Microsoft Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Microsoft Company - Case Study Example What accounts for this company’s international success despite the potential for intense competition in most markets? Some reasons for company’s international successes are diversity in products ranges, a continuance of professionalism and partnering with other companies for better products. One of the major reasons for success is continuous innovation in products and services (Satell, 2013). Find a list of company’s values. Pick 2 of the values and explain how you think those values would influence the way employees do their work? Although the company has listed many values, the most important two values are mutual respect and continual self-improvement. These 2 values boost the self-confidence of employees regardless of different ethnic or personal background and result into an increase in productivity (Microsoft, 2015). Research the most recent annual report of the company ( most companies post their annual reports online in the Investor Relations section of their web page ) and list all the factors in the external environment that have affected the company. Focus on both the general and specific environment. The external factors that have affected the company are the rapid rate in advance of the technology, mergers, and acquisitions of various tech companies. It is also facing problems due to patent –infringement or anti-trust suit filed against Microsoft in various countries during last few years. What is the organization’s mission? Whom does the organization serve, and how does it serve them?

Persuading on Genetically Modified Food Essay Example for Free

Persuading on Genetically Modified Food Essay The article called Genetically Modified Foods, has a style that is use to grab an audience emotion while still putting some facts. Right away in the first paragraph you will find ethos. Per Pinstrup-Anderson plays a key role in the article, he is the H.E. Babcock Professor of Food, Nutrition and Public Policy at Cornell University. Giving Per Pinstrup-Anderson a creditability, and having the audience attention. This is the only time in the article when ethos is being used to help their argument. In the next two paragraphs, Pathos and logos are used. It shows some facts as well as getting into the audience emotion. The way this was done was by talking about helping farmers in developing countries produce more food, making it more affordable to buy food, as well as not harming the environment. It goes on to say, â€Å"Many millions of people do not have access to sufficient calories and many more suffer from micronutrient deficiencies†. Another quote is, â€Å"which avoided mass starvation and helped millions out of poverty and hunger†. Notice they never gave an exact statistic on how many people are suffering from poverty and hunger, letting the audience see that it is so many people affected, and not just a specific number. It gives it more of a feel then would be given an exact number. In the next paragraph it goes back to logos, in the paragraph it is said science is the answer to fixing the hunger. It describes action that must be taken an order to be able to start helping starving people, as well as how will science help farming, like drought tolerance, mitigation of negative climate change, and pest resistance in crops. Those are just a few of what the paragraph claims to be able to do with a little investment for the technology. The way this paragraph is phrase is by letting the audiences see the processes that have to be done in order for an action to start. That way the audiences may start to have an opinion. At the end of this article it starts to talk about how long test must be done, and how the longer we wait the more expensive food will be as well as leaving millions to die. This passage is using pathos for its persuasiveness. It’s getting the audience that deep emotion of people waiting and starving. It goes on to say that anti-science ideology and the failure of the government brought the food crisis in the first place. This paragraph points a finger to show they are right, as well as preceding to say we have to change if something is not working. In the second article of, â€Å"The Failure of Gene-Altered Crops†, Vandana Shiva is presented as the ethos in this paragraph; she is the founder of Navdanya in India which is the movement of seed keepers and organic farmers. She written many books on how genetically modified foods are failing and how they will affect us. This grabs the audience attention because she’s a strong believer on organic substance. In the next paragraph it says we need biodiversity intensification that can work with nature instead of going against it, it doesn’t give a specific details as to why. The only argument made was when Doug Gurian-Sherman of the union of concerned scientist published a studied, â€Å"Failure to Yield†. In the study it is closely evaluated on the genetically modified for 20 years to see if they would increase yield or to just see better progress. In the end it showed that the experiment failed to increase yields as well as it failed to engineer crops to be insect-resistant nor herbicide tolerance. In this paragraph it was use ethos and logos. Ethos was Doug Gurian-Sherman and his research study, â€Å"Failure to Yield†. Logos was the bits of facts that came from Doug Gurian-Sherman research study. In the next to paragraph, it is shown by the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development [IAASTD] has concluded that genetic engineering did not seem very promising in the future. IAASTD found that the small farms that based on agri-ecology would produce much more food. This paragraph had also ethos, being IAASTD. As for the logos was what IAASTD found in the 4 years on figuring out what genetic engineering could hold in the future. The article makes a lot of tactics with logos and ethos to reach the audience, giving a great amount of facts from other credited people. The next three paragraphs have ethos as well as logos. In the passages, the book, â€Å"Soil, Not Oil† is brought as an example to give that industrial monocultures are more vulnerable to climate changes since the soil kept in organic plants help keep moisture making them less likely to die in draughts. In the next passage it is brought up the false statement by genetic engineering industry that it’s only possible to respond to climate change with modified food. Vandana Shiva made a statement on crops evolved to be better resilient to climate, as well Vandana has helped create seeds for drought resistance, and flood resistance as well as salt tolerance. This give the audience the idea that genetically modified food isn’t always needed when nature can just evolve. The last two passages gets more in depth on how genetically modified food and organically produced food will take us in the future. The passage give the audience a since of the future that genetic engineer for modified food is a waste a time, it does not give a sense of food security in the future and it will cause small farmers to go dept. As for Vandana Shiva Navdanya, it is a conserving biodiversity that tries to not be wasteful in water at the same time make much more food per acre. The best article that is persuasive is the second article, â€Å"The Failure of Gene-Altered Crops. The first article was very persuasive, but it never made it secure enough to make it believable that it close to happening. It produce more emotion then logic tactics, making it very hard to determine whether it is a dream that the nation wishes to reach or something that could be accomplish for the future. Great syntax on making it very emotional with pathos, but argument stance it would be weak. The first article could have been stronger if it talked about other countries that are already doing genetically modified foods. Korea has been doing genetically modified food for years, about 20 countries including the European Union, Japan, Australia and New Zealand have already a labeling system for genetically modified foods, (Hae-Yeong Kim 132). Another good point would be to bring up Matin Qaim, â€Å"Vitamin A deficiency is a serious nutritional problem, causing multiple adverse health outcomes. Simulations for India show that Golden Rice could reduce related health problems significantly, preventing up to 40,000 child deaths every year.(552) In India Bt cotton has reduce some poverty and actually help small famers, now some in China and South Africa, Bt cotton are a first-generation of genetically modified technology. As for the second argument, many ethos and logos were presented. One being Doug Gurian-Sherman published study on how genetic industries isn’t really going anywhere, it has great facts, it was a 4 year study so it showed what was being done in long term. A lot of facts on how genetic industry is failing on making modified food was claimed, but not many on how it could do more harm as well as it would bankrupt some small farmers for even trying to use modified seeds. The plant evolving had a great way point in Gebre Egziabher, Tewolde B( The Use of Genetically Modified Crops in Agriculture and Food Production, and Their Impacts on the Environment A Developing World Perspective) â€Å"Scientists believe that species evolved from a common ancestor through competition and natural selection. They also believe that changes in genes occur in all species owing to mutation, with the probability of mutation of each gene remaining constant under the same environment†. (11) Giving this quote would remind the audience that life has a way of fixing itself and just because the technology is here does not give scientist right to use a different approach but instead try harder to help organic farming when it has been secure food source. Cite American Medical Assoc. Gebre Egziabher T. The Use of Genetically Modified Crops in Agriculture and Food Production, and Their Impacts on the Environment A Developing World Perspective. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica: Section B, Soil Plant Science [serial online]. December 2, 2003;53:8-12. Available from: Science Technology Collection, Ipswich, MA. Accessed April 27, 2012. American Medical Assoc. Hae-Yeong K, Jae-Hwan K, Mi-Hwa O. Regulation and detection methods for genetically modified foods in Korea. Pure Applied Chemistry [serial online]. January 2010;82(1):129-137. Available from: Science Technology Collection, Ipswich, MA. Accessed April 27, 2012. American Medical Assoc. Qaim M. Benefits of genetically modified crops for the poor: household income, nutrition, and health. New Biotechnology [serial online]. November 30, 2010;27(5):552-557. Available from: Science Technology Collection, Ipswich, MA. Accessed April 27, 2012.

A Perfect Education :: Teaching Education

A Perfect Education There are many ideas as to what constitutes an ideal education. A number of factors come together to make an ideal education. Parents have to be concerned with the education of their children. Teachers must be completely devoted to their students' educations. Students must have faith in their teachers and the education which they are receiving. Students, parents and teachers are the key elements in a model education. A good relationship among the three parties is essential to a good education. Parents are an important ingredient to the perfect education. Parents who aren't involved in their children's education only impede the efforts made by teachers and students to create a good education. These parents are oftentimes uninterested with their children's education as a whole. To achieve perfection in the educational system, parents have to take an active role in that education. Parents who don't include themselves in their children's education aren't always informed about the student's progress, aren't aware of the current curriculum, and don't have any idea of the student's strengths and weaknesses in school. An involved parent is informed and sometimes included in the decision-making process. Parents who take an active role are kept informed of the progress made by their children. The parents know the curriculum and assist the children with their nightly studies, and can discuss their children's feelings about education. Devoted teachers are extremely important to a perfect education. The teacher is just about the most important of the three parties necessary to create a model education. Teachers have the responsibility of forming good relationships with both students and parents. Teachers must also be able to effectively communicate with both parents and students in order to ensure that there are no misconceptions or confusions about the children's educations. A good teacher is aware of any special needs that certain children may have and is able to help those children adjust to the curriculum accordingly. Although it may seem obvious, teachers need to be patient and empathetic when dealing with his or her students. The vast majority of teachers already possess these qualities. Many students, however, have complained of teachers that appear to have "no time" for their students. Teachers with an unenthusiastic attitude relay a negative feeling back to their students and that can create problems in the classroom. As mentioned earlier though, people usually won't become teachers if they are uninterested in providing an excellent education to their students.

