Humanitarian Aid Essay

Grants are mainly used to help recipient countries to build hospitals, schools and low-cost houses, and support well-digging or water-supply projects, and other medium and small projects for social welfare. In addition, grants are used in projects in the fields of human resources development cooperation, technical cooperation, assistance in kind and emergency humanitarian aid. Interest-free Loans Interest-free loans are mainly used to help recipient countries to construct public facilities and launch projects to improve people’s livelihood. The tenure of such loans is usually 20 years, including five years of use, five years of grace and ten years of repayment. Currently, interest-free loans are mainly provided to developing countries with relatively good economic conditions. Concessional Loans Concessional loans are mainly used to help recipient countries to undertake productive projects generating both economic and social benefits and large and medium-sized infrastructure projects, or to provide complete plant, mechanical and electrical products, technical services and other materials. Concessional loans are raised by the Export-Import Bank of China on the market, and since the loan interest is lower than the benchmark interest of the People’s Bank of China, the difference is made up by the State as financial subsidies. At present, the annual interest rate of China’s concessional loans is between 2% and 3%, and the period of repayment is usually 15 to 20 years (including five to seven years of grace). By the end of 2009, China had provided concessional loans to 76 foreign countries, supporting 325 projects, of which 142 had been completed. Of China’s concessional loans, 61% are used to help developing countries to construct transportation, communications and electricity infrastructure, and 8. 9% are used to support the development of energy and resources such as oil and minerals. [Figure 1 Sectorial Distribution of Concessional Loans from China (by the end of 2009)] 1. BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhuanet) — China’s Tibet Autonomous Region received international aid gratis of 144 million U. S. dollars from the early 1980 to October 2009. Since 1980, Tibet has benifited from 158 such aid projects from international communities. These projects involve poverty relief, medical services, education and new energy development, with 90 percent implemented in rural areas. 2. Maharashtra seeks aid from abroad for infra projects rs. 4000 crore Education Aid : Education is a right. It’s the key to a better childhood, and a better future for children, their communities and their countries. When you hear someone say Educational Poverty it does not sound as bad as suffering from hunger and disease.

Local Studies

Mobile Restaurants or simply street food is ready-to-eat food or drink sold in a street or other public place, such as a market or fair, by a hawker or vendor, often from a portable stall. While some street foods are regional, many are not, having spread beyond their region of origin. Most street foods are also classed as both finger food and fast food, and are cheaper on average than restaurant meals. According to a 2007 study from the Food and Agriculture Organization, 2. 5 billion people eat street food every day. Today, people may purchase street food for a number of reasons, such as to obtain reasonably priced and flavourful food in a sociable setting, to experience ethnic cuisines and also for nostalgia. Historically, in places such as ancient Rome, street food was purchased because the urban poor did not have kitchens in their homes. What makes a restaurant awesome? Some would say great food and the right ambiance? Great food is subjective and varies with each person’s experience and background. However, to be considered awesome, a restaurant has to take the overall dining experience to a higher level. That means food that leaves an indelible mark on your taste buds and imprints lasting memories in your mind in an ambiance that carves out a special place in the heart to share with other people. Each serves gourmet food with the freshest ingredients, and combines nature elements, artifacts or a sense of history in its atmosphere. Simply put, these restaurants have a story to tell that is spread via word-of-mouth. I can proudly say that these restaurants are found only in the Philippines. Inspired by the outdoor markets of Mercato Centrale in Florence and the Boroughs Market in London, Mercato Centrale at Bonifacio Global City is an innovative weekend lifestyle market with unique, great tasting food finds that you won’t find anywhere around the metro. Mercato also has an extensive selection of healthy and organic fruits, vegetables and livestock, all located in a clean, comfortable, well-ventilated and organized setting. On top of a fantastic food selection, Mercato will be full of fun activities, cooking demonstrations and live entertainment that will keep your family coming back for more every weekend.

Theories of Intelligence Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Theories of Intelligence - Assignment Example Accordingly, Gardner revealed seven intelligences by which individuals are capable of tapping to solve problems at hand. These intelligences were specifically noted as: linguistic (ability to read, write and communicate), logical-mathematical (ability for logical thinking and to solve mathematical and even scientific problems), spatial (exemplifying navigational or visual architectural and planning skills), bodily kinesthetic (use of physical body in solving problems), musical (innate musical talent), interpersonal (skills towards others), and intrapersonal (skills towards self). Two intelligences: naturalist and existentialist were eventually added to the list (A Brief History of Intelligence Theory, p. 2). The good news is that this theory has been proven have been successfully applied in contemporary classroom settings, for instance, in science subjects through the application of logical-mathematical skills (to solve science problems), spatial and even bodily-kinesthetic through the control of body motions, spaces, and concepts of distance, and of course, needed in all classroom settings, the linguistic intelligence. Teachers and educators should therefore harness these intelligences through closely assessing the strengths of their students and develop the skills and intelligences that are most needed to assist in their overall academic

New Testament 'Queer' interpretations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

New Testament 'Queer' interpretations - Essay Example Christians regard the Bible as a record of God’s connection with mankind, written by persons who were inspired by Him. Imbedded in the Bible are teachings that show which deeds are judged as good or sinful by God. Conservative Christians consider the Bible as infallible in that it is a direct representation of God’s word, which represents their ultimate source for belief and behaviour. Eastern Orthodox Christians consider the Bible as totally originating from Jesus Christ’s apostles (without involvement of divine inspiration by God). The Christian Left considers the Bible as a fallible record that is the result of a little divine inspiration, but which is tainted by defects arising out of being recorded, reproduced, censored and updated by men other than Jesus Christ. Non-believers look upon the Bible as a collection of traditional local stories that contain a moral message; however the morality from which those messages are taken is obsolete and old fashioned.1 Jesus Christ. It contains 4 Gospels (by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), and several Epistles by other apostles, most notably by Paul. There are several passages in the New Testament that refer to homosexuality. In the Epistle to the Romans 1: 26-27 (King James Version of the Bible {KJV}), the apostle Paul wrote: â€Å"Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.† This passage has been singled out as the one and only specific reference to female homosexuality or lesbianism in the New Testament, and it is the only passage where male homosexuality and female homosexuality are both denounced as deviations against the divine order [PENNA]. It is important to analyse the words of

Analyze science lesson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyze science lesson - Essay Example It is flexible so that it frees student to explore diverse possibility. Indirect instructions foster creativity and inter personal skills and abilities, the role of teacher shifts from lecturer to that of facilitator. Interactive Instructional strategy - Discussion and sharing among participants is involved. Experiential learning -Focuses on the participation in an activity. Reactions and observations are shared. Independent Study - Help students become self-sufficient and responsible citizens by enhancing individual potential. Independent study is very flexible, it can be used as the major instructional strategy with the whole class, in combination with other strategies, or it can be used with one or more individuals while another strategy is used with the rest of the class (Core Knowledge Foundation Staff, 2000). This preschool lesson plan deals with the life cycle of plants explaining their different parts. The children are instructed by their teachers to get seeds of different plants like Gram, Pea, Maize and Castor oil. They may take a piece of soil or a pot where sunlight should fall on them. Children are then asked to sow the seeds in soil, water them and observe them daily. They will observe that seeds give rise to two tiny structures one coming upwards in the sunlight, the future stem and the other going inside the soil away from sunlight, the future root. In all of this process direct instructional strategy is implemented. The preschool teacher instructs the students to uproot a small plant and observe the roots. Leaves of different sizes are shown to the children and vital importance of leaves should be told to them. Children are instructed to familiarize themselves with another important organ of the plant â€Å"the stem†. Plants of different heights are brought into observation of the students. Children are instructed to measure the heights with any tool of measurements. Oral language instructions like

The BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 Research Paper

The BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 - Research Paper Example In particular, this paper includes discussion and evaluation of different aspects of BP Oil Spill to identify ethical issues related to it and lessons that can come from it. Alongside these factors, there are also the numerous risks that each business faces, whether it is through competition, emerging firms, varying economic factors or the fluctuating exchange rates of currencies that account for a major part of the company’s business. To understand risk, one has to acknowledge what it means in true business. In the world of commerce, it mean that there is an existing probability that a particular step or decision leads to an undesirable impact, such as loss of valuable resources, or failure to accomplish the desired goal (Great Britain, pp.1). It exists in all businesses, and dealing with them is the main part of an entrepreneur’s job, even if the degree of risk involved can vary from business to business. This variation is the main reason why ethics are not receiving the same amount of importance as before in several businesses, who seem accustomed to following unethical procedures in their businesses. During the earlier part of the last century, businesses faced higher risks due to the manual nature of the work they did. This does not exist currently, however, where risk can be measured quite accurately due to the technologies present. British Petroleum (BP) is one of the highest-ranking companies in the world, which started as a local oil company. Nowadays, BP is famous worldwide for its success as an oil and gas company providing its service globally. A few years ago, it executed one of its large projects names ‘Deepwater Horizon’, on the Gulf of Mexico (Miller, et. al., pp. 15-97). This led to the oil spill and explosion, which happened on April 20, 2010, a disaster, which the world remembers as the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill (Miller, et. al., pp. 15-97). Some major victims of this spill were marine creatures who had their h omes and habitats destroyed by the spilled oil in the sea. The cause of this spill was the failure to keep the gas pressure in the well under control, which further led to the blowout preventer malfunctioning, resulting in the disastrous oil spill. After a conflagration, the rig was swallowed by the sea, leading to the oil seeping out, and continuing for three straight months before the company was able to seal the well and stop it. Several millions of barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf, killing several human beings, marine animals and destroying a famed tourist location and the homes of thousands of marine animals (Miller, et. al., pp. 15-97). Observations In particular, BP Oil Spill resulted in a number of unethical outcomes that affected the human society environmentally, economically, as well as socially. One significant adverse impact that the spill had was ecological damage killing an unimaginable amount of marine life, including animals, plants, and corals, and it was mainl y â€Å"whales, dolphins, turtles, beach mice, birds, fish, corals, and many others† (King, pp. 3-10) who became victim to the spill. The cause of this was when the operators lost control of the gas pressure in the well. This led to a massive leaking of gas into the water, which decreased the oxygen level in

