Internal & External Economies in Mumbai Essay

The long run – increases in scale A firm’s efficiency is affected by its size. Large firms are often more efficient than small ones because they can gain from economies of scale, but firms can become too large and suffer from diseconomies of scale. As a firm expands its scale of operations, it is said to move into its long run. The benefits arising from expansion depend upon the effect of expansion on productive efficiency, which can be assessed by looking at changes in average costs at each stage of production. How does a firm expand? A firm can increase its scale of operations in two ways. 1. Internal growth, also called organic growth 2. External growth, also called integration – by merging with other firms, or by acquiring other firms By growing, a firm can expect to reduce its average costs and become more competitive. Long run costs The firm’s long run average cost shows what is happening to average cost when the firm expands, and is at a tangent to the series of short run average cost curves. Each short run average cost curve relates to a separate stage or phase of expansion. The reductions in cost associated with expansion are called economies of scale. Internal and external economies External economies External economies and diseconomies of scale are the benefits and costs associated with the expansion of a whole industry and result from external factors over which a single firm has little or no control. External economies of scale include the benefits of positive externalities enjoyed by firms as a result of the development of an industry or the whole economy. For example, as an industry developes in a particular region an infrastructure of transport of communications will develop, which all industry members can benefit from. Specialist suppliers may also enter the industry and existing firms may benefit from their proximity. Internal economies Internal economies and diseconomies of scale are associated with the expansion of a single firm. The long run cost curve for most firms is assumed to be ‘U’ shaped, because of the impact of internal economies and diseconomies of scale. However, economic theory suggests that average costs will eventually rise because of diseconomies of scale. Types of internal economy of scale 1. Technical economies are the cost savings a firm makes as it grows larger, and arise from the increased use of large scale mechanical processes and machinery. For example, a mass producer of motor vehicles can benefit from technical economies because it can employ mass production techniques and benefit from specialisation and a division of labour. 2. Purchasing economies are gained when larger firms buy in bulk and achieve purchasing discounts. For example, a large supermarket chain can buy its fresh fruit in much greater quantities than a small fruit and vegetable supplier. 3. Administrative savings can arise when large firms spread their administrative and management costs across all their plants, departments, divisions, or subsidiaries. For example, a large multi-national can employ one set of financial accountants for all its separate businesses. 4. Large firms can gain financial savings because they can usually borrow money more cheaply than small firms. This is because they usually have more valuable assets which can be used as security (collateral), and are seen to be a lower risk, especially in comparison with new businesses. In fact, many new businesses fail within their first few years because of cash-flow inadequacies. For example, for having a bank overdraft facility, a supermarket may be charged 2 or 3 % less than a small independent retailer. 5. Risk bearing economies are often derived by large firms who can bear business risks more effectively than smaller firms. For example, a large record company can more easily bear the risk of a ‘flop’ than a smaller record label. Economy of Mumbai Mumbai is the and entertainment capital of India, it is also one of the world’s top 10 centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow, generating 5% of India’s GDP, and accounting for 25% of industrial output, 70% of maritime trade in India ( &), and 70% of capital transactions to . The city houses important financial institutions such as the , the , the , the and the corporate of numerous and . It is also home to some of India’s premier scientific and nuclear institutes like , , ,, , , and the . The city also houses India’s () and . Mumbai’s business opportunities, as well as its potential to offer a higher , attract migrants from all over India and, in turn, make the city a of many communities and . Mumbai is India’s largest city (by population) and is the financial and commercial capital of the country as it generates 6.16% of the total GDP.16105137 It serves as an economic hub of India, contributing 10% of factory employment, 25% of industrial output, 33% of income taxcollections, 60% of customs duty collections, 20% of central excise tax collections, 40% of India’s foreign trade and 4000 crore (US$680 million) incorporate taxes.138 As of 2008, Mumbai’s GDP is 919600 crore (US$160 billion),139 and its per-capita (PPP) income in 2009 was 486,000 (US$8,200),10140 which is almost three times the national average.80 Its nominal per capita income is 125,000 (US$2,100),141 (US$2,094). Many of India’s numerous conglomerates (including Larsen and Toubro, State Bank of India, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Tata Group, Godrej and Reliance),105 and five of the Fortune Global 500 companies are based in Mumbai. 142 Many foreign banks and financial institutions also have branches in this area,105 with the World Trade Centre being the most prominent one.143 Until the 1970s, Mumbai owed its prosperity largely to textile mills and the seaport, but the local economy has since been diversified to include engineering, diamond-polishing, healthcare and information technology.144 As of 2008, the Globalization and World Cities Study Group (GaWC) has ranked Mumbai as an â€Å"Alpha world city†, third in its categories of Global cities.145 Mumbai is the 3rd most expensive office market in the world. Mumbai was ranked among the fastest cities in the country for business startup in 2009.146 State and central government employees make up a large percentage of the city’s workforce. Mumbai also has a large unskilled and semi-skilled self-employed population, who primarily earn their livelihood as hawkers, taxi drivers, mechanics and other such blue collar professions. The port and shipping ind ustry is well established, with Mumbai Port being one of the oldest and most significant ports in India. 147 In Dharavi, in central Mumbai, there is an increasingly large recycling industry, processing recyclable waste from other parts of the city; the district has an estimated 15,000 single-room factories.148 Most of India’s major television and satellite networks, as well as its major publishing houses, are headquartered in Mumbai. The centre of the Hindi movie industry, Bollywood, is the largest film producer in India and one of the largest in the world as well as centre of Marathi Film Industry.149150Along with the rest of India, Mumbai, its commercial capital, has witnessed an economic boom since the liberalisation of 1991, the finance boom in the mid-nineties and the IT, export, services and outsourcing boom in 2000s.151 Mumbai has been ranked 6th among top 10 global cities on billionaire count, ahead of Shanghai, Paris and Los Angeles.11 Mumbai has been ranked 48th on the Worldwide Centres of Commerce Index 2008.152 In April 2008, Mumbai was ranked seventh in the list of à ¢â‚¬Å"Top Ten Cities for Billionaires† by Forbes magazine,153 and first in terms of those billionaires’ average wealth.154 Mumbai is the world’s 38th largest city by GDP. Mumbai is India’s largest city, and is called the financial capital of the country. It serves as an important economic hub of the India, contributing 10% of all factory employment, 40% of all income tax collections, 60% of all customs duty collections, 20% of all central excise tax collections, 40% of India’s foreign trade and Rs. 40 billion (US$ 800 million) in corporate taxes. Mumbai’s per-capita income is Rs. 48,954 (US$ 980) which is almost three times the national average. Many of India’s numerous conglomerates (including State Bank of India, LIC, Tata Group, Godrej and Reliance), and five of the Fortune Global 500 companies are based in Mumbai. Many foreign banks and financial institutions also have branches in this area, the World Trade Centre (Mumbai) being the most prominent one. Until the 1980s, Mumbai owed its prosperity largely to textile mills and the seaport, but the local economy has sin ce been diversified to include engineering, diamond-polishing, healthcare and information technology.| | | | Mumbai is home to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, and most of India’s specialized, technical industries, having a modern industrial infrastructure and vast, skilled human resources. Rising venture capital firms, start-ups and established brands work in aerospace, optical engineering, medical research, computers and electronic equipment of all varieties, shipbuilding and salvaging, and renewable energy and power.| State and central government employees make up a large percentage of the city’s workforce. Mumbai also has a large unskilled and semi-skilled self employed population, who primarily earn their livelihood as hawkers, taxi drivers, mechanics and other such blue collar professions. The port and shipping industry, too, employs many residents, directly or indirectly. In Dharavi, in central Mumbai, there is an increasingly large recycling industry, processing recyclable waste from other parts of the city; the district has an estimated 15,000 single-room factories. | | The media industry is another major employer in Mumbai. Most of India’s major television and satellite networks, as well as its major publishing houses, are headquartered here. The centre of the Hindi movie industry, Bollywood produces the largest number of films per year in the world; and the name Bollywood is a portmanteau of Bombay and Hollywood. Marathi television and Marathi film industry are also based in Mumbai.| Along with the rest of India, Mumbai, its commercial capital, has witnessed an economic boom since the liberalization of 1991, the finance boom in the mid-nineties and the IT, export, services and outsourcing boom in this decade. The middle class in Mumbai is the segment most impacted by this boom and is the driver behind the consequent consumer boom. Upward mobility among Mumbaikars has led to a direct increase in consumer spending. Mumbai has been ranked 48th on the Worldwide Centres of Commerce Index 2008. In April 2008, Mumbai was ranked seventh in the list of â€Å"Top Ten Cities for Billionaires† by Forbes magazine.| | | External and internal shocks serious setbacks to economic growth| Economic growth is likely to fall to 6 per cent this year as external and internal shocks are serious setbacks to the country’s economic growth.The Central Bank has not revised its economic growth forecast for the year, but current conditions suggest that economic growth would slip from 7.2 per cent that it estimated earlier this year to even below 6 per cent, if global demand for exports continues to be unfavourable and the prevailing drought conditions persist. The falling international oil prices are the one favourable development that could mitigate the economic slide.Global conditionsThe international economic downturn is widespread. Even China’s state capitalism has been unable to weather the global storm and the Chinese economy is expected to slow down this year. The Indian economy may experience a precipitous decline in its growth. India’s economic progress that had been impressive in the l ast decade has been halted and its first quarter economic growth dipped to just 5.3 per cent. India’s slower growth could affect the Sri Lankan economy in several ways. India is an important trading partner. About 5 per cent of our exports are to India. | Furthermore, foreign investors tend to view investment prospects regionally. India’s troubles could intensify foreign investor concerns on Sri Lanka as a destination for FDI. Moreover our long term economic expectations are linked to the fortunes of India.The most pertinent global developments for Sri Lanka in the short run is the instability of European economies that have slowed down and reduced their purchasing power of commodities exported by us. European countries and the US that accounted for 54 per cent of our exports last year is a sizeable one for industrial exports. The decrease in exports to Europe is being felt in the trade statistics this year. The American economy too has not recovered adequately, and this being an election year, is not expected to regain a growth momentum. With these two main markets affected, our industrial exports have faced a drop of 3.1 per cent in the fir st four months of the year.What is particularly disconcerting is that there is a trend of decreasing industrial exports, especially of garments. In March industrial exports declined by 10.2 per cent and in April it declined by 8.7 per cent, compared to the respective months of last year. Tea exports to the Middle East and Russia too have been adversely affected and in the first four months, tea exports decreased by 11.8 per cent, contributing heavily to the decline in agricultural exports by 11.7 per cent compared to the previous year’s first four months. Total exports declined by 3.1 per cent in the first four months of this year compared to the same period last year. Indications are that both industrial and agricultural exports would face adverse conditions and are not likely to recover.ImportsImports continue to make a serious dent in the trade balance. Although consumer imports declined by 3.3 per cent, intermediate and investment goods continued to increase. Imports were much higher than exports and resulted in a trade deficit of US$ 3.3 billion in the first four months. If this trend continues the trade deficit could be as much as US$ 10-11 billion. This would certainly strain the balance of payments as it is too large to be bridged by worker remittances, tourist earnings, other service earnings and capital inflows. The expectation of higher amounts of foreign direct investments is unlikely. Therefore once again there would be a drain on reserves or increased foreign borrowing to meet the trade deficit, as well as repay capital borrowed earlier and to service interest payments.Economic stabilityThe stabilisation of the economy is becoming an uphill task with exports declining and imports continuing to rise. Consequently the trade deficit is continuing to widen even though some imports are showing signs of decelerating. The exchange rate has depreciated as much as 17.5 per cent since Nov. 21, when the government devalued the rupee by 3 per cent. | Global conditions are no doubt at the root of the problem. The economic policies pursued in the recent past too were not modified to take into account the realities of the global situation and the unrealistic path of development that was pursued, without consideration of resource availability and balance of payments implications of the consumption-investment pattern.Internal shockAs if the external shocks are not enough, the country is in the throes of a severe drought. While the hopes are that the monsoon is a delayed one, the current expectations are that a severe drought is likely.This is likely to reduce paddy as well as other crop outputs in the main paddy growing areas. It is estimated that the Yala 2012 crop will decline by about 30 to 4 0 per cent. There may be a need to importing rice this year. If international rice prices increase then it would result in a further strain on the balance of payments.The impact of a drought on the capacity for hydro electricity generation is serious. Increased thermal generation would necessitate higher petroleum imports. The gains by the reduction of oil prices could be wiped out by increases in the amount of oil imports. Meanwhile in the first four months of this year import expenditure on oil increased by 34 per cent.Silver liningsThere are a few silver linings amidst these dark clouds. International oil prices are falling. Though, as usual, there is volatility in oil prices, they are hovering at a much lower level that in the early part of the year. Oil prices of around US$ 90 per barrel could be a significant boon. Complementing this is the US decision to exempt Sri Lanka from the ban on oil imports from Iran. This too could bring some relief with the possibility of importing Iran crude on concessional and differed payment terms.Worker remittances that are an important source of funding the trade deficit are continuing to increase. In the first four months remittances increased by 16 per cent compared to that of the comparab le period last. This is good news in a context when there was considerable uncertainty about remittances growing owing to the turmoil in the Middle East.Policy imperativesOnly about one half of the probable trade deficit of US$ 11 billion is likely to be offset by remittances. Tourist earnings that are increasing may finance about 10 per cent of the trade deficit. Therefore the current account deficit would have to be financed largely by either running down the reserves or through borrowings that are contingent liabilities. In this context every effort must be made to reduce imports through appropriate pricing policies, reduction of government expenditure and conservation measures. Reducing the price of petroleum products would be an inadvisable measure.|

