Mcdonalds in India – Case Study

WALMART Group GMITE – Batch 6 Abhishek Agrawal Ajit Varghese Brijesh Chauhan Karthikeyan Palani Manendra Jain Nalukurthy Rajeshbabu Satish kumar Dosapati Sushma GN McDonald's India A Locally Owned Company: McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with more than 33,000 locations serving approximately 64 million customers in 118 countries each day. More than 80% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women. In India, McDonald's is managed by two Indian entrepreneurs. Amit Jatia, Vice Chairman, Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. owns and spearheads McDonald's operations in West & South India. Hardcastle Restaurants was appointed Development Licensee for McDonald's in India in 2010, a progression from Joint Venture partner. Vikram Bakshi, MD and Joint Venture Partner, Connaught Plaza Restaurants Private Limited, owns and operates McDonald's in North and East India. Celebrating over 15 years of leadership in food service retailing in India, McDonald's now has a network of over 235 restaurants across the country. Local Sourcing Is Key for Truly Indian Products: McDonald's India is committed to sourcing almost all of its products from within the country. Prior to its launch, the company invested six years to develop its unique cold chain, which has brought about a veritable revolution in food handling, immensely benefiting the farmers at one end and enabling customers to get the highest quality food products, absolutely fresh and at a great value. McDonald's India today has developed local Indian businesses, which can supply the highest quality products required for its Indian operations. Respect for Indian Customs and Culture: McDonald's worldwide is well known for the high degree of respect to the local culture of each market it operates in. In line with this respect for local culture, India is the first country in the world where McDonald's does not offer any beef or pork items. McDonald's has developed a menu especially for India with vegetarian selections to suit the Indian palate and has also re-engineered its operations to address the special requirements of vegetarians. Special care is taken to ensure that all vegetable products are prepared separately, using dedicated equipment and utensils. This separation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food products is maintained throughout the various stages of procurement, cooking and serving. So much so that the mayonnaise and soft serves are also 100% vegetarian and McDonald's uses only vegetable oil as a cooking medium in India. An Employer of Opportunity: McDonald's India is an employer of opportunity, providing quality employment and long-term careers to professionals across the country. The average McDonald's restaurant employs 60-80 people from crew to restaurant manager. McDonald's invests in its employees, leveraging world class-training inputs to create ambassadors of the brand and creating food service professionals with global attitudes. The brand currently has over 8000 employees in India. Quality, Service, Cleanliness & Value McDonald's is driven by the philosophy of Quality, Service, and Cleanliness & Value for Money. This translates into a commitment to provide customers high quality products, served quickly with a smile, in a clean and pleasant environment at an affordable price. This effectively means that the McDonald's menu is priced at a value that the largest segment of the Indian consumers can afford while at the same time ensuring that quality is not sacrificed for value – rather McDonald's leverages economies to minimise costs while maximizing value to customers. Major issues ? NUTRITION Type of high fat, low fiber diet promoted by McDonald's is linked to serious diseases such as heart disease, obesity and diabetes. The sort of diseases that are now responsible for nearly three-quarters of premature deaths in the western world. McDonald's respond that the scientific evidence is not conclusive and that their food can be a valuable part of a balanced diet. Some people say McDonald's are entitled to sell junk food in exactly the same way that chocolate or cream cake manufacturers do: if people want to buy it that's their decision. But should McDonald's be allowed to advertise their products as nutritious? Why do they sponsor sports events when they sell unhealthy products? And what on earth are they doing opening restaurants in hospitals? ? Ecological Sustainability Vegetarians and animal welfare campaigners aren't too keen on McDonald's – for obvious reasons. As the world's largest user of beef they are responsible for the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of cows per year. In Europe alone they use half a million chickens every week, all from windowless factory farms. Is it acceptable for the food industry to exploit animals at all? Again, McDonald's argue that they stick to the letter of the law and if there are any problems it is a matter for government. They also claim to be concerned with animal welfare. ? Deep Market Penetration In order to grow McDonald’s needs to expand to other cities and towns in India rather than concentrating in Delhi. Mumbai & few other cities, For expansion to succeed, McDonald’s can no longer depends on its processing & distributions centers in and around Delhi & Mumbai, Given India’s poor transportation and road facilities, the logistic bottleneck of transporting food item from one place to other will add to the cost of its products, it needs to build new processing & distribution centers in other cities for operational efficiency, this would require additional investment and cost can not be easily passed on to the consumers. Price increase is the last thing that McDonald’s can afford if it wants to succeed in India, Already for most of the people McDonald’s is associated with high proices. ? Adaptability of portfolio towards local needs Given India’s fragmented regional culture where no single food preference predominates, McDonald’s need to develop new product on regular basis. Developing new products adds complexity & cost and raises the risks of errors. It also runs counter to McDonald’s culture and history. Yet if McDonald’s does not do it on regular basis, Company’s popularity will be short lived. It will be difficult for company to meet the range of different competitors, most notably the homegrown food chains which offers a variety of products at reasonable prices. ? CULTURAL SENSITIVITY( I feel this is a major issue) India is country with varying cultural diversity. The diversity reflects in eating habits with majority of population is vegetarian still a section of people with non-vegetarian food preference. India is land of spices. Indians like spicy food and prefer satellite joints as roadside food stalls. Usually home cooked food is preferred and dining out option is primarily reserved for special occasions. The food habits are also driven by the religious sentiments. In May 2001, a class action lawsuit1 was filed against the world's largest fast-food chain McDonald's, in Seattle, US. The lawsuit alleged that the company had, for over a decade, duped vegetarian customers into eating French fries2 that contained beef extracts. Minor issues ? ADVERTISING McDonald's spend over two billion dollars each year on advertising: Using collectable toys, television adverts, promotional schemes in schools and figures such as Ronald McDonald the company bombards their main target group: children. Many parents object strongly to the influence this has over their own children. McDonald's argue that their advertising is no worse than anyone else's and that they adhere to all the advertising codes in each country. But others argue it still amounts to cynical exploitation of children – some consumer organizations are calling for a ban on advertising to children. Why do McDonald's sponsor so many school events and learning programs? Is their Children's Charities genuine philanthropy or is there a more explicit publicity and profit motive? ? ENVIRONMENT One of the well-known and sensitive question about McDonald’s is: are they responsible for the destruction of tropical forests to make way for cattle ranching? McDonald's say no. Many people say yes. So McDonald's sue them. Not so many people say yes anymore, but does this mean McDonald's aren't responsible? They annually produce over a million tons of packaging, used for just a few minutes before being discarded. What environmental effect does the production and disposal of all this have? Is their record on recycling and recycled products as green as they make out? Are they responsible for litter on the streets, or is that the fault of the customer who drops it? Can any multinational company operating on McDonald's scale not contribute to global warming, ozone destruction, depletion of mineral resources and the destruction of natural habitats? Recommendation for Growth New Business Channels – Home Delivery, breakfast, extended hours and Drive-Troughs. As per estimates, home delivery can increase store sales about 15% and drive troughs by 50%. Attract College Crowd (Youth) – Similar to KFC â€Å"StreetWise† menu, which offers products to college students at affordable price. Employees and Customers – In India, McDonald’s employ 5,000 people and serves half a million customers a day via its 169 family restaurants. McDonald’s has 85,000 employees and serves 2. 5 million customers a day in the UK. Local Vegetarian Menu: In India, McDonald’s does not offer pork or beef-based products. Its menu is more than 50 per cent vegetarian. The fast food retail chain has separate production lines and processes for its vegetarian and non-vegetarian offerings. McDelivery Online – In India, McDonald’s first launched home delivery of meals in Mumbai in 2004. McDonald’s now has plans to launch web-based delivery service in India (across 75 McDelivery cities) in 2010, a pilot for which has already been tested by it in Hyderabad. The company hopes to add 5 per cent to sales via Web delivery. McDonald’s web-based delivery model will be based on serving the customer quickly wherein the drive time does not exceed seven minutes because its food has to be eaten within ten minutes of preparation. The footfalls in India are amongst the highest in the world, but the average bill is amongst the lowest. At present (March 2010), Domino’s Pizza (operated by Bhartia Group-promoted Jubilant Foodworks under a master franchise agreement) has a 65% market share in the home delivery segment. MFY (Made for You) food preparation platform – MFY is a unique concept (cooking method) where the food is prepared as the customer places its order. All new upcoming McDonald’s restaurants are based on MFY. This cooking method has helped McDonald’s further strengthen its food safety, hygiene and quality standards. McDonald’s has around 10 MFY restaurants in its portfolio.