MRKT - Buyer Behaviour - Assignment 1Individual report Essay

MRKT - Buyer Behaviour - Assignment 1Individual report - Essay Example A lot of other factors like of age, sex, ethnicity, etc are involved in designing the needs and choices for body modification among individuals. Body modification is influenced by a large number of issues. In fact, the concept of enhancing one’s looks depends upon a host of factors like demographics, income distribution, among a few others. The diversified notions regarding different body modification products can be judged best by analysing the customers who are in any case the best judge of a product. Theoretical models of consumer behavior portray the decision making process of an individual as a function of ones own needs and wants; however, in many cases, buying decision of the same individual gets affected by the needs of others i.e., family, friends, social class etc. Consumer behavior is a new subject which has its inputs from economics, psychology, social science and political science. Effectively, the behavioral trend of customers is tracked through the stimulus-response analysis. Marketers provide a stimulus through their product offerings and try to attract the customers through packaging, promotion and pricing. The customer responds to the stimulus by their choice of purchase. The most efficient method to analyse a customer’s buying behavior is through inductive analysis. In this study, the effect of internal and external factors that might be affecting the customer is identified. ( Solomon M. R., Dann S. Dann and Bennett, 2007) In analysing the buying behavior of customers for body modification products, a survey was conducted across some random respondents. The summary of the findings are diverse and interesting. In order to make the research comprehensive, different forms of body modification techniques were selected; Botox treatment, Lasik surgery, tattooing, body piercing, hair transplantation, and breast implantation. Botox treatment is a common therapy to remove wrinkles in the eyebrows area. It is done through

The Origins of the Holocaust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Origins of the Holocaust - Essay Example In general, scientific racism has always prevailed during the colonial policies pursued by the developed European countries in relation to other cultures and peoples. Apotheosis of scientific racism could be observed during the existence of Nazi Germany. It claimed that the Germans were the most advanced human race, while other cultures and peoples were primitive. In this regard, the Jews were seen as the most insignificant people, and therefore anti-Semitism was seen as rather justified policy. Scientific racism can be seen as an ideology that argues the superiority of one people over another one. Racism first received its scientific basis during the Enlightenment, in particular, in the works by Charles Linnaeus (Hossain). The feature of the racial classification proposed by Linnaeus was that it determined the degree of importance of individual nations based on an analysis of their mentality. In particular, Asian and African nations, as well as Native Americans were endowed with negative qualities such as baseness, vileness, a low level of intellectual abilities, etc. Against the background of these peoples, the Europeans were considered as carriers of the most positive qualities, such as erudition, the high intelligence, ingenuity, honesty, a high level of compliance with the law, etc. Such an understanding of the significance of various peoples allowed the developed European countries to carry out the colonial policy based on the idea that the advanced countries had the right to colonize the peoples who had a low level of culture and civilization. Nazi Germany used and developed a whole arsenal of the ideology of scientific racism that had existed previously. Scientific racism presented in Nazi Germany relied on the various arguments for the superiority of the German nation over other nations. Not only biological but also mental qualities

Investigating the resistance of a wire Essay Example for Free

Investigating the resistance of a wire Essay The experiment is safe because the voltage from the multimeter will do no harm to you and you should not use it near water. Method I am investigating the resistance of a wire and testing what happens to the current if I use different lengths of wires. First I will use 10cm of wire and connect the multimeter up properly like the picture below also I would measure the wire exactly then I would place the crocodile clips on the ends of the wire and do that for every 10cms up to 200cms and record the resistance. I would use all of the same equipment again and do the experiment another 2 times to workout the average. Diagram I will make the experiment accurate by doing all of the below and do the same test three times to work out an average   1. Using the same equipment   2. Measure the wire.   3. Connecting everything together properly 4. Once set up do not disturb the experiment   5. Make sure the multimeter is set to Ohms   6. Using the setting on the multimeter. If I wanted to get very precise results I could do the experiment another few times This is how I kept it a fair test:   If you change the length you must keep.   The wire the same width.   The same material. The same temperature. Prediction I predict the longer the wire the more power will be resisted. That is because in a longer piece of wire the electrons collide with the atoms. Obtaining Results Table Observations Analysing Graphs Evaluation Errors Possible Improvements.

Personal Mission Statement Essay Example for Free

Personal Mission Statement Essay Section I: My Role in my Education I recently finished a diploma program at Remington College for Medical Billing and Coding in October 2010. I successfully completed 9 months of being on the Dean’s list and had perfect attendance throughout the program. I also received the Distinguished Graduate Award for most outstanding student of the Medical Billing and Coding program. I recently decided to continue my education to obtain my Associate’s Degree in Health Information Technology. I will be finished with my Associate’s program in June 2012. In five years, I plan on working as a manager for a well-established organization. My ultimate goal is to continue my education until I obtain my Master’s Degree so that I can continue moving up the ladder until I am at the top where there is nothing else left to achieve. There are many obstacles in life that could get in the way of accomplishing my goals but I will just share three of the obstacles with you. The first and most important I think would have to be the lack of support. Even though I have moved back in with my parents while I am in school, I get no positive support from them. I really surprised them at graduation back in October for my diploma program when I was announced as the Distinguished Graduate. I am taking this no support from family as positive motivation to prove them all wrong when I obtain my educational goal which is finishing my Associate’s Degree. Another obstacle that could get in my way of achieving my goal would be my mindset or attitude. In the past when I younger and going to college I use to not have the right attitude for school. I was into just having fun and worrying about my grades. Now that I am older and know what I want, I think I have the right attitude to accomplish my educational goal. One of the reasons for my right attitude now is having a son that I didn’t have back in my younger and immature days. Finally, the last obstacle that I could have to face would be the lack of motivation and drive. This one goes hand and hand with the first two obstacles. In the first two obstacles, getting no positive support from my family and having a son now is giving me the motivation and drive I need to accomplish my educational goals. With this said, I think I have the motivation and drive that I need to succeed and overcome any obstacles that get in my way. Section II: Problem Solving for Success Step 1: Research and Define the Problem Using Present State and Desire State In my present state I am currently unemployed and receiving military funding for college through the Montgomery GI Bill. The money that I am receiving through the Montgomery GI Bill is what I am living off of right now. My desired state would be to be working at a job in my field of study to where I can be working my way up to management. I would also like to put more money in savings so that I can have a sizeable amount of savings in case any emergencies came about. Step 2: Determine the Causes of the problem * What- The problem is that I receive no support from my family in accomplishing my educational goals. * Why- This is a problem because when I was younger I never finished what I started except for High School. * Who- My family is the problem because even though I didn’t finish college when I was younger, they should still support me in finishing it now. * Where- The problem is occurring at home because that is where I see my family the most. * When- The problem occurs every day. This sometime causes me to not to want to be at home. I have to let the negativity go in one ear and out the other, and focus on accomplishing my ultimate goal. * How- The problem occurred because of my past non-accomplishments when I was young and immature. Step 3: Generate Solutions by Brainstorming There are several solutions that could be possible in solving the problem. 1. I could market myself in different cities in order to have more employers see my resume. 2. Once I get a job, I can move out and away from the negativity. 3. I can get a part-time job also to help out with expenses once I move back out on my own. At this time I have been only marketing myself with a 50 mile radius from where I live. I am going to start job searching in a 100 mile radius and possible farther out. Right now I will take a job anywhere, no matter where it is at. Based on all of the knowledge that I have learned in this class, I will be able to analyze the situation and use my critical thinking techniques to come up with the best possible solutions to my problem. Once I look at the problem from every angle possible, I can then apply the solutions based on my analysis of my present state and present issue.

