Depression in adolescents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Depression in adolescents - Essay Example Some researchers have suggested that "even among psychiatrists . . . the extent of the disability caused by depression is vastly underestimated." (Empfield, 2001) Further, it is logical to argue that "major depression causes more long-term human misery than any other single disease." (Empfield, 2001) Diagnosing and treating such a disease as early as possible in an individual's life may enable it to be effectively eradicated for their later years. While some early childhood depression does occur, the condition mainly appears in the teenage years. It will remain with the patient, become episodic or cause drastic symptoms such as suicide if it is left untreated. The causes of depression in general are still somewhat controversial within the medical community: situational and biological theories often conflict, while those that argue for a situational and biological cause are perhaps gaining ground. The physical features of the brain of person suffering from depression/who are liable to depression. As Cynthia Haines puts it, "there is absolute proof that people suffering from depression have changes in their brains . . . the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is vital to the storage of memories, is small in those people." (Haines, 2005) A smaller hippocampus has less serotonin receptors, and it appears that serotonin is important for the brain to communicate with the body, as well as a regulator of mood. A lack of serotonin appears to cause depression. There are also genetic causes of depression, or at least the propensity to become depressed seems to run in families. As Haines (2005) puts it, "children, siblings and parents of people with severe depression are much more likely to suffer from depression than are members of the general population." However, despite current searching, scientists have yet to discover the gene that may cause depression. (Alpert, 2005) The fact that both psychosocial and biological factors cause and maintain depression seems accepted, but the exact manner in which they combine is not certain. One reason that teenagers appear to suffer from more depression than other groups may be the 'quality of life' estimates that individuals constantly make. As Miller et al (2005) suggest, "quality of life reflects the patient's overall perceived satisfaction or quality. . . ". Teenagers often have a much lower perception of their lives than other age-groups, due to the physical, emotional, psychological and economic changes that are occurring to them. Teenage depression may express itself in different ways than adult depression. Thus teenagers may exhibit "additional psychiatric disorders, such as behavior disorders or substance abuse problems." (www.focusus.com) Often these additional symptoms seem to swamp the signs of depression and so the teenager may be treated (and/or disciplined) for the symptoms of depression when in fact the cause is not looked at. Thus a teenager who is suffering from depression may drink alcohol excessively, indulge in highly risky behavior or take drugs. These acts will be more visible than the underlying depression, and so are easier to latch onto for parents, school authorities and the police. Another complication is the fact that parents need to be able to identify the

National Transportation Safety Board Aircraft Accident Brief

National Transportation Safety Board Aircraft Accident Brief Accident Summary The Hendricks Motorsport plane crash occurred on 24 October 2001.   The airplane crashed in the mountainous regions in Stuart Virginia killing the crew and passengers aboard. The plane crash occurred after a missed landing on the runway 30 of the Martinsville Blue Ridge Airport (NTSB, 2006).   The plane contained two crewmembers and eight passengers who were part of the Hendricks Motorsport Racing team.   All the people on the aircraft died in the accident.   The plane crashed and exploded into flames after impact.   The team was traveling from Concord airport in North Carolina for a racing event. Information from the FAA records of communications and operations of the flight shows that the plane followed all the right procedures including altitude and headings.   However, the problem arose while approaching the Martinsville airport runway (NTSB, 2006).   The plane scheduled a landing on runway thirty but failed to do so under the advisement of the controller tower.   The controller informed the crew that they were second in line for the runway and initiated a holding pattern that extended to 28 minutes.   The flight crew received the message and started 5-mile legs to wait. The team undertook a five-mile holding pattern by making a right turn and ascent to 4000 ft.   The team went on with the holding pattern until the controller cleared them for landing and instructed them to announce their approach to the runway (NTSB, 2006).   The crew followed instructions, informed the controller of the inbound approach, and began their descent to the runway.   The controller confirmed the approached through the radio frequency and the crew proceeded with the approach by descending from 3900ft to 1400ft.   The plane maintained this attitude for approximately over one minute.   It was then that the team announced a missed approach was prompting the controller to ask for confirmation.   The crewmembers ceased all communications after confirming the missed approach.   The Controller further advised the flight crew to ascend to 4400ft but received no response and lost the radar. The Bull Mountains of Stuart Virginia were the scene of the crash about 2400ft away from the landing site.   Eyewitness reports indicated that the aircraft was operating efficiently before the accident.   The engine produced a smooth continuous sound that may have meant idling (NTSB, 2006).   Further reports showed that the plane was flying extremely low at a slow velocity.   There did not seem to be any challenges to the aircrafts performance at the time. However, it is important to note that there was fog in the atmosphere at the date of the crash.   The fog was a factor limiting visibility as it covered the Bull Mountains.   Reports indicate the visibility was up to a quarter mile. A review of the pilots credentials presented him as qualified. He had an estimated 10,733 hours of flight with almost 2000 in the Beech aircraft.   He was 51 years of age and had a significant amount of experience as a pilot.   He had also undergone rigorous training and passed his previous reviews.   The first officer had less experience totaling to 2090 hours of flight (NTSB, 2006).   However, she was qualified evidenced by her qualifications and past performance.   The multiengine plane had passed inspection a few months later with an accumulated flight time of 8079 hours.   The plane had a GPS system with an old database.   It also lacked ground proximity detectors that would have warned the pilot when flying at low altitudes.   The plane was scheduled for a systems upgrade later in the year.   The weather report during the accident indicated cloudy atmosphere with high humidity and patchy fog.   A pilot for the plane ahead of the Hendrickss Motorsports plane claimed that the climate under the clouds had relatively high visibility up to 2 miles.   However, the weather kept on shifting during the flight. Reference NTSB, (2006). Accident Investigations NTSB National Transportation Safety Board. App.ntsb.gov. Retrieved 15 February 2017, from https://app.ntsb.gov/investigations/fulltext/AAB0601.html

GMS Contract :: essays research papers

The new GMS contract PCTs should consider how community pharmacists can be better engaged to help general practice meet the targets in the GMS quality framework and as an alternative provider of enhanced GMS services. In some cases, the core services proposed as part of the new pharmacy contract will actually ensure GP practices meet certain quality standards. The National Pharmaceutical Association (NPA) resource pack ‘A quick reference guide to the Quality Indicators in the new GMS contract’ describes the key quality indicators, what services community pharmacy can offer to support GP practices and examples of the published evidence base. This is available in the NPA section of DrugInfoZone at . The new pharmacy contractThe DH, the NHS Confederation and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) are currently negotiating a new pharmacy contract which will be implemented during 2004 .The proposed framework for the new pharmacy contract is as follows:Essen tial servicesEssential services will form the core of the pharmacy contract and be provided by all pharmacies. These services include:DispensingFind out morewww.druginfozone.nhs.uk/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 3 Vision’ contains clear signposts on the future direction of community pharmacy service development. For example it states that â€Å"Pharmacy is an integral part of the NHS family. We want to see pharmacists strengthening their contribution to the provision of high quality, patient centred NHS services.† ‘The Vision’particularly emphasises the role for community pharmacists in the public health agenda and medicines management, and stresses the importance of having a pharmacist on the PEC.‘A Vision for Pharmacy in the new NHS’ is available at . Full responses from the national pharmacy bodies are available at their respective websites atand A summary of responses to ‘The Vision’ is available at Proposals to reform and modernise the NHS (pharmaceutical services) regulations 1992 The Government is currently developing proposals for changes in the control of entry regulations.The key changes that PCTs need to be aware of (within the cu rrent DH consultation) are:Secondary legislation may introduce the concepts of â€Å"consumer choice and competition† within the definitions of necessary and desirable, which are used to judge pharmacy contract applications.Exemptions for pharmacies in shopping developments of over 15,000 square metres, those planning to open 100 hours per week and those who are â€Å"part of consortium to develop new one stop centres† may be given. However in relation to exemptions, an exemption may only be given if the pharmacy is going to provide a â€Å"full and prescribed range of services, appropriate to local needs, as determined by the PCT†.

