Thursday, October 31, 2019

Visual Elements of Arguments in Oreo French Ad Essay

Visual Elements of Arguments in Oreo French Ad - Essay Example This ad caught the attraction of people from all parts of the world. According to David Buckingham, â€Å"The Children’s market is potentially large† (Buckingham, p.594). Therefore, advertisers usually create child centered ads for the marketing purposes. This ad is a child-centered ad. The theme of this ad is that a cute little girl teaching her father how to eat Oreo cookies. Ethos, pathos and logos used extensively in this ad to catch the attention of the public. This paper analyses the Visual Elements of Arguments in Oreo French Ad. The beauty of this ad lies in the beauty of the cute girl acting in this ad. According to Jean Kilbourne sometimes the models in ads are children, other times they just look like children (Kilbourne p.471). The girl in this ad spreads the messages both as a child and also as a model. Her conversations with her father and efforts to teach him the way to eat Oreo cookies watched with huge interests by the viewers. In this ad each and every word is selected carefully. The dad asks the permission of his daughter to try the cookie. But the daughter denies him the permission saying that he is not yet ready to taste it. The creators of this ad remind us the fact that children have a specific way of eating cookies. While elders try to eat it fast, children always try to lick it first and enjoy the taste of each minute particle in the cookie. The girl indirectly says that the eating styles of elders are not suitable to enjoy the taste of Oreo cookie. She wants her father to lick it and enjoy the taste of this cookie fully. Here the creators or this ad tries to give pathos and logos to this ad. The daughter’s behaviour helps the viewers to know how emotionally she is attached to this cookie. She does not like the idea of eating it quickly. In fact, she wants to make a company with this cookie as long as possible before enjoying each part of it. The creators of this ad reminds us that there is no point in tasting an Oreo cookie just like other cookies. They wanted to spread the message that this cookie needs special attention while eating to enjoy it fully. Both images and words used carefully in this ad to catch the attention of the public. In fact the backdrops and the colour combinations of the dresses of the father and daughter are selected carefully. These colour combinations provide a pleasant feeling to the viewers. It should be noted that dark colour combinations may look vulgar while dull colour combinations may not catch the attention of the public. The p roducers of this ad knows this principle very well and used a meaningful and attractive colour combination in the pasteurization of this ad. Both visual and audio media blended carefully in this ad to catch the attention of the people. No complicated words or sentences used in this ad. In fact, this ad spreads great messages with the help of simple words. There are plenty of ads which are difficult for ordinary people to digest. However, this ad was created in such a way that even a layman can understand the ideas expressed in it. This ad can be enjoyed fully only of it is displayed in the visual media. Print media cannot communicate the message of this ad properly. It should be noted that the mannerisms and the childish activities of the cute girls catch the attention of the people. In short, the visual media helped the producers immensely in spreading the message of this ad properly. The girl says that eating an Oreo cookie is extremely complicated. In her opinion, there is a spec ial way to eat it. She says that first you twist it, then lick the cream First, you twist it, then lick it, then join it just like a kiss, then dip it milk and eat it. It should be not

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Cultural Perspectives on Vaccination Essay Example for Free