SWOT and PESTEL analysis of Nestle

SWOT and PESTEL analysis of Nestle Introduction This report presents a strategic analysis of Nestlà ©. Critically analysing the internal workings of the firm, this report presents a SWOT analysis to reveal an identification of the internal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats seen within Nestlà ©. Nestlà © is a company with a varied brand portfolio consisting of a wide range of products including a number of household brands: Nescafe, Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles and Nesquik. Earlier this year, Forbes (2014, p.1) referred to Nescafe, one of Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s core brands as the 27th most valuable brand in the world. Employing over 8000 employees, Nestlà © is present in a number of domestic and international markets. With their headquarters in Switzerland, Nestlà © is a firm, which in total operates within 86 countries of which North America is their largest and most profitable market (Shotter, 2012, p.1). The firm’s strong internationalisation strategy reflects the firm’s commitment to resource and capability development in the external environment. This will be explored further through the use of a PESTLE analysis to determine the key external forces present within the macro environment and, how importantly Nestlà © respond to such forces in a strategic manner. A look back at the history of the firm reveals a strong commitment to product development. It all began back in the mid-1860s when Nestlà © created a new baby formula to offer to the market. Seeing a gap in the market underpinned by those mothers who could not breastfeed, Nestlà © developed a formula to be offered to the European market. This very early development within Nestlà © soon developed to include an expansion of products within the firm with chocolate being added to milk products to reach a larger target market. Since its first product offerings, Nestlà © has gone on to have a varied brand portfolio with annual sales of $100.64 billion (Nestlà ©, 2014, p.1). Nestlà ©s mission Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s mission statement is supported by the expression ‘good food, good life’ (Nestlà ©, 2014, p. 1). Meaning more than the nutritional values of the food they produce, Nestlà © support the need to show a commitment to quality, safety and ultimately convenience for the consumer to enhance enjoyment. The notion of the creation of ‘shared value’ is a main focus of the firm and is an area which is supported by the firm’s ability to ‘go beyond compliance and sustainability and create new and greater value for our people, our shareholders and society as a whole’ (Nestlà © , 2014, p.1). This statement supports the integrated approach Nestlà © adopt through their commitment to recognising the responsibility the firm has to the wider external environment, which moves beyond a simple aspiration of profit. SWOT analysis This section presents a SWOT analysis to review the micro environment of the firm reflecting specifically upon the strengths and weaknesses of Nestlà © and the opportunities and threats the firm must respond to through an alignment of firm strengths to such forces. A SWOT analysis is often used, as a strategic tool to allow a presentation of the firm’s resources and capabilities, which can be further, developed to aid competitive advantage. A SWOT analysis therefore underpins the development of future strategic options. As seen within the work of Barney (1991, p. 99) and Teece (2009, p. 12) a desirable competitive advantage is one obtained through a minimisation of threats aligned with the seizing of opportunities. Table One: SWOT analysis Table one below reveals the internal dynamics of Nestlà © and the opportunities/threats facing the firm. Positive Factors Negative Factors Internal Factors Strengths Strong cultural values stemming from the firms integrated approach to business and commitment to their stakeholders (Schein, 2012, p.3). Current strategic position of Nestlà © supported by three key areas of business ‘quality leadership, customer satisfaction and sustainability’ (Business Green, 2013, p. 1). Nestlà © have a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility with reference being made to ‘long term commitment never being sacrificed for short-term performance’ (CSR Wire, 2014, p. 1). Diversified and varied brand portfolio. Global recognition driven by the number of strong brands within the firm’s portfolio. The reputation of Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s brand is estimated to be valued at $7billion (Nestlà ©, 2014b, p.1). Nestlà © has a place in the heart of consumers due to its longstanding history. Development of trust and loyalty highlighting the capability development of the firm. Strong teamwork within the firm promoting good levels of job satisfaction and employee commitment. Weakness A number of Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s products have faced criticism as a result of their nutritional value. Increased emphasis has been placed on healthy eating through government initiatives and Nestlà © would benefit from reviewing a number of their products to support their mission of ‘good food and good life’ in a changing social environment i.e. rising levels of child obesity. The past of Nestlà © is tainted in parts by negative public relations as a result of what is referred to as the baby milk scandal. Noted in a recent article by Muller (2013, p.1) it was stated that the scandal had ‘grown up but not gone away’. Recognising the need for stability and consistency in the processes found within the company’s global supply chain. International standards demand a need for standardisation yet this has to be balanced with the firm’s strategic need for adaptation to different cultural environments. External Factors Opportunities Ability to reach new consumer markets and in particular new international markets i.e. Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s work in emerging economies. Further internationalisations with a particular focus on the BRICS economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) – these economies are noted as being current growth spots (Wilson and Purushothaman, 2003, p. 1). Development of intangible capabilities to aid competitive advantage. Barney (1991, p.100) argues that competitive advantage is achieved through inimitability and this should be a focus of the firm. Backwards integration to gain more control over the supply chain of the firm (Martin and Eisenhardt, 2010, p.1105 ). Innovative development of distribution channels. Threats Higher levels of buyer power within the industry fuelled by greater choice and lower loyalty (Porter, 2008, p.12: 2011, p.5). Variability in raw material prices influencing the firm’s ability to sustain prices in light of a commitment to wider responsibilities aside from profit i.e. CSR initiatives (Servaes and Tamayo, 2013, p.1047). Increased dynamism in the external macro environment fuelling short-term decision making and heightened competition (Teece, 2009, p.15). Technological change driving both innovation and associated challenges. Ageing population shifting the demographics of the workforce (Kooij et al, 2014, p. 2192). The SWOT analysis above reveals that Nestlà © have a number of strengths, which translate into the development of core resources and capabilities, which aids their competitive position. Notably, one of the core strengths of Nestlà © is the strong brand image they have which inspires trust in consumers. Nestlà © are able to build on this reputation to extend their brand categories. Further, recent efforts to follow corporate social responsibility strategies have heightened the firms approach to sustainability, which is aligned to current expectations from the consumer market for firms to take a greater responsibility towards the wider macro environment. Moving on to a critical analysis of the weaknesses of the company, one of the core weaknesses of Nestlà © is the content of some of their products, which marks a move away from healthy eating initiatives. For example, Nestlà © produce a number of confectionary goods including sweets and chocolate bars. Nestlà © will in the future have to work with the UK government to ensure that a clear marketing message is put across for such treats to only be enjoyed alongside a balanced diet. Overall, however, Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s strengths overshadow their weaknesses and many of the weaknesses are being tackled by strategic actions. Recognition of the firm’s opportunities and threats leads to a discussion of the value of internationalisation and in particular the opportunities present within emerging economies. Further, the development of capabilities and thus the translation of strengths into intangible and inimitable capabilities is an area, which could see the firm, further develop their sustainable competitive advantage. Developing from the opportunities of the firm, it is also necessary to consider the threats, which face Nestlà ©. The SWOT analysis revealed one of the core threats is the increasingly competitive nature of the industry and the challenges, which arise from this level of competition. As a result, a great threat facing the firm is the level of dynamism and turbulence to contend with which influences the nature and direction of strategic choices. PESTLE analysis A PESTLE analysis is used as a strategic tool to measure industry dynamics through recognition of the core political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental forces/changes having influence on the industry (Henry, 2007, p.23). Table two below presents a PESTLE analysis for the industry Nestlà © are present within and this information is then used to form a critical discussion for the future strategic options available to the firm. Table Two: PESTLE analysis The PESTLE analysis below identifies a number of forces, which have an influence on industry dynamics. Of these forces, perhaps the most prominent are social forces, which relate to differences in consumer behaviour. As an international firm, Nestlà © have to be able to ensure a level of adaptation, which is appropriate to different markets driven by different cultures and consumer preferences. Political Changing regulation surrounding food standards and marketing actions. Government stability in new emerging economies – question of risk as part of the internationalisation process (Kumar et al, 2013, p.205). Changing global regulations – standardised practice yet adaptation to different political forces (De Mooij, 2013, p.61). Economic Awareness and knowledge of changing inflation, economic growth rates and income levels. Changing consumer budgets, rise of the cost conscious consumer. Rising price of raw material goods in relation to the need to source from sustainable suppliers (Kumar et al, 2013, p.205). Social Changing consumer attitudes – move towards healthier products in line with government initiatives (Newman et al, 2014, p.15) supporting balanced diets and the dangers of sugar. Changing lifestyle – return back to home cooking and the promotion of family time in a world of convenience. The need to adapt to different cultural settings i.e. language, religious beliefs and family settings. Understanding of consumer behaviour is crucial to ensuring a personal approach to marketing. Consumers viewing the firm as an agency for power in the wider external environment (Eisenhardt et al, 2010: 1263). Technological Rise of social media, consumers interacting with firms and being able to do so across a range of platforms. Innovation fuelled by technological developments. E-commerce as a platform for development (Lin et al, 2014, p.3). Legal 1.Changing nature of regulation. 