Buyers Guide On Men Shirts Fashion Essay

Work force ‘s shirts are garments worn by work forces on the upper organic structure. They do non mention to innerwear or outerwear. Shirting cloths can be natural fibres such as cotton, linen, wool, silk, and ramee or man-made fibres such as cellulose xanthate, polyester, nylon, and lyocell. Shirts come in assorted manners of neckbands, arms, organic structure, length, shirt turnups, cervixs and pockets. Types of work forces ‘s shirtsWork force ‘s shirts are available in assorted designs, forms and manners. Some of the most common types of work forces ‘s shirts are:Camp shirts: These shirts are free, cut consecutive, and short sleeved. The neckband is level as is portion of the shirt. The neckband is called â€Å" cantonment neckband † , â€Å" exchangeable neckband † or â€Å" serrate neckband † .Dress shirt: A shirt with long arms and turnups, a neckband and buttons running along a full length opening from the neckband to the bottom hem. Normally worn as formalwear, dress shirts are worn with a tie under suits or jackets. Tapered frock shirts provide a snugger tantrum.Tee shirt: Besides known as Jerseies, these shirts are chiefly insouciant wear. They are normally made of stretchy, finely knit fabric such as cotton or cotton/viscose blends, and have short arms. They can be obviously, printed or with mottos and advertisement. Tee shirts are wor n with a cantonment shirt or by themselves. Types of tee shirts are:Ringer Jerseies: have a neckband and sleeve turnup made out of a different cloth from the chief shirt.One-half shirts: have a high hem, and make merely above the waist go forthing the middle uncovered.Construction shirts ( A-shirt or vest ) : have big armholes and a unit of ammunition cervix hole to let better mobility. Popular amongst jocks and labour workers, these shirts are besides popular manner statements in funk manner.Polo shirt ( tennis shirt or golf shirt ) : This is a short sleeved, collared shirt with a short button placket at the cervix. The forepart is shorter than the dorsum and the cloth is of soft texture. It is really comfy wear for warm yearss. Types of Polo shirts are:Rugby shirt: is a polo shirt with long arms traditionally made of rugged cloth but comes in softer stuffs now.Henley shirt: is a collarless Polo shirt.Baseball shirt ( New Jersey ) : This shirt is characterized by three one-fourth l ength arms, a level waist seam, crew cervix or V-neck, and a squad badge or logo.Sweatshirt: This long sleeved shirt is normally made of somewhat heavy stuff such as knit cotton. It can hold a goon and is available in slipover and zip down manner.Night shirt: Night shirts are loose comfy tantrums suited for kiping. They come in many forms and prints.Work force ‘s shirt parts and their typesWork force ‘s shirts come in a assortment of manners. They are distinguished by the:Neck: The cervix of a shirt can be:Turtleneck: has a high close-fitting neckbandV-shaped: comes with or without collarOpen or tassel cervix: has cords to bind togetherWindsor or spread neckband: is a dressy neckband with infinite for the Windsor knot tie ( formalwear )Tab neckband: comes with two fabric checks that fasten to continue the collar spread under a tieFlying neckband: comes with formal shirts that need a bow tieStraight neckband or point neckband: has a smaller collar spread for half-Windsor knot tiesButton-down neckbands: have buttons that fasten the points of the neckband to the shirtBand neckband: is the lower portion of a regular neckbandTurtleneck neckband: is high and covers most of the cervixBody: The organic structure of a shirt can hold:A perpendicular gap that is fastened with buttons or a nothingno gap – pulled over the caputSleeves: The arms of work forces ‘s shirts can be short ( cap or half ) , full length, sleeveless or three 4th lengths.Cuffs: Full length arms can hold assorted types of turnups:Closed placket turnup: has no buttonsButton turnup: has a individual button or brace along the turnup hemBarrel turnup: has multiple buttons perpendicular to the turnup hemGallic turnup: has four buttons for cufflinks and one half of the turnup folds over the otherLink turnup: has buttons for cufflinks, and the turnup is hemmed to the arm borderLength of shirt: Work force ‘s shirts can be short to bare the middle, waist length, or hip length.Oth er features: Work force ‘s shirts can hold multiple pockets – with or without flaps, buttons or nothings ; and goons. Shirt makers come up with new designs every twenty-four hours. Many shirt designs and cloths are seasonal. Shirts come in assorted colourss and sizes that are measured otherwise across states.

The Day of the Week Effect

Bishop’s University Department of Economics The â€Å"Day-of-the-Week† Effect: Analysis of Trends in the Daily Returns of Copper and Aluminum Lucas Zawislak and Jennifer Lee Dr. M. Vigneault Applied Economic Analysis March 15th, 2013 Introduction According to the neoclassical school of economics, asset markets are assumed to be both efficient and random.These two assumptions are the base from which two neoclassical theories are derived: 1) â€Å"The Efficient Market Theory† infers that the market is remarkably adept in its utilization of information; while 2) â€Å"The Random Walk Model† infers that accurate predictions of outcome cannot be made on the basis of historical data. In summation, it is assumed that the price behavior of assets is essentially random, and all relevant information is almost immediately incorporated into price. There are two key elements, in reference to market participants or decision makers, engrained in the neoclassical position .First, it is presumed that the decision maker is rational and therefore makes decisions using the expected utility function. Second, this position reasons that each decision maker has access to, and uses, full information about the fundamental valuations of assets. Consequently, the market should be comprised of distinctly independent, fully informed and rational decision makers. Contrary to the neoclassical belief’s studies have uncovered irregularities, in asset returns, over specific ranges in time, specifically over the days of the week.This observed anomaly is commonly referred to as â€Å"The-Day-of-the-Week-Effect† which challenges the notion of market efficiency and randomness. It proposes that the distribution of returns may vary according to the day of the week. The most distinct characteristic of this anomaly is a pattern of positive returns on Friday coupled with negative returns on Monday, also known as â€Å"the weekend effect†. Purpose and Motiva tion The objectives of this study are to determine if there is evidence of the day-of-the week-effect in the weekly price fluctuations of both Copper and Aluminum.More specifically, we will determine if the assets returns are dependent on the day of the week in which they are generated. If this is proven true, it will have implications on the behavior of market participants in regards to the trading of these commodities. It would be difficult to directly and consistently exploit this effect each week, due to high transaction costs. The situation in which this could be best exploited would be when there are plans to add one of these commodities to a portfolio, due to some strategic objective.In this case it would be advantageous to be aware of the effect and know exactly which day of the week the prices would be at their lowest. As I mentioned above, this anomaly will be tested against two base metals (commodities): copper and aluminum. Copper is the third most widely used metal in t he world, and is highly versatile. It is a base metal used in building construction, power generation, transmission, electronic product manufacturing, and the production of industrial machinery and transportation vehicles. Aluminum is a substitute for copper and is used in many of the same applications.Though the two metals are similar in application aluminum is a much cheaper alternative. When you familiarize yourself with the uses of both metals it becomes evident that they are essential to urban modernization. The demand for base metals is primarily fueled by economic growth, and though economic growth in the western hemisphere has slowed, countries such as China and India are experiencing a significant upward trend. Base metals are vital to this growth. On account of this demand, copper is in decreasing supply and due to uncertainty about future supply; this is likely to translate into price volatility.When making a purchase decision this volatility can be offset by the knowledg e of the price trends. Aluminum is still in good supply and due to its likeness to copper its demand is increasing. Method We have collected data on Copper and Aluminum prices, as reported on the London Metal Exchange, from January 2nd 2009 to February 15th 2013. The standard OLS method will be used to test the day-of-the-week effect in each of the commodities returns by regressing the data of the returns on the five daily dummy variables.The regression model below will be the base from which all analysis will take place. Essentially the commodity prices will be the dependent variables in the regression, while time will be the independent variable. Regression Model I: Ri=the daily yied of the asset D1=1 if Monday;=0 otherwise D2=1 if Tuesday;=0 otherwise D3=1 if Wednesday;=0 otherwise D4=1 if Thursday;=0 otherwise D5=1 if Friday;=0 otherwise **Null Hypothesis of Interest: Daily Return Equation Rt=(PtPt-1-1)*100 Descriptive Statistics The descriptive statistics reflect the fore menti oned metal profiles. On verage copper returns are 43% higher than that of Aluminum. In terms of standard deviation the returns for both are quite similar. Both graphs indicate increasing volatility of returns, yet this is much more prominent for copper. This pattern supports my previous statement indicating decreasing supply and increasing demand as a source of volatility. The large range given by the minimum and maximum returns is another indication of the volatility of returns for both metals Works Cited Berument, M. , and Nukhet Dogan. â€Å"Stock Market Return And Volatility: Day-Of-The-Week Effect. Journal Of Economics & Finance 36. 2 (2012): 282-302. Business Source Complete. Web. 12 Mar. 2013. Boudreaux, Denis, Spuma Rao, and Phillip Fuller. â€Å"An Investigation Of The Weekend Effect During Different Market Orientations. † Journal Of Economics & Finance 34. 3 (2010): 257-268. Business Source Complete. Web. 12 Mar. 2013. Derbali, Abdelkader, and Noureddine Khadraoui. â€Å"Day Of The Week Effect On Assets Return: Case Of The Stock Exchange Of Casablanca. † Journal Of Business Studies Quarterly 3. 1 (2011): 274-283. Business Source Complete.Web. 15 Mar. 2013. Hassan Chowdhury, Shah Saeed, and Rashida Sharmin. â€Å"Does Cross-Sectional Risk Explain Day-Of-The-Week Effects In Bangladesh Stock Market?. † International Research Journal Of Finance & Economics 93 (2012): 84-94. Business Source Complete. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. Ulussever, Talat, Ibrahim Guran Yumusak, and Muhsin Kar. â€Å"The Day-Of-The-Week Effect In The Saudi Stock Exchange: A Non-Linear Garch Analysis. † Journal Of Economic & Social Studies (JECOSS) 1. 1 (2011): 9-23. Business Source Complete. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.