Alternative Fuels Essay

For decades, since modern transportation had been in existence vehicles engines have required fuel that has always been created with fossil fuels. The use of fossil fuels to create fuel has not been a major problem until recently. Recently the price of fuels created by fossil fuels has sprung and we are now just beginning to notice the effect it has on the environment. In fact, studies have shown that 1/4 of energy- related green house gasses are a direct result of transportation pollution1. In this essay, I will look into alternative fuels, which are not created using fossil fuels. Our dependence on fossil fuels had caused a global problem. Over the years, our environment had suffered in areas such as global warming, air quality deterioration and acid rain. Over the past 150 years, our use of fossil fuels has resulted in an increase of carbon dioxide of over twenty-five percent2. When combustion takes place, harmful gases are released into the air, which cause our air quality to worsen in condition. Some examples of fuels that are released are carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide. Different types of sulfur oxides and hydrocarbons are released from the combustion of these fossil fuels 2. When these gases are released into the environment, they cause smog and other signs of pollution. These are two major problems that are caused by burning fossil fuels. I will now look into a few alternative fuels that do not involve the burning of fossil fuels. I will look into each ones advantage and its limitations. Non- fossil fuels are clearly have their advantages to fossil fuels although they are not perfect. Fuels that are not made with fossil fuels are clearly better for the environment although many are not yet produced at a fast enough rate for normal use, are too expensive or do not allow you to get the same performance you get out of petrol, our current fuel of choice3. In this essay, I will look into hydrogen, ethanol and an interesting concept of using compressed air to power motor vehicles. I will start by outlining some of the positives and negatives aspects of Hydrogen. Hydrogen is a gas, recently it has been discovered to have a second purpose, which is a fuel. However, Hydrogen is not easily available in its uncombined state, it can only be found un- disturbed in our earth’s exosphere. Therefore, hydrogen must be manmade. Hydrogen is a very expensive fuel and is roughly ten times as much as petrol. Although this it is more environmentally friendly as its only byproduct is water, it is more efficient then petrol and over time the price will decrease with feature research4. Studies have been conducted on how it would be easier to transport and one main suggestion was to bond hydrogen with nitrogen to make ammonia, which could simply be transformed into a liquid for easy transport5. The second fuel that I will look into is ethanol. Ethanol is in the Bio- Fuels family and is made from very common materials such as corn6. Ethanol is the most well known and widely used alternate fuel in today’s market. Many countries have already implemented plans to start introducing ethanol into their cars. Brazil is a leading example where almost all cars and trucks run exclusively on ethanol7. An advantage to ethanol is that cars that have been built within the past five or so years should be compatible with ethanol. This eliminates the need to either buy a new car or retrofit your current existent car. In fact, countries such as Brazil the transformation had lead to gad stations adding separate stations for ethanol as seen in the picture to the right8. The third and final fuel I will be investigating is a new and in my mind upcoming idea, compressed air. Compressed air is new technolgly, which is still being researched. An air car looks great on paper but is harder to put this type of car into action than it looks, in fact, there are very few air cars that have been released to this date but many are in the late stages of development. An air car offers inexpensive prices and releases zero emissions into the air. In fact, a gallon of gas will likely be more expensive than a complete refill of air for your car as it will cost around $2.50 to refill the car with air9. The air will have to be stored in 300-liter tank that attaches to the bottom of your car. This option is the most eco- friendly alternant fuel that I have looked into in this essay. The fuels that I have looked into in this essay all look very promising, it is now just a matter of time before we begin to implement these alternative fuels into our various types of transportation. When I look over all these the one that stand out the most to me is hydrogen, when I look at it I am also able to see all the other uses as well and see the very little impact that it has on the environment. How I do believe that any of the three mentioned fuels would be a satisfactory answer to the fuel crisis we are facing today. Bibliography 1. Chalacuna. â€Å"Biofuels and Bio-Additives.† Green Fuel Power. 16 Oct. 2007. 1 Nov. 2007 . 2. Luhnow, David, and Geraldo Samor. â€Å"As Brazil Fills Up on Ethanol, It Weans Off Energy Imports.† WSJ/ Yale. 17 Jan. 2006. Yale Uni./ WSJ. 1 Nov. 2007 . 3. N/A. Brazil Has Run Cars on Alcohol for Decades. 2005. Somebodys Camara, Brazil. Wikipedia. Fuel Station. 1 Nov. 2008 . 4. N/a. â€Å"Myth: Alternative Fuels Will Come to the Rescue.† PTUA. 28 Sept. 2007. 1 Nov. 2007 . 5. N/a. â€Å"The Car That Runs on Air.† BBC News. 24 Oct. 2000. 1 Nov. 2007 . 6. N/a. â€Å"The Hiden Cost of Fossil Fuels.† UCS. 10 Aug. 2005. 1 Nov. 2007 . 7. N/a. â€Å"They Hydrogen Economy.† E. Jan.-Feb. 2003. 1 Nov. 2007 . 8. Various. â€Å"Ethanol Fuel.† Wikipedia. 1 Nov. 2007. 1 Nov. 2007 .

Anti Federalists vs. Federalists

Anti Federalists vs. Federalists Anti-Federalist and Federalist Political Science American Government and Politics Professor Mike Connolly Anti Federalist vs. Federalists started after the Revolutionary war and the Americans had to figure out a way to get themselves out of economic depression because the war was costly and left many colonies in debt. Anti-federalists were those who opposed the development of a strong federal government and the Constitution in 1788, instead for power to remain in the hands of state and local governments. Federalists wanted a stronger national government and the ratification of the Constitution to help properly manage the debt and tensions following the American Revolution. People who supported the Anti-Federalist were people who lived in rural areas and had local power. People who supported the Federalist were rich people who lived in large rural areas. Basically middle class people supported the Anti-Federalist and rich people with businesses favored the Federalist. That is kind of similar to our current fight between power of government, for example Democrats vs. Republicans, Democrats favored people who are in the middle class and lower and Republicans favored people who are in the high class who are wealthy. The Anti-Federalist wanted to be like free agents they wanted to spend and manage their own money as they saw fit. They believed that no one should control the way they spend and control their money the Federalist were people who wanted the opposite. The debt and tension in Massachusetts known as the Shay’s Rebellion was a perfect example of why the U.S had the desire to concentrate on federal power. Before the constitution there were the Articles of Confederation, a 13 article agreement between 13 founding states that covered issues of the state sovereignty. The Articles of Confederation were mainly about the equal treatment of citizens, congressional development and delegation, international diplomacy, armed forces, fund raising, lawmaking, the relationship between the US and Canada and war debt. The problem with The Articles of Confederation was it was a very weak agreement on which to base a nation that the document never once referred to the United States of America. With The Articles of Confederation, congress became a form of Federal government, but it was weak by the fact that it could not fund any of the resolutions it passed. For example while people can print money, there was no solid regulation of the money, which led to a fast and deep depreciation. Though congress asked for millions of dollars in the 1780’s, they received less than 1.5 million over the course of three years, from 1781 to 1784. This inefficient and ineffective governance led to economic woes and eventual, if small scale, rebellion. As George Washingtons chief of staff, Alexander Hamilton saw firsthand that the problems caused by a weak federal government particularly those which stemmed from a lack of centralized fiscal and monetary policies. With Washingtons approval, Hamilton assembled a group of nationalists at the 1786 Annapolis Convention also known as the Meeting of Commissioners to Remedy Defects of the Federal Government. Here, delegates from several states wrote a report on the conditions of the federal government and how it needed to be expanded if it was to survive its domestic turmoil and international threats as a sovereign nation. After the Articles of Confederation cam the Constitution in 1788 where the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, greatly expands the powers of the federal government. With their only being 27 Amendments, the US Constitution remains a supreme law of the United States allowing it to define, protect, and tax its citizens. Federalist who were the main support ers of the Constitution; they were aided by federalist sentiment that had gained traction across many factions, uniting political figures. The Anti-Federalist, who was leaded by Thomas Jefferson, fought against the Constitutions ratification, mainly the amendments which gave the federal government fiscal and monetary powers. The fight between the two groups the Federalist and the Anti-Federalist resulted in the upcoming of the Federalist papers and the Anti-Federalist papers, it was a series of handwritten essays from various figures for against the ratification of the Constitution and the protection of the Constitution. Among the Anti-Federalist were Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. Jefferson was the leader among the Anti-Federalist and other prominent Anti-Federalist included Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry and Richard Henry Lee. For the Federalist side they had Alexander Hamilton a former chief of staff to George Washington, he was a proponent of a strong federal government and fou nded the Federalist Party. He helped oversee the development of a national bank and a taxation system. Other famous Federalist was John Adams and John Jay. There were also three kinds of Anti-Federalist, the first kind represented by politicians such as Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut. The second kind of Anti-Federalist were the people who were not privy (a person having a part or interest in any action, matter, or thing) to the debate in Philadelphia, and has some concerns about the potentiality (the ability to develop or come into existence) of the Constitution to lead to the concentration of power in the new government. Third and final groups of Anti- Federalist were those who want as little deviation from the articles of confederation as possible and saw that partly national and partly federal compromise as totally unsustainable. Basically Anti-Federalist wanted a weak federal government that would not threaten state rights and wanted the Bill of Rights to declare and protect the rights of the people. During the Ratification the Federalists promise an addition of a Bill of Rights. The ratification succeeded and the new government was formed in 1789. James Madison was a Federalist or Democratic Republic who drafted the 10 amendments to the Constitution and these become the U.S Bill of Rights. Once again the Federalists believed that establishing a large national government was not only possible, but necessary to create a more perfect union by improving the relationship among the states. The Federalist also wanted to preserve the sovereignty and structure of the states, but to do so they advocated f or a federal government with delegated powers. Anything not delegated to the Federal government would be reserved to the people and the states. Their goal was to preserve the principle of government by consent, by building a government upon foundation of popular sovereignty, without sacrificing the sovereignty of the states. Present day it appears that the government established by the Constitution is an improvement from that which was established by the Articles of Confederation. Reading and writing about the confrontation between Federalist and Anti-Federalist I would have chosen the side of Federalist and I will explain why. Me Anti-Federalist were people who were scared of a strong government because they did not want the government to control their lives and wanted a little bit more freedom. Yes, people need their freedom but what they need more is to be secured and free from debt. The problem there was a economic struggle and people were in debt because of the war with Federalist we can have people manage the finances and economy. The Anti-Federalist sounded spoiled because they felt that the states were free agents that should manage their own revenue and spend their money as they saw fit. Many people back then probably were not well informed about their finances and might have spent money that they could not afford to get back. To be on the safer side a professional should be the one to see what a person is allowed to spend without getting themselves into debt. At the same time Anti-Federalist have a point because they should not have too much power to the point where they can deny a person from purchasing a item. Anti-Federalist sounds like it is the freedom fighter group for the people and they are a group who opposes to strong of a government but people should know to much freedom can cause many problems. The positive side of Federalism is the protection against tyranny, is dividing the power between the national government and state governments and spreading the national government’s power among three branches that serve as a check and balance on each other. The protections we have in our system against a tyrannical, runaway government are one of the most important points to why the system was designed the way it was. Increasing citizen participation is by not centralizing all power into the hands of a national government, but sharing that power with state governments, which are closer to the level of the common citizen; our founders actually increased a citizen’s ability to effect their government. Finally one more positive point is conflict management, by allowing different communities and states to create their own practices, they allow for people with differences or very strong disagreements, to live in separate areas, and create their own solutions, or policies, that would be totally disagreeable to the other people in other states or regions of the country. Citations: 1. Anti-Federalist vs Federalist. (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2017, from https://www.diffen.com/difference/Anti-Federalist_vs_Federalist 2. Federalists Vs. Anti-Federalists. (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2017, from https://apgovernmentchs.wikispaces.com/Federalists Vs. Anti-Federalists 3. Bardes, B. A., Shelley, M. C., Schmidt, S. W. (2018). American government and politics today: the essentials. Boston: Cengage Learning.