Labour Reforms in Brazil and Chile (a Comparative Study)

UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY COURSE COMPARATIVE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS (MIR 709) TOPIC LABOUR REFORMS IN BRAZIL AND CHILE (A COMPARATIVE STUDY) A PAPER SUBMITTED TO THE DEPT OF SOCIOLOGY BY GROUP 4 Adepoju Janet Oluwatosin167455 Ayangbemi Olusola Temitope166905 Dagunduro Adebukola Olufunke167457 Ogunsemoyin Olubusayo B. 81014 LECTURER IN CHARGE: PROF. ONYEONORU P. I. OCTOBER, 2012 INTRODUCTION Labour laws is defined as the balance of power among government, employers, workers, and unions.The redrafting of a country’s labour laws typically reflects a shift in the power relations and may carry unfavourable consequences for a former beneficiaries. As the Colliers put it, â€Å"Labour law is a highly visible and concrete policy statement around which political battles are fought, won, and lost, and around which political support is attracted, granted, and withheld†¦ labour law thus provides a valuable point of reference for analyzing the larger political contex t† (Collier and Collier 1979, 971). The reform of national labour laws is one of the most widely implemented recent policy changes in the world.Since the early 1990s, Brazil as well as Chile have changed their labour laws. Labour reforms have also provoked massive protests, including general strikes. It can be understood that the changes in labour law occurring on a global scale are themselves a response to the pressure of globalization. In most nations of the world, labour legislation was originally made to reflect government-employer-worker relationships embedded in protected national economies. But in recent years, trade liberalization and greater global competitiveness have created new challenges for employers and workers.Pressures for legal and institutional change have naturally followed. This study is all about comparative insights into labour reform processes at the end of the twentieth century of two Latin American countries, Brazil and Chile. Despite similar initial prescriptions for change in the direction of greater flexibility, the outcomes of labour reforms differed in the two countries. In the 1990s, moderate flexibility reforms were implemented in Brazil while in Chile, changes in labour law was extensive.THE LATIN AMERICAN CONTEXT The region followed a common import substituting industrialization (ISI) model in the post-war period. This development strategy reshaped the Latin American economies, societies and institutions. While traditional interest groups linked to the primary sectors reduced their political influence, new social groups with interests in the local industries gained social and political strength. After some time, this inward-oriented development strategy began to show clear signs of exhaustion.The performance of Latin American countries was not good enough compared with the South-East Asian countries that claimed to adopt an almost opposite economic model. The political support of the ISI model was gradually eroding in L atin America when the debt crisis unleashed in 1982 and the failure of early policies implemented by some countries to deal with it played an important role in reshaping policy views in the region. Latin America of course is not homogeneous, but there are some structural characteristics common to most countries in the region that had a bearing on the reform process.The region’s competitive advantages are biased in favour of natural resources, and primary commodities explain a large share of exports: minerals and oil in Chile, Venezuela and Peru, agriculture in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay; even in more industrialized Brazil and Mexico primary products are still relevant. This feature impinges on the region’s political economy via the so-called natural resource â€Å"curse†. The distribution of income and assets in Latin America is highly unequal compared to other regions in the world.As the 2006 World Development Report of the World Bank suggests, income ine quality of this magnitude is quite likely a signal of unequal opportunities (rather than of different choices) – World Bank (2005). Because of the structural lack of equity, many Latin Americans did not have the chance to take advantage of the opportunities open by reform; hence many opportunities at the individual level were lost. Besides, groups that were marginalized and segregated did not support reform and often opposed it actively, fearing that a more competitive environment would do them more harm than good.In several of the countries, the so-called structural reforms came hand in hand with efforts at macroeconomic stabilization. There had been a long list of stabilization attempts before this period, but the macroeconomic stabilization programs that accompanied the structural reforms were usually deeper and lasted more than previous ones. The perception of greater deepness of these stabilization efforts was related to the simultaneous implementation of other component s of the reform package.Also, there have been important â€Å"contagion† effects across countries, that is, learning from the interpretation of the (successful and unsuccessful) experiences of other countries in the region. Having referred to many common factors, it is also important to stress that Latin American countries are quite different in many dimensions. Country size is obviously one of the dimensions in which the region is not homogeneous; a dimension that became particularly relevant for the fate of the inward oriented ISI model (think about the size of the domestic market in Brazil as compared for instance with Chile).Economic and social development show significant variation across countries as well. The historical starting points in terms of social and economic structure, as well as in the details of past policies, were also different in different countries when pro-market reforms began. Social indicators as literacy ratios, life expectancy and the like also show much variation. Even when most countries adopted a version of the ISI model in the post-war period, the progress they made in that direction varied considerably in terms, for instance, of the degree of industrialization they reached.This was partly dictated by the size of the domestic market and partly by policy options and political conditions. In spite of some common institutional heritage from the colonial era, political and institutional history also shows significant variation across countries in Latin America. Most countries in the region experienced periods of dictatorship in the twentieth century, but while some spent most of the century under those conditions, others did it for relatively short periods. The quality of institutions and the incidence of corruption also varies, Kaufmann, D. , A. Kraay and M. Mastruzzi (2003).The different starting points and idiosyncratic characteristics influenced the fate of the pro-market reform. BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Brazil The hist ory of Brazil starts with Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, who arrived thousands of years ago by crossing the Bering land bridge into Alaska and then moving south. The first European to explore Brazil was Pedro Alvares Cabral on April 22, 1500 under the sponsorship of Portugal. From the 16th to the 19th centuries, Brazil was a colony of Portugal. On September 7, 1822, the country declared its independence from Portugal and became a constitutional monarchy, the Empire of Brazil.A military coup in 1889 established a republican government. The country has seen a dictatorship (1930–1934 and 1937–1945) and a period of military rule (1964–1985). Brazil returned to democracy in 1985, after more than two decades of uninterrupted military governments. The first democratic government unsuccessfully tried to stabilize the economy and made little progress with reform, but since 1990, when Collor de Mello arrived to the presidency, the successive democratic governments ca rried on a series of market-oriented reforms. It was argued that democratization facilitated the introduction of market oriented reforms in Brazil.While the military stayed in government, the protective mantle of â€Å"national security† and â€Å"key-sectors protection† became a standard speech, always blocking a deeper integration into the world economy. This ideological view was present not just at the top of the military regime but also inside the mid-level military officers who were commonly appointed to prominent positions in economic ministries and state enterprises. In the nineties, under democratic rule, a new breed of internationally-minded top civil servants replaced these officers.Reform in Brazil followed a pragmatic way, meaning that it was gradual, piecemeal, and loosely coordinated. Fragmentation of the political system prevented any group from gaining dominance and forced a negotiated style, leading to gradualism. So, most policies took time, were nego tiated, and had to go through multiple veto points. The informal institution of rather fluid ties among state elites and between them and business facilitated consensus building around reform policies, but they had to be negotiated. In this manner, the policy outcomes were unlikely to be extreme.The actual social and economic outcomes have not been too spectacular, and some discontent against â€Å"the reforms† has breaded. Yet, the arrival to office in 2003 of a left-wing party, the PT, has not generated any reversal, suggesting that â€Å"pragmatism† is not likely to be displaced soon in Brazilian economic policy making. Chile The territory of Chile has been populated since at least 12,000 ago. By the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors began to subdue and colonize the region of present-day Chile, and the territory became a colony from 1540 to 1818, when it gained independence from Spain.The country's economic development was successively marked by the export of firs t agricultural produce, then saltpetre and later copper. The wealth of raw materials led to an economic upturn, but also led to dependency, and even wars with neighbouring states. The country was governed during most of its first 150 years of independent life by different forms of restricted government, where the electorate was carefully vetted and controlled by an elite.Failure to address the economic and social disparities and increasing political awareness of the less-affluent population, as well as indirect intervention and economic funding to the main political groups by both the KGB and the CIA, as part of the Cold War, led to a political polarization under Socialist President Salvador Allende which in turn resulted in the 11 September 1973 coup and the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet, whose 17- year regime was responsible for numerous human rights violations and deep market-oriented economic reforms.In 1990, Chile made a peaceful transition to democracy. Wit h ups and downs, Chile followed a basically inward-looking-state-centred development strategy from 1930 to 1973. It was not very different from the experience of other Latin American countries, save probably for the socialist period between 1971 and 1973. This period ended up with a severe socio-economic and political crisis that paved the road for a military coup that inaugurated a dictatorship that would last until the late eighties. The military government pushed a far reaching pro-market reform agenda.This experience is usually regarded as a leading case of market-friendly reforms, not only for the adoption of a shock therapy, but also for doing it well before most other countries in the region. Beginning in late 1973, several structural reforms were implemented, including the liberalization of most prices, interest rates and wages; drastic reductions in tariffs and the elimination of non-tariff barriers to trade; the strengthening of fiscal and monetary policies; the privatizat ion of more than 500 firms; the reform of the pension program; and the adoption of new policies of competition and regulation.In the early eighties, Chile, like other developing countries, underwent a deep economic and financial crisis. There was some reversal of reforms during this period, but the military government resumed the liberalizing reforms soon after it. Chile returned to democracy in 1990. One of the most notable aspects of the Chilean process is that after the return to democracy in 1990, the centre-left coalition that has governed the country since, did not revert the market reform process.There were several peculiar factors leading the military dictatorship to follow the suggestions of a group of foreign-trained economists towards market liberalization (against the nationalistic tendencies of part of the military). Some possible sources of opposition (such as unions or left leaning parties) were silenced by the dictatorship.Business sectors were relatively grateful si nce firms were devolved to private owners after nationalization by the previous socialist government of Allende, so that they did not oppose trade liberalization. The way the transition to democracy was instrumented in the late eighties was key for the consolidation of pro-market reforms in Chile. Consolidation was by no means granted by that time, for the parties that formed the winning coalition (named the Concertacion) in the 1989 elections had opposed many of the reforms.Also, formerly repressed interest groups could take advantage of the new political environment to voice their demands, pushing the new government towards a less neutral and more lenient fiscal policy. According to Foguel, Miguel, Indermit Gill, Rosane Mendonca and Ricardo Paes de Barros, (1998), several factors contributed to the consolidation of the pro-market reform in the transition period: * the good performance of the economy in 1985-1989; * the concurrent fall of socialist regimes in Europe; the economic f ailure of democratic transition in Argentina (that contributed to convince several left15 wing politicians of the risks of â€Å"heterodox† policies); * the intellectual renovation and internationalization of the circles around the Concertacion, which lead to a â€Å"revaluation of continuity†; and * several institutional enclaves in the new constitution, increasing the veto power and political relevance of â€Å"the right†, which forced democratic presidents to follow consensual strategies on economic matters. Chile seems to be in a path of institutional and policy consolidation.The democratic governments have maintained the core of the economic reforms undertaken during the dictatorship, while steadily (albeit slowly, according to some views) advancing on the social and democratic front. These steps have taken place according to a style of policymaking that is much more consensual and institutionalized than that of other Latin American countries. (IADB, 2005). EVOLUTION OF LABOUR REFORM IN BRAZIL The Consolidated Labour Code The main body of the Brazilian labour legislation was introduced in the 1940s, and consolidated into the