Cultural Perspectives on Vaccination Essay The debate is led by anti-vaccinators who oppose vaccinations on ethical, political, religious and medical safety grounds. On the other hand, pro-vaccinators argue that the health benefits of vaccines outweigh the very few adverse effects that they have, and that vaccines have been largely advantageous to public health. Main points of contention: Pro-vaccinators (usually health care specialists, microbiologists, governments, pharmaceutical companies) Vaccinations are an effective and cost-saving tool for disease prevention. Positive externality attached to the use of vaccinations – overall public health is positively affected Side-effects are infrequent and the most common ones are minor. Anti-vaccinators (some conservative Islamic and Christian groups, usually libertarians and victims of public panic) Vaccines are ineffective and are used to generate profits for Big Pharma. Mandatory vaccinations interfere with individual and religious freedoms. Vaccines have severe side-effects and can trigger brain disorders. Points in favor of vaccines The effectiveness of vaccines has been globally verified.  Scientific research confirms the efficiency of all vaccines administered to the public, including the vaccines for measles1, influenza2 and pneumococcal disease3, 4. Protection against seasonal flu, chicken pox, cervical cancer, whooping cough, among other diseases5 Vaccines led to the eradication of small pox6. Global reduction of polio (number of cases has shrunk by over 99% since 1988)7, measles (deaths have reduced by 78%)8, tetanus (92% reduction in global cases since 1980s)9 Most side effects caused by vaccines are minor, such as low-grade fever10. In the US, vaccines are introduced to the public after years of thorough testing and are monitored closely after10. Points against vaccines and rebuttals Vaccines are a ploy by Big Pharma to generate profits by marketing needless vaccines. All companies are motivated by profits, including McDonalds and Apple Inc. Pharmaceutical companies are encouraged by public authorities  toward the production of vaccines due to the resultant overall public health savings, despite the following: Medicines for chronic diseases are more profitable. Production of vaccines is a high-risk venture since it involves huge capital investment for research. Moreover, vaccine production, safety and marketing activities are tightly controlled by authorities11. Foreign governments repeatedly push for lower costs. Although the vaccine industry has grown multifold over the past years and is generally profitable, pharmaceutical companies should not be blamed for misdirection when the health advantages of vaccines have been verified by academia and are widely acknowledged. Exemptions on religious and philosophical basis should be permitted. The religious and philosophical views of a group can be overlooked to protect the health of an entire population, since unvaccinated people create a level of risk for themselves and for the rest of the population12. The Netherlands is at risk of a measles outbreak in the orthodox Protestant group, and the consequent transmission of measles to the general population, as shown by a recent study13. Mandatory vaccines infringe upon individual freedoms. Vaccines directly affect the well-being of the people around, and are thus, not as private a decision as one would assume. Positive externalities are usually ignored by people while making decisions. Some people claim that taxes are unconstitutional. But taxes, like vaccines, are a mutual responsibility and work for the common good. Vaccinations lead to life-threatening side effects. The most common side effects of vaccinations are minor, like low-grade fever or soreness near the injection site10. Scientific research has disproved the popular claims that vaccines cause SIDS14 or brain disorders like autism15, 16. The chances of complications from diseases are much higher than the chances of complications from vaccines. Thimerosal, a preservative used in vaccines, and the MMR vaccine cause autism. Research shows no cause-and-effect relationship between autism and thimerosal17, or autism and  the usage of MMR vaccine15, 16. The usage of thimerosal has only minor side-effects, like swelling near the injection site18, and the most common side effect due to the administration of the MMR vaccine is low-grade fever10. Thimerosal was taken out of vaccines for children in 2001 only as a preemptive measure. Even then, autism rates have only grown18. Nearly all scientists whose researches concluded a positive correlation between vaccines and autism retracted their researches. Vaccines must be repeated and do not provide long-lasting protection. One size neither fits all humans nor all diseases. MMR vaccination does, in most cases, provide life-long protection. Other viruses mutate fast and immunizations must be renewed to fight the virus. Repetitive vaccinations are a small cost to pay in the face of deadly diseases. Even vaccinated children might contract diseases. Vaccinations are 90-99% effective in preventing diseases among children19. These diseases generally manifest with milder symptoms and less severe complications. Some children do not respond to vaccines and some are not immunized due to compromised immune systems or allergies. Herd immunity must be achieved in order to protect the unimmunized population. Whooping cough epidemic despite the availability of vaccinations Effectiveness of vaccine relies on herd immunity Vaccination rates have been dropping due to anti-vaccination movements and the subsequent public panic. Exemptions against vaccines have doubled since 199720.  States which make exemptions easily available to parents have more cases21. Most cases of whooping cough are among infants too young to be vaccinated. Highly-publicized cases of brain damage alleged to have been caused by the whooping cough vaccine created public panic in Great Britain which caused a drop in immunization rates and thus, epidemics of the disease22, 23. Most complications reported were not associated with the vaccination22. Better hygiene and sanitation in the recent years is the reason for the falling rates of diseases. Better hygiene does prevent the spread of diseases. However, disease-causing germs stick around, sometimes in our bodies. They can also be spread by means such as sexual contact or sneezing, and vaccinations teach our bodies how to fight diseases once the germs attack our bodies. Measles, like other diseases, saw a permanent drop in 1962, after its vaccine was licensed24. Evidently, vaccines have a direct impact on disease control. The cases of haemophilus influenzae in children started declining a few years ago, since the introduction of the vaccine for children, while the levels of sanitation and hygiene have been practically unchanged since 199023. The number of global cases for vaccine-preventable diseases has been dwindling as the vaccinated population has been growing. India is polio-free now due to country-wide vaccination efforts (in modern times) to eradicate the disease25. Some doctors and scientists stand against vaccination. A vast majority of doctors, including medical experts at CDC, WHO as well as non-governmental organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, support the administration of vaccines. It is important to consider the religious and philosophical views of these doctors. Sometimes, financial gains might be involved26. Combination vaccinations overburden the immune systems of babies. Children, in fact, receive fewer antigens today than they did in the past. There is no evidence to support this hypothesis.  Combination vaccinations simply reduce the number of vaccines administered to babies.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Stakeholders Involved in Decision Making

