WEEK5 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

WEEK5 - Research Paper Example This work will be illuminating the ideal salesmanship. Salespersons make a part of daily life as they often approach us, or they appear almost everywhere around us; be it in the offices, at home, shopping malls or even at commercial eateries. This explains why I have interacted with an uncountable number of them, all portraying different, sometimes contradicting features. However, from this unlimited number, I could rank them all ranging from the most unpleasant to the most pleasant. Though my experience with most sale persons has never been entirely pleasant, I can at least pick the best performer of them. This happened to be a direct sales representative in a bank, who helped me into having my first bank account despite having been totally ignorant in this field. Calm in demeanor and direct in his words, this man was sure of everything he was telling me. He took me through each account type and advised me on the best of them to choose, later leaving me to make my personal decision. A few years after when I needed to change my account type, this same man gave me advice and I have never been regretful to date. I happened to have one most remarkably unpleasant experience with a salesperson in one of the mobile service provider companies in my country. Mobile phone accessories were on sale in this occurrence. The event having been a road show, almost every feature of it had been annoying except for how well persuasive he was that he managed to entice me into his ideas. To participate into their promotion, one had to make a deposit of some cash, and then get assigned a t-shirt to recognize them as a member there-of. One alarming action was how this man pressurized me into giving him this cash into his hand. I view this as inappropriate because a customer should do everything willingly without feeling coerced. I later picked from scattered pieces of paper, only to be told

Domestic markets Essay Example for Free

Domestic markets Essay Theoretically, opening up domestic markets to international trade would increase the level of competitiveness in the market place, making businesses find better ways of producing goods more efficiently (at a lower cost). This is because trade encourages greater specialisation, which dramatically lowers costs and more intense competition, which is central to innovation. The graph below shows the correlation of trade and chinas economic growth. As you can see there is a positive correlation between trade and GDP, suggesting that trade is an important factor for the economic growth in China. However, Chinas trade surplus (the value of exports net of imports) is a better measure of the contribution of international trade to the economy. Since 1990, the trade surplus has averaged about 2 to 3% of GDP, exports have grown faster than imports and China has had trade surpluses in all but 1 year from 1990 to 2003. The trade surplus peaked at 4. 5% in 1997-98. Chinas trade surplus of $25 billion amounted to 1. 8% of GDP in 2003. Chinas trade liberalisation has created an attractive business environment and therefore has had a significant impact on FDI inflows. Foreign Direct Investment is usually imported in a country by multi-national companies seeking to take advantage of particular laws (such as cheaper land value, cheaper taxes etc ) to reduce the cost of production and to gain a competitive edge over rival companies. Similarly with international trade, an increase in FDI would increase a countrys GDP, because FDI brings in valuable funds which can be used to increase industrial output, create new job opportunities and sometimes, technology transfer which could increase innovation. However, the already lack of investment, coupled with an uncertain political climate and other unfavorable factors, at first severely hindered Chinese attempts to attract FDI. In the graph below11, you can see that in 1980, the flow of FDI into China totaled less than $200 million. In 1997, however, the flow of FDI exceeded $44. 9 billion, more than 225 times larger than the flow in 1980. Beginning in 2000, investment surged again through a combination of massive government infrastructure spending and investment in manufacturing facilities by both foreign and domestic investors. Preparations to host the 2008 Olympic Games contributed to a further frenzy of construction projects. Chinas late-2002 accession to the World Trade Organization spurred many companies, both domestic and multinational, to invest in China in anticipation of greater market opportunities (appex. 2) During this time, China was the largest recipient of FDI among developing countries, and the second largest in the world. Several factors have contributed to the increase in FDI inflows. China liberalised its FDI regime concurrently with the implementation of its economic reform and open doors policies in the late 1970s and especially since the early 1990s (Appex. 3). Implementing a series of laws and regulations governing FDI, China has substantially reduced investment barriers and improved its investment environment by opening more regions and economic sectors to foreign investors. In addition to such policies, it has the worlds largest population providing an abundance of cheap labour (Appex. 4) and a potentially huge market. Recognising the potential since the early 1980s, countries in the region such as Hong Kong and the Asian Tiger economies have become important capital suppliers. To understand Chinas rapid expansion in foreign trade, it is important to acknowledge how vital Multi-Nationals companies (MNCs) have been to its export growth. It should be noticed that Chinas opening to foreign investment occurred simultaneously with an opening to foreign trade. Even without large inflows of FDI, export capacity might still have expanded but perhaps at a less rapid pace. However, unlike Chinas trade values, FDI had seen a small decline in the years 1999 and 2000. When you combine both FDI inflows with GDP in China over the last 10 years, you can see that even if FDI decreases or remains level, economic growth via GDP still increase, suggesting that FDI is not as important to economic growth as trade. It is also important to note that Chinas FDI performance must be viewed in an international perspective. In terms of FDI inflows per capita, China ranks lower than all OECD countries save for one, and even ranks relatively low among developing countries12. Much of Chinas FDI is short-term, in labour intensive manufacturing, with foreign investment in high-tech machinery and the services sectors lagging behind, Though investment in processing and assembling declined 10%, the manufacturing sector garnered 70% of FDI from 2000-2005. Telecom, electronics, and chemicals also received significant shares of foreign investment. 13 China could be encouraging FDI in high technology based manufactures as a way to encourage domestically owned firms to move up the value-added chain. However, trade and investment liberalisation cannot by itself improve Chinas economic growth. Arguably much of Chinas rapid economic growth is due to changes in government policies that created a socialist market economy in which the private sector plays a key role. Enterprises either owned or controlled by government entities now account for less than 30% of industrial output. We must not forget that the domestic industry has also been a driver of Chinas phenomenal economic growth of the past 30 years. Industrial development has hastened since reform began in the late 1970s, growing at an annual rate of over 11% between 1978 and 2000 compared to an average GDP growth rate of 9.6% during this period, as you can see from the graph on the next page. Chinas GDP growth and industrial growth rates14 The importance of industrial output in the Chinese economy has increased over time, from 21% of GDP in 1952 to 51% at present. Changes in the composition of Chinas GDP, 1952-200215 Government polices provided several short-term burst of productivity within the industry, in 1980 when China began the renovation from a centrally planned to a more market based economy, industrial output rose 16. 5% from 1981-1985. Before any Government reforms, growth rate of GDP was 5.3%, but post-reforms saw the growth rate increase to 9. 7% (Appex. 5) Economists such as Wayne Morrison and Mathew Shane have concluded that productivity gains (i. e. increases in efficiency) were another major factor in Chinas rapid economic growth. The improvements to productivity were caused largely by a reallocation of resources to more productive uses, especially in sectors that were formerly heavily controlled by the central government, such as agriculture, trade, and services. For example, agricultural reforms boosted production16, freeing workers to pursue employment in the more productive manufacturing sector. Productivity can be increased by using factors of production more efficiently, by improving the quality of the basic factors of production, for example, increasing the skill or education of labor. Consumption spending contributed too much of Chinas early growth following economic reforms in the early 1980s. The aggregate demand and supply diagram below shows the level of output at any given level of aggregate demand. As consumption was increasing in China from 1878 to 1882, this would lead the aggregate demand line to shift to the right, where the economy is approaching full capacity output. The increase in demand induces businesses to take more employment and increase output. However, inflation will occur as costs will rise and then prices, as businesses try to pass the costs on to consumers. However, over time, the role of consumption has declined and the contribution of investment has generally risen. Since 1978, gross capital formation (investment) accounted for an average of 37% of GDP, while the share due to consumption expenditures averaged 62%. Consumptions contribution to GDP peaked at about two-thirds in the early 1980s and fell to 55% in 2003. By comparison, consumption accounts for 70% of GDP in the United States. Chinas substantial consumption contributing to growth of GDP17 This lower rate of consumption has made way for the impressive level of domestic savings to increase in China, which has helped stimulate economic growth. When reforms were initiated in 1979, domestic savings as a percentage of GDP stood at 32%. However, most Chinese savings during this period were generated by the profits of state-owned enterprises, which were used by the central government for domestic investment. Economic reforms however, led to substantial growth in Chinese household savings. As a result, savings as a percentage of GDP has steadily risen; it reached 49% in 2003, among the highest savings rates in the world. 18 Chinas rise as an economic superpower is likely to pose both opportunities and challenges for the world trading system. Chinas rapid economic growth has boosted incomes and is making China a huge market for a variety of goods and services. In addition, Chinas abundant low-cost labor has led multinational corporations to shift their export-oriented, labor-intensive manufacturing facilities to China. This process has lowered prices for consumers, boosting their purchasing power. It has also lowered costs for firms that import and use Chinese-made components and parts to produce manufactured goods, boosting their competitiveness. Conversely, Chinas role as a major international manufacturer has raised a number of concerns. Many developing countries worry that growing FDI in China is coming at the expense of FDI in their country. Policymakers in both developing and developed countries have expressed concern over the loss of domestic manufacturing jobs that have shifted to China. Conclusion Throughout my investigation I have demonstrated the importance of trade liberalisation and Foreign Direct Investment to Chinas record breaking economic growth. It is however, very hard to put an exact figure to show the extent of how beneficial trade and FDI have been to Chinas economic growth, but undeniably they have all been part of a cycle, each factor helping stimulate economic growth in certain ways. I do believe that to an extent trade liberalisation and FDI are interdependent on each other, the opening up of markets to free trade has spurred more FDI than it would have if it had not liberalised. Nevertheless, trade liberalisation and FDI cannot by itself improve Chinas overall economic growth. The benefits of trade liberalisation and FDI to particular sectors of the industry will rely not only on their theoretical comparative advantage but also upon their ability to restructure and upgrade operations through technological improvements to take advantage of market opportunities. All factors including industrial output, increased productivity and efficiently within the industry, high level of consumer saving, early consumption and Government policies have all had an impact on the outcome of economic growth. China has the potential to continue its rapid growth in the foreseeable future. The factors that have propelled growth over the past 30 years are still in place. Chinas economy is still a long way from mature status where growth rates tail off. If the Chinese Government wishes to keep their economic growth at such a high rate, they must face challenges such as exchange rates, structural imbalances and a troubled banking system, in order for them to continue to grow As long as China maintains an open attitude toward foreign investment and invests heavily in infrastructure and other capital, it will continue to grow rapidly.