Economic Development and Social Change Essay

1) What is the primary goal of modernization theory in contrast to theories of capital formation? Compare and contrast Hoselitz’ formulation of modernization theory with Lewis’ theory of capital formation In the 18th century, during the Age of Enlightenment, an idea named the Idea of Progress emerged whereby its believers were thought of being capable of developing and changing their societies. This philosophy initially appeared through Marquis de Condorcet, who was involved in the origins of the theoretical approach whereby he claimed that technological advancements and economical changes can enable changes in moral and cultural values. He encouraged technological processes to help give people further control over their environments, arguing that technological progress would eventually spur social progress. In addition, Émile Durkheim developed the concept of functionalism in the sociological field, which emphasizes on the importance of interdependence between the different institutions of a society and their interaction in maintaining cultural and social unity. His most well known work, The Division of Labour in Society, which outlines how order in society could be controlled an d managed and how primitive societies could make the transition to more economically advanced industrial societies. Another reason for the emergence of the modernization theory derived from Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, which represented the widespread practical interest on economic development during a time when there was a constant relation between economic theory and economic policy that was considered necessary and obvious. It was by analysing, critiquing, and hence moving away from these assumptions and theories that the modernization theory began to establish itself. At the time the United States entered its era of globalism and a ‘can do’ attitude characterized its approach, as in the functionalist modernization advanced by B. Hoselitz: â€Å"You subtract the ideal typical features or indices of underdevelopment from those of development, and the remainder is your development program†. As he also presents in Social Structure and Economic Growth , this body of economic theory â€Å"abstracted from the immediate policy implications to which it was subject† and also â€Å"assumed human motivations and the social and cultural environment of economic activity as relatively rigid and unchanging givens†(23-24). He claims that the difference lies in the extra examination of what is beyond simply economics terms and adjustments, by â€Å"restructuring a social relations in general, or at least those social relations which are relevant to the performance of the productive and distributive tasks of the society†(26). Most forms of evolutionism conceived of development as being natural and endogenous, whereas modernization theory makes room for exogenous influences. Its main aim is to attain some understanding of the functional interrelationship of economic and general social variables describing the transition from an economically â€Å"underdeveloped† to an â€Å"advanced† society. Modernization theory is usually referred to as a paradigm, but upon closer consideration turns out to be host to a wide variety of projects, some presumably along the lines of ‘endogenous change’ namely social differentiation, rationalization, the spread of universalism, achievement and specificity; while it has also been associated with projects of ‘exogenous change’: the spread of capitalism, industrialization through technological diffusion, westernization, nation building, state formation (as in postcolonial inheritor states). If occasionally this diversity within modernizat ion is recognized, still the importance of exogenous influences is considered minor and secondary. I do not view ‘modernization’ as a single, unified, integrated theory in any strict sense of ‘theory’. It was an overarching perspective concerned with comparative issues of national development, which treated development as multidimensional and multicausal along various axes (economic, political, cultural), and which gave primacy to endogenous rather than exogenous factors. (Tiryakian, 1992: 78) In the context of Cold War modernization theory operated as a highly interventionalist tool enabling the ‘free world’ to impose its rules and engage in ‘structural imperialism’. Typically this occurred in the name of the forces of endogenous change such as national building, the entrepreneurial spirit and achievement orientation. In effect modernization theory was a form of globalization that was presented as endogenous change. Modernization theory, therefore, emerged from these ideas in order to explain the process of modernization within societies. The theory examines not only the internal factors of a country but also how with the aid of technology and the reformation of certain cultural structures, â€Å"traditional† countries can develop in the same manner that more developed countries have. In this way, the theory attempts to identify the social variables, which contribute to social progress and the development of societies, and seeks to explain the process of social evolution. The question of the functional relations between all or most culture traits is left open, and special attention is â€Å"given only to those aspects of social behaviour that have significance for economic action, particularly as this action relates to conditions affecting changes in the output of goods and services achieved by a society†(30). They conceptualize the process of development in a similar linear, evolutionary form as older evolutionary theories of progress, but seek to identify the critical factors that initiate and sustain the development proc ess. These factors, they argue, are both intrinsic and extrinsic: the former involves the diffusion of modern technologies and ideas to the developing world, while the latter requires the creation of local conditions, such as the mobilization of capital, which will foster progress. Modernization theorists believe that primitive production, an anachronistic culture, and apathetic personal dispositions combine to maintain an archaic socioeconomic system that perpetuates low levels of living. Modernization theorists hold that policies designed to deal with these traditional impediments to progress primarily through economic intervention, provide the key to prosperity. Overall, Hoselitz’s modernization theory is a sociological theory of economic growth that determines the mechanisms by which thesocial structure of an underdeveloped economy was modernized – that is, altered to take on the features of an economically advanced country. Hoselitz’s answer was based on the â€Å"theory of social deviance† – that is, that new things were started by people who were different from the norm. Unlike Lewis’ theories that we will revise later, Hoselitz thought that small-scale private economic development was the best way of achieving development in Third World economies. This particularly involved revaluing what he called â€Å"entrepreneurial performance†, something that Lewis also agrees with, but in a way that provided not only wealth but also social status and political influence. In Chapter 8 of Sociological Aspects of Economic Growth, Hoselitz focuses on the creation of â€Å"generative cities† (that is, cities producing innovations) rather than traditional rural areas were the focal points for the introduction of new ideas and social and economic practices. Many of the early colonial settlements in the New World and South Africa, Hoselitz claimed, were parasitic, enjoying a certain degree of economic growth â€Å" within the city itself and its surrounding environs† only at the expense of the rest of the region, which was ruthlessly exploited for its natural and agricultural resources (p.280). Although prescriptions for inducing social change and removing cultural obstacles to economic modernization in developing countries may be described as social policies, they do not seek to deal directly with mass poverty and its attendant problems of malnutrition, ill-health, inadequate housing, illiteracy, and destitution. These critical welfare concerns are seldom referred to by modernization theorists, namely by Hoselitz. Instead, the implicit assumption in his writings is that the process of economic development and social change will raise levels of living and remedy these problems automatically. Since economic growth, engendered by capital investments in modern industry, will expand employment, the proportion of the population in subsistent poverty will steadily decline. The increasing numbers of workers in the modern economy will experience a steady rise in real income that will be sufficient not only to satisfy their basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter but permit them to purchase consumer commodities as well as social goods such as medical care, education, and social security. Arthur Lewis was one of the first economists to create a theory about how industrialized and economically stable countries are capable of helping undeveloped countries progress. He presented this theory in his work Economic Development with the Unlimited Supplies of Labor† where he brings about the concept of capital formation. He defines it as the transfer of savings from households and governments to business sectors, resulting in increased output and economic expansion. He claims that his â€Å"model says, in effect, that if unlimited supplies of labor are available at a constant real wage, and if any part of profits is reinvested in productive capacity, profits will grow continuously relatively to the national income, and capital formation will also grow relatively to the national income†(158). From here bridged off his development of the two-sector model of the economy and the theory of dualism. Both posit the existence of a substantial pool of underutilized labor in a backward, subsistent agricultural sector of an economy that perpetuates low levels of production and mass poverty. This model comprises two distinct sectors, the capitalist and the subsistence sectors. The former, which may be private or state-owned, includes principally manufacturing industry and estate agriculture; the latter, mainly small-scale family agriculture and various other types of unorganized economic activity. Here the capital, income and wages per head, the proportion of income saved, and the rate of technological progress are all much higher in the capitalist sector. The subsi stence sector is both at a very low level, and also stagnant, with negligible investment and technical progress and no new wants emerging. Institutional arrangements are the ones maintaining this chronic disequilibrium between the sectors, implicit in these differences in real income and productivity. In the extended family the members receive approximately the average product of the group even if the marginal product is much less. The process of development, initiated by an increase in the share of capitalists in the national income, I essentially the growth of the capitalist sector at the expense of the subsistence sector, with the goal of the ultimate absorption of the latter by the former. To some extent, this is similar to Hoselitz’s development of the modernization theory, whereby the claims that the formation of his generative cities (a) creates a new demand for industrial raw materials from the surrounding region, and (b) attracts new population to the cities, thereby increasing the demand for food from the countryside. The net effect of these forces is a â€Å"widening of economic development over an increasing area affecting a growing proportion of the population outside the city†(Hoselitz, 282). However, Lewis’ theory has several limitations and conditions, most importantly that his theory can be applied only in countries with unlimited supplies of labor. Unlimited supplies of labor arise from the employment of more workers than is productively effective. Lewis went through all of the areas of Caribbean society where he thought there were pools of labour in which the marginal productivity was negative, negligible or zero. His plan now was to make this a potential, industrial labour force. He could take all of the labour away from agriculture, away from casual labour, without lowering the profit margins of the places where they are currently employed. This was not a radical, disruptive assault on the existing economic order, which resulted in one of the main reasons that his theory was so successful. Ineffective production, occurring when an additional worker prevented the previous one from producing another product (hence equaling a negative marginal productivity) was common in the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and other undeveloped regions of the world. Several sectors of the economy employ too many people with negligible, zero or negative marginal productivity. According to Lewis these productively unnecessary individuals are employed in agriculture, or are casual workers, petty traders, or women of the household. He claims that the transfer of these people’s work from these areas towards commercial employment is one of the most notable features of economic development. The second source of labor for expanding industries is the increase in the population resulting from the excess of births over deaths. After his analysis of the effect of development on death rate, whereby he concludes that â€Å"[death rates] come down with development from around 40 to around 12 per thousand†(144), he claims therefore that â€Å"in any society where the death rate is around 40 per thousand, the effect of economic development will be to generate an increase in the supply of labor†(144). From this point of view, he states, †Å"there can be in an over-populated economy an enormous expansion of new industries or new employment opportunities without any shortage of unskilled labor†(145), though too many people could again cause ineffective production. He clarifies this by saying, â€Å"Only so much labor should be used with capital as will reduce the marginal productivity of labor to zero†(145). This can be achieved by offering and maintaining decently high wages. The wages offered should be only slightly higher than the wages available in the subsistence sector, since wages that are too high may attract more workers than needed. But firstly, and perhaps most importantly, entrepreneurial-minded capitalists are required in order to invest in the nation. Tax holidays attract the foreign capitalists. It is not a very difficult task, because they have very good incentives to come. The planter class in the Caribbean seemed just like the planter class in the American South – it had no desire to go industrial and no desire to go competitive. It was still trapped in a situation between an old monopoly system and a market situation since they were able to negotiate for a protected market for sugar, not a competitive market. Lewis then looked around realized the only way he could keep this program of industrialization launched would be by visiting England and America where capitalists and entrepreneurs were flourishing and foster their entrance into the Caribbean. Again, he employed the concept of a dual economy where a subsistence sector existed, but also from where he created from scratch this modern industria l sector to establish on modern capitalism. Capitalists in North America and Europe found these labouring conditions and costs in the Caribbean quite attractive. Getting this labour to the imported capitalists would not be resisted locally because he was taking those labourers with marginal productivity of zero. Once they began working, he would then re-invest more capital into the factory, so that it could expand, employ more workers, export more products, and increase profits, hence developing a self-feeding system that would eventually lead the national income to grow. Although Hoselitz also is of the belief that the formation of a dual economy is beneficial, rather than necessarily attract foreign capitalists through such incentives, Hoselitz believes that the creation of westernized cities led the way forward. He claims that cities modelled after the Western cities exhibited a spirit difference from the traditionalism of the countryside. In this way, he differs slightly from Le wis in that he favored a shift in political power away from traditional leaders and toward total control by economic and urban modernizers in underdeveloped countries, not necessarily foreign entrepreneurial capitalist as Lewis asserts. Lewis knew that some products would work better than others, so he developed an Industrial Programming Market – a number of basic calculations about those particular commodities, if produced in the Caribbean, would be particularly competitive internationally. And so as a result of this study Lewis found that the production of airbrushes, gloves, furniture, needles, shirts, and leather goods would be particularly good to produce, given the skills of the labour force available at the time. For the self-feeding system to be a continuous process, costs of labour had to remain fairly constant. If the cost of labour rose too rapidly, they would not be sustained since the goods would no longer be internationally competitive. The key to this model is indeed international competitiveness. Capitalists can create more capital when the supply of money is higher, and hence if governments create credit, inflation arises yet does not have the same effect as the inflation that arises during depression periods. This inflation only has an effect on the prices in the short-run so that in the long run the final effect equal to what it would be if capital was formed by the reinvestment of profit. Lewis discusses at so me length the methods by which governments of underdeveloped countries can raise revenue, especially the substantial funds required for government capital