Stakeholders Involved in Decision Making Mitchelle Malijan In every policy making process, the elements involved, and the most engaged people are those who are on the higher ranks of the organisational chart, such as the board of directors, managers, and supervisors. The reason for this is because another key factor in the approval of any policies is the monetary fund or budget needed to execute such plan of action. In line with this, the budget is usually handled and managed by those who are in the higher division of any organisation, thus giving them the power and influence over the whole system. However, it is always ideal to involve all the participating individuals, such as the staffs and consumers as well in the making of any policy. This is because the employees are the ones who are in direct connection to the problems that are identified which will be the foundation of the policy making procedure. Overall, the staffs doing most of the jobs are the ones greatly affected by any problems recognised that is why it is really important for these group of people to be part of the decision making process in creating any policies. Workplace Any work place may be run by a variety of leaders with different and diverse management styles. It depends on the type of company that they handle. However, the important thing in making decisions in the work place is the welfare of the staffs and employees. It is because these people are the ones who are in direct involvement to any work related issues in the company, even though the decisions are done by those who are in the higher rank in the office, like the directors, CEO’s and the like. Due to this scenario, an applicable decision making model for this particular area may be the Contingency Theory. Contingency theory states that a leader must have a good relationship with his members. It also expresses that no particular or specific style will be perfect and always suitable for every organisation. These factors; Leader-member relationship, his power and authority over the people, will make up for the favourability of any situation.[1] At the end of the day, the decision to be done by the manager or leader will still depend whether his subordinates or staff will agree on it. Government The government is a group of leaders who are having influence or power over a particular assembly of people or community. This entails the idea that a leader must possess a quality of a good commander who is firm, strong, and determined; but still must be able to communicate and listen well to his people who are under his authority. That is why a decision making model which may be applicable for this area is the Political Bargaining Model. The Political Bargaining Model states that every decision making process that is influenced by certain factors, like what the people or participants bargain, want and need in a particular scenario or environment. This model can be used in the government setting as the government, even though run by leaders, is still created by the people since they are the ones being managed and they are the ones who voted for those leaders to be in their position. So in the end, what matters most is the people’s consensus and decision. To make this simple, the leaders must serve these people who put them to the place where they are now. This is relevant though in a democratic government. Since the leaders in the government have the job and responsibility to maintain and safeguard the welfare of their subordinates, they must be able to do what is best for them, and be flexible as much as possible to attend to their necessities and wants. In this system, collaboration and give and take actions between the members and the leaders are evident. Professional Organisations A professional organisation is defined as any group of individuals who are working in the same line of business or occupation.[2] This organisation, commonly not profit generating, aims to promote, enhance, and develop the existing performance or scope of practice of the profession that it is involved with. It also targets to protect and safe guard the welfare, safety, and interest of its members and stakeholders.[3] Examples of these groups are organisations like the Nursing Council of New Zealand, Chartered Professional Engineers Council, and the like. In making decisions for the professional organisational setting, the organisational process model may be applicable. This is because the policy created by these bodies lies on the existing rules that each profession possesses. In addition to this idea, it is mentioned that a professional organisation, as the definition states, aims to improve and develop the scope of practice of the occupation it covers. Hence, the organisational process model of decision making is a suitable pattern and framework for this area of politics and policy that a health care professional may be immersed with. An example for this can be the case of creating a policy to manage the working hours and shifts of nurses in hospitals and health care facilities. This proposal will rely on the existing fact of the working hours and schedules that a nurse have; say for instance 40 hours per week and shifting from night to day duties. To reduce the risk for health hazards, stress, and fatigue for employees, some changes or adjustments will be recommended for this. Like giving allowance of around 9 hours for those nurses who will be shifting duties from night to day, or vice versa. In this recommendation, nurses will still be working on different shifts, as per required in their profession, and also still get the same working hours required. Community A community is a small or large unit in the society that is composed of group of people who are sharing the same interests, pursuits, and goals in life. Any decisions that are to be done with regard to this circle must be beneficial for the majority and their interest. Decisions must also be done in line with the current trends, situations, and circumstances. So, for this area, a suitable decision making pattern may be the Garbage Can Model. The Garbage Can Model is defined as the opposite of the rational decision making model, thus, leading it to the thought that it may be disorganised and confusing as opposed to the other one. But, if looking deep into its meaning and context, the Garbage can model can be a sensible tool to solve issues in the community because it uses the four elements: people or members, issues, the solutions, and the choices. By studying those four factors, decisions are being formulated in a practical way and less time consuming because the only needed things are taken into consideration. This scenario can be compared in an emergency situation in an emergency department in the hospital. The decisions to be done by the health care professionals such as the doctors and nurses will be solely based on the client’s condition and diagnosis (represents people and issues), the possible interventions that can be done to alleviate the pain or cure the ailment (solutions), and the choices (equipment an d medications available). This way, resources are maximised and only the essential factors are considered. This is the reason why this model is suitable for the community setting since in this area, various issues may arise because of the number of people involved in this association, so a decision maker must be able to focus on one problem at a time, and lay down only the needed solution choices for such to avoid confusion and time wastage. References: Shpak, S. (2014). The Contingency Theory of Decision Making. Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/contingency-theory-decision-making-44645.html Reference for Business. (2014). Retrieved from: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Per-Pro/Professional-and-Trade-Organizations.html Wikipedia: Professional Organisation. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_association [1] [2] [3]