Easements: Solar Access Protection Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow :: Essays Papers

Easements: Solar Access Protection Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow At tropical latitudes the sun is directly overhead the majority of the time, therefore, solar access is guaranteed without regulation. However, in the United States, solar access is influenced by many factors including; latitude, time of day, season, and angle of the sun. Furthermore, shade and shadows due to vegetation and structure greatly diminish the productive capacity of solar collection. Unfortunately, the right to unhindered solar access does not accompany land ownership rights in the United States. Federal and state governments encourage uses of alternative energy sources by appropriating funds for research and development of alternative energy technologies and through tax credits. Laws and/or regulations that guarantee landowner rights to solar access are critical for continued application of solar collection. Many states have introduced legislation to protect solar access rights, in effect removing barriers for solar energy utilization. Without legal safeguards, tim e and monetary investments in solar collection are fruitless and unwise. Although protected in ancient Greece, it was not until the 1970s and the OPEC oil embargo that U.S. courts and lawmakers began to create legal protection for landowners right to solar access. Consequently, twenty-four states enacted legislation to protect solar access, largely by recognizing the validity of solar access easements (Bradbrook 1988). This paper will attempt to explain easements and their historical context in terms of solar access rights. Additionally, we will explore the future of solar access regulation and law in terms of what needs to be done to create successful legislation that guarantees solar access for all. Balancing is a key aspect of legal challenges to solar access. This term refers to the balance between the rights of one landowner to use the sun as a source of energy versus the rights of neighboring landowners to fully exercise their private property rights including economic gain as a result of using their land (Charter 1983). Easements are collectively viewed as a mechanism of solar access protection that successfully weighs political, economic and legal concerns (Beaumont and Imperati1984). Easements can be complex especially when dealing with property rights. To simplify our discussion we will consider easements to be a property right transfer, agreed upon in a written covenant that guarantees one landowner a limited right to access a benefit from another’s land.

Diversity of the Family

?Family Diversity Term Papers If there is any one constant concerning the diversity of family and family structure in the United States over the past one hundred years or so, it is change. Almost every familial characteristic one would choose to study – from the median age at the time of first marriage, to the number of children per household, to the rate of divorce – has either risen significantly, declined dramatically, or both. What is certain is that the study of family diversity, and the evolution of such diversity in the United States is intriguing. The very structure and character of the American family has evolved significantly from 1900 to 2000. From a strong patriarchical start at the turn of the century, the American family evolved into what is now referred to as a companionate marriage up until the 1960s, when individualism began winning out over traditional family values. The divorce rate first rose and later fell, but left in its wake a number of unmistakable trends. From 1970 to 1992 the number of single-family households in the United States increased from 13% to 32% . Cohabitation evolved from a fringe phenomenon reserved mostly for hippies to a mainstream trend, with the number of heterosexual couples cohabitating outside of marriage up ten-fold since 1960. The number of households with children, in the mean time, has declined to just over a quarter of all households, falling from a high of 45% in 1972 to 26% in 1999. The most common household composition in the United States today is an unmarried couple without children. More than anything else, the very diversity in the types of families and households has increased by what seems like an order of magnitude. In what follows, I examine and discuss the changes that have occurred in the diversity of family and familial structure in the United States over the past century. I begin with an examination of the evolution of family form. Next, I examine the diversity in family typology. I conclude with an examination of a variety of trends in family diversity.

Critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of England being a mixed economy rather than a pure command or completely free-market.

