Importance of Intercultural Communication to Ist - 7702 Words

Chapter 4 - The Deep Structure of Culture Introduction Our interpretation of reality determines how we define the world and how we interact in that world. We believe the source of how a culture views the world can be found in its deep structure. It is this deep structure that unifies and makes each culture unique. Meaning of the Deep Structure of Culture Although many intercultural communication problems occur on the interpersonal level, most serious confrontations and misunderstandings are as a result of cultural differences that go to the basic core of what it means to be a member of one culture or another. Cultural collisions are evident worldwide e.g. ethnic violence in Africa, clashes between Hindus and Muslims in both India†¦show more content†¦Whether it is the Eightfold Path, the Ten Commandments, or the Five Pillars of Islam, the messages of these writings survive. Each generation is given the wisdom, traditions and customs that make a culture unique. However, one needs to be aware of the fact that often deep-seated hatreds that turn one culture against another also endure. iii) Deep Structure Institutions and their Messages are Deeply Felt The content generated by these institutions, and the institutions themselves, arouse deep and emotional feelings. Think for a moment about the violent reactions that can be produced by taking Gods name in vain. Countries and religious causes have been able to send young men to war, and politicians have attempted to win elections by arousing people to the importance of God, country, and family. Regardless of a persons culture, the deep structure of that culture is something people feel intensely about. iv) Deep Structure Institutions Supply Much of Our Identity We are not born with an identity and of the most important responsibilities of any culture is to assist its member in forming their identities. Through countless interactions we discover who we are. We learn our identities through socialization. Charon. Remember that socialization takes place in the family. As you come in contact with other people, you begin to develop a variety of identities. Everyone hasShow MoreRelatedThe Literacy Level Of The Learner2090 Words   |  9 Pages 1. Classroom talk Learner talk in the target language can only flourish if teachers themselves are prepared to use and maintain the TL the MFL classroom as the main communication language. But there are many other factors that contributes to learner talk in the TL or the lack of it. One prominent factor is the literacy level of the learner in his own mother language. There might be a lack of grammatical knowledge as well as problems with spelling, reading and writing. If the learner has not yetRead MoreMiscommunication: Phonology and Message5776 Words   |  24 PagesInhalt 1. Introduction 1 2. Phonetics and phonology – the transmission of a message 2 2.1. A communication model 2 2.2. Phonological elements of communication 3 2.3. Prosodic elements of communication 4 3. Miscommunication – Problems in the auditory channel 6 3.1. Hearing and Listening 6 3.2. Channel- based and interactional- related miscommunication 8 3.3. Sender and receiver related miscommunication 8 3.3.1 Prosodic problems 9 3.3.2 Phonological problems 10 4. Analysis of miscommunicationRead MoreAbstract: Culture6941 Words   |  28 PagesABSTRACT Culture is the background of every human communication. Cultural embedding as a feature of texts in general is also valid in technical and scientific texts. As translation by humans is based on understanding, the translator needs knowledge in order to detect cultural aspects. This is possible by putting down implicit cultural references to certain structures on the text level. Cultural elements appear in the text on all levels – from the concept and form of words, to the sentence and textRead MoreManaging the International Value Chain in the Automotive Industry60457 Words   |  242 Pagestheopportunitiesofferedbytheglobaleconomic system.However,thecompetitivepositionofan internationallyactivecompanyisnotdetermined MartinSpilker Program director Thechangesthathavetakenplaceinoperations, production,communicationsanddecisionmakingareparticularlyevidentintheautomotive industry.Thereisnosuchthingasaâ€Å"worldcar†; particularlyinthemassmarket,manufacturers needtoadapttheirproductstosuiteachindividualcountry.Thisisnotanewinsight

Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe And William Shakespeare...

Roughly based on personal encounters Joseph Conrad uses Heart of Darkness to comment on the negative aspects of colonialism. Colonialism by definition is, â€Å"the policy and practice of a power in extending control over weaker peoples or areas.† In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, colonialism plays a significant role in the break down of humans. The conquerors in both stories disregard the natives believing that they are working towards the greater good of civilization. Conrad’s quote plays a significant roles in these stories by highlighting the negative effects of colonialism and the use of religion to claim foreign lands. In Conrad’s quote the description of the conquest colonialism is summed up by, â€Å"taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves.† The novel Things Fall Apart embodies this definition of colonialism. The Igbo people in Africa are an established tribe with customs, laws, and religion. Colonialists rationalize taking over other lands with the idea that they are helping to better these people. The Igbo culture proves to be very structured and we can see examples of this through the respect of the elders and the following of ancient traditions. These Africans are not savage or primitive in spite of the common portrayal by Europeans. The colonialist came to their land insisting that they need a leader, religion, and government. When missionaries arrive in

Human Resource Practices for Uber- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theHuman Resource Practices for Uber. Answer: Introduction On 30th June 2017, the Business Insider Australia reported that Uber was settling unfair dismissal cases. Also, The Australian Financial Review (AFR) reported that Uber does not recognize drivers as employees but contractors.The Rideshare Drivers Association of Australia filed an unfair dismissal case on behalf of a driver who was deactivated. After negotiations, Uber Australia settled for an undisclosed sum. Kamal Farouque, the Maurice Blackburn principal, told Fairfax media that rideshare Uber was compensating employees to avoid their relationship with drivers as contractors being tested by the authority (Tan, 2015). Another driver advocacy group, Rideshares Drivers United, initiated an investigation to find out whether the driver's conditions meet the federal industrial relations laws. The group then claimed that the situation was "a classic sham contracting arrangement." From the news stories, a number of human resource issues show up in the rideshare company. Key Human Resource Issues in Uber Risk employee retention The hiring of employees for an organization is not the only challenge affecting companies but retaining them is more problematic (Mita et al., 2014). Retention of workers is vital to minimize employee turnover. Uber experiences challenges of maintaining provisional workers. Contingent workers include work-at-home employees, part-time and temporary contract. Keeping such employees in the company is a challenge because they are less attached to the company (Gandel, 2015). So it, it a major duty of HRM to make such employees feel that they are a part of the company to retain them for a long term. There are unfair treatments of employees in Uber which kills their morale and has resulted in employee turnover. The dismissal of drivers by the Uber Company Australia not only raise the eyebrows of the trade unions and legal federations but also risk the potential of the organization to retain its employees and the possibility of getting new ones (Kossivi, Xu Kalgora, 2016).Therefore, there i s need to develop proper human resource management strategy for dealing with employees who are found to have committed illegalities rather than dismissing them dishonorably. Moreover, the growing demands for experts employees is a great threat to Uber. Workers with inordinate proficient and technical knowledge are greatly needed in the job market as such employees possess the ability to keep their organization ahead in the race (Hassan, 2016). Such employees are precious assets for any company and HRM should focus on maintaining them. To realize this, the organization is obligated to create a favorable working environment to keep such valuable workers (Mita, Aarti Ravneeta, 2014). Basing on the news story of Uber, the incident of dismissing workers may increase the risk of losing employees (Allen Shanock, 2013). This is evident in an incident of an employee, Ms. Susan Fowler who worked as an engineer for the organization left the rideshare company. Ineffective Conflict Resolution Strategies Uber lack effective conflict resolution measures. Uber has faced many conflicts with their drivers. The company ended up deactivating some of their motorists without a right of reply leading to piling of cases of unfair dismissal against the organization. To avoid conflicts with the drivers, the organization ought to have clarified to them through job analysis and description process (Johansen, 2012). Therefore, Uber can effectively manage its employees through clarifying performance standards required. For instance, Uber should have elaborate requirements regarding its drivers as this will ensure that only those who meet the needs are hired so that conflicts concerning performance are minimized. Again, Uber has failed to come up with a means of setting up performance standards for its motorists (Gandel, 2015) such that anyone who applies can join and register as a driver something that is risky to the company. Uber should also clearly establish employees duties and responsibilities. Before workers are considered for the job, they must be informed of what they are expected to do. As an employer, uber ought to educate their drivers on what they expect of them. Misunderstanding can also be established by developing appropriate relationships with the employees to facilitate transparency in all undertakings (Nikpour, 2017). Uber should lay down rules and regulations regarding the conduct of their drivers and their relationships with both the company and the clients. Ideally, being accountable on any undertakings will also reduce conflicts which may be caused by employees. As a company, there should be well-formulated strategies of holding the person responsible for accounting for the mess. This will ensure strict adherence to rules and regulations and hence reduce cases of conflicts. Furthermore, job analysis and description will enhance legal compliance and classification whether individuals hired qualifies for the position. Since Uber Technologies Company was secretly compensating the drivers who had filed unfair dismissal cases, it implies that the organization did not follow the job description process promptly. By so doing, they were trying to avoid legal actions against them which reveal there is no apparent procedure put forth to handle such problems. Uber Australia does not stick to compliance requirements Compliance with federal and state labor laws is vital for any organization looking forward to success.The company is fully responsible for ensuring duty awareness regarding safety, working hours, wages and employee benefits and conduct (Nikpour, 2017). It is an obligation of the management team of an organization to fix the compliance issues and ensure that they are fully implemented (Anwar, Shahzad Ijaz-ul-Rehman, 2012).The company is obliged to demonstrate that the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) requirements are met and ensure that accurate and up-to-date information is given to the employees. Uber failed to stick to the compliance requirements when the rideshare giant deactivated some of their drivers without notice. Poor Corporate culture in the organization Corporate culture is the beliefs and behaviors that determine the manner in which employees and management of a particular company interact and how they deal with outside business transactions. It can be depicted through dressing code, working hours, the setup of the business and the character of the people hired by the company. According to Buller McEvoy (2012), the corporate culture of uber Australia is below standard as a result of how the organization interacts with its employees. This premise is evidenced by the incidence when the rideshare company dismissed some its drivers. Also, a former employee, Ms. Susan Fowler reported that she was sexually harassed by one of the managers of the organization while she was working as an engineer (Johansen, 2012). Uber can, therefore, enhance its corporate culture through the following ways: Create a culture of collaboration. Managers are at their pre-eminent when the companys culture embraces collaboration. Motivating individual achievement is essential but not enough (Solkhe Chaudhary, 2011). The culture of collaboration will enable Uber to have effective leaders to catapult the organization towards success. Also, Uber should provide training to employees to develop their communication skills. We may expect our leaders to be good communicators, but too often it's not the case. Communication styles vary widely; what may work for one organization may not work for another; therefore, this is appropriate in developing a corporate culture. Uber is supposed to set the bar high for communications skills, provide management training to its employees (Bidisha Mukulesh, 2013). Consequently, good communicators enhance formation of effective teams and trust; nonetheless, poor communicators create uncertainty in the organization. Conclusion Uber Australia has had its performance and relations with employees under scrutiny. The company which has over 60,000 drivers in Australia faces many unfair dismissal cases from drivers who were deactivated - barring them from accessing the companys application. Although Uber does not consider drivers as employees, it went on settle the drivers whose cases were filed by The Rideshare Drivers Association of Australia (RDAA).The argument of drivers as reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman was that the ride shares company was considering them as self-employed or rather contractors yet the organization controlled everything. They further complained that the drivers earned below the minimum wage set by the contractors law. The news story raises important human resource issues that include but not limited to risking employee retention, inappropriate conflict resolution strategies, compliance requirements and poor corporate culture.Uber Australia has failed to address these challenges resulti ng to its raw with the employees. Recommendations Following the news stories that have been going viral on the business media, it is recommended that Uber Technologies Company Australia ought to: Adopt legal policies of dismissing their drivers whenever they suspect or confirm them to have committed an offense. This strategy can be implemented through complying with legal imperatives regarding labor while dismissing unproductive employees. Device proper and effective strategies for resolving conflicts between the company and its employees. Uber can pursue this through establishing a relevant body to be addressing any issue that arises between workers. It can further encourage its employees to embrace peaceful conflict management approaches such as mediation and others. Embrace effective and satisfactory means of communication in resolving issues with employees. This strategy can be implemented through establishing effective and clear communication channels. Implement laid down rules and regulations to comply with the requirements of the labor and industrial laws. Uber can achieve this by complying with international regulations regarding employment. Doing this will ostensibly help to avert potential conflicts with workers. Create a culture of collaboration between the management and the employees and will be implemented through soliciting for their opinion before formulating various decisions. References Allen, D.G. Shanock, L.R. (2013) Perceived Organizational Support and Embeddedness as Key Mechanisms Connecting Socialization Tactics to Commitment and Turnover among New Employees. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 34, pp. 350-369. Anwar, C. M., Shahzad, K., Ijaz-ul-Rehman, Q. (2012). Managing conflicts through personality management. African Journal of Business Management, 6(10), pp. 3725. Bidisha, L. D Mukulesh, B. (2013) Employee Retention: A Review of Literature. Journal of Business and Management, 14, pp. 8-16. Buller, P., McEvoy, G. (2012). Strategy, Human Resource Management, and Performance:Sharpening Line of Sight. Human Resource Management Review, 22, pp. 43-56 Gandel, S. (2015). Here's What It Would Cost Uber to Pay Its Drivers as Employees. Fortune.Retrieved Sep. 25, 2017, from https://fortune.com/2015/09/17/ubernomics/ Hassan, S. (2016). Impact of HRM Practices on Employees Performance. International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, 6(1), pp. 15-22. Johansen, M. L. (2012). Keeping the peace: Conflict management strategies for nursemanagers. Nursing Management, 43(2), pp. 50-54. Kossivi, B., Xu, M., Kalgora, B. (2016). Study on determining factors of employee retention. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 4(05), pp. 261. Mita, M., Aarti K. Ravneeta, D. (2014) Study on Employee Retention and Commitment. International Journal of Advance Research in Computer Science and Management Studies, 2, pp. 154-164. Nikpour, A. (2017). The impact of organizational culture on organizational performance: Themediating role of employee's organizational commitment. International Journal of Organizational Leadership, 6(1), pp. 65. Solkhe, A., Chaudhary, N. (2011) HRD climate and job satisfaction: An empirical investigation. International Journal of Computing and Business Research, 2, pp. 1-20. Tan, B. (2015). The Rise and Rise Of Uber In Australia. Retrieved on 25 sep. 2017fromhttps://www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/01/the-rise-and-rise-of-uber-in-australia/