Retirement Age Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Retirement Age - Assignment Example Raising the retirement age to 65 is not favorable especially I this current situation of the economy where job opportunities are scarce. This denies the young energetic generations the opportunities to enter the job market earlier enough. Older people should retire and pave way for youths. Moreover, employment currently dictates that anybody eligible to retire should go ahead and do so. Currently, the economy dictates the age at which one wishes to retire; this is because the economy does not match the savings of workers. People are pessimistic about their little savings that cannot sustain them after the retirement of 65. Workers, therefore, should be allowed to stay working in order to meet their demands pertaining their social security. Employers too determine the age retirement of employees, especially in the private sector. This comes in situations whereby a worker can decide to seek earlier retirement basing on the working conditions and. In this case, the employer should allow the employee to do so and therefore this call for employers to consider the employee’s increments. A person should, therefore, be allowed to express his or her rights but many at times employers take advantage of such situations to lay off these workers and they even deny workers their returns. Basing on this argument retirement age should not be enforced rather people should be allowed to enjoy. People should not be forced to retire at age 65 since, under the employment law, there is no exact age of employing professionals.

The Moral Problem Of The Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Moral Problem Of The Death Penalty - Essay Example America has done x amount of damage and must pay Canada for that. There are several problems with this, however. For one thing, the environmental damage will affect people who will never get money from the restitution. Furthermore, environmental degradation can be long term in a way that neither Canada nor the US could predict, so it is possible that any payment that the United States makes would be insufficient. There are several other options, however. Canada has an abundance of hydropower, which is how it can operate more greenly than America. Canada could agree to sell hydroelectricity to American municipalities close to the border, reducing their need for coal. But probably the best solution would be for America to agree to a plan to move away from coal power, avoiding the environmental degradation entirely, while possibly making economic restitution for damage already done.3. The line of thinking that â€Å"If you’re not doing anything wrong, you don’t have anyth ing to worry about† in terms of surveillance is patently ludicrous. There are a wide variety of things that may not be morally or ethically wrong but should not be public knowledge. If, for instance, a high school teacher happens to be a gigantic fan of Justin Bieber, have many of his decorations and listen to his music all the time, this is far from morally wrong. But it is also possible that his high-school teacher’s life would be more difficult if his students found out about his love for Bieber.... But it is also possible that his high-school teacher’s life would be more difficult if his students found out about his love for Bieber. Furthermore, it is not wrong or right to practice any particular religion or align one’s self with any particular political party, but one could face challenges in their personal or professional life because of widespread knowledge of this. 4. The boss is fundamentally assuming that his or her employees are doing things they shouldn’t be at work, and refusing to trust them. This monitoring should usually not be justified and is usually not a good management tool. For one thing, as long as an employee is meeting their job expectations then what else they do at work should not be at issue – if, as an employer, you have a problem with someone’s performance than you address it, as a performance problem, and if there is no problem with their performance you have no reason to have to monitor confidential information. Thi s could even lead to decreased productivity – for some people surfing the internet to give their brain a break might be an important part of what they do, and interfering in that could make them less productive. 5. This is a very interesting question. Seat belt laws from adults are very different than seatbelt laws for infants, because infants are not able to make these decisions for themselves, and society has decided that there are a lot of ways that they need to be protected, even from their parents (for instance you can’t give an infant poison they might eat either). In the case of an adult though, you could say that the adult taking those kinds of risks provides problems for the rest of society (for instance tying up

Womens Studies Technology of Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Womens Studies Technology of Gender - Essay Example In most of the earlier technologies, most of the software part is in making the hardware work to the advantage of the user. For instance, car is a major technology achievement; every automobile is. However, in the earlier days, cranking the car, starting it up and driving it safely; all these were expected as knowledge for the person who drives the car. In other words, this is the software that is expected out of the user to make use of the hardware that is called the car. So is the case with most of the technologies today. More and more products in the technology front would mean that the person who makes use of it has to be technology savvy and applies more technology to run or make use of the 'technological' hardware. This is more so, in the case of those objects specifically made for the women. The technology employed for those gadgets exclusively used by the women has grown in their dimensions and so is the software part for that gadget as well. The feminine technologies drive at making the right kind of gadget for the women in the form and manner best suited for them and their operation (McGraw 20) . A car is not designed for a woman. It is made for a man and given to women to make use of! However, there are specific devices and gadgets that a... We will also analyse the extent to which feminine technology and the technology of genders have an impact on the social, political and cultural aspects of our society. Hip Hugger Laundry Basket The hip hugger laundry basket is not a 'great' invention but addresses the need of a woman at home. The technologies that matter most are employed with the understanding of how the work is done at home. It is supposed for carrying at the hip with one hand and other hand free to hold on to a rail while climbing stairs or for whatever other purpose. This is supposed to be large enough to take care of the normal requirement of a family in holding the clothes. It should be soft on the hip but at the same time hard enough not to break down easily when it is fully loaded. This is not a great requirement from the hardware point of view of the technology. There are a number of soft plastics that could be soft on the hip and be hard enough not to break when loaded. However, the software for using this product is not that easy. It is not easy for, say men, to carry something of this kind on their hips. Only with practice it can be placed appropriately and be carried for on the hips. Additionally, when this is carried for long distances, say up the stairs, the pain in the hips is certainly high. And that is possibly the reason why they have also provided alternate grips on the sides of the basket so that they can be carried with both hands. In which case, they are no better than the other baskets that women have been using all along. The only comforting factor in the hip hugger basket is that it hugs the hip reasonably well and is made ergonomically. This makes the hip hugger what it name claims to be but this is not a full time hip hugger and

Begin writing your funeral Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Begin writing your funeral - Essay Example I want people to be able to write notes to my family and post them in a box about what their favorite memory with me was or perhaps how we met. I want my family and friends to be able to read these thing afterwards to be consoled. Funerals are not comfortable and I would hope that mine would be something that people would want to attend and not feel comfortable. I want people to hear my favorite songs playing in the background or at least songs that are uplifting such as â€Å"Hallelujah† by Rufus Wainwright (2001). I wish for my closest friends and family members to stand up and tell funny things about me such as stories or my quirks. One thing I want read at my funeral would be something I have written so it is a personal note. Ideally, I would love to have it on video so it can be played. I also would really like for my family to compose clips of their favorite candidate photos of me so that it leaves people

History of Jerusalem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

History of Jerusalem - Essay Example This hill was resettled in the early stages of the Bronze Age. In 70 AD, the Old Jerusalem was destroyed during the arduous Jewish Diaspora. It is rather believed that the event had been foreseen in the Bible (Gideons, 2005). The Herod’s temple was destroyed leaving know stone upon another stone. This information was documented in the book of Luke 21:24 of the Holy bible. The bible in the book of Jeremiah 25:30 states that the city of Jerusalem had been chosen by God and was to exist yet again. Prophets also foretold that Jerusalem was to rise yet again. For instance, prophet Isaiah says that the Lord is not going to forget the city he chose for his name. The New Jerusalem is made up of eleven gates with only seven of them open. It is said that the eastern gate is totally sealed to denote the denial of the Messiah’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It is contrary to the biblical Jerusalem, which was to have all the twelve gates open (Ulijin, 1996). Jerusalem is an early city situated in ancient Judah the current capital of Israel. Its history dates back to fourth millennium BCE, hence the earliest and oldest city in the world. According to Judaism and Christianity, Jerusalem is the holiest City and it is the center of spirituality of the Jewish people in the period C. 1000 BCE, when King David first established it as the capital of the Nation of the Jewish. His son Solomon authorized the building of the City’s First Temple. According to the tradition of the Jewish, Shem and Eber, Abrahams ancestors, established the City. In the account of the biblical, when firstly revealed, Melchizedek, a friend of Abraham, heads Jerusalem, known as Salem during the ancient period. Thereafter, in Joshua’s period, Jerusalem was in a region allocated to the Benjamin’s tribe (Joshua 18: 28) but it remained to be controlled by Jebusites until when it was overtaken by David who made it to be the capital of Israel (C. 1000s BCE ) (Gideons, 2005). According to the scripture

Evolution Of Global Cultural Industries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Evolution Of Global Cultural Industries - Essay Example The researcher of this essay states that one of the most imperative segments of global cultural economy discussed embraces a collection of industries, that can be insecurely notorious as purveyors of cultural products. The brisk expansion and increase of cultural industries in topical decades is a manifestation of the increasing junction that is happening in contemporary society between the economic array on the one hand and systems of cultural look on the other hand. These cultural industries turn out a massive and escalating collection of outputs. The industries that formulate the modern cultural economy are bound as one as an entity of research made by three vital familiar attributes. First, they are all anxious in one mode or another with the conception of goods whose worth respites principally on their figurative content and the modes in which it kindles the empirical reactions of costumers. Second, they are in general subject to the effects of Engels' Law, which recommends that as disposable proceeds expands so utilization of luxury products will ascend at a inexplicably higher rate. Consequently, the wealthier the nation, the higher expenditure on cultural products will be as a portion of families' budgets. Third, organisations in cultural-products industries are focused to spirited competition and organisational force such that they repeatedly agglomerate together in impenetrable specific clusters or industrial regions, whereas their products flow with increasing simplicity on international markets.