Consolidacao das Leis do Trabalho (CLT) in 1943.The CLT is a large, often overlapping, set of rules which determines individual and collective rights and duties of the workers, unions and firms. The law determines that all workers must have a booklet where all individual labour contracts and its changes over time are registered by the employer. By definition, a formal worker has a booklet signed by his employer (â€Å"carteira assinada†) Besides the obligation to sign the booklet, the law stipulates a set of minimum conditions any employment relationship must follow.The most important rules are: maximum hours of work per week; maximum extra-time working hours; minimum payment for extra-time work; minimum wage; pre-paid annual vacations; special protection clauses for women and children; the dismissal of pre gnant women is forbidden; the right of paid vacation before and after childbirth, for the mother; special work conditions for night shifts; one month pre-notification of firing; and protection against unjustified dismissals. There have been changes in the legislation since the creation of the CLT. In particular: In 1962, introduction of a one monthly wage annual bonus (â€Å"thirteenth salary†).In 1963, introduction of a family allowance. In 1965, introduction of a wage adjustment law which determined the minimum rate of wage adjustments of all workers in the economy. In 1966, creation of a severance fund (Fundo de Garantia por Tempo de Servico – FGTS) in place of a clause forbidding dismissal of workers with more than 10 years of tenure. In 1986, creation of an unemployment insurance program which today covers about 25% of the country’s labour force. In 1988, approval of a new Constitution with the introduction of new labour clauses. Severance Rules and Unemplo yment CompensationUntil 1965, to fire a worker without a proper justification the employer had to pay one month’s wage for each year of work in the firm. The compensation was calculated on the basis of the higher wage received during the work contract. It was a duty of the employer to prove the dismissal was justified, and the conditions for justified dismissals were clearly defined in the law. After 10 years in the same enterprise, dismissals were forbidden by law, except if properly justified. In 1966, this entire system of protection against non-justified dismissals was changed.A severance fund was created, called the Fundo de Garantia por Tempo de Servico (FGTS). When hiring a worker, the firm had to open a banking account for the worker and deposit 8% of the value of the wage in the account. Today, Caixa Economica Federal, a government saving and loans institution, collects the FGTS levy and invests it primarily in urban housing projects giving workers a legally guarante ed minimum deposit rate. When dismissed without a just cause (â€Å"sem justa causa†) the worker could draw this money and received a monetary compensation corresponding to a fine of 10% over the total amount of the fund.Like many other Latin American countries (see Loayza, 1998), dismissal for economic reasons is not considered a just cause. In 1988 the fine for unjust dismissal was increased to 40% of the worker’s FGTS account balance. Besides this fine, the employer has to notify the worker one month before he will be fired. This is the â€Å"aviso previo† law, or previous notification of firing. During the month the worker has received the previous notification of firing, he/she is allowed, according to the law, to take two hours a day to look for a new job.This implies a minimum cost of 25% of the worker's monthly wage. In fact the cost is usually higher since firms end up paying the notification fee to the worker and dismissing him immediately. Thus, the t otal cost of dismissal is 25% to 100% of the monthly wage plus 40% of the FGTS. The cost depends on the number of months the worker has worked for the firm. Since 1986, when fired, besides the advance notice, access to the FGTS (and the 40% fine for unfair dismissal), the worker also has the right to an unemployment compensation benefits.The unemployment compensation program offers partial coverage for up to four months of unemployment (extended to five months after 1996). To become eligible to receive the benefit, the worker must meet the following criteria: * to have been dismissed without a just cause; * to have had a formal labour contract during the last six months or to have been legally self-employed for at least 15 months; * to be unemployed for at least seven days; * must not receive any other pension; * must not have any other type of income sufficient to guarantee his own subsistence and that of his family.The value of the benefit cannot be lower than the value of the min imum wage, is adjusted monthly for inflation, and is related to the average wage received by the worker in the last three months in the previous job. Wage Laws An important change in the CLT was the introduction of the Wage Adjustment Law in 1965. Before this date, wage adjustments were fixed through collective bargaining between workers and employers unions, at the settlement dates (â€Å"data base†), and through individual negotiations between one worker and his/her employer.Only the minimum wage was determined directly by the President of the Republic, although most of the time it incorporated automatically the prescriptions given by indexation clauses imbedded in the Law. The Wage Adjustment Law gave the government the right to determine the minimum rate of adjustment of all wages in the formal sector of the economy. The first wage law stipulated that nominal wages should be adjusted once a year, at the settlement date of each occupation, following a formula which took th e past and expected future rate of inflation and the growth rate in GDP per capita as the base for the adjustments.The specific formula and the adjustment period changed many times over the years, as the rate of inflation increased. In 1995, one year after the introduction of the Real Plan, the Wage Law was abolished. Today, upward adjustment of wages is negotiated between employers and employees. But downward adjustment of wages is for all practical purposes prohibited by the Constitution: attempts to do so make employers open to lawsuits, which are generally resolved in favor of the worker.This was irrelevant during a time of high inflation, but now quite possibly adds to the rigidity of the labour market. The Reforms of 1988 The main changes of labour legislation introduced in the Constitution of 1988 can be summarized as follows: * The maximum number of hours of work per week was reduced from 48 to 44 hours and the minimum payment for extra-time hours increased from 20% to 50% o f the workers’ wages. * For continuous work shifts the maximum daily journey was reduced from eight to six hours. * A vacation bonus of one-third of the workers’ wages was created. The childbirth leave for mothers was increased to 120 days and a five days childbirth leave for the father was introduced. * Firing costs for unjustified dismissals increased from 10% of the FGTS balance to 40%. This is the list of the minimum individual rights for private sector and state enterprise workers. Working conditions can be improved through negotiations between the individual worker and the firm, or through collective bargaining. The Constitution of 1988 clearly mandated higher nonwage benefits and made dismissals costlier for employers. Payroll Taxes and Mandatory Benefits after 1988The CLT and the 1988 Constitution stipulate a very comprehensive set of minimum standards any individual contract must follow. The rules do not provide much space for negotiations between employers an d workers. The result is a rigid set of minimum rules, which reduces the flexibility of the labour contract in face of changes in the economic environment. In addition to the costs imposed by this inflexibility, there are more direct and obvious non-wage costs due to payroll taxes and mandatory benefits required by the law. The cost of labour can be decomposed into four parts: The basic contractual wage. * Mandatory benefits which include the annual one month bonus (terceiro salario), the contribution to the FGTS, vacations and other benefits. * Contributions to the official training system (SENAI and SENAC), to finance an institution which assist small enterprises (SEBRAE) and a contribution paid by firms to finance an workers’ assistance service (SESI or SESC). * Contribution to the federal social security system (INSS) and to fund educational services salario educacao) and an on-the-job accident insurance fee mandatory for all firms and proportional to the payroll.In addit ion to these contributions based on payroll costs, employers are also charged levies on revenues to pay for additional INSS-related obligations (Cofins), to be raised in 1999 from 1 to 2 percent and PIS/PASEP, the contributions towards the Fundo de Aparelho de Trabalhadores (FAT) which fund unemployment compensation, job search assistance and active labour programs such as training and microenterprise support schemes. These labour related levies can add up to between 2 and 3 percent of employer revenues. EVOLUTION OF LABOUR REFORM IN CHILE Labour Code (1931-1965)Initially, Chile’s labour market regulations is characterized with tripartite system of collective bargaining and conflict resolution. 1931 labour code focuses on conflict resolution. While the legislation favoured collective bargaining at the firm level, and this form of negotiations was dominant, the mechanisms of conflict resolution projected negotiations beyond the enterprise. With time, sector-wide negotiations s pread throughout the economy. Dismissal without expression of cause with a month’s notice. Severance payment of a month’s wage per year of tenure for â€Å"white collar workers.The main component of payroll taxes are social security contributions. Chile started a Social Security System in 1924, building from a set of privately established pensions systems that covered specific groups of workers or sectors of economic activity. These programs finance retirement, invalidity and family survivor benefits, a public health care system, the payment of family allowances, and an unemployment subsidy. In addition, there was a 1 % contribution to fund public training programs. The Chile labour market reform has come a long way and in each stage undergone few reforms to meet the demand of the changing market conditions.After the deadly coup of 1973, several labour unions, labour institutions were dissolved. In October, 1973, the Chilean government introduced wage adjustments, whi ch were linked to inflation rate. Chile labour market reform is significant because of the following reasons: * The country underwent a switch over from an economy, which was regulated to an economy, which is unregulated as well as open. This was brought about by the implementation of economic reforms pertaining to labour markets and pension system in the country. * The labour market in Chile has been over the years very unpredictable.Labour market in Chile during the seventies: During the middle seventies, the government in Chile launched the first structural reforms in Chile. Which in turn increased the unemployment rate. However, Chile experienced a healthy growth in the economy towards the end of seventies. Despite the speedy growth in economy, the labour market refused to recover from the high rate of unemployment. Reverse to what it was during the seventies, the labour market in the eighties recuperated very fast even though the crisis was much more severe than the previous on e. Even rate of growth in wages recovered comparatively fast.During this period, rate of unemployment reached 25%. As part of Chile labour market reform, the proportional adjustments pertaining to lower wages was made more than the higher wages. The method of indexation that existed between 1973 to 1979 had many drawbacks. In order to overcome these drawbacks, Labour Plan of 1979, was implemented, which stated that adjustment of wages would be made at or above inflation rate. At regular intervals, as part of Chile labour market reform, the government carried on with the practice of increasing wages but not in accordance with the rising rate of inflation.However, during the 1990s, there was increase in wages higher than what was declared for the purpose of readjustments. The Employment Security Law, states that if there is no valid cause for dismissing an employee, the worker could be re engaged in the job as per orders from a labour court. However, in the year 1978, this law was sub stituted by a method of â€Å"severance payment†. Chile labour market reform, Decree Law 2,200 stated that employers had the right to make changes in the contract between the employers as well as the employees and that they could fire an employee without giving any explanation to the employees.A â€Å"severance payment†, which was minimum was also introduced. Decree Law 2,200 as well as Chile labour market reform of 1979, led to the introduction of new techniques to supervise the activities of the labour unions. This was stated in Decree Law, 2,756. Collective bargaining was stated in Decree Law 2,758. Decree Law 2,756 and Decree Law 2,758 are collectively referred to as Labour Plan. Decree Law 2,756 governs matters related to labour union. Whereas, Decree law, 2,758 governs the various norms adopted in the event of a strike.Labour reforms that took place in Chile is summarized below; Phase I (1966-73) Increased polarization of the labour movement Generalized use of wa ge indexation. Dismissals require expression of â€Å"just† cause, or severance payment of a month’s wage per year of tenure. In spite of very high nominal contribution rates, by 1970 the public sector spent 20. 