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 50

Leadership - Essay Example All organizations should have a purpose that brings people together to work towards achieving it. It is the role of leaders to put human beings in the best environment to meet the objectives of the organization by proving to them all they need in order to accomplish the purpose of the organization (Burns, 2012). Groups are preferred to solve problems in organizations due to the fact that groups have a variety of talent and abilities that can be pooled together to solve the inherent problem amicably. However, the individuals in a group possess different skills and each one of them will try to utilize his/her own abilities to outshine the other in order to stand out as the most valued member of the group. In the process, the primary intention of group work that was meant to be cooperation turns out to be competition among individual members. In some instances the competition among group members turns out to be unhealthy as members will resort to utilizing uncouth techniques to outshine each other thus losing the core purpose of the team and in the long run the purpose that the team was meant for is not achieved (Burns,

Phillipa Foot and Natural Goodness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Phillipa Foot and Natural Goodness - Essay Example When brought into comparison with contrasting philosophical models, Foot's Natural Goodness is not entirely without merit but it is unfortunately lacking in several features that are readily found in other philosophical structures. Natural Goodness is a set of moral ideas that are expected to differ from individual to individual; Foot understood that while each person might pander to his or her own moral code that these codes were never the same in two circumstances. Phillipa Foot makes a strong case for Natural Goodness but her critics make just as strong a case for its frailties. Foot is a British philosopher dedicated to the conception of philosophical models that explain daily occurrences in society. She is a descendent of the American president Grover Cleveland, was born and raised in the United Kingdom and studied philosophy at Oxford University. Foot's approach to philosophy has been largely aimed at deconstructing other non-cognitive approaches within the field that posit every action is based on sets of circumstances other than though processes. Her work is influenced heavily by Wittgenstein and through her belief that philosophy should be relevant to modern life and offer solutions, she has gained worldwide acclaim with subjects like the so-called "trolley problem" and for generally expanding the ideological pool of ideas in terms of cognitivism. Her book Natural Goodness attempted a different line of logic from her preceding publication, "Moral Beliefs", which presented a case for both cognitive and non-cognitive foundations for different types of ethical behaviour. "Moral Beliefs" expressed Foot's opinion that pieces of a moral character like courage or a sense of justice are cognitively trained, while moral actions are based on logical conclusion without the emotive qualities that they are usually assigned. Turning this idea around in Natural Goodness shocked many of her readers; Foot wrote that emotive qualities of any action or moral belief system were moot. Instead, each personal moral characteristic and each moral action performed by an individual are linked directly to a set of cognitive processes that have logically monitored related experiences and developed a unique moral set of guidelines. Natural Goodness As a philosopher, Foot has faced the issue of human nature incessantly throughout her career. The underlying question in each of her works is "why be moral". She has spent her career trying to discover the true nature of individual morality and understanding whether it is a cognitive reflex of sorts or whether it is indeed more of a non-cognitive feature of humanity as many of her contemporaries propose. Foot's years of study on the subject of morality has led her to stand by her own cognitive approach to ethical behaviour because as she sees it, human behaviour is indisputably based on cumulative experiences and the cognitive processes that deal with a constant influx of information. The brain is designed to deal with information by 'filing' memories in similar fields where they can be cross referenced to their outcomes, the surrounding circumstances and therefore they can each be grouped according to

Physician Assistant role in rural health care system Essay

Physician Assistant role in rural health care system - Essay Example The most recent data from the AAPA show that 22 percent of PAs identify themselves as practicing in rural communities. Real numbers of PAs in rural areas has steadily climbed — from 6,700 in 1996 to over 10,000 in 2002.2 A significant proportion of physician assistants provide health care to rural Americans. In addition to supporting the work of physicians who have chosen a rural practice, many PAs are the sole primary care providers in rural communities.   By increasing access to primary care and preventive services, PAs help reduce overall medical costs. It is in the best interest of rural managed care systems to provide cost-effective local health care services.   Sustaining the care provided to rural Americans by PAs not only increases access to primary care, it also promotes continuity of existing care.   When patients are satisfied with their current health care providers, they should be allowed, or even encouraged, to continue to utilize them in a managed care

The needs of future generations are being met by current policies of Essay - 3

The needs of future generations are being met by current policies of sustainable development. To what extent do you agree with this statement - Essay Example Sustainable development, therefore, is the utilization of resources (especially natural resources) in way that ensures that these resources will not be depleted while serving today’s generation and thus deny the future generations the opportunity to benefit from these resources. A simple example can be the utilization of timber for various uses such as furniture, fuel, paper production among many others; although the current generation should be able to use these resources to provide these essential products for the current generation, they must be considerate of the fact that the forest from which the timber is being harvested is not an infinite resource and can easily be depleted. In such a case, those who exploit these resources must have a strategy to protect the forest by for instance coming up with alternatives for providing the products that would otherwise be harvested from timber, or by renewing the forest by planting new trees (Jackson, 2011). It is not all sustainab le development plans that translate into positive results. Due to how important sustainable development is, it is necessary to identify whether the current sustainable development strategies are going to translate into positive outcomes for future generations. Sustainable development is important because it takes care of the future. Current human generations have a responsibility to the future generation to preserve the available resources so that the future generation can also survive in the planet. Without sustainable development, the current generation would benefit, but at the expense of tomorrow’s generation. Sustainable development is also necessary for the current generation. This is because some of the current resources, if not used well would be depleted even within the lifetime of the current generation. In this regard, although sustainable development has a focus on preserving resources for the future generation, it is at the same time a way to save

Status report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Status report - Assignment Example Households are also being educated on maintenance including protective measures to save units and panels from heavy rains. Scenario 1. Consulting/ knowing the facts are needed in planning the communication (Wolf, 1974). There is a reason why many of the technical staff do not come before 9:00 a.m. Possibly, they need to complete a heavy work load since they leave later in the evening. Prior to written communication, the project manager can meet the technical group to understand the problem and gain commitment for a stricter 9:00 a.m. rule. Compromise on late hours work may be reached through overtime incentives, if needed. An objective and well supported memorandum can then be prepared. Scenario 2. General announcements will involve informing all levels-- department heads, supervisors and rank-and-file. If the new direction is great in scope, the upper/middle management should be consulted. With gathered insights/greater objectivity, a general memorandum announcement can then be made channeled through various departments. The company newsletter can also be used to ensure wider dissemination in the company, while the company website information can serve outside clientele. Scenario 3. Action must support communication (Wolf). Project manager should find out the cause of the problem. Then a personal visit to the aggrieved manager, if he/she is open to an appointment, can be used to cordially explain your side—your regular reporting, as well as the inclusion in the list of the executive sponsor, and the cause of the problem. Possibly, a formal memo of explanation may not even be needed, unless the executive asks for it. Scenario 4. Business communication is reciprocal and multidirectional (Wolf). It goes in vertical, horizontal and diagonal directions. Thus, communication may go horizontally at the project team level, upward-downward between

Female Songwriters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Female Songwriters - Essay Example With more efforts being instituted in closely examining the appeal of a particular musical composition through time, music enthusiasts aver that female songwriters of contemporary times use language in a distinctly different way from the majority of male songwriters. It is therefore the aim of the current essay to compare the song lyrics written by two female songwriters: Jewel and Sheryl Crow, with the songs written by two male songwriters: John Mayer and Jason Mraz. The songs written by the female songwriters, â€Å"Who Will Save Your Soul† by Jewel and â€Å"Strong Enough† by Sheryl Crow sends the message that the subject of salvation presented for reflection by being more aware of one’s personal actions and behavior. On the other hand, Sheryl Crow’s â€Å"Strong Enough† is directed to men being asked the question of being strong enough for women in times of struggles, challenges, and difficulties. There are similarities in mentioning religion an d reference to God but at the same time, there is a message that focuses on the eminent strength of women when times indicate the need to rely on their own. The songs written by male songwriters, â€Å"Your Body is a Wonderland† by John Mayer and â€Å"I Won’t Give Up† by Jason Mraz focus on the message being given or relayed to women.

