Since the beginning of its history the pharmacy field was based on medicinal features of herbs. Foxglove, wildflower, common mold are still a core of drug therapies. Animal parts were used to cure people as well. A lot of diabetics were saved due to the genetic engineering. In 1920 the scientists discovered that hormone insulin produced by pancreases. It has given the opportunity to debride it from the animal pancreases. The side effect was the strong allergic reaction in some diabetics. The recombining process of DNA was mastered and engineers had defined human insulin into bacteria which became a small factory for producing insulin and prevent future allergic reactions. The promising future of gene therapy is obvious. The process can repair or replace the defective genes which cause genetic diseases. Over past 10 years some autoimmune illnesses were treated by gene therapy. Engineers strongly believe that in future Huntingtons disease, cystic fibrosis and other illnesses with defective gene can be successfully cured by genes therapy or even through gene surgery. Pregnant women are insisting on scanning their fetuses on the genetic diseases. It can prepare parent for possible special requirements of a newborn. The scientists are researching the future possibilty to use gene therapy for the embryos before the process of in-vitro fertilization. Breeding has also added genetic engineering to their arsenal of creating new enhanced products. Sheep are farming for clotting protein for helping people to clot the blood and ATryn, which prevent peoples blood from thickening. Scottish biologist Helen Sang is incubating a plan to produce chicken eggs enhanced with proteins for treating a variety of human diseases. (Kafka, 2009, 14) The scientists from California are researching chicken eggs as well for the purpose of enhancing protein in them. The eggs are well known source of protein and growing quantity of it can help to treat different diseases. Agriculture is using genetic engineering in all fields. Genetically engineered food is spread all over the world. Food is modified for prevention different allergic reaction in consumers, for prolongation its life on shelves, increasing nutrition features and even to cure different diseases. Pros of genetically modified food (GMF) are variable so as the cons. The main advantage of GMF is the ability of controlling the emergence of concrete diseases. Certain products can cause specific allergic reactions, by modifying the DNA of concrete food the genes causes it eliminated successfully. The second profit is the fact that GM food grows faster that the natural one, it can be safe of plant pests, pesticides and insecticides. This feature makes GM cheaper than crops grown in natural form, which is very lucrative for the farmers as well as the consumers. Better nutritious abilities and long time life without spoiling are the remarkable pluses for both customers and suppliers. What about the donts of this science. After cloning the first animal people greeted the scientists all around the world for their magnificent impact into the science. As the genetic engineering leap further of its development the humanity stuck facing the questions of morality, ethics and simply what is right or wrong. Several years ago a deaf couple while planning their child has decided that their newborn has to be deaf as they are. We feel whole as deaf people and we want to share the wonderful aspects of our deaf community a sense of belonging and connectedness with children. We truly feel we live rich lives as deaf people. (Sandel, 2007, 1) When the story has appeared in newspaper it brought a lot of severe dispute. The main issue was the right to choose for the future human being disabled for the rest of his life. The freedom of choice is one of the substantial virtues a human being has. A future child with implied characteristics beforehand lacks this freedom. In this case a f uture human wont be able to speak only because its parents afraid he would have the advantage in front of them. Is it a huge selfishness? There are other parents who want their children have the best qualities for functioning in the particular society. It always depends on society what the exact features you will need to become successful and happy. What if a child planned with high mathematical abilities could be the best dancer or artist? We will never know. The human nature of controlling and idealizing everything around can play bad tricks for the humanity. The future genetic engineering can possibly prolong the longevity of human life. Demographical boom is already the problem of our planet today, the longer life can be a disaster. High price of genetic engineering can also cause the increasing of social and economical inequality. Wealthy layer will have more possibilities to create super humans and as the result the ordinary people will suffer from bad treatment and lack of an y ambitions and possibilities. There is one case occurred in California. A woman named Julie has lost her pet, which was the delight of her life, she has found out an organization cloning cats. She paid for 50000$ for the identical copy of her pet. After this accident the company reduced the price to 32000$ per cat and revealed their new strategy to make 100000$ per cloned dog. If you feel that your kitten doesnt suf%uFB01ciently resemble the genetic donor, well refund your money in full with no questions asked.(Sandel, 2007, 4) Doesnt it sound weird to create home pets by cloning instead of taking new ones? If talking about disadvantages of agricultural usage of genetic engineering it is impossible to mention that the consequences of GM food arent digested properly. Instead of useful nutrition such food can cause harm to our bodies. According to some scientists opposed to genetic engineering GMF can be a reason for developing illnesses immune to the antibiotics. Some of the antagonists claim that the using such food can boost the development of cancer. Many suppliers of modified food simply suppress the information that their products have GM ingredients. In this case a customer cant be sure which product is modified and which isnt. One of the biggest layers of opponents is religious and some cultural sectors. The idea of developing modified food seems unnatural for many humans as well. The fact that this kind of food can harm other species in our nature surroundings is worrying too. There is another social problem which can put developing countries in dependent position of industrializ ed countries, because the last will be able to control food supplies all over the world. The main problem with the genetic engineering itself is the lack of knowledge in this science. As it was mentioned above this field is very young and the impact on human body is absolutely unpredictable. First positive results can cause some negative ones in the future generation. That is why most people now avoid GM food. How to answer the questions in the cases when the ethical and moral rules collide with genetic engineering? Is this science for good or for bad? How to depict the right resolving of the problem? It is not the issue that we need this kind of knowledge, it is already saved a lot of lives and brought new perspectives into vary fields of science. Now a mother can be aware beforehand if her child will have genetic illnesses or not. A lot of ill people can find a cure through genetic engineering, food can have a lot of new features. An allergic to oranges can eat modified fruit with no fright to have problems with health. The opposition to the pros arguments stands moral values people cant deny. Personal freedom can be very fast thrown back if the parents will be designing the future generation. It is a big fright that we at the end allow the cloning of a person and the idea of uniqueness of a person will vanish with the word. It is normal to be afraid about the impact of experiments with the genes implanted into the different organisms, crops and animals and vice versa. It is difficult to predict what new illnesses can cause MD food. What if well have genomes of animals or vegetables? However it is difficult to deliberate and to say for sure what new possibilities and features genetic engineering will bring us. Lack of researches of side effects and the science itself due to a short time of this field existence makes totally impossible answering all these questions. Buy custom The Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering essay