IB Biology Potato Lab

Biology Potato Lab Table 1: Trial Number| Concentration of Sucrose Solution (M)  ±0. 2 ml| Initial Mass of Potato Core Slice(g)  ±0. 1 | Final Mass of Potato Core Slices (g)  ±0. 1| 1| 0. 0| 7. 7| 9. 3| 2| | 6. 0| 8. 1| 3| | 6. 2| 7. 4| 4| | 10. 2| 13. 2| 5| | 8. 7| 10. 3| 6| | 4. 9| 6. 0| 7| | 9. 2| 10. 4| 1| 0. 2| 5. 8| 6. 0| 2| | 11. 6| 12. 1| 3| | 2. 5| 3. 1| 1| 0. 4| 14. 4| 13. 9| 2| | 2. 6| 2. 8| 3| | 8| 6. 5| 1| 0. 6| 7. 3| 5. 3| 2| | 10. 7| 7. 3| 3| | 9. 6| 7. 4| 4| | 2. 9| 2. 8| 1| 0. 8| 5. 6| 3. 6| 2| | 16. 0| 13. 1| 3| | 11. 5| 5. 9| 1| 1. | 7. 9| 5. 4| 2| | 10. 0| 6. 7| 3| | 9. 6| 6. 2| 4| | 4. 7| 3. 2| Table 2: Calculations of Averages Concentration of Sucrose Solution (M)  ±0. 2 ml| Average Initial Mass of Potato Core Slice(g)  ±0. 1 | Average Final Mass of Potato Core Slices (g)  ±0. 1| Change in Mass (g)  ±0. 1| Percentage Change in Mass (%)| Standard Deviation of Initial Mass| Standard Deviation of Final Mass| 0. 0| 7. 6| 9. 2| 1. 6| 22. 3| 1. 9| 2. 4| 0. 2| 6. 6| 7. 1| 0. 5| 6. 5| 4. 6| 4. 6| 0. 4| 8. 3| 7. 7| -0. 6| -7. 2| 5. 9| 5. 7| 0. 6| 7. 6| 5. 7| -1. 9| -25. 2| 3. 5| 2. 2| 0. | 11. 0| 7. 5| -3. 5| -31. 7| 5. 2| 5. 0| 1. 0| 8. 1| 5. 4| -2. 7| -33. 2| 2. 4| 1. 5|Sample Calculations: To find average of initial mass of potato core with 0. 2M solution: # 1 + # 2 + # 3 / 3 5. 8 + 11. 6 +2. 5 / 3 = 6. 6 To find average of final mass of potato core with 1. 0M solution: # 1 + # 2 + # 3 + # 4 / 4 5. 4 + 6. 7 + 6. 2 + 3. 2 / 4 = 5. 4 To find change in mass in 0. 4M solution: Final mass – initial mass = change in mass 7. 7 – 8. 3 = -0. 6 To find percentage change in mass in 0. 6M solution: Final – initial / initial x 100 5. 7 – 7. 6 / 7. x 100 = -25. 2 Figure 1: The effect of sucrose solution on the mass of potato cores Figure 1: In the above graph, it’s visible that with an increasing concentration of sucrose solution there is also a decrease in the percent change in mass. The r? value of 0. 9416 re presents that there is a good relationship in the data between the concentration of sucrose solution and the percent change in mass. The relationship between the data can also be proven by the error bars, representing the standard deviation from the data points and the amount of uncertainty.With the small error bars we know that the data is reliable; although as the last few points overlap this indicates that the data is similar. Conclusion: I found that as the concentration of sucrose increased, the change in mass and percentage of the change in mass decreased. This data did support the hypothesis, as we knew from the term osmosis. Osmosis is the process of diffusion of water molecules from an area of higher concentration to lower concentration. The concentration gradient between the potato and the sucrose solution lead to the amount of molecules coming in and out of the potato.Therefore, the data supports the hypothesis as when the water concentration was lower in the potato than in the sucrose solution, the water molecules moved through the semi-permeable membrane into the potato which caused it to gain weight. With a higher concentration of water in the potato, the result would be the opposite. Hence the prediction that the lower the concentration of sucrose, the higher the final weight of the potato was reinforced. The hypothesis is supported by the evidence of the graph. With a concentration of 0. M sucrose solution the increase in the change of mass was 1. 6g and a percentage change of 22. 3%. In comparison, the 0. 8M sucrose solution had a change in mass of -3. 5g and a loss of 31. 7%. Although in Figure 1 the r? value gives the impression that the data is very reliable, some of the error bars do overlap. While observing the data there are no outliers present, although when inspecting the change in mass the development between the 0. 8M concentration of sucrose and the 1. 0M numbers slightly increase; when accurately they would continue decreasing.This may perhaps be the result of certain potential errors. Evaluation: My results, while mostly concrete, had particular places where a few errors could have occurred; as they diff from the hypothesis that with a higher concentration of glucose there should be a decrease in the change of mass. As our class only had a certain amount of time to complete the lab, each group completed the lab with three different sucrose solutions. At the end of collecting our data, our classes’ results were compiled together to compare.An error is the fact that each group’s statistics came from different potatoes. As different potatoes were used, the pores in the membrane of each potato are different, causing a different amount of water molecules to be able to pass through and into the solution. This could prove the overall data to be unreliable. To fix this deviation, with more time a group can complete their own lab with the full data with a single potato. Another error is the factor of te mperature. Temperature affects osmosis as with a higher temperature the molecules are moving faster, causing osmosis to increase.As we left our beaker s with the potato cores inside the classroom overnight, the classroom temperature may have increased or decreased which would affect the rate of osmosis inside the beaker. Due to the fact that it’s September, we can assume that the classroom temperature would decrease overnight; including the consequences that perhaps a window or door would have been left open. As the temperature in the classroom decreased, the rate of osmosis did as well. To fix this normal variation error, the temperature of the classroom could be recorded as we placed the beakers around the classroom to be left.Overnight it would be made sure that no windows or doors are left open, and that the temperature stays the same throughout the experiment. A systematic error has to do with the scales that were used. The scales were a necessity for this lab; itâ€℠¢s important that they’re working correctly. While planning for this lab not at one point were the scales that we were using checked to make sure that they were fully functioning. This could establish the scale giving off false numbers which changes our entire experiment. At the beginning before proceeding with the lab it must be made sure that the equipment is regularly checked and operative.To do so, we can take an object that we can identify the weight of, and test it on the scale to make sure it’s correct. As an extension to this investigation, it could be completed again but testing osmosis with more of a variety of the amount of sucrose solution- it could exceed a concentration of 1M to extend to 2M. This experiment could also be completed using different time frames; instead of letting the potatoes rest for one day they could be let stand for one hour, or two hours to test how osmosis works within this shorter time frame.To fix our errors stated above, we must f irst make sure that all of our equipment is running properly and that the temperature of the room does not vary overnight. Bibliography: Diffusion and osmosis. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://hyperphysics. phy-astr. gsu. edu/hbase/kinetic/diffus. html McGraw-Hill. (2006). How osmosis works. Retrieved from http://highered. mcgraw-hill. com/sites/0072495855/student_view0/chapter2/animation__how_osmosis_works. html