Why Is the Soft Drink Industry so Profitable Essay Example

Why Is the Soft Drink Industry so Profitable? Paper An industry analysis through Porter’s Five Forces reveals that market forces are favorable for profitability. Defining the industry: Both concentrate producers (CP) and bottlers are profitable. These two parts of the industry are extremely interdependent, sharing costs in procurement, production, marketing and distribution. Many of their functions overlap; for instance, CPs do some bottling, and bottlers conduct many promotional activities. The industry is already vertically integrated to some extent. They also deal with similar suppliers and buyers. Entry into the industry would involve developing operations in either or both disciplines. Beverage substitutes would threaten both CPs and their associated bottlers. Because of operational overlap and similarities in their market environment, we can include both CPs and bottlers in our definition of the soft drink industry. In 1993, CPs earned 29% pretax profits on their sales, while bottlers earned 9% profits on their sales, for a total industry profitability of 14% (Exhibit 1). This industry as a whole generates positive economic profits. Rivalry: Revenues are extremely concentrated in this industry, with Coke and Pepsi, together with their associated bottlers, commanding 73% of the case market in 1994. Adding in the next tier of soft drink companies, the top six controlled 89% of the market. In fact, one could characterize the soft drink market as an oligopoly, or even a duopoly between Coke and Pepsi, resulting in positive economic profits. To be sure, there was tough competition between Coke and Pepsi for market share, and this occasionally hampered profitability. For example, price wars resulted in weak brand loyalty and eroded margins for both companies in the 1980s. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Is the Soft Drink Industry so Profitable? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why Is the Soft Drink Industry so Profitable? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why Is the Soft Drink Industry so Profitable? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Pepsi Challenge, meanwhile, affected market share without hampering per case profitability, as Pepsi was able to compete on attributes other than price. Substitutes: Through the early 1960s, soft drinks were synonymous with â€Å"colas† in the mind of consumers. Over time, however, other beverages, from bottled water to teas, became more popular, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. Coke and Pepsi responded by expanding their offerings, through alliances (e. g. Coke and Nestea), acquisitions (e. g. Coke and Minute Maid), and internal product innovation (e. g. Pepsi creating Orange Slice), capturing the value of increasingly popular substitutes internally. Proliferation in the number of brands did threaten the profitability of bottlers through 1986, as they more frequent line set-ups, increased capital investment, and development of special management skills for more complex manufacturing operations and distribution. Bottlers were able to overcome these operational challenges through consolidation to achieve economies of scale. Overall, because of the CPs efforts in diversification, however, substitutes became less of a threat. Power of Suppliers: The inputs for Coke and Pepsi’s products were primarily sugar and packaging. Sugar could be purchased from many sources on the open market, and if sugar became too expensive, the firms could easily switch to corn syrup, as they did in the early 1980s. So suppliers of nutritive sweeteners did not have much bargaining power against Coke, Pepsi, or their bottlers. NutraSweet, meanwhile, had recently come off patent in 1992, and the soft drink industry gained another supplier, Holland Sweetener, which reduced Searle’s bargaining power and lowering the price of aspartame. With an abundant supply of inexpensive aluminum in the early 1990s and several can companies competing for contracts with bottlers, can suppliers had very little supplier power. Furthermore, Coke and Pepsi effectively further reduced the supplier of can makers by negotiating on behalf of their bottlers, thereby reducing the number of major contracts available to two. With more than two companies vying for these contracts, Coke and Pepsi were able to negotiate extremely favorable agreements. In the plastic bottle business, again there were more suppliers than major contracts, so direct negotiation by the CPs was again effective at reducing supplier power. Power of buyers: The soft drink industry sold to consumers through five principal channels: food stores, convenience and gas, fountain, vending, and mass merchandisers (primary part of â€Å"Other† in â€Å"Cola Wars†¦Ã¢â‚¬  case). Supermarkets, the principal customer for soft drink makers, were a highly fragmented industry. The stores counted on soft drinks to generate consumer traffic, so they needed Coke and Pepsi products. But due to their tremendous degree of fragmentation (the biggest chain made up 6% of food retail sales, and the largest chains controlled up to 25% of a region), these stores did not have much bargaining power. Their only power was control over premium shelf space, which could be allocated to Coke or Pepsi products. This power did give them some control over soft drink profitability. Furthermore, consumers expected to pay less through this channel, so prices were lower, resulting in somewhat lower profitability. National mass merchandising chains such as Wal-Mart, on the other hand, had much more bargaining power. While these stores did carry both Coke and Pepsi products, they could negotiate more effectively due to their scale and the magnitude of their contracts. For this reason, the mass merchandiser channel was relatively less profitable for soft drink makers. The least profitable channel for soft drinks, however, was fountain sales. Profitability at these locations was so abysmal for Coke and Pepsi that they considered this channel â€Å"paid sampling. † This was because buyers at major fast food chains only needed to stock the products of one manufacturer, so they could negotiate for optimal pricing. Coke and Pepsi found these channels important, however, as an avenue to build brand recognition and loyalty, so they invested in the fountain equipment and cups that were used to serve their products at these outlets. As a result, while Coke and Pepsi gained only 5% margins, fast food chains made 75% gross margin on fountain drinks. Vending, meanwhile, was the most profitable channel for the soft drink industry. Essentially there were no buyers to bargain with at these locations, where Coke and Pepsi bottlers could sell directly to consumers through machines owned by bottlers. Property owners were paid a sales commission on Coke and Pepsi products sold through machines on their property, so their incentives were properly aligned with those of the soft drink makers, and prices remained high. The customer in this case was the consumer, who was generally limited on thirst quenching alternatives. The final channel to consider is convenience stores and gas stations. If Mobil or Seven-Eleven were to negotiate on behalf of its stations, it would be able to exert significant buyer power in transactions with 3 Coke and Pepsi. Apparently, though, this was not the nature of the relationship between soft drink producers and this channel, where bottlers’ profits were relatively high, at $0. 40 per case, in 1993. With this high profitability, it seems likely that Coke and Pepsi bottlers negotiated directly with convenience store and gas station owners. So the only buyers with dominant power were fast food outlets. Although these outlets captured most of the soft drink profitability in their channel, they accounted for less than 20% of total soft drink sales. Through other markets, however, the industry enjoyed substantial profitability because of limited buyer power. Barriers to Entry: It would be nearly impossible for either a new CP or a new bottler to enter the industry. New CPs would need to overcome the tremendous marketing muscle and market presence of Coke, Pepsi, and a few others, who had established brand names that were as much as a century old. Through their DSD practices, these companies had intimate relationships with their retail channels and would be able to defend their positions effectively through discounting or other tactics. So, although the CP industry is not very capital intensive, other barriers would prevent entry. Entering bottling, meanwhile, would require substantial capital investment, which would deter entry. Further complicating entry into this market, existing bottlers had exclusive territories in which to distribute their products. Regulatory approval of intrabrand exclusive territories, via the Soft Drink Interbrand Competition Act of 1980, ratified this strategy, making it impossible for new bottlers to get started in any region where an existing bottler operated, which included every significant market in the US. In conclusion, an industry analysis by Porter’s Five Forces reveals that the soft drink industry in 1994 was favorable for positive economic profitability, as evidenced in companies’ financial outcomes. Compare the economics of the concentrate business to the bottling business. Why is the profitability so different? In