Abstract: Different economies of the world choose one of the three economic systems: command economy, free market economy, and mixed economy to suit their needs and aims most appropriately. While each of these economic systems have their own advantages and disadvantages, most of the economies of the world are currently mixed economies. The command economy system has become substantially outdated as most economies, such as China and the Soviet Union, are transitioning into mixed economic systems. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each of the economic systems and particularly focuses upon the advantages and disadvantages that England has of being a mixed economy rather than a free market economy or a command economy. The paper sheds light upon issues such as unemployment, medical care, transport, and the increasing rate of immigrants that the country currently has to face. Introduction: Countries around the globe adopt various economic systems which suit their own circumstances or which their governments feel would be most appropriate to promote prosperity in the country. The economic systems of countries also evolve over time and may change from one particular system to another when the government, economic advisors of the country, and the public deem appropriate. There are three main types of economic systems which include the free market economy, the command economy, and the mixed economy (Ostrom, 2010). While most of the countries in the world are mixed economies, there are examples of countries which are closer to being free market economies or command economies. As with other economic concepts, each of the economic systems mentioned have their own respective advantages and disadvantages (Ostrom, 2010). Accordingly, governments and economic advisors devise economic policies which classify the economy into the categories of one of the three types of economic sys tems. However, governments may change these policies and may also change the economic systems adopted in a country when they feel it is required, although this process may take a long period of time (Ostrom, 2010). This paper will aim to explain the three types of economic systems and their advantages and disadvantages and then commence with a critical evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of England being a mixed economy rather than a complete free market economy or a pure command economy. The paper will begin with an explanation of the free market economy and the advantages and disadvantages of the free market economy, followed by the command economy and the advantages and disadvantages of the command economy. The paper will continue with an explanation of the mixed economy and the advantages and disadvantages of the mixed economy and the application of these concepts to the economy of England. The paper will then critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of En gland being a mixed economy and conclude with a summary of the main points mentioned and recommendations for improvements in economic policy for the country. Free Market Economy: The free market economy is an economic system which is purely driven by the market forces of demand and supply and the price mechanism. Thus, in the free market economy, those goods and services which are in high demand are produced and supplied and those that consumers are not willing to pay a high price for are not produced or supplied. The free market economy promotes the privatization of all industries as all resources are owned by private individuals in a free market economy and there is little or no government intervention (Polak, 2013). The government does not nationalize any industries and does not interfere in the production of goods or services. The free market economy is also known as the â€Å"laissez’faire† economy and producers operate upon the profit motive as the economy is in a state of pure competition (Baylis, Smith, & Owens, 2013). The advantages of a free market economy include that consumers are provided with a variety of products at potentially lo w prices as there are many producers competing for market share. Consumers are also likely to benefit from high quality products as producers would be competing with one another on the basis of factors such as quality and price. Consumers would also benefit from additional advantages such as convenience, variety, and availability of choice. Also, consumers would easily be able to find the products which they are demanding as the market would be operating according to the price mechanism (Polak, 2013). There would be higher investment in research and development and more chances of larger technological breakthroughs as firms would be competing to gain a competitive advantage in the design of their products /services and/or gaining a cost advantage in their production processes. The free market economy may also mean higher productivity levels, higher wages, and more work opportunities for individuals. This is because the economy would be in a state of rigorous competition, making room for more workers to gain higher incomes as businesses would also be competing to recruit the most talented and skilled workers. An economy may prosper and increase its GDP when operating upon a free market economy system, yet it is often considered that the disadvantages of a free market economy system outnumber its advantages (Bremmer, 2010). The disadvantages of a free market economy system include the fact that there is likely to be a high level of inequality in the distribution of income as the rich would be likely to get richer and the poor would be likely to get poorer. Additionally, as there would be no or little government intervention, the public would not be provided with benefits such as welfare schemes, pension schemes, and may not even be provided with fair pay according to the cost of living. Problems such as inflation and the occurrence of monopolies would also not be prevented by the government as the government would have no major role in the economy. There may be wastage of resources as the economy would be in a state of pure competition and expenditure would be incurred on activities such as advertising, marketing, and continuous innovation of products/services (Coates, 2014). Essential services would not be provided to the public such as free medical care, police and army services, and education (Robertson, 2013). De-merit goods such as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and other products would be produced without interference or control from public authorities. Public goods which are not produced for a profit but are produced because they are necessary such as street lighting, water, roads, and other such products/services are either priced very high or not produced at all. Accordingly, a free market economy may be beneficial for the rich but may be highly detrimental for the poor. There is no example of a complete free market economy in the world but the USA comes closest to the definition of a free market or capitalist economy. This is becaus e the USA has approximately 30% government spending in its GD, one of the lowest figures in the world, with 70% expenditure incurred by the private sector (Coates, 2014). A pure command economy is the opposite of a free market economy and will be explained in the next section of this paper. Command/Planned Economy: A planned or command economy is the opposite of a free market economy and is an economic system which is completely controlled by the government. In a planned economy, most or all resources are owned by the government and the government decides what is produced in the economy and the price charged for the products/services. Consumers have little or no say in what is produced and all industries are nationalized. A planned economy also sets out the wages of workers and may also impose quotas upon the number of goods purchased by a single household. Command or planned economies are sometimes imposed by governments in order to maintain control and to attempt to make better use of resources. However, the command or planned economy has not been a highly feasible system to adopt in the current economic environment, resulting in countries, such as China and Russia, to have to evolve or change their economic systems (Hummel & Stringham, 2010). The advantages associated with a planned economy include a reduction in the wastage of resources and a more equal distribution of income between people of that country. Moreover, the population would be provided with services such as education, roads, water, medical care, and other facilities upon the government’s budget. Governments often wish to adopt this system in order to prevent riots or unrest in the country as most of the people in the country would be at the same social level and would not feel that the system is unjust. Therefore, it allows the government to have more control on the economy and control economic problems such as inflation, deflation, unemployment, poverty, and other similar issues (Calomoris, Fisman, & Wang, 2010). There are many disadvantages associated with a command economy which include the inefficient allocation of resources as resources are not allocated according to the price mechanism. Thus, resources may be wasted in producing things that consumers may not want. Likewise, producers and wor kers do not have any incentive to work hard as they are not allowed to own wealth and are simply working for the government which would stunt the prosperity and progress of that country. Consumers would also have little choice or variety and would also have lower standards of living as they would have a lack of products/services to choose from. Additionally, it is difficult for the government to provide all goods and services efficiently themselves and this may mean that the provision of some important goods/services may be prevented or may be provided inconveniently. Countries with planned economies may suffer in global trade and other such factors as they would not be able to motivate their citizens to exert their best efforts into production and trade without giving them personal incentives. Thus, this also causes a lack of foreign investment and a high tax rate for the provision of government-funded services. Also, it is difficult to determine how the government would decide wha t should be produced in the economy and how they can easily anticipate consumer demand (Warner, 2011). Accordingly, the planned economic system has become outdated as previous communist or planned economies such as China, Russia, and even Sweden are now in transition towards a more mixed economic system which will be explained in the next section of this paper. Mixed Economy: The mixed economic system is a combination of the free market economy and the planned economy as this system has both a public sector and a private sector. As mentioned before, most of the countries of the world are mixed economies as they have a public sector and a private sector. The mixed economy allows the government to intervene to provide essential goods and services such as police, medical care, education, welfare and pension schemes, and other similar services while the private sector is free to produce goods and services as well (Castells, 2011). However, the government will intervene where needed and prevent the production of de-merit goods and prevent producers from charging unfair prices amongst other things. Consumers receive the benefit of variety and choice in goods and services and are given an incentive to work hard while they are also facilitated by the government in the form of free goods (public goods) and services (Meyer, 2011). The mixed economy combines the adv antage of the free market economy and the planned economy and also shares some of the disadvantages of both respective economies. England is a mixed economy and thus benefits from the advantages associated with not being a complete free market economy or a pure command economy, but also suffers from a few of the disadvantages of not being either of these economies (Meyer, 2011). England’s Economic System: England, while previously being one of the strongest economies in the world, is currently plagued with several economic problems, which have slightly weakened its economic system. Being a mixed economy, England’s government spends about 40% of its GDP upon government spending while the remaining 60% belongs to the country’s private sector. The 40% of government spending is 10% more than what is spent in the USA as a percentage of GDP (Cleaver, 2013). This is because England’s government spends a larger proportion of its tax revenue upon the provision of more comprehensive health services, unemployment, and welfare schemes for the poor, and the transport system of the United Kingdom (Castells, 2011). The country is benefitting substantially by not being closer to a pure free market economy as the government of the country plays a vital role in stabilizing several economic aspects of the country. First of all, the unemployment rate of England is increasing rapidly, which means that it is essential for the government to provide support for the unemployed. If the government had little or no role to play in the economy, the unemployment rate may have even been higher and the number of people that were currently out of jobs may have been out on the roads without provision of basic facilities (Gillespie, 2011).Moreover, as the country is currently in a state of recession, without government intervention, the living standards of people would have decreased substantially, putting the economy in further turmoil and in a possibly irreversible situation (Gillespie, 2011). England is also home to a large number of immigrants and students who form a large part of the GDP in the country annually. If the country had been a complete free market economy, the country was likely to be in a state of chaos as there would be no control upon the immigrants entering the country and there would be no provision of facilities for these immigrants and students which wo uld further burden the country with increasing crime rates, further unemployment, and increasing numbers of homeless people filling the streets. Besides, with increasing numbers of immigrants and an increasing unemployment rate in the local population, the country is also benefitting from government spending upon free health services which keep the citizens and visitors of the country under high quality healthcare and helps prevent the spread of dangerous diseases from people who cannot afford expensive medical treatment. The implications of this control imposed by the government include a better and fairer distribution of income along with the provision of unemployment benefits, free education, pension and welfare schemes, and high quality healthcare for all people alike (Cleaver, 2013). Furthermore, another essential part of the government’s role in the economy includes the transport system which is subsidized for students, senior citizens, and people with lower incomes. Th us, the government is responsible for the provision of essential public goods and services which are needed to promote the welfare of the citizens of England and make them a prosperous economy (Bohstedht, 2010). Conversely, the disadvantages associated with England being a mixed economy rather than a free market economy include the fact that some services may be provided more efficiently by the private sector including healthcare, as the National Health Service is taking up a substantial part of taxpayer’s money and the standards of the service are also slightly deteriorating resulting in long waiting lists for patients who require treatment. Moreover, if the government privatized several more industries and promoted an environment of pure competition, it may result in the creation of additional jobs and help decrease the unemployment rate. Additionally, increased consumer spending and investment may also attract further foreign direct investment into the country and help bri ng the country out of its current recessionary state as England’s foreign direct investment rate has decreased over the years and UK’s own companies have increased their investment in other emerging markets. The public has also been highly verbal and rebellious regarding the increasing tax rate in the country which would have been non-existent had the country been a free market economy (Cleaver, 2013). On the other hand, while there are advantages and disadvantages associated with the country being a mixed economy rather than a free market economy, there are also advantages and disadvantages associated with the country not being a pure command economy. The advantage that England has of not being a pure command economy is that it has been able to motivate its population to work hard and become a progressive state as workers are allowed to accumulate wealth instead of limiting the growth of its citizens and nationalizing all its industries. While there is some inefficien cy in the allocation of resources, the country’s private sector does operate upon the price mechanism thus allowing the efficient allocation of resources according to the market forces of demand and supply (Boaden, 2010). England has also been able to encourage high amounts of foreign direct investment and the immigration of skilled labour which would not have been possible if the country had been a pure command economy. Consumers are also provided with a variety of high quality goods and services which has increased the country’s standard of living and has also enabled it to be an active participant in global trade (Boaden, 2010). Yet, there are certain disadvantages that the country has of not being a pure command economy and being a mixed economy which include the unequal distribution of wealth amongst its citizens which is causing increasing unrest. Moreover, there is ample wastage of resources in the economy because of increasing competition between firms and the country is suffering from several scandals in the realms of corporate social responsibility, quality, unfair pricing, and other problems in its private sector (Bohstedht, 2010).The country has also had to face immense problems because of the large number of immigrants entering the country each year and if the country had been a pure command economy, it would have not had so many potential immigrants to deal with (Boaden, 2010). Conclusion: England is best suited to be a mixed economy like most of the other economies of the world as this economic system enables the economy to combine the advantages of both the complete free market economy and the pure command economy. Additionally, while the country is progressing in the private sector, government intervention is essential for the provision of necessary public goods and services, without which the economy would substantially deteriorate the conditions of the poor. However, while the country has nationalized many of its essential services, the country should consider allowing privatization in the healthcare industry as the burden of taxes to pay for the NHS is increasing while the quality of the service provided by the NHS is deteriorating. Moreover, this is an essential industry which cannot be plagued with delays as is currently happening with the NHS. Thus, being a mixed economy, England should slightly further reduce its government spending to allow the private secto r to benefit further while the government can exert legal control over the activities of firms in the private sector. Furthermore, the government must encourage private industries to increase employment, incomes, and consumer spending, and thus lead to a higher GDP and a more progressive nation. The country would also easily be able to pull itself out of its current recessionary state and reduce the tax burden on its citizens. References Baylis, J., Smith, S., & Owens, P. (Eds.). (2013). The globalization of world politics: An introduction to international relations. Oxford University Press. Boaden, N. (2010). Urban policy-making: influences on county boroughs in England and Wales. Cambridge University Press. Bohstedt, J. (2010). The Politics of Provisions: Food Riots, Moral Economy, and Market Transition in England, C. 1550-1850. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. Bremmer, I. (2010). â€Å"The end of the free market: who wins the war between states and corporations?.† European View. Vol. 9(2) pp. 249-252. Calomiris, C. W., Fisman, R., & Wang, Y. (2010). â€Å"Profiting from government stakes in a command economy: Evidence from Chinese asset sales.† Journal of Financial Economics. Vol. 96(3) pp.399-412. Castells, M. (2011). The power of identity: The information age: Economy, society, and culture (Vol. 2). John Wiley & Sons. Cleaver, T. (2013). Understanding the world economy. Routledge. Coates, D. (2014). â€Å"The UK: Less a liberal market economy, more a post-imperial one.† Capital & Class. Vol. 38(1) pp.171-182. Gillespie, A. (2011). Foundations of economics. Oxford University Press. Hummel, J. R., & Stringham, E. P. (2010). â€Å"If a Pure Market econoMy Is so Good, Why doesn’t It exIstthe Importance of changing Preferences versus Incentives in social change.† Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics. Vol.13 pp.31-52. Meyer, M. W. (2011). â€Å"Is it capitalism?.† Management and Organization Review, Vol.7 (1) pp.5-18. Ostrom, E. (2010). â€Å"Beyond markets and states: polycentric governance of complex economic systems.† The American Economic Review. pp. 641-672. Polak, J. J. (2013). An international economic system (Vol. 7). Routledge. Robertson, P. E. (2013). Does a Free Market Economy Make Australia More Or Less Secure in a Globalised World?. University of Western Australia, Business School, Economics. Warner, M. (2011). â€Å"Labour markets in China: Coming to terms with globalization.† The dynamics of Asian labour markets: Balancing control and flexibility. New York, NY, Routledge. pp. 134-147.