ASA Bangladesh Essay Example for Free

ASA Bangladesh Essay ASA stands for Association for Social Advancement, which is a non-governmental organization aiming at helping poor people to get out of poverty. Bangladesh earned its independence in 1971, but because of the war, the whole country needed to be reconstructed. The unstable and bureaucratic political system slowed down the speed of economic development. In the meantime, some small non-governmental organizations stepped into Bangladesh to help the local people restore their life in different respects. The official ASA website shows that the organization was founded in 1978 with its goal of empowering the poor. In the beginning phase, ASA started some programs such as â€Å"training program, communication support service program and legal aid and awareness build-up program†. The results of the programs, however, were below expectations. There were several limitations in developing ASA. For example, the employers had difficulty to get paid; the design of the programs was not consistent with the local situation; the natural disaster happened at that time. All these factors forced the managers to formulate a practical solution. ASA began to favor women as clients and addressed social concerns, such as education, sanitation and health. Since 1992, ASA has launched special programs in savings, credit and security fund areas (emergency loans or insurance), which are still the main financial businesses at ASA. Main Services of ASA The annual report of the year 2011 states that the main services of ASA include loans, savings, insurance, a Technical Assistance (TA) program and ASA’s sister concern Hope for the Poorest (HP). The new program introduced is the Primary Education Strengthening Program. The following product descriptions are based on the ASA official website. 1. Loans ASA provides two kinds of loans—primary loans and special loans. Primary loans aim at providing financial support for poor people, who can get a maximum first loan from $105 to $265 based on their specific situations. Special loans are designed for enterprises or entrepreneurs with the initial maximum amount from $662 to $6500. Both kinds of loans carry a maximum of 27% interest and weekly or monthly payment. For primary loans, the payback period is normally up to one year (4, 6 or 12 months); for special loans, the duration is from 1 to 2.5 years (12, 18, 24 or 30 months). 2. Savings With respect to a savings account, people have three choices: mandatory savings, voluntary savings and long-term savings. Mandatory savings are especially for clients who have loans at ASA with a deposit rate of at least BDT 10. As an additional choice, the mandatory savings’ clients are able to choose voluntary savings with any deposit rate greater than BDT 10. Both savings accounts earn interest monthly with 6% annual rate of return. The savers are allowed to withdraw the money anytime but they have to keep the balances no lower than 5% of the loan amount. Long-term savings are suitable for everybody. The savers do not need to have loans or any other relationship with ASA. The deposit rate for this account can be Tk. 50 to Tk. 500 per month (specifically Tk. 50, Tk. 100, Tk. 200, Tk. 300, Tk. 400 or Tk. 500). For a 5-year account, the interest rate is 9% annually; for a 10-year account, the interest rate is 12% annually. If clients need to withdraw prior to maturity, they will receive the money at a lower rate of return. 3. Insurance The insurance products include loan insurance and life insurance. All loan borrowers are mandatorily enrolled in these two insurance programs. The premium of loan insurance is â€Å"BDT 5 for a loanee or BDT 10 for a loanee and his/her spouse per thousand loan disbursement†. Clients have to pay the premium before disbursement. The life insurance program requires BDT 10 as premium for eight years. The premium is included in the loan installment. 4. ASA University Bangladesh The university provides higher education with an affordable tuition payment. Meanwhile, the managerial level of the university tries their best to offer advanced facilities and experienced faculties for the students. They combine theoretical and practical learning and the university deserves credit for the high employment rate. 5. WASH program and TA program WASH stands for water, sanitation and hygiene. This program aims at improving the condition of sanitation in very poor places. TA, technical assistance, sends staff to different countries and areas to help people who are in difficult financial situations to improve ASA’s reputation. Avoiding Adverse Selection and Moral Hazard Researchers argue that ASA does not have a series of complicated criteria for getting loans. The borrowers should have income lower than $50 a month and must attend one group meeting a week for 4 weeks plus saving Tk. 10 per week. After that, they are able to get a loan (Ahmmed, n.d.). The same idea is also presented in the work of Sheikh and Amin (2011), which indicates that ASA follows a very similar model to Grameen Bank’s. They send supervisors to inspect borrowers’ businesses and hold mandatory weekly meetings for borrowers to share experience and to take suggestions from others. ASA also collects repayments in that meeting and keeps track of the group performances (p.356) From the product perspective, ASA secures their loans to some extent. All borrowers have to be in the savings program and leave at least 5% of the loan amount in the account. The loan insurance enhances this security as well. All these methods keep the institution from getting a high default rate. In fact, it turns out that borrowers are willing to pay back the loans on time. Special Points about ASA In the microfinance world in Bangladesh, ASA is famous for its innovative ideas, namely high efficiency and low costs. At ASA, staff use a different accounting method which is easy to master, so they do not need to have an accountant in the office. Secondly, every branch has freedom of preparing its own target and is allowed to deposit or withdraw money whenever it needs to. Thirdly, the set-up engenders less hierarchy. The regional managers are also the supervisors; credit officers have the authority to grant loans. As compared to Grameen Bank, ASA minimizes its staff numbers and cuts layers as much as it can. Lastly, ASA does not have any training program, neither training center nor trainers. â€Å"Work routines are standardized and simplified so that new recruits need only a few days of supervised work experience in a branch before being sending off to another one to start work†.1 Challenges ASA Faces: 1. Interest Rate of Return Microfinance differs from common banking. MFIs should be allowed to charge a higher interest rate to at least cover the costs of processing the loans. However, in Asia, the biggest potential market, governments control the interest rates in some extent. This regulation interfere the development of Microfinance. 2ASA, as a main MFI in India, has the same difficulty in its business as well. 2. The Weakness of the Insurance Bangladesh is an undeveloped country with many problems that are hard to solve, such as a high unemployment rate, lack of health insurance, gender discrimination and liabilities to floods. Though ASA forces all members to get enrolled in the insurance program, it does not guarantee to collect the premium from every member on time. Nearly all members have the difficulty of balancing their payments and normal life expenses. 3. Entering into the Poorest Areas Sarder and Nabi (n.d.), who work at headquarter of Bangladesh Bank, claimed that â€Å"MFIs/NGOs could not become able effectively to reach among the people of economically backward regions of the country. As a result, MFIs showed poor performance to reduce poverty in economically poor areas.† Because of the special features of MFI, it is not realistic to develop its business in the very poor place without any government assistance. Keeping the balance is already a challenge for ASA; if there is no financial support from local governments, ASA, and other MFIs, cannot enter into these places without budget concerns. Different features of Grameen Bank, BRAC and ASA First, though all three institutions require borrowers to have a certain amount of landholding, the specific criteria are different. By Grameen Bank, the member needs to have at least half an acre landholding; the other two institution have a looser clause of landholding, which is maximum half an acre. In order to insure the borrower’s repayment ability, BRAC and ASA lend money only to people whose families have at least one family member earning wages. Second, from the perspective of group size, Grameen Bank has the smallest one, which includes only 5 members. ASA’s group is 4 times larger than Grameen Bank’s. And BRAC has the largest group members—30 to 40 people per group. Third, each of these institutions asks the members to save weekly. Grameen Bank and ASA both require 10 Taka a week, while BRAC requires for 20 Taka per week. Fourth, Grameen Bank and BRAC have the same credit delivery mechanism, which is 50 weeks for one loan cycle with 20% interest rate and maximum loan size of Tk. 10,000. ASA, however, has a shorter loan cycle which is 46 weeks with 15% interest rate and the maximum loan size of Tk. 5000 to TK. 7000. Implications: The successful experience of ASA shows that microfinance needs both variety product designs and effective guarantee methods for repayments. ASA provides different loans or saving programs for different borrowers, which helps the institution to reach as many potential clients as it can. Meanwhile, the insurance policies prevent a certain default rate. This design brings out the best in each other.