some ways, the economics of the concentrate business and the bottling business should be inextricably linked. The CPs negotiate on behalf of their suppliers, and they are ultimately dependent on the same customers. Even in the case of materials, such as aspartame, that are incorporated directly into concentrates, CPs pass along any negotiated savings directly to their bottlers. Yet the industries are quite different in terms of profitability. The fundamental difference between CPs and bottlers is added value. The biggest source of added value for CPs is their proprietary, branded products. Coke has protected its recipe for over a hundred years as a trade secret, and has gone to great lengths to prevent others from learning its cola formula. The company even left a billion-person market (India) to avoid revealing this information. As a result of extended histories and successful advertising efforts, Coke and Pepsi are respected household names, giving their products an aura of value that cannot be easily replicated. Also hard to replicate are Coke and Pepsi’s sophisticated strategic and operational management practices, another source of added value. Bottlers have significantly less added value. Unlike their CP counterparts, they do not have branded products or unique formulas. Their added value stems from their relationships with CPs and with their 4 customers. They have repeatedly negotiated contracts with their customers, with whom they work on an ongoing basis, and whose idiosyncratic needs are familiar to them. Through long-term, in depth relationships with their customers, they are able to serve customers effectively. Through DSD programs, they lower their customers’ costs, making it possible for their customers to purchase and sell more product. In this way, bottlers are able to grow the pie of the soft drink market. Their other source of profitability is their contract relationships with CPs, which grant them exclusive territories and share some cost savings. Exclusive territories prevent intrabrand competition, creating oligopolies at the bottler level, which reduce rivalry and allow profits. To further build â€Å"glass houses,† as described by Nalebuff and Brandenberger (Co-opetition, p. 88), for their bottlers, CPs pass along some of their negotiated supply savings to their bottlers. Coke gives 2/3 of negotiated aspartame savings to its bottlers by contract, and Pepsi does this in practice. This practice keeps bottlers comfortable enough, so that they are unlikely to challenge their contracts. Bottlers’ principal ability is to use their capital resources effectively. Such operational effectiveness is not a driver of added value, however, as operational effectiveness is easily replicated. Between 1986 and 1993, the differences in added value between CPs and bottlers resulted in a major shift in profitability within the industry. Exhibit 1 demonstrates these dramatic changes. While industry profitability increased by 11%, CP profits rose by 130% on a per case basis, from $0. 10 to $0. 23. During this period, bottler profits actually dropped on a per case basis by 23%, from $0. 5 to 0. 27. One possibility is that product line expansion in defense against new age beverages helped CPs but hurt bottlers. This would be expected if bottler’s per case costs increased due to the operational challenges and capital costs of producing and distributing broader product lines. This, however, was not the case; cost of sales per case decreased for both CPs and bottlers by 27% during this period, mostly due to economies of scale developed through consolidation. The real difference between the fortunes of CPs and bottlers through this period, then, is in top line revenues. While CPs were able to charge more for their products, bottlers faced price pressure, resulting in lower revenues per case. These per case revenue changes occurred during a period of slowing growth in the industry, as shown in Exhibit 2. Growth in per capita consumption of soft drinks slowed to a 1. 2% CAGR in the period 1989 to 1993, while case volume growth tapered to 2. 3%. In an struggle to secure limited shelf space with more products and slower overall growth, bottlers were probably forced to give up more margin on their products. CPs, meanwhile, could continue increasing the prices for their concentrates with the consumer price index. Coke had negotiated this flexibility into its Master Bottling Contact in 1986, and Pepsi had worked price increases based on the CPI into its bottling contracts. So, while the bottlers faced increasing price pressure in a slowing market, CPs could continue raising their prices. Despite improvements in per case costs, bottlers could not improve their profitability as a percent of total sales. As a result, through the period of 1986 to 1993, bottlers did not gain any of the profitability gains enjoyed by CPs. Why have contracts between CPs and bottlers taken the form they have in the soft drink industry? Contracts between CPs and bottlers were strategically constructed by the CPs. Although beneficial to bottlers on the surface, the contracts favored the CPs’ long-term strategies in important ways. First, territorial exclusivity is beneficial to bottlers, as it prevents intrabrand competition, ensures bargaining power over buyers and establishes barriers to entry. But it is also beneficial to CPs, who are also not subject to price wars within their own brand. The contracts also excluded bottlers from producing the flagship products of competitors. This created monopoly status for the CPs, from the bottler perspective. Each bottler could only negotiate with one supplier for its premium product. Violation of this stipulation would result in termination of the contract, which would leave the bottler in a difficult position. Historically, contracts were designed hold syrup prices constant into perpetuity, only influenced by rising prices of sugar. This changed in 1978 and 1986, as contracts were renegotiated, first to accommodate for rises in the CPI, and then to give general flexibility to the CP (Coke) in setting prices. Coke could negotiate this more flexible pricing because its bottlers were dependent on it for business. It further ensured that its bottlers would be captive to its monopoly status by buying major bottlers and then selling them into the CCE holding company, which would only produce Coke products. Coke would capture 49% of the dividends from CCE, without the complications of vertical integration. Should concentrate producers vertically integrate into bottling? Given the data in Exhibit 1, indicating the CP business has grown more profitable over the last seven years, while the bottling industry has struggled to retain any profitability, it would not be advisable to vertically integrate. Stuckey and White (p. 8) indicate that a firm should â€Å"Integrate into those stages of the industry chain where the most economic surplus is available, irrespective of closeness to the customer or the absolute size of the value added. † In the soft drink industry, CPs generally miss out on the profits earned through fountain sales. Pepsi, realizing that fast food chains were capturing most of the value of fountain sales, entered the fast food business by purchasing Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC. These mergers allowed the firm to capture more value from its soft drink sales, but these mergers could also be problematic. For example, PepsiCo might not have a core competency in food sales or a strong position in the industry. Because it might not be able to effectively transfer skills or share activities with its fast food businesses, the mergers might not be successful in the long run. Stuckey and White also point out that â€Å"high-surplus stages must, by definition, be protected by barriers to entry. † So it could be difficult for Coke to enter the fast food business. It could be prohibitively expensive to purchase McDonalds or Burger King, and developing a chain of its own against such formidable competition would be extremely risky. So integration into this phase of the value chain would be difficult or impossible for Coke. As Stuckey and White say, â€Å"don’t vertically integrate unless it is absolutely necessary to create or protect value. † We shall address each of these individually to formally refute the plausibility of vertical integration of CPs into bottling. (1) â€Å"The market is too risky and unreliable. † On the contrary, the concentrate market is highly stable and will be for a long time to come. (2) â€Å"Companies in adjacent stages of the industry 6 chain have more market power than companies in your stage. The opposite is true, CPs already have more market power than bottlers, so they should not vertically integrate. (3) â€Å"Integration would create or exploit market power by raising barriers to entry or allowing price discrimination across customer segments. † In fact, CPs already have market power through efficient barriers to entry, and effectively price discriminate through various retail channels. (4) â€Å"The market is young and the company must forward integrate to develop a market, or the market is declining and independents are pulling out of adjacent stages. † The market is neither young nor declining. Having determined that a vertical integration strategy fails all four of Stuckey and White’s tests, CPs should not pursue vertical integration into bottling.