Friday, October 25, 2019

Prevention of Child Abuse Through Education and Intervention :: Child Abuse Domestic Violence

Most questions have answers and sometimes explanations, but there have been many answers to the question of why people abuse children. The trauma of a child being abused can be described in various ways. Child abuse is the mistreatment or maltreatment of a child whether it is mental, physical, emotional, sexual, verbal, or psychological abuse. Child abuse is a traumatic experience. Child abuse is often synonymous with the term child maltreatment or the term of child abuse and neglect. It has been said that the trauma of being physical, mental, emotional, or sexual abuse as a child can effect an individual for the rest of his or her life. Such abuse can severely damage a victim's self-esteem. The effects of abuse are often pervasive in the mental, physical, and social nature. Suicide, violence, delinquency, drug and alcohol abuse, and other forms of criminality are also child abuse related. Those who believe child abuse is extremely prevalent push for more aggressive child protection system that would allow charges to be investigated and prosecuted more efficiently. The increasing involvement has encouraged many people to be concern with awareness and understanding. One of the major causes of a child being abused is, when he or she is in an unstable family. Unstable families, characterized by frequent changes of partnership, are replacing stable marriages. For a mother, this result is a greater stress and isolation from the child. Frequent family changes also result in frequent role changes for adults in the household, leading to more confusion and more stress for the entire family. In the two part families, mainly the stepfamilies, great deals of conflicts are presented. Of these parents, about 71 percent fought regularly about the children, 81 percent had a conflict over the use of alcohol in the home. Many of the females received very little poise and positive feedback from parents in the home. The abusing family lives in a manner that separates the bearing and raising of children from traditional marriage. This undermines the well being of children. For every one- hundred children born in the United States, twelve entered broken families, either by being born out of wedlock or through their parents' obtaining a divorce. In such circumstances children are most likely to suffer abuse and neglect, and new subcultures of abuse. Origins of religiously justified child abuse may seem hard to believe, but it occurs very frequently. Medical neglect dictated by religious beliefs is another route through which children become victims of religious ideology.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Lean On Me Film Review Essay

In the film Lean on Me, Joe Clark, played by Morgan Freeman, took on the responsibility of being the principle for a troubled inner-city high school. The students at this high school were mainly minority children, faced by issues of poverty, drugs, and racism everyday. The state of New Jersey claimed that this school was heading nowhere but down and that the teachers were unable to teach the children the basic skills they needed to survive in the world. I feel the causes of the schools poor quality was to the lack of money & funds they receive from the state which lead to poor programming. The children whom attended the school had a lack of motivation and direction. They were unsure as to what they wanted to achieve with their lives. They needed to be inspired by their teachers, and their families. However, as seen in this film, children in the inner-city setting often never find the inspiration and direction they need to succeed. Many of them have parents that do not want to play an active role in the lives of their children. I feel that in the case of this film, Joe Clark?s authoritarian methodology of administering was very effective. This school and the children who attended it needed someone to ?take charge?, and build it back up to shape. He first kicked out the ?trouble students?, then he cleaned the halls of the graffiti, then he chained the doors to keep the drug dealers out. He gave students confidence and inspiration to succeed. He gave them a common goal, to ?prove the state wrong?. He enforced in their minds that they were not ignorant and they were capable of anything. By insisting they learn the school song he gave them a sense of pride. I feel that Joe Clark did just what the school and most importantly the students needed to ?turn the school around?. In the end, his methods of leadership worked, for the students achieved just what they had set out to do, pass the basic skills test given by the state. The women who fought Joe Clark?s methodology, was played by Lynne Thigpen. She was portrayed as ?wench?, who was demanding on the city to get rid of Joe Clark because he chained the school doors and was in violation of the cities fire code. However, I feel she was really just upset because he  expelled the ?problem children? out of the school, one of whom was her son. Instead of blaming herself as a parent for the failure of her son, she turned the blame on the school system and those who run it. While some critics would say that she was being portrayed in a positive light, as being a strong and determined black women. I feel that is false, I feel she is being portrayed as ignorant and arrogant and just wants revenge for something that was her own fault because she is not being an attentive and responsible parent. I also feel that the music plays an important role in this film. The music in the film is what gives the children hope and pride. The title of the movie is from the song ?Lean on Me?, written by Bill Withers. This song has lyrics that bring hope to the children. ?Some times in our lives we all have pain, we all have sorrow, but if you are wise we know there is always tomorrow. Lean on me, when your not strong, and I?ll give you hope, I?ll help you carry on.? It is relating to the students by saying we all face struggles, but we need to have hope that we can survive, and sometimes we need to get support and inspiration from others in order to stay strong and succeed. This song reminds these children that they are not alone and they can achieve anything if they put their minds to it. I feel that this song explains the theme of the movie, in the face of trouble anyone can succeed as long as they are motivated and try their hardest, and they have the love and support of others. In conclusion, I enjoyed this movie and I feel this film was very palatable because its characters were well developed and very believable. Its screenplay was written very well and is very realistic. We, as young adults can relate to this film because the issues these children face are the same issues that children in face everyday, and even more so for those who come from the inner city themselves.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