2. Need to adhere to global regulations and changes across different international markets (Schaffer et al, 2014, p. 12). Environmental Increased attention directed towards corporate social responsibility (Servaes and Tamayo, 2013, p. 1045). Environmental concerns from consumers including concerns over packaging/recycling (Dubois, 2012, p. 36). Corporate Objectives It is important that an alignment exists between corporate objectives, brand image and firm activities (Cornelissen, 2014, p.55). Commonly used as a strategic tool to support this analysis, Ansoff’s matrix can be applied to Nestlà © to review the different strategic options available to the firm (Ansoff, 1980, p. 133). The overall corporate objective of Nestlà © is to be one of the world’s best and largest brands in the food industry. To break this down further, there is a need to apply individual firm level marketing objectives to a specific brand within their portfolio. This section focuses upon the presentation of marketing objectives and strategies for Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s baby milk products. Marketing Objectives Marketing objectives identify a target market and market need and apply this to the brands they are offering. With regards to the baby milk products Nestlà © offers, one of their core marketing objectives should relate to improving sales through the use of social media outlets. Aligned to the rise of relationship marketing and the need to develop a deeper, emotional connection with consumers it is argued that one of the marketing objectives for increasing sales of this product needs to be related to understanding the consumer base. The following marketing objectives are proposed in relation to the firm’s baby milk products: To increase interaction with consumers using social media as a platform. To increase sales by 10% through a promotional campaign across an integrated set of marketing platforms. To follow a relationship marketing campaign to increase interactions with consumers to enhance understanding of the consumer base. Ansoff’s matrix Ansoff’s growth matrix is a marketing tool often used to understand the different strategic options available to a firm (Ansoff, 1980, p. 131). Looking at the opportunities available in both new and existing markets, emphasis within the matrix is placed on the benefits and challenges of each strategic option and the extent to which the options are aligned to the internal resources and capabilities of the firm. Market Penetration Market penetration is a strategy, which sees growth underpinned by pushing existing products to existing markets. Through a focus on market penetration the firm would be able to maintain current product lines and focus upon increasing sales in this area through promotional activities and advertising. Market penetration is a strategy, which would secure growth in the market and would allow the firm to draw on their knowledge of the market to expand sales in this area. Market Development The second strategic option refers to the use of selling existing products to new markets. A new market in this case could be a new consumer base or a new geographical base. Reflecting upon the nature of the product, it is unlikely Nestlà © would be able to target a new customer base and thus it is advised that if this strategic option were to be followed emphasis would be placed on opening up to new emerging markets with existing products. Product Development Moving away from a focus on the market, the third strategic option offered by Ansoff places emphasis on the importance of product development. This strategic option would require the firm to develop new competencies, which would appeal to existing markets. Under this strategic option, Nestlà © could focus on the development of a new extension of products in the baby market to offer to the consumer base. Diversification The final option outlined is that of diversification. Diversification is a strategy, which refers to growth achieved by offering new products to new markets. This type of strategy would require a need for the firm to draw on their inherent strengths and capabilities to offer something new to the market. Underpinned by high levels of innovation, this strategy would require both investment and an appreciation of risk. As such, before the adoption of this strategy it would be necessary for the firm to have a clear vision of outcome. Which growth strategy to follow? Based on a discussion of the various growth options above, this report argues that Nestlà © should focus upon market penetration through the use of promotional activities and relationship marketing activities. This strategy would see Nestlà © focus upon an existing product and market yet achieve growth through marketing campaigns and a greater utilisation of social media. Through the use of social media and relationship marketing it would be hoped that Nestlà © would be able to develop a stronger connection with their consumers, which is fundamental when needing to gain the trust of new mothers (Iglesias et al, 2011, p. 632). Strength in the baby market is underpinned by the potential for growth due to this being a growing market. Competitive Strategies In support of an identification of growth strategies, there is a need to recognise the importance of competitive strategies. Three core competitive strategies are identified within the literature: Cost leadership, differentiation and focus (Ortega, 2010, p. 1275). Despite a traditional view that different competitive strategies couldn’t be mixed, recent literature has supported the use of a hybrid competitive strategy, which combines cost leadership and differentiation to support a competitive strategy, which balances the actions of each strategy (Baroto et al, 2012, p. 120). Cost leadership is a strategy, which places emphasis on lowest cost and thus sees the firm seeking to compete with their competition on the basis of price. Cost leadership strategies therefore require an efficient approach to the supply chain to ensure that raw material costs are kept to a minimum. Emphasis within this strategy is placed on the need to focus upon gaining economies of scale and thus low costs. Differentiation involves firms seeking to distinguish themselves from their competitors (Armstrong and Cunningham, 2012, p. 71). For this to be the case, emphasis is placed on the development of a competitive advantage through something others cannot imitate. The final competitive strategy is a focus strategy where a segmentation approach is followed (Weinstein, 2013, p. 51). A firm following a focus strategy would firm to choose a niche market and therefore have specific offerings to a specific target market. In light of the identification of the competitive strategies and the discussion above, it is advised that the firm should follow a hybrid strategy reflecting on both cost leadership and differentiation to ensure growth. A hybrid strategy would require Nestlà © to seek lowest cost where possible through economies of scale and efficiency in their supply chain whilst also seeing the firm differentiating through the culture of the firm and the relationships developed with consumers. 7p’s of marketing A final consideration for Nestlà © is an identification of the 7p’s of marketing and in particular an understanding of what their product offers to the market (Armstrong and Cunningham, 2012, p. 34). The 7p’s of marketing is an important marketing tool outlining a focus on a clear understanding of each factor: Product: Baby formula, nutrients to enable a progression from breast milk to formula or formula for those mothers choosing not to breastfeed. Price : Price relatively low to competitors. It is important to balance the need here between low cost and the influence this has on trust. Place: Supermarkets, place of convincing. Promotion: Relationship marketing principles used to engage the consumer. Nestlà © will interact with consumers during a shopping mall road show to showcase their product offerings and the value of their products. People: Employees within the firm used to support the growth strategy of particular products. Company objectives and marketing objective translates into performance goals for teams within the firm. Process: Customer service is important and a key determinant of trust. As a result of this, emphasis should be placed on the role of employees in educating the consumer and therefore translating the core elements of the brand. Physical evidence : Physical evidence in the form of packaging and promotional tools will be used to support the development of the growth strategy employed. Monitoring and controlling As a closing point, there is a need to consider the importance of the ongoing monitoring of any marketing plan. Long after the implementation, emphasis should still be placed on monitoring to ensure that controls are put in place to review the success of a given marketing campaign (Simons, 2013, p. 14). For example, in relation to the use of social media, particular controls can be put in place to monitor the success and thus levels of integration taking place. References Ansoff, H. I. (1980). Strategic issue management. Strategic Management Journal, 1(2), 131-148. Armstrong, G., Cunningham, M. H. (2012). Principles of marketing. Pearson Australia. Barney, J.B (1991) Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17 (1) 99-120. Baroto, M. B., Abdullah, M. M. B., Wan, H. L. (2012). Hybrid strategy: a new strategy for competitive advantage. International Journal of Business and Management, 7(20), p120. Business Green (2013) Nestlà © brews up stronger environmental commitments [online]. Available from: http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2254765/Nestlà ©-brews-up-stronger-environmental-commitments [Accessed 06.10.14-. Burke, R. J., Cooper, C. L., Field, J. (2013). The Aging Workforce: Individual, Organizational and Societal Opportunities and Challenges. The SAGE Handbook of Aging, Work and Society, 1. Cornelissen, J (2014) Corporate communication: a guide to theory and practice. London: SAGE publications. CSR Wire (2014) CSR profile of Nestlà © [online]. Available from: http://www.csrwire.com/members/10393-Nestlà © [Accessed 05.10.14]. De Mooij (2013) Global marketing and advertising: understanding cultural paradoxes. London: SAGE publications. Dubois, M. (2012). Extended producer responsibility for consumer waste: the gap between economic theory and implementation. Waste Management Research, 30(9 suppl), 36-42. Eisenhardt, K. M., Martin, J. A. (2000). Dynamic capabilities: what are they?. Strategic management journal, 21(10-11), 1105-1121. Eisenhardt, K. M., Furr, N. R., Bingham, C. B. (2010). CROSSROADS-Microfoundations of Performance: Balancing Efficiency and Flexibility in Dynamic Environments. Organization Science, 21(6), 1263-1273. Forbes (2014) Nestlà © [online]. Available from: http://www.forbes.com/companies/nescafe/ [Accessed 06.10.14]. Henry, A.E (2007) Understanding strategic management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Iglesias, O., Sauquet, A., Montaà ±a, J. (2011). The role of corporate culture in relationship marketing. European Journal of Marketing, 45(4), 631-650. Kooij, D. T., Jansen, P. G., Dikkers, J. S., de Lange, A. H. (2014). Managing aging workers: a mixed methods study on bundles of HR practices for aging workers. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(15), 2192-2212. Kumar, V., Mudambi, R., Gray, S. (2013). Internationalization, Innovation and Institutions: The 3 Is underpinning the competitiveness of emerging market firms. Journal of International Management, 19(3), 203-206. Kumar, M., Srai, J., Pattinson, L., Gregory, M. (2013). Mapping of the UK food supply chains: capturing trends and structural changes. Journal of Advances in Management Research, 10(2), 299-326. Lin, Y., Luo, J., Zhou, L., Ieromonachou, P., Huang, L., Cai, S., Ma, S. (2014, June). The impacts of service quality and customer satisfaction in the e-commerce context. In Service Systems and Service Management (ICSSSM), 2014 11th International Conference on (pp. 1-6) Muller, M (2013) Nestlà © baby milk scandal has grown up but not gone away [online]. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/Nestlà ©-baby-milk-scandal-food-industry-standards [Accessed 06.10.14]. Nestlà © (2014) About us [online]. Available from: http://www.Nestlà ©.com/aboutus [Accessed 05.10.14]. Newman, C. L., Howlett, E., Burton, S. (2014). Shopper Response to Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling Programs: Potential Consumer and Retail Store Benefits. Journal of Retailing, 90(1), 13-26. Ortega, M. J. R. (2010). Competitive strategies and firm performance: Technological capabilities moderating roles. Journal of Business Research, 63(12), 1273-1281. Porter, M.E (2008) On competition. Boston: Harvard University Press. Porter, M. E. (2011). Competitive advantage of nations: creating and sustaining superior performance. New York: Simon and Schuster. Servaes, H., Tamayo, A. (2013). The impact of corporate social responsibility on firm value: The role of customer awareness. Management Science, 59(5), 1045-1061. Schaffer, R., Agusti, F., Dhooge, L. (2014). International business law and its environment. London: Cengage Learning.