Sarbanes

Sarbanes Introduction The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was enacted into law in 2002 to respond to the various financial scandals that were taking place in the for-profit corporate sector of the United States. The act was meant to address the abuse of finances and accounting standards by companies such as Adelphia, Enron and WorldCom where the executives of these companies defrauded their shareholders, their employees and the US economy of billions of dollars. Once it was enacted, SOX was meant to introduce major changes to the corporate governance and financial management of capital in many corporations within America. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act or the SOX act of 2002 was developed by Senator Paul Sarbanes and House Representative Michael Oxley and it contains eleven sections which outline the responsibilities of chief executive officers as well as financial controllers in managing the finances of a company (Morgan et al, 2008). Examination of the SOX Act of 2002 Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 200 2, companies that are publicly traded in the US are required to increase their internal financial and accounting controls after personal clarification with the chief executive and chief financial officers of the company. This is meant to strengthen the auditing, accounting and financial practices of the company.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sarbanes-Oxley Act specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The act also requires for-profit corporations in the country to increase their external controls through enhancing the duties and responsibilities of the audit committee. The act also states that chief financial controllers and auditors need to provide supporting evidence that will be used to whistleblow on the abuse of company funds (Morgan et al, 2008). The SOX bill does not apply to privately held companies as many of the laws deal with the management of shareholder, corporate and public funds which are usually common in p ublicly traded companies. The new and enhanced standards within the SOX Act deal with additional responsibilities for the corporate board and chief executive officers of most organizations as well as the introduction of criminal penalties for managers caught defrauding corporations of public funds. Other enhanced standards within the act include auditor independence, enhanced financial disclosures, conflicts of interest and corporate fraud accountability. All these aspects are included within the eleven sections of the act where they analyse the specific mandates and requirements that managers need to have when conducting financial reporting (Kuschnik, 2008). Each of these sub sections are important and necessary in the financial management of publicly traded corporation as they ensure that there is accountability during the management of financial funds. For example auditor independence which falls under the second title deals with limiting the conflicts of interest that arise duri ng audit reporting while corporate fraud accountability which falls under the eleventh title of the act deals with the identification of corporate fraud and the various penalties that are served to deal with fraud. This section also revises the sentencing guidelines that were in existence before to deal with people who defrauded companies of billions of dollars. This review was seen to be important as it would enable the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to temporarily freeze any transactions or payments that were deemed to be unusual for the company (Kuschnik, 2008).Advertising Looking for essay on business corporate law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In general, the act deals with ensuring the financial reports generated by auditors and finance managers within organization to develop internal control reports that can be used to determine the accuracy of the company’s financial data. The adoption of the SOX act is meant to establish a best-practice standard when it comes to the management of corporate funds. The act also changes how corporate management boards and executives interact with each other as well as with their corporate auditors and financial controllers. It also ensures that the top managers of a corporate organization are held accountable for the accuracy of financial statements released at the end of every company financial year (Litvak, 2007). Benefits and Costs of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act According to Bednanrz (2006), the costs of implementing the SOX act will exceed the benefits of the act when it is fully implemented. A survey conducted on the compliance costs of the act in various publicly traded corporations within the US revealed that the first year compliance costs would exceed $4.6 million dollars. This figure applied to all the large multinational and domestic companies in the US. Medium sized companies and smaller companies operating within the US were l ikely to incur significant additional costs that were projected to amount to $2 million during the first-year compliance with the SOX guidelines. These huge costs incurred during the first year would make it difficult to determine whether the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was actually working in managing corporate finances and auditing issues (Bernanrz, 2006). With regards to the benefits of the act, various financial analysts and experts noted that the borrowing costs were lower for companies that had improved their internal control measures while corporate transparency had improved within many publicly traded organizations during the first year of compliance. Section 404 of the act ensured that companies had conservative reported earnings where financial reports and statements underwent verification to determine their accuracy before being presented to the various stakeholders of the company. Companies that had strong internal controls were able to experience an increase in their share price s and their financial statements were more reliable (Morgan et al, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sarbanes-Oxley Act specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reactions of Company Executives and Changes to Accounting Practices While many legislators have praised the Sarbanes-Oxley act to be effective in dealing with financial fraud within corporations, many business managers have expressed frustration with the act. The Federal Regulation Board has been faced with a lot of complaints about the high costs that are needed to implement the act in major public corporations within the country. Executives from General Electric, Lockheed Martin and Emerson Electric were among those who spoke about the various challenges of complying with the SOX act two years after it was implemented (Bednanrz, 2006). The executives agreed that while it was too soon to determine the benefits of complying with the act, there were considerable costs such as audit fees which were expected to increase by approximately 40% during the first year of compliance. Business managers working for BP saw the duplicate testing of internal controls to dilute the business practices of the organization as they saw it to be a frustrating exercise. They instead preferred to perform a single internal control testing exercise which would enable them to identify and document any financial issues or problems (Bednanrz, 2006). References Bednanrz, A., (2006, May 11). Executives tell regulators Sarbanes-Oxley costs exceed benefits. Retrieved from:Â  https://www.networkworld.com/article/2311689/execs-tell-regulators-sarbanes-oxley-costs-exceed-benefits.html Kuschnik, B., (2008). The Sarbanes-Oxley Act: big brother is watching you or adequate measures of corporate governance regulation. Rutgers Business Law Journal, 64-95 Litvak, K., (2007). The effect of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on non-US companies cross-listed in the US. Journal of Corporate Fin ance, 13(55), 195-228Advertising Looking for essay on business corporate law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Morgan, D.F., Green, R., Shinn, C.W., Robinson, K.S., (2008). Foundations of public service. New York: M.E. Sharpe Incorporated

Reading Deeply Example

Reading Deeply Example Reading Deeply – Book Report/Review Example Things fall apart Things fall apart Mr. Smith is enthusiast and uncompromising, perceiving the world completely as far as dark and white. Under him, fan like Enoch prosper. The celebration of the earthly things comes, at a time when the egwugwu wander around the towns in disbelief about the alien culture. A portion of the Christian men ask the egwugwu to resign quickly, so that the ladies will be permitted to go to their respective homes. The egwugwu concur. As they are resigning, Enoch brags egotistically that they might not set out to tap a Christian. One of the egwugwu people hits Enoch with a stick; Enoch reveals the secret about him. To reveal a secret about an egwugwu is viewed or perceived as an unpleasant sin (Achebe, 1994). Under Smith, he thinks reason and trade off get inconceivable which portrays the cultural difference between these two cultures. For example, Enochs demonstration is hostile in all faculties. He is attempting to begin a blessed war; when Smith hides or co nceals him in his dignitary, Enoch is disillusioned because he did not like what Smith was doing. He needs blood. His provocative remark comes directly following the egwugwu liberal concession. Despite the fact that the group tries to trade off with the new government and Christian religion, it demonstrates unthinkable. The white man did not respect and appreciate the Igbo ways, and the new religion is alien, narrow minded and deceptive, in that it preaches peace on one side while serving the British government on the other side (Achebe, 1994). This clearly indicates that the two races have significant interests and different perception of life. ReferenceAchebe, C. (1994). Things fall apart. New York, NY: Anchor.

Use Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Files in a Delphi Application

Use Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Files in a Delphi Application Delphi supports the display of Adobe PDF files from within an application. As long as youve got Adobe Reader installed, your PC will automatically have the relevant ActiveX control youll need to create a component you can drop into a Delphi form. Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Heres How: Start Delphi and select Component | Import ActiveX Control...Look for the Acrobat Control for ActiveX (Version x.x) control and click Install.Select the Component palette location into which the selected library will appear. Click Install.Select a package where the new component must be installed or create a new package for the new TPdf control.Click OK.Delphi will ask you whether you want to rebuild the modified/new package. Click Yes.After the package is compiled, Delphi will show you a message saying that the new TPdf component was registered and already available as part of the VCL.Close the package detail window, allowing Delphi to save the changes to it.The component is now available in the ActiveX tab (if you didnt change this setting in step 4).Drop the TPdf component onto a form and then select it.Using the object inspector, set the src property to the name of an existing PDF file on your system. Now all you have to do is resize the component and read the PDF file from your Delphi application. Tips: The Adobe ActiveX control installs automatically when you install Adobe Reader.  Step 11 can be completed during runtime, so you can open and close files programmatically as well as resize the control.

The Little Mermaid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Little Mermaid - Essay Example The plot might be conventional but still relatable. At the time of its release, target audience majorly consisted of children. The film adhered to the values of the patriarchal society we live in as it advocated that triumphant women are those who direct their men. They serve as the object of desire; this also reflected the cultural norms of the epoch when this tale was written. The Little Mermaid sacrifices her legs for a pair of legs to marry the man of her dreams, this holds true for women in the so-called modern age (Stoll 16). The only difference is that in reality, plastic surgery assists them in accomplishing this goal rather than magical spells. It should be noted down how Disney films modify their narrative style and content in consideration of the changes in the target audience. A consistent pattern emerges from their earlier films such as Snow White (1937), Cinderella (1950), Sleeping Beauty (1958) etc. This pattern depicts that heroines spent their entire life waiting to be rescued by prince charming, who ultimately showed up. Through a series of such animations, it is emphasised how only a man is the road of happiness for a woman (Stoll 33). This is in conformance with the patriarchal values of those ages. However, Arial emerges as slightly dissimilar and more defiant character than her earlier friends. In the film, she rebels against her father’s orders and falls in love with a human, which was against the norms of the Mer society. She also exhibits wit when she sighs, â€Å"I just don’t see how a world that makes such wonderful things can be bad.† Like all heroes, the prince charming possesses endearing qualities; his affectionate nature is portrayed by the closeness with his dog. Therefore, Prince Eric is the stereotypical prince... It should be noted down how Disney films modify their narrative style and content in consideration of the changes in the target audience. A consistent pattern emerges from their earlier films such as Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty etc. This pattern depicts that heroines spent their entire life waiting to be rescued by prince charming, who ultimately showed up. Through a series of such animations, it is emphasized how only a man is the road of happiness for a woman (Stoll 33). This is in conformance with the patriarchal values of those ages. However, Arial emerges as slightly dissimilar and more defiant character than her earlier friends. In the film, she rebels against her father’s orders and falls in love with a human, which was against the norms of the Mer society. She also exhibits wit when she sighs, â€Å"I just don’t see how the world that makes such wonderful things can be bad.† Like all heroes, the prince charming possesses endearing qualities; h is affectionate nature is portrayed by the closeness with his dog. Therefore, Prince Eric is the stereotypical prince charming. The opening scene of the film revolves around the male world as the introductory scene starts with Eric’s boat and not surprisingly, everybody on the boat is a male. Then, Arial is enlightened with the requirements and characteristics of the ground people. As credits start appearing, we are taken to the sea and again all males! Thereby, the purpose and focus of the film are made explicit that males have a dominant part to play in this world.