George Washington Essay Example for Free

George Washington Essay The reaction of the modern reader to George Washingtons 1796 Farewell Address might well be amazement coupled with awe. And justifiably so as Washingtons remarks has proven to be not only eloquent, but startlingly prescient, regarding the challenges that the American constitution and American Democracy would likely face during its immediate, post-revolutioin future, as well as its far-flung future, which includes the political turbulence of the present day. The sensitive reader would also, no doubt, reach the conclusion that America would be in a far stronger and much more authentically democratic state had Washingtons perceptive Farewell Address been taken heed of by those who followed in his footsteps. Foremost among the many important assertions made by Washington in the Farewell Address is the concept that American principles and the tenants which inform the American government are cultural traditions that tie together very different geographical, political, and economic concerns. Therefore, according to Washington, the greatest threat to America lies in the erosion or perversion of the cultural ties which bind these disparate parts together. this cultural association is, of course, a tradition of liberty and individual pursuit of happiness which is directly expressed in the democratic form of government itself. However,beyond laws and government institutions there must be a shared allegiance in hallowing the principles behind the laws because the laws, even the constitution itself, Washington warns, may be susceptible to manipulation and self-interest: one method of assault may be to effect, in the forms of the Constitution, alterations which will impair the energy of the system, and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown. (Fitzpatrick, 1931, p. 225) Washingtons emphasis on the need for Americans to cherish and revere their liberty and their democratic institutions cannot possibly be overstated. It is the primary thrust behind nearly all of his admonishments and advice to the nation in his Farewell Address. The core of his belief was in the principles rather than the institutions of laws of the American democracy and he urged all Americans to share this important reverence and vision: you should cherish a cordial, habitual and immoveable attachment to it; accustoming yourselves to think and speak of it as of the Palladium of your political safety (Fitzpatrick, 1931, p. 219). The unity of reverence for democratic traditions and democratic institutions ties directly to Washingtons emphasis on preserving the wholeness of of and mutual sustenance of the various states of the Union. In a particularly prescient observation, Washington mentions the tensions and also mutual benefits that exist between the geographically apportioned states of the Union, foreshadowing through intensely optimistic language, the American Civil War that would take place more than a century later: The North, in an unrestrained, intercourse with the South protected by the equal Laws of a common government, finds in the productions of the latter, great additional resources of Maratime and commercial enterprise and precious materials of manufacturing industry. The South in the same Intercourse, benefitting by the Agency of the North, sees its agriculture grow and its commerce expand. (Fitzpatrick, 1931, p. 220) His comments which follow upon this statement stress the urgency of preventing geographical identities or grievances to disrupt the unity of the nation. He warns: In contemplating the causes which. may disturb our Union, it occurs as matter of serious concern, that any ground should have been furnished for characterizing parties by Geographical discriminations (Fitzpatrick, 1931, p. 223) which is, of course, precisely what occurred during the events leading up to the American Civil War. Washingtons vision of unity extended beyond geographical realms to the realms of the merely political. In noting that the same kind of local or even personal interests that threatened geographical division within the Union, could also manifest themselves within the government itself, based in political parties and the aspirations of those who controlled them. Washington warns that the alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissention, (Fitzpatrick, 1931, p. 227) presents a very real threat to American democracy not only for its obvious divisive capacities, but because of the fact that when people become deeply and openly divided, The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an Individual (Fitzpatrick, 1931, p. 227) which leads to Autocracy and the complete overthrowing of American Democracy. Because the unity of American society depends so intensely upon the integrity of democratic traditions and beliefs and not merely laws or legislation, Washingtons concept of the public as the nations most important trust rests, also, on the notion of cultivating the public with an eye toward enabling, rather the obstructing, the will of the people. In this acknowledgment, issues of war and peace, economic issues, and cultural issues all play pivotal roles in maintaining the traditions of American democracy. Washington notes that One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible: avoiding occasions of expence by cultivating peace, (Fitzpatrick, 1931, p. 230) or, in other words, enabling a widespread feeling of participation and accomplishment to be held by the nation which embraces prosperity and peace. For Washington, prosperity and peace remained deeply intertwined and hoped-for states: one follows the other. This belief, among Washingtons many observations and admonishments, infuses Washingtons Farewell Address with an uncanny historical prescience which seems almost chillingly appropriate to present era of global politics. Warfare and conflict should be avoided and the avoidance of such catastrophes is enabled by good faith and justice towards all Nations and by America setting an example for the world: a great Nation, to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a People always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence. (Fitzpatrick, 1931, p. 231) In fact, more than an eerie premonition about the contemporary global-political situation, Washingtons views on global affairs seem almost too lofty, too idealistic to be taken at face-value by a contemporary observer. However, Washingtons observations do not, to my mind, cloak a deeper, perhaps more cynical vision. Rather, the ideas and concepts expressed in Washingtons Farewell Address seem to speak of an era when such loftiness of ideals and such idealism and faith were not viewed as weaknesses, but as the accouterments of the most powerful and most decisive of minds. The cumulative impact of reading Washingtons Farewell Address and refraining from spinning the words to mean something less-incisive, less idealistic, or less passionate, is one of grim admiration and perhaps a bit of wistfulness for the time when national leaders believed deeply enough inn the principles of American democracy to hold these as the highest of ideals: above personal ambition, above global supremacy, above military might, and even above the institutions of government itself. In final analysis, there is no doubt that America would be stronger, more prosperous nation had Washingtons brilliant observations and advice been heeded in earnest by the successive generations of law-makers and public officials. One can, of course, easily imagine counterpoints to most of Washingtons ideas; these counter-ideas have, in fact, directly infused and directed American domestic and foreign policy for the better part of the past ten years. To describe them point by point would require a voluminous amount of reflection, annotation, and writing. As easy as it is to imagine counter-arguments to Washingtons vision as it is expressed in his Farewell Address, it is equally easy to imagine an America which did follow the precepts laid out by Washington. A nation which, by simply adhering to the idea that democratic ideals are more important adn more crucial to individual liberty than the apparatus of government or the leaders who are supposed to serve government, Washington offered an almost spiritual vision of American democracy which, in the light of contemporary experience, seems to have despite its urgency, wisdom, prescience, and eloquence has fallen on deaf ears. Reference Fitzpatrick, J. C. (Ed. ). (1931). The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799 (Vol. 35). Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office.