Investigation of the causes of failure of Lehman Brothers with special Dissertation

Investigation of the causes of failure of Lehman Brothers with special reference to agency problems - Dissertation Example This research study mainly focuses on answering the question related to possible agency problems that were instrumental in the failure of Lehman Brothers. It also evaluates other possible reasons of its failure. The research study was conducted through a literature review and the case study research method. The report relies primarily on secondary research, making use of the existing literature from various articles, journals, and newspapers. The findings of this study suggested that agency problems played a significant the fallout of Lehman Brothers with the company managers involved in taking several risky investment decisions, less on behalf of the owners of the company and more in the interests of top management. The high amount of incentive compensations offered to the top executives encouraged them to resort to such business strategies. Apart from the failure of risk management control within the company, its complex organisational structure and the adverse impact of global financial crisis also played a role in the collapse of Lehman Brothers. This research study can thus be helpful in conducting further research on agency problems that can arise in other business organisations worldwide. It can be helpful for companies to develop various means to overcome such problems, leading to more sustainable and less risky growth and development. Table of Contents Tables and Figures 2 Chapter I: Introduction 3 1.1Rationale of the Study 5 1.2Aims and Objectives of the Study 6 1.3Research Questions 6 Chapter II: Literature Review 7 2.1 Subprime Crisis 7 2.2 Agency Theory 8 2.3 Agency Problems 9 2.3.1 Contracts 11 2.3.2 Incentive Contracts 12 2.3.3 Management Discretion 13 2.3.4 Evidences Related to Agency Costs 13 2.4 Causes of Failure of Lehman Brothers 14 2.4.1 Complex Organisational Structure 16 2.4.2 Valuation Issues 17 2.4.3 Risk Management Issues 17 2.4.4 Sarbanes-Oxley Act 18 Chapter III: Research Methodology 19 3.1 Type of Research Method 19 3.2 Data Sources 19 3.3 Case Study Research 19 3.5 Research Design 20 3.5.1 Construct Validity 20 3.5.2 Internal Validity 21 3.5.3 External Validity 21 3.5.4 Reliability 22 Chapter IV: Findings and Analysis 22 4.1 Secondary Research Findings 22 4.1.1 Lehman Brothers and its Organisational Structure 22 4.1.2 Lehman Brothers’ Financials 23 4.1.3 Executive Compensations 24 4.2 Findings 25 4.3 Analysis and Discussions 25 Chapter V: Conclusion 26 Works Cited 28 Tables and Figures Figure 1.1 24 Figure 1.2 25 Chapter I: Introduction The financial industry worldwide experienced a great shock with the event of the bankruptcy filing by Lehman Brothers on 15 September, 2008. It is considered to be one of the largest filing of bankruptcy by any organization in United States. This significant incident occurred in the midst of

Key Challenge Created By Contemporary Employee Relations Issues Essay

Key Challenge Created By Contemporary Employee Relations Issues - Essay Example The notion is defined as the employer-employee relationship in which the employee work under specific project terms with employees of same and/or different organisations, where responsibilities in regard to performances as well as for health and safety of the employee are not defined in clear manner or situations where â€Å"organisations other than the employer† are involved (Rollinson and Dundon, 2007, p.4; Edwards, 2003, p.1). Employee relationship and business organisations: According to Budd and Bhave (2006), employee relations were previously known as industrial relations and currently referred as human resources. It is a multidisciplinary field of study covering the different dimensions of work and employment associations. However â€Å"understanding the employment relationship, corporate human resource management practices, labor union strategies and work-related public policies and laws requires understanding how values and assumptions form the ideologies and frames of reference used by scholars, practitioners, and policymakers† (Budd and Bhave, 2006, p.5-1). Employees are considered as the most critical part of the employment relationship. There are various theories which describe the association between the manager and the employee. The pluralist perspective describes the fact that different values as well as assumptions under the employee relations are highly significant. An egoist perspective reveals the fact that when people regard the fact that perfectly competitive labour markets are optimal, then labour unions and different government regulations become detrimental to employees. A unitarist perspective assumes that employee relations are not needed to be defined when employees and employer possess the same interests in the business domain. Again according to a critical perspective these relations are regarded as insufficient when one person views that employment relationship represents imbalanced power relations which are embedded in higher level of social as well as political inequalities (Budd and Bhave, 2006, pp.5-1-5-2). There are various aspects which an employee would like to get from his work. One of the most important requirements is survival and income which is generated from working under employer. People work for the purpose of survival. Ancient people used basic tools made off stones to butcher animals and to cut firewood as well as to build primary shelters for themselves almost 2.5 million years back. In modern societies, salary income and wages represent means of purchasing basic products and services or to satisfy basic needs for life. Adam Smith (1776) as well as Karl Marx (1844) have hypothesized that income and wages for common labourers would fall to the level that will be consistent just to support subsistence level of consumption, so individuals would end up working for simply survival only. Along with income attainment for higher level of equity and greater voice is also required by em ployees (Budd and Bhave, 2006, 5-5-5-6). According to Budd and Bhave, (2006) experts in human resource management and psychologists dealing with corporate or industry related issues often opine that justice is an important aspect of employment. Adam’s equity theory is applicable in this context to such aspects. When an employee starts feeling that he is made to work more than others for the same pay, they are more than likely to reduce work efforts. Justice and

In the instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

In the instruction - Essay Example Each of these components is essential when understand the information an image portrays. The ability to derive meaning from any image of everything we see—to write and read visual language— is known as visual literacy. It refers to being vision-competence a person can develop by viewing and while having and integrating the other sensory experiences. Developing these competencies is important to normal human learning since they allows a visually literate human being to discriminate and interpret visible objects, symbols, or actions that he or she encounters in the environment. By creatively using these competencies, the person is capable of communicating with others. Another form of literacy is new Literacies. These are digital literacies (online, phones, messaging, sms, and computers. New Literacies comprises of letters, symbols, sounds, colors, and graphics to extend our language and how we communicate. On the contrary, information Literacy refers to the ability to recognize what information is required, understand how that information is organized, find the best sources of the information for any given need, discover those sources, assess the sources analytically, and share that information. In simple terms, it is the know-how of universally used research

Tesco Personal Finance Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 1

Tesco Personal Finance - Case Study Example News Release, (2008), â€Å"Tesco takes full ownership of TPF and targets  £1 billion from retailing services†, Tesco plc, retrieved online, 4th April, 2009, from: http://www.tescoplc.com/plc/storage/intannounce.pdf 21 Stern, M., (2008), â€Å"Interview: Tescos FD, Andrew Higginson†, Financial Director retrieved online, 4th April, 2009, from: http://www.financialdirector.co.uk/financial-director/features/2229174/shelf-confidence-4297859 21 Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC: RBS Preferred Series "T" and RBS Preferred Series "Q", (No Date), Stanford Law School Securities Class Action Clearing House, retrieved online, 17 April 2008, from: http://securities.stanford.edu/1042/RBST_01/ 22 Tesco Personal Finance that was set up in 1997, as a joint venture between Tesco and the RBS. From a strategic perspective the TPF was established to draw on the Royal Bank of Scotland’s financial expertise while using the Group’s stores and online resources as a medium to recruit and cater financial services to the customers at low-cost. However, after a decade, the joint venture came to its termination with the Tesco gaining the full ownership of Tesco Personal Finance. On July 28, 2008, Tesco, the supermarket retail giant announced that it had come to an agreement with the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) to buy its 50% stake in the Tesco Personal Finance for a sum of  £950 million (News Release, 2008). This acquisition of Tesco over the 50% stake of RBS coming as a direct challenge for the high street financial institutions which currently are on the stormy side of the economic recession tide and presently are in-waiting for the bank charges decision by the High Court. The acquisition will help Tesco to make its expansion from financial services that revolved around an assortment of popular financial services and products to full-fledged retail banking