Why is it important to pay attention in class Essay

Why is it important to pay attention in class - Essay Example Hence, instructors have a basic part in keeping learners on learning track (Driscoll 23). Regard less of the particular models of listening conduct that exist, most concur that listening or attention includes sensing, going to, deciphering, recollecting, and respond ­ing to boosts (the sights and sounds we listen to). Paying attention in classroom incorporates many things. Sensing alludes to our five faculties and the sum of the data audience members can pick up from them. The faculties of listening to and sight are most applicable to the present dialog of tuning in. When learners completely listen to anything, they first sense it by listening to it, seeing it, or both. In the classroom, there are various things learners can sense: the lawnmower outside, the two understudies talking and snickering in the back, the magnetic understudy in the following seat over, the person with the uproarious hack, and possibly the instructor. Add to the greater part of this tactile data any mental preoccupations: an alternate class in which a person may be battling, issues with money r elated help, nervousness about an approaching discourse, whats continuing throughout the weekend, issues with a beau or sweetheart, issues at work, issues with a flat mate or with family at home (Driscoll 41). Given this plenitude of accessible tangible jolts, it is clear that educators are not ensured their scholars consideration. Learners may have the capacity to sense every ­ thing, however they cant keep their concentrate on everything and thusly they must be particular in their consideration. Something must be yielded, and unless instructors are receptive to their understudies listening conduct it may be the instructors message that is disregarded. Educators ought to be mindful that consideration regarding classroom messages requires exertion and that consideration compasses are short when contrasted with the regular length of a lecture. Paying attention in classroom helps students to

The Ruth Moore Act Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Ruth Moore Act - Research Paper Example The bill christened the Ruth Moore Act 2013 or H.R 671 was introduced by Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine and Senator Jon Tester ( D-MT) on February 13, 2013. Following the amendment, the bill H.R 671, would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit a report every year to the congress on the disability benefits claims given for people who are covered under the mental health conditions following allegations of incurred or aggravated by military sexual trauma for the time ranging from 2014 to 2918. The amendment will transform sense to the Congress as to the Veterans Affairs needs to update and improve the rules pertaining to the military sexual trauma (Otto, 2013). It would also require specific reporting to the Congress as well as to the Veteran claimants every month, the first of such coming fifteen months after the date of enactment of the bill following the amendment. The duration of reporting would be as long as the secretary makes the necessary updates, wh ich will improve the veteran’s affairs regulations with regard to military sexual trauma. H.R 671, as amended, extends the prevailing authority of two rounds down to the nearest dollar percentile increment in the rates of particular assistance relating to educational benefits that changes depending on the annual cost-of-living regulations and adjustments. Operational Definition of Terms Military sexual trauma; the term is used on a military veteran, regarding psychological trauma that is following the judgement of a mental health expert, was brought by a physical or mental assault of sexual type, a series of sexual nature, and sexual harassment that occurred to the victim when in active naval, military, and the air force. Covered mental health condition; This refers to the post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and or a mental health diagnosis explained in the modern version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders which is a journal publishe d by the American Psychiatric Association and determined by the Secretary as regards the military sexual trauma (Ruth Moore, Act of 2013). Covered claims; These are claims seeking for disability compensation submitted to the Secretary following a process of covered mental health condition where the survivor claims to have incurred the disability while on duty and aggravated by military sexual trauma. Ruth Moore- The brainchild Ruth Moore is a former navy officer who joined the disciplined forces in the mid nineteen eighties at the age of eighteen. Having come from a humble background and a family whose financial strength was meagre, she never made it to college. Ruth Moore was sexually assaulted by her immediate supervisor while stationed in the Azores. Things got worse when she reported the matter because, the officer raped her once more as a way of retaliating towards her efforts to get justice. Surprisingly, no charges were brought towards the supervisor instead, the administrato rs discharged her from hospital claiming that she was mentally unwell. It took twenty-three years for Moore to fight for her disability benefits. All through that period, Ruth Moore suffered from a sexually transmitted infectious disease caught from the supervisor. She also went through a depression from what she went through and finally lived in her van. However, in two thousand and nine, a veteran Affairs investigator got a glimpse of her medical records and after perusal discovered that the records had been tampered with by both medical and military officers. The veteran affairs officer went to help her win a seventy percent rating on the disability scale consequently

Retailer Relationships Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Retailer Relationships - Research Paper Example The British American Tobacco is a leading retailer within the region. They have established retailers to help ensure that their consumers can access their products in an effective way. The retailers ensure that the supply of goods is reliable, and therefore this enables consumers to buy what they need, wherever they are and whenever the need arises at quality prices. Proper relations between the retailer and consumer ensure that one pays reasonable prices for the commodities they buy (Newman & Cullen, 2002). The British American Tobacco targets a certain range of consumers in the market, and therefore to make it to their target goals, there are ways of marketing their products. They create adverts or conduct consumer awareness campaigns to help the consumer understand what goods are in the market and thus choose the best suitable for their needs. These retailers take into consideration the need to maintain their environments clean and the need to release user-friendly products in the market. Therefore, they usually pack their products in environment friendly packages, and in case of dangerous emissions, they treat them before releasing to the human environment. To ensure that the youth do not smoke, they have put restrictions to the sellers and suppliers on who the products should be sold to. Their commodities are under restriction for individuals below the age of 19. To ensure that sellers stick by the policy, they put adverts in televisions, signboards, and even campaigns against underage smoking. The BAT Company want to ensure that they fill every gap in the market; they even conduct research to identify whether they serve the needs of their customers. This helps access the type of services provided. They compare their products to those of their competitors, and therefore strive to improve the quality of goods offered. The quality may vary due to the distribution of their commodities; failure to engage customer opinions in their activities or even the overal l quality of products may be poor (Jones et al, 2002). However, research conducted recently showed that the British American Tobacco is one among the best retailer marketing institutions. Competitors have released substitute products to the markets that are of low quality and that cause more harm to the human body. The British American tobacco should put all the necessary efforts to ensure that consumers have the knowledge on the need to consume legitimate products. These contrabands only aim at making profits and do not care about consumer safety (Madaan, 2009). Since these illicit products cannot be altogether kicked out of the market, they need to establish their authentication to at least ensure that consumers are not at serious risks. With the changing times, British American Tobacco has managed to enhance its supply in different continents. Through this, it is easier to achieve growth because access to new markets increases sales, and later on, increasing the profits attained. With more branches, it is more likely to expand the company’s profile, and therefore this even creates more jobs for people all over the world, and more suppliers enabling distribution of commodities are able to earn themselves incomes and enhance interactions between consumers and retailers at grass roots level. Diversity in markets explored increases connections, but this is only possible using effective managerial personnel and creating

Art History Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Art History - Research Paper Example What world did they see in the early 1860s, when Impressionism stormed into their lives as the wind of change? Social disruptions at the end of the 18th century, revolutions in France and America, transformed the very essence of Western culture, which cannot but affect the role of art in a rapidly changing society. Accustomed to some social orders from the ruling dynasties or the church, artists suddenly found that all the customers left them. The nobility and clergy experienced serious financial and social troubles. The era of capitalism came, which changed the art rules and priorities totally. Gradually established republics and democratic powers witnessed the growth of the middle class and this growth caused the development of the new art market. Unfortunately, entrepreneurs and traders usually lacked hereditary culture and education, without which it was impossible to understand the diversity of allegories or skillful mastery, which charmed the aristocracy. Without any aristocratic upbringing and education, the middle-class representatives, who suddenly became the art consumers, had to rely on the opinion of professionals - newspaper critics and official experts. The artistic academies, the watchers of the classical canons, became the central arbiters in the issue of artistic preferences. So, it’s not a paradox that some young and talented artists rebelled against the conformity and dominance of the formal academism in art. The major strongholds of the academicism at that time were state patronized exhibitions of contemporary art – the Salons. Participation in the Salon was the only chance to attract attention of the press and customers. The Salon was a unique opportunity to acquire a customer, to build a career in art. Auguste Renoir, in his letter to his dealer Durand-Ruel, criticizes status quo: â€Å"In Paris there are scarcely fifteen people who capable of liking a painter who doesn’t show at