Monday, October 21, 2019

Leith Hamilton in Domino Movie

Leith Hamilton in Domino Movie The paper is an examination of the movie Domino produced by Slva Basmajian and Shanti Thakur in 1995. The movie generally makes the viewers understand the stories about six individuals who are from different racial origins.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Leith Hamilton in Domino Movie specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It explores the major issues of identity, cultural isolation as well as searching for community. Despite the fact that there is one major ‘race’, the individuals from interracial origin seem to undergo a number of serious experiences as they are categorized, bringing a challenge to them while trying to embrace the cultures of their parents. In the video Domino, the theme comes out clearly through the personal accounts of the actors. Each among them Hamilton recount the manner with which their identity was affected by what their parents went through, politics within the family as well as hie rarchies issues relating to race, gender as well as social class. Social structures are patterned social arrangements that form a society which differently determines the kinds of actions persons take within a socialized setting. One major social structure that dictated the situation in which Hamilton was in while he was a child was the family social economic status. It is worth noting that such social stratification played a major role on how he was interacting with others. Hamilton in most cases had a rough time interacting with children of pure Chinese or black decent only because he was interracial. Being from a mixed racial origin, this factor was used to classify his family. It was only those individuals that were deemed ‘pure’ to hold the upper social class hence a stronger economic status (Video Domino). Additionally, it is worth noting that being of a Chinese and an African decent he was often in pain of deciding what culture to follow while carrying on with hi s day to day activities. There are instances that he felt like taking an action driven by cultures and norms from the Chinese background. Similarly his skin colour played a major part in his life especially during interaction with others. He was neither black nor Chinese and this worked against his abilities to easily interact with other children without being prejudiced.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More More importantly, family dynamism as well as religion shaped the social life of Hamilton in terms of who he was able to interact with. Hamilton noted that there are a number of children who will adopt one racial background over the other despite the fact that they are interracial and work hard to be strong with regards to such a racial background. However whatever it is done in the outside nothing happens inside such individuals. Although am not from an interracial backg round, I happened to have a close friend while I was in elementary school whom parents were of Korea and Africa origin. Being her close friend I noted with concern the sad experiences she was going through. Some students used to scold her based on her racial background. There were incidences where she was not allowed to play with other students; this made her sad. As her friend I played a bigger role in making others stop to a certain degree from scolding her. She used to confide to me how she was being torn between following her mother’s or father’s norms and beliefs. From the review of the film Domino it has been established that individual from interracial background undergo painful and mixed experiences. A social structure dictates realms of individual possibilities. Work Cited Domino: Interracial People and the Search for Identity. Dir. Shanti Thakur. Prod. Slva Basmajian and Shanti Thakur. DVD. Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1995.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Get a raise without asking for one

Get a raise without asking for one You’ve put in the time and work and want to see the results in your paycheck. But while just simply steeling yourself and asking might be your most direct bet, it’s tough. Many of us probably would rather suffer along with our current measly salaries than actually get up the courage to face our managers in person. If this sounds like you, never fear: there are ways of asking for a raise without directly asking for a raise. If you’re backwards about coming forwards, here’s what to try.Be everybody’s go-to guy or gal.If there’s a crisis or a conundrum, be the team member everybody else turns to: the port in a storm, the level head, or the problem solver. Bonus points if you’re also the one everybody likes and trusts the most.Do more/better.If you can bring on extra clients or customers or drastically cut cost by switching to a new supplier? Aces. Show your value by helping the company grow or by making a direct influence on its bottom li ne- especially if your company is suffering. If you don’t help bring in more business, how can they even afford to up your pay?Do everything you were hired to do- extremely well- plus take on as many additional value-adding projects as you can. If you rock everything you take on, everyone around you will notice.Make your boss look good.Your boss is human and therefore susceptible to this kind of vanity. Remember: she probably wants a pay bump as much as you do. Do whatever you can to make her look good and she’ll probably be more inclined to help you out by seeing that you receive extra monetary appreciation. After all, she’ll want to keep you around so the good work and accolades continue.Do the grunt work.You know those hot potato projects nobody wants to touch? That work no one wants to do? Volunteer and do it with style and vigor. Not only your boss will appreciate this- your whole team will be grateful and have you to thank. And the more popular you are com e review time, the better your odds of getting upgraded in the salary department.Get someone on the inside.If possible, seek out an advocate within your company- someone high up enough who really knows your capabilities and has influence over decisions. It could be your boss or another mentor within the company. Find someone you know likes you and your work to sing your praises when the time comes- a trusted company voice lobbying for you is gold come review time.Make yourself irreplaceable.The more you render yourself indispensable, the more valuable you become. If your boss and company realize they could not perform without you, they’ll do what it takes to keep you around.Go beyond your job description.Don’t just get good at what you do and train up on the skills and experience you need for your specific job. Inform yourself on current industry trends and the evolution of your field and company. Follow the latest developments and challenges and start thinking about p ossible changes you can make within your company. Ask the questions the higher-ups don’t have time to delve into and find viable solutions. There’s no way people won’t notice you if you make a long-lasting change that gets tangible results.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Review Based on the Book Educational Studies Essay

Review Based on the Book Educational Studies - Essay Example Within the context of this paper, I will discuss how community, family, technology, society, and relationships all have a strong effect on the quality of education children get and whether they decide to go to college. The quality of the education a child gets also determines if they become lifelong learners, leaders, and have confidence in themselves and their abilities as they grow and develop throughout life. Family, society, and classmates all play a significant role in how children develop their sense of self and their self-esteem (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). The development of this sense of self has a strong impact on the ability of the child to excel in academics, sports, and it will also affect their thoughts on higher education (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). Children that have low self-esteem tend to think poorly about their abilities and may not think they are capable of learning the complex curriculum taught in today’s schools. A strong sense of self enables t he child to have the courage to explore their surroundings, engage in activities, and develop their sense of self (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). Culturally responsive teaching is an important factor in helping young children learns to develop a positive sense of self (Sadker and Zittleman, 2009). From birth, children are gathering knowledge of their own culture from the people around them and they use this information in the development of their self-image (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). ... Biological factors include inherited or genetic traits, personality or temperament, and physical and health attributes, like disabilities or premature birth (Sorte, Daeschel, and Amador, 2011). These factors don’t just play an influential role in the development of the child, but can also have a negative affect on the relationship that the child has with their caregivers (Sorte, Daeschel, and Amador, 2011). Environmental factors include the child’s family, the neighborhood they live in, and the presence of environmental toxins, like second-hand smoke (Sorte, Daeschel, and Amador, 2011). These factors can effect a child’s social and emotional development by adding stress to the child’s family life (Sorte, Daeschel, and Amador, 2011). Relationships with other children that are not related to them and the values and attitudes of their teachers add additional influences to the child’s development (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). All these influences are the effects of socialization or the child’s nurturing environment (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). The nature of the child is determined mostly by biological factors and plays a vital role in the way the child learns (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). Programs that create supportive environments, provide time for unstructured play, and allow the child to establish caring relationships with others will help the child gain the tools they need to be successful in the future (Sorte, Daeschel, and Amador, 2011). The standards of a supportive environment are: small group sizes, developmentally appropriate curriculum, competent instructors, and parents that are involved with the child’s