Media Ecology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Media Ecology - Essay Example As the physical and social environments have their effect on human society, similarly, in today's era, environments created by media also play an important role on the psyche human society. Therefore, it would not be far from truth if we call the study of relationship between environment created by media and the society as "media ecology". According to the Media Ecology Association, media ecology can be defined as "the study of media environments, the idea that technology and techniques, modes of information and codes of communication play a leading role in human affairs." Therefore, in this discourse an effort will be made to understand media ecology by addressing following three aspects:- There is a strong interconnectivity between different forms of media. Their effectiveness is along two strings. One is their indigenous and the second is an ability to complement the other form of media. Therefore, each media enables to form two types of environment. One which is formed by a particular media itself and the second one is formed by complementing the other forms of media. To elucidate the above point further, we take example of 9/11. We suppose that when the unfortunate incident of 9/11 took place there was only print media available. We can imagine that apart from the people who got affected, there would not be many who could have known the incident immediately. By the time print media would have conveyed the extent of havoc created by the terrorists, too much time would have been lost to create an atmosphere for global response. Still with graphic details and good script an atmosphere could have been created but for short duration. Too less and too late. Now we include radio (audio media) in the scenario. The explicit detail given in newspaper with live commentary of what all was going on would have created an atmosphere more focused on the event. Add TV (auditory - visual media) to the situation. Continuous pouring of live scenes on TV, descriptive account on radio and detailed news and views in print media created an atmosphere which was bound to last longer than what only one of the forms of media was in operation. The atmosphere is more fueled by the

Ownership Rights over Ones Person Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ownership Rights over Ones Person - Essay Example However, quite a few pundits have believed that Locke's argument is only applicable in the state of nature but not in civil society, where property is decided not by one's work or effort but by laws. (Arneil 1996, p. 155) On the other hand, ownership is defined as "a particular type of property interest in which the person designated as owner is deemed, in some sense at least, to have the greatest possible interest in the thing." (Clarke 2005, p. 180) Another definition of ownership categorizes the owner as an individual who has ultimate control. (Waldron 1988, p. 47) But this theory cannot be said to be without any flaw. Although it has been said that ownership carries with it property rights and incidents, it is to be understood that ownership has a social aspect and the interest over it is not unbounded. The right to ownership is not absolute; there are some limitations to the enjoyment of one's right to property and ownership. Basic examples of these limitations include the prohibition of nuisance and injurious usage of a property; legal responsibility to taxation, execution and expropriation; State rules intended to regulate the use of property; and sometimes, imposition of certain obligations. While there are some limitations to the enjoyment of one's property a... In the incident of control, the right to possession, use and management are included. The right to possess is that inherent right to obtain physical control over the thing, while the right to use is characterized by the owner's personal use and enjoyment of the thing owned. Both of these rights include consumption and modification. The right to manage, on the other hand, is that right to choose and determine the manner and the person with which and with whom the thing owned shall be used. The income incidents, in contrast, include the right to income or the fruits, profits and rent produced by the thing owned. Other incidents consist of the right to capital, right to security, power of transmissibility, the absence of term, the prohibition of harmful use, liability to execution and the incident of residuarity. Being incidents of ownership, the foregoing rights are inherent in the concept of ownership of property. Now that the basic definition and concept of property and ownership have already been extensively discussed, let's go back to the earlier question with regard to the classification of body and/or its parts as "property". In his book Second Treatise of Government, John Locke wrote: Though the earth and all inferior creatures be common to all men, yet every man has a "property" in his own "person." This nobody has a right to but himself. The "labour" of his body and the "work" of his hands, we may say, are probably his. (Locke 2004, 17) The essential meaning of this connotation is that, a human being has all the right and ownership over his own "person." But does it mean he can have all the incidents of ownership over his person Can one appropriate and alienate his own person What about his own body The answer

Krishna and Ang Mahabharata Essay Example for Free

Krishna and Ang Mahabharata Essay Bahagi ng Mahabharata ang Bhagavad Gita (o Bhagavadgita), isang diyalogo o pag-uusap sa pagitan nina Krishna atArjuna. The Mahabharata or is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Ramayana.[2] Besides its epic narrative of the Kurukshetra War and the fates of the Kaurava and the Pandava princes, the Mahabharata containsphilosophical and devotional material, such as a discussion of the four goals of life or purusharthas (12.161). Among the principal works and stories in the Mahabharata are the Bhagavad Gita, the story of Damayanti, an abbreviated version of the Ramayana, and the Rishyasringa, often considered as works in their own right. habharata, ( Sanskrit: â€Å"Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty†) one of the two Sanskrit great epic poems of ancient India (the other being the Ramayana). TheMahabharata is an important source of information on the development ofHinduism between 400 bce and 200 ce and is regarded by Hindus as both a text about dharma (Hindu moral law) and a history (itihasa, literally â€Å"that’s what happened†). Appearing in its present form about 400 ce, the Mahabharata consists of a mass of mythological and didactic material arranged around a central heroic narrative that tells of the struggle for sovereignty between two groups of cousins, the Kauravas (sons of Dhritarashtra, the descendant of Kuru) and thePandavas (sons of Pandu). The poem is made up of almost 100,000 couplets—about seven times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined—divided into 18 parvans, or sections, plus a supplement titled Harivamsha (â€Å"Genealogy of the God Hari†; i.e., of Vishnu). sinulat ang tulang epikong ito na may layuning parangalan ang mga bayani nang maganap ang paglusob ng mga Aryano (mga Aryan) sa India.  Halos kapantay ng mga diyos ang mga maalamat na mga bayaning ito. The Mahabharata tells the story of two sets of paternal first cousinsthe five sons of the deceased king Pandu (the five Pandavas and the one hundred sons of blind King Dhritarashtrawho became bitter rivals, and opposed each other in war for possession of the ancestral Bharata kingdom with its capital in the City of the Elephants, Hastinapura , on the Ganga river in north central India. What is dramatically interesting within this simple opposition is the large number of individual agendas the many characters pursue, and the numerous personal conflicts, ethical puzzles, subplots, and plot twists that give the story a strikingly powerful development. The five sons of Pandu were actually fathered by five Gods (sex was mortally dangerous for Pandu, because of a curse) and these heroes were assisted throughout the story by various Gods, sages, and brahmins, including the great sage Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa (who later became the author of the epic telling this story), who was also their ac tual grandfather (he had engendered Pandu and the blind Dhrtarastra upon their nominal fathers widows in order to preserve the lineage). The one hundred sons of the blind king Dhartarashtra, on the other hand, had a grotesque, demonic birth, and are said more than once in the text to be human incarnations of the demons who are the perpetual enemies of the devotees of the lord. The most dramatic figure of the entire Mahabharata, however, is Sri Krishna who is the supreme personality of Godhead himself, descended to earth in human form to reestablish his devotees as care takers of the earth, and who practice Dharma. Krishna Vasudeva was the cousin of both parties, but he was a friend and advisor to the Pandavas, became the brother-in-law of Arjuna , and served as Arjunas mentor and charioteer in the great war. Krishna Vasudeva is portrayed several times as eager to see the war occur, and in many ways the Pandavas were his human instruments for fulfilling that end. The Dhartarashtra party behaved viciously and brutally toward the Pandavas in many ways, from the time of their early childhood. Their malice displayed itselfwhen they took advantage of the eldest Pandava, Yudhishthira (who had by now become the ruler of the world) in a game of dice: The Dhartarashtras won all his brothers, himself, and even the Pandavas common wife Draupadi They humiliated all the Pandavas and physically abused Draupadi; they drove  the Pandava party into the wilderness for twelve years, and the twelve years of exile had to be followed by the Pandavas living somewhere in society, in disguise, without being discovered. The Pandavas fulfilled their part of that bargain by living out side the kingdom, but the evil leader and eldest son of Dhartarashtra, Duryodhana , was unwilling to restore the Pandavas to their half of the kingdom when the thirteen years had expired. Both sides then called upon their many allies and two large armies arrayed themselves on Kurus Field (Kuru was one of the eponymous ancestors of the clan), eleven divisions in the army of Duryodhana against seven divisions for Yu dhishthira. Much of the action in the Mahabharata is accompanied by discussion and debate among various interested parties, and the most famous dialog of all time, Krishna Vasudevas ethical lecture and demonstration of his divinity to his devotee and friend Arjuna (the Holy Bhagavad Gita appeared in the Mahabharata just prior to the commencement of the world war. Several of the important ethical and theological themes of the Mahabharata are tied together in this Gita, and this Song of the Blessed One has exerted much the same sort of powerful and far-reaching influence in the Vedic Civilization that the New Testament has had in the Christian world. The Pandavas won the eighteen day battle, but it was a victory that deeply troubled all except those who were able to understand things on the divine level (chiefly Krishna, Vyasa, and Bhishma the Bharata patriarch who was symbal of the virtues of the era now passing away). The Pandavas five sons by Draupadi, as well as Bhimasena and Arjuna Pandavas two sons by two other mothers (respectively, the young warriors and Abhimanyu, were all tragic victims in the war. Worse perhaps, the Pandava victory was won by the Pandavas slaying, in succession, four men who were like fathers to them: Bhishma, their teacher Drona , Karna (who was, though none of the Pandavas knew it, the first born, pre-marital, son of their mother), and their maternal uncle Shalya (all four of these men were, in succession, supreme commanders of Duryodhanas army during the war). Equally troubling was the fact that the killing of the first three of these respected elders, and of some other enemy warriors as well, was accomplished only through trickery, most of which were suggested by Krishna Vasudeva as absolutely required by the circumstances. The ethical gaps were not resolved to anyones satisfaction on the surface of the narrative and the aftermath of  the war was dominated by a sen se of horror and malaise. Yudhishthira alone was terribly troubled, but his sense of the wars wrongfulness persisted to the end of the text, in spite of the fact that everyone else, from his wife to Krishna Vasudeva, told him the war was right and good; in spite of the fact that the dying patriarch Bhishma lectured him at length on all aspects of the Good Law (the Duties and Responsibilities of Kings, which have rightful violence at their center; the ambiguities of Righteousness in abnormal circumstances; and the absolute perspective of a beatitude that ultimately transcends the oppositions of good versus bad, right versus wrong, pleasant versus unpleasant, etc.); in spite of the fact that he performed a grand Horse Sacrifice as expiation for the putative wrong of the war. These debates and instructions and the account of this Horse Sacrifice are told at some length after the massive and narrative of the battle; they form a deliberate tale of pacification that aims to neutralize the inevitable reactions of th e war. In the years that follow the war Dhritarashtra and his queen Gandhari , and Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, lived a life of asceticism in a forest retreat and died with yogic calm in a forest fire. Krishna Vasudeva departed from this earth thirty-six years after the war. When they learned of this, the Pandavas believed it time for them to leave this world too and they embarked upon the Great Journey, which involved walking north toward the polar mountain, that is toward the heavenly worlds, until ones body dropped dead. One by one Draupadi and the younger Pandavas died along the way until Yudhishthira was left alone with a dog that had followed him all the way. Yudhishthira made it to the gate of heaven and there refused the order to drive the dog back, at which point the dog was revealed to be an incarnate form of the God Dharma (the God who was Yudhishthiras actual, physical father), who was there to test Yudhishthiras virtue. Once in heaven Yudhishthira faced one final test of his virtue: He saw only the Dhartarashtra Clan in heaven, and he was told that his brothers were in hell. He insisted on joining his brothers in hell, if that were the case! It was then revealed that they were really in heaven, that this illusion had been one final test for him.