Summary of frankl's book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary of frankl's book - Essay Example gs special meaning to the field of nursing since it gives ideas which can be used to establish therapeutic healing relationships between nurses and the individuals under their care. For example, Frankl (1997) presents the idea that life never stops having a meaning therefore there is no such thing as a meaningless existence. Individuals will always have something to live for. While Frankl offers concrete examples such as family and loved ones, he also includes the spiritual aspect of living for a cause and suggests that even in the direst situations; a reason to live can be found in the shape of God. For nurses, it becomes important to note that if this faith in family, friends or a spiritual deity is lost by an individual, the process of recovery can be harmed significantly. The relevance of this idea to the theory of nursing becomes clear when we understand that nurses are supposed to provide assistance in the healing process and create professional relationships with patients under their care. These positive relationships can help along the healing process for the patient. Another important point which Frankl makes is the idea concerning the individual attitude which a person can have with regard to a calamity. He notes that some prisoners were able to take whatever the concentration camps dished out to them and survive simply because they had a positive attitude within them. Even in suffering, a positive attitude can lessen the pain a person is going through and allow him/her to come to terms with what has afflicted them. On the other hand, those who give up or become negative may not only enhance their own suffering but also affect how others around them are feeling. The lesson for a nurse is simply to remain positive and encourage patients to think positively. On a personal note, I found the book to be highly motivational and I believe that it offers some important life lessons for people from all walks of life. It is certainly a popular book and does

Agency Relationship Essay Example for Free

Agency Relationship Essay Agency relationship is a consensual relationship between two parties, where one party, the principal, gives authority to another party, the agent, to act on behalf of and under the control of the principal to deal with a third party, thereby creating a fiduciary relationship. The law of agency allows one person to employ another to do his/her work, sell his/her goods, and acquire property on his/her own behalf. Although a principal-agent relationship can be created by a contract between the parties, a contract is not necessary if it is obvious that the two parties intended to act as principal and agent. The intent of the parties can be expressed with words or implied by their actions. The principal can authorize the agent to perform a variety of tasks or restrict the agent to specific functions, but no matter how much authority is given to the agent, the agent represents the principal and is subject to the principals control at all times. More important, the principal is liable for the consequences of the actions that the agent performed, and the actions and words exchanged between an agent and a third party are binding to the principal. This is known as vicarious liability and it is the reason business owners must be extremely careful of who they hire to represent his/her company. Agency theory is the idea that the agent does not always have the principal’s best interests in mind. A voluntary, good faith relationship of trust, known as a fiduciary relationship, exists between a principal and an agent, and there are four main elements of fiduciary duty that the agent has toward the principal for the principal’s protection. The first requires the agent to exercise a duty of loyalty to the principal. An agent cannot receive outside benefits without the permission of the principal, share confidential information, fraternize with the competition of the principal, work for the principals competition, deal secretly with his/her principal, and must exercise appropriate behavior while representing the principals interests. An agent who acts in his/her own interest violates the fiduciary duty and will be financi ally liable to the principal for any losses the principal suffers due to the breach of the fiduciary duty. The second of these duties is the duty to obey instructions. This states that an agent must follow the directions of the principal unless by doing so, the agent would break the law or put himself/herself or others in danger. The third fiduciary duty is the duty of care, which states that an agent must use reasonable care to protect the interests of the principal. And the third of these duties is the duty to provide information. This duty says that an agent must give any and all information to a principal if that information concerns the principal. The duties that a principal has to an agent are the duty to reimburse the agent, and the duty to cooperate with the agent.

Whether Fair Value Should Be Retained In Financial Accounting Essay Example for Free

Whether Fair Value Should Be Retained In Financial Accounting Essay Fair value may also be called the justified or unbiased price. It is applied in both Economics and Accounting. Fair value accounting refers to the rational or unbiased estimate for the possible good’s, service’s and asset’s market price. Fair value in Accounting is aimed at presenting financial data in the most utilizable way possible. Financial statements will therefore represent the true and reasonable view of the financial information relating to any financial entity. Stakeholders will hence be able to make their investment and relationship decisions based on Accounts statements that have utilized the Fair Value Accounting principle. The Body: Fair value in Accounting considers objective factors like;   The acquiring, producing or distributing costs, replacing and costs for the closest substitutes, the exact utility for a particular level of social productive capacity development is of importance and the supply against the demand for any particular good, service or asset. Subjective factors to be considered include; Characteristics of risk, cost for and return or benefits on capital and the individual utility perception. Fair value accounting is essential in estimating the market value for assets or liabilities whose true value may not be determined due to lack of a sincere established asset’s or liability’s market. (Stephen, 2008 p.3-18) As per the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Financial Accounting Standards (FAS) 157 dictates that, fair value is the sum of money for which assets can be purchased at a current transaction with willing parties   or moved to an equal or equivalent party, in a situation other than a liquidation case. All the direct and indirect production and operational expenses will be given consideration when trying to determine the most reasonable price for both the buyer and the purchaser. Traders will be expected to have all the information that is necessary for their transaction to be clear to all the related parties. (James, 2009 p.6-13) Fair value accounting is applicable to assets with a carrying value that is determined by market to another market valuation. For assets recorded at historical cost, the asset’s fair value may not be applicable. An example would be a university store whose cost of four million dollars was constructed ten years ago. In case the management was to give a fair value measure on the store, it will be a subjective measurement due to lack of an active market for this particular asset or assets that are close to this one. A different example would be, incase DEF Ltd bought a go down in nineteen ninety, for two million dollars, the financial statement in respect to historical cost will record the go down at two million dollars on its balance sheet. If GHI Ltd bought a similar go down in two thousand and ten for four million dollars, then the GHI Ltd will report the go down at four million dollars. Although the two assets are similar, DEF Ltd will report the asset at half the GHI’s asset value. Historical cost can not identify the two assets being similar. This issue   is compounded incase similar assets or liabilities are recorded historically, resulting in an undervalued balance sheet. Although if both DEF and GHI Ltd recorded the financial information as per fair value accounting the two would record the asset of four million dollars. (Gerald, 2009 p.24-31) The idea in fair value accounting is to represent the figures in the financial statements at amounts that they would fetch just in case an entity was to purchase them afresh. This is exactly that willing buyers are able to pay for the acquisition of such commodities. Adjustments made in determining fair values should consider the depreciation charge that the assets would attract. The disposable value is always of great interest in accounting at fair values. Fair value accounting produces information to investors whose interest is on the assets’ or liabilities’ current value but not their historical cost. It is known that stakeholders in a company use financial statements to make decisions as to whether their investments in the enterprise are worthwhile or not. Unbiased figures represented on the financial statements help investors predict their expected returns on their shares. Such reasonable figures will be helpful in determining the expected company’s growth and how their shares may increase in value in future. It will also be of use to investors to determine the extent of their rewards in case a company goes into liquidation or a receivership in future. The making of both short term and long-term decisions is made easy by the use of the true and fair view represented on the trial balance and balance sheet.

Social Workers Knowledge Of The Law Social Work Essay

Social Workers Knowledge Of The Law Social Work Essay I want to be a social worker, not a lawyer Robert Johns p.1 The aim of this assignment is to consider the importance of law for social workers and discuss the professional skills and values which underpin social work practice in England and Wales today. I will firstly look at how law frames social work practiceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The relationship between the law and social work practice is complex. Although an in-depth understanding of how the law affects every day social work practice is essential, it also involves much more than just learning the legal rules. Constant reflection and critical analysis of your own values and practice of social work are required to be an effective practitioner (block 1 p130). However, Jeremy Roche argues that although the law provides a framework it cannot tell social workers what to do in every circumstance. The law cannot always resolve the dilemmas and tensions that face social workers everyday. Above all, the law cannot substitute for sound professional practice. (Robert Johns p.7) How the law is made The Law provides a framework for practice which grants the social worker with powers to take appropriate action. A starting point for understanding the legal framework is Statute law which is one of the main sources of law and is contained in an Act of Parliament. The Children Act 1989 is an example of statute law. The language of statutes can sometimes appear confusing for example the meaning of significant harm is not described in detail in the Children Act 1989 and can therefore be open to interpretation. A social worker will therefore have to provide evidence that the child is likely to suffer from significant harm and such decisions will be made jointly with legal advisers and managers (block 1 p.51) Case law is the second source of law which is developed by the courts from judgments made on cases brought before them (block 1 p.51). An example of case law that has an impact on society is the case of Diane Pretty who had a terminal illness causing a physical disability and she wished to have the right to choose when to die with the help of her husband. Dianes argument was that the right to life contained within Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) also implied a right to die (block 1 p.52). However, her application was rejected by the court who stated that Article 2 was not concerned with the quality of life. (block 1 p.52. Although the language of statutes can be difficult to understand, there are two words which will help social workers to interpret statutes and they are duties and power. Legislation provides social workers with certain powers as well as duties that social workers are legally bound to fulfil. An example of this is shown in the case study of Masie when her need for a service requires as assessment as decisions will be influenced by not only the social workers commitment to values and best practice but by the legal duties and powers. However, it can be frustrating when it is clear that a service is needed for a service user but there is insufficient money to provide that particular resource. A further example of the importance for social workers to have a thorough knowledge of the law in order that they can make decisions on appropriate legislation is shown in the case study of the Clarke family (p 82 of block 1 book) where the social worker attends the family home on an arranged visit and finds Emily (mother) under the influence of alcohol while the children were playing with cutlery in the kitchen. This is clearly an issue of child protection as the children are likely to suffer significant harm if they remain in the care of their mother. It therefore makes it a duty for the local authority to investigate and provide services as well as having the power to protect the children. How the law underpins social work practice: The law which underpins social work practice was radically redrawn in the 1980s following a series of scandals for example the events in Cleveland where social workers were accused of an over-readiness of taking children into care and the fact that the parents felt totally undermined and were not afforded proper rights to present their views. Interestingly the Cleveland Report also acknowledged the dilemma of child protection work namely that social workers are damned if they do, and damned if they dont (Robert Johns p.10) As a consequence of the events in Cleveland, many key principles such as the accountability of social workers to the law are now enshrined in the Children Act 1989, and according to Robert Johns, social workers welcomed the clarity this would have (word better) Values Principles Throughout my reading and my experience as a social work student I have learnt that before we can even think about working anti-oppressively within the law we need to look at our own experiences. Everyone has values and principles which shape our behaviour and perceptions of the world and it therefore important that social workers reflect on their values as their decisions will have a direct affect on the services they provide when practicing. (p126 block 1) Although social work values underpin decision making when working with service users, there are also values embedded in legislation which support social work values. However, there maybe areas of conflict or tension between legal values and social work values, particularly when a service user is deemed to be entitled to certain community services look at page 129 and expandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. There are also areas of the law that social workers may find difficult to address, for example, the Diane Petty case which I discussed earlier, where a commitment to social work values could mean respecting Dianes wishes. In order to demonstrate my own professional development as a social work student, I will briefly look at how the legislation underpins the assessment of children in need and discuss the importance social work values while completing an assessment. A child in need assessment should provide a clear understanding of the childs needs and is based on the provision of the Children Act 1989 and 2004, the principle that underpins the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (Department of Health, et al 2000), Working Together (Department of Health, 1991), and Every Child Matters which provides the legislative foundation on which policy and guidance has been built to inform social work practice in assessment. The social workers knowledge of the law and service provisions can be critical in empowering service users (Block 1 p20). It is essential for the social worker to work in a way that is both anti-oppressive and which recognises cultural perspectives. Anti-oppressive practice means recognising power imbalances and working towards the promotion of change to redress the balance of power. (Dalrymple and Burke 2003, p.15). Social workers have to make decisions in their everyday practice based on their own values and good practice is about involving service users through all stages of the assessment, inviting them to meetings, informing them of their rights and options as well as working in a way that is accountable (Thompson 2006). This would also support social work value D Value, recognise and respect the diversity, expertise and experience of individuals, families, carers, groups and communities (GSCC, 2002). It was interesting to note that Jane Aldgate (in Law and Social work book) looks at both the strengths and weaknesses of the assessment framework and although acknowledges that the shared language between professionals is undoubtedly a strength, Calder and Hackett, 2003 (in law in social work) criticise that the omission of risk as a separate category can lead to professionals underestimating risks when completing an assessment. Conclusion The law provides a framework to guide and assist social workers in making crucial decisions and preventing anti-discriminatory practice as well as providing a framework of legal rights for service users. Principles of social justice and human rights are fundamental to social work and without an in-depth understanding of the law and how it affects social work practice, it would be impossible to practice effectively. Throughout my experience as a social work student together with my research and reading for this assignment it has become clear that in order to comply with the General Social Care Council Codes of Practice (2002) social workers must view the law as an integral part of their role.