One more river to cross essays

One more river to cross essays Crispus Attucks was the first American to die in cause of independence. He was born a slave in 1725, in Massachusetts. He was an expert livestock trader. On March 5, 1770, he left dinner after hearing strange fire bells. He then gathered an angry mob and went to where a British soldier was staying. The soldier shot into the crowd killing Attucks and injuring other civilians. Thousands attended his funeral. Madam C. J. Walker was the first American woman to earn 1 million dollars. On December 23, 1867, she was born into a racist society. She grew up working in the laundry mats, trying to invent a hair product for regrowth. A black man told the ingredients in a dream she had one night. She set up her own business and sold her products worldwide. In 1919, she died of kidney failure. Her business is still running today. Matthew Henson was one of the first two people to reach the North Pole. He was born in Maryland, 1866. He had many jobs by age 14 in Baltimore. He worked on a ship at age 19; he sailed around by China. Then he met another captain. They made trips up north to reach the pole and met many disasters. He reached the pole in 1909 and he died in 1955. Marian Anderson was born February 17, 1902, in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At age 6, she joined her churchs junior choir. From high school on she sung at churches, clubs, and organizations. She had won a contest in New York a few years later. She traveled to Europe to help herself with her opera pronouncing. She was very famous in Europe. She had performed in the White House for President Roosevelt. She set up funds for young musicians with her money from contests. She was a very good singer until 1993, when she died. Romare Bearden is the most celebrated black American artist of the 20th century. He was born on September 2, 1912, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He became the organist at his church at a young age. After high s...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Sticky Price Hikes Help Beer Profits Essay Example

Sticky Price Hikes Help Beer Profits Essay Example Sticky Price Hikes Help Beer Profits Essay Sticky Price Hikes Help Beer Profits Essay Sticky Price Hikes Help Beer Profits 1. â€Å"The oligopolistic nature of the market worked,† commented one manager. What does this statement mean? This statement mean that since the sellers are so few, what one Beer seller does in the market can impact the its competitors and the industry. This means that since the industry is dominated by a few firms, then the firms that are competing in the market have to take into account competitors’ moves about pricing, advertising and output. 2. How did the beer industry become oligopolistic? What longer-term processes appear to be at work? Can one apply the industry life cycle to the beer industry? The beer industry has become Oligopolistic because out of the competition there are only few major brewers that have dominated the market. Some of the factors that helped that this industry became oligopolistic include: economics of scale, takeovers, mergers, technology advancements, barriers of entry. Since in the Beer industry few large firms produce large quantities of homogeneous or differentiated products these are the firms that dominate the market. The industry became oligopolistic forcing hundreds of brewers to close/merge because in this industry economics of scale appear to be extremely important; large firms would be more efficient at productions than small ones. The capital requirements in this industry are high. Additionally, barriers of entry to this industry are high (control over raw material, patents). Moreover, there is a tremendous brand loyalty in this market. Some of the processes that appear to be at work are reaping the benefits of cost reductions from merging. One cannot apply the industry life cycle to the beer industry (basic necessity) because this is a product that may never enter a decline phase. Obsolescence is very unlikely in this industry. 3. What does this article tell us about the nature of 5 forces in the US beer industry? Have these forces become more benevolent or instead more challenging from the standpoint of industry incumbents? The five forces tell us that: Barriers of entry: The barriers of entry into this industry are high. Control over raw material and patents exist. Additionally the market is well known by consumers and it is unlikely that they will change their preferences. The buyers have high power, even though there are few players in the beer industry, once consumers chooses and like a beer then it is very likely that the consumers are going to be Brand Loyal. Competition: competition is high; the few players are always looking to take away consumers from its competitors to become bigger. Substitutes: Drinking products other than beer such other alcoholic drinks. Suppliers: The suppliers of beer ingredients already have strong relationships with big Beer companies. Incumbents probably wont get good deals and suppliers probably will not want to have small accounts. After the 5 forces analysis, I have concluded that the market is more challenging from the standpoint of industry incumbents. 4. How does the international reach of Anheuser-Bush InBev help the company? Is international diversification a major or minor benefit in the current environment. International reach of Anheuser-Bush has a major benefit since the company and its products become known internationally. In the article it was mentioned that Brazil is the second largest market after U. S and that earnings per share are expected to grow from 89 cents versus 72 cents last year. This is definitely a plus for the company.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