formation. For familiar political and administrative reasons much of this revenue has to be raised from indirect taxes, notably import and excise duties and export taxes. He argues that indirect taxation is more likely to increase than to decrease the supply of effort: The taxpayer usually does not know how much tax is included in the prices of the articles he buys, so in so far as the disincentive effect of taxation is psychological it can be avoided by using indirect rather than direct taxes†¦ If it is an increase in indirect taxation, the effect is probably to increase effort rather than to reduce it (414). Because of the multiple restrictions in this model, it is designed for countries with unlimited supplies of labor and hence this growth has a limit: â€Å"The process must stop when capital accumulation has caught up with population, so there is no longer surplus labor†(172). Furthermore, if wages are too high, they may consume the entirety of the profit leading to no re-investment. Several other reasons for the end of capital formation vary; the occurrence of natural disasters, war or a change of political system can also prevent further economic expansion in a closed economy. Lewis’ model is powerful but also highly restricted and specific to only a handful of nations. Some critics also claim that the distinction between the two sectors is too sharp; that small-scale agriculture is often far from stagnant and the emergence of the production of cash crops by individual producers has in fact been a key instrument in economic development since capital formation is actually created in this type of agriculture. Also, this model requires low wages for the labor force, yet very low wages result in a wide gap between the lower and upper class in a society, an issue that many have questioned thoroughly. Lewis says openly that exploitation can easily occur in this model, but that it is part of capital accumulation. He believes that one has to sacrifice a generation to grow the economy, because he assumed that if all goes well and more consumers are attracted to Caribbean, they will generate more business, and the economy will grow to the point where the weal th can be redistributed to the people. He reckoned that it would take, given the rate of growth that he observed in the Caribbean, one generation, thus a period between 40 and 50 years, to grow the economy and claim that poverty could be eradicated in this region. And yet the cost of this would be exploiting this generation, so that their children could benefit from it later. Hoselitz, as stated earlier, applied the ideas of Parsons and other sociologists to an analysis of the development process under the assumption, drawn from Adam Smith, that increasing productivity was associated with more detailed social divisions of labor: A society on a low level of economic development is, therefore, one in which productivity is low because division of labor is little developed, in which the objectives of economic activity are more commonly the maintenance or strengthening of status relations, which social and geographical mobility is low, and in which the hard cake of custom determines the manner, and often the effects, of economic performance. An economically highly developed society, in contrast, is characterized by a complex division of social labor, a relatively open social structure from which caste barriers are absent and class barriers are surmountable, in which social roles and gains from economic activity are distributed essentially on the basis of achievement, and in which, therefore, innovation, the search for and exploitation of profitable market situations, and the ruthless pursuit of self-interest without regard to the welfare of others is fully sanctioned. (Hoselitz, 1960: 60). These preceding theories both provide us with some preliminary indications and developments of views of modern social orders broader than that envisaged in the initial models provided. They stress the historical dimensions of the process of development, emphasizing that this process is not universal, something in the very nature of humanity or in the natural development of human societies. Instead, the modernization process is fully bound to a certain period in human history, even though in itself it is continuously developing and changing throughout this period. Development and the challenges it brings forward constitute a basic given for most contemporary societies. Though it certainly is pervasive in the contemporary setting, it is not necessarily irreversible in the future, and it would be wrong to assume that once these forces have impinged on any â€Å"society†, they naturally push toward a given, relatively fixed â€Å"end-plateau.† Rather, as we have seen, they evoke within different societies, in different situations, a variety of responses which depend on the broad sets of internal conditions of these societies, on the structure of the situation of change in which they are caught, and the very nature of the international system and relations, whether those of â€Å"dependency† or of international competition. Section 2 5) Briefly outline David Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage; then outline in greater detail Samir Amin’s theory of periphery capitalism and why he thinks that trade between the central and peripheral capitalist economies does not meet the conditions of Ricardo’s theory In 1817, David Ricardo, an English political economist, contributed theory of comparative advantage in his book ‘Principles of Political Economy and Taxation’. This theory of comparative advantage, also called comparative cost theory, is regarded as the classical theory of international trade. According to the classical theory of international trade, every country will produce their commodities for the production of which it is most suited in terms of its natural endowments climate quality of soil, means of transport, capital, etc. It will produce these commodities in excess of its own requirement and will exchange the surplus with the imports of goods from other countries for the production of which it is not well suited or which it cannot produce at all. Thus all countries produce and export these commodities in which they have cost advantages and import those commodities in which they have cost disadvantages. Ricardo states that even if a nation had an absolute disadvantage in the production of both commodities with respect to the other nation, mutually advantageous trade could still take place. The less efficient nation should specialize in the production and export of the commodity in which its absolute disadvantage is less. This is the commodity in which the nation has a comparative advantage. Ricardo takes into account the following assumptions: there are two countries and two commodities; there is a perfect competition both in commodity and factor market; cost of production is expressed in terms of labor; labor is the only factor of production other than natural resources; labor is homogeneous i.e. identical in efficiency, in a particular country; labor is perfectly mobile within a country but perfectly immobile between countries; there is free trade; production is subject to constant returns to scale; there is no technological change; trade between two countries takes place on barter system; full employment exists in both countries; there are no transport costs. In 1973, Samir Amin, an Egyptian political economist, begins his dialogue in Unequal Development by referring to Marx’s writing on non-European societies, namely India and China, and creates a work in which he reevaluates Peter Evans’ theory of Dependent Development and simultaneously presents his theory of peripheral capitalism in developing societies. He shows how these early ideas established the notion of the centre and the periphery, and how â€Å"the development of capitalism in the periphery was to remain extraverted, based on the external market, and could therefore not lead to a full flowering of the capitalist mode of production in the periphery†(199). He then begins to develop his own theory of the transition to peripheral capitalist economy by questioning David Ricardo’s assumptions in his theory of comparative advantage, and later outlines nine theses to support his views. Peripheral capitalism is based on, but not identical to, the imperialistic relationships developed between colonizing nations and their colonies. In this economic relationship, the players are the same – the colonizing nation becomes the â€Å"center†, while the colony becomes the â€Å"periphery† – but the role that each society plays is different from the classic imperialist relationship. The peripheral economy is marked by extreme dependence on external demand, or extroversion, as well as stunted and unequal rates of development within the society. Amin maintains that in order for these societies to break free of extroversion and develop, they must be actively removed from the peripheral capitalist relationship. He proposes nationalization and socialization as an alternative, a system which-when contrasted with peripheral capitalism-could not be a more different approach to economic development. Unfortunately for the developing nation s, socialism was largely unsuccessful as an economic experiment, consistently causing stagnation and underdevelopment in societies that attempted it. Peripheral capitalism evolves from colonial imperialism, an economic system in which the colonizing nation penetrates deep into the heart of the colonial economy in an effort to manipulate it towards the benefit of the mother country. Every aspect of the colonial economy is geared not towards the expansion of the colonial economy itself, but rather towards the production of something that the colonizing nation cannot produce itself. As a result, the success and the existence of a particular sector of the colonial economy is dependent upon whether or not the mother country has a need for that sector; colonial economies are rooted heavily in external demand. This extroversion leaves the colonial economy without an indigenous set of linkages, as economic sectors that will benefit from colonial activity function mostly within the economy of the colonizing nation. When autocentric, or internally-driven, economic growth is blocked in such a way that a peripheral economy emerges with the sa me sort of external dependence on the central economy that was suffered by the colonial economy. The peripheral economy is typically plagued by an unequal division of labor, or specialization, between itself and the central economy. While the latter enjoys the benefits and progress associated with industrialization, the periphery tends to remain predominantly agricultural. What little industry may exist in the peripheral economy is most often â€Å"light† industrial production of small, simple goods, as opposed to the â€Å"heavy† industrial production of machinery and complex products that characterizes the central economy. Additionally, Amin argues that there is often a â€Å"hypertrophy of the tertiary sector†(200) of the peripheral economy; too much of the economy is devoted to providing services, â€Å"expressed especially in the excessive growth of administrative expenditure†(201) effectively anchoring the society’s development due to a lack of productive advancement. Yet another malady of the peripheral economy is the reduced value of the local ‘multiplier effect’, another result of the remnants of economic infrastructure modification from the colonial period. If an economy is replete with linkage sectors, then any money put into the leading sector will generate a multiplied effect in all of the forward and backward linkages of that industry. Peripheral economies, however, are effectively stripped of linkages during their colonial phase of development hence spending in the peripheral economy ultimately benefits the central economy, where most of the peripheral industries’ linkages are realized. Not only is the local multiplier effect reduced in the peripheral economy, but Amin claims that it also leads to â€Å"the marked propensity to import†(201), and thus is in effect transferred to the central economy, where revenue is collected every time money is spent in the periphery. Because peripheral input ultimately goes abr oad, local businesses are not stimulated, as they would be if linkages were realized within the periphery, worsening the already-detrimental conditions of the peripheral economy. Adding to the lack of stimulation of local business is the fact that peripheral industries tend to be dominated by monopolies established from foreign capital. After the majority of revenue goes to the central economy through linkage industries, what little money remains in the local economy is often put into businesses controlled by central capitalists. In other words, almost every dollar put into the periphery ultimately finds its way to the central economy. In Unequal Development, Amin maintains that no economy can be expected to develop without successfully making the transition from extrovert to introvert so that it can â€Å"assert the dominance of the exporting sector over the economic structure as a whole†(203), and that no peripheral capitalist economy can independently heal the economic wounds inflicted by colonialism. Therefore, the only way to promote development in peripheral capitalist economies is to actively remove them from their disadvantageous relationship with the central economy, which, according to Amin, should be replaced by internal nationalization and socialization of the once-peripheral economy. The establishment of a nationalist socialist state would serve both to eliminate external dependence, as well as to reconcile the disarticulated nature of the local economy. The first critique of Ricardo’s theory made by Amin is its lack of specificity – claiming that his examples of trade between Portugal and England were very exclusive to intra-European trade and could not exactly be applied to relations between several different country relations around the World. If there is a large difference in GDP between two countries, then what statistics demonstrate is that the country with the smaller GDP would benefit more from this transaction, and this was â€Å"the source of special problems that dictate[d] development policies in the periphery that [were] different from those on which development of the West was based†(201); a factor that Ricardo hadn’t considered it in his theory. Another vital yet neglected consideration was the importance of the commodity in terms of a nations’ GDP: wine was a big section of the Portuguese GDP, greater than it was for England, so the trade benefited the Portuguese to a greater extent than it did to the British. He elaborates upon this idea by explaining how the relation between central and periphery assumes the mobility of capital, since the centre is investing greatly in the periphery. What the periphery chooses to specialize in is to a large extent determined by the centre, since very often the selection comes after it has been forced to serve the imperial country. As he clearly states, this type of trade â€Å"compels the periphery to confine itself to the role of complementary supplier of products for the production of which it possesses a natural advantage: exotic agricultural produce and minerals†(200). The result is a decrease in the level of wages in the periphery for the same level of productivity than at the centre, hence limiting the development of industries focused on the home market of the periphery. The disarticulation due to the adjustment of the orientation of production in the periphery to the needs of the centre prevents the transmission of the benefits of economic progress from the poles of development to the economy as a whole. Overall, this is what Amin defines by ‘unequal specialization’, which in turn violates the conditions of Ricardo’s theory. Another argument that Amin makes involved the Keynesian multiplier effect. He claims that this effect does not take place to the situation at the centre because of its advantaged stage of monopoly, characterized by difficulties in producing surplus. Due to this unequal specialization as well as the significant propensity to import that follows, the effect is a transferring of multip lier effect mechanisms and the accelerator theorem from the periphery to the centre. Furthermore, Amin includes the social aspect of this process, which is a result of the individual history of each nation and the power imbalance created. Amin finds that the nature of the pre-capitalist formations that took place previously and the epoch in which they became integrated in the capitalist system are both very important factors in determining the presence or lack of development to come. He also draws a line between two different terms, ‘peripheral formations’ and ‘young central formations’, whereby the latter, based on the predominance of a simple commodity mode of production, are capable of independently evolving towards a fully developed capitalist mode of production. Amin terminates by asserting â€Å"the domination by central capital over the system as a whole, and the vital mechanisms of primitive accumulation for its benefit which express this domination, subject the development of peripheral national capitalism to strict limitationsâ₠¬ (202). These countries would hence not gain equal benefits under this trade, only if the patterns of specialization were undertaken in more ideal conditions, conditions that approximated Ricardo’s theory more closely. Rather than being a positive force for development, this type of trade becomes a force created under development. It will contribute to development in the centre, and underdevelopment in the periphery. He concludes that this inevitably hinders the development of peripheral nations: â€Å"the impossibility, whatever the level of production per head that may be obtained, of going over to auto centric and auto dynamic growth†(202).