Socraric Method Essays - Socratic Dialogues, Dialogues Of Plato

Socraric Method The Socratic Method of philosophy is basically a series of question leading to an answer. In order for this method to work though, two conditions must be met. The first one is that the interlocutor has to say what he believes. The second is that the answers must be kept short. Here is a classic example of how this method works. It is a dialogue between Socrates and Euthyphro. The thesis is What is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious. Next Socrates gets Euthyphro to agree to the following points. The first point is that piety and impiety are opposite. The next point is that the gods are in a state of discord. The next is that they are in discord over what is just and what is unjust. They have no set unit to measure it by. The next point is that the different gods consider different things to be just and unjust. From there he goes on to agree that some things are both just and unjust. Finally, he agrees that some things can be both god loved and god hated. The same things would then be both pious and impious according to the argument above. The way that this argument relates to the rest of the Euthyphro starts back at the beginning of the story. Socrates sees Euthyphro standing by the courthouse and naturally asks why he is there. Euthyphro explains that he is the prosecutor in a murder trial. It turns out that it is his father that he is prosecuting for the murder of a murderer. He laments to Socrates that his family and friends believe that his doing this is impious, but he believes that they are mistaken and this reveals their ignorance of piety. Since Socrates is Socrates, this naturally leads him to ask just exactly what piety is. This argument is the first of three arguments in the Euthyphro that try to answer the question of what exactly piety is. The next arguments are that the pious are what all the gods love, and the opposite, what all the gods hate, is the impious. The third argument is that piety is part of justice, but it is a weak argu ment and it really never gets fully explained. Philosophy Essays

Understanding Keywords for Website Content - Proofeds Writing Tips

Understanding Keywords for Website Content - Proofeds Writing Tips Understanding Keywords for Website Content Every business needs a website nowadays, so knowing how to write good content using SEO keywords is vital. But what exactly are keywords? And what does this mean in practice when writing for your website? In this post, we look at the basics of using keywords in online content. What Is a Keyword? At its most basic, a keyword is a term that someone enters into a search engine to find a website. For all of the content on your website, then, you should think about which keywords will make it easy to find. In other words, your website content should be built around keywords. If you haven’t done so already, you should develop a list of keywords to use on your site. A good starting points for this is Google Analytics, which lets you see how people are currently finding your site. Looking at which keywords your competitors use on their websites is a good idea, too. Google has all the data.(Image: Google Design team) Before you start writing, though, you also need to know the difference between short tail and long tail keywords. Short Tail Keywords Short tail keywords (otherwise known as â€Å"head terms†) are single words or short phrases related to your core business activities. For instance, short tail keywords for our website would include terms like â€Å"proofreading† and â€Å"copy editing.† These are important because a lot of people search for them, but there is also a lot of competition for most short tail keywords. Long Tail Keywords Long tail keywords are longer, specific phrases closely related to some aspect of your business. In our case, for instance, we might identify phrases such as â€Å"American English proofreading for college papers† or â€Å"professional formatting for business documents.† People search for these terms less often, but it is easier to rank higher in search results for long tail keywords. 5 Tips for Using Keywords in Online Content Finally, we will offer five handy tips for how to work keywords into your writing. Give them a try next time you are working on some website copy! Quality beats quantity – In the past, you could trick search engines by packing a web page with keywords (this was known as â€Å"keyword stuffing†). However, modern search algorithms penalize websites that do this, so it should be avoided! Instead, focus on writing good quality content with your keywords scattered occasionally throughout. Use keywords strategically – Different types of keyword should be used on different parts of your website. Use short tail keywords on the most important pages (e.g., the home page or where you describe services). But you should also use a range of long tail keywords elsewhere on the site (e.g., a blog or news section). This will give you a large database of specific words and phrases that customers can use to find you. Readability above all – Never force a keyword into a sentence where it doesn’t fit. After all, if someone clicks on your site and gives up after reading the first awkward paragraph, keywords count for nothing. Make sure all content on your website is well written and error free first. Clever formatting – You can boost SEO results by formatting keywords so that they stand out (e.g., with bold or italic fonts). Using keywords in subheadings is especially important. You may also want to use bullet points to make pages easier to skim read. Use the meta description – While using keywords in online content is important, you should also use them in the meta description for each page of your site. This is the short summary that users see as a preview in search engines, so it is vital to get this passage right!

Read the Ethnography Shadowed lives (undocumented immigrants in Essay

Read the Ethnography Shadowed lives (undocumented immigrants in American society) by Leo R. Chavez and use it to discuss social institution supported by case studies - Essay Example The paper refers to the case studies mentioned by Leo Chavez (1997: 121-140), in which the author has discussed the pathetic financial condition of the people of South America and the methodologies they adopt to escape financial miseries. In his work â€Å"Shadowed Lives†, Chavez has also pointed out the efforts and struggle made by these individuals in order to come out of their pecuniary embarrassments by migrating towards North America by hook or crook. He has indicated towards the illegal migrants living in the USA for financial purposes. He views that Mexicans have highest proportion of migration to San Diego and other states of the USA. Chavez is of the opinion that since man maintains strong and unconditional emotional ties with his family; he is always determined to work for the uplift of his family members. Since man cannot live far from his family for long, he also strives to bring his family in the same prosperous areas and states of the USA, where he has gone for job or labor. The rapid migration leads to cause social and cultural imbalances in the population statistics of the entire region on the one hand, and accelerates the level of struggle and miseries of the undocumented immigrants on the other. The illegal or undocumented population faces unabated problems in society, and has to bribe the security personnel for re-crossing the state boundaries to meet their family members. It has aptly been stated that family has been the most fundamental institution of every society and culture of the globe at large since ever, which is responsible for the fulfillment of man’s all basic needs and desires. Man is born and dies in family, and obtains food, clothes, shelter, protection and emotional support from this basic institution of society. The family is a social institution found in all societies that unites people in

The importance of HBCUs in the modern world Research Paper

The importance of HBCUs in the modern world - Research Paper Example Equality was often the cry. Nowadays, when people think they have achieved the desires of their old folks, social issues such as discrimination or racism are seriously examined on every corner of the world. With the acceptance of the merging of different races towards a global goal, it is being considered if racism has indeed been eradicated or if there is still the scars of racism that show that in the modern world, racism still exists. One of the things being closely examined in relation to this issue is the existence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in a world wherein such racist impositions are greatly criticized. In this paper, it will be studied if the HBCUs are still relevant or if they should be dissolved just as slavery has been dissolved in order to get rid not only of the pains of racism but also its memories and scars. In order to consider well the different angles of the HBCUs, it is important to learn about the history of the colleges and universit ies. According to the title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, an HBCU is a school of higher learning whose principal mission was and is the education of African Americans accredited and established before 1964 (thurgoodmarshallfund.net). The Higher Education Center on the other hand specifically mentions that it is any historically black college or university (higheredcenter.org) and continues with the definition mentioned earlier. The first HBCU was established in 1837, twenty six years before the end of slavery (Coleman), in Pennsylvania and named Cheney University. The school catered to African Americans who have just earned their freedom from their slavery, who wanted to earn an education which they believed would grant them better lives. It was birthed by a Quaker who was also known to be a philanthropist, who yearned to educate and train free Blacks to become teachers (Coleman). For years, HBCUs stood for the educational rights of African American citizens and provided them with quality education that helped them actively participate in their communities. Among them are Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University organized in 1875 through the efforts of a former slave, William Hooper Council; Bowie State University which boasts of its dedication to the advancement of knowledge through teaching, research and service; and Lincoln University, known as the oldest historically black university founded in 1854 (thurgoodmarshallfund.net). The Historically Black Colleges and Universities boast of quality education that made way for a lot of African Americans and other cultures alike to succeed in the educational arena not only for undergraduates but also for graduate studies. It is claimed that nine out of ten of those who earn doctoral degrees are from HBCUs. Moreover, the HBCUs also boast about the high percentage of practicing professionals to be their graduates and African American Medical school applicants from HBCUs to have outnumbered the applic ants from Johns Hopkins, Harvard and the University of Maryland, combined (thinkhbcu.org). Among others that make HBCUs proud about their achievements are the significant number of their African American degree holders and doctorate degrees awarded for communications. HBCUs also boast that they are excellent institutions falling in line with the top ten colleges and universities for African American, even placing in the top six

The structure (the form) of a family changed over time and The purpose Essay

The structure (the form) of a family changed over time and The purpose (the function) of a family changed over time - Essay Example Improved health standards that have reduced mortality rates have changed the families’ perspective of having many children. Over time, the family has become more complex because of the increased rates of cohabitation, reconstituted families, divorce and births to unmarried mothers. The main reason for the breakdowns and complex networks is the increased need for romanticism surrounding marriage (Drucker 12). The purpose of a family has also changed over time. Research shows that only sixty percent of American families can fulfil their purposes. These failures have been due to the rise in cases of divorce, need for self-reliance in women, immoral behaviors in children among others. Today, some parents even disown their children due to conflicts arising between them. Technological advancements such as test-tube babies have destroyed the role of procreation in a family (Magnusson 3). The need for independence in women has made them concentrate in their careers. The reduced parental guidance from parents has led to the deterioration of moral values in