Friday, October 18, 2019

Physical Restraint Use on People with Dementia Essay

Physical Restraint Use on People with Dementia - Essay Example (Koch Susan and Lyon Cheryl, 2001) Purely clinical emergency necessitating medical care on dementia patients does not pose any problem for the attending health staff and nurses. Dementia patients at this juncture are either passive or unconscious. Use of physical restraints on these types of patients does not arise. When the patients turn aggressive, the progress of medical attendance is blocked. This prompts the nursing staff to use physical restraints on the patients. Immediate attention towards reducing the aggression of the dementia patients dilutes the emergency in the atmosphere. Dementia patients suddenly turn hostile towards the attending nurses and agitate for reasons not known to the staff and not expressible by the patients. Agitation refers to a range of behaviors associated with dementia, including irritability, sleeplessness and verbal or physical aggressions. Often these types of behavior problems progress with stages of dementia, from mild to more severe. Pilot resear ch studies designed to measure how agitation manifested, to measure the severity of agitation and to identify the nursing practices used to manage and their outcome revealed in the past that nurse actions triggered the majority of most highly rated episodes of agitated behavior in dementia patients. Three databases CINHAL, PROQUEST, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC SOCIETY and BLACKWELL SYNERGY were searched using search terms 'dementia', 'physical restraints', and 'emergency'. On viewing the guidelines for using the physical restraints a book by Noreen Cavan Frisch is also found apt. Findings: On pressing the contents of the papers through the sieve of two main views extracted it is found that emergency arising out of aggressions of dementia patients is differently perceived by nurses and other beholders and safety related dilemma in nursing staff is due to the double sided pressure from both statutory enforcement and clinical guidelines for procedural therapy. EMERGENCY ARISING OUT OF AGGRESSIONS IN DEMENTIA PATIENTS: Gerry Farrel (2005) analyzed 28 aggression management-training programs and found that use of restraints on patients of mental health department is obligatory. Since the concentration of the research was mainly on industrial and other professional fields wherein aggression management programs are conducted, the stress of the same in mental health area is minimal although the authors made a mention that many of the AMPs did not address psychological aspects. (Gerry Farrell, Katrina Cubit, 2005) Some of the greatest challenges of nursing staff with the dementia patients are the personality and behavior changes that often occur. The nurses are given training to meet these challenges by using creativity, flexibility, patience and compassion. Before thinking of the decision to use physical restraints on the dementia patients so that treatment can take its smooth course, it is obligatory on the part of attending nurses to tactfully handle the troubling behavior of the patients. Trying to change the person

Biological differences between different populations. What kinds of Essay

Biological differences between different populations. What kinds of biological differences exist between contemporary humans - Essay Example Following a discussion about origins of biological differences, an account of the various differences observed among different populations is given. The work concludes by highlighting the importance of further research that is required to explore the mechanisms of biological differences further. Key words: differences, populations, biological Introduction If we take a closer look at the anatomical, psychological, behavioral and other aspects of the lives of people around the globe, it becomes clear that there are quite obvious differences that exist among populations. The blacks are well known for their stronger physique while the Asians are considered to have a comparatively higher IQ than other populations in general. Similarly, there are a number of diseases which are more prevalent among certain populations and totally non-existent in others. In terms of social behavior, people from certain populations are known for the aggressiveness while other are noted for being cool minded. These visibly apparent differences raise a number of questions regarding their true origins. Although, a simple approach would be to look for the causes in the political, social and religious spheres of life; yet a truly scientific approach would not miss the option of looking into the biological basis of such manifestations. Such queries may be directed towards delineating macroscopic differences in some cases; while in others the orientation of this quest should be towards exploring the microscopic explanations. Whether microscopic or macroscopic, the biological basis provides a rather novel explanation of the differences observed among various populations of the world as we shall see in the following lines. Discussion The origin of biological differences Human beings as a species have a history which is very rich in events of migration. Whether this migration was for the purpose of survival or for improvement of life standards, the ultimate result was a better adaptation of this species to the various environmental conditions of the planet. Exposure to new lands not only opened doors of opportunity to the migrated, but also provided them a means of intermingling with other population groups, thereby ensuring mating. Although various social and cultural hindrances limited such reproductive encounters; yet the biological aspect has always been favorable for them. In recent times, the promotion of concepts like 'globalization' and 'global village' have removed the remaining barriers to an extent where intermingling of genetic pools of different populations have become easier (Hagen). The basis of biological variation is genetic variation that not only exists among different species but is also observable within species. The basic code that determines the genotype and ultimately the phenotype of an organism is present in the cells of organisms in the form of DNA. The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) possesses specialized sequences of genetic information which are te rmed genes; the genes code for specialized proteins which are formed within cells and later perform dedicated functions. The transmission of genetic information from a generation to the next is by means of a specialized method of cell reproduction that is termed meiosis. Crossing-over that occurs between chromosomes during meiotic process ensures shuffling of genetic material; the shuffled genetic code is presented for genetic coding purposes to the next generation. Other methods of alteration in genetic code may include processes like mutations due to radiation or mediation etc. It is obvious from this discussion that transmission of genetic information is a random process, and the genetic pool of a given population is vibrant enough to bring about detectable

Thursday, October 17, 2019

British culture Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

British culture - Case Study Example His younger sister is still in the university undertaking bachelor of Medicine. Callum is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Neurosurgery. The interview was successful because Callum was cooperative and gave out all the information. I had to inform him first about the intention. I also assured him that the information will not be disclosed to anybody else. From the interview, I was able to get more information about the changing nature of masculinity, multiple identities, femininities, and cultural capital among British citizens. Gender identity is an aspect involved in the process of socializing and growth. There are some behaviors and activities associated with men and others women (Collins, 2009). In order to know Callum’s attitude towards masculinity, I had to ask him different questions regarding the differences in roles, cloths, behavior and talks between men and women. He claimed that he understood there some behaviors which he was not supposed to adopt, since they are made for women. He said that some dresses like pencils, hipster and cloths with multiple colors are made for women and he can not wear them. Further, he added that there are men suit and women suit and to be respected an individual should wear cloths in respect to gender. I had to ask him about the talks or the way in which men talk whether it is different from the women talk. He claimed that women are involved in gossips and he is not supposed to engage in gossips because they are made for women. He claimed that men talks are supposed to focus on life issues and not what other people do. He also claimed that men are not supposed to blink eyes or have facial movement while talking. He claimed that he can not talk the same way with women because that is lowering his dignity. In the society today, men who adopt the women’s way of life are not respected. He was more focused on the issue of masculinity because he also claimed that men should

Child Development and Parental Disorders Research Paper

Child Development and Parental Disorders - Research Paper Example There were three such respondents two of whom admitted to demonstration of pathological symptoms similar to that of their mentally estranged parents. There is a major implication derived from this for the study. Both the respondents who admitted to symptoms of mental disorders had high scores for psychosocial items included in the second part of the questionnaire. This proved that high degree of psychosocial trauma from childhood can trigger off psychiatric pathologies in later life while lesser degrees of it may be more benign. Conversely too, the study has proved ground for more development and research in this important field. It has revealed that a wider range of variables distributed across a broader spectrum of population can disclose more relevant correlations than is presently available. These correlations, once revealed, can lead to better understanding of how to cope with mental disorders in parents and how their children can be better shielded from their psychiatric pathology so that their development is not hampered and they do not fall victim to a vicious circle of psychologically inhibited adulthood. Genetic implication have been touched upon but not elucidated on since data available presently is not extensive enough. The4 statistical analysis conducted by the study was aband... Introduction The 'American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry' (AACAP) advocates that parental psychiatric illnesses can affect children (AACAP, 2004). Studies have proved that children with affected parents are at higher risk than those of mentally sound parents. The risk increases with both parents being mentally unsound. Studies have also proved that parents with the following disorders - bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, ADHD, schizophrenia, alcoholism, drug abuse or depression are more likely to adversely affect their children's behavioral and emotional positions (AACAP, 2004). The 'Center for Mental Health Services and Research' (CMHSR) Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, find in a 2001 study that, statistically, one-third of American women and one-fifth of American men are likely to be mentally affected. Of these, there is likelihood of 65% of the women and 52% of the men of becoming parents. Nevertheless, there have been very little corresponding studies on how incidence of parental mental illnesses and cultural and economic factors correlate to produce children's mental conditions. Thus, most of the studies conducted to this study's date - 2001 - are incidental purely on stressors such as poverty and ethnic minority status. Incidence in the Caucasoid and middle class sections of the American population has not been mapped so thoroughly. The net result is a gap in the understanding of how mental illnesses are distributed across the entire