Retailer Relationships Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Retailer Relationships - Research Paper Example The British American Tobacco is a leading retailer within the region. They have established retailers to help ensure that their consumers can access their products in an effective way. The retailers ensure that the supply of goods is reliable, and therefore this enables consumers to buy what they need, wherever they are and whenever the need arises at quality prices. Proper relations between the retailer and consumer ensure that one pays reasonable prices for the commodities they buy (Newman & Cullen, 2002). The British American Tobacco targets a certain range of consumers in the market, and therefore to make it to their target goals, there are ways of marketing their products. They create adverts or conduct consumer awareness campaigns to help the consumer understand what goods are in the market and thus choose the best suitable for their needs. These retailers take into consideration the need to maintain their environments clean and the need to release user-friendly products in the market. Therefore, they usually pack their products in environment friendly packages, and in case of dangerous emissions, they treat them before releasing to the human environment. To ensure that the youth do not smoke, they have put restrictions to the sellers and suppliers on who the products should be sold to. Their commodities are under restriction for individuals below the age of 19. To ensure that sellers stick by the policy, they put adverts in televisions, signboards, and even campaigns against underage smoking. The BAT Company want to ensure that they fill every gap in the market; they even conduct research to identify whether they serve the needs of their customers. This helps access the type of services provided. They compare their products to those of their competitors, and therefore strive to improve the quality of goods offered. The quality may vary due to the distribution of their commodities; failure to engage customer opinions in their activities or even the overal l quality of products may be poor (Jones et al, 2002). However, research conducted recently showed that the British American Tobacco is one among the best retailer marketing institutions. Competitors have released substitute products to the markets that are of low quality and that cause more harm to the human body. The British American tobacco should put all the necessary efforts to ensure that consumers have the knowledge on the need to consume legitimate products. These contrabands only aim at making profits and do not care about consumer safety (Madaan, 2009). Since these illicit products cannot be altogether kicked out of the market, they need to establish their authentication to at least ensure that consumers are not at serious risks. With the changing times, British American Tobacco has managed to enhance its supply in different continents. Through this, it is easier to achieve growth because access to new markets increases sales, and later on, increasing the profits attained. With more branches, it is more likely to expand the company’s profile, and therefore this even creates more jobs for people all over the world, and more suppliers enabling distribution of commodities are able to earn themselves incomes and enhance interactions between consumers and retailers at grass roots level. Diversity in markets explored increases connections, but this is only possible using effective managerial personnel and creating

Varieties of Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Varieties of Capitalism - Essay Example Resource allocation can be taken at all levels, but resource ownership is a totally different aspect. Ownership of resources takes three forms: public ownership, private ownership or a mixture of the two in an agreed proportion. This is where capitalism comes in. Resources in an economy are managed through the employment of means of production, in a bid to satisfy the needs and wants of populations in societies through making economic decisions. Resources in an economy can be privately owned through an economic system referred to as capitalism. Income and/or profit earnings are the primary interest of individual or corporate capitalists. Interactions of all stakeholders in capitalistic activities are undertaken in a market environment that lacks government control. Varieties of Capitalism Hall and Soskice (2009, p.404) note that capitalist economies are of two types; that is liberal and coordinated market economies. These two types of market economies are crucial in highlighting inst itutional variations across the developed economies in bid to assess the applicability of capitalistic activities in the economies. In order to do so, the variables that define each of the two market economies are considered in terms of practice and aspects of application. Static vs. Dynamic Both liberal and coordinated market economies have their static and dynamic aspects. ... This has helped shape the static and dynamic properties in the context of varieties in capitalism. Static properties in the liberal market economies are seen in the hierarchy structure of institutions in the market, employment trends, level of wage bargaining and in the adoption of changes, especially innovation. Innovations are radically put in place even when they are readily available for the market. On the other hand, static properties in coordinated market economies are experienced in the relations between and among different stakeholders in the market. Non-market relations in this market economy hardly change over time. Dynamism is associated with the occurrence of changes and adoption of relevant changes that enhance the functionality of an economic system. Different political economists consider this aspect in numerous ways, but the underlying factor is that change is inevitable. In the case of liberal market economies, equilibrium point of the market keeps changing, and so a re the institutional functions of competition and policy making (Crouch, 2002, p.239). On the other hand, the coordinated market economies are uniquely dynamic. Collaborative efforts between and among key stakeholders keep changing, and it is, therefore, dynamic in that regard. Innovation is highly incremental from time to time as deemed important. Equilibrium-based vs. Evolutionary The two market economies that make up capitalism are characterized by equilibriums. In the liberal market economies, forces of demand and supply play a fundamental role in the moving the market and the entire economy. Competition is high among individual firms and business entities. Policies in this market are more oriented towards deregulation and realization of tax breaks (Jackson, 2003,

Banjo Paterson Biography Essay Example for Free

Banjo Paterson Biography Essay Andrew Barton Banjo Paterson was best known as a poet and author. He became the most popular poet in Australia. He was best known for the ballad Waltzing Matilda and his book called The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses. Banjo Paterson was born at Narrambla in New South Wales. He was the eldest of seven children. Banjo had one brother and five sisters. His parents names are Andrew Bogle and Rose Isabella Paterson, he had a Scottish heritage. Banjos parents were graziers on the Illalong station in the Yass Districts. Most of Banjos life was spent on the family property, but when he was ten his parents sent him to live with with his grandmother in Sydney, for educational reasons. Banjo Paterson was an accomplished equestrian (horse rider), and polo player. When Banjo was young he was educated by a governess. Once he was able to ride a pony he went to a bush school in Bingalong. When he was living with his grandmother in 1874 he was sent to Sydney Grammar School and in 1875 he shared the Junior Knox Prize with George Rich. He completed school aged 16 and enrolled at a university but failed the examination. When Banjo Paterson was a law student he began to write verses. His first poem that he wrote was called El Mahdi to the Australian Troops, which was published in the Bulletin in February 1885. He later adopted the pen name The Banjo, which was taken from the name of a station racehorse that was owned by his family. He later became one of the Bulletin writers and artists. Angus and Robertson published Banjo Patersons first book, The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses, in October 1895. The launch of this book was very successful, it sold over 7000 copies in just a couple of months. While in Queensland on a holiday late 1895, Banjo stayed with friends. This is where he wrote Waltzing Matilda which later became one of Australias best known folk song. Banjo Paterson travelled to South Africa in 1899 as a special war correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald during the Boer War. In 1903 Banjo was appointed editor of the evening news, he held that position until 1908 when he resigned. In 1903 Banjo married Alice Walker in Tenterfield. Their first home together was in Queen Street, Woollahra. They had two children, they were named Grace and Hugh. Grace was born in 1904 and Hugh was born in 1906. During World War One Banjo sailed to Europe hoping for an appointment as war corespondent. Instead he was an ambulance driver to the Australian Voluntary Hospital in France. He was eventually promoted to Major. When Banjo was back in Australia he went back to journalism and retired in 1930. Later in 1939 Banjo was created CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire). He passed away due to a heart condition on the 5th of February 1941, it was just 12 days before his 77th birthday. His reputation as the principle folk poet of Australia was secure, Banjos work included seven volumes of poetry. Banjo Paterson was not only known for Waltzing Matilda, but also for his attempt to improve the lives of his fellow Australians by exposing their hardships to the public. Banjos role in Australian culture has been celebrated by placing his face on the $10 note. His poems are still being published and are still selling.