Nation Branding: A Tool Of Soft Power

Nation Branding: A Tool Of Soft Power Nations have always cared about their image, but in recent years one witnessed a turning point in methods used by states to build and manage their reputation. In this era of globalization the world is increasingly becoming a gigantic stage on which countries have to compete for all types of resources in order to enhance, and raise their international profile. In light of this, nation branding holds a vital key to win this world contest. Though, it draws heavily from the marketing and public relations realms, this concept is increasingly pertaining the sphere of international relations as states are using it as a tool to reach their desired international aims. In light of this, the aim of this essay will be to evaluate the relatively new concept of nation brand in the context of soft power in international relations. It will argue that there is close link between soft power and nation branding, since the latter if done effectively can enhance a nation soft power and consequently winni ng the hearts and minds of foreign audiences. The second part of the essay will then attempt to shed led on to what extent can state branding can fit within the theories of IR and the eventual implications it can have on the conduct of foreign policy. Soft power, a term that is increasingly used in discourses of international relations, was coined by Joseph Nye who is amongst the most prominent theorists within the Neoliberal theory, to define co-optive power in contrast to the traditional hard power related to the military and economic might. Soft power is conceptualized as the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments. It arises from the attractiveness of a countrys culture, political ideals, and policies (Nye, 2004). Soft power blossomed after the end of the cold war. Definitely, due to globalization and communication the usage of soft power is becoming more important. In fact, in light of this Nye states that, Winning hearts and minds has always been important, but it is even more so in a global information age. Information is power, and modern information technology is spreading information more widely than ever before in history (Nye 2004). Though the concept of soft power was put forth by Nye in recent decades, it could also be seen in previous works such that of Hans J. Morgenthau, Klaus Knorr and Ray Cline (Fan, 2008). Soft power rests on the ability of shaping the preferences of others. Hence, such arguments insist that a nation may address and reach its desired outcomes on the global stage, due to the fact that other states admire its values, imitate its example and seek to reach its level of prosperity and openness. Therefore, it is a significant asset in influencing others, not by using hard military power, but by the ability to attract, which goes beyond influence or persuasion (Nye, 2004). Nye states that soft power relies on primarily three resources the attractiveness of its culture, the appeal of its domestic political and social values, and the style and substance of its foreign policies (Nye, 2004). Due to such factors soft power is intangible and difficult to measure and control. Through such power, nations are able to cultivate specific relations with the other states particularly culturally and economically which eventually result in a better and more favorable public opinion and credibility in the outside world. An interesting aspect is that soft power in contrast to hard power is not controlled entirely by the government but non-state actors can also have a contribution to it. As previously discussed, soft powers most particular and important asset is the ability to attain desirable outcomes without involving any type of force. In todays world, many nations around the globe are suffering from bad image problems which lead nations to embark on initiatives such as nation branding. Image problems are driven by both internal policies and events taking place in the political, economical and social landscape, and also due to certain stereotypes that exist on the external side. Cases in point are the nations of Greece, Spain and Italy which are under investigation in my dissertation. In fact such countries, particularly Greece has currently its image into a storm due to the economic crisis. Apart from that, as in the case of Spain and Italy it suffers from certain stereotypes associated with countries located in the Mediterranean basin. Hence, in order to overcome negative perceptions or turn their potentials into reality countries embark on initiatives such as n ation branding. The practice and theoretical conceptualization of nation branding its still in its infancy, although it must be noted that some researches (e.g. Olins 2002) argue that countries have always branded themselves throughout history. Nation Branding is about applying branding and marketing communications techniques to promote a nations image (Fan 2008). In the marketing field a brand is understood how what a customer thinks about a certain product. On the other hand, the brand state revolves around the idea of how the outside world views a particular country. Hence, this makes nation branding a crossroad between the world of public relations and marketing and international relations. If one looks at the main definition of nation branding, one finds an array of differences in the focus and purpose of nation branding. Fan (2008) made a close examination of the major definitions. Fans (2008) evaluations show that nation branding is about remolding the national identities (Olins, 1999), enhance nations competitiveness (Anholt 2007), embrace political, cultural, business and sports activities (Jaffe and Nebenzahl, 2001), promoting economic and political interests at home and abroad (Rendon and Szondi, 2003) and to altering, improving or enhancing a nations image/ reputation (Gudjossan, 2005). In less theoretical words, nation branding is about building and managing the reputation of a country. Hence, this concept allows nations to better control the image they project to the world, and therefore be able to attract and compete for the right kinds of available resources. Consequently, by this process a nation hopes to boost its international profile in a globalized world where every country has to compete with every other nation for the share of income, power, voice and influence. In fact, nations engage in branding primarily in order to attract tourists, investment, boost exports, restore international credibility and ratings, increase political influence, stimulate stronger international relations, combat negative national stereotypes and enhance nation building by nourishing confidence, pride, harmony and national resolve (Dinnie 2008). Thus, a positive nation brand provides a crucial competitive advantage in contrast to a bad image which hinders the states competitivene ss in the global arena. As Van Ham (2008) states, similar to Nyes soft power resources, a countrys brand is determined by its culture, political ideals, and policies. There are three key components in nation branding, or in other words, a nations brand consists of three sub-brands: political brand, economic brand and cultural brand (Fan, 2008). Such arguments illustrate that nation branding and soft power are certainly two concepts linked. Backing this argument is the nation brand hexagon developed by Anholt in which there six main factors that determine a brand which are tourism, governance, exports, investment and immigrations, culture and heritage and the citizens. Hence, such six factors fall under the three main categories previously mentioned. Evidently, these are also the sources associated with the conduction of soft power. Certainly, nation branding falls under a wide umbrella of postmodern power where soft power and public diplomacy are also located. Van Ham (2008) argues that in academic discourse on soft power, the concept of nation branding has now acquired a place which is still somewhat awkward. Definitely, when one evaluates nation branding within the context of soft power in IR, one has to look also to the links and differences that exist between nation branding and public diplomacy. This is due to the fact that public diplomacy has much more theoretical backing of rich as one of the main soft power tools in IR. For example Melissen states that they are complimentary tools with the practice of branding a nation involves a much greater and coordinated effort than public diplomacy (Melissen 2005). On the other hand Szondi argues that both practices can be seen as distinct but overlapping concepts in that they are oriented toward the same purpose of branding a nation but as different tools in this endeavor (Szondi 2008). Anholt argue that public diplomacy is a subset of nation branding. In Anholts arguments nation branding is how a nation represents as whole itself, whilst public diplomacy is exclusively concentrated on the presentation of government policies, hence the political subset of nation branding. Nevertheless, one must keep in mind governments are assumed to represent the people of a nation, and therefore, there is no getting away from the fact that nation branding is a highly politicized activity (Dinnie, 2007). It must be noted, that the main link between public diplomacy and nation branding is that both concepts aim at the same outcome wining the hearts and minds to create a favorable image of the country. Though it is beyond the scope of this assignment to evaluate in detail the links and difference between nation branding and public diplomacy, it is interesting to have a glance between these tools through the table below Table 1: Table 1: Main differences between Public diplomacy and Nation Branding Public Diplomacy Nation Branding Goal Promoting political interest Promoting (mainly) economic related interests. Context Highly politicized and change according to government. Driven mainly by IR and culture May be de-politicized. Driven by marketing and public relations Target Targeted at key countries Targeted more universal, applicable to nay country Direction Foreign public Both foreign and domestic audience Strategies Relationship building, more emphasis on substance and content Image management, emphasis on visual and symbolic elements Evaluation Short, middle and long term Mostly long-term Definitely, as previously mentioned nation branding has very much in common with the values and issues related to soft power in IR. Fan (2008) states that nation branding can be an important asset in the development of soft power of a nation. Apart from that, a successful nation branding campaign will help create a more favourable image among the international audience thus further enhancing a countrys soft power. Hence, state branding is extensively seen as a vital tool to win over the hearts and minds of foreign audiences and persuade them that their brand is competitive. Bringing, Nyes arguments into light, one finds that reputation is a crucial part in the soft power of a country. This is due to the fact that reputation expresses the total impressions of other soft power recourses, such as for example how culture is perceived in the world. As in the case of soft power, nation branding initiatives are also built on credibility and reputation and determined by the nations culture, political ideals and policies. (Van Ham 2008) In light of the increasing rise of nation branding, a daunting question is: what is the implication of such a concept on international affairs? One needs to evaluate to what extent established theories of international relations have the right theoretical tools to shed light on this new concept that is pertaining the world of international relations. Van Ham (2008) states that The international relations theory of constructivism sheds some light on the functioning of place branding, whereas classical political science tools fail to come to terms with its implications for international politics. Such argument is made in the light of the fact that nation branding, as part of soft power revolve around factors such as values, norms and ideas in international relations. Hence, this is on the same lines of the IR constructivists theory since constructivist explanations of international politics define the global system as a set of ideas, a body of thought, a system of norms, which has been arranged by certain people at a particular time and place (Jackson and Sorrenson 2006). Constructivism assumes that the selves, or identities, of states are a variable; they likely depend on historical, cultural, political, and social context (Hopf 1998, 176). Hence, such arguments are extremely relevant for nation branding since the latter assume that identities are contextual and malleable (Van Ham 2008). Other traditional tools such as realism may find it more difficult to evaluate the rise of nation branding within the field of international relations. Realists are focused on a system of anarchy and balance of power in IR. First, they may find arguments about the relevance of public diplomacy and state branding as trivial and frivolous. (Van Ham, 2008). Apart from that, for realists, states in the international system pursue their egoistic self interest. Hence, regarding nation branding though, this can be a good initiative as such from the viewpoint of neorealism in that it can affect a states economic strength positively and thereby increasing its power and security. Apart from evaluating the implications of nation branding to the schools of IR, its also interesting to investigate the effect of this initiative on foreign policies the real IR world. As Anholt argues, applying nation branding techniques in foreign policies can be a dangerous initiative. Governments need to have a real sense and organized way of what are doing since they can fall their own victims if a brand is found not be credible or it is misleading. Apart from that, developing countries which are in need to brand themselves may use financial resources in branding efforts at the expense of more tangible needed reforms. Nation branding techniques can also backfire. This is highly illustrated with the case of Greece when it hosted the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The political, economic and international standing of Greece were at high levels, however none of government officials or departments took the task to develop the international profile of Hellas (Cromwell, T Kyriacou 2005) In light of the discussed arguments, one could assume that nation branding is inextricably linked with public diplomacy under the wider spectrum of the concept of soft power. However, as in contrast to traditional soft power tools such as public diplomacy, it makes explicit use of marketing and public relations techniques to reach its aims. Definitely, a new game in international politics is emerging about image and reputation. Nation branding provides the state a useful soft power approach in order to create its desired international influence in the international arena. As regards international relations discourses, nation branding is found most at home within the social constructivism theory. This is due to the fact that nation branding revolves around issues such as values, norms. With the increase use of soft power and the ever-increasing competition amongst states, nation branding will continue to gain ground as a concept, whilst further investigation in the IR field need to fu rther developed in order give a better insight on the place nation branding have in the political sphere.

The Greek hero vs. The Anglo-Saxon hero :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

The Greek hero vs. The Anglo-Saxon hero The hero stands as an archetype of who we should be and who we wish to be. However, the hero has inherent flaws which we do not wish to strive towards. In literature, these flaws are not used as examples of what we should be but rather as examples of what not to be. This is especially dominant in the Greek hero. While the Greek hero follows his fate, making serious mistakes and having a fairly simple life, the Anglo-Saxon "super" hero tries, and may succeed, to change his fate, while dealing with a fairly complex life. The Greek hero is strong and mighty while his wit and intelligence are highly valued. In the Greek tragedy, the hero struggles to avoid many flaws. Among these flaws are ambition, foolishness, stubbornness, and hubris-the excessive component of pride. He must overcome his predestined fate-a task which is impossible. From the beginning of the tale, it is already clear that the hero will ultimately fail with the only way out being death. In Oedipus, the hero is already c onfronted with a load of information about his family and gouges his eyes out. At this point, when he tries to outwit his fate he has already lost and is sentenced to death. The Anglo-Saxon hero must also deal with his "fate" but tries, and usually succeeds, to change it. While the Greek hero battles his fate with his excessive pride and intelligence, the Anglo-Saxon hero tries to eliminate his doom by force. The Anglo-Saxon hero is considered a barbarian of sorts due to his sometimes unethical and immoral views and courses of action. At the end, the Anglo-Saxon succeeds in altering his fate though. The Greek hero is so normal, that the reader can relate to him. He is usually a "common" human being with no extraordinary life. His story seems believable, even possible. We would have no hard time imagining the hero's conflict as being ours. As in the case with Oedipus, we can understand how he feels it would be possible for his circumstances to be applied to our lives. Although the details may seem a little farfetched it is not impossible that there is some truth to the story. On the other hand, the Anglo-Saxon hero, being super-human, is especially difficult to relate to. The Anglo-Saxon may reach the same pedestal as a God.

Smoking Cigarettes :: Argumentative Persuasive Example Essays

Cigarette smoking has been identified as the most important source of preventable morbidity and premature mortality worldwide. Smoking-related diseases claim an estimated 440,000 American lives each year, including those affected indirectly, such as babies born prematurely due to prenatal maternal smoking and victims of "secondhand" exposure to tobacco's carcinogens. Smoking costs the United States over $150 billion each year in health-care costs including $81.9 billion in mortality-related productivity loses and $75.5 billion in excess medical expenditures. In the United States, an estimated 25.6 million men and 22.6 million women are smokers. These people are at higher risk of heart attack and stroke. The latest estimates for persons age 18 and older show: Among whites, 25.1 percent of men and 21.7 percent of women smoke. Among black or African Americans, 27.6 percent of men and 18.0 percent of women smoke. Among Hispanics/Latinos, 23.2 percent of men and 12.5 percent of women smoke. Among Asians, 21.3 percent of men and 6.9 percent of women smoke. Studies show that smoking prevalence is higher among those with 9-11 years of education (35.4 percent) compared with those with more than 16 years of education (11.6 percent). It's highest among persons living below the poverty level (33.3 percent). Tobacco started growing in the Americas in 6000 BC. 100 BC, people started using tobacco leaves for smoking and chewing. Now it has grown in a nasty, hard to break habit. The first paper rolled cigarette was made in 1832. It is widely believed that Egyptians soldiers were the first to make this, now famous past-time. Other historians suggest that Russians and Turks learned about cigarettes from the French, who in turn may have learned about smoking from the Spanish. It is thought that paupers in Seville were making a form of cigarette, known as ‘papelette’, from the butts of discarded cigars and papers as early as the 17th century. In 1856, the first cigarette factory opened. It was in Walworth, England, and owned by Robert Golag, a veteran of the Crimean War. Four decades later, fears about the effects of cigarette smoking aroused in The Lancet. During World War I, smoking became hugely popular with soldiers in battlefields of northern Europe and cigarettes became known as ‘soldier’s smoke’. In 1964, the United States Surgeon General Luther Terry announced that smoking caused lung cancer. Shortly after, in 1965, the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act required US Surgeon General’s warning’s on cigarette packs.