Web Based Technology and Continuing Medical Education

Web Based Technology and Continuing Medical Education This dissertation explores the use of Web based technology to enhance and maintain procedural skills in the context of continuing medical education. The research was initiated by the perceived need for novel and alternative methods of providing procedural skills training to health practitioners. This observation, supported by learning needs analysis, led to the design and implementation of a Web based educational resource aimed at doctors and other healthcare practitioners. The assessment part of the research focused on an empirical evaluation of the effectiveness of this Web based educational resource. This dissertation draws on a number of strands of Health Informatics: Principals of Heath Informatics Research Methods Clinical Information Systems Creating Online Educational Resources Whilst on a small scale, the results are relevant to medical educators involved in developing and evaluating web based educational resources. BACKGROUND Medical practitioners receive comprehensive procedural skills training and it is expected that this is maintained and regularly updated to limit skills decay and ensure clinical competency. Skills decay is defined as the loss of a trained or an acquired skill after a period of nonuse. Skills decay rapidly as the period of nonuse lengthens; and the extent of the decay is influenced by the characteristics of the skill and how and when these skills were learnt. Arthur et al., (1998) Skills are classified either as closed loop or open loop tasks. Arthur et al., (1998). Closed loop tasks are fixed sequence tasks with a defined beginning and end, for example, the preoperative anaesthetic machine check. Open loop tasks are tracking and problem solving tasks, for example, managing patients hypoxia. Arthur et al., (1998) in their review on the rate of skills decay and its influencing factors concluded that closed loop tasks decay more slowly than opened loop tasks. Arthur et al., (1998) also mentions that mental tasks decay more quickly than physical tasks and after 28 to 90 days of nonuse of the trained skills, task performance declines by 23% and by 40% after a year of nonuse. Clinical practice alone may be insufficient to prevent skills decay as indicated in a simulated airway management training study Kovacs et al., (2000). Skills decay quickly without practice; and procedural skills are only optimally retained when trainees regularly practiced the procedure on their own, in their own time and received periodic feedback. Training on simulation modalities, mannequins, fresh cadavers and live patients have the potential to successfully teach the procedural skill with significantly less skills decay over time as compared to didactic teaching alone. TI L et al., (2006). The traditional one to one apprenticeship model of medical procedural skills training and the in-hospital continuous medical education and maintenance of a skills base are often inefficient, expensive, and labour intensive. Patients, who are often used as practice tests subjects during skills training, safety is reliant on the medical practitioner skills retention and task competency. Maintaining procedural skills competency may prove to be increasingly more challenging as expense, time constraints, available manpower, lack of resources and patients reluctance to be used as experimental models make this endeavor increasingly impossible to set up. The resultant worldwide move towards competency based training programs and self directed problem oriented based learning has made necessary the search for alternative valid and reliable educational methods for skills training and its maintenance. Fortunately, the last decade has seen an explosion in the use of technology to enhance medical education. Web-based educational programs, computer aided virtual reality situations, and high fidelity simulation has played an increasingly important role in medical education owning to its efficiency, ability to provide flexible learning experiences, multimedia capabilities, and economies of scale and power to distribute instructional content internationally. Vozenilik et al., (2004) In the last 5 to 10 years extensive empirical research has been conducted on the use of computer aided and web-based instruction in medical education where there has been overwhelming support for these mediums of instruction. Unfortunately the literature is strikingly sparse on the use of Web based instruction for procedural skills training and in the few studies where empirical research has been carried out; study designs were not robust enough to withstand interrogation or had inconclusive results. LITERATURE REVIEW A review of the literature was conducted to ascertain what work had been done in the field of Web based learning, medical education and procedural skills training. A CINAHL and Medline search was carried out exploring all citations up to June 2010. The search using Medical Subjects Headings (MeSH) Computer Aided Instruction, Internet, CME returned 322 publications. Adding the MeSH term Review returned 21 reviews of which four were relevant. Replacing CME with Procedural Skills Training produced only one noteworthy empirical research paper and 2 publications worthy of discussion. Relevant systematic reviews of the literature are summarized in the table below: 3 Title Author / Date Findings Review Conclusions Assessment of the Review Internet-Based Learning in Health Professionals: A Meta-analysis Cook et al., 2008 201 eligible studies with qualitative or comparative studies of Internet based learning accounting for 56 publications Internet formats were equivalent to non-Internet formats in terms of learner satisfaction and changes in knowledge, skills and behavior. Internet based learning is educationally beneficial. Comprehensive work with a robust study design. Skills outcomes included communication with patients, critical appraisal, medication dosing, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and lumbar puncture. Unfortunately the study had many limitations as many publications were poorly designed with low methodological quality, without validity and reliability evidence for assessment scores and with widely varying interventions What the meta analysis did suggest was that no further studies comparing Internet based interventions with traditional methods or no intervention were merited as these types of studies would almost invariably be in favour of Internet Based interventions. The author of the review suggested that the questions that warranted further research would be when and should Internet based learning be used and how could it be effectively implemented giving impetus to the exploration of Internet based skills training and maintenance. Title Author / Date Findings Review Conclusions Assessment of the Review The Effectiveness of Computer-Aided (CAL) Self-Instructional Programs in Dental Education: Rosenberg et al. 2003 1024 articles systematically reviewed. 12 publications included in the final review. Five studies significantly favored CAL. CAL is as effective as other methods of teaching and can be used as an adjunct to traditional education or as a means of self-instruction. This study is a comprehensive review of controlled randomized studies with clear and relevant inclusion criteria assessed with good inter and intra rated reliability. The reviewer limited the study to dental students. Forms of Computer Aided Instruction was not clearly defined or specified in the inclusion criteria. It is unclear whether web based studies were included. The skills referred to in the studies were dental diagnostic not procedural skills. The apparent dearth of studies assessing procedural skills justified the investigation undertaken by this dissertation. Title Author / Date Findings Review Conclusions Assessment of the Review Internet-based medical education: a realist review of what works, for whom and in what circumstances. Wong et al. 2010 249 papers met their inclusion criteria. Learners were more likely to accept a course if it offered a perceived advantage over available internet alternatives, if it was easy to use technically, had elements of interactivity and gave formative feedback. This study is a realist review and the methodology used answered the question of the study which aimed to provide a theory driven criteria to guide development and evaluation of Internet based tools. The findings and guidelines suggested in this review would later be incorporated in the design of the resource to be investigated in this dissertation. Title Author / Date Findings Review Conclusions Assessment of the Review eLearning: a review of Internet-based continuing medical education (CME). Wuton et al. 2004 16 studies met their eligibility criteria Internet based CME programs were as effective as traditional formats of CME A comprehensive and appropriate search of databases. Randomized controlled trials of Internet based education in practicing health care professionals. These results showed that Internet based interventions do have a place in CME and that these effects on skills behavior warrants further investigation. Title Author / Date Review Conclusions Assessment of the publication Procedures can be learned on the Web: a randomized study of ultrasound-guided vascular access training. Chenkin et al. 2008 Web based tutorial may be an useful alternative to didactic teaching for learning of procedural skills A randomized control trial with non inferiority data analysis. The non inferiority margin was specified at a 10% margin however the actual amount of improvement was not specified. Blinding bias was not assured and the trial relied on the reputation of the investigator. No mention of inter rated reliability was made. Despite its inherent weaknesses, the trial suggested that web based intervention is as good as the alternatives; however, the study incorporated the use of simulation and live models to teach the actual procedural skill. David Cook is a prolific writer of many reviews and publications investigating Internet based formats in medical education. His noteworthy publications Web based learning: pros, cons and controversies Cook, (2007) and Where are we with Web based education Cook,( 2006) extolled the benefits overcoming barriers of distance and time with novel instructional methods, and extenuated the disadvantages which included social isolation, upfront costs and technical difficulties of Web based education. He concluded that Web based instruction can be a potentially powerful tool and strongly recommended that the focus of future studies should concentrate on the timing and application of Web based learning tools. Summary of literature survey The review of the literature has outlined the use of Web based procedural skills training as an area that requires further research. Empirical research and systematic reviews that has been carried out thus far has been limited. The literature research conducted for this dissertation (though in its self may have been limited) was unable to find publications exploring the whole use of the Internet as a means of procedural skills training and skills maintenance. Justification and Learning needs analysis To assess the effectiveness of an Internet based learning resource in the context of procedural skills training, a skill had to be chosen that was relevant, involved both a physical and mental task, and had the potential of decaying. A procedural skill is defined as the mental (knowledge) and motor activities (behaviour) required to execute a manual task and usually involves patient contact. Kovacs (1997). Furthermore, a learning needs analysis was undertaken to assess the value of this topic choice. Justification Intubation with a Laryngeal Airway Device (LAD) was chosen as the representative procedural skill. When a patient collapses from a cardiac or respiratory cause, timely control of the patients breathing and airway with prompt delivery of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation have resulted in life saving survival and neurological recovery. The LAD is a breathing maintenance device that can, with minimal training, be inserted effortlessly into the mouth of the patient allowing for breathing and oxygenation. It is increasingly being used in the repertoire of techniques available to frontline practitioners (practitioners first on call to resuscitation events) in emergencies where the technique has proven to be easy to use and life saving in the management of an airway crisis. Kette, (2005). In a survey of family medicine practitioners, all practitioners surveyed agreed that insertion of an LAD during a resuscitation procedure was a core procedural skill that most practiti oners were required to perform in any setting; 86% admitting that they had been called upon at some point to perform the procedure. Wetmore et al., (2005). Insertion of a LAD with knowledge of the patients anatomy, indication and contraindication for use and technique of use both under a controlled setting and in an emergency is representative of a procedural skill a frontline practitioners is expected to perform. Learning needs analysis A key step in developing an effective educational website is performing a learning needs analysis to determine what the learning needs the resource hopes to address are and why these needs were not met by existing learning or teaching arrangements. Cook Dupras, ( 2004). A questionnaire not previously validated, making use of closed type questions, were used to assess three broad areas; knowledge and training, skills application and Internet accessibility. Eleven frontline practitioners were asked to provide an indication of how often they were called to attend resuscitation or airway management situations in the last two years. They were surveyed regarding training received in LAD usage and insertion, their desire to obtain more information or skills updating, and whether there was a perceived need for Internet-based continuing medical education courses on LAD usage and intubation. Their attendances at CME workshops in the last year were surveyed and the barriers to CME workshop attendance were assessed. The respondents were surveyed regarding access to the Internet and previous exposure to e-learning modules. This was done to assess whether the uptake of the resource would be biased towards participants with Internet access, frequent Internet uses or previous e-learning experiences. The results of the learning needs analysis showed that most respondents (90%) received exposure to the device. It is a requirement of their post as frontline practitioners, to be Acute Life Support (ALS) trained where usage of the device in resuscitation is taught. Half the respondents indicated that they were not comfortable with their level of knowledge; and 63% felt unconfident about inserting the device as they were on average, only exposed to two resuscitation scenarios per year. All had Internet access at work and at home; and half had previous experience of online learning. Only one percent of the respondents were able to attend a CME session in the last year, citing lack of time and convenience as the main reasons. 80% of respondents were interested in taking courses through the Internet, as continuous education credits are a requirement of a license to practice in medicine. Interest in the topic was high and given the above self-appraisal, it was felt that the course was nee ded and should appeal to this population. METHODS The method section is dealt with in two parts. The first will focus on the development and design of a Web based educational resource and the second on the evaluation of the resource. 