Economic Developments Essay Example for Free

Economic Developments Essay The current system of the world economy has emerged as a result of the historical trends and economic developments that occurred in the past particularly during the periods of World War I, World War II and the Cold War. To a significant extent, the current world order and the capitalist and industrial prosperity that is being experienced today are products of historical economic developments. This paper examines the economic developments from 1913 to the present including the history of self-determination in the world economy in relation to the current world economy. Consequently, the role of the United States from being an isolationist to an economic hegemon is analyzed. Economic Developments from 1913-Present The period from Post World War I up to the present can be considered to be a see-saw of economic prosperity and economic crises for most countries. For countries like the United States the war had brought about economic development but it also caused the economic downturn for countries like France and Germany. Capitalism began to ensue and trading had been more active. Hence, the period from 1920-1929 signaled the massive economic progress in the world economy- industries were established and the percentage of industries to agriculture rose. After this massive growth however, the unemployment rate and poverty that ensued from the period of 1929-1941 had led to the Great Depression- interest rates were high, hyperinflation ensued and the rise in debt had led to stock market collapse. The world economy had experienced a systemic recession leading the collapse of markets worldwide. In this era, the GDP and GNP of nations dropped and poverty ensued as world trade had been inactive. After the Great Depression, the World War II had created another economic era- post World War II had been considered to be a golden era for capitalism worldwide. This is because of the rapid rise in industries, the technological advancement, the prospering and stabilization of world trade, domestic and international institutions had been established in order to facilitate the world economy. Consequently, the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and the IMF were established in order to aid countries needing economic lift in order to aid in their industrialization. Backed by capitalism and foreign direct investments, this era can be considered the time when the world economy had boomed. However, after this period the time between 1970s-1980s, inflation and interest rates grew up and the fixed interest rates were deregulated in order to let the world economy repair itself. This era had however, contributed in terms of the massive plan to reorganize domestic economies through fiscal policies. The post Cold War on the other hand, marked the era when the US became the sole hegemon after the downfall of Russia. Before the Cold War, democratic countries can only trade with democratic countries and communist countries are only limited to trade with communist countries- the downfall of Russia opened the doors for all countries to be participants in the world economy. Hence, during the period of 1990 and up to the present times, despite some economic fluctuations, the world economy can be considered as stable and progressive. While there are ups and downs, the stability of the world economy in the present times cannot easily succumb to another depression. Self-Determination and in the World Economy Self-determination started after the World War I as a result of the Treaty of Versailles- it declared that the sovereignty of the states should take charge of the whole population. World War I led to the breakup of the Hapsburg and Ottoman empires and the birth of a new generation of nation-states. At Versailles, U. S. President Woodrow Wilsons famous Fourteen Pointsthe fifth of which declared that sovereignty should take full account of the interests of the populations concernedformed the basis for the treaty ending the war. After World Wars One and Two, self-determination inspired the demolition of empires and the formation of new sovereign states; the concept being thus extended in the 1940s and 1950s to apply in the context of the decolonisation process. In the 1960s and 1970s, the principle of self-determination clashes with the principle of territorial integrity and global leaders are increasingly seeing this angle to the problem. In fact, even the UN resolution 1514 adopted in 1960 which elevated the status of self-determination, had also emphasized territorial integrity: any attempt aimed at the partial or total disruption of national unity and territorial integrity of a country is incompatible with the Purposes and Principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The international system was caught up in the contradiction and had exhibited some degree of ambivalence at least after the post-war decolonisation. It can be observed that the further extension of the principle today, as it inspires the surge of ethnic politics and threatens the break-up of the established post-colonial order. The United States as the World’s Political and Economic Hegemon The United States before World War I cannot be considered to be an economic or a political superpower, it derived its wealth from World War I from selling ammunitions and exploiting the economic opportunities caused by the war. However, in World War II, the US emerged as one of the more powerful countries not only in terms of technology but also politically and economically after surviving the Great Depression. The Post World War II established the United States from a country in the middle to that of a global hegemon. For one, post World War I saw the US to be involved in trade, the importation and exportation of goods as well as in searching for new territories to expand its power and industries. Post World War II saw the United States cementing its economic and political hegemony- it had established itself as one of the most prosperous and progressive countries not only through its GDP and GNP but also in terms of its ability to impose upon other countries. The United States during this time served as one of the economic powers together with countries in Europe, Japan and the USSR. Upon entering the Cold War, the world became a division of the US and the USSR or democracy versus communism. During this era, the United States served as an international role model for democracies as well as the patron of democratic countries. The fall of the USSR catapulted the US to its role today as a global hegemon- except for North Korea, there had been no real threat to the supremacy of democracy and hence, the United States. During this time until the present times, the United States had been a major player in sanctioning countries that do not abide by international laws and regulations as well as being a forerunner in providing foreign aids as well as regulating trade activities. To be a partner with the US would be tantamount to economic growth. The power held by the US both politically and economically can be considered to spawn countries even in Asia and Third World countries. Needless to say, the United States can be considered to be the most important international player today.

Global Supply Chain Forum (GSCF) Management

Global Supply Chain Forum (GSCF) Management The model applied to the recommendations for GSL is the GSCF framework. The Global Supply Chain Forum (GSCF) developed a definition of supply chain management (Cooper, M et al 1997). The GSCF defines supply chain management as the integration of key business processes from end user through original suppliers that provides products, services, and information that add value for customers and other stakeholders (Lambert, D. et al 1998:1). This model was chosen to be a framework for the recommendations as it encompasses all areas of the organisations, valuing input from the stake holders. It will focus the organisation on key issues, and highlight areas that either not operating to full potential or that are wasting resources. Customer relationship management will provide a structure for maintaining and developing with customers at GSL. The introduction of cross-functional customer teams will tailor product and service agreements to meet the needs of customers This will include free site survey to reduce incorrect data, and therefore save time and money. The take up of the survey when charged is small; this has led to problems in production of the unit. Introducing free surveys will be cost effective (Croxton, K. et al. 2001). GSL will appoint a Customer Service Manager (recruited internally or externally) to provide a single point of contact for the customer throughout the whole process. This manager will be responsible for administering the product service agreements during their term. This is fundamental to the success of the recommendations, a point of contact for the customer whether an initial inquiry or some query further down the process. The role will successfully smooth out any concerns that the customer has (Bolumole,Y et al 2003). Demand management will provide a structure for balancing the customers requirements with the supply chain capabilities. This area will look at the conical tanks and assess whether they are cost effective. Instead of sub contracting an introduction fee could be charged to the manufacturer of them, and allow them full control over the sale of the unit. This will reduce demand variability and increase the supply chain flexibility. Review of all tanks is necessary to concentrate efforts on offering only standardised units, reducing the cost of moulds (Croxton, K. et al. 2003). Order fulfilment will review all the activities that are necessary to define customer requirements. When there is a full order bank the introduction of overtime will speed up delivery and enable the firm to meet customer requirements while reducing the total delivered cost. Although the overtime will increase costs, more units can be produced. It could be more cost effective to review the shifts patterns of the production employees, to cover longer hours of manufacture When the drying out procedure commences this could be when those operators have finished their shift (Croxton, K. et al 2003). Manufacturing flow management will review all activities necessary to obtain, implement and manage manufacturing flexibility and move products through the plants in the supply chain The manual lifting of tanks can be replaced by a fork lift operator, who can also pick the raw products necessary for production. This also will prevent operators being pulled of production to move tanks (Goldsby, T et al 2003). Supplier relationship management will provide the structure for relationships with suppliers, and then allow the developing and maintaining of them. Reviewing all suppliers and identifying weak links, that can be either improved or replaced will ensure the best service from suppliers (Croxton et al. 2001). Reviewing and developing multiple uses for the product has already been demonstrated by GSL. This product development and commercialisation will provide a structure for further developing of the product. This will bring in new markets and products. These products will be designed so they o not interfere with production of the core product. Whilst time is elapse in drying the machinery will be utilised, on either making stock items or a complimentary product (Rogers, D. et al 2004). The most important area is returns management; this includes activities related to returns, reverse logistics, gate keeping, and avoidance. The follow up calls and the level of maintenance with all sold units is vital to increase the company’s reputation. This area can be covered by customer service, just ensuring that the customer is happy with the product (Rogers et al. 2002). The strength of GSL has been its entry into a niche market and the product development. These strengths must be developed and concentrated on for the long term survival of the organisation. The strict limitations on finance will prevent growth, therefore a full review of finances with qualified practitioner will advise the company. This is the only way that any of the recommendations can be implemented. Customer relationship management and supplier relationship management form the critical links in the supply chain, with the other areas coordinated through them. Each of the processes are cross functional and cross firm. Each is broken down into a sequence of strategic sub processes, where the blueprint for managing the process is defined, and a sequence of operational sub-processes, where the process is actualised Every sub-process is described by a set of activities. Cross-functional teams are used to define the structure for managing the process at the strategic level and implementation at the operational level. Bibliography Bolumole, Y. et al (2003), The Customer Service Management Process, The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 15-31. Cooper, M. et al (1997), Supply Chain Management: More than a New Name for Logistics, The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 1-14. Croxton, K.. et al (2001), The Supply Chain Management Processes, The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 13-36. Croxton, K. (2003), The Order Fulfilment Process, The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 19-33. Goldsby, T. et al (2003), The Manufacturing Flow Process, The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 33-52. Lambert, D. et al (1998), Supply Chain Management: Implementation Issues and Research Opportunities, The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 1-19. Rogers, D. et al (2002), The Returns Management Process, The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 1-18. Rogers, D. et al (2004), The Product Development and Commercialisation Process, The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 43-56.