5 percent of its budget to cover the deficits in the health and pensions systems along with its own contributions. Phase II (1974-79) Economic Liberalization with a highly intervened labour market.Decree Law 670 of October 1974 substituted the earlier legislation that defined the tripartite commissions, giving them a consultative character. They were understood to be a transition mechanism, while a new policy towards the labour market was developed, and while union activities were banned.. Economy-wide wage adjustments imposed by decree. Dismissal without expression of cause reinstated in 1978 for all new hires. Employers pay a severance of a month’s wage per year of tenure to all dismissed workers, unless there is â€Å"just cause,† which include s â€Å"economic cause. A number of partial changes brought down contributions from a 60 percent at their peak in 1974, to the order of 33 percent in 1980. Rates varied according to the specific plan at which an employee was affiliated, but all the plans were guaranteed by the state. For example, in 1976, the 1% contribution earmarked to fund training program was eliminated. Phase III (1980-1990) Union affiliation becomes voluntary. Decentralized collective bargaining. Labour negotiations opened to market forces. Strikes without job guarantees after sixty days.No intervention of the government in the affairs of unions or the collective bargaining process, except for a wage floor guaranteed by law. The wage floor was eliminated in 1982, and as a by-product, the necessary conditions to replace striking workers were eroded. It also marked the era of minimum wage setting. Starting in 1981, dismissals of any worker, new or previously hired, can take place without expression of cause, an d as long as severance is paid. Severance payments are open to negotiations. In the absence of an explicit agreement the minimum severance would be a month wages per year of tenure with a 5 months ceiling.A 1984 reform established that the minimum severance agreed by the parties could not be less than the severance established by law. Furthermore, â€Å"economic cause† for dismissal is not â€Å"just cause† anymore. In 1980, a reform lowered social security contributions to just above 20 percent (10 % towards retirement, 7% towards health and about 3% towards disability). New entrants to the labour force would contribute to a new old-age program based on a mandated individualized savings plan, to be managed by private administrators (AFPs).Old contributors could to opt out of the traditional pay-as-you-go system. In the case of health care contributions, both old contributors and new entrants were given the choice to opt out of the public system (FONASA) and use the 7 percent towards a health care insurance policy provided by an authorized private health insurer (ISAPRES). A basic pension, the unemployment insurance, and the family allowances programs would be fully financed by the central government budget. Phase IV (1991 till date) This is the Consolidation of Labour Reforms.The new law eliminated the sixty days period for the legal strike, which allowed employers to dismiss striking workers without severance. The new law also reinstated stricter conditions for workers replacements in case of strike. Labour negotiations can take place at the sector level if both workers and employers agree to it. Dismissals require an expression of â€Å"cause†. Severance of one month wages per year of tenure applies to dismissals with â€Å"economic cause. † Severance would be paid with a 20% surcharge if the employer cannot prove an alleged â€Å"economic cause. No severance obligation in case of dismissals with â€Å"just cause. † Dismi ssal ceiling on severance payment raised to 11 month wages. THEMES ON LABOUR REFORM DISCUSSION The thematic elements under which labour reforms that occurred in the two Latin American countries under study will be discussed will focus on the labour’s strategic interest in labour law and its ability to pursue those interest during specific rounds of reform. These interests are derived from the legal and institutional framework of labour relations, which are often inherited from earlier period of legal and political incorporation of labour.Secondly is the willingness of government to see reform through. Government resolve is shaped by the pressure for the reform that it faces from international actors or domestic constituencies. Another thematic approach is the transition context for the reform. The nature of transitions as well as their timing affects the political environment for labour reform. Democratic transitions tend to favour rights-based reforms and strengthen unions, while market-oriented economic transitions tend to favour labour flexibility and weaken unions.The Initiation of the Reforms The crisis of the ISI model in the sixties and seventies left Latin American leaders searching for new paradigms. In this context, the pro-market reform agenda began to gain strength, initially pushed by groups of professional economists trained in the US, and reinforced later in the eighties and nineties by the IFIs. The experience of Thatcher in the UK and the fall of communism also contributed to create an environment favourable to pro-market reform. In some countries, these new ideas got through to the ruling army forces.Chile was the leading case, after a short socialist experience that ended with a military coup. Other countries only began the reform process in the early nineties, after suffering severe macroeconomic instability in the eighties. By that time, Chile had already become an example of a successful reformer that many wanted to reproduce. The debt crisis that blew up in the early eighties gave place to a decade characterized by severe macroeconomic instability in most countries in the region. There were several attempts at eterodox macroeconomic stabilization that failed completely. Brazil is probably one of the most distinctive cases. The pro-market structural reforms were out of the agenda in those years in most Latin American countries. Even in Chile, the debt crisis caused a partial and temporary reversion of the pro-market labour reform. It was only after these policies ended up in hyperinflation that the idea of implementing more orthodox stabilization programs bundled with structural pro-market reforms made its way through in the region in the early nineties.In the 1980s and 1990s, several democratic political leaders who gained elections proposing leftwing platforms ended up adopting the market-friendly package. Some of these presidents were concerned by little more than their political survival in the midst of i mpending or ongoing macroeconomic crises, and were pretty much open to â€Å"anything† that might deliver some short-term economic results that could lead to favourable political results for them. They ended up convinced that some variant of the market-friendly package was the most sensible option they had.Implementation Recent literature on reform emphasizes the key role of appropriate implementation and enforcement capacity to determine the outcome of reform (Stein and Tommasi 2005; Rius and van de Walle, 2004; Fanelli and Popov, 2003). It is considered that while the best designed policy packages may generate bad outcomes if implementation fails, policies that are not first-best in terms of design may still render acceptable results if they are well implemented (IADB, 2005).The quality of public policies in terms of enforcement and implementation varies considerably across the Latin American countries. Stein and Tommasi (2005) classified the Latin American countries in sev eral key dimensions of their economic policies, one of them being the capacity to enforce and effectively implement the policies. Of the two Latin American countries considered in this paper, Chile appears as the one with quite high enforcement and implementation capacity; Brazil has intermediate capability with implementation quality.The enforcement and implementation capacities are in turn related to the quality and independence of the bureaucracy, the quality and independence of the judiciary, and the capabilities of the Congress. Stein and Tommasi (2005) show that the index of enforcement and implementation capacity is positively correlated to indexes of congress capability, judicial independence and civil service development across these two Latin American countries. An independent and highly qualified judicial system is probably the most obvious enforcer of the laws.Delegating the implementation of policies to a professional and independent bureaucracy is also a good enforceme nt device. Chumacero et al (2005) claim that the Chilean military government that initially pushed the pro-market reform replaced the existing bureaucracy with a strong technocracy that contributed to improve the implementation and enforcement capacities of the State. Brazil followed a different route in that reformers did not replace the existing bureaucracy, Castelar Pinheiro, A. , R. Bonelli and B. Ross Schneider (2004).Nevertheless, Brazil already had a relatively good bureaucracy before the pro-market reform era. This allowed the government to delegate the implementation of trade liberalization and privatization to autonomous agencies, which according to Castelar Pinheiro et al (2004), was key for the advance of these reforms. Stakeholders The labour movement was more independent from the State and from the parties that ended up being reformist. In Brazil and Chile, trade unions would not favour pro-market reform, but they were forbidden in Chile when the reform began and relat ively weak in Brazil (Castelar Pinheiro et al).Labour movements in Brazil retained some degree of organizational strength, mobilization capacity and political influence, and were therefore able to fight off some of the reforms that were aimed at expanding labour market flexibility. They fought hard against the loss of core organizational resources as well as legal provisions regarding union structure and collective bargaining. In Chile, economic labour reforms occurred mostly under the dictatorship, along with labour code changes, the prospect for expanding labour rights under the democratic transition were limited.The issue of labour reform lies at the core of this disjuncture as it straddles major fault lines innate to the Chilean neoliberal project. On the one hand, cheap and flexible labour with few rights to collective action has formed a central axis of Chile’s economic model since Pinochet’s ruthless undermining of organised labour in the mid-1970s. This oppress ion was given a tangible legal form in the 1980 labour code that denied even the most basic of rights to the working population. Labour movements in Chile was pressured to moderate its demands during transition.Furthermore, labour ties to parties in power under the concertacion further constrained the movements ability to assert demands for reforms in the first-round democratic government. In summary, in Brazil political stability is a contextual premium, a potential threat to that stability came from the labour movement. By contrast, in Chile, the prime concern was economic stability. Unfortunately, labour mobilization was constrained by political compromises and organizational factors. The economic elites were the ones to be appeased.Capitalist interests, institutionally represented by the Confederacion de Produccion y Commercio (CPC), have strongly opposed any substantive changes to the labour code. They argue that, by impinging on labour market flexibility, reforms to the labour code would undermine the foundations of domestic accumulation to the detriment of all Chileans Inclusiveness of the Political Process behind the Reforms In Brazil, President Fernando Henrique Cardoso negotiated the pro-market reform along several years, and there was no reversal, even after the opposition took office.Reform was very gradual and partial, mostly due to the effective inclusion of opposition parties and social groups in the negotiation of reform. This participation slowed down reform, but it can be argued that it also contributed to render the economic policy more predictable. Political participation might not only contribute to reform because it reduces resistance, but also because it promotes a more open society in which special interests find themselves more constrained. Chile is a case in which the bulk of the reform process took place under the Pinochet dictatorship.Yet, the decision of the successive incoming democratic governments of sustaining the main aspects of the market-oriented reforms, together with the consensual and institutionalized policymaking style with which modifications and adjustments have proceeded, has tended to generate an increasingly virtuous circle between reforms, democratic participation, and transparency. CONCLUDING REMARKS This paper attempted to extract some lessons from the reform experiences of the selected Latin American countries, on the basis of underlying country studies.That exercise led, in its central section, to reflections on several key themes in the political economy of reform, reflections which themselves had some elements of â€Å"concluding remarks†. For that reason, this final section is relatively brief, and instead of recapitulating everything said before, it just draws from a few points in order to take a (succinct) prospective look. The early evaluations of the impact of market oriented reforms were far more optimistic than later ones.The present political dynamics of these countries suggests that the fate of reforms is correlated with the outcomes of reform, and that both in turn are correlated with more slow-moving (not to say, permanent) â€Å"fundamental† local conditions, in particular with local institutional conditions. The ranking of both countries in terms of reform outcomes, and reform continuity and sustainability is almost identical to a ranking of State Capabilities developed by Stein and Tommasi at the Inter-American Development Bank, reflected in Stein and Tommasi (2005) and IADB (2005).Perhaps the main lesson we extract from the experience at this point, is that in democratic settings it is not a good strategy to impose reforms from above or by surprise. Consensus building operating through the social and political specificities of the country is not only a better way to achieve the desired reforms, but even a process for identifying and implementing policies and reforms more suitable for each country. The capacity of countries to achieve such processes seems conditioned by their political institutions and policymaking capabilities.REFERENCE Aguilera-Alfred, N. , D. Borda and D. Richards (2004) â€Å"Understanding Reform. The Predatory State and Economic Reform: An Examination of Paraguay’s Political Economic Transition†, Global Development Network, Mimeo. Castelar Pinheiro, A. , R. Bonelli and B. Ross Schneider (2004) â€Å"Pragmatism and the Political Economy of Market Reform in Brazil†, Global Development Network, Mimeo. Chumacero, R. , R. Fuentes, R. Luders and J. Vial (2005) â€Å"Understanding Chilean Reforms†, Global Development Network, Mimeo. Collier, Ruth Berins, and David Collier. 1979.Inducements versus Constraints: Disaggregating â€Å"Corporatism. † American Political Science Review 73, 4: 967-86 Fanelli, J. M. and V. Popov (2003). On the Philosophical, Political and Methodological Underpinnings of Reform. Global Development Network. Inter-American Development Bank (20 05) The Politics of Policies. Economic and Social Progress in Latin America and the Caribbean 2006 Report. Kaufmann, D. , A. Kraay and M. Mastruzzi (2003) â€Å"Governance Matters III: Governance Indicators for 1996-2002. † World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 3106, Washington DC: The World Bank.Rius, A. and N. van de Walle (2003) â€Å"Political Insitutions and Economic Policy Reform†, Thematic Paper for the Global Research Project on Understanding Reform, Global Development Network. Schneider, B. R. (2004) â€Å"Organizing Interests and Coalitions in the Politics of Market Reform in Latin America† World Politics 56 (April), 456-79. Stein, E. and M. Tommasi (2005) â€Å"Political Institutions, Policymaking Processes, and Policy Outcomes. A Comparison of Latin American Cases†, Inter-American Development Bank, Mimeo. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Military_government_of_Chile_