Truman Capote Research

Truman Capote was best known for his vivacious and eccentric way of life, as well as his works in the 20th Century. While reading his first novel ever printed by him, Other Voices, Other Rooms, the characters and story line that Capote created was one that would clearly strike a touching insolence to many readers. Not only does Capote fascinate readers with his life, but also with the heart of life and nostalgia that is created when reading any of his work. Capote’s writing career began very prematurely and increased throughout the years of his life. Once Capote finished school, he began writing for The New Yorker and eventually started writing short stories. At the age of seventeen, magazines published many of his stories, which eventually ended up leading to him writing his first novel. Capote ended up writing his first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, in 1948 and it brought almost instantaneous awareness and disgrace. Although it was not one of his most accepted novels, it without doubt got him on the right path. Truman Capote was born on September 30, 1924, where his life began in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he spent very little of his life (Jacob197). At the age of only four years old, Capote’s parents were divorced. Capote’s mother, Lillie Faulk, then left him to be raised by her family while she went to go become a star (Pimpton 7). Her family lived in Monroeville, Alabama, where Capote spent most of his life living amongst his aunts, uncles, cousins and his friends. People actually consider that when Truman’s mother neglected him, it was the establishment of their relationship in the future (Biography). Throughout his life, Capote grew up being influenced by many of his family members and other peers that bounded him in the small town of Monroeville. It wasn’t until 1933, that Capote’s mother intended to bring her son to come live with her and her new husband Joe Capote in Manhattan, New York. Capote abandoned the countryside life in Monroe and traded it in for a life in Manhattan with his mother. Joe Capote later on adopted Truman, and by 1935, he changed his name from Truman Streckfus Persons, to Truman Garcia Capote (Biography). In Capote’s later years, he went on to be a success. He lived a glamorous life. He enjoyed to party and never gave a care in the world. He entertained many of the elite people in the world and on August 25, 1984, Truman Capote died of liver disease at his old friend’s house in Los Angeles, California. Other Voices, Other Rooms is the piece work that he relates to most. In his own words, Capote says, â€Å"this symbolized my hunt for my own father, whom I hardly ever saw, and the fact that the man old man is crippled and mute was my way of conveying my own incapability to correspond with my father; I was not only the boy in the story but also the old man†(Pimpton80). It was recorded as public knowledge that Capote engulfed his stories with his own life experiences, but it was made incredibly apparent in this particular novel, with his expression and approach. One particular example would be the un-canny similarity of the main character Joel to Capote himself, â€Å"†¦too pretty, too delicate and fair-skinned†¦and a girlish tenderness softened his eyes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Capote4). Another method that Capote used a lot was his talent to describe a scene with incredible accuracy and portrayal, â€Å"A face shudder like a white stunning moth, smiled. She beckoned to him, shining and silver, and he knew he must go: unafraid, not hesitating, he paused only at the garden's edge where, as though he'd forgotten something, he stopped and looked back at the bloomless, descending blue, at the boy he had left behind. † (Capote231). Throughout his novels, Capote uses these strong metaphors and descriptive language to show that his character, Joel, came to the house as one person and leaving as another. One with new experiences with life. Many people knew Truman Capote as a literary genius (Biography). His work was different yet satisfying. Many of his characters are memorable, along with the places they lived and explored. Capote put us in his world and a large amount of readers enjoyed how he was able to grab your attention when you were reading. At times Capote may have been socially awkward, everyone remembers him as a very noteworthy author in American history. The beginning of Capote’s writing career began in his early years where he fell under the supervision of his instructor (Plimpton 470). Although he was very unsuccessful in school, and never attended college, many exams confirmed that he had incredible intellect. Many of his novels showed his intelligence by the way he would describe and lure readers into his stories. His personality was different and it got readers attention. Even as a child, Capote was regarded as â€Å"†¦Prim and proper Lord Faunteroy†¦Incredibly protective of his clothes [and look]† which made many believe is what had caused him to ultimately be publicly gay (Pimpton2). Although nobody knew Capote better then his friend Harper Lee; who actually based the character of Dill in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird on the young Capote (Pimpton 2). Despite the way he may have acted or done things, Truman Capote was nothing less then a mastermind. Many of his novels are remembered and loved by the various techniques used by Capote. He was truly unlike any other person in this world. Intelligent, different, and even socially awkward at times, Truman Capote is one of the most known and remembered authors of the 20th century.

Evolution of the American Television Family essays

Evolution of the American Television Family essays Television is not just a form of entertainment, but it is an excellent form of study of societys view concerning its families. This study focuses on the history of television beginning in the early 1950s and will run through present day. It examines the use of racial, ethnic and sexual stereotypes to characterize the players of these shows. The examples assist in tracing what has happened to the depiction of the American family on prime time television. It reveals the change of the standards employed by network television as disclosed to the American public. Finally, I will propose the question of which is the influential entity, television or the viewing audience. The Goldbergs, which was originally a radio show, became the first popular family series. It became a weekly TV series in 1949, revealing to Americans a working class Jewish family who resided in a small apartment in the Bronx. The show, while warm and humorous, confronted delicate social issues, such as sensitivity due to the Second World War. It is an excellent example of an ethnic familys status in society. A classic among classics, I Love Lucy appeared on television on October 15, 1951, (nick-at-nite.com/tvretro/shows/ilovelucy/index.tin). The series premise focused on the antics of a nonsensical wife who beguiles her easily angered husband. The series created the men-versus-women standard on television, (such as what we see between Dan and Roseanne on Roseanne today), that still predominates today. One circumstance that led TV executives to seriously challenge the shows impending success was the use of Lucille Balls real-life Cuban husband, Desi Arnaz. The mixed-marriage status was a questionable concept that worried the administrators. The situation prevailed; its episodes routinely attracted over two-thirds of the television audience. Leave it to Beaver, the definitive 1950s household comed...