Sentential Falsehood Logic FL4 :: Philosophy Philosophical Logical Papers

Sentential Falsehood Logic FL4 ABSTRACT: In some philosophical conceptions, statements are valued as true, false, senseless (neither true nor false), or inconsistent. Falsehood logic FL4 makes it possible to operate correctly by such statements. Logic with falsehood operator FL4 is formulated. For FL4 metatheorems of consistency, deduction and completeness are fulfilled. Correlation between falsehood logic FL4 and four-valued Belnap’s logic and von Wright’s truth logic T"LM is considered. In FL4, the implication for Belnap’s logic is defined so that the truth-valued matrix of it is characterized for logic of tautological consequences Efde. Correlation between three-valued falsehood sublogic FL3N of FL4 and three-valued Kleene’s logic and Lukasiewicz’s logic is considered. Lukasiewicz’s three-valued logic is functionally equivalent to FL3N logic. Correlation between three-valued falsehood sublogic FL3B of FL4 and three-valued paraconsistent Priest’s logic is also con sidered. The construction of falsehood logic FL4 (1) and its analysis answer the question about the use of truth and falsehood notions. In some philosophical conceptions statements are valued as true, false, senseless (neither true nor false), inconsistent. Falsehood logic FL4 makes it possible to operate correctly by such statements. The main principles of falsehood logic FL4 are as follows: 1. The notion of falsehood will be considered as applied only to sentences of the following form: "Sentence 'S' is false" (in symbols: '(- S)' ). The proposition '(- S)' is a proposition about falsehood of the sentence 'S' and it is a proposition in a metalanguage related to the language in which a sentence 'S' is formulated. The set of propositions of language, metalanguage, metametalanguage and so on is considered as a whole. And one can operate with these propositions (viz. 'S', '(- S)', '(- S(- S))', ...) simultaneously in the language of FL4. 2. We shall consider the notion of falsehood as a primitive one which will be used as a logical operator in this formal system. 3. The sentence '(- S)' is always either true or false, while the sentence 'S' may have other truth-values than true or false. In other words, the laws of classical logic are valid for sentence '(- S)', but need not to be valid for sentence 'S'. 4. Sentences with the implication will be evaluated in standard way. Let '(S1 Â ® S2) ' stands for 'S1 implies S2'. '(S1 Â ® S2)' is true iff 'S1' is false or 'S2' is true. '(S1 Â ® S2)' is false iff 'S1' is true and 'S2' is false.

Mind Diminishing :: essays research papers

Mind Diminishing Reality TV seems to have taken over television in America today. Shows such as The Real World, Elimidate, American Idol, and Extreme Makeover are just a few of these reality TV shows that are being watched in our living rooms today. While many of these shows display the reality of day-to-day life of certain people, various reality television shows effect American society as many become idealistic to the people on the shows. Shows such as, The Swan and Extreme Make Over are shows that completely remake and rebuild one’s outer image. Episode after episode women change their weight, nose, lips, etc. by plastic surgery hoping to become â€Å"beautiful.† Unfortunately, The Swan and Extreme Make Over make transform the meaning of beauty on the show and hypnotize many into believing that beauty comes in a certain shape and form of skinny and thin. Skinny and thin may seem to be â€Å"reality† on television, where in actuality; the average American woman is about a size 8 and is going to grow as obesity has spread throughout the U.S. The Swan and Extreme Make Over are shows that are far from reality and diminish the minds of young women in America as they brainwash these teens to completely change whom they are just to be accepted and acknowledged in a society based on looks and outer beauty. The Swan and Extreme Make Over are similar reality TV shows that turn the† ugly" into "beautiful" through plastic surgery. Both reality television shows begin with women who have self-issues on how they look as well as issues with their self-confidence. The people in these shows have no physical features wrong with them what so ever, they unfortunately are just not content with themselves. They begin on these shows hoping to change one or two body parts, yet, undergo whole head to toe transformations. From liposuction, tummy tucks, lip and breast enhancement, the women end up looking completely different. The participants on The Swan and Extreme Make Over are mainly women who do not fit society’s norm of what we call beautiful, as society has a certain form of beauty. Beauty is tall, skinny, and long legged. Women appear on The Swan and Extreme Make Over hoping to completely change their outer looks as well as gain self-confidence and self worth within themselves. While the makeovers only change their outer looks, they cannot change deep feelings that are really going on in ones head.

Monsoon Insurance

IMPACT OF INDEX MONSOON INSURANCE IN INDIA Literature review †¢AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE IN INDIA-A PERSPECTIVE By Dr. A. Amarender Reddy Scientist (Agricultural Economics) Indian Institute of Pulses Research, com/about-kanpur/" class="ilgen">Kanpur-208024. Abstract Background the paper reviewed the innovative techniques in agricultural/rural insurance, which overcome some of the disadvantages of yield based group insurance and suggests rainfall (weather) index insurance as a better alternative/complement to the existing agricultural insurance scheme.The weather (rainfall) index based insurance is also more compatible with reinsurance practices worldwide, which make primary insurers to cover their local/regional risks by reinsuring themselves with international reinsures. †¢Agriculture & Rural Development Working Paper 9 Innovative Financial Services for Rural India Monsoon-Indexed Lending and Insurance for Smallholders Ulrich Hess The World Bank Agricultural and Rural Dev elopment Department Abstract This paper was prepared by Ulrich Hess.It draws extensively from author’s work on weather insurance and rural finance in India and Morocco †¢Townsend, and James Vickery, Barriers to Household Risk Management: Evidence from India,† Harvard Business School Working Paper, 2010, 09 (116). Abstract What types of households buy index insurance? What factors prevent the remaining households from participating? And does the purchase of index insurance result in more efficient risk taking? †¢Rainfall Index Insurance in India Daniel Stein Dissertation submitted to the Department of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Economics atThe London School of Economics and Political Science September 2011 Abstract This thesis provides three works which each contribute to understanding of the promising yet struggling market for rainfall index insurance in India Findings of the study †¢Post impact of monsoon index insurance in stabi lisation of farmer’s income. †¢Comparison of growth between states having index monsoon insurance with the states without monsoon insurance †¢Overall economic development of Indian economy due to index monsoon insurance †¢Penetration of monsoon insurance in India. Purpose of the research (or rationale for the study)For the rural poor in India, formal financial services would enable them to maximize returns on their surplus, smooth their consumption, and reduce their vulnerability to risk. However, their financial service needs—which include consumption credit and cash savings are seldom met due to systemic problems in the financial sector and monsoon risk. In 1991, a comprehensive household survey addressing rural access to finance revealed that barely one-sixth of rural households had loans from formal rural finance institutions (RFIs). Beyond credit, most of the rural poor also lack access to the banking system for savings.Farmers respond to the lack o f formal financial services by turning to moneylenders; reducing inputs in Farming; over capitalizing and internalizing risk; and/or by over diversifying their activities which leads to sub-optimal asset allocation. The combined effect of these coping strategies is a poverty trap. Smallholders cannot risk investing in fixed capital or concentrating on the most profitable activities and crops, because they cannot leverage the start-up capital and they face systemic risks that could wipe out their livelihoods at any point in time.The challenge for banks is to innovate a low-cost way of reaching farmers and helping them better manage risk . Agricultural activity is inherently risky due to pest or disease-induced harvest failure, price volatility in commodities markets, or extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods. Smoothing consumption across years or seasons is a significant challenge for agrarian households in developing countries. Parchure (2002) estimated that in India ab out 90% of variation in crop production levels is caused by variation in rainfall levels.In response to these problems, innovative index-based weather insurance was developed, in which the payment schemes are based on an exogenous publically observable index, namely local rainfall. This mitigates problems such as moral hazard and adverse selection and eliminates the need for in-field assessments, lowering the cost of providing insurance. The purpose is to study the effect of insurance in the farmer’s income and how insurance helps in agriculture risk mitigation in Indian context.Coverage for crops and also schemes pertaining to monsoon insurance are also studied and its penetration in Indian market. Aim To study economic development due to monsoon insurance 1. Objectives †¢To study the effect of insurance in the farmers income †¢How insurance helps in agriculture risk mitigation in Indian context †¢To study coverage for crops and also schemes pertaining to mons oon insurance †¢To study Overall economic development of Indian economy due to index monsoon insurance †¢To compare and study agricultural growth pre and post effect implications of monsoon insurance in Indian economyHypothesis (or key questions) Index monsoon insurance has overall created a positive impact on Indian economy. Research Methodology Stage 1 Literature Research A comprehensive review of the relevant literature including a computer assisted search will be Undertaken in order to develop an understanding of previous work related to index monsoon insurance. Stage 2 descriptive research Review of literature in the field of agriculture and insurance to understand the growth of both the fields Stage 3 article researchEffect of insurance is studied by reviewing different articles and case studies related to monsoon insurance impact on specifies states which are more exposed to extreme climatic conditions Stage 4 statistics research A review of current as well as past statistics related to agricultural sector to analyse the trend Stage 5: Writing Up This stage involves writing up the content of the dissertation and should cover their chapters proposed Proposed Contents of the dissertation 1. Introduction 2. Agricultural sector and its challenges 3. Index monsoon insurance and its different schemes 4. Theoretical Framework of the study . Implications of monsoon index insurance 6. Interpretation and conclusion 7. Bibliography Work Plan/Diary First and second week -Review of Literature Second and third week- case study research Next 2 weeks- analysing the statistics Next 4 weeks – interpretation of statistics Next 2 weeks- collecting information from experts in the field of insurance Next 2 weeks – writing up the case study Next 2 weeks – Submission of soft copy for approval http://www. cirm. in/events/agriculture-index-insurance-conference-2012 -imp http://www. cgap. org/blog/lessons-india-weather-insurance-small-farmers