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

British culture Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

British culture - Case Study Example His younger sister is still in the university undertaking bachelor of Medicine. Callum is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Neurosurgery. The interview was successful because Callum was cooperative and gave out all the information. I had to inform him first about the intention. I also assured him that the information will not be disclosed to anybody else. From the interview, I was able to get more information about the changing nature of masculinity, multiple identities, femininities, and cultural capital among British citizens. Gender identity is an aspect involved in the process of socializing and growth. There are some behaviors and activities associated with men and others women (Collins, 2009). In order to know Callum’s attitude towards masculinity, I had to ask him different questions regarding the differences in roles, cloths, behavior and talks between men and women. He claimed that he understood there some behaviors which he was not supposed to adopt, since they are made for women. He said that some dresses like pencils, hipster and cloths with multiple colors are made for women and he can not wear them. Further, he added that there are men suit and women suit and to be respected an individual should wear cloths in respect to gender. I had to ask him about the talks or the way in which men talk whether it is different from the women talk. He claimed that women are involved in gossips and he is not supposed to engage in gossips because they are made for women. He claimed that men talks are supposed to focus on life issues and not what other people do. He also claimed that men are not supposed to blink eyes or have facial movement while talking. He claimed that he can not talk the same way with women because that is lowering his dignity. In the society today, men who adopt the women’s way of life are not respected. He was more focused on the issue of masculinity because he also claimed that men should

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Small business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Small business - Assignment Example This report discusses Entrepreneurial mind sets are difficult to define, but they are within the realm of psychological dispositions which are entrenched in customs and worldviews. According to Dweck (2006), there is a distinction between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, and personalities in the former believes that intelligence is inherent while the latter acknowledges that success and results depend on effort. In business, a growth mindset can bring more value than a fixated mindset, a mental tool that empowers one to initiate change. This is the entrepreneurial trait approach and according to this model, an entrepreneur is often defined within certain traits, often an interaction with the inner self manifest in the manner I which they control, plan, Set goals; take risk, decision making and independence. In literature, a focus on the difference between and an entrepreneur and one who lacks such skills have been brought to the fore. Brockhaus (1980) empirical study noted that an entrepreneur brings value addition to the business through risk taking propensity, a trait lacking in the majority of the population he studied. ChelL (2008) asserts that an entrepreneur is driven by the need for achievement, a locus of control, the social constructionism theory. With such a drive and push in the business environment, of priority to such a personality would to find innovative ways to bring change to the business. According to Storey (2011) optimism and chance theory best explains the mindset of an entrepreneur. According to the theory, entrepreneurs are not attracted to the conventional way of conducting normal business, rater they pounce on a chance to bring different perspectives to the normal ways of business. According to Mcgrath & Macmillan (2009)Â  an entrepreneurial mind set typically goes for the goals and stops functioning by the ground rules. The writers distinguishes a manager from an entrepreneur and notes that the former

History of 5 Bowen Road Essay Example for Free

History of 5 Bowen Road Essay Look at any old photo of pre-1950 Hong Kong and the hillsides above the city were dotted with handsome verandah type homes like this one. From the Mid-levels up to The Peak, every successful European merchant, official, compradore or trader scrambled to put up a mansion befitting their perceived status in colonial society. This home was built in 1914 by the property company, Hongkong Land Investment and Agency Company Ltd. Its Devonian name ’Iddesleigh’ (pronounced Idslee) derived from the origins of its occupant, A Mr. Â  Mowbray Stafford Northcote secretary of the Hongkong Land Investment and Agency Company, who was an honorary correspondent to the magazine ‘Devonia’ and was related to the Earl of Iddesleigh. In common with many structures which were built on Hong Kongs precipitous hillsides, the house stands on a handsome, terraced granite base. When built, the house would have had sweeping views across the harbour and its verandahs would have been open to the elements. Three-storey building built in neo-classical style, Corinthian columns, bow arch, decorated with carved eaves and rich ornate interior decoration, showing the lofty building owner socioeconomic status. The top of the building facade reflects its ornate pediment architectural style influenced by the Baroque. During the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945), this building was requisitioned as the home for the Japanese Imperial Naval commander. After liberation at the end of the Second World War, the house was occupied by the Royal Navy and it would later become the official residence of the senior RN officer in Hong Kong, the Commodore-in-Charge and has been better known as the Commodores House since 1952. In 1979, the building was handed over to the Hong Kong Government. In 1990, the building was allocated for charity Mothers Choice Baby Nursing and residential special child care centers.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Business Essays Entrepreneurs Business Knowledge