Existence of God Essay

†¢Translate and/or explain the following terms: aesity, arete, endoxa, ergon, eudaimonia, peccatum, telos, virtus, vitium – Arete: Greek for virtue, or excellence – Virtus and vitium: Latin for virtue and vice – Endoxon (endoxa): Greek, reputable opinion(s) †¢Ergon: Greek, function/characteristic activity – †¢Eudaimonia: Greek, happiness, well being †¢Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Peccatum: Latin, sin †¢Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Telos: Greek, end, aim †¢Discuss and/or apply the following concepts: doctrine of the mean, the endoxic method, the function argument, omnipotence The Endoxic Method- reputable opinions for ex. Happiness as uniquely human, as under our control, as requiring activity. The Function Argument-To know whether P is a good instance of its kind, you need to know the function (ergon) of P ? A virtue/excellence (arete) of P is a characteristic P needs in order to fulfill its function. The Doctrine of the mean-1. For any given situation, there is a specific affectation appropriate to it, e. g. , desire, anger, fear, confidence, envy, joy, pity, etc. 2. For any given affectation, one can exhibit it either too much, too little, or in the appropriate amount 3. The virtuous person always exhibits an affectation in the appropriate amount. -for ex. Truthfulness: virtue regarding telling the truth about oneself? Defect: self-depreciating Excess: phony omnipotence- all power and unlimited power †¢Distinguish goods that are, according to Aristotle, valued for the sake of other things, valued for their own sake, and valued for their own sake and for the sake of other things you want some things that gets you other stuff. for example money so its a sake for other things. valued for own sake-having a yacht gives you pleasure but then enjoying it with more friends and travel the world and give you more pleasure. the one good. happiness is the one thing that every one wants and is valued for its own sake. e †¢That which is valued only for its own sake and for whose sake everything else is desired †¢That which is valued for its own sake and for the sake of other things †¢That which is valued only for the sake of other things. †¢Discuss why Aristotle rejects conventional views that identify happiness with pleasure, honor, and virtue, and what he thinks this tells us about the nature of happiness Aristotle rejects three common conceptions of happiness—pleasure, honor, and wealth. Happiness, he says, cannot be identified with any of these things (even though all three may be part of an overall happy life). Pleasure, he says, is found in satisfying desires—but whether or not we can satisfy our desires is as much up to chance as it is up to us. †¢The life of pleasure. Problem: the life fit for a pig †¢The life of honor. Problem: not under our control †¢The life of virtue. Problem: compatible with inaction †¢Distinguish between psychological, somatic, and external goods, explaining how they contribute to Aristotle’s conception of happiness External goods- attractiveness, wealth.. Psychological Goods- mental health.. Somatic goods- â€Å"Nonetheless, happiness evidently needs external goods to be added, as we said, since we cannot, or cannot easily, do fine actions if we lack the resources. For, first of all, in many actions we use friends, wealth, and political power just as we use instruments. Further, deprivation of certain things —for instance, good birth, good children, beauty— mars our blessedness. For we do not altogether have the character of happiness if we look utterly repulsive or are ill-born, solitary, or childless; and we have it even less, presumably, if our children or friends are totally bad, or were good but have died. †¢Discuss the roles of habituation and right reason in Aristotle’s analysis of virtuous action function of human beings is knowledge and it what  separates from animals. virtuous action is what a rational person who acts for the right reason. but you also have to feel the correct emotions and feelings to do virtuous actions and be properly affected which means that you find the right things pleasant. And wants to do the right thing. so if you don’t feel like you want to give money to homeless and still give it it does not count as a virtous thing. the teachers ice cream technique- don’t want to do it but do it for ice cream but over time the kids want to do it because it is the virtuous thing to do. †¢Identify and describe Aristotle’s three requirements for friendship and his three different kinds of friendship Pleasure-friendships- Most common among theyoung, fades easily utility-friendships,- most common among the old and also fades easily. character-friendships- You love a person because of the good qualities she or he possesses. genuine friendship. †¢Explain what Aristotle means when he claims that friends are â€Å"second selves† â€Å"A friend is a second self, so that our consciousness of a friend’s existence†¦ makes us more fully conscious of our own existence. † and Friendly relations with one’s neighbors, and the marks by which friendships are defined, seem to have proceeded from a man’s relation with himself. For men think a friend is one who wishes well and does what is good, or seems so, for the sake of his friend, or one who wishes his friend to exist and live, for his sake† †¢Explain why Aquinas thinks God’s existence is self-evident, why it nonetheless may not be evident to us, and how Aquinas thinks God’s existence can be made evident Not every human realizes the existence of god. †¢Examples of self-evident propositions: †¢A pig is an animal; a bachelor is an unmarried male †¢Being self-evident in itself versus self-evident to us †¢Aquinas: â€Å"I maintain that God exists is self-evident in itself since its subject and predicate are identical†¦[but] the proposition is not self-evident to us† (197). †¢Question 02: can God’s existence be made evident? †¢Perhaps God’s existence is an article of faith, not of reason †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"There are two types of demonstration: those that argue from cause to effect†¦and those that argue from effect to cause† (198). †¢Hitting a pool ball, pressing the ‘on’ button, hand on the stove. †¢So, from what effects do we infer God’s existence? †¢God’s effects in the world, Mozart and his music †¢Understand Aquinas’ ‘unmoved mover’ and ‘teleological’ arguments for the existence of God and articulate at least one objection to each Argument one of five: the unmoved mover (200). Everything has a cause, but causes can’t go on infinitely. The first uncaused cause is God. Objections: why must it be God? Maybe time is infinite? Telos: the end toward which a thing strives. Everything in nature has a telos. If a thing is non-intelligent, some intelligence must give it its telos. Objection: nature is not telonic in this way †¢Discuss why the question ‘can God create a stone that God cannot lift? ’ is said to be paradoxical and how Aquinas tries to resolve the paradox †¢The paradox of omnipotence: can God create a stone he cannot lift? †¢If God can, there is something God cannot do, i. e. , lift the stone †¢If God cannot, there is something God cannot do, i. e. , create the stone †¢If there is something God cannot do, God is not omnipotent †¢Therefore, God is not omnipotent †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"So we conclude that God’s power extends to anything possible in itself and not implying contradiction. Clearly then God is called omnipotent because he can do everything possible in itself. † (p. 249). because if god cannot lift the the stone he created, he is not omintipitent and also if he cannot create that he cannot lift therefore he is not omnipotent so either way god is not omnipotent so aquinas says that god creates certain laws in the universe that he himself cannot break which is considered absolute possibility and relativee possibility is what he can change. †¢Explain what Aquinas means when he claims evil does not exist because evil does not exit because evil is absence of happiness. †¢Understand the weak and strong versions of the problem of evil and discuss Aquinas’ solution to the problem Strong version of the problem †¢If an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God exists, then evil does not exist †¢Evil exists †¢Therefore, an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God does not exist Weak version of the problem †¢Evil exists †¢The non-existence of God is a more plausible explanation of evil than is the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God †¢Therefore, it’s more plausible that God does not exist If an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God exists, then evil does not exist. †¢Aquinas’ answer to the problem of evil †¢Why is there evil and sin in thet world? †¢Evil is the necessary result of freedom of the will †¢Thus, God does not command sin, God permits sin †¢Does God cause evil and sin? †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"God is responsible for sinful actions but not for sins† 296 †¢Distinguish Aquinas’ conceptions of eternal, natural, and human law †¢Human law †¢Quoting Cicero: â€Å"laws start with what nature produces, then by use of reason certain things become customs, and finally things produced by nature and tested by custom are sanctified with†¦the weight of laws† (420). †¢Eternal law †¢God as divine legislator: â€Å"Clearly†¦the entire community of the universe is governed by God’s reason† (417). †¢Divine providence: ordering of the universe toward good †¢Natural law †¢Non-moral sense: laws of nature. †¢Moral sense: guides the actions of animals †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Since everything subjected to God’s providence is measured by the standards of his eternal law, as we have said, everything shares in some way in the eternal law, bearing its imprint in the form of a natural tendency to pursue the behavior and goals appropriate to it. Reasoning creatures are subject to God’s providence is a special, more profound way than others by themselves sharing in the planning† (418). Eternal law is identical to the mind of God as seen by God himself. It can be called law because God stands to the universe which he creates as a ruler does to a community which he rules. When God’s reason is considered as it is understood by God Himself, i. e. in its unchanging, eternal nature (q91, a1) , it is eternal law.