What Does a Data Entry Specialist Do and How Much Do They Make

What Does a Data Entry Specialist Do and How Much Do They Make In a world poised between paper and digital information, data entry specialists play a vital role.   If youre technologically savvy, detail-oriented, and comfortable working with massive amounts of information, a career as a data entry specialist may be right for you. Heres what you need to know about this important job.The 411 on data entry specialistsAlso known as data entry keyers, these professionals translate a variety of paper documents from a number of disparate sources into digital form. These may include anything from reports to bills to canceled checks. After electronically entering information for storage, data entry specialists review the work for verification purposes, ensuring that its both accurate and accessible.While data entry specialists typically use computers to input information, they also use other specialized equipment, such as scanners and photo composing perforators, depending on the nature of the hard copy and the storage system in use.Unfortunately, the competition for jobs for data entry specialists may become steep in the years ahead. as we increasingly move toward a paper-less society, the need for data entry specialists is expected to decline. the Bureau of Labor Statistics groups data entry specialists under the heading of general office clerks, with a projected job outlook of just six percent growth between 2012 and 2022.The average salary for a general office clerk is $27,470 per year, although top earners bring home significantly more. The most lucrative fields for data entry specialists include government and healthcare positions. In addition to a regular salary, many data entry jobs also come with desirable benefits.Find top  data entry specialist jobs nowThe benefits of being a data entry specialistData entry specialists work in a wide range of settings from education to business. Generally, these environments are considered to be comfortable, pleasant places to work.   Additionally, the rise of telecommuting opens new doors for data entry specialists for whom remote work is now a possibility.One of the biggest upsides of working in this field is that educational requirements are minimal. Entry-level data entry jobs are available to candidates with high school diplomas or GED, although employers strongly favor candidates with typing skills. Other sought after data entry specialist skills include the ability to work with computers and applications, such as word and spreadsheets. Many community colleges offer coursework focuses on strengthening this skill set.Additionally, because data entry specialists deal in information, the ability to see and read information is essential. Speed is also handy, as well as the ability to effectively manage your time due to the large amounts of information which may cross your desk.Another advantage of taking a job as a data entry specialist? because these professionals fall under the umbrella of office clerks, there is potential for growth into other areas ra nging from medical transcriptionist to administrative assistant. not only that, but youll be a more viable candidate if and when you do try to transition to another field thanks to the skills you acquired on the job.As we continue to make the transition from paper to digital data, data entry specialists are a necessary part of the process. if youre looking for a job with minimal educational requirements along with the opportunity to use and grow your professional skill set, a career in data entry may be a fulfilling fit.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Entrepreneurial Leadership Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Entrepreneurial Leadership - Coursework Example This essay describes the entrepreneurial leadership, that helps to grow our society. It involves instilling the confidence to take risks, initiative, responsibility and creativity. Case, Kouzes and Drucker recognized the importance and type of approach individuals need in pursuing entrepreneurial leadership. We will examine these three different theories/ philosophies and the highlighted components, which ultimately will formulate a new definition of entrepreneurial leadership. Additionally, entrepreneurs can access a wide pool of resources accessible via the website SCORE and Small Business Administration (SBA). Moreover, we will discuss the Small Business Administration, which provides useful information to entrepreneurs that are beneficial, especially to business persons just starting. Large and small businesses have access to online tools and resources on the SCORE and Small Business Administration website. The most resourceful one is the workshops geared towards building a busin ess plan. A business plan plays numerous roles, here are the following: demonstrates to entrepreneurs the feasibility of starting a business, demonstrate the tools needed to launch the business, it will highlight the cost of starting, it can open doors to funding agencies and individuals, for example, investors and it will show the intended customers or audience. Hence, all other important practices that come into play; such as, coaching, team building and motivating will fail if there is no solid plan.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Economics - Essay Example An economic cycle comprises several phases viz. recession, recovery and boom. In the recovery phase, individuals and businesses borrow and invest more causing the aggregate demand to rise up which leads to boom or expansionary pressures in the economy. This boom brings with it problems like inflation and high imports etc. In such a situation, the government needs to take some action through various macroeconomic policies for the purpose of stabilisation of economy. Thus, the recessionary pressures enter the economy characterised by weak investment and business slow down (Smith, 2003). The economy displays several peaks and troughs over a cyclical phase (see Fig 1). The responsibility of government to stabilise the economy leads it to make use of various macroeconomic policies in order to manage the cyclical economic fluctuations. As an advisor to the government, I would like to recommend the use of monetary and fiscal policies for the purpose of curtailing cyclical fluctuations. Macroeconomic policies like monetary and fiscal policies can be utilised by government to control economic fluctuations. Macroeconomic factors like taxation and government spending fall within the realm of fiscal policy whereas inflation, interest rates, exchange rates and other monetary factors are relevant to the monetary policy. Government can control economy by fluctuating interest rates, exchange rates, and the growth of money and credit in the economy (Smith, 2003). Most particularly, changing interest rates on the part of the government affects inflation, supply of money and credit, exchange rates, foreign and domestic investment and business expansions etc. All these factors put a great impact on the cyclical pressures in the economy. Monetary policy can be utilised in two dimensions under cyclical fluctuations in business. In the case of expansionary pressures or boom in the economy, the