Role of Communication in Health and Safety

Role of Communication in Health and Safety DIANE PARSONS TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Explore the role of communications training in the promotion provision of health safety in the workplace. Page 2 2. Outline the principles procedures of good house-keeping in the workplace. Page 3 3. Noise, dust and fumes are hazards which are commonly found in workplaces. For one of these hazards outline the risk associated with exposure to this hazard and control measures which might be used in the workplace. Identify at least 3 hazards which are commonly encountered in your workplace and briefly describe how these are controlled. Page 45 4. Explain the typical contents of a first-aid kit their appropriate uses. Page 6 5. Explain the risks associated with the following hazards work environment, work practices, medication, alcohol, drugs and outline for each, steps which an employer might take to control these risks (please provide at least 2 controls per hazard). Page 78 6. Outline risk factors in relation to health, to include stress/ lifestyle/ diet/ illness. Page 910 ReferencesPage 11 1. EXPLORE THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING IN THE PROMOTION PROVISION OF HEALTH SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE. The role of communications and training in the work place is important in any job. In Healthcare there is no exception to this. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (SHWWA 2005) all employers must specify the training essential to ensuring the health and safety of their employees. The training provided will help staff achieve the essential skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to ensure that they are competent in the health and safety features of their work. In healthcare the Conformity European (CE) mark is important and a lot of employers train their staff to look out for this. Communication in the workplace is essential as is training and the Health Service Executive (HSE), Health Service Authority (HSA) and Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) are there to ensure that the SHWWA 2005 and the General Application Regulations 2007 (GAR 2007) are in place in the workplace. It is important from management to staff that communication is enforced in the workplace for health safety. For instance if there was a spillage in a nursing home in the corridor and there was a sign put in place to warn others of this the management could rest in ease knowing that their staff are aware and capable of ensuring health safety practices in the workplace. That is just one way of communicating there are many more ways I have listed a few below. (Course Notes 2015) Verbal – speaking, face to face Listening Non Verbal – texting, email, notice board, fax, registered mail, skype Demo/Training Focus group Conference call Emergency procedures www.google.com /images 2. OUTLINE THE PRINCIPLES PROCEDURES OF GOOD HOUSE-KEEPING IN THE WORKPLACE. The importance of good house-keeping is so important Healthcare and in particular Nursing Homes and Hospitals which are all about health and the well-being of patients. If a workplace practises bad house-keeping it can become unsafe and even hazardous for the staff and patients. Cluttered and untidy areas, spills and leaks and broken and damaged equipment are all signs of poor house- keeping. An example of bad house-keeping could be a fire exit left blocked and a fire breaking out in the work place, this bad house-keeping endangers everybody in the work place and it is up to the employers and employees to avoid incidents like this. Work places need to outline the principles procedures of good house-keeping to all employers and employees. The workplace needs to be actively monitoring the process of house-keeping within the workplace. HIQA and HSA have certain standards on house-keeping and have an inspection system in place. Some benefits of good house-keeping are: Good housekeeping prevents accidents such as slips, trips and falls Make the workplace happy, enjoyable and safe Improve and maintain your company’s image (good housekeeping echoes a well-run company) order and routine will impress visitors, employees and clients etc. Reduce the risk of accidents or harmful materials i.e. dust, vapours Help your company make the most and benefit the best out of its work space. In house-keeping there are 5S, this is a method of work organised in 5 stages with the goal of considerably improving the order and cleanliness in the workplace. This is known as the Heidelberg Model. These 5S are: SORT- removing anything unnecessary and disposing of it properly STRAIGHT- set things in order, easy to find SHINE- keep work place clean and safe STANDARD- maintain high standards in house-keeping and maintain orderliness SUSTAIN- to keep in working order, to perform regular audits (www.hsa.ie) 3. NOISE, DUST AND FUMES ARE HAZARDS WHICH ARE COMMONLY FOUND IN WORKPLACES. FOR ONE OF THESE HAZARDS OUTLINE THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH EXPOSURE TO THIS HAZARD AND CONTROL MEASURES WHICH MIGHT BE USED IN THE WORKPLACE. IDENTIFY AT LEAST 3 HAZARDS WHICH ARE COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED IN YOUR WORKPLACE AND BRIEFLY DESCRIBE HOW THESE ARE CONTROLLED. A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause you or others harm. In the workplace there are many hazards. There are 5 categories of hazards Physical, Mechanical, Biological, Chemical and physosocial. (Course Notes 2015) Fumes would be a major hazard, the risks associated with this are life threatening. They would be physical and chemical hazards. The risks of fumes can come from gas leaks, chemical fumes etc. Some of the risks associated with fumes are they can cause serious illness, death, over exposure can lead to long term health problems, gas leaks can cause explosions. The control measures for this hazard would be storing chemicals away in proper storage areas, a carbon dioxide alarm and when handling dangerous substances always wear your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Making sure all chemicals are Classification, labelling and packaging (CLP) and a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is available and up to date. (www.google.com/image) In healthcare hazards are all too common but they must be identified and control measures must be put in place. Employers need to refer to the hierarchy of control measures which are: Remove, Replace, Reduce, Restriction, training and PPE to ensure safety. 3 HAZARDS COMMON IN THE WORKPLACE 4. EXPLAIN THE TYPICAL CONTENTS OF A FIRST-AID KIT THEIR APPROPRIATE USES. First aid is the first or immediate help given to a patient before the arrival of a paramedic or doctor. The first aid kit is there to offer an appropriate point of care, everything in the first-aid kit is put together based on the knowledge and experience on those putting it together. Included in it is PPE which is one of the employer’s duties in the workplace to have to maintain health and safety at work. (www.hsa.ie) 5. EXPLAIN THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS WORK ENVIRONMENT, WORK PRACTICES, MEDICATION, ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND OUTLINE FOR EACH, STEPS WHICH THE EMPLOYER MIGHT TAKE TO CONTROL THESE RISKS In the workplace there are many risks, some include hazards work environment, work practices, medication, alcohol and drugs. Under the SHWWA 2005 one of the employer’s duties to employees is to provide a safe place to work so therefore the employer may have steps in place to control these risks. Every year it costs the state 3.6billion in accidents, 70% of accidents can be prevented by good health safety morals. (Course Notes 2015) There would usually be a risk assessment carried out which would: Identify the hazard b) assess the risk c) put controlled measures in place www.google.com/image 6. OUTLINE RISK FACTORS IN RELATION TO HEALTH, TO INCLUDE STRESS/LIFESTYLE/DIET/ILLNESS The risk factors in relation to health in the workplace are huge because stress, lifestyle, diet and illness all fall under health. In healthcare it is important that the staff promote good health and wellbeing, they do this through putting into practice of workplace policies and health promotion activities. For employers the risk factors can lead to loss of business and damage the company name, performance impairment, absenteeism and the loss of competitive edge. STRESS is a major risk to the health of an employee. Stress can be caused by many different reasons and have many different effects. Some effects of stress: Can be physical or mental Interfere with your ability to perform Increase cholesterol blood pressure Cause depression, break downs etc. All these can have a bad effect on the employees work and performance. www.google.com/image LIFESTYLE can have risk factors in relation to an employee’s health. A hectic or busy lifestyle can take its toll on someone’s health. If a person had a busy social lifestyle and were out parting every night it would eventually have an effect on their work due to tiredness or maybe coming into work with alcohol still in their system, the same would go for drugs. Drugs can be part of someone’s lifestyle too and have a devastating impact on it. ILLNESS can also have a lot of risk factors in relation to health. In the workplace it can lead to cross contamination staff and patients. It can lead to poor work performance, judgement and unpredictable moods. Lack of good time keeping and an increase of absenteeism. DIET can play a major role in the growth, repair and maintenance of a body. A well balanced diet and exercise are essential to good health. A bad diet, lack of water and no exercise can result in tiredness, stress, illnesses and depression which in return can influence someone’s ability to work. www.google.com/image REFERENCES (Course Notes 2015)page 2 (www.google.com/image)page 2 (www.hsa.ie) page 3 (Course Notes 2015)page 4 (www.google.com/image)page 4 (www.hsa.ie)page 6 (Course Notes 2015)page 7 (www.google.com/image)page 8 (www.google.com/image)page 9 (www.google.com/image) page 10 1

Catcher In The Rye :: essays research papers

Catcher in the Rye Essay "I keep picturing all these kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody''s big but me. And I''m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff -What do I have to do, I have to catch them. I mean their running, and they don''t look where their going, so I must come out of somewhere and catch them."(Salinger,173) J.D. Salinger, in his timeless classic, The Catcher in the Rye, a novel depicting the complications of life as an adolescent, uses reality verses allusion, phoniness in society, and the loss of innocence as themes in his novel, to present the true inner character of Holden Caufield. Beginning to learn the truths of society and growing up, sixteen year old, Holden has a hard time adjusting to maturity. After the death of his younger brother Allie, his inability to remain in one school, and his ongoing dislike of many people and their morals, Holden has been driven to depression in which he dispenses to a psycoanaylgist throughout the novel. Through his novel, Salinger incorporated the theme reality verses allusion, to demonstrate how the mind of some adolescents are so unwilling to face the truths of society. As stated above, Holden wishes to accomplish an futile task, save children from growing up, and protect them from the corruption of adulthood. The following presents an example of Holden''s inability to grasp the differences between reality and allusion. "Somebody written ''Fuck You'' on the wall. It drove me damn dear crazy. I thought how Phoebe and all the other kids would see it, and then how they''d wonder what the hell it mean, and finally some dirty kid would tell them- all cockeyed, so I rubbed it out."(Salinger,201) Presented here, an another example on how Holden once again attempts to accomplish the impossible, save children from the words and instances that they are going to transpire no matter how hard someone desires to hide it. Holden allows himself to live in a state of unrealistic tho ughts, with the idea that change will forever be deleterious. Yet Holden seems frightened to admit to himself that change and development are a necessary part of reality. The only way one would be able to avoid change would be to die young, avoiding maturity, and maintaining innocence. Holden''s dislike towards change attracts his interest to the museum, because a museum continues to be never changing, the displays are forever set in stone, and preserved.

Google: Organization; Management Essay

1. Compare and contrast each of the organizational structures from your reading. There are two organizational structures mentioned in text; Hierarchical Organizational Structure and Organic Organizational Structure with two possibilities of their structures being one of that of vertical or horizontal. The hierarchical organizational structure consists of a â€Å"set of formal task and formal relationships† (Daft, 2012). The military is an example of a form of hierarchical organizational structure. It is a structure that is clearly stated of â€Å"powers and authority and with a developed bureaucratic control system† (Wk3, Lec. pg. 2, 2012). This control system instills power and authority through rules, policies, programs and training manuals (Wk3, Lec. pg. 2, 2012). In comparison, a hierarchical organizational structure as with an organic organizational structure, they both possess upper levels of management that are responsible for making â€Å"major decisions† (Wk3, Lec. Sum., 2012). Organic organizational structures, although are similar in comparison to hierarchical organizational structures in the since of upper management making key decisions, there are many differences in contrast to the hierarchical organizational structures (Wk3, Lec. pg. 2, 2012). Most large organizations tend to be organic due to the complexity of technology that have more emphasis on detailed work being assigned and to who, and who will concentrate more on â€Å"decision – making authority† (Zanzi, 1987). In a hierarchical organizational structure continuum, â€Å"taking risk† is not encouraged as it could mean the life or death of someone (Wk3, Lec. pg. 2, 2012). However, in the organic organizational structure, risk are taken every day and in fact are commonly encouraged (Wk3, Lec. pg. 2, 2012). 2. If you were to choose one structure in which to work, which would you choose and why? I believe I would choose the hierarchal organizational structure. To me the organic organizational structure could be over burdensome to just one or a few individuals who may be in control of more than one group of employees or departments. When the development of the hierarchical organizational structure is implemented, then you have many different means in which to carry out many different functions and distribute the work to. With this structure I can develop a plan easier and know it will be carried out on time, accurately and see the results and get reports from the structure below. It’s like a baseball team; it takes all 9 players to cover the field cause you never know in which direction the ball will be hit to. Covering virtually every aspect will assure that the ball is almost always controlled ant the play is made. 3. Compare the organizational structures of Google and Wal-Mart. Google has an organizational structure that once seemed hierarchical in nature and characteristics when it first began, thus mimicking business organizational structure in order for it to get off the ground. The use of fast forward, concurrent and feedback controls were in place as well. However, Google has recently â€Å"minimized hierarchy and maximized what can be done at the individual contributing level† (Mohamed, 2006). Google tend to allow its employees the opportunity to contribute new innovative ideas to the company. Innovation through the ranks is the norm now at Google. At Wal-Mart, they too have built a strong market in the online business market (virtual), (Mmr, 2011). With its move into the virtual market place, as with Google, organic, yet more horizontal organizational structure so too is Wal-Mart’s online presents (Mmr, 2011). 4. Explain what types of control processes might be found in each of the organizational structures. There are three control processes; Feed forward, Concurrent and Feed Back. It is noted that â€Å"all three systems of controls are essentials to successful management and use resources for meeting goals† (Wk3, Lec. Pg. 1 2012). If this is the case, then we must consider that each control has a place in which it must monitor. With Feed forward controls, this action begins before a new product or a program or plan is implemented to gain â€Å"feedback in advance† (Wk3, Lec. pg. 1, 2012), this in order to make plans towards the start of a new product, plan or goal. With concurrent controls, this is to gain knowledge of how the new product, plan or goal is coming along, working or functioning during its progress or after it’s implemented. Then with the feedback controls, we get the product, plan or goal results and are able to make adjustments, adaptations to or change our product, plan or goal to operate the way it was originally designed to do so (Wk3, Lec. pg. 1, 2012). 5. Describe what types of quality management processes might be found in each of the organizational structures. First, I believe we have to understand what control is in order to find the quality management process found in each organizational structure. Monitoring activities within the organization based on the â€Å"expectations established in plans† (Daft, 2012) determine organizational controls. Controls establish how those things are handled and not dominance (Wk3, Lec. pg. 1, 2012).. Standards, methods and how those are measured determine quality. Once all these line up you hve what is referred to as a â€Å"balance scorecard† (Daft, 2012). In the hierarchical organizational structure, the type of quality management found there would be best optimized by using total quality management, as with the military. Total quality management improves the originations performance at every level. Since the hierarchal organizational structure is more vertical in characteristics, then it will have more of a need for improvements, because there are more levels that need controls (Daft, 2012). As with organic organizational structures, perhaps a quality management process type best for this structure would be something like â€Å"ISO (000† (Daft, 2012). When I worked at Allied Chemical, years ago, Allied traded and did business on an international scale. Its standard of quality wasn’t restricted to that of just the United States. It had to comply with foreign standards as well and we were ISO 9000 certified. I had to take extra training classes in quality management because of the international standards that were imposed on our products that were sold abroad. Also, with the organization I chose, Google, which is an organic organizational structure, Google also operates on an international scale. So a good example would be the type of quality found in the ISO 9000 certification process which is outlined by the â€Å"International Organization for Standards† (Daft, 2012). Reference Daft , R., (2012). Management, 10th Ed.  © 2012, 2010 South-Western, Cengage Learning, Mason, Ohio. Retrieved from: http://digitalbookshelf.southuniversity.edu MGT2037 S02: Principles of Management: Week 3: Lecture, p. 1 – Summary. Retrieved from http://myeclassonline.com Mohamed, A. (2006). Google woos talent in code competition. Computer Weekly, 49. U.S. Business Is Reenergized by Wal-Mart. (2011). MMR, 28(1), 42. Zanzi, A. (1987). How organic is your organization? – Determinants of organic/mechanistic tendencies in a public accounting firm. Journal of Management Studies, 24(2), 125-142. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu

Component of Computer System Essay

Output devices: Monitor printer, plotter and voice output device, Modem, Automotive navigation system, Projector. Peripheral device that converts machine-readable information into people-readable information. Processing devices: CPU,  Motherboard, Chipset, bus, RAM. Hardware components process information within the computer system. Storage devices: Hard disk drives and  compact disk  drives. Hardware components allow data to be stored within a computer system. Software components of a computer system have no physical presence; they are stored in digital form within computer memory. System software is an  operating system  designed to operate and control the  computer hardware  and to provide a platform for running  application software. Utility software: anti-virus software, firewalls, disk defragmenters. Which helps to maintain and protect the computer system but does not directly interface with the hardware. Applications software: Web browsers, Office software, Games, Multimedia Software, Database Software, and Graphic Software. Designed to allow the user of the system complete a specific task or set of tasks. Different  types of computer software. Programming software, system software and application software are the three main types of computer software used in computer networking. Programmers use the programming software to develop the programming languages necessary to run computer software. Compliers, interpreters, linkers and text editors are some of the basic tools used in programming software. System software offers a protective shield to all software applications. It also provides support to the physical components of computers. System software †¢ Operating system software(windows, Linux, Mac) †¢ Utility programs (anti-virus software, firewalls, disk defragmenters. †¢ Library programs †¢ Translator software (Compiler, assembler, interpreter) Application software is used for commercial purpose. The application software is widely used in educational, business and medical fields. Industrial automation, databases, business software and medical software prove to be of great help in the respective fields. Web browsers, Office software, Games, Multimedia Software, Database Software, and Graphic Software. Application software †¢ General purpose application software. †¢ Special purpose application software. †¢ Bespoke application software

Marvel Enterprises

Marketing Strategy 8050 Marvel Enterprises, Inc. Case Writing by Xiaodan Dong February, 2008 Marvel Enterprises, Inc. (b) Why was Marvel’s turnaround so successful? Would you characterize that success as a fluke? Or do you view it as sustainable? Why? How? Marvel’s success is not a fluke because its business model is sustainable. Marvel’s new strategy monetized the content library by licensing characters for use with media products. During an era in which mass media is very important in people’s life, only one media tool, publishing, is not strong enough to expand Marvel’s influence to consumers.Comic books can target a very limited market, mostly composed of male teenagers and young adults from 13 to 23 years old. It is very difficult to expand this traditional market. After many years of development, this market has matured and is very stable. Meanwhile, people have been more exposed to movies, televisions, and video games, which more effectively influence people’s consumption behavior than do comic books. All these media modes are able to reach more consumer segments than traditional comic-book publishing.Marvel’s potential to develop increased dramatically when its market expanded to broadcast media. Other consumer products, such as toys, worked in conjunction with media products, these two kinds of products reinforced each other. Marvel’s market expansion developed in both a comprehensive and intensive manner. Marvel emphasized long-term value in its new management strategy. They planed â€Å"career† for each of their characters. For example, Spider-Man’s career over the next five years is to have two more movies, DVDs, toys, a video game, and a promotion with Burger King.The intensive â€Å"career plan† extend character’s life and can have each character penetrate into people’s lives by media on a long term basis. The third main strategic dimension is to ensure the quality of the content which featured Marvel characters. Creation and consistency in characters and stories mean everything for Marvel. Before Marvel’s turnaround, the low publishing market share was mostly due to a lack of quality control. When efforts were put into improving creativity and fine artwork, the publishing business was rejuvenated and the market share increased.The publishing business provides the primary support for both licensing and toys. Marvel’s success will sustain, because the products lives are extended with well-planed â€Å"career†, and the market is expanded with thriving licensing and toy businesses. Investment in quality can enhance the product’s competitive ability in terms of both product life and market expansion. Great potential exists in each aspect of Marvel’s market. (c) How important are each of Marvel’s three divisions – Comic books, toys, and licensing – to its past and future performance? T he comic book business was Marvel’s core in the past and earned almost all revenue.Comic books were so important for Marvel that its market share determined if Marvel would live or die. That is why Marvel went bankrupt in the mid-1990s, when mismanagement caused a huge drop in comic-book sales. After Marvel turned around, comic-book publishing was important as a primary business, but not a core business. Since 1997, Marvel’s financial performance in comic-book industry has been very stable and the annual sales totaled around 300 million every year. While comic book revenue should continue to be stable, its percentage will decrease in the future as Marvel’s other businesses grow.Licensing was only a small part of Marvel’s overall revenue in the past. Marvel’s licensing was mostly concentrated within the comic-book industry, selling the publishing license to some book-related businesses or some toy merchants. After Marvel took advantage of broadcast media, such as movies, television, and video games, its licensing become the largest division and collected the majority of the profit for the company. In 2003, licensing accounted for 70. 5% of the gross profit (See Appendix A Figure 1). Licensing profit had a much sharper increase from 2000 to 2003 than the other two businesses (See Appendix A Figure 2).In the future, licensing will keep increasing and its percentage of revenue will grow, especially if the management adopts a strategy of capitalizing on it. In the past, the toy business was just an annex of the publishing industry. Little effort was invested in toys which were not even mentioned strategic plans. Now the toy industry is the second-highest profit maker in Marvel, generating over $20 billion in sales in 2003. The toy business is very promising in the future. However its percentage in revenue will still remain stable or slightly decrease, just as publishing will do, because licensing has such a strong possibility for growth.In addition, while the toy industry competition is too fierce to permit further achievements. (d) To what extent is Marvel’s success due to only one character, Spider-Man? How can Marvel develop its lesser-known characters? There is no doubt that, to a great extent, Marvel’s success since the 1960s is due to Spider-Man. However, during the 1990s, the company declined despite such a successful superhero. â€Å"Exploiting† strategy by significantly increasing the number of titles stretched out consumers’ interest. Marvel’s new CEO, Peter Cuneo, restructured the company with negative assets and turned the company around.Spider-Man was resuscitated in comic-book sales. In the Publishing Division, Marvel’s 64. 7% revenue was from Spider-Man among the top famous titles in the second half year of 2003 (See Appendix A Figure 3). In the movie box office revenue, Spider-Man collected 33. 75% revenue in the US market and 37. 2% in the world mark et among Marvel’s eight titles movies, ranking the first (See Appendix A Figure 4). Spider-Man has gained great achievements, since the company turned around. However, Marvel’s success is not due to only one character.According to figure 3 and figure 4, other lesser-known characters, such as the X-Men and Fantastic Four, have also contributed to the company’s success. The entertainment market is difficult to predict. Consumers’ interests for media products are notoriously fickle. It could be very risky to continue to infuse resources to Spider-Man. Spreading limited resources to lesser-known characters helps the company reduce risk. Marvel needs to shift their focus to lesser-known characters which have great potential to be popular with wider public.Integrated marketing communication can be a very useful strategy to promote lesser-known characters by using prominent characters. For example, the Fantastic Four can be guests in Spider-Man’s comic-bo oks or movies. When lesser-known characters and Spider-Man are presented to people as â€Å"Marvel’s Superheroes†, lesser-known characters can be promoted by the fame of prominent characters. As Marvel’s previous CEO Peter Cuneo (2003) said, â€Å"this is about converting Spider-Man fans into Marvel fans. †