1. Development and design The idea was to develop an educational resource that could be used to train, reinforce knowledge and maintain a procedural skill by employing and integrating principles of effective adult learning with the unique features of the web. The development was driven by educational needs and outcomes of learning needs analysis completed by participants in a previous part of this study. 1.1 Development Theories The course design reflected Adult Learning Principles and the aim of the course was to improve knowledge (cognition), integration of attitude changes (confidence) and in so doing result in a change in behaviour (competency). Gale (1986). With accessibility of the Web based educational resource, it was hoped that the resource would be accessed frequently until the task becomes automatic or accessed as a refresher when required or at regular intervals. The resource incorporated principals that were shown to be effective. It was centered on the learners needs, was focused on a specific task and recognised past experiences of the learner (Gale 1986). The theories used in the development of the resource included; Experiential Learning Theory, which concluded that experiential learning should have personal relevance, should be self-initiated and lead to pervasive effects on the learner. Rodgers (1969) Constructivist Theory where learning is an active process with learners constructing new ideas and concepts based upon past and current knowledge. Bruner (1966) Information Processing Theory where knowledge is presentation in sequences or chunking to accommodate short attention spans (Miller 1956). The educational resource strived to be pedagogically sound uniquely applying these principles online. Information was presented in small chunks in a sequential fashion, was self-contained, had interactive components and contained assessments with instant feedback. Online communication did not occur in real time as which happens with video conferencing and online chat rooms, instead the resource used communication that was asynchronous where participants logged on, viewed and downloaded course material, read postings and submitted interactive tasks. The advantage of using an asynchronous format was that learners and/or the instructor did not need to be online at the same time allowing the participant to work at his or her own pace. The asynchronous nature of this web based learning environment allowed for barriers of time, location and expense to be overcome. Sanoff (2005) 1.2 Moodle Description University College Londons (UCL) Moodle was the platform used to develop the educational resource. There are many applications offering free alternatives to the commercial software WebCTTM and BlackboardTM, however the UCL Moodle was chosen as a matter of convenience because it was accessible, independent of specific operating systems, fit for purpose and easy to use without much technical computer knowledge thereby potentially removing barriers to any future course design and development.. Moodle (Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is software freely available to use and was developed by Dougiamas. Moodle. org (1999). The Moodle software was designed on pedagogical principles that encourage learner interaction in a virtual learning environment. Moodle is a course management system used to support Web-based courses and has a number of innovative tools that could be used to create courses that promoted collaborative learning. Moodle is able to run without modification on Unix, Linux, FreeBSD, Windows, Mac OS and Netware. (Moodle. Org). After an initial learning curve, the program was easy to use with simple but comprehensive online instructions. Moodle It did not require pre-existing computer programming knowledge, and in fact the author of this dissertation considered herself a novice computer user. Moodle is written in hypertext pre-processor (PHP) which is HTML embedded scripting language used to create dynamic Web pages.  PHP allows for connecting to remote servers, checking email, URL encoding and setting cookies. It offers good connectivity to many databases including MySQL, and PostgreSQL,  which Moodle uses as a single database. MySQL is a  relational database management system  that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. (www.php.net). Moodle had the support for easily displaying multimedia aspects of the educational resource and the interface could be used in over 70 native language translations. The Web based educational resource was easily built up using multimedia activity modules and design elements, which included with easy navigation; Authentication and enrollment, Syndication with a chat forum made available to others as newsfeeds, Current evidence based didactic teaching, Interactive quizzes allowing import/export in a number of methods Hyperlinked resources to provide for branched learning, The use of a Wikipedia, A glossary of commonly used terms, Instructional video presentations. All the attributes of the Moodle made for an international transportable tool ideal for knowledge presentation, learner interaction, comments and reflection, dynamic and interactive assessments, flexibility, extendibility, and most importantly, support for autonomous learning and continued educational development around the world. The only noteworthy disadvantage of using the UCL Moodle was an imposed instructional design. 1.3 Resource Description The educational resource was named; VIRTUAL [emailprotected]: Onà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"line Laryngeal Airway Device training. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Virtual suggesting both the virtual reality of an Internet based generated environment and the adjective, meaning practically or almost Collins English Dictionary ( 2008). The Web based educational resource was developed for distance learning and contained all the elements of a totally Internet delivered educational resource. The content of the course was drawn from the authors personal experience using the Laryngeal device; peer reviewed journal articles, manufactures product information and videos downloaded from the Internet. Permission for the use of copywriter-restricted material was sought and obtained where appropriate. 1.3.1 Screen Design The screen design refers to how the information was arranged and presented on the display screen. The guidelines used followed those (amongst others) suggested by DoD HCI Style Guide (1992). The screen was kept simple, orderly, clutter free and consistent with a limited, non-dominating colour palate of four colours à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" blue, black, white and blue à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" green, a combination that has been shown to cause little fatigue and distraction. Kelley (1988). The content of each lesson was presented on a plain white background with black text in a non-jarring informal style font that made the lessons easy to read. Clark (1997). One template was used and the navigation bar, top bar and individual lesson heading bars kept the same with only the content of each lesson changing. All the content was displayed statically on one screen with individual lessons accessed by scrolling vertically down to the individual lesson. Unnecessary menus and long selection lists were avoid ed. This allowed for an overall view of the content, minimized pointer and eye movements and caused less distraction with easy navigation. (Gruneberg 1978). A discussion forum, interactive quizzes and an end of resource examination were included to allow engagement and self-assessment. The quizzes and examination included a range of question types à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" multiple choice questions, true/ false, photo matching and random short answer matching type questions. These varieties of questions were shown to improve the learning experiences of adult learners. (Mackway-Jones, 1998). Information was provided in chunks and the writing style kept informal, with plain, simple language and in conversational tone with some elements of humour. There were fewer than 60 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" character positions on a standard 80 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" character line, spacing between characters were 25 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 50% of character height and spacing between lines were equal to the character h eight, this to increase reading efficiency. 1.3.2 Course Content The course material was presented as text, graphics, power point presentations, hyperlinks and video demonstrations of the procedural skill presented in animation and on an actual patient. Knowledge was provided in five short lessons that followed the natural sequence of usage and intubation with a Laryngeal device. Aims of the resource and objectives of each lesson were stated at the beginning of the course. Here too a glossary of commonly used terms and a baseline knowledge assessment quiz were included. Each lesson was kept succinct with hyperlinks to websites and folders for those seeking extra information. This was to limit download times. Each lesson was concluded with an interactive quiz used to reinforce and test the knowledge learnt. Instant responses were provided to the quizzes after submission with suggestions to either revisit the lesson or to continue depending on the results obtained in the quizzes. The resource was concluded with an end of course examination and the c ourse was predicted to take 1 to 2 hours to complete. The resource content was accessed with a secured password with all content downloadable by way of an Internet connection. All the participants were supplied with a secure company email address and all the ISTCs had Internet access. Permission was requested for the use of company time and resources e.g. airway device training mannequin and time during the working day for those who chose to access the resource at work. Participants were supplied with instructions on how to use Microsoft Word and how to log on to and navigate the Moodle site. The course material was available online for two weeks with access monitored. 1.4 Pilot Study The aim of the pilot study was to assess the ease of navigation, gauge the time it took to complete the course, the integrity of the hyperlinks and the validity and reliability of the content and examination questions. Font preferences, layout and download speeds were also assessed. A prototype of the resource was tested on a selected sample of five participants of similar profile to the participants used in the study. The participants of the pilot study were excluded from participating in the actual study. An external panel of three Consultant Anaesthetists and two trainee Registrar Anaesthetists where used to provided expert advice. The Consultant Anaesthetists were selected based on their special interest in emergency medicine or difficult intubation scenario teaching. A few typographic errors were corrected, aims and objectives were clarified, difficult navigational issues were corrected and some content deemed repetitive and lengthy by the pilot participants were excluded before rolling out the resource. These changes however, were minor and further usability studies were deemed unnecessary. 1.5 Content Validation The content presented was current, evidence based and peer reviewed for content validity by the panel of experts (made up of three Consultant Anaesthetists and two trainee Registrar Anaesthetists), who deemed the content to be relevant and appropriate. The panel of experts and the pilot participants also judged good face validity. 2. Evaluation of the Resource The study evaluates effectiveness and acceptance of a Web based educational resource used to train and maintain a learnt procedural skill in the context of continuous medical Education (CME). The evaluation of the resource was undertaken in two parts. First the effectiveness of the resource was evaluated and the endpoints measured were changes in knowledge, confidence and technical ability. This evaluation made use of a summative framework redefined by Saettler (1990); which takes place after interaction with the resource. A before and after interventional ipsative assessment was undertaken where participants performance was compared to their own over a period of time. The second part of the evaluation was undertaken to assess the acceptability of the Web based educational resource as a medium for procedural skills training and this was done by way of an evaluation questionnaire completed by the participants after course completion. 2.1 Participants and Setting The participants and settings were specifically targeted, as they would ultimately be interested stakeholders and end users of this type of resource. The research was conducted at five Care UK TM Independent Centers (ISTCs) on practitioners employed at these facilities. The ISTCs are part of the governments initiative to reduce long NHS waiting times for elective surgery by adding increased capacity and alternative treatment venues for patients. There are approximately 25 ISTCs in the United Kingdom with Care UK TM represents 20% of this market. The ISTCs were chosen as a setting because: They are not part of the UK NHS medical training scheme and therefore have no formal programs of medical training or teaching that similar grades of staff in the NHS would receive. Contractual obligations of the ISTC contract decreed that the ISTCs could not employ medical practitioners from the NHS; therefore, most of the medical staff employed at the ISTCs have trained abroad and are waiting either to enter a formal career path within the NHS or wanting UK work experience. This situation has resulted in a mixture of nationalities, non-uniform medical training and medical staff with differing levels of post qualification experience and more importantly, a high staff turnover. (ref) These resulting factors were conducive to a system of competency-based appraisals and continuous medical education, which could be addressed with Web, based educational resources. Participants in the study were all frontline practitioners employed at Care UK TM ISTCs, which employs 48 practitioners of this grade. This represents 50% of all frontline practitioners employed in ISTCs throughout the UK. This intended sample size of 48 adequately represented the wider population in this type of analysis. frontline practitioners are the first practitioners on call to the resuscitation of a collapsed patient where they would be called upon to secure the patients airway and ensure oxygenation until the Anaesthetists or the resuscitation team arrives. It is expected that frontline practitioners are trained and certified with acute cardiac and life support skills and confident in dealing with clinical emergencies. In reality, analysis has shown that frontline practitioners in these ISTCs, though some trained and certified, rarely use these skills due to the infrequent nature of resuscitation clinical emergencies, making these scenarios potentially high-risk events when they do occur. Frontline practitioners are made up of Resident Medical Officers (RMOs), Anaesthetic Assistants (ODAs) and Recovery Room Practitioners (RNs). RMOs are doctors who have completed their medical training and have at least two years post graduate work experience as qualified doctors. They are employed to provide 24 hours on site medical management of patients at the ISTCs and like general practitioners (RACGP 2006) and doctors outside NHS academic hospitals, are usually first on call for emergencies and the sole source of medical advice on the premises on which they work. Anaesthetic assistants and recovery room practitioners are nursing practitioners