Marketing Skin Care Product Essay

Marketing Project Have you ever gone to the store to purchase a skin care product to help prevent acne and make your skin beautiful; all you find are products aimed towards older women stating something to do with wrinkles? I don’t know about you, but I’m too young to even think about wrinkles at this point in my life. I just wanted something to make my skin look and feel good but at the same time help prevent break outs. The solution is â€Å"Glow†. The name says it all. It will give you radiant, clear skin. â€Å"Glow† skin cream is not a need, it’s a want. Therefore, we must stand out above the many other products on the shelves. Our target audience is teenagers through early thirty year old, middle class women who are looking for radiant, clear skin at an affordable price. The best way to market to these women is through the internet and magazines. Glow skin cream is different than other skin creams on the market for many reasons: After just one week of use your skin will look and feel healthier, more radiant, it provides light-weight coverage, hydrates and smoothens skin, visibly reduces redness, conceals flaws, it’s infused with minerals and antioxidants, and has SPF 15 protection all in one bottle. Some beauty products have enough chemicals to clean a toilet! â€Å"Glow† skin cream is all natural and helps your skin to look its best. â€Å"Glow† is targeted to attract teenagers to early thirty-year old females. Let’s face it; teens won’t be purchasing this product on their own; parents will love the cost. The product is affordable enough that they will be  repeat buyers. If ordered online a discount will be given to buyers who purchase more than two at a time. According to the woman we surveyed they were happy with the way the product works as well as the reasonable price. â€Å"Glow† is available for all skin types and nationalities. Different woman require different needs depending on their skin type, their geographic location, and nationality. A woman located in Florida tends to need a product that protects against sun damage, where a woman located in Denver would need something to help with dry skin; â€Å"Glow† has different products featured towards these skin types. Packaging is aimed towards a younger crowd as well; hot pink with gold lettering. It’s attractive and girly; young and fun looking, but also has a touch of elegance. It will stand out on the shelf or online. It won’t be an eye sore, but it will grab your attention as you check out the shelf for a product. Teens these days are on social media sites all throughout the day. When they wake up in the morning they log in to Facebook; as if it’s the morning paper. I would advertise on this site; as well as many others. Twitter and YouTube, just to name a couple are great for targeting a certain market. Each site gives you options on whom you’d like these ads to pop up for based on the users demographics entered when they created their accounts. Google also offers an option similar to this. If a person were to enter in their search certain key words then your ad would be on the side of the page results. You choose the keywords that go along with your ad. For example, if someone were to search: face, cream, or skin care; then our ad for â€Å"Glow† would show up on the side of the search results. The Internet is a great resource to take advantage of for advertising. Most people are on the internet at least one time a day; as long as the ad is catchy, it will get someoneâ⠂¬â„¢s attention. Another great place to advertise to the twenty to thirty year old woman would be magazines, such as Cosmopolitan. For a fee you are able to get product ads located throughout the magazine, I would utilize this option and put a coupon on the ad to get the product at a discounted price. Overall, I believe if we market the product correctly; packaging, prices, and attract the correct consumers â€Å"Glow† will be very successful in the  tough skin cream market. All three of these are key focuses in having a successful product. References [Facebook Advertising]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/advertising/ [Google Advertising]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.google.com/ads/adwords2/ [Twitter Advertising]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://business.twitter.com/start-advertising [YouTube Advertising]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/yt/advertise/