Leonardo de Pisa

Leonardo of Pisa or Fibonacci and the Issue of Moneylenders NFaly Konate Texas A&M University – Central Texas FIN 590 Dr. Mary Kelly Summer 2012 Northern Italy in the early thirteen century was a land subdivided into multiple feuding city-states. Among the many remnants of defunct Roman Empire was a numerical system (I, ii, iii, iv†¦) singularly ill suited to complex mathematical calculation, let alone the needs of commerce. Nowhere was this more of a problem than in Pisa, where merchants also had to contend with seven different forms of coinage in circulation.By comparison, economical life in the Eastern world was far more advanced, just as it had been in the time of Charlemagne. To discover modern finance, Europe needed to import it. In this, a young mathematician called Leonardo of Pisa, or Fibonacci played a crucial role. Leonardo Fibonacci also known as Leonardo Pisano, Leonardo of Pisa,  was the greatest European mathematician of the middle ages. He was born in Pi sa in Italy circa 1170 and died sometime after 1240.Leonardo’s father, Gugliemo, was a customs official and engaged in commerce representing Pisa at Bougie on the north coast of Africa. Young Leonardo consequently received a Moorish education as well as the traditional European education and was introduced to Hindu-Arabic numbers. Later on, he traveled about the Mediterranean visiting Egypt, Syria, Greece, Sicily and Provence, meeting with scholars and becoming acquainted with the various arithmetical systems used by the merchants.In his book, the Liber abaci, which fills 459 printed pages, he explained the most perfect methods of calculating with whole numbers and with fractions, practice, extraction of the square and cube roots, proportion, chain rule, finding of proportional parts, averages, progressions, even compound interest, just as in the completest mercantile arithmetic of later days. They teach further the solution of problems leading to equations of the first and s econd degree, to determinate and indeterminate equations, not by single and double position only, but by real algebra, proved by means of geometric onstructions, and including the use of letters as symbols for known numbers, the unknown quantity being called res and its square census. The book is also largely responsible for introducing Arabic numerals to Europe. Leonardo of Pisa is also considered a Key Player in the Finance because of his introduction of Hindu-Arabic numerals. Finally, he not only gave Europe the decimal system, which makes all kinds of calculation far easier than with Roman numerals, he also showed how it could be applied to commercial bookkeeping, to currency conversions and crucially, to the calculation of interest.References 1) Ferguson, N (2008). Dreams of Avarice. The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World. (Pages 33-36). Penguin Books. 2) MM Del Rosario (no date). Retrieved June 12, 2012, from: http://mmdelrosario. hubpages. com/hub/leonardo-fibo nacci 3) NNDB Tracking the World (no date). Retrieved June 12, 2012, from: http://www. nndb. com/people/922/000095637/

Customer Service Provided

Customer service provided by Co-operative travel and Thomas Cook * Individuals * Groups * People of different cultures * Non-English speakers * People with specific needs * Business men and women. * Internal Thomas Cook: Individuals Thomas Cook needs to provide excellent customer service to a wide range of customers with different expectations and needs, by providing the right holiday for all customers. They also arrange singles holidays where individuals can enjoy the company of many other individuals on their holiday.Most of the customers that book individual holidays are business men and women who may require accommodation with services such as telephone/modem link, wake up calls and newspapers. Groups Thomas Cook provides discounts for group holidays if a group has 9 or more travelling. This discount is normally provided by the tour operators therefore the holiday must be booked directly with the organisers of that particular holiday.Any holidays booked for a group that consists of families will have to take into consideration the different ages and gender of the people travelling because they will require a range of activities to suite everyone. Thomas Cook have to make sure they are meeting the individual needs as well as the needs of the group. Group discounts will also be given to educational bookings e. g. euro Disney provide educational weekends which can be booked through travel agents. People of different culturesThomas Cook have to make sure they accommodate for people of all cultures e. g. some religions don't eat beef, so for their in-flight meals they will have to make sure the food contains no beef at all. Also they have to make sure that they do not use any offensive or inappropriate language, attitude and moral behaviour. It is also the responsibility of Thomas cook to tell customers about the culture of the country that the customer is travelling to e. g. when my auntie went to Egypt she was told to cover her body, as in some parts of Egypt she may be harassed.

Business management Essay

Introduction Organizational cultures refer to the shared norms, values and expectations that govern the way people interact with one another and approach their work. Organizational cultures can be managed by the senior staff by changing the employee’s view towards their work performance. Diverse companies or organizations use different approaches to manage organizational culture. For organizational culture to be managed in successful manner, careful assessment of the changes to make is important. This will ensure support from the workers and other leaders for they will be able to get the purpose for it (Pareek, 2006). Organizational culture is an important aspect in any administration. It has great impacts in the change programmes of the organization. Strong cultures have been known to obstruct performance and most of the organization managers are struggling hard to manage it. Through assessment of models and application of the current public and private sector operations, organizational culture is easy to administer. In addition, organisational cultures can be handled by establishment of an exterior rather than an internal orientation which is associated with less control focus. Organizational managers should strive to administer the cultures with awareness so that success can be achieved and reduce the shortcomings brought about by lack of culture management issues (Pareek, 2006). How important are organisational subcultures? In order to successfully run an organisation, the management need to create subcultures for they have proved to work best resulting to good performances. Subcultures consist of groups of people within a given culture who differentiate themselves from the well-built culture to which they belong. Organisational subcultures give responsiveness and freedom that a certain culture in the administration may be in a position of limiting. The subcultures allows the organisation be able to generate diverse responses to the surrounding without necessarily intruding its internal consistency. It is clear that subcultures have some properties which are in a position of reinforcing the organisation’s culture. For instance, the subcultures differ from the extent they dispute the overarching traditions (Mullins, 2013). Subcultures often appear in response to varying demands and can provide as an outlet for members to articulate arguments and disputes arising during chaotic times. Subcultures also present methods for changing fewer central principles which are important factors in any organisation. With organisational subcultures, free interaction is enhanced particularly to the workers. This motivates the employees for they are able to present their problems or views to their leaders in a confident manner which makes them feel satisfied (Mullins, 2013). What is management? Management is the organisational process that involves calculated planning, locating managing resources, objectives and installing financial and human possessions which are a necessity in achieving the organisation’s goals and measuring the outcomes. Management includes storing particulars and recording facts for later use and those which are important within the organisation.   Management functions are not only limited to the managers but everyone in the organisation is involved in the administrative functions. For instance, the workers in the organisation are involved in the reporting task as their work. Management reaches out the organisational goals by working through and with people and having control of the resources in the administration (Mullins, 2013). Management also involves a function that coordinates people’s efforts to accomplish the organisation’s set goals by use of the resources available in an efficient and effective manner. Management also involves functions of which when applied, administration becomes successful. Some of the most essential functions required during management include organizing, influencing, planning and controlling. This mostly applies to the supervisors and the managers in an administration. Planning involves making of tasks which are required to be accomplished within the given period of time. Influencing involves motivation of the workers. It also involves directing of the organisation members to the direction that makes them be able to fulfil their goals. Controlling involves gathering if information that compares the present performance established to the previous ones (Mullins, 2013). Is bureaucracy a bad thing? Bureaucracy is defined as a form of leadership in which a group of people is given the responsibility of setting rules and regulations especially in an organisation. It may have negative effects particularly when decisions are made when the workers in the organisation are not given a chance to express their views for instance. This form of leadership consists of many departments of which are arranged in a descending order. The decisions made by the most senior department have to be discussed further in the other divisions and therefore leading to time wastage (Pareek, 2006). Bureaucracy also discourages innovations and creativity in the organisation since the selected decision making body is always permanent. Application of this form of leadership makes the employees lose morale during work particularly when they are not comfortable with the rules that govern them. On the other hand bureaucracy is also associated with a few advantages, for example, tactical decision making is easy because a few number of individuals is involved. Standardisation in the place of work is also efficient for the group in leadership is able to effectively ensure that work is perfectly performed (Beetham, 1997). References Beetham, D. (1997). Bureaucracy. Minneapolis, Mn: University of Minnesota Press. Pareek, U. (2006). Organisational culture and climate. Hyderabad, India: ICFAI University   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Press. Mullins, L. J. (2013). Management and organisational behaviour.