Sudan: Social Inequality, the Fight for NaturalResources, Civil War Ess

Sudan: Social Inequality, the Fight for NaturalResources, Civil War Ethics of Development in a Global Environment: War& Peace Fighting between the Muslim government in Khartoumand Christian rebel forces located in southern Sudan has long been ignored.This struggle has caused nothing but devastation and depravation for in theregion. More than two millionpeople have died as a result of the conflict, including many innocent civilians. In addition, extremely valuableresources that would surely benefit the entire global economy, are beingneglected and the with the minimized benefits only helping a few . As is the case in most if not all civilwars power is what each side is struggling over. .The north and south werejoined for no good reason and their religious and cultural differences haveadded fuel to their dispute. Since the conflict began in 1983, the re-appearanceof war between Northern and Southern Sudan has generally been interpreted as atypical ethno-religious conflict deriving from differences between Muslims andChristians, or Arabs and Africans. While this categorization had served as anaccurate description of the earlier manifestation of this conflict in the 1950s,it is widely believed that the nature of the conflict has evolved. Though classifying this war as anethno-religious one still has some bearing on how the war is being conductedand perceived, the main reasons for fighting definitely transcend race andreligion to a certain extent. Conflicts are processes, not static events,and over the last three decades the developments in the Sudan have graduallyand consistently changed the nature of the conflict from being a classicethno-religious conflict. This warnow mainly focuses on the seizure of the area... ...ths of over two million. If the U.S. wants to get to the oil it is imperative theydeal with the humanitarian crisis and avoid the foreign policy mistakes theyhave made in the past. [1] SudanA Political And Military History:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/analysis/84927.stm [2] Ibid [3] Sudan A Political And Military History:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/analysis/84927.stm! [4] Why Doesnt The World Act?:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/analysis/84985.stm [5] Suliman, Mohamed. Civil War In Sudan: The Impact OfEcological Degradation. [6] Bussiness and Human Rights:http://www.business-humanrights.org/Sudan.htm [7] U.S. Warns Khartoum over attacks:http://news.bbc.co.uk./2/hi/africa/1859987.stm [8] U.S. Warns Khartoum over attacks:http://news.bbc.co.uk./2/hi/africa/1859987.stm [9]http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/africa/jan-june99/sudan.html

The Hero vs Villian Dichotomy in Beowulf

Casey Kerins AP English Literature 10/1/12 In the Epic Beowulf, composed in the 8th century, the reader follows the protagonist, Beowulf, on a series of adventures to defeat three key monsters. This old English poem uses a series of motifs to help develop its themes, known as dichotomies. Dichotomies, defined as â€Å"opposites on the same spectrum,† range from good and evil to young and old, light and dark to Christianity and paganism. All these dichotomies are represented clearly in the text; however the concept of Heroes and Villains can be pulled in many different directions.Although Beowulf is always the hero, it is questionable as to if his three opponents are simply â€Å"villains. † In the first of Beowulf’s three battles, he fights Grendel, an â€Å"evil creature†¦full of envy and anger† (13). Grendel, a cursed descendent of Cain who lived in the darkness, attacked the people out of anger and jealousy, for they were constantly rejoicing and c elebrating. When Beowulf heard of Grendel’s murders and attacks, he set out to avenge the Danes. Although Grendel is protected by â€Å"his sorceries,† Beowulf is victorious in defeating him by brutally pulling Grendel’s arm from his socket, fatally wounding him.In this battle, Grendel is very obviously the villain, and Beowulf the triumphant hero. According to the text, Grendel was a bloodthirsty and evil creature who enjoyed the pain and suffering of others; in no way can the creature be redeemed. The poem says, â€Å"then [Grendel’s] heart laughed, for the savage beast was in the mood to sever each soul’s life from its body before daybreak as he saw this opportunity to sate his slaughterous appetite† (33). Grendel is an evil creature, and his actions are for selfish and personal reasons. Beowulf, on the other hand, is the Hero, who fights for the good of others, and defends the helpless.Although he does desire glory, Beowulf gives thanks to God always for helping his prevail. The second battle is between Beowulf, again, and Grendel’s mother. Grendel’s mother, who remained nameless throughout the poem, is described as â€Å"that wife of trolls,† and a hag, although she is not depicted as scary or monstrous. She was mournful and attacked Heorot to avenge the death of her son. Being more of an angry, scared woman and not a bloodthirsty monster, she quickly realized her mistake in attacking and fled for her life, taking a chieftain with her.Beowulf went to destroy the beast, and succeeded in bloodily killing Grendel’s mother. The text says â€Å"he smote so ferociously that it caught her by the neck, breaking her bones† (57). Beowulf again proved victorious, a hero in the eyes of the Danes. This second battle is more complicated than the first. Although one can merely say â€Å"Beowulf is the hero, Grendel’s mother is the villain† and be done with it, further thought sugg ests it is not that simple. As a warrior and hero, Beowulf upholds himself to the heroic code, calling for courage, honor, and vengeance.If our standards for a hero rest on these three qualities, is not Grendel’s mother as heroic as the Hero? She is honorable in trying to avenge her son’s death, just as Beowulf was with Grendel and the Danes. She shows courage by attacking Heorot, full of warriors, and obviously wants vengeance for her son’s death. Although Grendel’s mother is ugly in appearance and a descendent of Cain, therefore cursed and evil, she is justified in retaliating, and possesses the three qualities of a hero. The final battle takes place fifty years after Beowulf defeats Grendel and his mother, and he is now an old king.Beneath the land Beowulf ruled lies a dragon, guarding a large amount of treasure and â€Å"ancient heirlooms. † The dragon, which lived unprovoked for three hundred years, was disturbed when a slave stole a goblet fr om the cave. When the goblet was not given back, the dragon attacked villages and incinerated the countryside. Beowulf, who once again sought vengeance and to protect his people, went after the dragon with 11 men. When they saw how ferocious the beast was, all but one fled in fear. Beowulf and Wiglaf fought the dragon and succeeded in killing it, unfortunately at the cost of Beowulf’s life.Before Beowulf’s death, he asks to see the treasure to comfort him and know he is giving something to his people. This battle is similarly complicated. Is the dragon evil for simply protecting what was his? Or is it wrong for the dragon to attack all the land, over a single goblet? The dragon is described as being an â€Å"evil monster† with â€Å"war-making† and â€Å"fiendish rage† (75). Beowulf, the old hero and king, sought out the dragon to protect his kingdom. The dichotomy of Hero and Villain is plainly seen here; Beowulf is the hero, and the evil dragon i s the villain.Although the dragon was wronged when the slave stole from the cave, Beowulf is the hero in defending his people from the attacks. In each of the three battles, a dichotomy of hero and villain is weaved into the text. Beowulf is, of course, assumed to be the hero, but how much his opponents are evil is open to discussion. Beowulf’s opponents have many evil traits in them, but some are justified in what they do, and even present characteristics of a hero. The Epic Beowulf presents good and evil and hero versus villain in different ways within each battle, that contribute as a whole to its theme.