Business Essays Entrepreneurs Business Knowledge Entrepreneurs Business Knowledge Literature Review Several studies have shown that entrepreneurial ventures are one of the main contributors of new firms (Storey 1994). An increasing number of people in the UK are starting or are considering starting up their own business. These individuals are commonly known as ‘entrepreneurs’. The word entrepreneur was of French origin which evolved into meanings such as people who take risks, and founders of businesses (Hennessy 1980). They have evolved from simple merchants to more sophisticated corporate men. Entrepreneurs can also be defined as ‘people who organise and manage a business undertaking, assuming the risk for the sake of profit’ (yourdictionary.com 2008), however there is much more to entrepreneurship than a simple definition. There are different types of entrepreneurs who possess certain traits that make them successful in business. Research carried out by Kortschak (2008) discusses five traits that successful entrepreneur’s small and medium-sized companies share: Making strategic decisions based on limited data – good entrepreneurs tend to make decisions based on 80% of the data they have to hand, as they understand that waiting to learn more could mean a missed opportunity. Learning from mistakes – this trait is often seen in serial entrepreneurs who have experienced one or more business failures, which they often learn more from that mistake than the success. Understanding their own weaknesses – the best entrepreneurs understand their area of expertise, strengths, and weaknesses. Even though they have a general understanding of other disciplines they realise they lack knowledge in other areas for example, technical. In this case the successful entrepreneur would hire experts who can complement their skills. Spot patterns and key data – Kortschak (2008) identifies that the common environment in which an entrepreneur enters is dynamic where the structure of the industry, the nature of the customer base, or they overall way of doing business has not yet been determined. Successful entrepreneurs who run their companies are generally confident in building structure where none is in place; in addition to identifying patterns they are able to separate relevant information from irrelevant data. Partnering successfully with others – success in business is mainly about partnership. It is important for an entrepreneur to communicate well with others to work with fellow partners in agreeing business decisions and to communicate well with their team in accomplishing business objectives. Poor communication and being unable to work with others results in an unsuccessful business. It has been said many times that there is an entrepreneur behind every successful business. This can be due to a number of reasons but the one that many tend to overlook is personalities. One of the reasons for most successes is that the entrepreneur with the right personality and attitude was right for that particular business, for example, Bill Gates was seen as ‘The Visionary’ for his innovative ideas, and Anita Roddick, founder of Body Shop was seen as ‘The Improver’ as she wanted to improve the environment using natural ingredients in her products and ridding harsh chemicals and animal testing of cosmetics. Zahorsky (2008) identifies that there are nine personality types of entrepreneurs: The Improver – with this personality type the entrepreneur is more focused on using their company as a means to improve the world / environment. They have an ability to run their business with high integrity and ethics. Example of an entrepreneur, Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop. The Advisor – this business personality types provides a high level of assistance and advice to customers. The motto with this personality type is the customer is right and everything must be done to please them. This personality types build their companies to become customer focused. Example of an entrepreneur, John Nordstrom, Founder of Nordstrom. The Superstar – with this personality type the business is normally centred around the charisma and high energy of the superstar CEO and more than often the business is built around the entrepreneurs own personal brand. Example of an entrepreneur, Donald Trump, CEO of Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts. The Artist – with this personality type the entrepreneur will tend to build their business around the unique talents and creativities they posses for other businesses demanding creativity such as web design. Example of entrepreneur, Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert. The Visionary – an entrepreneur with the visionary personality type will most likely be based on the future vision and thoughts of the founder. This personality type will have a high degree of curiosity to understand the world around you and set up plans to avoid the problems. Example of entrepreneur, Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft Inc. The Analyst – this personality type is often the basis for science, engineering, or computing firms that are well known for problem solving. The entrepreneur possessing this personality type will run their business as an analyst and always focus on fixing problems in a logical way. Example of entrepreneur, Gordon Moore, Intel Founder. The Fireball – the entrepreneur with this personality type will be full of life, energy, and optimism. Their company would make customers feel the firm has a ‘get it done’ attitude in a fun way. Example of entrepreneur, Malcolm Forbes, Publisher, Forbes Magazine. The Hero – the business run by the hero personality type would have an incredible will and ability to lead their company through any challenge and can assemble great companies. Example of entrepreneur, Jack Welch, CEO GE. The Healer – the healer personality provides nurturing and harmony to their business and an ability to survive with an inner calm. Example of entrepreneur, Ben Cohen, Co-Founder of Ben Jerry’s Ice Cream. An entrepreneur’s business personality types and traits are some of the key success factors that blend with the needs of the business. With this combination businesses excel further. The media gives a great deal of attention to those who start their businesses with nothing and turning it into large successful organisation. An increasing number of entrepreneurs are young individuals with fresh ideas and an energetic attitude. However an entrepreneur’s age, educational background, and previous business-related experience is not as nearly as important as his or her desire to learn and willingness to bounce back from the obstacles associated with creating a new business endeavour (a trait that successful entrepreneurs share). A typical entrepreneur starts their business by using their savings, re-mortgaging their house, or borrowing from friends or family at a low or interest free rate which can be beneficial when starting out. Eventually the business starts to grow or the finance sources start to dry up, either way the business is in need of financing, which is defined as ‘money to implement a project; it is usually used to mean money lent, or equity provided’ (mos.gov 2008). When small businesses have actually become successful and have a track record then venture capital firms and banks will consider funding the business. Venture capitalists are defined as ‘professionally managed organisational investors’ (Harrison and Mason 1992). Even though banks are a popular and major source of finance for new and growing businesses, they have become less willing to lend money to new ventures (Mason and Harrison 1995, business angel book). Research from Oates (1992) suggests that major retail banks are apprehensive to financing new ventures after the losses in the early 1900s. Prior to this banks had been willing provide high levels of funds to finance start-up and expanding businesses, this was during the macro-economic boom of the mid 1980s (Murray 1994 business angel book). However the recession following this growth led to a considerable increase in the number of small businesses failing. The bank of England’s quarterly bulletin in February 1994 reported that throughout the recession (1992 – 1993) business failures had risen to 55,000 a year. This compared to a more normal rate in the 1980s had more than doubled, and the vast majority of these failures were in the small business sector. Thus the effect of this was a substantial increase in bad debts suffered by banks. The strain of these bad debts and their negative impacts on profits led to banks being reluctant to finance businesses that have just started out. Smith (1994 business angel book) suggests that many banks prefer to use short-term overdraft finance rather than long-term, fixed-rate financial packages. This is because shorter-term packages are not as damaging when the business experiences financial difficulties, however banks will cater for new businesses that have an extremely strong and promising proposal. This has led banks to avoid financing small / medium sized firms, thus leaving a gap in the market for financing smaller businesses. The venture capital industry in the UK is very well developed but does not adequately cater for young businesses. Murray (1994, business angel book) views the venture capital industry as not being a major source of finance for entrepreneurial ventures. One of the reasons why most venture capitalists avoid small business investments is because they are not pleased with administrative tasks that come with these investments, especially when the likely return is not substantial and does not compensate the amount of work required for young entrepreneurial ventures. According to Smith (1994 business angel book) venture capital firms focus more a great deal on management buyouts and the development of established existing businesses, rather than new ventures. Due to this stance of venture capitalists it has led them away from the small / medium sized firms, which also has resulted in a gap for new entrepreneurial ventures. The table ? below highlights some of the main differences between business angels and venture capitalists. Table ? – Business Angels vc Venture Capitalists Source: www.1000ventures.com As it can be seen from table there are many differences between business angels and venture capitalists. The table highlights an imperative point discussed earlier of business angels investing at the start-up / early stage of a small business whereas venture capitalists invest at a later stage of medium to large organisations. The table also shows that business angels are more active and hands on in their investments (active angels) whereas the venture capitalists are more strategic. The gap between family/friends and banks is often referred to as an ‘equity gap’. Financial Times interviewed Peter Jones (an extremely successful entrepreneur and investor) who quotes that there is a funding gap out there for entrepreneurs starting out and that finance is available for them but very hard to find and at this stage for an entrepreneur it is probably the single most biggest hurdle (Moules, Financial Times, 2006). The challenge of overcoming this equity gap is amongst one of the topmost reasons for small businesses not achieving their full potential. According to an article in The Guardian most entrepreneurs overcome this obstacle by obtaining finance from ‘Business Angel’s’ (Kollewe 2007, Guardian). Business Angels are successful entrepreneurs running successful businesses, they invest in budding entrepreneurs in return for a percentage of the business and tend to invest in businesses that have the potential to return a healthy profit. The term angel was originated by Broadway insiders in the early 1900s to describe wealthy theatre-goers who made high risk investments in theatrical productions (Mason 2005). The term business angel was given to those individuals who perform essentially the same function in a business context (Benjamin and Margulis 2000). However, this type of business financing has only become significant since the 1950s and 1960s. Business angels are now defined as private, wealthy individuals who invest their own money as well as their time in small, young, unquoted companies with whom they have no family connections (Deakins and Freel 2003). BNET.com (2007) defines business angels as an affluent individual who provides capital for a business, typically an equity investment. It is well known that angels rarely loan money without any strings attached (i.e. investing in return for a percentage of the business equity); they most often support entrepreneurs and new businesses. Landstrom (1993) states that most business angels have the same characteristics overall. He profiles them as heterogeneous group of people, as almost all business angels are or have been entrepreneurs from different backgrounds. However research carried out by Coveney and Moore (1998) suggests that there is more to a business angel than just wanting to make money. Coveney and Moore (1998) discuss that there are six different types of business angels. (See table 1 – table of different angels in book page 11). Entrepreneur Angels – these are the most active angels and experienced investors. They tend to have been successful entrepreneurs and now looking for ways to diversify their portfolio or expand their current business. They are well known for making frequent and large scale investments, not just for financial gain but for satisfaction of making investments and interacting with the founders/managers. They are also considerable wealthier than other individual business angels. Corporate Angels – these are companies that make angel type investments. These types of angels have been found to invest larger funds than other business angels and have corporate resources at their disposal (Coveney and Moore 1998). They tend to invest mainly for financial gain. Income Seeking Angels – are active business angels who make few and small investments for financial gain and to generate income/job for themselves. Wealth Maximising Angels – are a group of active business angels who have made several investments in new and growing ventures, they make their investments primarily for financial gain. They are generally wealthy but not as wealthy as entrepreneur angels. Latent Angels – these angels are inactive angels who have made one or two investments in the past but not in the last three years. Latent angels are self made private individuals who are very wealthy and have vast amounts of funds to invest. When looking to invest latent angels will be concerned with location of the venture as they would prefer to invest in opportunities close to home, as shown in table (ba v svc)?. Virgin Angels are angels who have not made an investment as of yet but are looking to finance new and growing businesses to create an income for themselves and to increase the return on their investment as much as they can. Virgin angels have fewer funds to invest than active angels. According to Mason and Harrison (1995)(business angels book) there are more virgin angels than active angels and that if half of the virgin angels became active then the total informal venture capital market would grow to ten times the size of formal venture capital market. Most of the time angels prefer to be ‘active angels’ as they like to invest in ventures and monitor their investments to ensure success. Similarly