Course reflection Essay

I have learned so much during this course that helped me get a better understanding of the writing process. A few of the concepts that helped me the most were keeping an error log, and reading my assignments out loud. The first concept I will address in this discussion is also the most important guidance I have received since starting at Ashford. My instructor, Dr. Wells, advised me in week 1, that I might want to keep an error log. What that is, is writing down the mistakes I make in my assignments, quizzes, and discussions. After writing these errors down, find the correct spelling or the grammatical rule I broke, write the correct answer, and then study and learn from these mistakes. This technique has helped me the most since starting at Ashford. As a writer, I have always been a big proofreader of my work. I would sometimes look over my papers several times before submitting them. Most of the times I would catch 90% of my errors, not all the time though. I learned that reading your paper out loud can also improve your proofreading. Sometimes just looking over a paper isn’t enough. When you hear the writing though, you can hear what others will be hearing. I would catch small errors because the sentence didn’t sound right or it was a run on sentence. These are things I would sometimes miss just reading my paper. Out of all the course materials I have read and studied, I believe 2 of the most valuable were chapters 4-3, Essentials of College Writing, and The Ashford Writing Center. In the Essentials of College Writing, 4-3 The Writing Process, showed me different techniques to use for writing an essay. Some of these ideas were plan, generate ideas, create a rough draft, revise, edit, and proofread and check format. This book taught me the value of making an outline and the importance of planning. It always helps to be prepared and have an idea of what you’re writing before you write it. The Ashford Writing Center has really made a big impact on my writing style. I was having so much trouble with APA formatting and how to insert citations, that I would lose percentage points on my work. After skimming through this text, I found in chapter 7-1 an instructional video that showed me step by step how to use APA format. In the same book, chapter 7-3, Citations and References, this taught me the proper way to insert my citations. There is also a thesis generator in this text in chapter 3-3, this has been one of the biggest helps to me in my writing process. The areas and that I believe have improved the most, and that I will continue to work on are my spelling and punctuation. The error log has helped with my spelling and punctuation but I still sometimes make careless mistakes. Though these areas have improved a lot, I will continue to work on these areas.

Nursing Jurisprudence Essay

1.Intentional torts share three common elements as described in the text on page 113: There must be a volitional or willful act by the defendant.The person so acting must intend to bring about the consequences or appear to have intended to bring about the consequences.There must be causation. The act must be a substantial factor in bringing about the injury or consequences. Examples of intentional tort include: assault, battery, false imprisonment, conversion of property, trespass to land, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Threatening a patient with an injection or with starting an IV line is an example of assault. Quasi intentional torts differ from intentional torts because with quasi intentional torts the intent is lacking but there is still a volitional act and direct causation. Examples of quasi intentional torts include invasion of privacy and defamation. An example of defamation is when a nurse makes false chart entries about a patient’s lifestyle or diagnoses. 2. All five RN’s that I interviewed regarding their understanding of torts were mostly confused. All five of them were asked if they could tell me the difference between intentional and quasi intentional torts. The first nurse stated that she had no clue as to what I was talking about. The second nurse said, â€Å"I think it has something to do with how nurses treat their patients.† The third nurse just looked at me in a very confused manor, as if she were waiting for me to give her more information. The fourth nurse said, â€Å"I kind of remember learning about that in nursing school, but that was many, many years ago, and I don’t recall exactly what it is. The final nurse knew a little bit more than the others and stated, â€Å"Aren’t they laws that nurses should abide by?† Although, her response was in the form of a question, at least she knew it had something to do with the law. 3. After interviewing these five nurses if became clear to me that nurses need to be reminded or re-educated often about the laws that could affect their practice. An employer providing mandatory continuing education units on torts is one good way of increasing nurses understanding of torts. Another idea could be to place posters in the elevators that nurses might use frequently. These posters should be eye-catching with graphs, diagrams and illustrations showing the differences in torts. Implementing a short video during the orientation process could be another way to increase nurses understanding of torts. Finally, with all the mobile devices that are available these days, I think it would be great if someone created an app that could be downloaded by nurses to their own personal smart phones or tablets explaining the differences between intentional and quasi intentional torts.

Public Bank Corporate Profile Essay

Conceptualised as ‘a bank for the public’ by its Founder and Chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Teh Hong Piow, Public Bank commenced business on 6 August 1966, and was listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) on 6 April 1967. To-date, the Public Bank Group has grown into a premier banking group in Malaysia, with overseas market presence in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Hong Kong, China and Sri Lanka. As a leading financial services provider in Malaysia, the Public Bank Group offers a comprehensive range of financial products and services covering, amongst others, personal banking, commercial banking, Islamic banking, investment banking, share broking, trustee services, nominee services, sales and management of unit trust funds, bancassurance and general insurance products. With a total of 377 branches and employing over 17,600 people, the Public Bank Group caters to the financial needs of over eight million customers in Malaysia and in other countries in which the Group operates. With total assets of RM274.62 billion as at the end of 2012, the Public Bank Group is the third largest banking group in Malaysia and ranked number six by asset size in Southeast Asia. Public Bank is the largest non-government-linked corporation in Malaysia with a market capitalisation of RM57.52 billion as at the end of 2012. With its unbroken track record of strong and consistent profitability in the last 46 years, the Public Bank Group has demonstrated its strong and consistent ability to execute and meet its key performance indicators and brand promise to its customers. The PB Brand has been built based on integrity, honesty and excellent service delivery. These are complemented by accountability, excellent corporate governance, strong corporate culture, prudent management and competitive products and services. Focused and Consistent Growth Strategy The Public Bank Group adopts a focused and consistent growth strategy, which is to pursue organic growth in the retail banking business focusing on retail consumers and small- and medium-sized enterprises (â€Å"SMEs†), and strives to further increase its leadership in this broad-based retail banking market. Growth in the retail banking business is consistently focused on retail lending, deposit-taking and fee-based businesses. To drive business growth and increase its market share in retail banking, the Public Bank Group leverages on its well-established customer service infrastructure and processes and practices to deliver prompt and consistent service to meet the needs of its customers. Core Business Growth In the retail lending business, the Public Bank Group remains focused on growing its loans in residential mortgages, passenger vehicle financing and lending to SMEs. In an intensely competitive market where loan products are highly commoditised, the Group actively competes in the market for business growth and increased market share by differentiating itself through its highly efficient customer service delivery standards. As at the end of 2012, Public Bank maintained its leading position in residential mortgages, passenger vehicle financing and commercial property financing in Malaysia, with market shares of 19.1%, 26.4% and 33.7% respectively. Over the years, the Public Bank Group has been building a strong franchise in the deposit-taking business. Customer deposits have been growing steadily both in terms of the deposit customer base and the amount of deposits placed with the Group. As at the end of 2012, total deposits from customers of Public Bank in Malaysia recorded a growth rate of 13.0%, which is above the domestic banking industry’s growth rate of 8.4%. This reflects the high level of confidence that customers place in Public Bank to safeguard their funds. Public Islamic Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Public Bank, started its full-fledged Islamic banking business in 2008. It will continue to focus on Islamic consumer financing and retail commercial lending to SMEs. The Public Bank Group continues to intensify its effort to grow fee-based businesses through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Public Mutual, which contributes a significant proportion of the non-interest income of the Group. Public Mutual has remained a dominant player in the private sector fund management industry in Malaysia with a leading market share of 40.8% as at the end of 2012 due to its superior fund performance, strong distribution capabilities and strong brand. Multiple Delivery Channels The Public Bank Group has a large and well distributed branch network of 255 branches in Malaysia to better service its large customer base of individuals and business enterprises. The Group further expanded its wide network of self service machines to 522 Automated Teller Machines, 532 Cheque Deposit Machines, 405 Cash Deposit Terminals and 186 Cash Recycling Machines for greater customer convenience. The Group has also expanded its internet banking and mobile banking service capabilities for greater access by customers to its banking services. The Group will continue to tap on its large sales and marketing force and strategic alliance with key partners to deliver high value products and services to its customers. Regional Player Today, the Public Bank Group’s overseas operations comprise 122 branches, with 83 branches in Hong Kong, 3 branches in China, 24 branches in Cambodia, 7 branches in Vietnam, 4 branches in Laos, a branch in Sri Lanka and 3 representative offices in Shanghai, Shenyang and Taipei. Strong Financial Ratings The Public Bank Group continues to be accorded strong credit and financial ratings for its consistent record of prudent management, strong risk management, excellent corporate governance, strong and consistent financial performance, superior asset quality and healthy capitalisation. Standard & Poor’s reaffirmed Public Bank’s A- long-term rating and A-2 short-term counterparty credit rating with stable outlook. Moody’s Investor Service reaffirmed Public Bank’s long-term deposit rating of A3 and revised its short-term deposit rating to P-2 based on Moody’s new Consolidated Global Bank Rating Methodology, with stable outlook. Rating Agency Malaysia reaffirmed the Bank’s long-term rating of AAA, the highest rating accorded by Rating Agency Malaysia, and its short-term rating of P1. Awards and Accolades The Public Bank Group continues to earn recognition and trust for its strong and sustained financial performance and prudent management. In 2012, Public Bank was honoured with 36 awards, including many best bank awards and excellence in corporate governance by national and international publications. These were in recognition of the Public Bank Group’s sustainable financial performance and excellence in the key areas expected of a banking institution by its stakeholders. Public Bank’s Founder and Chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Teh Hong Piow, continues to be honoured with awards of excellence for his sterling leadership and extraordinary achievements, as well as enormous contributions to the Public Bank Group and to the banking industry in Malaysia and in the region. Corporate Social Responsibility As a responsible corporate citizen, the Public Bank Group remains committed to uphold its corporate social responsibility (â€Å"CSR†) in the areas of nation building, development of the market place and enrichment of the work place. The Group supports the community through programmes such as education, graduate employment, professional development and environmental conservation as well as in support of the underprivileged. The Public Bank Group’s CSR at the work place includes initiatives to enhance the core competencies of the staff, so as to further raise their contribution, productivity and efficiency. The Group believes that in fulfilling its corporate social responsibilities, the Group also enhances its corporate image, reputation, goodwill and brand value. Our Commitment In spite of its success, the Public Bank Group will never rest on its laurels. Given the increasingly challenging economic environment, the Group will continue to strive harder to deliver value to its stakeholders. To its customers, the Group will continue to provide competitive financial products and services to meet increasingly sophisticated customer demand. To its shareholders and investors, the Group will continue to enhance shareholder value with its strong financial performance. To its staff, the Group will continue to invest in human capital development initiatives to enhance core competencies and productivity.