Airport Security: Rights or Necessity Essay -- Argumentative Persuasiv

Airport Security: Rights or Necessity Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan†(Roosevelt). Although the dates have been changed the theme is the same. September 11, 2001, the United States, was suddenly and deliberately attacked by Islamic terrorists who used American planes to attack three sites on American soil killing thousands of Americans. Sadly, these terrorists entered the airports, boarded planes, and attacked the crews with weapons that they hid in their luggage. At this point Americans, after recovering from the shock of the ataacks of the World Trade Center Towers, The Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania, wondered how these men bent on the destruction of Americans and their property, were able to bring weapons through the security systems. Only then, after conducting extensive tests of the current airport security system, they were able to find hundreds of flaws in the system. Because of the attacks, many of the new security procedures were developed. Also because of the attack, the debate of airport security and human rights has developed. What extent does airport security need go so that it effectively screens all baggage and personal effects, yet does not violate the rights of the individual? Why is this issue so important? Talk to the business owners who lost billions of dollars in revenue and property or others who lost their jobs after the attacks due to the weakened economy. Ask the mothers of those who died in combat fighting against Al Queida and other terrorists. If that is not convincing enough, then ask the families of over 3000 people who perished in the... ...e504553.shtml" Burnett, Weldon. Personal interview. 7 Oct. 2002. Lyon, Ellen. â€Å"Airport Security.† The Patriot-News. 11 Sept. 2002. Roosevelt, Franklin D. â€Å"December 8,1941 Speech to Congress.† House of Representatives. Washington D.C. 8 Dec. 1941. Simon, Harvey. â€Å"Homeland Security and Defense.† Aviation Week. n.d. 5 June 2002. Sperry, Paul. â€Å"Know Your Rights at Airport Checkpoints.† Worldnetdaily. 9 January 2002, 15 Oct. 2002 www.worldnetdaily.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=25974 Todd, Dan. â€Å"Depressurization.† 4 Nov. 2002 www20.brinkster.com/salhq/airlines.html The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible: The NIV Version. Indianapolis, Indiana: B.B. Kirkbridge Bible CO., INC., 1990. â€Å"Women Travelers Complain of ‘Busy Hands’ Among Airport Guards.† Startribune. 25 November 2002, 15 Oct. 2002 www.startribune.com/stories/1631/850064.html

Analog Vs Digital Essay -- essays research papers

Digital PCS: The Future of Wireless Phone Service In the past few years the use of mobile phones has increased tremendously. At one time only available to the rich and elite business executives, the luxury of mobile phones can now be used by a wide group of people in different financial situations. Mobile phones are a necessary convenience. They provide instant communication access wherever mobile phone service is offered. There are two options for mobile phone service: analog, and digital PCS. Analog is the more expensive option and has long been the standard for mobile phone service. Digital PCS is the newest form of phone service. It works by converting human speech into software codes and converting them to audio signals before the codes reach the listener. Because it is software based it provides a perfect platform for a variety of advanced wireless features. Digital PCS is the future of mobile phone service and the soon to be de facto standard for wireless phone service.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People can choose digital PCS service for many reasons, though affordability might be the initial attraction. Because of competition by many companies price is always being driven down. Also, the many different customizable price plans offer an affordable package for any type of budget. Companies, which offer digital PCS service are always looking to lure new customers, and therefore are in constant review of their plans always trying to make sure they are treating their customers properly. This eventually leads to the best product for the customer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If there is any drawback to digital PCS it is that the service is still fairly new. Digital PCS systems need to be laid from the ground up. They are physically hard-wired from community to community. While designing a system like this takes much longer, the outcome is worth it. Hard-wired systems provide for a stronger signal, and better connection. Because the implementation of the system takes long, it is difficult to spread digital PCS service quickly. But the service is expanding rapidly and soon, it will cover most of the country. Another drawback is that people cannot use Digital PCS phones in the more common analog environments. Much of the country is already equipped with analog services so it is better to purchase a dual band Digital PCS service phone that has analog s... ...;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Digital phones are the future. They provide services that analog mobile phones could never provide. From an engineering standpoint alone, phones using digital PCS are more advanced and capable of amazing applications. But it is the convenience that digital PCS phones provide which make them a better option for people who are on the move. From a system level, they are designed from the ground up, providing the best connection and signal performance. Digital PCS is software based thus providing better applications such as caller ID, voice mail, enhanced battery management, paging, and encryption systems. They save time by providing on demand information including alerting the owner immediately when a voice mail is received, and when the battery of the phone will expire. They are affordable in cost because many companies are in competition to provide the best service. This provides the customer with ample choices to evaluate. Digital PCS phone service is reliable, robus t and affordable. It allows a person to be able to be reached at all times. It is the future and the soon to be standard for wireless communications. Digital PCS, the future of mobile phones is here.

Flat Tax :: Essays Papers

Flat Tax Let’s Hear it for the Flat Tax Do you think we should abolish the Internal Revenue Service? If you were to ask your family, friends and neighbors, you would get a resounding YES! That was my outcome when I, as an income tax preparer, surveyed my clients as well as my family, friends and neighbors. The comments ran from â€Å"It’s too complex†, â€Å"It’s unfair† to â€Å"They are too powerful†. Not one person was happy with the tax code as it currently stands. That is not to say people do not want to pay their fair share. They just want an easier, fairer way to do it. To prove the complexity of the IRS Code, Money Magazine asked fifty â€Å"tax experts† to figure hypothetical family’s tax liability each year from 1988 through 1992 and published the results in their March issues. The best year’s result was 1990 when only 48 of the responses were incorrect. If a tax expert could not figure the liability properly how can anyone expect the everyday taxpa yer to do it? The solution quite possibly is the Flat Tax. What will the Flat Tax do for us? The current proposed tax rate of 17% for all income will be more fair. It is much simpler; the tax return for an individual and a business will be postcard size both having only ten lines on them. The proposed flat tax eliminates the tax at a personal level for interest, dividends and capital gains as well as allowing businesses to deduct capital assets in the year of purchase. Currently a capital asset is expensed by taking depreciation over the useful life of the item. Many economists believe these features in the flat tax will stimulate economic growth. According to the Bureau of National Affairs Banking Report â€Å"Some 55 percent of the 156 analysts polled by the National Association of Business Economist think the economy would benefit from some type of flat tax†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Compliance is the final benefit of the flat tax. There will be a higher compliance in filing and paying Federal Income Tax. The flat tax removes the three primary excuses for non-compliance: the complexity, low likelihood of being caught and fact that the current system seems to favor special interests "at my expense†. Flat Tax :: Essays Papers Flat Tax Let’s Hear it for the Flat Tax Do you think we should abolish the Internal Revenue Service? If you were to ask your family, friends and neighbors, you would get a resounding YES! That was my outcome when I, as an income tax preparer, surveyed my clients as well as my family, friends and neighbors. The comments ran from â€Å"It’s too complex†, â€Å"It’s unfair† to â€Å"They are too powerful†. Not one person was happy with the tax code as it currently stands. That is not to say people do not want to pay their fair share. They just want an easier, fairer way to do it. To prove the complexity of the IRS Code, Money Magazine asked fifty â€Å"tax experts† to figure hypothetical family’s tax liability each year from 1988 through 1992 and published the results in their March issues. The best year’s result was 1990 when only 48 of the responses were incorrect. If a tax expert could not figure the liability properly how can anyone expect the everyday taxpa yer to do it? The solution quite possibly is the Flat Tax. What will the Flat Tax do for us? The current proposed tax rate of 17% for all income will be more fair. It is much simpler; the tax return for an individual and a business will be postcard size both having only ten lines on them. The proposed flat tax eliminates the tax at a personal level for interest, dividends and capital gains as well as allowing businesses to deduct capital assets in the year of purchase. Currently a capital asset is expensed by taking depreciation over the useful life of the item. Many economists believe these features in the flat tax will stimulate economic growth. According to the Bureau of National Affairs Banking Report â€Å"Some 55 percent of the 156 analysts polled by the National Association of Business Economist think the economy would benefit from some type of flat tax†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Compliance is the final benefit of the flat tax. There will be a higher compliance in filing and paying Federal Income Tax. The flat tax removes the three primary excuses for non-compliance: the complexity, low likelihood of being caught and fact that the current system seems to favor special interests "at my expense†.