International monetary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International monetary - Essay Example There is a relationship between real exchange rate and balance of payment crisis. The exchange rate is one of the variables for the BOP crisis (Berg & International Monetary Fund, 1999). The government handles the BOP crises situations by taking up various measures. This paper will discuss the degree of relationship between the measures. The crisis situation in a country’s BOP occurs when it moves beyond the control of the government to remove the current account’s deficit. The crisis situation would lead to deficit in foreign exchange reserves too. Considering these adverse impacts of the BOP crisis, the objective of this paper has been selected that will comprehensively discuss the measures taken up by the government for dealing with the adverse conditions. Nature of the Exchange Rate The exchange rate acts just as the demand and supply of currency in an international market that in turn affects the BOP. There will be minimum effect when a currency of a domestic count ry’s demand and supply is equivalent. This is represented below in figure1 (Pereira, 1998). Figure 1: Interaction of demand and supply with respect to foreign currency and unit prices (Pereira, 1998). The demanded and supplied foreign currencies are exhibited in X-axis, in a specific period. The unitary prices / exchange rates are illustrated in Y-axis for the foreign currencies that are in national currency. At point 4, the demand and supply meet and the exchange rate is maintained. There is less volatility in the exchange rate and it does not develop BOP crisis (Pereira, 1998). If it is now considered that the demand is constant and the supply of the currency has declined, then the rate of exchange declines and there are difficulties in the BOP management. This might lead to BOP crisis if it lasts for long period of time. This is illustrated below in figure 2 (Pereira, 1998). Figure 2: Interaction of demand and supply with respect to foreign currency and unit prices with sh ift in supply curve (Pereira, 1998). The supply has been declined when the demand became constant. The curve SS moves to S†S†. Thus, the exchange rate declines from point 4 to 3. The effect is viewed in the BOP where there are chances of deficits and crisis might be present. The demand and supply of the currency determines the exchange rate fluctuation and its effects are seen in the BOP. The BOP crises are generated with continuous decline in the exchange rate of the domestic country (Pereira, 1998). There are three alternative assumptions of BOP that are discussed here. These theories are known as ‘absorption’, ‘elasticity’ and ‘monetary approaches’ (Ardalan, 2003). Elasticity Approach In this approach the impact of devaluation of the exchange rate on domestic output is believed to be met by distinction in output and employment rather than prices, with the consequences of variations in the level of output is viewed on the balance of payments. The association connecting the balance of payments and supply of money, and linking the supply of money and the cumulative demand are ignored. This is through the assumption of existence of unemployed resources and Keynesian scepticism concerning the influence of money (Ardalan, 2003). According to the Mundell-Fleming Model of elasticity approach to the BOP, there are two effects: (1) The exchange rate outcome contributes to a

Critically examine the characteristics,tactics, opponents and policy Essay

Critically examine the characteristics,tactics, opponents and policy impact of the NRA(National Riffle Assoc) - interest group operating in the USA today - Essay Example These include army officers, police officers and sheriffs while they also participate in occasions meant to compete in shooting skills. The organization has set programs meant to keep off violent criminals’ incorporation with the law. These programs include CrimeStrike that was introduced in order to eliminate gangs and other unwanted people from the streets of America and be convicted as per the crimes they commit. The other program introduced is the Eddie Eagle meant for children that creates public awareness on the importance of observing the laws stipulated against possession of guns and how to protect one self. This program gives warnings such as Stop or Don’t Touch signs put at places where these guns are kept in the house. Other programs educate adults such as skilled hunters, shooters and people who possess ammunition for the sake of their safety such as security gourds. Most foreigners have been surprised by the way most Americans prefer to own guns. Antagonists view the Second Amendment as stated by the constitution on the ownership of guns as a cause for the problem. The statement reads that as well as a military officer lawfully allowed to posses a gun, then owning guns has to be a right to all and must not be prohibited. There have been recent debates on ways of controlling guns to the public but this has brought no change in US we daily find shooting cases on the media. This evidence shows that there is a very strong correlation between violence and accessibility of ammunitions. Some federal laws initiated in 1970s due to the assassinations of high people in government for instance Martin Luther King. Later other policies were also set up as a result of several assassination cases. It is for these reasons that Brandy Bill has to take time while issuing out guns to the public. This helps to analyse the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Technology management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Technology management - Essay Example It should link to other business processes that the firm supports. In this case, it is called Business Service Catalogue. For it to be considered as a Technical Service Catalogue, it should provide a technical view of services. This view is not provided to the customers, and is linked with the configuration items which are necessary to deliver the service. SCM makes sure that the customers agree with the terms and conditions of the IT services, and understand their usage. Hence, SCM establishes a strong relationship between IT services and the business. Brewster et al. (67) write in their book that SCM makes sure that the service is aligned with business needs â€Å"by providing clear and consistent information on services in a language that the customers will understand and in a format that customers will want to use, thus enabling a constructive dialogue about IT services where all parties have a common understanding of what is being discussed.† This means that SCM is a customer-oriented administration of IT service delivery. A Business Service Catalogue simplifies, for the customers, the ordering of standard services, because it simplifies the terms and conditions so that the customers may be able to understand them; makes the process of ordering easy enough for them; and, offers them a lucid and dependable self-service mechanism, which they can avail for ordering of services. Likewise, a Technical Service Catalogue is an efficient source of all technical knowledge that the service provider needs in order to make the deli very of services well-organized and more reliable. Hence, the service provider can have a better idea of all risks, vulnerabilities, strengths, and weaknesses, of the process of service delivery. This idea is important to make the services better aligned with business needs. Service catalogues need to be managed regularly, so that it is