The changing American Family Essay Example

The changing American Family Essay Example The changing American Family Paper The changing American Family Paper The Changing American Family: A Sociological View The families in America are steadily changing. While they remain our most valued and consistent source of strength and comfort, some families are becoming increasingly unstructured. In the past, the typical family consists of a working father, a stay at home mother and, of course, well-rounded children. Today, less than 20 percent of American families fit nicely into this cookie cutter image. American households have never been more diverse. Natalie Angier takes stock of the changing definition of family in an article for the New York Times. A family is seen as a group of people who are biologically or psychologically related. They connect on historical, emotional or economic bonds, and perceive themselves as part of a household. Whilst there are several different types of family by definition, Natalie focuses on the uprising of the atypical form. Natalie portrays five extremely different types of families in order to demonstrate the ongoing changes to average American family. She then continues to express the key role each family type plays and it affects the daily dynamic of each one. Ranging from a dual career family, to a same sex marriage family with children, all the way to fictive kin, Natalie explains the family dynamic and how it comes to be. The dual career family, in which both parents are working in the labor force, is now the typical family type. When both parents belong to the working labor force, one thinks that the responsibility of upbringing the children becomes more evenly distributed. However Natalie states that, American men spend 35 to 55 minutes longer on the Job each day than women do, while working mothers devote ight more hours a week to child care and housekeeping compared with working fathers. Even though women have evolved from the stay at home mom, the cultural norm of the maternal instinct still seems to overbear that of the working mom. On another note, because both parents spend a majority of their day at work and adolescent kids at school, a divide between the family members is created. Natalie states, researchers determined that ev en when all of the family members were at home and awake together, they were in the same room only 14 percent of the time. She continues to say this is due to, American families are outliers in their fixation on childrens needs and childrens success. When both parents are concerned with work they become withdrawn from what is going on in their childrens lives. All family members become independent from one another. Therefore the dual career family consists of both parents working, which creates an independent dynamic for tne cn110ren. Movlng to a OITTerent type 0T Tamlly, Natalle Introduces wnat Is Known as same sex families. In particular, she focuses on a male same sex marriage. If the enders are taken out of the equation, then this family fits perfectly into the nuclear family type, which is a married couple with children. On top of that they are cookie cutter typical because one parent stays with the children while the other goes to work. The only difference is that the children have two dads. In society today gay marriage is not widely accepted, nor is the idea of a same sex family. This is due to the lag in cultural change. The same sex marriage community is a minority that challenges social norms. Because the change is so different, not all Americans have ime to adjust to the idea and integrate. Creating challenges for the same sex community, like the accusation that children have problems adapting to their lifestyle, is a common stereotypical behavior. It has been said that kids of same sex families have a higher risk of drug and alcohol problems, troubles with grades, and behavior problems. Natalie interpolates that the accusations are false. The Age of Independence: Interracial Unions, Same-sex Unions, and the Changing American Family, the children of same-sex parents are academically and emotionally ndistinguishable from those of heterosexual parents. This support can make the biggest change for American families. Support can create a future where same sex families are able to start a life without discrimination and prejudice every step of the way. Therefore the family dynamic of a same sex couple is often the same as a nuclear familys dynamic. Additionally, the family of choice consists of people one feels as obligated to as if one was of blood relation. These self-cons tructed families are no less real or less meaningful than conventional families. In fact, they are known s ones fictive kin. The bond of this type of family can be formed through several ways. Natalie writes, for some people, voluntary kinship filled a void left by death or estrangement from biological family, while for others the relationships were supplemental or temporary. It can be a friendship that turns into a family or a group that one relates to as a family. Either way, the fictive kin family is a blossoming family type. Increasingly, people refer to this as their second family. Some choose it to be their first family when they feel their biological one has let them down. Therefore, a family dynamic of close bonds built through friendship leads to strong interconnection, and this is referred to as fictive kin. In conclusion the image of the American family takes many different forms. The progression of types of family starts with the nuclear family, and has slowly adapted to the changing culture, creating several different types. Varying from a dual career family, to a same sex marriage family, all the way to fictive kin the family dynamic of each type correlate with the individual family itself.

Free Online Public Schools for California Students

Free Online Public Schools for California Students California offers resident students the opportunity to take online public school courses for free. Below is a list of no-cost online schools currently serving elementary and high school students in California. In order to qualify for the list, schools must meet the following qualifications: classes must be available completely online, they must offer services to state residents, and they must be funded by the government. Virtual schools listed may be charter schools, state-wide public programs, or private programs that receive government funding. List of California Online Charter Schools and Online Public Schools California Virtual AcademiesChoice 2000Insight School of California - Los AngelesPacific View Charter School - Serving San Diego, Riverside, Orange, and Imperial Counties About Online Charter Schools and Online Public Schools Many states now offer tuition-free online schools for resident students under a certain age (often 21). Most virtual schools are charter schools; they receive government funding and are run by a private organization. Online charter schools are subject to fewer restrictions than traditional schools. However, they are reviewed regularly and must continue to meet state standards. Some states also offer their own online public schools. These virtual programs generally operate from a state office or a school district. State-wide public school programs vary. Some online public schools offer a limited number of remedial or advanced courses not available in brick-and-mortar public school campuses. Others offer full online diploma programs. A few states choose to fund â€Å"seats† for students in private online schools. The number of available seats may be limited and students are usually asked to apply through their public school guidance counselor. Choosing a California Online Public School When choosing an online public school, look for an established program that is regionally accredited and has a track record of success. Be wary of new schools that are disorganized, are unaccredited, or have been the subject of public scrutiny. For more suggestions on evaluating virtual schools see  how to choose an online high school.

Questions Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Questions - Speech or Presentation Example The Industrial Revolution planted the seeds for the erosion of the employment-at-will doctrine. When employees began forming unions, the collective bargaining agreements were formed and the unions had to negotiate with employers frequently because the agreement had provisions in them that required just cause for adverse employment actions, as well as procedures for arbitrating employee grievances. The 1960s marked the beginning of Federal legislative protections (including Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act) from wrongful discharge based on race, religion, sex, age, and national origin. These protections reflected the changing view of the relationship between employer and employee. Rather than seeing the relationship as being on equal footing, courts and legislatures slowly began to recognize that employers frequently had economic advantages when negotiating with potential or current employees. The recognition of employment as being central to a person’s livelihood and well-being, coupled with the fear of being unable to protect a person’s livelihood from unjust termination, led to the development of common-law, or judicial, exceptions to the employment-at-will doctrine beginning in the late 1950s. Employers should use gender neutral terms when advertising for staff. For example, adverts for a postman, waitress, salesgirl, which use a job description with a sexual implication, are likely to violate the Sex Discrimination Act. Occasionally, however, an employer may be able to lawfully discriminate on grounds of sex or race, for example, a department store could legitimately advertise for male applicants to play Father Christmas. On the basis of above facts it is quite clear that Muhammad pursue a claim for discrimination against Joes Bakery since the discrimination has been made on the grounds of racial discrimination by refusing him the

Currency markets and their effects on the U.S. economy Essay

Currency markets and their effects on the U.S. economy - Essay Example This paper discusses currency markets, how they operate, and how they affect the economy of the United States. The specific cases of two foreign currencies - the Euro and the Japanese Yen - and the impact of their movements on the U.S. economy are analyzed to provide a clearer picture that would facilitate the understanding of the theory.Although the term "currency" is synonymous with "money" that is a medium of economic exchange, what would be discussed in this paper is the currency market, not the money market. The reasons for this distinction will be explained below.A currency market, like any other market, is a place where currencies are bought and sold. This is different from a money market, which is where monetary or financial instruments such as bonds, stocks, derivatives, insurance policies, mutual funds and similar goods are transacted. However, currency and money markets share four key elements that allow transactions in any market to take place.First, the market should exi st either physically in a building as the New York Stock Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange for commodities, or a neighborhood flea market, or virtually in a computer system which is the case for most markets where bonds, derivatives, or currencies are bought and sold. In the currency market, there is no single location where currencies are traded. Instead, there are many trades taking place, in banks, moneychangers, shops, even hotels, and each venue has a set of exchange rates for "buy" and "sell" bids, with the latter usually higher by a fraction. These rates are the prices that the agent is willing to pay for (buy) or get paid for (sell) in transacting each currency. Then, there should be goods that are exchanged in this market; buyers and sellers who either buy or sell the goods; and money that is used as the medium of exchange. A market transaction is therefore where buyers acquire from sellers certain goods in exchange for money at an agreed price. The main difference between all the other types of markets such as money markets and a currency market is that in a currency market, the goods bought and sold are currencies and the payments are also made in currencies that are denominated differently from that which is sold or bought. Therefore, in a currency market, someone or an entity that wants to buy U.S. dollars can buy it using Euros (denomination of the Eurozone currency), Yen (Japan), Pounds Sterling (United Kingdom), and so on. This brings an important question to mind: how much is a U.S. dollar worth, and if what it is worth determines the price that others are going to pay for it, why is the currency of the U.S. not the same as the currency of other countries What determines the price of currencies in the market The answers to these questions depend on an understanding of what is called the monetary system, or the way the money supply is determined in each country and, therefore, in the whole world. Knowing how the monetary system operates will give a better understanding of how currency prices are determined in the currency market. Monetary System A clear understanding of the world's monetary system will explain how a currency is valued, how its value compares with other currencies defined by the exchange rate, the roles that exchange rates play in the world economy, and how exchange rates are determined. Solomon (in Samuelson and Nordhaus) described the monetary system as follows: 'The world's monetary system is like the traffic lights in a city, taken for granted until it begins to malfunction and to disrupt people's livesA well-functioning monetary system will facilitate international trade and investment and smooth adaptation to change. A monetary system that functions poorly may not only discourage the development of trade and investment among nations but subject their economies to disruptive shocks when necessary adjustments are prevented or delayed" (1, 7)

Central City Museum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Central City Museum - Essay Example As the reporter highlights "I would create a forum that encompasses all of them and categorically convince them that the purpose and direction that the museum should take is to benefit both the school and the community. I would inform them that the approach is cost effective and cut across because it takes care of the interest of nearly every one of them. To implement this mission, I would contact the major museums in the region with the aim of creating travelling exhibition. Furthermore, I would sensitize and encourage students and the community to display their cultures during the cultural exhibitions that will be organized by the museum. Lastly, I would create a section that is accessible to both the students and the community that only deals with the current events. The main concept of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity today is to eliminate any form of discrimination at the place of work by embracing diversity. In addition, it is a requirement for every business organization to implement a formal affirmative action plan as directed by executive order 11246 that is found in the 1973 Rehabilitation Act. Â  At my place of work, both interpersonal and organizational are sources of barrier towards timely communication. They include ‘emotional noise’ caused by attitude, poor or even outdated communication equipment that is sometimes used to relay information, stereotyping others based on their cultural backgrounds."