NASA is a Waste of Money :: Politics Government

Were you aware that the budget for space exploration extends well over thirty-two billion dollars? People are dying of hunger overseas, not even wealthy enough to feed their own families, and NASA is spending twenty billion dollars to put a man on the moon! What did we learn on the moon, how can this endeavor help mankind? Nothing, and it can't! Some people declare that space exploration is man's greatest enterprise into the unknown. Space exploration is no great endeavor, it is in fact man's greatest waste of money and time that could be better spent elsewhere. Did you know that NASA spends up to fifteen point forty seven billion dollars per space mission? The Space Review is a pretty reputable site for science related news, one account stated that, ?No firm cost estimates?. cost of Mars expedition estimated at nearly one trillion dollars?. That is a great deal of money that could easily pay for multiple operations all over America, and other places too. A spacecraft en-route to Mars exploded in nineteen sixty-nine by USSR technicians. These failures are taking big chunks out of NASA?s (over-sized) budget, much of which is being funded toward more inevitable failures. They say that you learn from your mistakes, but those mistakes can lead to some way bigger problems. These expeditions are taking too much time as it is. It took us four years just to take pictures of the surface of Mars. I saw these pictures, and I must say, I have seen better views of Mars taken through a telescope. This is too much time taken just to get some bad pictures of a planet that, sources suggest, has long been dead. Half of NASA?s rovers haven?t even got to the planet, even less have ever even sent any data back to Earth. Numerous satellites, spacecrafts, and rovers are endlessly exploding, getting lost in space, and so on. Until we can send things into space with a one hundred percent chance of success, we shouldn?t send any up period. All this money that NASA is spending on failed missions could save countless lives, multiple times over. As mentioned previously, people are dying overseas: starving, dying of dehydration, perishing ever so slowly. Their lives gradually wasting away to nothing, while some people are using the money that could be used to send them food and medicine, in order to send big hunks of metal into space which, as they say, is a whole bunch of nothing! I will admit that money isn?

College Dorms :: essays research papers

College Dorms Message: The inventor of dormitories...let's find him, make him pay for the travesties he's visited on America's youth, and force him to listen to Matchbox 20. Can't you see him designing these hellish stacks of humanity many years ago? From the sidewalk he raised his hands triumphantly and said, "It shall be like the projects with less violence and more marijuana!" He then took lumber and Elmer's Paste, as it is often called, to create these pet carrier sized rooms that we live in. You wanna know why people from the projects hardly ever go to college? It's because they don't want to leave their lush surroundings. The actual term dormitory is of course derived from the Latin term for sleep, which is appropriate because that is all you have space to do. You have to do it standing up in the bathroom sink but it can be done. The luckier students have space to scratch their assses but the windows have to be open and their roommates have to be gone for the weekend. When you go home the closets even feel like a gymnasium, and you can romp around in the bathroom like a horny antelope. I can't imagine the kids who brought everything they own to the dorm. I brought like a condom and a sock. Next semester I hope to have a towel and the other sock. I also need a new condom. Forget having space to sleep. Who sleeps anyway? Nobody on my campus. I think it's a rule. This one kid tried but no one knows what happened to him. Let's just say his floor mates never saw him awake again. I feel like I'm a member of the national insomnia coalition. 0ur agenda involves a lot of Frappaccino and staring at the test pat tern on TV. It's like this strange pseudo-vampire lifestyle. Did you know that if you stay up late enough they play the Tonight Show over again and it still isn't funny? No sleep really fucks with your eating habits too. Every night at 2 in the morning you get as hungry as a Bosnian and you have to go to the vending machine to watch the one bagel spin in the carousel of salmonella. People have White Zombie playing until 5 AM, which to me really encompasses my mood at 5 AM. I could be listening to Kenny G and it would seem hardcore at 5 in the morning.

Environmental Sciences Cover Letter

Manar Mansour Beirut, Lebanon To whom it may concern, I am highly interested in the practice of improving the public wellbeing. Through my research, I have learned that this is a rapidly expanding field, and that your esteemed company is a leader in this domain. I am interested in a public health related job, in which I can utilize my analytical skills and inclusive education for our mutual benefit. I recently graduated from the American University of Beirut, having served an internship at AUB as well.During my internship, I gained valuable knowledge of public health while helping to evaluate and report various health oriented practices of several industries, and their abidance by internationally agreed upon standards and guidelines. I also participated in a community based study in an underprivileged Lebanese village, in an attempt to assess particular health related concerns and help propose and facilitate the necessary measures to be taken. Besides, my coursework has enhanced my s tatistical analysis skills, which are crucial to data interpretation and research.In the meantime, I was elected as a committee responsible for three consecutive years for one of the active clubs in AUB, which gave me the opportunity to build administrative and organizational skills, and participate in large scale community service activities as well, such as public awareness campaigns in poor camps, charity activities with children with disabilities and elderly, as well as providing children in underprivileged areas with the necessary education.My goal is to get experience in a public health related field toward solving today’s related problems. My skills and experience will enable me to address the current challenges in delivering efficient product to its seekers. Please find attached my CV for additional review. I appreciate your time and consideration. Yours Sincerely, Manar Mansour October 15th, 2012

Brazil Employees Expectations Essay

In Brazil the maximum working hours per week are usually 40 to 44 hours, depending upon whether the employee works 5 or 6 days a week. The Brazilian Labour Law prescribes an annual vacation of 30 days which should be taken all at once or divided in two parts (one half must be of at least 20 days). Brazilian workers are eligible for full-time employment already at the age of 14 but there are certain protective regulations covering adolescents aged 14 to 18. Brazilian labour unions There are several thousand unions and umbrella organisations in Brazil which are supposed to support full-time workers. The Brazilian Trade Union Federation (Central Unica dos Trabalhadores) has made protection of employees and health policies one of its top priorities. Yet as most employees in Brazil work without an official work contract they have no access to the support of a labour union. Link: http://www.justlanded.com/english/Brazil/Brazil-Guide/Jobs/Working-in-Brazil Employment Agreements Since labor laws are statutory in nature, labor contracts must fit squarely within their narrow parameters. Employment contracts cannot deviate from the law in any way that waives, releases, or circumvents a worker’s rights. Some employers get creative and choose to frame the relationship as that of an independent contractor, rather than an employee. However, structuring the relationship in that manner has little effect if a Labor court finds that the independent contractor was in fact performing activities of an employee as legally defined. Courts will consider variables such as work hours, place of work, subjectivity to the employer’s administrative rules, reporting requirements, and compensation, among others, in determining whether the individual is indeed an independent contractor or in fact an employee. Unfortunately for companies, courts tend to favor protecting the employee and usually grant whatever statutory benefit for which the individual has petitioned. Employee Wages and Hours After your company has established the type of relationship that it will have with the individual, it must comply with strict labor requirements. In Brazil, the minimum wage (â€Å"salà ¡rio mà ­nimo†) is currently set by the federal government at R$545.00 per month, although some regions may require a minimum that exceeds this baseline. Accompanying the minimum wage is the concept of the workday, or jornada, defined as the time the employee is available to the employer, whether performing his function or not. A workday cannot exceed eight (8) hours per day and 44 hours a week. Employees whose working hours exceed the maximum hours of work prescribed by law earn overtime, one of the major sources of labor litigation. Generally, the employee will earn time and a half for overtime hours worked. However, if overtime is earned on weekends and holidays, then the employee will earn two times the regularly earned wage. Employees working on commission are treated no differently, and are entitled to either double or time and a half commissions for all overtime hours worked. The legal workday varies depending on the industry involved. For example, bank workers, telephone operators, and doctors enjoy shorter workdays. Shift workers are also subject to different standards. If an employee works any one shift (morning, afternoon, or night) on any given week, his or her shift must be limited to six (6) hours. Employee Benefits Brazilian employees enjoy many benefits. For example, Brazilian law calls for a â€Å"thirteenth salary† (â€Å"dà ©cimo terceiro†), plus 30 days of vacation time that all employees earn at the end of each year. Disbursement of at least half of the â€Å"thirteenth salary† must be made by November, or in the month when the employee takes vacation, if he or she has solicited the thirteenth salary in January. The last portion must be paid by December 20. Employers must also comply with social contributions and the FGTS (Fundo de Garantia por Tempo de Servià §o, or â€Å"Guarantee Fund for Time of Service†). Both regular earnings and the thirteenth salary are subject to the FGTS, which corresponds to an eight (8) percent withholding of the monthly salary plus 0.5 percent of social contribution by the employer. This fund provides financial support in certain employment termination situations. The federal government administers the fund through mandatory deposits in accounts opened by the employer for the employee’s benefit with the Caixa Econà ´mica Federal (one of the largest government-owned banks).