Osteoporosis essay Essays

Osteoporosis essay Essays Osteoporosis essay Essay Osteoporosis essay Essay Osteoporosis â€Å"Thirty-five year old Donna Duckworth is learning how to care for her newborn of five weeks, when she bends over the baby’s crib and feels something give in her back. The next day and the following week, the pain becomes unbearable in her back. She is breast-feeding and does not want to take any medication so she lives with the intense and continuing pain. Within a few weeks, she can no longer stand it so she goes to see her physician who orders blood work, does a complete physical and as a result, sends her to see an orthopedist who x-rays and does a bone density study. The diagnosis comes back as osteoporosis and it is found she has fractured three of her lumbar and four of her cervical vertebra.† Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the inside of your bones. Osteoporosis can affect anyone at any time in his or her life, but mostly in his or her later years. After reading, one can know what the signs and symptoms of osteoporosis are, what the probable diagnosis is, if it is treatable, what the prognosis is, what a health care practioner would do, who can be effected, what can be done to prevent it, and what new treatments are available. (NOF, 2010) â€Å"A person that has osteoporosis has bones that have lost substances as well as calcium, and other minerals† (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). Osteoporosis has signs and symptoms that one can look for within them. Osteoporosis is not gender selective. There are no symptoms of osteoporosis in its early stages, but there are symptoms that occur late in the disease. Some of the symptoms that occur late in the disease are bone pain or tenderness, fractures, loss of height, lower back pain due to fractures, neck pain due to fractures and curvature of the spine (The New York Times, 2010). Even though any bone break could be a sign of osteoporosis, one is most likely to have a compress fracture in their spinal vertebra. â€Å"These bone fractures are a result of weakened bone cracking from the normal pressure of a person standing upright† (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). The spinal vertebra breaks often result in the curvature of the spine at the shoulders (UCSF Medical Center, 201 0). â€Å"The curvature of the spine is sometimes called a ‘widow’s hump’† (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). (NOF, 2010) â€Å"Pregnant adult women need an extra 400 milligrams of calcium daily† (Willis, 2010). â€Å"Thats about 50 percent more than recommended for women 25 and older† (Willis, 2010). â€Å"If there is not enough calcium in the mothers diet, the fetus may draw calcium from the mothers bones† (Willis, 2010). â€Å"Calcium deficiency in pregnancy may result in osteopenia (decreased bone density) in the mother† (Willis, 2010). Ms. Duckworth was in the standing position at the time that she felt something give in her back. Considering Ms. Duckworth gave birth within a year and her age, the likelihood of her having osteoporosis probable due to the improper amount of calcium intake. Diagnosis is crucial in osteoporosis. One of the best ways to determine if one has osteoporosis is by doing a bone density test. There are different types of techniques that can be performed in order to diagnose osteoporosis. Some of the different techniques are dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), ultrasound, quantitative computerized tomography (QCT), and lateral radiographs (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). DXA is a can of the spine with a low-dose X-ray (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). (NOF, 2010) Ms. Duckworth should have a DXA of the spine and hip areas as well as the blood and urine tests. If necessary, a QCT should be ran based on the results of the DXA. These tests will determine the severity of Ms. Duckworth’s bone density issue. It will tell if she has osteopena due to pregnancy or a more severe case, osteoporosis. â€Å"Almost 80% of bone density is determined by heredity and 20% by lifestyle† (WebMD, 2010). â€Å"Bone mineral density tests (BMD) shows how dense bones are and whether you have osteoporosis† (WebMD, 2010). â€Å"This information helps determine which prevention or treatment steps are needed† (WebMD, 2010). There are different laboratory tests that can be ran by doctors that helps in diagnosing osteoporosis. These tests are run with samples of blood and urine from the patient. Some of the tests are blood calcium levels, 24-hour urine calcium measurement, thyroid function tests, parathyroid hormone levels, testosterone levels in men, 25-hydroxyvitamin D test to determine whether the body had enough vitamin D, and biochemical marker tests, such as NTX and CTX (NOF, 2010). Osteoporosis is a treatable disease, but not a curable one. There are different types of treatment for osteoporosis. Some of the medications that can be taken for treatment of osteoporosis are estrogen, bisphosphonates, calcitionin, raloxifene, parathyroid hormone, and testosterone replacement (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). Some of the more common names for bisphosphonates are Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, and Reclast (Mayo Clinic, 2009). These treatments are taken orally once a week or once a month. In addition to the medications, there is also the treatment of exercise and diet. With a diet high in calcium, stopping unhealthy habits, like smoking and drinking, and regular exercise can reduce the likelihood of bone fractures in people with osteoporosis (The New York Times, 2010). In Ms. Duckworth’s incident, it would be recommended that she increase the amount of calcium in her diet and exercise, and depending on the severity of the osteoporosis, medication. Prognosis for osteoporosis is that the disease is treatable, but not curable. There is not one simple treatment for this disease. If one has the markers for osteoporosis, then the amount of risks should be kept to a minimal. Prevention is the best way to lower the odds of obtaining osteoporosis. One should make sure that the amount of calcium needed is in their diet. They should also develop an exercise program that avoids the risk of falling or could be considered high-impact, as that those could cause fractures. Ms. Duckworth future could turn to one as beneficial as it was before the spinal fracture. With proper diet with high calcium intake, an exercise program to reduce the likelihood of fractures, medication, and check-ups Ms. Duckworth could be back to her normal activities. As a healthcare practioner, Ms. Duckworth would be advised to increase the amount of calcium in her diet and add an exercise regiment. Based on Ms. Duckworth’s blood and urine analysis, it would also include medication if necessary. Ms. Duckworth would also be scheduled for routine check-ups to see the progression or recession of the osteoporosis. Family history would also need to be looked at for Ms. Duckworth. As previously stated, 80% of persons with osteoporosis obtained the disease through hereditary genetics, 20% obtain it through life choices and medical conditions. If Ms. Duckworth were suffering from osteoporosis from hereditary, treatment with medication would be probable, instead of just diet and exercise. Osteoporosis most commonly is diagnosed in women and men over the age of 50. Osteoporosis is considered a health threat for 44 million U.S. women and men aged 50 and older (NOF, 2010). The following chart gives an indication of the prevalence of osteoporosis in women and men in the U.S. through the year 2020 (NOF, 2010). Prevalence of Osteoporosis and Low Bone Mass in People Aged 50 and Over 200220102020 Osteoporosis and Low Bone Mass in Women and Men43,600,00052,400,00061,400,000 Osteoporosis in Women and Men10,100,00012,000,00013,900,000 Low Bone Mass in Women and Men33,600,00040,400,00047,500,000 Women With Osteoporosis or Low Bone Mass29,600,00035,100,00040,900,000 Women With Osteoporosis7,800,0009,100,00010,500,000 Women With Low Bone Mass21,800,00026,000,00030,400,000 Men With Osteoporosis and Low Bone Mass14,100,00017,300,00020,500,000 Men With Osteoporosis2,300,0002,800,0003,300,000 Men With Low Bone Mass11,800,00014,400,00017,100,000 (NOF, 2010) Even though there are several different ways to prevent progression of osteoporosis, they are not a guarantee that it will stop the progression. With the medication as treatment for the osteoporosis, there are still occasions that bone fractures can occur. â€Å"The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning linking long-term use of popular osteoporosis drugs to an unusual fracture of the thigh bone† (Wilson, 2010). With the profound results of the bisphosphonates slowing the loss of bone mass, they have been proven to have nagging safety concerns that are jaw osteonecrosis, arrhythmias, and esophageal cancer (Wilson, 2010). Drug makers are working to find new ways of treating osteoporosis. â€Å"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new injectable osteoporosis treatment for post menopausal women† (FDA, 2010). â€Å"Prolia is a treatment for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who are at high risk for fractures† (FDA, 2010). Osteoporosis is an unforgiving disease. It cannot be cured, but can be slowed in its progression. Prevention is the way to proactive. One should be sure to consume calcium in their diet that is adequate for their needs and to be in an exercise regiment that will aid in reducing fractures. One should also be careful in putting himself or herself at risk by smoking, drinking, being off balanced, or doing rigorous exercising that could possibly cause fractures. If one does these things and has regular check-ups, then they should be able to reduce the likelihood of severe osteoporosis. Total Words: 1,422 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (2010, June 1). FDA Approves New Injectable Osteoporosis Treatment for Postmenopausal Women. Retrieved from FDA.gov: Mayo Clinic. (2009, August 27). Osteoporosis Treatment Puts Brakes on Bone Loss. Retrieved from MayoClinic.com: National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF). (2010). Diagnosing Osteoporosis. Retrieved from nof.org: National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF). (2010). Prevalence Report. Retrieved from nof.org : nof.org/print/219 The New York Times. (2010). Osteoporosis Overview. Retreived from nytimes.com: UCSF Medical Center. (2010, October 29). Osteoporosis Diagnosis. Retrieved from ucsfhealth.org: UCSF Medical Center. (2010, October 29). Osteoporosis Signs and Symptoms. Retreived from ucsfhealth.org: UCSF Medical Center. (2010, October 29). Osteoporosis Treatment. Retreived from ucsfhealth.org: WebMD. (2010). Osteoporosis Guide Diagnosis Tests. Retreived from webmd.com: Willis, Judith Levine. (2010). All about Eating for Two. Retreived from childbirthsolutions.com: Wilson, Duff. (2010, October 13). Prescriptions. Retreived from nytimes.com:

The Human Potential for Blind Obedience essays

The Human Potential for Blind Obedience essays One of the most dramatic events in the immediate aftermath of World War II was the series of Nuremburg Trials for the Nazi atrocities during the war, held in the German city by that name. The trials lasted almost as long as the war itself and much of civilized society was appalled as one Nazi defendant after another disclaimed any personal responsibility for their actions because they all claimed merely to be following orders. The crimes that they perpetrated were so heinous and brutal that many concluded that the Nazi regime was run by a collection of societys worst sociopaths most of whom would likely have committed equally savage crimes under ordinary circumstances. Hardly more than two decades later, two landmark psychology experiments were conducted by Stanley Milgram who examined the phenomenon of obedience to authority and by Phillip Zimbardo who examined the potential for abuse of authority in his famous Stanford Prison experiment. The results of those two experiments caused the psychological community to reevaluate conclusions about what was responsible for the blind obedience to authority and spontaneous cruelty perpetrated in Nazi Germany Stanley Milgram Obedience to Authority: The experiment designed by Milgram used subjects who were unaware that they were the subjects of the experiment; they were given roles of teachers in a supposed memory experiment, in conjunction with which they were instructed by an authoritative figure in a white lab coat to administer what the subjects believed were electric shocks to the sham learners who were actually complicit in the experiment and not really connected to any electric apparatus. The real purpose of the experiment was to observe the extent to which ordinary people would administer painful elect ...