Qualitative research and questionnaire design Essay

Qualitative research and questionnaire design - Essay Example In its simplest sense, emotional branding pertains to that type of strategy which gives paramount importance to the emotions, most especially that of the consumers. Nowadays, members of the corporate world have recognized the importance of Corporate Branding. Big companies such as Victoria’s Secret, Coca-Cola, Godiva and Starbucks have all resorted to the use of emotional branding to attract more customers. Basically, emotional branding denotes one thing: that is, to place the customers at the core of the marketing strategy rather than focusing too much on the product (Berrada 2010; Gobe 2010). Pertinently, it is the goal of emotional branding to ensure the development of customer loyalty by making sure that the brand dominates its competitors with respect to the attention given by the customers (Travis 2000). Generally, emotional branding gives importance to the five senses of the consumers. Hence, advertisements focus on these, making sure that the customers connect not just with the product being advertised but to the brand as well. Hence, through emotional branding, the consumers are perceived to have the capacity to connect more to the brand. In this regard, the connection of the customers and the brand results to a greater profit for the company or manufacturer concerned (Gobe 2010; Taher 2006). The use of emotional branding then appeals to the internal aspect of the consumer. It is basically more concerned with the use of abstract concepts yet at the same time, yields to results that are concrete (Berrada 2010; Norman 2005). Evidently, not much research has been successful in determining why emotional branding results to customer satisfaction. It was considered as the marketing trend of the current generation (Gobe 2010; Passikoff 2006). Because of the competition dominating in the business arena, companies must not only tell their consumers what they need; instead, they must focus on the different reasons why the latter needs to obtain this (Desg rippes, Hellman and Gobe 2007; Norman 2005) This research generally focuses on emotional branding in the case of one of the most successful brands in the whole world: Starbucks. Undeniably, Starbucks has been considered as one of the most successful companies that have carried out the emotional branding strategies. Its products appeal to its consumers, enjoy high name recall, and finally, experience high degrees of customer loyalty (Gobe 2010; Mennen 2010; Passikoff 2006). In fact, Starbucks has been considered as the benchmark for mainstream coffee houses in view of its ability to market its products by promoting the social status that it gives. In this regard, this research draws on the perceptions of the customers of Starbucks with respect to aspects of emotional branding carried out by the corporation as well as the successfulness of the said strategies in the attainment of the following results: (1) appeal of the products to the customers, (2) high name recall, and (3) customer loyalty (Dorfmeister 2003; Gobe 2010). To attain the said objectives, this research employs the use of the qualitative approach to research, focusing on the use of the interviews in the form of questionnaires to obtain the pertinent data for this research. Literature Review Having established the main objective that this paper seeks to attain, this section then focuses on the review of pertinent literature with respect to emotional branding. Generally, this literature review focuses on three pertinent issues,

Case Study Verizon and Disney Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Verizon and Disney - Case Study Example The customers are also complaining of the high ticket prices. The customers have been experiencing these issues and because of this, they are not likely to visit the park again. The internal management itself are experiencing major issues. These issues are affected and caused by the increasing external problems. First, the Walt Disney Company is experiencing a sliding attendance figures. Their revenues are decreasing. The lower hotel occupancy rates and decline in attendance add up to their problems. And lastly, Walt Disney’s capital expenditure is down. Solutions: The goal of the company is to more with less. Walt Disney Co. CIO Roger Berry, has been helping to create a cutting-edge technology strategy. This is to restore luster of aging brand and increase efficiencies and boost attendance. The company is going to introduce IT Convergence such as use of global satellites, smart sensors, wireless technology and mobile devices. Walt Disney wanted to promote a more personalized environment with IT at the core. The most visible manifestation of the strategy implemented is the 10 ? inch tall stuffed doll, the Pal Mickey. He is the virtual tour guide powered by sensors. The idea of this is to give the park goers up to the minute information to preset preferences. The company also wants to make data accessible across all lines of business. Another initiative of Walt Disney is the destination web site called the Magical Gathering. The intention is to boost new revenues and group business bookings. The company also is looking to expand digital imaging and let the visitors staying at a Disney hotel use their room television sets to review and buy photographs taken of them on rides during the day. Berry also says the resort is looking to improve Fastpass. The company wants to have a service that allows visitors to schedule ride times to avoid long lines. RESULT: The introduction of the initiatives is getting positive feedbacks from the business analysts. By introd ucing these strategies, Walt Disney is being able to cut their expenses. They are promoting more services for no increase in expenses. By having more digitalized and personalized environment, they will surely attract more visitors. If the line issues, crowd, and ticket prices are resolved, surely the customers will be more than happy to visit the place again. Reference: D’Agostino, Debra. Case Study: Walt Disney World Resorts and CRM Strategy, (2004). Web. 23 April 2011 CASE STUDY: VERIZON Problems: Two of the Fortune Companies are going to merge. However, they are having issues enhancing an ambitious enterprise CRM program. They are preparing for the enhancement of company’s customer focus and their new brand. Both GTE and Bell Atlantic had decent CRM visions. But GTE obliged to an outdated technology platform. Bell Atlantic has a different set of issues. Bell Atlantic has a surfeit of single purpose, application centric systems. The company executives themselves are hesitant of the new CRM initiatives because they think it would be too costly and not sustainable. The Vice President for the Database Marketing for Verizon, Leonard, is having a hard time introducing this new initiative because it would mean beginning from the start or ground zero. There will be a shift from a product focus to customer focus program. This means instilling a new sense of cultural urgency. Thus, he is stuck to a great dilemma: whether to go for a broke or launch a bona fide business driven CRM. And this would

Tourism Management Course Work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tourism Management Course Work - Assignment Example 5. Identify five motivations for travel of Europeans during Roman times, the Middle Ages, and Tudor times. Do such motivations exist today? Answer: Motivations for travel during ancient, medieval, and Tudor periods consisted of many reasons including visiting family, political purposes, trade, exploration, and military objectives. All of these motivations for travel still exist in modern contexts. The primary difference between ancient forms of travel and modern forms is that it takes a great deal less time to get from one place to another, and where 50 miles was once a great distance, it is now an hour in an automobile. 6. How important are the motives of discovery and curiosity? Answer: The types of interests that are stimulated during a holiday are vital in defining how important discovery and curiosity are in terms of travel. When on a vacation based on seeing more of the world, these two aspects are vital and central to the experience. If the purpose is to relax and enjoy the en vironment, they are diminished a bit, but still important as new experiences stimulate and create new memories. 8. Provide a few examples of how a person's travel needs change over a life span. Answer: Financial considerations will change as a person ages, their ability to travel based upon the amount of funds available towards that pursuit. When one is young, travel is defined by others who choose where one will travel. As one grows older, business purposes may provide for travel needs, as well as the need to decompress. Travel becomes defined more clearly by interests. As age approaches, an individual will become more limited on how they respond to their environment. How those limitations are manifested will contribute to determining how travel will be achieved and what kind of travel will best suit the intended purposes of the individual. 9. Give an example of travel experience overstimulation (mental or physical exhaustion or both). Similarly, give an example of boredom (too lit tle stimulation). Answer: Walt Disneyworld in Orlando Florida is an example of overstimulation as there is so much to see that often families do not plan for rest appropriately. It becomes a marathon to get to the end of the vacation having seen as much as possible. Boredom can be found in a place that has a beach venue, the idleness on the beach not providing enough stimulation to feel how different the experience is to daily life. The beach, however, is still lovely. Chapter 10 1. Evaluate culture as a travel motivator. Answer: Culture is motivational where travel is concerned in relationship to how one culture interchanges their understandings and meanings with another through activities that are designed for discovery. How a culture views travel is central to the purposes that travel is used for. 3. Give an example of a cultural experience that would be most satisfying to a visitor in a country much different from his or her own. Answer: Food is one of the most interesting ways in which to experience a culture that is different from one’s own. Understanding the relationship of food to the individuals within a culture and how it is used in regard to their traditions can provide an informative framework for meaningful discovery. 4. Create a life-seeing tourism program in your community. Answer: In creating a life-seeing tou