A Study On Brand Identity Marketing Essay

A Study On Brand Identity Marketing Essay Yes, because Microsoft is by far one of the most powerful companies in the world. When we X Box, just by nature we think of the name Microsoft that has now become a household name. There is an essay attached that I had that explains this further What makes people buy one product or service over another? The answer lies in the persuasive power of marketing communications – advertising, public relations, direct marketing and e marketing – working together to achieve a desired result. To remain viable in today’s marketplace, many organizations have integrated their unique corporate culture, values and innovations into their brand identity. Rather than stand alone as a faceless structure, this new wave of companies imparts personality into their brands. This more personal brand message further distinguishes products and services from those of their competitors. A consumer who feels kinship with an organization’s core identity is likely to remain loyal to that organization’s products or services — a loyalty unshaken even by intense competition. The most persuasive and powerful tool to achieve this is branding. Identity is branding. It is has been around as long as human beings have organized themselves. Countries identify themselves with flags and uniforms. Families use crests. Product branding is found on ancient vases with the symbol of the craftsmen that created them, and cattle in the west were â€Å"branded† with the symbol of the ranch. Brand is the proprietary visual, emotional, rational, and cultural image that you associate with a company or a product. When you think Volvo, you might think safety. When you think Nike, you might think of Michael Jordan or â€Å"Just Do It.† When you think IBM, you might think â€Å"Big Blue.† The fact that you remember the brand name and have positive associations with that brand makes your product selection easier and enhances the value and satisfaction you get from the product. Brand identity includes brand names, logos, positioning, brand associations, and brand personality. A good brand name gives a good first impression and evokes positive associations with the brand. A positioning statement tells, in one sentence, what business the company is in, what benefits it provides and why it is better than the competition. The first thing we recognise when we talk about brands is that they are not just names, terms, symbols, designs or combinations of these, although it is true to say that such things can differentiate certain products and companies from others. The additional ingredient that makes a successful brand is personality. Today’s leading brands are personalities in their own right and are well known in all societies and cultures as film heroes, cartoon characters, sports stars or great leaders. For today’s business the brand comes in the form of a logo. The secret to successful branding is to influence the way in whic h people perceive the company or product, and brands can affect the minds of customers by appealing to those four mind functions, or combinations of them. Some brands appeal to the rational part of a person, to the elements of logic and good sense (the thinking dimension) such as toothpaste, which prevents decay and cholesterol-free foods. Others appeal to the senses of smell, taste, sight and sound such as fashion and cosmetic products.

Sex education at high school in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sex education at high school in Canada - Essay Example According to McKay, et al, (1998, p123) the Canadian parents have failed miserably in educating their children, about sexuality, a situation that denies teenagers the power to make informed decisions on matters related to their sexuality. In a world that technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate, teenagers often get misguided information about sex on social networks and from pornographic sites, a situation that makes them vulnerable to early sexual experimentation. This exposure has resulted to high incidents of teenage pregnancies, infection by sexually transmitted diseases and other negative consequences such as dropping out of school and other reproductive health problems (Caims and Hiebert, 1994, p227). Sex education should be introduced in Canadian high schools to protect the teenagers from sexual related problems and enhance their personal safety. A study conducted by Geasler et al(1995, p 173) established that most Canadian parents entrusted educational institutions to provide sex health education to empower the adolescents with relevant knowledge such as personal safety, importance of abstinence and reproduction.

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Assignment - Essay Example Unfortunately, neither person usually gets exactly what one wants. This can lead to angry feelings later.† (ICANS, par. 4) The rationales for my choice of the compromising style in negotiating are as follows: (1) both arguments from the two (2) negotiating parties are taken into account, (2) my personality, behavior and preferences are geared towards meeting half way, (3) based on experience, I realized that a compromising style benefits both parties in such a way that both come to a point where they agree to meet certain conditions which satisfy both their objectives, and (4) the objectives of both parties are partially (not exactly) met. The compromising style has the following advantages: (1) both sides agree or reach an agreement which is amenable to both, (2) terms or conditions of the arguments are both taken into account, (3) fair because neither wins or loses. On the other hand, the disadvantages of this style are as follows: (1) neither person gets exactly what each wants, (2) can lead to frustrated or angry feelings later, and (3) in some cases, it may not be possible, or even desirable, to split it down the middle (Lewicki & Hiam 2006:170) The compromising style is frequently used when trading commodities. A seller pegs the price of a commodity at a certain amount or level. Buyers, usually opt to negotiate purchasing that commodity at a lower price. For example, we were looking for a second-hand van to purchase. The seller sells the van at $5000. We try to negotiate to purchase the van at $4500. The compromising style is applied when both seller and buyer meets at a halfway price, e.g. $4750, to consummate the sale. By this type of transaction, we are already happy with the results. The compromising style is not always applicable in all transactions especially when the decision does not involve monetary terms. There was one instance when I wanted to trade my cell phone for a more advanced model. The trader would assess the market

Discuss how an organisation's competitive advantage can be enhanced Essay

Discuss how an organisation's competitive advantage can be enhanced with the introduction of new technology - Essay Example If according to the analysis the expected revenue is more than the technology’s cost then only the company should plan to take the decision of installing the machine. There are several benefits of implementing technology; some of them are discussed as follows: Technology helps reduce cost One of the most renowned company, Procter & Gamble makes use of latest technology to reduce its inventory cost. This company makes efficient use of computer technology to keep track of the amount of products or items that its retailers currently hold in stock so that it can immediately get restocked when required. Makes Distribution Easier Right coordination between distribution channels is not very easy but with the introduction of new technologies, this task has been made easier for the organizations. Just-in-time system helps in better planning of item delivery and can reduce cost of storage. Thus, implementing technology in the distribution process and doing extensive research and intelle ctual planning can help improve delivery time and give organization an opportunity of further growing their business worldwide. Increased Revenue As mentioned earlier, implementation of technology also results in increased revenue. Lets take an example of a very popular automobile company â€Å"Ford†. Ford today is considered to be a technology driven brand. According to the vice president of Ford, Derrick Kuzak, every product sold has added to increased revenue. He further stated that average revenue per vehicle has increased up to fourteen percent from the year 2008 to the year 2009. This increase was due to the implementation of latest technology, â€Å"Sync in-car communication system† in the vehicle. This system provides car drivers a hands free facility to control their cell phones and media systems. Derrick Kuzak stated â€Å"Technology has contributed majorly in enhancing our brand and further expanding our business† Makes Communication Easier Advancemen t in technology also makes communication easier and faster. Through the introduction of new cell phones like blackberry, easy communication between employees through email and blackberry messenger has been made possible. Blackberry service notifies the employees about any new email that comes in their inbox and allows easy exchange or transfer of files and images, providing them with an opportunity, to perform their job sitting home. Various Technologies presently being used in Organizations Majority organizations implement Transaction Processing Systems. This system helps produce data, based on daily operations happening in the company. It produces data regarding inflow and outflow of materials, sales, credit and deposits etc. In simple words, this system provides an answer to all the queries that operational managers might have on daily basis. Another most useful system that is being used world-wide is the Management Information System (MIS). This is a technology that is useful fo r producing reports containing information useful for middle level managers to do short - term assessments. There are several other useful technologies or systems that help companies gain competitive

Chinatown (1974) - dir. Roman Polanski Movie Review

Chinatown (1974) - dir. Roman Polanski - Movie Review Example The film’s story line Ladd (Evelyn Mulwray) hires Gittes, a private investigator, to conduct marriage surveillance on Hollis Mulwray, Ladd’s husband. Gittes follows Hollis’ moves, takes pictures of him with a young woman, and hears him oppose the development of new reservoir that makes the headline of the following newspaper. A beautiful woman confronts Gittes in his office; she claims to be the real Evelyn Mulwray and he can anticipate a lawsuit. He notices it is a set up and Gittes wants to establish the person behind it and his investigations guides him to Mulwray’s drowned body. Gittes suspects murder, he investigates and realizes that every night, huge quantities of water are released from the reservoir, and the land is almost dry. Gittes realizes that Hollis was once a business partner of Noah Cross (John Huston), his father. Noah Cross promises to give Gittes a huge amount if he succeeds in looking for Hollis’ missing girlfriend. Ending and t wists in the film As Gittes investigates the missing of Hollis’ girlfriend, he discovers that many orange groves have transformed their ownership in San Fernando. When Gittes visits San Fernando Valley, he is confronted and beaten by angry landowners who thought that he was from the water department that had been destroying and poisoning their water reservoirs to force them out of their land. Gittes finds out that Mulwray was killed when he knew that the new water tank would be used to irrigate newly bought properties. Gittes unravels a murder drama, which looks to be linked to the water reservoirs in San Fernando Valley. The conspiracy that Gittes unravels does not fit a real noir crime film because there is the absence of high-speed loot, no gems, and jewels. Instead, Cross and other people are planning to dry up the San Fernando Valley by moving water to another direction in order to purchase the land cheaply, and then re-divert water back into the land so that the land be comes fertile, and sell it at a higher price. The central question is how Evelyn Mulwray fits in all these activities and who is this mysterious woman associated with Mulwray. Characters in the movie include: Jack Nicholson (Jake Gittes), Darrell Zwerling (Hollis Mulwray), Faye Dunaway (Evelyn Mulwray), and John Huston (Noah Cross). The characters in the film are credible and well written. These effects are executed well in that every conversation is memorable and well drafted. For instance, the choice of John Huston for performing the role of Cross was an informed one in that he perfectly understands his role - an amoral person whose good nature cannot hide the issue of corruption that follows him in the entire film. From the start of the film, Cross is the movie’s villain and one of Chinatown mesmerizing denizens. Faye Dunaway fits her role in that she plays Evelyn with the right amount of passion and ambiguity, which gives the viewers the impression that she is the femme f atale. The movie had slower pace than expected, but apart from this small issue, it was flawless. The plot of the film is enormous, involving, and interesting. The film’s pace, although not too fast, is acceptable since there are scenes and sequence that are really exciting and intense. Why the film does well The film is good in the sense that when the plot does not pick up well, Roman Polanski keeps viewers’