Military Accountability

What is Accountability in the Army: the obligation imposed by law or lawful order or regulation on an officer or other person for keeping accurate records of property, documents, or funds. Accountability is concerned primarily with records. why is accountability important in the army? accountability is a very important part of an enlisted and a NCO's job. the enlisted soldier is responsible for all items issued to him or her weather it be a weapon,NVG's clothers,a vehicle, or TA-50. The NCO's responsiblity is to make sure that the soldier is accountable for the items and has eyes on these items when needed, so that he or she can report it to his or her, highercommand. accountability also includes the most important asset the army has spent millions to teain and equip. the soldier him or herself. anything can and will happen especially in combat, that why the team leader or squad leader and up the chain should know where the soldier and his equipment is at all times. The army spends a lot of money on equipment and belongings for the soldiers, so the army expects to know where its equipment is. no matter what someone is always responsible for equipments in the army. it goes to the highest officer to the lowest enlisted personal in the chain of command and back up again. Accountability is being dependable-arriving to work and appointments on time, meeting deadlines,being in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing at all times. Morning formation is the most important formation of the day. It is made to get accountability of everyone and put out any information that needs to be dealt with. Without having accountability there is no knowledge of where everybody is or what's going on. Accountability is extreamly important at this point of time, everyone is off doing other missions while the rest of us are still with the main group. With the holidays comimg up the importance of accountability will heighten even more.

Liquid Assets in Firm Essay

What will your outlook towards maintenance of liquid assets to ensure that the firm has adequate cash in hand to meet its obligations at all times? Almost every action of company has financial implications, manager responsible for or with oversight of cash flow get directly involved in many functional areas of the business. Cash flow manager although in large company the financial management function may be broken down into various segments and the cash flow management segment may concern itself primarily with short term management issues, or the daily cash flow management task.Examples of these would be the maintenance of only minimum balance in non-interest bearing bank accounts, the movement of excess cash into short-term investment , and the maintenance of adequate cash balance to cover the normal operating expenses of the company that must be paid from day to day. In any event, those responsible for short term cash flow must consider the long term financial management objective of the company. Objectives of the Financial Management 1. To ensure that the company always has enough cash to meet its legal obligations and avoid illiquidity – i.e. to maintain adequate short term financial flexibility. 2. To arrange to obtain whatever funds are required from external sources at the right time , in the right form and the best possible terms. 3.To ensure that the companies assets and liabilities ; current and long term, financial and operating are utilized as effectively as possible. 4.To forecast and plan for the financial requirement of future operations. 5.To make all decisions & recommendations on the basis of one primary criterion, maximizing the long term value of the organization . this objective is attained in a publicly owned corporation through maximization of the wealth of the owner [stakeholders] by maximizing stock price. ‘Liquid Asset’ An asset that can be converted into cash quickly and with minimal impact to the price received. Liquid assets are generally regarded in the same light as cash because their prices are relatively stable when they are sold on the open market. Liquid assets are cash on hand or any tangible or intangible item that can be converted quickly and easily into cash, typically within 20 days, without losing much of their value. These assets are among the most  basic types of financial resources used by consumers, businesses, and investors. Cash and checking accounts are the two most obvious forms of liquid assets. Currency Legal tender for purchases and to settle outstanding debts, currency remains the most common type of liquid asset used consistently by retail consumers. Money that is deposited into a current account is considered to be a liquid asset because it is possible to immediately access the funds in order to settle debts. The debit card offers consumers even greater access to immediate liquid assets. Investments Some interest-bearing investments can be liquidated quickly, qualifying them as liquid assets. Money market fund shares, bonds, mutual funds, and the cash value of a life insurance policy are examples of investments that can provide quick cash when necessary. Certificates of deposit and stocks might also qualify under this definition. While the actual market liquidity of each asset may vary, the key is that there are always people looking to buy these items, so they can be sold relatively easily. In the case of some jointly owned assets, only a percentage of an asset could be considered liquid. Other Assets The final settlement awarded by a court for damages in a lawsuit could also be considered to be a liquid asset, depending on the terms of payment specified by the court. Tax refunds and the balances of trust funds are often included in the working definition of liquid assets. Less Liquid and Illiquid Assets Mortgages are sometimes considered a liquid asset, but they are much less liquid than many other types. Real estate is also more likely to sold at less than its value if it must be liquidated quickly; if the market is unstable, it may be difficult to determine the true value of real estate as well. Since a key part of liquidity is that the asset be sold at or very near its actual value, this means that real estate is often considered â€Å"illiquid† or not easy to sell. Any item for which there is no established  value is not considered to be a liquid asset, even if that item might be sold for a high price. When the market for the item is small or uncertain, a sale could significantly affect its value. Even stock, usually considered a liquid asset, could be illiquid if a large block is put up for sale, which could lower its market value. Business Assets For businesses, liquid assets can include cash, marketable securities, and receivables. Cash equivalents, which can be quickly converted to cash as needed, are also considered to be liquid. A business needs to be liquid enough to meet expenses, but not have so much cash on hand that short-term investment opportunities are not pursued. Companies often divide their assets into net liquid, quick, and current assets. Net liquid assets are what would be left if all of the businesses debts were paid off. Quick assets are those that can be converted into cash immediately, while current assets are those that can be converted within a year. For an asset to be liquid it needs an established market with enough participants to absorb the selling without materially impacting the price of the asset. There also needs to be a relative ease in the transfer of ownership and the movement of the asset. Liquid assets include most stocks, money market instruments and government bonds. The foreign exchange market is deemed to be the most liquid market in the world because trillions of dollars exchange hands each day, making it impossible for any one individual to influence the exchange rate. Liquid assets include items such as accounts receivable, demand and time deposits, gilt edged securities. In some countries, precious metals (usually gold and silver) are also considered liquid assets. Generally speaking, you must limit expenses and ensure that some of your assets are in the form of short term assets. The higher your short term assets and the less your short term debt, the better your ability to pay the debt (short term liquidity ratio / liquidity ratio help you determine this).The ratio analysis will be the guide stick for the liquidity ratio. Maintenance OF LIQUID ASSETS TO ENSURE ADEQATE CASH IN HAND A common problem for small business owners is the struggle to maintain adequate cash flow levels. Without cash, a business must eventually close its doors. Understanding and managing the company’s cash flow will help to measure the amount of cash on hand and prepare for cash flow shortfalls in the future. a. Do the Math :  Cash flow is the movement of money in and out of a business. Cash inflow is the movement of money into your business, and most likely comes from the sale of goods or services to your customers. Cash outflow is the movement of money out of your business, and is generally the result of paying expenses. By projecting the inflow and outflow of your businesses cash, you can determine the amount of cash that will be available during a designated period of time. b. Prepare Your Profit and Loss Statement Your business plan should contain several financial statements. If you’re a start-up businessman, base your estimates of cash inflow and outflow on the rev enues and expenses listed in your profit and loss statements. Complete your profit and loss statement before completing your cash flow statement. Over time, you will be able to base cash inflows and outflows on actual historical data. c. Develop a Cash Flow Statement: A cash flow statement measures cash flow over time. During your first year in business, you should include a month-by-month cash flow statement in your business plan. If you’re seeking a loan, an important feature of your cash flow statement is that it will show the lender exactly how you’re going to afford loan payments. In order for a business to stay afloat, it must maintain an adequate level of cash. These are some which we can apply to improve the cash flow in our organization. Adequate cash means that you can meet your obligations. It is to remember that cash is king and life blood of the organization. The following points help make it easier to maintain the adequate cash level and an improvement in cash position can be seen sooner rather than later: 1. Check Customers’ Credit Histories: Decide the type of customer to whom you want to extend credit. Do you want to have a particular cut-off credit score? If you extend credit to customers with questionable credit histories or low credit scores, you may experience late payments or no payments, which will slow down your cash flow and increase your collection costs. 2. Keep Track of Your Customers’ Payments: Have up-to-date payment records. Keep accurate payments records by using a specialized accounting software program that will keep track of your invoices and when payments are made. If customers are late with their payments, it could cause a cash flow bottleneck for you. Accurate record keeping will help solve this problem. 3. Set Appropriate Credit Terms and Offer a Cash Discount : Make sure your customers understand how long they have to pay their bill. In order to speed  up the cash they pay, you might want to offer a cash discount to any customer that pays in a short period of time, designated by you, or to a customer who pays cash. 4. Extend Your Timetable for Making Cash Payments :: Pay your bills on time and take advantage of any cash discounts your suppliers offer you. However, hold onto your cash as long as possible. Don’t pay bills weeks earlier than they are due. Your company can use that cash balance, rather than letting your supplier use your company’s cash. 5. Cut Back on Spending Wherever Possible : Do you really need to take money out of your business for a Hawaiian vacation right now? Cut back on spending until it is less than your revenue on a month-by-month basis. If an emergency happens, then you will be prepared from a cash standpoint. 6. Increase Your Sales : Make sure you aren’t holding on to obsolete inventory. If you are, mark it down and sell it. Storing it is costing you money and selling it at a lower price is better than not selling it at all. The longer you hold on to obsolete inventory, the less likely it is to sell. 7. Think before investing : The price and value of investments and their income fluctuates: you may get back less than the amount you invested. Remember that how an investment performed in the past is not a guide to how it will perform in the future. We need to project the cash flow statement, and employee the companies fund in short term investment. Along with that we have to check expenses. And maintain the liquid assets. Projected cash flow statement is the guided stick. Our sales, realizations, and fixed and variable expenses need to be kept in mind while judging the balanced need of liquid assets. We may consider the short term investments with reference to interest rate and surplus funds. Generally it is indispensable that we must limit expenses and ensure that some of the assets are in the form of short term assets. The higher short term assets and the less your short Term debt, the better your ability to pay the debt (short Term liquidity ratio / liquidity ratio help you dete rmine this). The ratio analysis will be the guide stick for the Liquidity ratio. The short term creditors of a company like supplies of good of credit and Commercial banks providing short-term loans, are primarily interested in knowing the companies ability to meet its current or short term obligations of a firm can be met only when there are sufficient liquid assets. Therefore, a firm must ensure that it does not suffer from lack of liquidity or the capacity to pay its current obligations due to lack of good  liquidity position, its goodwill in the market is likely to be effected beyond repair. Liquidity refers to the ability of a concern to meet its current obligations as and when there become due. The short-term obligations are met by realizing amounts from current, floating or circulating assets. The current assets should either be liquid or near liquidity. These should be convertible into cash for paying obligations of short-term nature. The sufficiently or insufficiency of current assets should be assessed by comparing them with short term liabilities. If current assets can pay off current liabilities, then liquidity position will be satisfactory. The standard current ratio is 1: 1.33 means any firm / company is having adequate funds to meet its obligation in time. The firm has to maintain core current assets which is easily realizable at all times. The laid down bench mark ratio to maintain the ratio of core current assets to current liabilities is 1:1