Metal Detectors: Justifying School Safety Essay

How much is your child’s safety worth? Are you willing to put a price tag on your child’s life? Many schools are putting a price tag, but fortunately several are not. A shocking one in ten students has carried a weapon to school in New York. Statistics like this cannot be music to the ears of parents. You have to wonder what schools are doing about this awful matter. A notion that has been around, yet a new idea is helping pave the future on student safety in schools. It is metal detectors. This new idea has caused controversy all over the world. Schools around the United States have turned to metal detectors for their solution. I feel that metal detectors are a small price to pay when this matter concerns children. Metal detectors are helpful and expensive. However, most schools are able to afford them, and they do not exploit students’ rights. Metal detectors ensure school safety quickly and effectively. They help enforce a practice that is seen in many areas, including airports and courthouses. Many may argue that they consume too much time and require specially trained professionals. On the contrary, several schools have taken the same measures that are taken when conducting a poll. Polls only use a small percent of the population for the actual questions, but it still represents the entire population. Countless cities, including New York, have â€Å"†¦set a predetermined method of scanning which allows them to scan every second or third student instead of the entire student body† (McDermott 2). This measure is closely monitored, and it has proven to be successful. Some schools have even made things move quicker by having the teachers enter through a different entrance, which also includes metal detectors. Metal detectors in schools are also enforcing a method that is commonly used everywhere these days. A st udent from Chicago states in a message board that, Government offices have metal detectors that everyone has to walk through before they enter. If I go to City Hall, I have to walk through a metal detector. If I go to court for a speeding ticket, I have to go through a metal detector. Why shouldn’t kids have to do the same in school? It’s a public place, funded by public dollars (much like government offices) and I  don’t see that it violates anyone’s civil rights to have to walk through a metal detector to ensure that a school is safe. Students lose many privileges when they enter the school doors because student safety is on the top of the list. If they do not want to be searched or questioned then they should not bring with them articles that are inappropriate for school. Leigh was right when he said metal detectors are expensive. They can range from $4,495 to $5,495 for the walk-through models and from one hundred to four hundred dollars for the hand-held models. This minor setback causes debates. Metal detectors may not be needed in all grades of schools. â€Å"A vast majority of school homicides and suicides – 179 – took place in high schools†¦Ã¢â‚¬  when surveyed in New York. Therefore, various school districts may only need to install the metal detectors in high schools. Another aspect is that taxpayers already pay for insufficient funds. They should use the money for safer schools, instead of funding a new, state-of-the-art prison. Public officials need to look into where other tax dollars are going, and try and focus on getting it to go to schools. Students go to school to be educated; if their education is impaired the school officials then need to step in. Students are also missing valuable time when public officials are required to search the entire school because of threats of a bomb or other life threatening incidents. † ‘All the kids are missing out on their education†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ † (Szaniszlo 1). This could have been prevented with the metal detectors. Although the threats are to be taken seriously, the officials would have a sense of relief with the metal detectors in place. Metal detectors are beneficial to everyone, and not just the students. For example, they enforce school policy and protect students. The school officials have a right to search with reasonable cause and this does not invade the students’ rights or privacy. The school officials are in loco parentis (in the place of the parent) to help maintain order in the school. Rules and regulations create a structure that is necessary t o ensure a safe environment, † . . . that will reinforce the District’s priority goal of safe schools for all students and staff† (Code of Conduct). Just as  students must obey the rules, school officials have a set of rules to follow. Also, parents are allowed to search their kids’ room without a search warrant mandatory, so school officials should be given the same standard. They are acting in loco parentis; therefore, like parents they do not need a search warrant. â€Å"The in loco parentis doctrine basically assumes that students have no legitimate expectation of privacy in their personal property, such as purses, gym bags, or clothing† (Persico 28). The school is now not only responsible for educating the children, but also for protecting them while in the school’s supervision. School officials â€Å"†¦were not permitted to begin a pat-down search until the scanning device had been activated twice†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (NYSSN). They are obligated to search when they feel the school environment has been threatened. School officials only begin a thorough search when the detector has beeped twice on the same student. Only then are they allowed to search the specific area where it beeped. Leigh states that metal detectors â€Å"†¦instill a sense of humiliation in students†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (654). Students would not be embarrassed if the search was done in private. He also mentions â€Å"†¦the most harmful effect of metal detectors is their psychological impact on students subjected to daily searches† (Leigh 653). I have to agree that it might cause such impact, but that it is worth the price. When a student dies on school grounds it also causes a sense of fear for classmates. Schools only have these powers because they are out to ensure our safety. Schools will use whatever means possible to protect he student body. The Columbine tragedy really awakened the American public. Who knew that two teenage boys would have access to guns and that they would intentionally use them to hurt others? Schools with the help of metal detectors would have a chance to prevent such incidents in the future. Metal detectors may not be a full-proof plan, but they would be valuable asset for schools. School districts are turning to this new phenomenon to better the school environment and community. Trying to work around the metal detectors idea or complaining about the cost are not the real issues. The students’ life is at stake. Nevertheless, to prevent the impossible from happening, adopting the idea of metal detectors is worth taking a chance.

Book Review: Black Feminist Thought (Patricia Hill Collins)

Alexandra Bobet HIST 3119 Spring 2013 cutting womens liberationist scene Knowledge, Consciousness, and the governing of authorization (review) cruddy feminist theory Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment. Ed. By Patricia Hill collins. (New York R go forthledge, 2000. ii, 336 pp. Cloth, $128. 28, ISBN 0-415-92483-9. Paper, $26. 21, 0-415-92484-7. ) Patricia Hill collinss work, forbidding feminist Thought seeks to center wispy Women into intersectionalist thought, addressing the power struggles that governance them non only due to their public life except also to the gender.Masculine hot air and sizeable male leaders such(prenominal) as Huey P. Newton and Eldridge Cleaver have overshadowed unforgiving Womens stories, both(prenominal) in and out of the genteel Right Rights/Black indicator Era. It is an analysis that defines Black feminist Thought, quite of recycling former exsanguine Feminist philosophies and providing interpretations of them. However, she does integrate sense raising into the personify of work, move in from her personal experiences speckle analyzing the text editions of women such as Alice Walker and cost hooks.The second edition of Black Feminist Thought differs from the first in both the complexity and the depth of onerousness and empowerment, spanning into a transnational level. collins breaks down her newfangled into three parts. Part I The hearty twisting of Feminist Thought, Part II subject matter Themes in Black Feminist Thought, and Part III Black Feminism, Knowledge, and Power. Bobet 2 Part I The Social Construction of Feminist Thought sweep ups the history of subjugation of dark women from various sectors. black-and-blue feminism has failed women which uptake of essentialist philosophy, which collins uses in the relationship surrounded by Rebecca Felton and Ida B Wells, the former praised by White feminists even though she was an advocate of lynching. collins touches upon Black l eadership and how it has addressed gender, in particular the case of Elaine Brown and the Black Panther Party of Oakland. Among African-American feminine scholars there has been a concern in the masculinist bias of Black political and accessible thought.With these mediums of oppression, her first theory, referred to as the Matrix of domination is brought up. Previous models of oppression were considered additive, or hierarchal, convey that they must be ranked. Collins uses the experiences of scurrilous women to explain that completely these modes of oppression, gender, hightail it and air division atomic number 18 interlocking and equally big when viewing domination. This bleeds mores into Part II, but the essentials argon discussed in this section. While there is rigorousness in this matrix, Collinss prelude is from a group level, and it does non cover how the singular may use the matrix.While it is sure that all these modes of oppression are at play, it would be mo re beneficial for the individual to place a value on these modes. For one individual, race may be more of a factor than gender, for some other individual it may differ, and so on. another(prenominal) critique of the matrix of oppression is how it does not address, sexual orientation, ableism, and ethnicity, among others. Part II Core Themes in Black Feminist Thought tackles five themes 1) a legacy of struggle, 2) give-and-take of the interlocking nature of race, coterie, and gender, 3) Bobet 3 eplacement of sort images of bare womanhood with those that are self-importance defined, 4) black womens activism, and 5) sensitivity to black sexual politics. The first three themes correlative to black motherhood and living in a binary environment, one in which black people are the ladened and white people are the oppressors. Images of black womanhood have been terribly malformed to show stereotypes such as the single teenage mother and the welfare mother.Black womens activism, one o f the last core themes of the text, has been more of a desire for group natural selection and cohesion than any political motives, as seen with the story of Sara Brooks and her job as a domestic worker. Her job speaks big volumes to political activism and the nature of oppression than numerous another(prenominal) political texts, according to Collins. This outlook parallels some(prenominal) of bell hookss renders, particularly Theory As A Liberatory Practice. This essay addresses the powers of the Sara Brookses of the world and how their actions complement the discourse that is be forged.Part III Black Feminism, Knowledge, and Power comprises of the edits not found in the first edition. outline from experiences from Senegalese, American, and British Black feminists, the matrix of race, gender, and class oppressions are still relevant to all nations, despite diversity. Angela Davis is frequently cited as a champion of this transnational empowerment She encourages Black Wom en of privilege to not ignore the whirl of our sisters who are acquainted with the immediacy of oppression in a way many of us are not, fueling Collinss core theme of a type of feminism rooted in sisterhood and familial ties.Analysis of oppression from a nationalistic point of view is represented, drawing further from her original gender/race/class matrix. Bobet 4 To conclude, Black Feminist Thought is thorough and crucial text because of how vigilantly it attempts (and successfully so) to not be another spin on White feminism. Using the methodological approach of historical materialism, it addresses the concerns that Black women have on the heels of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements.Concerns with the narrative are that while it does explain the roots of consciousness raising and feminist thought in Black Power movements, the overwhelming measuring stick of text is based on the interpretations of writers such as Alice Walker, bell hooks, and Audre Lorde, much little on intellectuals. Collins touches upon the efforts of Elaine Brown, Angela Davis, and also provides a personal account of Francis Beale and her experience with racialism in SNCC. Beales experiences with sexism, for example influenced her essay, Black Womens Manifesto Double hazard To Be Black and A Woman. I found Collinss statement of what is a feminist to be inclusionary and not in any way rejecting masculinity, but more how the masculine rhetoric that has crush women should be rejected. Black feminist rhetoric created in backlash has centered on community awareness, and a sense of identicalness through a group. While Collins alludes to capitalism as also being a contributing factor in the oppression of Black women, there was not as much concrete point to support that as much as there was racism and sexism. Patricia Hill Collins forms a text that finally draws a map into the complexity of oppression and empowerment.