they prefer to invest in new young companies that are at their start-up stage and within close proximity to their home or work place (Harrison et al 2003). However research shows that although angels prefer to be active angels there are more virgin angels than active. (please see chart below). Chart ? – Business Angel market could become 10 times larger Source: www.1000ventures.com Chart (above) shows that in 2000 there were more virgin angels recorded than active angels, this suggests that there are reasons for business angels not being active in investing in entrepreneurial ventures. If the virgin angels could find the right venture to invest in then the business angel market could potentially increase significantly. Could this be solved by angels den? Mason and Harrison (1995)(business angel book) state that most small / medium sized businesses are successful because of the right angel that has backed the business. This could also suggest that the wrong angel could mean failure of the business which is not the case as business angels have experience in all areas of running an organisation but are experts in certain areas, thus this does not mean the business would be unsuccessful. As mentioned earlier Business Angels fulfil an increasingly important funding niche, as banks only loan capital at interest, and venture capitalists invest relatively large sums generally when businesses wish to expand (see appendix I), which leaves the angels to support numerous new businesses each year. The critical issue for young vibrant businesses is finding sufficient funding for start-up and growth (Southon, Financial Times, 2008). Most entrepreneurs first look to banks, and venture capitalists for funding, these sources however can fund only a small percentage of businesses. It is now common for young businesses to find funding from business angels as they cater for this funding niche. The involvement of banks investing in entrepreneurs is lower than the venture capitalist investments (Fiet and Fraser 1994). Some of the benefits of banks entering venture capital finance are discussed by Fiet and Fraser (1994). One of these benefits suggests that the participation of banks would contribute to the elimination of the widely reported capital gap that may exist for funding new ventures. However due to the low involvement of banks investing in new and young entrepreneurs this has increased the involvement of business angels. There have been surprisingly few attempts to compare business angels with non-investors (banks). This is largely due to the fact that their exact population is unknown, however as mentioned earlier a number of studies show that there has been a significant increase in recent years. It is evident from Fiet and Fraser’s (1994) research that business angels provide much more funds for new businesses than venture capital firms and banks, yet their existence is not as well known as banks. Mason and Harrison (1995)(business angel book) state that the reason for business angels not being well know as other investments is because many of the investments made by business angels goes unrecorded by the government due to the scale of investments. Research undertaken by Macht (2007) discusses the post-investment period of business angels and their involvement and impact upon their investments. This study focuses solely on business angels where a survey was administrated online and electronically to business angels to explore their involvement and impact on their investments after the investment had been made, hence post-involvement. This was a useful analysis of why business angels invest and what motivates them. However the research does not consider the entrepreneurs or any other investment when the analysis was carried out. The study by Macht (2007) could add value to this research when assessing what factors business angels contribute in their investment and what sets them apart from banks. There are many banks offering loans to entrepreneurs to either start up their business or support the expansion of the business. Banks requires a thorough business plan submitted for them to evaluate whether the individual is credit worthy, whether they will be able to pay their loan, and within what timescale. According to Small Business Administration (SBA) the most common way entrepreneurs finance their growing or expanding business is through banks (SBA 2008). Banks provide the finance needed if the individual can demonstrate the ability to keep in business, and their ability to repay the loan and meet the firms other obligations. SBA (2008) state that a more difficult route of obtaining finance is from business angels and venture capitalists as these individuals and firms assist companies to grown in exchange for equity or partial ownership. (refer to appendix – show a graph of a business life cycle, i.e. start-up, expansion, maturity etc). SBA (2008) claim that there is no such thing as one hundred percent financing and that it would be required from the entrepreneur to invest some funds into the business before a lender will provide financing, especially banks. However research has shown that business angels have financed entrepreneurial ventures one hundred percent based on the entrepreneurs idea / invention. Dragons Den has become a popular show on television where a group of angels form a network to invest in budding entrepreneurs who pitch their business ideas to the business angels. It has become apparent from this program that business angels have provided one hundred percent finance in entrepreneurial ventures. When applying for finance to business angels they generally would want to know details of the entrepreneur’s current financial situation and background, however with banks it is much more complex than this. There are several questions a bank would need answers to before they would consider any application for a business loan such as, the specific purpose of the loan, the amount you are requesting, when and how long you would need the funds, how the loan will be repaid, what collateral will be used, and whether the business owners will provide a personal guaranty of some sort. A typical loan request involves the following components: Statement of purpose – outlining your purpose of the loan, what it will be needed for, and for how long etc. Business plan – outlining what the business does and it’s short and long term goals. Financial statements this will outline the financial capacity and performance of the business which is important as it will give the lender an insight to how you have generated revenue in the past and how you will continue to do so in the future. A thorough complete loan application alone would not suffice when borrowing funds from a bank. Further evaluation would need to be done on an individual’s financial background to see if they are credit worthy, this is different to the evaluation of the business financials. According to Barclays Plc bank, there are three aspects of credit in making loans decisions which are outlined below. Character – a check on your financial status and personal credit history. Capacity – having sufficient cash flow to pay off the loan. Collateral – providing assurance to the lenders as a last resort should the business not prove profitable. Collateral is a key aspect when applying for finance to a bank. Banks would want to lower the risk of lending as much as possible so that they would feel more confident the loan would be paid on time and in full, which is why they require security on assets, i.e. house, car. Majority of banks offer various loan packages for those wishing to start up or expand their business. This is with the intention to suit the loan to the needs of the particular business. For example, a common loan that banks offer are the small business start up loan package, which are only available on a guaranty basis. The small business loans are not fully guaranteed by the Government where normally if a payment default occurs; the Government will reimburse the lender for its loss up to a certain percentage. To be eligible for a small business loan the firm must not exceed one hundred employees in a wholesale business, or generate more than $21 million in annual revenue (HSBC 2008). This varies for a manufacturing firm (please refer to appendix ? – SBA slides 15). In addition to this, assistance cannot be proved to non-profit organisations, firms involved in illegal activities, or a monopoly situation or businesses engaged in pyramid sales. The small business loan can be used for many purposes such as, purchase of land and buildings, long or short term working capital needs, or purchasing an existing business. Other loans offered by banks are special purpose loans, and basic micro-loans. The special purpose loans serve specific markets such as export markets. The special purpose loan is designed to be short lived that is only required at times of market needs. The basic micro-loans are small loans for small businesses who struggle to obtain conventional financing but have good prospects for repaying the loan back. The micro-loans are under $35,000 but on average the loan size is $13,000, according to Halifax bank plc. These loans help finance the equity gap however are subject to the entrepreneurs’ potential in repaying the loan. (need to find accurate referencing for these banks mentioned, also change $ to  £. P.s. click on slide link for info). As mentioned earlier, if approaching a business angel for finance then the business angel would need to know financial and background specifics of the entrepreneur and the venture. For an entrepreneur, preparing a business plan is vital whether it be for banks, venture capitalists, or business angels. The hardest part to obtaining finance from a business angel is to actually finding business angels, as business angels are not as publicly known as banks nor are they known for financing as many investments as banks do. Similarly it has been hard for business angels to finance investments due to a lack of access to a range of investments. Hughes (1996) found that business angels would invest more frequently if they had access to a better range of investments; however he also stated that many potential ventures which meet the minimum criteria of business angels still goes unfunded. This shows that the right type of business angel cannot gain access to the right type of venture. Recent research shows that in order to overcome the hurdle of the angel meeting the right investment, vice versus, business angels have come together to form networks (FT Moules 2007). This allows a group of angels to combine their funds together to offer larger investments for entrepreneurs needing larger finance. Thus the entrepreneur also benefits from having more than one business angel on board to provide the business with their expertise and knowledge. As mentioned earlier, Dragons Den is a group of business angels who invest in entrepreneurial ventures that are brought forward to them. There have been several cases where more than one angel has invested in the same venture. There has been further development of the traditional angel networks of meeting entrepreneurs face to face. Angels Den has been one of many to launch an online networking website that specifically aims to connect entrepreneurs with business angels (FT Moules 2007). How this works is that the users of this service would pay a small fee of around  £100 to pitch an idea to the websites private investors. If the idea is liked then entrepreneur must pay a larger fee of around  £400 to pitch a full business plan. From this point if the investor is interested in the pitch then a face to face meeting is arranged. The fees that are charged for these websites are to be said a ‘fraction of the cost of traditional marketing’, according to Financial Times 2007, Moules. Angels Den does not take equity stakes in funded businesses or a percentage cut from completed deals, and the service is free to business angels (angelsden.co.uk). The website encourages business angels to join which is free for them to do so; this is beneficial for entrepreneurs as it does not discourage business angels from joining hence increasing their chances of finding the right angel. This method is gradually becoming well known to the public thus increasing the exposure of business angels. It would therefore become much easier for entrepreneurs to find business angels and not feel banks and venture capitalists are the only accessible alternatives for finance, especially for those that have poor credit and no security to offer banks. It would also be easier for the government to measure the investment activity on annual basis and realise that business angels do make more investments than currently recorded that fill the equity gap (FT Mason, 2007). There had been attempts in the past to achieve similar objectives to the online networking sites as discussed above, these were referred to as business introduction services. They had tried to act as communicators between entrepreneurs seeking capital and interested potential investors; however this service did not exist online. According to Hughes (1996) these organisations had not been very successful in overcoming the problem of filling the equity gap, which still exists to this day. An article by the businesszone.co.uk states that one of the most common mistakes that individuals’ starting out in business make is assuming that they can reach their full potential by themselves. Whereas Dragons Den angels Theo Paphitis, and Peter Jones claim that the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make is over-estimating the value of their company and not having enough cash to sustain the business. As Theo Paphitis quotes â€Å"cash is king†. Even though business angels seem to be more beneficial as investors than banks Drury (2008)(nzherald.co.nz) states that the vast majority of business angel deals do not proceed well. This can be because companies can often take much more time than the angel had thought and also more cash than forecasted. This could also be because the angel that has made the investment is a first time angel investor and thus lack experience. Drury (2008) also states that some angel investors may not know they are an angel yet as anyone moderately wealthy could potentially be an angel if they find a venture to invest in. There are many ways to define beneficial, prenhall.co.uk defines beneficial as ‘producing or promoting a favourable result’. In terms of investing in entrepreneurs and which investment would be beneficial for entrepreneurial ventures this can be measured by reviewing what factors are advantageous for the entrepreneur and their business. Some of the factors can include the following: Finance provided Interest rate Expertise Knowledge Using business angel contacts Involvement from the investor to improve things No involvement from the investor, therefore less interference in the business Studies have shown that business angels can provide added value beyond financial capital (Ehrlich et al 1994). Having a business angel invest in the venture can help sustain competitive advantage, which is beneficial for the entrepreneurs’, as the angels bring more than capital to the business; they can bring their experience, contacts, and expertise to progress the business further. The resource-based perspective argues that sustained competitive advantage is generated by the unique bundle of resources at t