Application of Sensory for the Maintenance of Health for the Elderly

Disorders of smell and taste are often diagnostic dilemmas that most times present themselves in elderly people(Croy, Nordin, & Hummel, 2014). The lack of knowledge and insight of these impairment conditions are common and can result in life threatening situations especially among the aged. In addition, poor appetite   is a challenge faced by elderly people living both at home or in nursing care homes. Poor appetite can result in nutritional deficiencies and weight loss and is linked to poor health outcomes and mortality. By gaining an understanding on what causes reduced appetite and its link to sensory impairment, clinical staff and nurses can quickly identify elderly patients that have an impaired appetite. Several strategies can be utilized in promoting appetite and increasing intake of food (Pilgrim, Robinson, &Save, 2015). When the human tongue receives taste signals, a number of neural pathways are activated. However, these pathways don't require for food to be in the mouth for them to be activated; the sound of rattling dishes, or an image of food can cause the stomach to rumble. The sense of vision provides a critical sense with regard to food perception, driving preferences and raising expectations. Humans discriminate unconsciously, between foods that are low and high in calories, by just looking at the said food. Looking at images of food that are low or high calorie provokes different responses with varying intensities in the brain(Toepel, Ohla, & Hudry, 2014). The study by Toepel et al.,( 2104) tested subjects where they were shown images of high calorie foods such as pastry, pizza, salmon, and lamb chops which were alternated with images of low calorie foods such as pasta/tomato sauce, yoghurt, watermelon, and beans. For every image observed, a weak electric current was attached to the tongues of the participants which stimulated the state function of the brain without any real taste being mimicked. This produced a metallic taste and sensation hence, the a food cue was initiated by the   images and neutralized by the metallic stimulation. The results from the EEG measurements showed that looking at high calorie images stimulated pleasant and strong sensations as opposed to the low calorie food images. The high calorie images evoked neural activity which was stronger in some parts of the brain such as frontal operculum and the bilateral insula in comparison to images of lower calories. Any taste pleasantness changes activated the medial orbitofrontal cortex. Shape also affects taste as was studied by Gal in a research that analyzed consumer behaviour against marketing. In the study, the participants first sorted geometric figures after which they were shown a piece of cheese that had pointed corners rather than the usual round ones. The subjects described the taste of the cheese as being sharper (Bakalar, 2014). However, understanding the brain's mechanism that connects between gustatory and visual senses is still a relatively new In addition to visual and shape, odour too plays a significant role. Volatile molecules are released when a person chews food which then travel to the receptors at the back of the mouth that lines the nasal passages. The receptors are what enable a person to identify the different sensations' combinations which result in flavour- knowing what one is consuming. When a person eats sour or sweet strawberry, the mouth is able to detect this even while the nose is held tight (Stevenson, 2012). Hearing too plays a part in what people eat. If for example one hears the crunch of potato crisps, one imagines the crisps to be fresher. Taste can also be affected by sound as was demonstrate by a study where participants were asked to bite into crisps and rate their freshness and crispiness. The researcher played a crunching sound once the subject took a bite and which systematically changed the perceptions by the subjects where the subjects stated the crisps were crispier and fresher compared to when there was no aural cue (Spence,2015). Temperature also is a factor that determines one's perception of taste. For example, warming ice cream increases the perceived flavour. Sensitivity to temperature is regulated by the taste buds' molecular processes that are responsible for the different tastes (Amerine, Pangborn, & Roessler, 2013).   Increasing food temperature to 15-35 degrees Celsius enhances one's sweetness neural response. In approximately half of the population, cooling or heating the tongue causes taste sensations in that, cooling the tongue increases the salty or sour tasting sensations while increasing the temperature increases the taste sensation of sweetness.   Smell when compared against taste, is more complex as human receptors for taste are fewer than receptors for smell. The five taste receptors are umami, bitter, salty, sour, and sweet. There are various ways of mixing both smell and taste leading to a broad array of flavours that a person perceives and which bear little subjective resemblance to the aforementioned tastes. There is a neurological link between taste and smell that is unique to the two senses. When one sees and hears something simultaneously, two different neurological pathways are used while this is not the case with tasting and smelling. For example, when one pops a jellybean in the mouth while holding the nose tight, one can still sense the jelly beans' sweetness but will not perceive the flavour. Once a person releases the nose, the flavour becomes identifiable. The flavour thus comes from the nose even when one tastes the sweetness of the beans (Society for Neuroscience, 2015). There is a distinction between smelling via the nose and via the back of the throat, while there is a neurological distinction in the tasting. Arrival of the retronasal and orthonasal odours is via the same route however, when they arrive simultaneously as taste, integration of taste and odour occurs which creates the perception of flavour. Flavour is only perceived through the simultaneous arrival of odour and taste to the anterior insula. Hence, it is concluded that the overlapping of the distinct smell and taste pathways occurs in the anterior insula. When molecules bind in the tongue receptors, then the sense of taste can be perceived which proceeds to send signals to various parts of the brain to eventually meet at the anterior insula (Yin, Hewson, Linforth et al., 2017). Further, a person is able to differentiate the experience with food through touching the food. This is more so, with regard to true fats (an example is the creamy taste of ice-cream and butter). There are specific neurons in the brain's orbitofrontal cortex that respond to fats texture in the mouth such as fat rich foods including chocolate and ice cream as well as similarly oily non food substances such as silicone oil and mineral oil. In addition, the taste of soda is influenced greatly by feel where a flat soda tastes different from a carbonated one (Drewnoski & Almiron, 2010).  Ã‚   The proportion of elderly is escalating fast in the world. It is estimated that by 2025, there wil be 1.12 billion people aged 60 and above with most having some level of sensory loss including smell and taste perception (Coreira, Lopez, &Wroblewsski et al., 2016). Laboratory and clinical studies have shown a decline in smell and taste functioning among persons aged 60 years and above which increases in severity in those aged 70 years and above. Dysfunction of smell and taste is caused by ageing and some specific disease conditions such as Alzheimer's and cancer, surgical and pharmacological intervention, environmental and radiation exposure. The chemosensory deficits may result in alteration in food choices and consumption and subsequently worsen any existing medical conditions, compromise immunity and nutritional status, change food choices and result in decrease in weight (Doty & Kamath, 2014).   As has been discussed earlier, vision, smell, and taste are involved in food enjoyment. When these senses are impaired due to ageing, they result in a reduction in appetite among the elderly. Appetite is stimulated by the smell of food while the taste of food promotes its enjoyment and stimulates the appetite further even after eating. Most elderly people have taste and smell senses that are impaired and which hinders their appetite to a great extent (Nieuwenhuizen et al., 2010). Having a good vision helps in stimulating one's appetite (Spence, Okajima, & Cheok et al., 2015). As one ages, the vision reduces with 1 in 5 persons aged 75 years and above and 1 in every 2 persons aged 90 years and above having loss of vision (RNIB, 2014). The body composition of an individual is what determines his/her energy requirements and more so, the fat free mass (the component s of the body that are exclusive of fat for example organs, bones, and muscles), and their physical activity levels.   As people age, they lose the fat free mass with a 1% rate of skeletal muscle loss among those aged 70 years and above. With most being physically inactive. Therefore the energy requirements among the elderly are low which is a contributory factor to appetite loss. This varies among individuals, which is reflective of the body composition differences as well as physical activity differences (Milanovi?, Panteli?, & Trajkovi? et al., 2013). As people become older, the sense of smell deteriorates with declining olfactory functioning (Doty & Kamath, 2014;Smoliner, Fischedick, &Sieber et al., 2013).  In addition to losing the sense of smell, people lose the ability to differentiate smells with more than 75% of persons aged 80 and above experiencing acute olfactory impairment with increased continuous decline after 70 years (Doty et al., 2014). Of persons aged between 80-97 years, 62.5% had olfactory impairment(Schubert, Cruickshanks, &Klein et al., 2011). However, taste impairment is more common than olfactory impairment (Malaty & Malty, 2013) Gustatory dysfunction is also linked to ageing, however, most often, what is thought to be taste impairment is in fact an olfactory impairment. Besides smell impairment, taste impairment is caused by prior infection of upper respiratory area, drug use, head injury, as well as idiopathic causes (Fomazieri, Borges, & Bezerra, et al., 2014; Bromley & Doty, 2014; Roper, 2013).  