Marketing: video game console and shoppers stop Essay

gestate the community top brass what closely on that point means. The answer a premier Indian sell party that has come to be known as a specialty chain of appargonl and doorories. With 52 dissolvent categories under peerless roof, Shoppers die has a line-up of 350 brands. Set up and addressed by organizeer corona employee, B. S. Nagesh, Shoppers terminate is Indias answer to Selfridges and Printemps. As it proudly announces, We dont sell, we help you buy. Back in 1991, there was the question of what to retail. Should it be a super foodstuff or a departmental gunstock? Even an electronics save whent in was considered.Fin some(prenominal)y, common senseand understanding won out. The safest bet, for the all-male team was to retail mens wear. They knew the male psyche and felt that they had discerning taste in mens clothing. The concept would be that of a feelstyle install in a luxurious space, which would manipulate for a great obtain friendship. The first Sho ppers Stop set up took shape in Andheri, Mumbai, in October 1991, with an investment of most Rs. 20 lakh. The original concept that formed the primer of a victorious selling campaign for seven-spot old age is here to stay.And the result is an annual upset of Rs. 160 crores and five pedigrees, nine years later. E reallything went redress from the beginning, except for atomic number 53 strange happening. More than 60 per cent of the clients who passing acted into Shoppers Stop in Mumbai were women. This gave rise to ideas. Soon, the broth set up its womens section. Later, it expanded to embroil childrens wear and then, ho white plaguehold accessories. The second gunstock in Bangalore came in 1995. The store at Hyderabad followed in 1998 with the largest argona of 60,000 sq. ft.The New Delhi and Jaipur stores were inaugurated in 1999. All this while, the proceeds range unplowed increasing to suit guest needs. The most recent experiment was home furnishings. take int o custody in the knowledge that organised retailing in world(prenominal) brands was still in its infancy in India, Shoppers Stop laid the ground rules which the competition followed. The cock-a-hoopgest gain for Shoppers Stop is that it knows how the Indian consumer thinks and feels while shopping. Yes, feeling for in India, shopping remains an outing. And how does it compare itself to foreign stores? temporary hookup it is not stumpered on any unmatchable foreign retailer, the basic construct is taken from the survive of a number of successfully man hoary retail companies. It has leveraged expertise for a critical component wish well engineering science from all oer the world, going as farther as hiring expatriates from Littlewoods and victimization state-of-the-art ERP models. Shoppers Stop went a metre further by even desegregation its financial dodging with the ERP model. Expertise was imported wherever it felt that expertise available in-house was in seemly.But t he store felt there was one acute problem. A shortage of the most important resource of them all was trained humans . Since Indian barter institutes did not present professional courses in retail focusing, throng were hired from different walks of life and the training class was internalized. By 1994, the senior executives at Shoppers Stop were pickings lectures at arrangement institutes in Mumbai. The Narsee Monjee Institute of guidance Studies (NMIMS) even restructured its course to take retail management as a subject. acquire the lodge access to the latest global retail trends and ex mixed bag of breeding with business greats was an easy lay membership to the Intercontinental assemblage of Department Stores (IGDS). It allows membership by invitation to one company from a country and Shoppers Stop rubs shoulders with 29 of the hottest label in retailing Selfridges from the UK, C. K. Tang from Singapore, Lamcy Plaza from Dubai and the like. With logistics I in place, the accent moved to the customer. Shoppers Stop conducted surveys with ORG-MARG and Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB) and undertook in-house insistence audits.The studies corroborate what it already knew. The Indian customer is still evolving and is very different from, say, a European customer, who knows exactly what he wants to purchase, walks up to a shelf, picks up the merchandise, pays and walks out. In India, customers like to touch and feel the merchandise, and scout for options. Also, the majority of Indian shoppers still prefer to pay in cash. So, legal proceeding must be in cash as against plastic money utilise the world over. Additionally, the Indian customer likes cosmos served whether it is food, or otherwise.The companys customer profile includes people who want the same gross revenueperson each time they came to the store to walk them through the shop floors and assist in the purchase. Others came with families, kids and maids in tow and expected to be sui tably accompanied to. Still others wanted somewhatone to carry the bags. So, the shops founder self-help counters with an assistant at hand for queries or help. The in-house wardrobe audit as well helped with another facet of the business. It enabled Shoppers Stop to work out which brands to stock, based on customer preferences.In fact, the USP of Shoppers Stop lies in judiciously selected global brands, displayed alongside an in-house range of affordable designer wear. The line-up includes Levis, Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, Walt Disney, radio beam Ban and Reebok, besides in-house labels STOP and I. Brand unnecessaryct is the same crosswise the five locations, though the reaping mix may be somewhat city-based to deposit cuts and styles in womens wear, as well as allowing for seasonal variations (winter in Delhi, for instance, is a case in point). Stocking of brands is based on popular demand recently, Provogue, MTV Style, and Benetton get down been added.In-house labels are available at competitive impairments and guide the value-formoney customer and make up around 12 per cent of Shoppers Stops business. Sometimes in-house brands procure the footing gap in certain reaping categories. To cash in on this, the company has big plans for its in-house brands from re-branding to re status, to homing in on product categories where animate brands are not strong. Competition between brands is not an issue, because being a trading house, all brands buy sa spring upine equal emphasis. The in-house brand shopper is one who places immense authority in the company and the quality of its goods and returns for repeat buys.And the company reposed its faith in regular customers by including them in a concept called the First Citizens confederacy (FCC). With 60,000 odd members, FCC customers account for 10 per cent of entries and for 34 per cent of the turnover. It was the sheer appeal of the experience that kept pulling these people back. Not one to let su ch an opportunity pass, the company ran a successful ad campaign (that talks about ba assert this factor) in print for much than eight years. The typography is still the same. In 1999, a TV spot, which want the shopping experience to the slowing down of ones internal clock and the beauty of the building block experience, was aired.More recently, ads that spell out the stores benefits (in a highly oblique manner) are being aired. The campaign is based on entries entered in the Visitors Book. no(prenominal) of the ads has a visual or text or any heavy handedly direct reference to the store or the merchandise. The ads solely show shoppers having the time of their lives in calm and serene locales, or elements that make shopping at the store a pleasure sooner the perfect getaway for a cosmopolitan shopper aged between 25 and 45.The brief to the agency, Contract, ensured that brand fall came in terms of the shopping experience, not the product. And it has worked wonders. Value-ad dition at each store as well comes in the form of special care with car parks, power backup, customer paging, alteration service and gift-wrapping.To top it all, cafes and coffee prohibit make sure that the customer does not step out of the store. In Hyderabad, it has even created a fare Court. Although the food counter was not planned, it came about as there was extra space of 67,000 sq. ft. Carrying the perfect experience to the shop floor is an attempt to stack goods in vast open spaces neatly.Every store has a generic structure, though regional customer variances are accounted for. Each store is on lease, and this is clearly Shoppers Stops most high- belld resource advise renting huge spaces in prime properties across metros, so far totaling 210,000 sq. ft of retail space. Getting that space was gentle enough for Shoppers Stop, since its promoter is the Mumbai-based Raheja Group, which also owns 62 per cent of the partake capital. Questions 1. What are the authoritativ e factors that pass water led to the success of Shoppers Stop? 2. show the typical profile(s) of Shoppers Stop customer segments.3. How are Indian customers learning Shoppers Stop any different from customers of create western countries? 4. How should Shoppers Stop excogitate its demand forecasts? chance let 2 The rise of personal computing devices in the mid 1980s spurred interest in electronic computer patchs. This cause a crash in home television set endorse market. Interest in Video highs was rekindled when a number of different companies developed hardware consoles that provided ar bothrk superior to the capabilities of computer gimpys. By 1990, the Nintendo Entertainment outline dominated the product category.Sega surpassed Nintendo when it salt awayd its Genesis System. By 1993, Sega commanded close to 60 per cent of Video game market and was one of the most recognized brand names among the children. Segas success was short lived. In 1995, Saturn (a section alization of General Motors) launched a new 32-bit system of rules. The product was a miserable failure for a number of reasons. Sega was the capital software developer for Saturn and it did not support efforts by remote game developers to design compatible games. In addition, Segas games were often delivered rather late to retailers.Finally, the price of the Saturn system was greater than other comparable game consoles. This slur of Saturns misstep benefited Nintendo and Sony greatly. Sonys gyp carry was unveiled in 1994 and was available in 70 billion homes worldwide by the end of 1999. Its ease up design encouraged the efforts of outside developers, resulting in almost 3,000 different games that were compatible with the PlayStation. It too have 32-bit art that appealed to sometime(a) audience. As a result, at one time, more than 30 per cent of PlayStation owners were over 30 years old.Nintendo 64 was introduced in 1996 and had eye-popping 64-bit graphics and entered i n more than 28 cardinal homes by 1999. Its primary users were between the age of 6 and 13 as a result of Nintendos efforts to ascertain the amount of violent and adult-oriented material featured on games that put up be played on its systems. Because the company exercised considerable control over software development, Nintendo 64 had only one-tenth the number of compatible games as Sonys PlayStation did. By 1999, Sony had captured 56 per cent of the photo game market, followed by Nintendo with 42 per cent.Segas character had fallen to a low of 1%. Hence, Sega had two options, every to concede defeat or introduce an innovative goggle disaster machine that would bring in huge sales. And Sega had to do so before both Nintendo or Sony could bring their next-generation console to market. The Sega Dreamcast arrived in stores in September 1999 with an initial price tag of $199. sick gamers placed 300,000 advance orders, and initial sales were quite encouraging. A total of 1. 