Pirate Ships - History and Culture

Pirate Ships - History and Culture During the so-called Golden Age of piracy (roughly 1700-1725), thousands of pirates terrorized shipping lanes all over the world, particularly in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. These ruthless men (and women) needed good ships to be able to run down their prey and escape from pirate hunters and navy vessels. Where did they get their ships, and what made for a good pirate craft? What Was a Pirate Ship? In one sense, there was no such thing as a â€Å"pirate† ship. There was no shipyard where pirates could go and commission and pay for a pirate ship to their specifications. A pirate ship is defined as any vessel whose sailors and crew are engaged in piracy. Thus, anything from a raft or canoe to a massive frigate or man of war could be considered a pirate vessel. Pirates could and did use very small boats, even canoes  when nothing else was at hand. Where Did Pirates Get Their Ships? Since no one was making ships exclusively for piracy, pirates had to somehow capture existing ships. Some pirates were crewmen on board naval or merchant vessels who took over by mutiny: George Lowther and Henry Avery were two well-known pirate captains who did so. Most pirates simply traded ships when they captured one that was more seaworthy than the one they had been using. Sometimes brave pirates could steal ships: Calico Jack Rackham was cornered by Spanish gunships one night when he and his men rowed over to a sloop the Spanish had captured. In the morning, he sailed away in the sloop while the Spanish warships shot up his old ship, still anchored in the harbor. What Would Pirates Do With a New Ship? When pirates got a new ship, by stealing one or by swapping their existing ship out for a better one belonging to their victims, they usually made some changes. They would mount as many cannons on the new ship as they could without significantly slowing her down. Six cannons or so was the minimum that pirates liked to have on board. The pirates usually changed the rigging or ship’s structure so that the ship would sail faster. Cargo spaces were converted into living or sleeping quarters, as pirate ships usually had more men (and less cargo) onboard than merchants vessels. What Did Pirates Look for in a Ship? A good pirate ship needed three things: it needed to be seaworthy, fast, and well-armed. Seaworthy ships were especially necessary for the Caribbean, where devastating hurricanes are a yearly occurrence. Since the best ports and harbors were usually off-limits to pirates, they often had to ride out storms at sea. Speed was very important: if they could not run down their prey, they would never capture anything. It was also necessary to outrun pirate hunters and navy ships. They needed to be well-armed in order to win fights. Blackbeard, Sam Bellamy, and Black Bart Roberts had massive gunboats and were very successful. Smaller sloops had advantages as well, however. They were quick and could enter shallow inlets to hide from searchers and evade pursuit. It was also necessary to careen ships from time to time. This is when the ships were intentionally beached so that the pirates could clean the hulls. This was easy to do with smaller ships but a real chore with larger ones. Famous Pirate Ships Model Of Queen Anns Revenge Blackbeard The Pirates Flagship On Display At The Maritime Research. John Pineda  /Getty Images 1. Blackbeards Queen Annes Revenge In November of 1717, Blackbeard captured La Concorde, a massive French slaving ship. He renamed her Queen Annes Revenge and refitted her, mounting 40 cannons on board. The Queen Annes Revenge was one of the most powerful ships around at the time and could go toe-to-toe with any British warship. The ship ran aground (some say Blackbeard did it intentionally) in 1718 and sank. Researchers believe they have found it in the waters off of North Carolina. Some items, such as an anchor, bell, and spoon have been found and are displayed in museums. Captain Bartholomew Roberts, engraving. Culture Club/Getty Images 2.  Bartholomew Roberts Royal Fortune Most of Roberts flagships were named Royal Fortune, so sometimes the historical record gets a little confusing. The largest was a former French man of war that the pirate had refitted with 40 cannons and manned by 157 men. Roberts was aboard this ship during his fateful final battle in February of 1722 3.  Sam Bellamys Whydah The Whydah was a massive merchant ship captured by Bellamy on her maiden voyage in 1717. The pirate modified her, mounting 26 cannons on board. She was shipwrecked off of Cape Cod not long after she was taken, however, so Bellamy did not do much damage with his new ship. The wreck has been found, and researchers have found some very interesting items which have allowed them to learn more about pirate history and culture. Sources Cawthorne, Nigel. A History of Pirates: Blood and Thunder on the High Seas. Edison: Chartwell Books, 2005. Cordingly, David. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996 Defoe, Daniel (Captain Charles Johnson). A General History of the Pyrates. Edited by Manuel Schonhorn. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1972/1999. Konstam, Angus. The Pirate Ship 1660-1730. New Vanguard, First Edition edition, Osprey Publishing, June 20, 2003. Konstam, Angus. The World Atlas of Pirates. Guilford: the Lyons Press, 2009 Woodard, Colin. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down. Mariner Books, 2008.

Reflective paper on selt- esteem (Social Psychology) Essay

Reflective paper on selt- esteem (Social Psychology) - Essay Example One has to continuously learn and ponder through the thick and thins of life and adjust one self accordingly so as to understand his or her limitations with respect to those very changes and phases of life. Self-awareness is a unique facet of a man’s life and must therefore be considered whenever some major action is being undertaken in life, or for that matter even a minor one. Self esteem has also got a pivotal role in chalking out one’s usage of his or her emotions in crunch and difficult situations as well as the reactions that are involved in the aftermath of some big tragedy that might take place in a person’s life from time to time. The same could be equally true for his or her attaining success in an arena of life, which are also there along with the moments of grief and sorrow. A childs level of self esteem literally impacts every area of his or her life which for that matter might include health, his or her ability to learn, execute different behaviors as well as understand the importance of having jointed relationships, not only with the family members but also with friends and acquaintances. Children and young people who have a high level of self-esteem and self-confidence respond well to others and are surely at a benefit in every field of life, whether it is concerned with the family or cohort relationships like school, sports or organizational activities. Children with a high level of self-esteem are also more likely to lead happy and creative lives whereby they develop a positive attitude as well as an innate drive for self-confidence that will eventually guarantee them the success they desire for in their personal lives as well as in their upcoming careers. If, for instance there is a child having a clear learning difference gets encouragement that is added with a high level of self-esteem, he will in his coming years not only have the courage to stand moments of frustration but also have more patience as

Contemporary Developments in Business and Management Essay - 5

Contemporary Developments in Business and Management - Essay Example It is estimated that retails sales in the sector would go up to  £137bn by 2010 although most of it will be in the convenience sector. The SWOT analysis suggests Asda has plenty of opportunity for growth if it focuses on online shopping, where Tesco has been dominating so far. Internet has penetrated the business environment and e-commerce has become common place but companies are unable to reap benefits because of the challenges it poses. In the UK grocery sector, Tesco once again dominates although its start-up costs were high. Asda did attempt online shopping but did not meet with success. If they change their model of operation and take into account several factors like building customer confidence, assuring online security and privacy and understanding customer needs, they would be able to overcome the challenges posed by e-commerce in grocery retail. The logistics would have to be worked out as well. UK grocery retailing is dominated by large multiple supermarket chains that have influenced the overall grocery retailing sector in the UK. The total retail sales through UK grocery outlets were valued at  £120bn in 2005 out of which the contribution of supermarkets and superstores was  £88bn (Defra, 2006). Retail grocery sector provides 5% of the employment in the UK and the profit margins of the supermarkets ranges between 2 and 6 percent. To achieve the economies of scale these firms operate ten or more stores and under one roof they offer the maximum number of items possible. These stores are based on the concept of self-service. The UK grocery retail is patterned after oligopoly where few major firms like Morrisons, Tesco Sainsbury, Asda and Safeway dominate the sector. They have been able to prevent new entrants into the sector. ASDA, the supermarket chain in the UK retails food, clothing, toys and general merchandise. It 1999, it became the subsidiary of American retail giant Wal-Mart, and it now ranks second largest in UK, second to