Case Study Verizon and Disney Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Verizon and Disney - Case Study Example The customers are also complaining of the high ticket prices. The customers have been experiencing these issues and because of this, they are not likely to visit the park again. The internal management itself are experiencing major issues. These issues are affected and caused by the increasing external problems. First, the Walt Disney Company is experiencing a sliding attendance figures. Their revenues are decreasing. The lower hotel occupancy rates and decline in attendance add up to their problems. And lastly, Walt Disney’s capital expenditure is down. Solutions: The goal of the company is to more with less. Walt Disney Co. CIO Roger Berry, has been helping to create a cutting-edge technology strategy. This is to restore luster of aging brand and increase efficiencies and boost attendance. The company is going to introduce IT Convergence such as use of global satellites, smart sensors, wireless technology and mobile devices. Walt Disney wanted to promote a more personalized environment with IT at the core. The most visible manifestation of the strategy implemented is the 10 ? inch tall stuffed doll, the Pal Mickey. He is the virtual tour guide powered by sensors. The idea of this is to give the park goers up to the minute information to preset preferences. The company also wants to make data accessible across all lines of business. Another initiative of Walt Disney is the destination web site called the Magical Gathering. The intention is to boost new revenues and group business bookings. The company also is looking to expand digital imaging and let the visitors staying at a Disney hotel use their room television sets to review and buy photographs taken of them on rides during the day. Berry also says the resort is looking to improve Fastpass. The company wants to have a service that allows visitors to schedule ride times to avoid long lines. RESULT: The introduction of the initiatives is getting positive feedbacks from the business analysts. By introd ucing these strategies, Walt Disney is being able to cut their expenses. They are promoting more services for no increase in expenses. By having more digitalized and personalized environment, they will surely attract more visitors. If the line issues, crowd, and ticket prices are resolved, surely the customers will be more than happy to visit the place again. Reference: D’Agostino, Debra. Case Study: Walt Disney World Resorts and CRM Strategy, (2004). Web. 23 April 2011 CASE STUDY: VERIZON Problems: Two of the Fortune Companies are going to merge. However, they are having issues enhancing an ambitious enterprise CRM program. They are preparing for the enhancement of company’s customer focus and their new brand. Both GTE and Bell Atlantic had decent CRM visions. But GTE obliged to an outdated technology platform. Bell Atlantic has a different set of issues. Bell Atlantic has a surfeit of single purpose, application centric systems. The company executives themselves are hesitant of the new CRM initiatives because they think it would be too costly and not sustainable. The Vice President for the Database Marketing for Verizon, Leonard, is having a hard time introducing this new initiative because it would mean beginning from the start or ground zero. There will be a shift from a product focus to customer focus program. This means instilling a new sense of cultural urgency. Thus, he is stuck to a great dilemma: whether to go for a broke or launch a bona fide business driven CRM. And this would

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Organazation design module - Research Paper Example This has not only improved the management, but it has also increased the revenue that has in turn created skilled labor based on special facts, skills and proficiency portrayed by the staffs being promoted as supported by fig. 1. Chipotle is one of the world fastest growing food companies with improved in revenue. Chipotle is a limited cafà © without a franchised system thereby allowing for its great synergy across the company. Synergies are gains that have effect when employees and departments systematize their work. From the data as of April 2011, Chipotle has about 1096 cafà © situated in key areas around the world including in the United States, France, London, Canada, Milan, Paris, Munich, and Ontario among others. In spite of its position around the world, Chipotle has achieved a lot in terms of business due to its organized management and organization in its operations that has been supported through implementing fig 5 order of organizational management. Chipotle has exceptional food tradition that provides the best ingredients in the fast food competitive market. Notably, specific Chipotle personalities have been key figures in its success. For instance, Steve Ells and Monty Moran-Chipotle Mexican Grill, CEO, have steadily improved the company’s income by investing in their staff by applying the principles defined in fig 2 below. Application of the same principles has made Chipotle to record increased revenues through increased investments and steady inflow of customers. Additionally, the company has the same employment prospect that give opportunity to all citizens in spite of their race, gender, country of origin, age, religion, or disabilities. Nonetheless, Ells and Moran boasts of tactical human resource management model that has helped Chipotle grow up from within. This is the model by which managers devise the workings of an HRM model to be dependable with each other and with other essentials of organizational design. Moreover, employees