Problems with chewing caused by loss of teeth and dentures can interfere with sense of taste along with decreased production of saliva. Decreased senses of tastes and smell causes suppression of appetite which results in loss of weight, impaired immunity, malnutrition, and medical conditions deteriorations (Phillips, Caroll, & Drayson et al., 2015; Jacobson, Green, & Murphy,2010).  Problems with nutrition form a significant sequeale from disorders of taste and smell.  Elderly persons need two-three times more salt concentration in tomato soup before they are able to detect it (Ahmed & Haboubi, 2010).  The tendency for the elderly to take in higher concentrations of sugar and salt can exacerbate already hazardous medical conditions they may be experiencing. A decrease or distortion in the sense of smell results in a decrease in life quality or even disability(Smeets, Veldhuizen, & Galle, 2009). Further, such medical conditions can result in a high level of depression and anxiety in the person. Anxiety resulting from inability to enjoy the taste of food and fear that the taste impairment could be as a result of a n unknown condition. In addition, there is also heightened depression among persons with anosmia (Hummel, T., Landis, B. N., & Hà ¼ttenbrink,, 2011).   Classification of chemosensory dysfunction is as follows: ageusia (loss in sense of taste), hypogeusia (decrease in taste sensitivity), dysgeusia (normal taste distortion), anosmia (loss in of the sense of smell), hyposmia (decrease in smell sensitivity) and dysomia (normal smell distortion). Persons with hypogeusia often need tastants in higher concentrations in order to detect the same; their threshold for detecting and recognizing tastants is elevated above the normal controls. These group of persons also have less intense suprathreshold concentrations. Persons with dysgeusi experience taste distortion such as metallic/bitter taste sides that are not often linked to the foods they are consuming. Analogous impairments in perceptions of smell are often reported in persons with dysosmia and hyposmia. The chemosensory deficits that the elderly experience are irreversible. However, there are several sensory interventions that can be applied such as odour and taste intensification to compensate for perceptual loss that is age related. One such method is addition of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in food during and after its preparation to enhance its taste and smell as well as enhance its palatability. When a person presents with taste and smell disorders, they will first need reassurance and counselling that they are not suffering from an infection or malignant disease. Once diagnosis of diminished smell is done, the management goal will entail injury prevention that is related to the condition. Gas detection visual stimulating devices are ideal for a person that use gas stoves as such a person will be incapable of smelling a gas leak. Neighbours and relatives will need to be involved in assisting such a person as he/she may be unable to detect spoiled food which can cause food poisoning if consumed. MSG is the glutamic acid sodium salt that poses the unique umami taste quality. The term umami is Japanese with no English translation , and is used for describing the MSG taste as well as the taste of certain broths and fish. The umami taste is similar to the protein taste. Different tests have shown that umami does not fall in any of the categories of bitter, salty, sour, and sweet. MSG is used in making commercial mixtures that contain specific 5†²-ribonucleotides such as IMP (inosine-5†²-monophosphate) and GMP (guanosine-5†²-monophosphate). MSG together with these compounds have synergistic and potent effects, including a significant decrease in the threshold levels of MSG. A person with a taste disorder will need flavoring enhancements added to his/her food. Flavors are a combination of odorant molecules which are blended or extracted from natural product or can be synthesized from natural products through   mass spectrographic and chromatographic analysis. Flavor enhancers modify or enhance the food's original aroma or taste but lack their individual aroma or taste. For example, simulated beef flavour can be used as an addition to beef or beef soup to increase the beef sensation. There is a difference in flavour enhancement from the more common taste and odour sensation enhancers such as salt, herbs, and spices. Herbs and spices add diverse flavours as opposed to intensifying the food's existing chemosensory properties. Flavours are not spices hence they do not cause any stomach or mouth irritations. The main component in flavour enhancements is salt but also, MSG is used often. Flavour enhancement added in food for the sick and elderly can improve the palatability of food and also its acceptance, slow or reverse decline in functionality, increase counts of lymphocytes, and improve the overall quality of life. It also potentially makes up for anorexia (Islam, Fagundo, & Arcelus, 2015).One study revealed that enhancement of flavour for the elderly living in a retirement home resulted in an enhanced immune status as witnessed in levels of B and T cell counts and also an improved strength in grip (Islam et al., 2015). In addition, odour and taste stimulation among the elderly has been shown to improve with an increased salivary IgA rate (Philips et al., 2015) Several factors contribute to impaired appetite among the elderly and these are often linked to the psychological and physical alterations that come with ageing. Poor appetite is significant as it increases the likelihood of a person becoming nutritionally deficient and even losing weight. Weight loss is particularly difficult to regain in elderly patients and along with nutritional deficiency, they are both associated with mortality and poor health outcomes. The nurse is in a position to quickly identify patients that have impaired appetite and can commence on interventions to help the elderly patients to enhance their appetite and increase food intake by utilizing different strategies as discussed in this paper. These strategies include flavoring food with sauces, spices, and herbs, improving the ambience of food, ensuring the patient has company while eating, serving meals that the patient has shown preference for and during regular times when the patient eats. Amplification of fo od taste and flavor using MSG can improve the palatability of the food and its acceptance as well. It can also increase the immunity and salivary flow in a patient as well as minimize oral complaints among the elderly and the sick. Flavor molecules compensate for losses in chemosensory abilities by interacting with receptors in the mouth. MSG adds taste without enhancing other tastes.   It may also be helpful to increase the patient's physical activity. Finally, the use of oral nutritional supplements may be necessitated in supporting elderly patients with acute illness and who have very low appetite. Ahmed, T., & Haboubi, N. (2010). Assessment and management of nutrition in older people and its importance to health.  Clinical Interventions in Aging,  5, 207–216. Amerine, M. A., Pangborn, R. M., & Roessler, E. B. (2013).  Principles of sensory evaluation of food. Elsevier. Bakalar, N. (2012). Sensory science: partners in flavour.  Nature,  486(7403), S4-S5. Bromley, S.M. & Doty, R.L.   (2014)Clinical disorders affecting taste: an update.   Chapter 39 in R.L. 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P., de Rezende Pinna, F., & Voegels, R. L. (2014). Main causes and diagnostic evaluation in patients with primary complaint of olfactory disturbances.  Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngology,  80(3), 202-207. Hummel, T., Landis, B. N., & Hà ¼ttenbrink, K.-B. (2011). Smell and taste disorders.  GMS Current Topics in Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery,  10, Doc04. https://doi.org/10.3205/cto000077 Islam, M. A., Fagundo, A. B., Arcelus, J., Agà ¼era, Z., Jimà ©nez-Murcia, S., Fernà ¡ndez-Real, J. M., †¦ Fernandez-Aranda, F. (2015). Olfaction in eating disorders and abnormal eating behavior: a systematic review.  Frontiers in Psychology,  6, 1431. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01431 Jacobson, A., Green, E., & Murphy, C. (2010). Age-Related Functional Changes in Gustatory and Reward Processing Regions: An fMRI Study.  NeuroImage,  53(2), 602–610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.05.012 Malaty, J., & Malaty, I. A. (2013). 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Professional ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Professional ethics - Essay Example The professional ethics usually go in line with the moral ethics, placing expectations to the members of the profession to act in a morally permissible manner. Examples of common professional ethics that cut across all professions include loyalty, transparency, integrity, honesty, among others. Some professionals such as medical practitioners have their own universal code of ethics which are observed world-wide by all the members of that profession. All medical doctors have to abide to the ‘Hippocratic oath’, which is their universal form of professional ethics. Professional ethics are very important not only for the professionals but also for the members of the public. They place some responsibilities on members of a certain profession in line with the training and expectations of the society from the professions. For example, professional ethics of a police officer give him or her responsibility of maintaining law and order, preventing crime and ensuring the general wellbeing of the society. It would thus be against the professional ethics of a police officer if a crime is committed in his presence and the officer does not respond to the situation. On the contrary, an ordinary citizen or member of another profession who has no training in law enforcement will not be held responsible for being unable to stop a crime in progress as that is not his/her responsibility. Professional ethics also aid in ensuring optimum service delivery by members of a profession by maintaining discipline within the profession. For example, professional ethics expect members of a profession always to strive to deliver as per the main objectives of the profession without looking at monetary gain. This means that for one to be a member of a given profession, he or she must have a passion and will to serve the people as per what the society expects of them without looking at how much he/she will gain from doing so. For example, it is professional ethics that