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Taco Bell Not Real Mexican Food in The Great Taco War :: essays research papers

RR - â€Å"The Great Taco War† The Real Deal Mariah Carey is one of the top pop singers in America today. On an average, her CD’s sell for fifteen dollars. However, many find it easier to purchase a â€Å"knock-off† for a cheaper price than to purchase the real thing. For instance, an individual can purchase the exact CD at a local flea market for five dollars and save the extra ten dollars for something else. In the short story, â€Å"The Great Taco War,† Jose Antonio Burciaga informs readers that fast food industries like Taco Bell do no sell authentic Mexican tacos. He urges readers to purchase tacos from taquerias because unlike Taco Bell, their food is â€Å"real† Mexican food. In the beginning, Burciaga provides a brief history when Taco Bell was established. First starting in Mexico City and then spreading throughout the United States, the chain sold â€Å"mild imitations of the real thing† (382). Many Mexican businesses and people protested against Taco Bell because unlike homemade tortillas made from hand, they used â€Å"prefabricated hard tortilla shells† (383) that tasted nothing like real Mexican tacos. Additionally, the restaurant also combines food and makes up names so that it appears different. From Enchiroto, a combination of a burrito and enchilada, to Cinnamon Crispas, known as bunuelos, Burciaga points out that â€Å"the Taco Menu can be a mystery if one is not familiar with the renamed food items† (383). Lastly, the author informs readers that compared to Mexican food, Taco Bell’s food is cheaply made. Upon visiting a local Taco Bell restaurant, Burciaga orders a menu item and begins to consume the taco when he notices that the â€Å"meat was lukewarm and the cheese and shredded lettuce were cold.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Political Science Essay