Small And Medium Enterprises And Larger Scale Businesses Commerce Essay

Small And Medium Enterprises And Larger Scale Businesses Commerce Essay For this assignment I have done a lot of researches on the small and medium enterprise and larger scale businesses and sole trader. The first question on this assignment is distinguish between small and medium enterprise and large scale businesses .Small and medium enterprise and larger scale businesses are precise and varies by their own factors. The U.S government defines the sizes of businesses, such as the number of employees and number of revenues. Furthermore, these enterprises are sized by employee size, features of small scale industries and characteristics are successful small scale and medium scale business. The next question is interview a sole trader, identify the difficulties that he/she is facing and give suggestion on how to overcome the difficulties. A sole-trader or sole-proprietorship is a business that is owned (and usually operated) by one person. It is the smallest form of business ownership and the easiest to start. For this question I learnt more about a sole-trader. A sole trader a simplest form of business structure. It is also easy and inexpensive to maintain. SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ARE PLAYING A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN OUR ECONOMY. DISTINGUISH BETWEEN SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE AND LARGER SCALE BUSINESSES 2.0 Small and Medium Enterprises and Larger scale Businesses 2.1 Definition of Small and Medium Enterprises The Small Business Administration (SBA) of US defines a small business as one which is independently owned and operated for profit and is not dominant in its field (Hughes, 2011). However in Malaysia, there is no common definition of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Different agencies define SMEs based on their own criteria, usually benchmarking against annual sales turnover, and number of full-time employees or shareholders funds. In addition, present definitions focus mainly on SMEs in the manufacturing sector. The following definitions are issued by National SME Development Council of Malaysia: Primary Agriculture A small and medium enterprise in primary agriculture is an enterprise with full-time employees not exceeding 50 or annual sales turnover not exceeding RM5.0M. Manufacturing (including agro-based) A small and medium enterprise in manufacturing (including agro-based) is an enterprise with full employees not exceeding 150 or with annual sales turnover not exceeding RM25million. Services (including ICT) A small and medium enterprise in services is an enterprise with full-time employees of between 5 and 19 or with annual sales turnover of between RM200,000 and less than RM1.0million. The above definitions are then divided into smaller entities, micro, small and medium. The following table summarizes the approved SME definitions based on number of full-time employees: SECTOR / SIZE PRIMARY AGRICULTURE MANUFACTURING (including agro-based) SERVICES SECTOR (including ICT) MICRO Less than 5 employees Less than 5 employees Less than 5 employees SMALL 5 19 employees 5 50 employees 5 19 employees MEDIUM 20 50 employees 51 150 employees 20 50 employees Source: National SME Development Council of Malaysia The table below summarises the approved SME definitions based on annual sales turnover: SECTOR / SIZE PRIMARY AGRICULTURE MANUFACTURING (including agro-based) SERVICES SECTOR (including ICT) MICRO Less than RM200,000 Less than RM250,000 Less than RM200,000 SMALL RM200,000 RM1.0million RM250,000 RM10.0million RM1.0million RM5.0million MEDIUM RM1.0million RM5.0million RM10.0million RM25million RM1.0million RM5.0million Source: National SME Development Council of Malaysia Bank Negara Malaysia had conducted a number of case studies on successful SMEs in Malaysia to identify the key success factors of these SMEs. SMEs involved in the case study had been in operation for more than 10 years, and had been selected based on their financial performance and track record. The case studies demonstrated that although SMEs were from different industries, all the enterprises shared common critical success factors, namely: Sound management capability and integrity; sound business culture and entrepreneurial spirit; Prudent financial management; High quality products and services; Good programme for human resource development; Strong support from financial institutions in terms of lending and advisory services; and Strong marketing strategies, including good network with suppliers 2.2 Definition of Large scale Businesses Large scale can always be defined as a measurement (Hughes, 2011). Scale means a form of measurement and when it is referred to as large it means that you have a more than average amount on the measurement scale. Thus any industry that is large scale will mean that products are produced at a high volume. This in turn provides a higher capital. Large scale industry requires a huge amount of capital to be invested in the industry first. It will provide many jobs for employees in order to offer a high output. This type of industry is found in places such as the USA, Germany, Japan, Russia, and Australia. All of these countries are big money makers and have large operations producing a variety of products. This is different from a small scale industry that does not require as much capital or as many workers. Given these definitions, a large scale industry can be just about anything from construction to the auto trade. Wal-Mart for example is a company in a large scale industry as they offer plenty of jobs and products to the consumers of the world. Size will matter when it comes to industry. Small companies employ about 60% of the work force in the USA due to the 30 million existing companies. Unfortunately, these companies have a lower survival rate meaning that they usually run for five to ten years and then end. 2.3 Differences between a small and medium enterprise and large entities There are many differences between a small and medium enterprise and large entities, namely: speed of decision-making, attitude towards risk, allocation of resources, understanding of business models and management of business models, and differing definitions of innovation. Decision-Making Process Large enterprises, in view of the different bureaucratic levels, will often require longer time to make decisions. This can be very frustrating especially when a decision needs to made immediately. Delay in decision-making may hinder the progress of the company. In this way, SMEs are better-off as more often than not, decisions can be made at the point of urgency. This helps the SMEs top grow more rapidly compared to a large-scaled enterprise. Attitude Towards Risk Large-scale enterprises can afford to take a bigger risk in running the operations of their businesses. This is mainly due to the fact that their capital is larger and there is buffer to absorb any uncertainties. Large size firm, such as Sime Darby and Petronas can afford to invest in foreign countries and earn much more profits compared to other SMEs. However, SMEs need to be wary of the negative consequences should their investments does not bring back the desired returns which may affect their operations in totality. Allocation of Resources In small businesses, every ringgit counts. Resources can be scarce and are allotted based almost solely on whether they will boost the bottom line. This bottom line focus may not be so distinct in a larger corporation. With more abundant resources at least in comparison to smaller companies people in large enterprises may be relatively free spenders. Understanding of Business Models A large enterprise understands the business models in a wider perspective as compared to SMEs. Large enterprises have the resources to conduct in-house trainings or sent their employees (especially management executives) to overseas countries to attend training programme. Such programmes would provide a bigger horizon to its employees who are then able to strategies their activities towards achieving the companys goals and missions. This normally lacks in SMEs. Innovation Competition in the business environment is getting more violent with more and more business entering the market due to a more relax rules and regulations in setting up business entities. In order for a company to remain competitive and relevant in the industry, huge investments need to be made on the product or services. Consumers have the choice of choosing the goods in the market. Large enterprises have the capacity to investment in such innovations compared to SMEs. For example, recently Malaysian Airlines Systems (MAS) purchased new planes (A380 series) to remain relevant in the airline industries. SMEs will have limitation due its limited financial resources. 2.4 Conclusions Even though SMEs and large-scale enterprises have differing characteristics, both plays a pivotal role in Malaysias gross domestics products (GDP). Both institutions provides employment opportunity, contribution in the form of taxes, corporate social responsibility activities and many more. No business had emerged in large entity automatically. Every business needs to start up from a small and medium entity before moving to a larger enterprise. BIBLIOGRAPHY Danks, S. Business Studies (1st edition), 2009, DP Publications, London, UK Hughes, Pride Kapoor, Business Foundation (3rd edition), 2011, South-Western Cengace Learning, Australia Mubarak Ishak, Structure of Business (2nd edition), 2008, S.S.Mubarak Bros (Pte) Ltd, Singapore Susan H, Business Studies (3rd Edition), 2008), Longman Publication, Australia www.bnm.gov.my/sme assessed on 19/7/2012 www.sme.gov.my assessed on 19/7/2012 APPENDIX 1 Members of the National SME Development Council of Malaysia I. The Prime Minister (Chairman) II. Minister of International Trade and Industry III. Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs IV. Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development V. Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries VI. Minister of Human Resource VII. Minister of Finance II VIII. Minister of Energy, Water and Communications IX. Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities X. Minister of Science, Technology and Innovations XI. Minister of Tourism XII. Minister of Rural and Regional Development XIII. Minister of Education XIV. Minister of Higher Education XV. Minister of Housing and Local Government XVI. Minister in The Prime Ministers Department XVII. Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia APPENDIX 2 CLASSIFICATION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ACROSS SECTORS I. Primary Agriculture: à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Agriculture, Hunting and Related Service Activities à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Forestry, Logging and Related Service Activities à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Fishing, Operation of Fish Hatcheries and Fish Farms; Service Activities Incidental to Fishing ii. Manufacturing (including Agro-Based): à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of food products and beverages à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of tobacco products à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of textiles à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of wearing apparel; Dressing and dyeing of fur à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Tanning and dressing of leather; Manufacture of luggage, handbags, saddlery, harness and footwear à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of wood and products of wood and cork, except furniture; Manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of paper and paper products à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Publishing, printing and reproduction of recorded media à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of coke, refined petroleum products and nuclear fuel à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of rubber and plastic products à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of basic metals à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of office, accounting and computing machinery à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of electrical machinery and apparatus n.e.c. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of radio, television and communication equipment and apparatus à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of medical, precision and optical instruments, watches and clocks à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of other transport equipment à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Manufacture of furniture; Manufacturing n.e.c. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Recycling iii. Manufacturing Related Services (based on 5-digit MSIC 2000 codes): à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 73101 Research experimental development services on physical sciences à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 73102 Research experimental development services on chemistry and biology à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 73103 Research experimental development services on engineering and technology à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 73104 Research experimental development services on agricultural sciences à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 73105 Research experimental development services on medical sciences and pharmacy à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 73109 Research experimental development services on other natural sciences à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 60212 Factory bus services à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 60230 Freight transport by road à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 60300 Transport via pipelines à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 61102 Freight transportation by sea-going coastal water vessels à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 61202 Inland water freight transport services à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 62109 Other scheduled air transport (e.g. helicopter services) n.e.c. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 62209 Other non-scheduled air transport n.e.c. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 63011 Stevedoring services à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 63020 Storage and warehousing services à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 63091 Activities of freight forwarding / forwarding agencies à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 63099 Activities of other transport agencies n.e.c. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 74950 Packaging services on a fee or contract basis à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 74300 Advertising à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 74130 Market research and public opinion polling à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 74142 General management consultancy services à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 74143 Public relations consultancy services à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 74149 Other business consultancy and management consultancy services n.e.c. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 92201 Printed news supply services à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 92209 Other news agency services à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 22190 Other publishing à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 71230 Rental of office machinery and equipment (including computers) à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 71302 Rental of furniture à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 90003 Industrial waste collection and disposal services à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 37101 Recycling of tin à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 37109 Recycling of other metal waste and scrap à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 37201 Recycling of textile fiber à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 37202 Recycling of rubber à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 37209 Recycling of non-metal waste and scrap à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 74212 Engineering consultancy services à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 27310 Casting of iron steel à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 27320 Casting of non-ferrous metal à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 28910 Forging, pressing, stamping and roll-forming metal; powder metallurgy à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 28920 Treatment and coating of metals, general mechanical engineering on a fee or contract basis à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 28999 Manufacture of other fabricated metal products n.e.c. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 29220 Manufacture of machine tools à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 74220 Technical testing and analysis iv. Services: à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Electricity, Gas and Water Supply à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles, Motorcycles and Personal and Household Goods à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Hotels and Restaurants à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Transport, Storage and Communications à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Financial Intermediation à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Education à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Health and Social Work à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Other Community, Social and Personal Service Activities v. Mining and Quarrying: à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Mining of Coal and Lignite; Extraction of Peat à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Extraction of Crude Oil and Natural Gas; Service Activities Incidental to Crude Oil and Natural Gas Extraction Excluding Surveying à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Mining of Uranium and Thorium Ores à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Mining of Metal Ores à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Other Mining Quarrying vi. Construction: à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Construction Interview a sole trader, identify the difficulties that he/she is facing and give suggestion on how to overcome the difficulties. 3.0 Sole-Trader A sole-trader or sole-proprietorship is a business that is owned (and usually operated) by one person (Hughes, 2011). It is the smallest form of business ownership and the easiest to start. Looking back at the history of business, some of the giant players in todays market, for example Walmart and Procter Gamble, started their operations as a small entity, i.e. sole-traders. This type of business organization is most commonly established in the construction, retailing, hairdressing, car-servicing and catering trades (Stimpson, 2008). 3.1 About a Sole Trader In order to fulfill the requirements of this assignment, I had interviewed Mr Raman, the proprietor of Raman Supermarket in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. Mr Raman, 48, had started to venture into business in 2000. Initially, he was operating a sundry shop in front of his house at Jalan Loke Yew. However, as business grew, he decided to rent the current shoplot and expanded his business into a supermarket. He sells variety of groceries, which includes fish, vegetables, and other daily consumption goods.He is being assisted by his wife and two Indonesian workers to run the daily chores. His business operation is from 6.30 am to 11.00 pm. 3.2 Problems faced By a Sole-Trader The disadvantages of a sole-trader stem from the fact that these businesses are owned and often managed by one person (Hughes, 2011). Mr Raman had faced similar problems in running his business. Limited capital is the main issue faced by Mr Raman. Banks, suppliers, and other lenders are not willing to finance their business, mainly due to its business entity and low confidence on their repayment capabilities. Working capital is important for daily business operations. Non-granting of credit facilities by suppliers hampers the idea of Mr Raman in running his business in a larger scale. Tight cash flow leads to lower stocks and order-taking. Company is not able to earn a good discount rate from the suppliers. Continuity of the supermarket business or succession plan is another problem faced by Mr Raman. His three children are not interested in continuing his supermarket business. He is worried that the business will cease to exist should he give-up his business when he is old enough to retire. Unlimited liability is perhaps the biggest problems faced by Mr Raman. Due to the nature of the liability, Mr Raman faces the consequences of losing even his private properties should he fails in rejuvenating the business entity. This may lead to him being declared a bankrupt should his properties are insufficient to settle the debts. He can be sued either by the bankers or his suppliers. This is one of the worst disadvantages faced by sole-traders ,such as Mr Raman. Mr Raman also faces difficulties in getting workers for his daily operations. Locals are not willing to accept a low salary as compared to foreigners. However, foreigners have other social and cultural problems. Due to staff shortage, customer service is being compromised. Once he had a bad experience when one of his foreign workers ran off with RM800-00, being the days business proceeds. Currently, he is being assisted by his wife on a part-time basis. This makes it difficult for him to take leave or go for a long vacation as this will jeopardise his business proceeds and may also lead to losing his loyal customers. Mr Raman confessed that the last time his family went for a vacation was five years ago. Competition from bigger retailers is another major problem being faced by Mr Raman. The superstores are able to sell at a lower price due to their bulk purchase and higher discounts offered by the suppliers. Usage of credit / debit cards, which is not viable in Mr Ramans case, is another factor that leads the consumers to larger superstores, for example Jusco, MidValley and Giant, to name a few. Mr Raman is not able to offer similar service due to its limited and tight cash flow. 3.3 Suggestions on how to overcome the difficulties In order to solve Mr Ramans problems, I would therefore propose to him to convert his sole-tradership into a partnership. The US Uniform Partnership Act defines a partnership as a voluntary association of two or more persons to act as co-owners of the business for profit (Hughes, 2011). Regardless of the number of people involved, a partnership often represents a pooling of special managerial skills and talents. In order to mitigate the disadvantage of limited capital, Mr Raman can request his family members or friends to become his partner. This additional capital will assists Mr Raman to scale up his business activities for a better profit. Banks and suppliers will be willing to provide additional financing as they will be more comfortable and confident of Mr Ramans repayment capability. Each partner is responsible for the well-being of the business entity. The pride of managing the supermarket and solving the daily operational problems will enhance the partners motivation to work harder to reap more business proceeds. Customers can be better served and eventually through word of mouth on the excellent services rendered at Ramans Supermarket will help to boost his business. Currently, Mr Raman is the only one actively running the daily operations of his supermarket. Partners often have complementary skills Mr Raman could manipulate of his partners specialization to further enhance its services. Furthermore, should there be any problems or issues, the partners can discuss and arrive at a better decision synergy effect. The sharing of profits would also motivate the partners to work harder. Higher business turnover leads to higher profit-sharing among the partners. However, Mr Raman should document the methods of profit-sharing at the initial stage of the partnership deeds or agreements. At the same time, the liabilities are also shared by each of the partners and not by the sole-trader alone. Losses are borne by each of the partners based on their shares. The legal requirements of setting up a partnership are minimal as compared to corporate entities. As long as the business is registered legally, it is good to go. However, Mr Raman should create his own Partnership Deeds in order to avoid any problems in the future.