Case asalysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case asalysis - Assignment Example 12 percent of the respondents claim they would immediately consult a health care provider if the option of a weight-loss prescription drug was available. The results of the clinical trials are also pretty encouraging. All these aspects have prompted CSP to seek a nod from the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval for manufacturing and marketing Metabical. Two major decisions pertaining to packaging and pricing of Metabical still need to be taken. Both these decisions are to be taken by Barbara Printup, senior director of marketing for CSP. The company expects Metabical to be approved as a 12-week treatment plan. CSP contemplates that a days-of-the-week, ‘blister’ style wrap up would be the optimal package for the drug. The quantum of medicine to be put in one pack is dependent on the price and paying capacity of the target market. The final decision on pricing is to be taken on one of the three models; competition based pricing, mark-up pricing and value based pricing. In the ultimate analysis, these important decisions would determine the demand (unit value) for Metabical. Market research suggests that the condition of being overweight is all pervasive. It affects people of all demographic profiles. Both men and women, young and old are overweight. Thus CSP can segment the potential Metabical consumers on various segmentation variables including demographic, socio-economic and behavioral. CSP can use multiple criteria to segment the customers. At the outset the behavioral segmentation can be deployed to identify the customers who are willing to avail the benefit of weight loss. Printup has valuable information on important parameters like age, gender, education level, income level and prevalence of obesity in the United States. This data will enable Printup take an informed decision on segmentation of customers. Printup has reasons to

Creating a dream job Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Creating a dream job - Essay Example As the owner manager, I have the following Job description. Meeting the guests’ needs and ensuring their meals are served on time. Responding to inquiries and solving problems relating to guests’ stay in Ngalla's bed and breakfast. Responsible for supervising administrative tasks with respect to the bed and breakfast’s operations. Responsible for the management of staff and ensuring they maintain policies that guide the operation of the private home. In charge of recruitment of staff, discipline and performance management. Directing marketing activities of the business by implementing effective marketing strategies. Supervision of management tasks relating to the operation of the business. Custodian of the bed and breakfast’s facilities, by ensuring that facilities are well maintained. Overseeing the availability of equipments and supplies throughout the day and night. Preparing budgets and setting targets for employees. Ensuring current good practices are sustained. Overseeing the implementation of the best practices to achieve guest satisfaction. Compensation and benefits package Ngalla's bed and breakfast compensation packages are based on experience and qualifications. The compensation is competitive in the market. The compensation program is based on employees working a minimum of 29 hours per week and a maximum of 40 hours per week. The compensation package includes the following perks. ... Delightful benefit which is a cash reward for delighting guests. Employees great rate which is a preferred rate per night at any of the hotels Ngalla's bed and breakfast owns. These rates include immediate family and are reduced for the extended family. Holiday club which is a voluntary program that employees can participate in deducting a certain amount from the paycheck. Make the grade benefit. A reward program that pays any of the employee’s dependants who scores straight A’s in the school’s report card. Rationale for the compensation package. The above compensation package is fit for Ngalla's bed and breakfast employees because the employees have achieved significant objectives in the past year. A firm’s employees are supposed to be provided with attractive packages as a strategy to retain the best performing employees (Tropman, 2002). Ngalla's bed and breakfast’s employees are warranted to have attractive compensation packages if they meet the bed and break fast’s objectives in terms of saving costs or adding to the company’s profits. The other area that warrants for the compensation package are efforts employees have put in place to increase turnover, efficiency, saving time and cost reduction measures. For the past one year, Ngalla's bed and breakfast managers have worked hard to ensure that employees are trained. In addition employees efforts have saved time and costs. Employees have done this to increase the bed and breakfast’s margins to cater for the remuneration. The compensation package is justified by the additional duties that employees have embraced to ensure to improve the bed and breakfast’ profits.

Peddler's Pub & JJ Rossy's Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Peddler's Pub & JJ Rossy's Report - Essay Example ..8 8. References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..9 Abstract JJ Rossy’s is struggling with the problem of being a bar in a college city that is densely populated. As a bar in the downtown part of Halifax, it caters to students from the local University. JJ Rossy’s faces competition from nightclubs and bars that are within a walking distance. Even though, JJ Rossy’s and Peddler’s, which is its sister bar, are run under similar systems of inventory, JJ Rossy’s has been unable to keep a clientele that is profitable akin to what Peddler has been able to do. The management also needs to come up with a way to stabilize the sales in the bar. The paper gives five alternatives that they can use including downsizing, diversification, modernizing, or a combination of diversification and modernizing. The paper then offers recommendations for JJ Rossyâ₠¬â„¢s problems, as well as an action plan for implementation of these recommendations. Problem Statement Immediate problem: Different from Peddler’s, JJ Rossy’s has unstable sales and is unable to attract profitable clientele consistently. Primary problem: Rossy’s management has not altered its concept of marketing since it was launched. The management has failed in modifying business strategy in order to incorporate the city’s demographics and industry trends. ... While the bar was launched in 1987, it has been run under the assumption that clients will always drink wherever there is entertainment and liquor. The lack of a strategy in marketing that seeks to take advantage of the city’s demographics, consumer psychology, and industry trends, tying it to their layout and capacity. Although the Rossys run both Peddlers and Rossy’s using similar inventory systems and suppliers, Peddlers have sales with more stability. They possess a profitable and loyal client base with all its operations run on the same floor, which makes interactions on an every day basis much easier. They also have a basic strategy in marketing aided by its smaller scale, organized operations, and efficient layout that assures patrons that they can attain straightforward entertainment and quality service every time. JJ Rossy’s, however, cannot profit from a similar concept alone. Since it has three floors and sits 1050 clients, its losses are higher in com parison to a bar that operates on a smaller scale during peak traffic periods when clients are slow in entering. Additionally, while the clients can visit a bar to take lunch, there is less audience during the day on the dance floor, making for inefficient management and bar space utilization. Another reason that makes it essential for JJ Rossy’s to sell more than basic entertainment and liquor is its target audience. Students fill the downtown area looking for the newest trendy joint. JJ Rossy’s bar size is a factor in their favor with students interacting with more people and willing to come back. JJ Rossy’s has the highest capacity for bars targeting those under 25, yet the uninvitingly dark decor is not impressive to them. If not for the dance floor on the upper level, the bar

Innovation for Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Innovation for Managers - Essay Example and understanding of the reasons, logic and need behind the overall process of innovation and its importance and role in the business world in the modern day business terms. The very generic and basic understanding of the word Innovation pertains to the ability, action and thought process of thinking out of the box. It includes challenging the mind, the thought, ideas and conventions that are in practice and existence. It further challenges the thought of going with the flow. In further contrast, it brings about the common understanding and thought process directed towards bringing about something new that may be related to a novel idea, novel thought or novel process (Fonseca,p. 14). In the domain of business actions and practices, innovation pertains to the thought of thinking in a unique way that will enable bringing about more productive output from the given scenario and dynamics. It pertains to thinking on the lines that may need questioning the already established norms, practices and actions and in turn enable thinking and building the demand and desire aimed towards bringing about some new dimensional aspect to the overall business activity. Innovation and entrepreneurial concepts are used interchangeably. Both apply to the ideas of thinking in a specifically unique way that is driven along the lines of achieving something extra and additional from the already established norms and concepts (Management). Within the business activities, innovation may not just be limited to the production aims or the final output, rather Innovation is the name to the mindset. It may reflect upon the overall socially oriented interaction within the organizational work, it may further pertain to the political handling and interface of the business enterprises and its engagements, further it may possibly pertain to the emotional aspect of thinking. Since emotions largely play a deciding and determining role upon the tendencies and aptitudes of the individuals, it is

Peddler's Pub & JJ Rossy's Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Peddler's Pub & JJ Rossy's Report - Essay Example ..8 8. References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..9 Abstract JJ Rossy’s is struggling with the problem of being a bar in a college city that is densely populated. As a bar in the downtown part of Halifax, it caters to students from the local University. JJ Rossy’s faces competition from nightclubs and bars that are within a walking distance. Even though, JJ Rossy’s and Peddler’s, which is its sister bar, are run under similar systems of inventory, JJ Rossy’s has been unable to keep a clientele that is profitable akin to what Peddler has been able to do. The management also needs to come up with a way to stabilize the sales in the bar. The paper gives five alternatives that they can use including downsizing, diversification, modernizing, or a combination of diversification and modernizing. The paper then offers recommendations for JJ Rossyâ₠¬â„¢s problems, as well as an action plan for implementation of these recommendations. Problem Statement Immediate problem: Different from Peddler’s, JJ Rossy’s has unstable sales and is unable to attract profitable clientele consistently. Primary problem: Rossy’s management has not altered its concept of marketing since it was launched. The management has failed in modifying business strategy in order to incorporate the city’s demographics and industry trends. ... While the bar was launched in 1987, it has been run under the assumption that clients will always drink wherever there is entertainment and liquor. The lack of a strategy in marketing that seeks to take advantage of the city’s demographics, consumer psychology, and industry trends, tying it to their layout and capacity. Although the Rossys run both Peddlers and Rossy’s using similar inventory systems and suppliers, Peddlers have sales with more stability. They possess a profitable and loyal client base with all its operations run on the same floor, which makes interactions on an every day basis much easier. They also have a basic strategy in marketing aided by its smaller scale, organized operations, and efficient layout that assures patrons that they can attain straightforward entertainment and quality service every time. JJ Rossy’s, however, cannot profit from a similar concept alone. Since it has three floors and sits 1050 clients, its losses are higher in com parison to a bar that operates on a smaller scale during peak traffic periods when clients are slow in entering. Additionally, while the clients can visit a bar to take lunch, there is less audience during the day on the dance floor, making for inefficient management and bar space utilization. Another reason that makes it essential for JJ Rossy’s to sell more than basic entertainment and liquor is its target audience. Students fill the downtown area looking for the newest trendy joint. JJ Rossy’s bar size is a factor in their favor with students interacting with more people and willing to come back. JJ Rossy’s has the highest capacity for bars targeting those under 25, yet the uninvitingly dark decor is not impressive to them. If not for the dance floor on the upper level, the bar