Antimicrobial Agents

Food preservation has long been practiced since the olden times with processes such as heating , drying, fermentation and refrigeration. In spite of this, physical methods are not enough to eliminate all microorganisms found in foods. Therefore, antimicrobial agents are needed to destroy these foodborne pathogens, so that the food will have a longer shelf-life. As technology progresses, improvements in the processing procedure and packaging systems considerably contribute to the preservation of food. Even so, antimicrobial agents still play an important role in protecting the food supply. Antimicrobial agents are chemical compounds biosynthetically or synthetically produced which either destroy or usefully suppress the growth or metabolism of a variety of microscopic or submicroscopic forms of life. 2. Factors Affecting the Selection of Antimicrobial agents 2. 1 Antimicrobial activity against different organisms It is desirable to use an antimicrobial agent that can inhibit a wide range of spoilagecausing microorganism. A good understanding of the chemicals mode of action is also useful in selecting a preservative. 2. 2 Microbial load of the food product . The food must be of the highest microbiological quality initially. Food should always be processed under the most meticulous sanitary conditions to minimize contamination. A high microbial population would require higher doses of antimicrobial agents. Use of antimicrobial agents should not be viewed as a substitute for good sanitation. 2. 3. Chemical and physical properties In choosing an antimicrobial agent, properties such as solubility, boiling point, and dissociation are mportant. Water solubility is important since microbial growth requires water. 1 Volatile preservatives are easily lost if the food is heated during processing. Dissociation of sorbic acid has an important bearing on its effectiveness in inhibiting harmful microbes. Most compounds are effective in their undissociated form. Stability Constituents in food such as protein and fiber can react with the preservative and reduce its effectiveness. For this reason, the stability of antimicrobial agents during storage is very important. 2. Processing and storage conditions The conditions of storage and interactions with other processes must be evaluated to ensure that the antimicrobial will remain functional over time. 2. 6 Flavor The addition of the antimicrobial agent should not interfere with the flavour of the food product, or rather enhance it. 2. 7 Cost The choice of antimicrobial should be cost-effective and suited to the food product. 2. 8 Safety and legality Antimicrobials agents must not be toxic to humans. The use of antimicrobial agents is often strictly regulated. As a processor, it is essential to use chemicals as prescribed by the regulations. 3. Types of Antimicrobial agents and their Functions 3. 1 Benzoic Acid and Sodium Benzoate ? Structure: Fig 1. Structures of Benzoic Acid and Sodium Benzoat e (Image from Wibbertman, Mangelsdorf Melber, 2000) ? Sources: o Benzoic acid occurs naturally in many plants and resins such as cranberries, plums, prunes, cinnamon. However, benzoic acid can be produced commercially by the reaction of toluene with oxygen at temperature around 200C in the liquid phase. The process is catalyzed by cobalt or manganese salts. Fig. 2 Production of Benzoic Acid (Image from Wikipedia. rg) o Sodium benzoate Sodium benzoate is produced by the neutralization of benzoic acid with sodium hydroxide. ? Properties: Benzoic acid is a white solid that starts to sublime at 100Â °C, with a melting point of 122Â °C and a boiling point of 249Â °C. Its solubility iin water is low (2. 9 g/litre at 20Â °C). 3 The undissociated form of benzoic acid (pKa=4. 2) is the most effective antimicrobial agent. It was reported that the compound was 100x as effective in acid solutions as in neutral solutions. Sodium benzoate is a white crystalline powder with a sweet astringent taste. It has a melting point above 300Â °C. It is very soluble in water (550-630 g/litre at 20Â °. Benzoates are most effective at pH 2. 5-4. 0and least effective at pH 4. 5. ? Primary use: Benzoic acid and its salts are used as antimycotic agents against yeast and molds, such as Saccharomyces cerevisae and Aspergillus parasiticus. ? Mechanism/s of action: o Formation of benzoic acid-oxidase complex Benzoic acid inhibits amino acid uptake in molds and bacteria. Benzoates also inhibit enzymes in the bacterial cell such as those controlling acetic acid metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation. Klein and Kamin (1940) reported that the activity of the d-amino acid oxidase was decreased by benzoic aci ( e. g. , the rate of oxidation of 1 mg. of d(-)-alanine by preparations of the oxidase was decreased about 60 per cent by benzoic acid). They suggested that the inhibitory effect of benzoic acid is due to the formation of a benzoic acid- oxidase complex. o Inhibition via depression of internal pH of the cell ? Applications: Sodium benzoate is used in carbonated and still beverages, margarine, soy sauce, jams and jellies, storage of vegetables, fish preserves, fruit salads, and other high acid foods. ? Regulatory Status: GRAS, up to a maximum of 0. 1%. Toxicology: Low order of toxicity for animals and humans. The reason is because humans and animals have an effective detoxification mechanism for benzoates. 4 3. 2 Sorbic Acid and Sorbates ? Structure: Fig. 3 Sorbic Acid (Image from John Wiley Sons, 2000) ? Sources: Sorbic acid, which is also known as 2,4-hexadienoic acid, was fi rst isolated from rowanberry (berries of the mountain ash tree) decades ago by A. W. van Hoffman, a German chemist. It is now prepared for industrial use via condensation of malonic acid and crotonaldehyde: Fig. 4 Synthesis of Sorbic acid (Image taken from Lookchem. com/Chempedia) ? Primary use: Sorbic acid and its salts targets yeasts, molds, and bacteria. Some of these include species Candida, Oospora, Fusarium, Mucor and Trichoderma. ? Properties: Sorbic acid is a white crystalline powder and is slightly soluble in water (0. 16g/100mL).

Ethno Nationalist Terrorism Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethno Nationalist Terrorism - Personal Statement Example In this regard, the avoidance of media attention on Israeli-Arabs is crucial for the maintenance of peace and prevention of war (Seib, 2005). If the Israeli-Arab situation was highlighted by the media, it would have a negative impact on Palestinians because of the biased reporting that portrays Arabs to be terrorists (Seib, 2005). As a result, the Palestinians would feel compelled to defend their religion against Israeli attacks. It is apparent that Palestinians are fighting for a separation from the Israel governance and would use this war to extend their intentions. Another impact of media exposure of the Israel-Arab war on the Palestinians is that it would increase the recruitment of citizens to join the war. This implies that the reporting would incite people, raising negative emotions that cause tension (Seib, 2005). This can cause an Arab-Jewish war across the world with religious nations taking sides to support their allies. It is essential to avoid media attention on this situation because it has previously contributed to the outbreak of attacks between Israeli and Palestinians concerning border, security and cont rol for Jerusalem issues (Seib, 2005). I do not think media is an avenue to help with countering terrorist activities because of its biased reporting and partisan approach. The media has been faulted for inciting viewers on certain issues that cause tensions between communities. The media should take neutral grounds through the choice of their words when dealing with ethno-nationalist terrorism to avoid animosity. In this way, the media is not helping with efforts towards countering terrorist actions in wars involving religious

Applied Information Technology Project Research Paper

Applied Information Technology Project - Research Paper Example The goal is for companies to minimize the potential for losses and maximize the use of limited resources for improvement. Risks are inherent and managing them will allow decision makers to provide sound strategies. Technological risks lead to a non?completion, under?performance the acquired product or service which likely is traced from supplier. Technological risks happen when suppliers fail to fulfill their promise of providing top notch product or service. Often suppliers encounter internal problems which include substandard technology, obsolete process or ineffective workforce. Companies often experience difficulty in shifting trajectories once a certain technology is used. This may create problems if the procurement takes place before competing technologies have been explored adequately. This risk should presumably be of particular relevance in procurement of products in the fluid phase (Utterback, 1994). Business Problem Statement This proposal explores on Hewlett-Packardâ€⠄¢s method of addressing supply chain issues using Procurement Risk Management (PRM). General Benefits Cost savings. The intention of developing a system such as PRM is to reduce cost of materials and other related costs. PRM is designed to provide flexible schemes that improve the planning and production processes. Moreover, PRM addresses pricing mechanisms that involve pricing and emphasizing value to the materials obtained from the suppliers. HP is involved in the production of materials to ensure that returns are reduced and quality is maintained. Supply availability. The level of supply needs to be maintained at levels that will sustain continuous business. The lack of supply is a big problem especially with firms that rely on such components. For technology manufacturers, memory chips are considered as the most volatile component in terms of supply. Most strategies involve signing long-term deals with suppliers including requirements such as marking clients as priority when su pply decreases. Cost prediction. Companies succeed because their cost forecasts are accurate hence cost planning is implemented. The proposed system aims to identify cost sources. Most important, unexpected costs are prevented and the results are met within the agreed budget. High Level Approaches Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) developed as a structured mechanism combining strategies, resources, technology, and knowledge to assess and manage the uncertainties that various enterprises face as value is being generated encounter (Hoffman, 2009). ERM facilitates effective management of risks that organizations encounter, and the management of potential opportunities entrenched in those risks. The main objectives of the Enterprise Risk Management approach can be summarized through these steps: measurable organizational goals have to be specified; organization has to determine the risks that can adversely affect the goals; methods need to be established to mitigate the risks (Francis an d Richards, 2007). Stebbing (1994) suggests some elements to be emphasized in creating quality manuals. These aspects include policy statement, authorities and responsibilities, organization, system element outlines, and list of procedures. To further ensure quality, the company has some lofty targets. By the time wherein the system has been deemed to be effective, the company will apply for an ISO certification. The recognition is concrete proof of the company’