Non-governmental organizations and Inter-governmental organization are defined as actors in the international level which operate and they carry out their activities without any state control. Non-governmental organizations are formed voluntarily by citizens, with the aim of charitable participation within the organization. They are independent within the laws of society and are managed by those elected or the appointed board. Its legal status is based on freedom of association, one of the most basic human rights. This paper will focus on various aspects of these two kinds of organizations and their effects on the international relations of a state. NGOs are not established with the purpose of making profit rather they are engaged in revenue-generating activities. The revenue obtained is used in pursuit of the organization’s mission. Employees get the proper reward for relevant work done. Nevertheless, boards are not paid for the work they do but are reimbursed for any expense they incur in executing board duties. In addition, NGOs aims at improving the circumstances and prospects of people and to act on issues detrimental to the well being of the society as a whole (Ahmed & Potter, 2008). There exists great diversification in terms of independence, size of business, source of funding, international reach and operating procedures. These organizations can execute projects, shield or promote specific causes and seek to manipulate policy. NGOs are not subject to international law and include organizations like Amnesty international, the International chamber of Commerce and International Red Cross. IGOs  Intergovernmental organizations, commonly abbreviated as IGOs, comprise of sovereign states that are positioned to carry out projects and plans in common interest. NGOs act in conjunction with IGOs by complimenting IGO- initiated and funded programmes, as operational partners. IGOs include organizations like the European Union and the international financial institutions, World Bank. Most of IGOs work for and are financed by rich corporations and some state governments (Beigbeder, 1991). They are important aspect of public international law and are formed by treaty that acts as a bond creating the group. IGOs plays a major role by providing means of cooperation and multiple channels of communication between and among states in fields which cooperation and communication provides advantages for almost all nations. With the major roles of IGOs as rule making, data collection and agenda setting, they decrease uncertainty between states and explore cooperative solution for international problems. IGOs may manipulate norms of international relations and preferences of nation-states; for instance, the United Nations Environment Program which played key role in the conception of regimes such as the protection of the Mediterranean Sea. A well known case is the International Atomic Energy Agency which evidenced that IGOs play a significant role in monitoring principles, norms and rules of international institutions and international regimes. Infrastructure has developed within states as IGOs are greatly concerned with technical issues like telecommunication, postal services, transportation and environmental management. Economic development has been witnessed with IMF and the World Bank being successful in money flowing, debt management and financing debt issues between rich and poor states. States are able to obtain information about the international society and politics. Decisions made by IGOs are as a result of negotiations among the governmental agents assigned to them. Activities of IGOs such as the UN and the IMF are seen to be more influential for most diminutive countries as compared with countries with very big powers as they are not constrained too much by their principles. NGOs exists in many kinds such as transnational, governmental organized, governmental regulated and initiated, business and industry, transnational social movements and anti-governmental. For the recent decade their effectiveness for transnational politics has become pertinent and their number increased. NGOs mobilize universal networks by creating transnational organizations, gathering data on local conditions through associates around the world, creating immediate response and drum up pressure from the outside states. NGOs work hand in hand with IGOs by participating in their conferences and engaging in social appointments, building communal coalitions, raising new agendas and addressing IGOs meetings (Beigbeder, 1991). They also maintain inter-state collaboration by preparing backing papers, reports and refining delegates of states to narrow technical gap, intensifying policy options and bringing delegates together. They carry out activities within states such as linking to local partners and transnational movements, providing humanitarian aid protecting persons in danger. NGOs promote public participation within states by bringing awareness to the government delegates that they are being watched. This is achieved through the endless effort in increasing transparency and honesty of international negotiations and public institutions and aggravating public protest. They do mobilization of international community to fight against oppression, afflict, group and personal rights. Effects of NGOs and NGOs on international relations of a state Non-state actors have caused great transformation in international relations as they have become the major determinants of foreign policies of nation states as they have remained active in playing their major roles in more than one state. They are involved in both domestic and international settings. Through their personal connection with their employees, they help nation states to solve problems such as climatological changes, shortage of food, poverty, and insufficient natural resources. In many cases of political conflicts like the cold war which resulted to tribalism and other cultural cleavages, many non-state actors have been involved to solve them and shape national, regional and international policies and thus their role has been widely accepted by many political scientists. However, these scientists only differed on the level of relevance and effectiveness of non-state actors. Intergovernmental organizations and Non-governmental organizations are included in the part of world system and are source of effectiveness in international politics. In today’s world, it has become quite difficult to evaluate international politics and pattern without attaching the great influence of non-state actors which are gaining position. Moreover, non-state actors have shown concern with the rural poor and have managed to maintain field presence in distant locations where it quite difficult to keep government staff in station. They have identified the needs of the rural poor in terms of agricultural developments. They have also implemented new systems for testing new technology such as soya production in Bangladesh (Ahmed & Potter, 2008). In other cases, non-state actors have assisted to organize landless labourers to get and operate water pumping technology and irrigation schemes. Concisely, they have sustained joint efforts in soil and water conservation whether is on private land or on micro-watershed areas. Conclusion  In conclusion, increased transactions, awareness and common concern on regional and global problems require collaboration between states and non-state actors so as to maintain their welfare. These organizations will also require further cooperation and communication among themselves to strengthen their effectiveness as actors in the implementation of sustainable achievement. Nation-states including the most powerful one, the United States, have to attach great significance to non-state actors in order to improve and achieve their main interests.

MEMO strategy

This memo explains the strategy that I will apply to implement the communication situation of the case 5. Audience The audience for the message is the immediate superior, and therefore it is more effective to use memo to communicate with him or her. The reason is because memo is more formal and less personal than a letter or email. This is able to create the semblance of a valid business concern based on data and studies as opposed to a letter, be it hand or type written, which conveys sentiments and passion and is not regarded as authoritative. Purpose The general purpose of the message is to persuade. In order to be able to do this effectively, it must be shown that there is a valid business concern that needs to be addressed. The use of a memo, as mentioned earlier, gives the appearance of official correspondence devoid of any feelings and sentiments, which are usually not considered when making business decisions. Associated essay: Sample Memo for Company Team Building In order to convince the superior, there is a need to downplay personal convictions while at the same time express this as a valid business concern that is normally addressed in day to day business matters. Therefore, memo is the most often used means of accomplishing this in any corporate structure. Content The general tone that must be used in this memo is a formal business tone. The superior needs to understand the relevance of the matter in relation to business and company performance. This is why a business tone, which avoids conversational language, must be used. Structure Finally, since this will be addressed to a superior, the memo must avoid a direct and confrontational approach while maintaining its authoritativeness.   Before beginning, a buffer can be used to improve the way the superior will handle the situation and perhaps be able to get the desired outcome.   The first few sentences should already outline the problem that will be faced and the potential cost, which helps get the boss’s attention. By the end, it must be made clear to the boss what action must be taken.   The memo must also take care as not to appear as if it is attacking the superior or severely criticizing his decision and this can be achieved by adding a buffer at the beginning. Based on the analysis of this communication situation, I will use a memo as an effective medium to solve this case. To:  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brad Pitt, Executive Director From:  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hayeon Jung, Project Head Date:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   November 13, 2006 Subject:  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Extended Warranties and Sales training We have recently received news which may be vital to the profitability of our extended warranty sales and after a careful study of our proposed actions regarding the sales training program for extended warranties, I believe that it may be in our best interests to come up with an alternative approach regarding this matter.   Based on my studies, this has the potential to be very risky move for the company because of the lower sales of all company products due to the anticipated consumer backlash to this marketing strategy. Business Week, a widely read business magazine, is publishing an article on extended warranties, and it makes specific mention of the fact that half of the warranty price goes to the salesperson as a commission and that only 20 percent of the total amount customers pay for warranties eventually goes to product repair. Early failures are usu ­ally covered by manufacturers' warranties, and the extended warranties we are selling are designed to cover that middle part of the life span. In other words, many extended warranties cover the period of time during which consumers are least likely to need them and offer no coverage when consumers need them most. While extended warranties present profitable margins for the company, the resulting consumer backlash from this article could potentially reduce sales for all of the company’s products. With the current sales training lined up, more aggressive marketing for extended warranties will send the wrong signal to the consumers. Furthermore, the potential threat of added media exposure caused by the article in Business Week could threaten the sales projections for the company. It is strongly recommended that the plan to continue the sales training be ceased.   Doing so will reduce any overhead costs and training expenses that may be incurred from the implementation of the training program. Moreover, alternative marketing strategies such as using the Business Week article to the advantage of the company can be formulated instead of the sales training. I strongly believe that our company has a great future under your leadership as we continually explore ways to strengthen the relationship between the customers and the company. Hayeon jung Customer Service Manager