Essay on Gay Parenting

Essay on Gay Parenting Essay on Gay Parenting Essay on Gay ParentingThe issue about gay parenting has been widely discussed in the mass media and scientific literature. In Watson’s video, special attention is paid to the opposing views, actual experiences, and rapid changes surrounding the topic of gay parenting (Watson, 2007). Six gay couples discussed in the video could become parents through insemination, co-parenting and adoption.   Their homosexuality influence the way they are treated, their parenting experience, and the feelings and experiences of their children. The core social values that are most challenged by legalized gay adoption include traditional family values. Gay couples face criticism that comes from teachers, neighbors and other community members. These â€Å"values† have been defined and reinforced because gay parents could raise good children in loving atmosphere. Nevertheless, gay parents are often criticized by their families and society. This criticism is reflected in their childrenâ€⠄¢s experiences. They are bullied in school because of their parents’ lifestyles. Gay parents often adopt special needs children, or children other people do not want to adopt. Assuming these values are changing, at least for some individuals or societies, experts could have explained or described the change in the following way: times are changing and we are changing with the times. People could realize that gay parenting should be supported to avoid gender discrimination in human society. My personal view regarding â€Å"the family† change over my lifetime is positive. I completely agree with supporters of gay adoption because lesbians and gays are human beings who deserve love and respect. Gay couples could protect their children, give them good education, care, love and respect. Supporters and opponents of gay adoption both claim to have children’s best interests at heart. I think permitting their adoption by gay parents is in the best interest of children. Ideology affects gay rights, and many people would agree that gays could become good parents for children.

Ways of Protesting for Peace Essays

Ways of Protesting for Peace Essays Ways of Protesting for Peace Essay Ways of Protesting for Peace Essay Throughout history many different tactics have been used to try to stop violence. Gandhi was one of the most successful in using non violence to resolve a conflict. A very unsuccessful protest was Tiananmen Square. There are many different determining factors in order to have a non violent protest succeed or not work. Mohandas K. Gandhi is one of the most famous nonviolent peaceful protesters. Gandhi led protest against economical and political restrictions. He fought for national independence and taught his followers how to use his methods. One method that Gandhi used was Satyagraha. Satyagraha is when you don’t hurt the person who’s attacking you, no matter what. â€Å"He has to be prepared to die himself suffering all the pain† (Gandhi 1). During the salt marches Gandhi was very successful in his protest. He used Satyagraha a lot of time and it was very effective. Gandhi wanted peace, and if there was violence due to his methods he would try to come up with a peaceful compromise. This is why he was so successful in solving conflicts. Gandhi founded the Natal Indian Congress to teach Indians about the rights they had. Gandhi was successful in his protests, because he compromised and refused to use violence. Tiananmen Square is a very famous example of a non violent protest that didn’t work. It started on April 4th leading up to the massacre on June 4th. It started because protester wanted to mourn the death of their leader, Hu Yaobang. An estimated one million people showed up. They were mourning, but also protesting for individual liberty, and to have their own voices heard. On June 4th people were gunned down, killed, confined, and silenced. Tanks rolled into streets and the army loaded with guns and weapons. Before the tanks moved any further, alone man stood in front of the tanks, stopping a whole column of them. To this day, nobody knows where he is, and if he’s still alive. His signal of trying to stop the tanks was a slap in the face to china. His signal was defiance, and rebellious, which the government frowned upon. After that all mayhem corrupted, hundreds maybe even thousands were killed, and the others were lucky to escape. Tiananmen Square was unsuccessful because the protestors lacked an official leadership, an understanding government, and the lone man

Comparison between Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Essay

Comparison between Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment and A Brief Proposal for Strategic - Essay Example The environment is a vital force to reckon with when thinking about developing tourism business concerning the Forest. Hence, it is important to utilize the best environmental assessment system. This paper offers a critical comparison between the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) with the view of identifying the one that is better appropriate for measuring the environmental conditions in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Comparison of EIA and SEA There are some differences between Economic Impact Assessment, EIA and SEA. 1. F. Dow and S. Dow, U.S. National Forest Campground Guide, Pacific North Region—Washington, Moon Canyon Publishing, Seiad Valley CA, 2005, p. 99. 2 While EIA aims to minimize impacts, SEA aims to prevent impacts right from the onset. EIA offers limited review of cumulative effects, SEA considers cumulative effects assessment as a primary task. It is a known fact that EIA focuses on standard agenda and trea ts systems of environmental deterioration while SEA focuses on sustainability agenda and handles sources of environmental deterioration. Similarly, EIA emphasizes on mitigating and minimizing impacts while SEA emphasizes on meeting environmental objectives and maintains natural systems. 2 Background of the SEA Commissioned to the Proposal of Tourism Development SEA is usually applicable to the proposal of tourism development through the action of US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And this is done by adopting the methodologies of SEA through land-use planning, energy, waste management and transport. This multi-layered procedure requires that experts should be incorporated at every level or stage coupled with strong political will, constant funding and needful public participation in the process.3 The application of SEA supports the design of plans to regulate both the natural and infrastructural aspects of the management of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. 4 2. United Na tions University, Strategic Environmental Assessment. August 2011. Viewed on 14 August 2011, http://sea.unu.edu/course/?page_id=30 3. B. Bramwell, Coastal mass tourism: diversification and sustainable development in Southern Europe, Channel View Publication, 2004, pp.147-8. 3 GIS for support generation towards Strategic Environmental Assessment It has been discovered that Geographic Information System (GIS) can be used a supporting tool towards Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Since SEA is concerned about land-use planning, spatial data and GIS can be used in SEA. This involves utilizing GIS applications and techniques that include but are not limited to digital mapping, spatial analysis (overlays and weighted overlays), modeling and participative GIS.5 The good news is that GIS can be applied to each stage of SEA, which is comprised of screening, scoping, baseline environment, strategic environmental objectives, development of alternatives, monitoring and public participat ion.6 This indicates that using GIS techniques will help to streamline the process of carrying out SEA. Although it is important that GIS methodology must be followed step by step before success could be recorded in this respect. There are limitations to the use of GIS towards SEA; for examples, some data are too complicated for SEA experts to analyze and apply, and they should be minimally utilized. 4. C. Jones, Strategic Enviro

Impact of Globalisation and Innovation on the Business Operating Coursework

Impact of Globalisation and Innovation on the Business Operating Strategies of International Financial Institutions and Systems- - Coursework Example This has not only increased international trade but has also nurtured human resource development. Thus, the globalization theories set perfect on the principles of â€Å"Ricardo’s Comparative Theory.† Although, globalization has revolutionized today’s world, there exist opponents of this trend. This includes aid organization such as Oxfam and the G77 countries (Investor Words). History of Globalization The Industrial Revolution seemed to sow the seeds of the globalization that was to come years later. The concept of globalization has gone through several ups and downs. The globalization came to an end after the World War 1 when more countries planned on practicing isolationism (Globalization, Encyclopedia of Business). There were several rules and regulations imposed regarding foreign trade and so treaties were signed that assured barriers to foreign trade in the form of duties and tariffs. The Smooth Hawley Tariffs of 1930 is a famous one (Globalization, Encyclo pedia of Business). However, after World War II, Bretton Woods resulted in the formation of World Bank, International Monetary Fund and General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (Globalization, Encyclopedia of Business). This was the beginning of a new phase of globalization. Later in 1995, GATT was replaced by World Trade Organization that has the main motive of globalization and inculcates in trade in goods, services with the added benefit of an efficient dispute settlement system (Globalization, Encyclopedia of Business). Other trade blocs such as EU, SAARC and agreements such as NAFTA have come into the scene. Financial Globalization and Innovation Over the past two decades some very pronounced changes in the world financial system have been witnessed. All the financial markets of the world have become a complex network woven in a well knitted canopy. The liberalization policy has increased opportunities and varieties all over the globe. Privatization has been on an increase. Addi tionally, new hedging tools such as derivative instruments have been introduced against markets and credit related risks (Chernobai, Rachev & Fabozzi , 2007). Securitization has been adopted as means of trading as well (Chernobai, Rachev & Fabozzi , 2007). The most prominent example of trade liberalization is the European Union. The adoption of a single currency Euro and the inter bloc tariff free trade has empowered the position of the bloc and the currency as well. Financial integration is a similar process by which a strong integrated complex network of financial markets is developed. However, the rule of one price should prevail in these kinds of market which means that the risk-adjusted real return should equalize (Gudmundsson, 2007). The manifestation of globalization is the elimination of concentration of a particular/own country and an increase in cross-border activities. This would include capital investment in cross border projects, investment in assets and liabilities as well as an increase in banking and FDI (Gudmundsson, 2007). There have been certain implications well. According to Gudmundsson (2007), the global integration of the financial markets has not provided insurance against idiosyncratic shocks. Moreover, it has been concluded that due to the volatile nature of the capital stock due to asymmetric information, it has been more a source of shock rather than smoothing. There remain many repercussions of these integrated markets. Due to this increased trend outsourcing, expansion of