5 bi llion Dreamcast machines were bought at heart the first four months, and initial reviews were positive.The 128-bit system was dependent of generating 3-D visuals, and 40 different games were available within 3 months of Dream casts introduction. By the end of the year, Sega had captured a market overlap to 15 per cent. But the Dreamcast could not sustain its momentum. Although its game capabilities were impressive, the system did not deliver all the functionality Sega had promised. A 56K modem (which used a home phone line) and a clear browser were meant to allow access to the Internet so that gamers could play each other online, surf the Web, and visit the Dreamcast Network for product information and compete tips.Unfortunately, these features both were not immediately available or were spoil in their execution. Sega was not the only one in having the strategy of adding functionality beyond games. Sony and Nintendo followed the same approach for their machines introduced i n 1999. Both Nintendos Neptune and Sonys PlayStation 2 (PS2) were reinforced on a DVD platform and featured a 128-bit mainframe. Analysts applauded the move to DVD because it is less expensive to get out and allows more storage than CDs. It also gives buyers the aptitude to use the machine as CD practice of medicine player and DVD movie player.As Sony trade director commented, The full entertainment offering from Play Station 2 definitely appeals to a practically broader audience. I have friends in their 30s who bought it not only because its a fun system for their kids , but also a DVD for them. In addition, PlayStation 2 is able to play games developed for its earlier model that was CD-based. This gives the PS2 an enormous advantage in the number of compatible game titles that were immediately available to gamers. Further enhancing the PS2s appeal is its high-speed modem and allows the users easy access to the Internet through digital line of products as well as over for etell lines.This gives Sony the ability to distribute movies, music, and games directly to PS2 consoles. We are positioning this as an all-round entertainment player, commented Ken Kutaragi, the lead of Sony Computer Entertainment. However, some prospective customers were put off by the consoles initial price of $360. Shortly afterward the introduction of Neptune, Nintendo changed its strategies and announced the impending release of its newest game console, The haltCube. However, unlike the Neptune, the GameCube would not take place on a DVD platform and also would not initially offer any online capabilities.It would be more attractively priced at $199. A marketing vice president for Nintendo explained the companys change in direction, We are the only competitor whose business is video games. We want to create the best gaming system. Nintendo also make the GameCube friendly for outside developers and started adding games that include sports titles to attract an older audience . Best known for its extra ordinary successes with games aimed at the younger set, such as Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros, and Pokemon, Nintendo seek to attract older users, especially because the average video game player is 28.Youthful Nintendo users were particularly pleased to hear that they could use their handheld Game Boy Advance systems as controllers for the GameCube. Nintendo scrambled to ensure there would be an adequate supply of Game Cubes on the date in November 2001, when they were scheduled to be available to customers. It also budgeted $450 million to market its new product, as it anticipated miffed competition during the holiday shopping season. With more than 20 million PlayStation 2 sold worldwide, the GameCube as a new entry in the video game market would make the battle for market share even more intense.For almost a decade, the video game industry had only Sega, Nintendo, and Sony expert three players. Because of strong brand patrioticty and high product de velopment costs, newcomers faced a daunting assign in entering this race and being competitive. In November 2001, Microsoft began selling its new Xbox, just three long time before the GameCube made its debut. Some observers felt the Xbox was aimed to twin PlayStation 2, which has similar functions that rival Microsofts Web TV system and even some lower direct PCs.Like the Sonys PlayStation 2, Xbox was also built using a DVD platform, but it used anIntel processor in its construction. This open design allowed Microsoft to develop the Xbox in just twoyears, and gave developers the option of using standard PC tool for creating compatible games. In addition, Microsoft also sought the advice of successful game developers and even incorporated some of their feedback into the design of the console and its controllers. As a result of developers efforts, Microsoft had about 20 games ready when the Xbox became available.By demarcation line, the GameCube had only eight games available. Mi crosoft online strategy was another feature that secern of the Xbox from the GameCube. Whereas Nintendo had no immediate plans for Web-based play, the Xbox came equipped with an Ethernet port for wideband access to Internet. Microsoft also announced its own Web-based communicate on which gamers can come together for online mental capacity-to head play and for organised online matches and tournaments. Subscribers to this service were to pay a small monthly fee and must have high-speed access to the Internet.This is a potential drawback considering that a very low percentage of households world over currently have broadband connections. By contrast Sony promoted an open meshing, which allows software developers to manage their own games, including associated fees aerated to users. However, interested players must purchase a network adapter for an additional $39. 99. Although game companies are not keen on the prospect of submitting to the control of a Microsoft-controlled network, it would require a material investment for them to manage their own service on the Sony based network.initially the price of Microsofts Xbox was $299. Prior to the introduction of Xbox, in a competitive move Sony dropped the price of the PlayStation 2 to $299. Nintendos GameCube already enjoyed a significant price advantage, as it was selling for $100 less than either Microsoft or Sony products. Gamers eagerly snapped up the new consoles and made 2001 the best year ever for video game sales. For the first time, consumers spent $9. 4 billion on video game equipment, which was more than they did at the box office. By the end of 2001 holiday season, 6.6 million PlayStation 2 consoles had been sold in North the States alone, followed by 1. 5 million Xbox units and 1. 2 million Game Cubes. What ensued was an all out price war. This started when Sony indomitable to put even more pressure on the Microsofts Xbox by cutting the PlayStation 2 price to $199. Microsoft quickly matched that p rice. Wanting to maintain its low-price status, Nintendo in turn responded by reducing the price of its the GameCube by $50, to $149. By mid 2002, Microsoft Xbox had sold between 3. 5 and 4 million units worldwide. However, Nintendo had surpassed Xbox sales by selling 4.5 million Game Cubes. Sony had the benefit of healthy head start, and had shipped 32 million PlayStation 2s. However, seven years after the introduction of original PlayStation, it was being sold in retail outlets for a mere $49. It had a significant lead in terms of numbers of units in homes around the world with a 43 per cent share. Nintendo 64 was second with 30 per cent, followed by Sony PlayStation 2 with 14 per cent The Xbox and GameCube each claimed about 3 per cent of the market, with Sega Dreamcast comprising the last and least market share of 4. 7 per cent.Sega, once an industry leader, announced in 2001 that it had decided to stop producing the Dreamcast and other video game hardware components. The compan y said it would develop games for its competitors consoles. hence Sega slashed the price of the Dreamcast to just $99 in an effort to liquidate its piled up inventory of more than 2 million units and immediately began developing 11 new games for the Xbox, four for PlayStation 2, and three for Nintendos Game Boy Advance. As the prices of video game consoles have dropped, consoles and games have become the equivalent of razors and blades.This means the consoles grant little if any profit, but the games are a highly profitable proposition. The profit margins on games are highly attractive, affected to some degree by whether the content is developed by the console cleric (such as Sony) or by an independent game publisher (such as Electronic Arts). Thus, the competition to develop appealing, or perhaps even addictive, games may be even more intense than the battle among players to produce the best console. In particular, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft want games that are exclusive to t heir own systems.With that in mind, they not only rely on large in-house staffs that design games but they also pay added fees to independent publishers for exclusive rights to new games. The sales of video games in 2001 rose to 43 per cent, compared to just 4 per cent increase for computer-based games. But computer game players are believed to be a loyal bunch, as they see many advantages in playing games on their computers rather than consoles. For one thing, they have a big advantage of having access to a slip and a keyboard that allow them to play far more sophisticated games.In addition, they have been utilizing the Internet for years to receive game updates and modifications and to play each other over the Web. Sony and Microsoft are intent on capturing a portion of the online gaming opportunity. Even Nintendo has decided to make available a modem that will allow GameCube users to play online. As prices continue to fall and technology becomes increasingly more sophisticated, it remains to be seen whether these three companies can keep their names on the industrys list of high scorers. Questions 1.Considering the concept of product life musical rhythm, where would you put video games in their life cycle? 2. Should video game companies continue to alter their products to include other functions, such as e-mail? conclusion OF SECTION B Section C apply Theory (30 marks).1. What is meant by sales promotion? quarter briefly the various methods of sales promotional tools used by business organizations to boost the sales. Explain any four methods of sales promotion? 2. Write notes on the fowling a) Explain right to safety. b) What is right to consumer protection? finish up OF SECTION C.