UNIT 5 DISCUSSION BOARD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

UNIT 5 DISCUSSION BOARD - Essay Example Healthcare in the United States of America is managed through the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), which organizes health plans outside of that which is provided through the insurance companies. There are different plans that through which HMOs make healthcare available. The total estimated cost of healthcare in the USA during 2004 was $1.9 trillion, which was equivalent to 16% of the GDP, making the USA the largest spending country on healthcare. Many of the employees on the payrolls of companies have healthcare plans that are taken care of by the companies themselves. This has given a false impression that the vast amount of money spent on healthcare is rooted in the private sector. This is far from true, and nearly half the money that is spent on healthcare comes from government coffers. The reason for this is that a large portion of the healthcare is paid for by employer-based insurance, but this is tax subsidized. In essence the government pays part of the healthcare bills of employees in private companies that are receiving healthcare plans through their employers. The soaring medical costs are causing private employers to cut back on wage increases to their employees in an effort to find the means to meet the growing healthcare bill, leading to dissatisfaction. In short the main issue of the healthcare implementation is the scarcity of funds. This situation is hardly going to change with the Government unwilling to consider tax reforms. Therefore managed care has to look after soaring medical bills with a paucity of funds. In such a situation the dissemination of healthcare to all segments of the population becomes difficult, and as usual it is the weaker segments of society that feel the pinch of inadequate healthcare provisions. (Americas health-care crisis: Desperate measures). The American healthcare system is an umbrella organization. The World Health Organization (WHO) has in its recommendations

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Critically examine the characteristics,tactics, opponents and policy Essay

Critically examine the characteristics,tactics, opponents and policy impact of the NRA(National Riffle Assoc) - interest group operating in the USA today - Essay Example These include army officers, police officers and sheriffs while they also participate in occasions meant to compete in shooting skills. The organization has set programs meant to keep off violent criminals’ incorporation with the law. These programs include CrimeStrike that was introduced in order to eliminate gangs and other unwanted people from the streets of America and be convicted as per the crimes they commit. The other program introduced is the Eddie Eagle meant for children that creates public awareness on the importance of observing the laws stipulated against possession of guns and how to protect one self. This program gives warnings such as Stop or Don’t Touch signs put at places where these guns are kept in the house. Other programs educate adults such as skilled hunters, shooters and people who possess ammunition for the sake of their safety such as security gourds. Most foreigners have been surprised by the way most Americans prefer to own guns. Antagonists view the Second Amendment as stated by the constitution on the ownership of guns as a cause for the problem. The statement reads that as well as a military officer lawfully allowed to posses a gun, then owning guns has to be a right to all and must not be prohibited. There have been recent debates on ways of controlling guns to the public but this has brought no change in US we daily find shooting cases on the media. This evidence shows that there is a very strong correlation between violence and accessibility of ammunitions. Some federal laws initiated in 1970s due to the assassinations of high people in government for instance Martin Luther King. Later other policies were also set up as a result of several assassination cases. It is for these reasons that Brandy Bill has to take time while issuing out guns to the public. This helps to analyse the

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

UNIT 5 DISCUSSION BOARD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

UNIT 5 DISCUSSION BOARD - Essay Example Healthcare in the United States of America is managed through the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), which organizes health plans outside of that which is provided through the insurance companies. There are different plans that through which HMOs make healthcare available. The total estimated cost of healthcare in the USA during 2004 was $1.9 trillion, which was equivalent to 16% of the GDP, making the USA the largest spending country on healthcare. Many of the employees on the payrolls of companies have healthcare plans that are taken care of by the companies themselves. This has given a false impression that the vast amount of money spent on healthcare is rooted in the private sector. This is far from true, and nearly half the money that is spent on healthcare comes from government coffers. The reason for this is that a large portion of the healthcare is paid for by employer-based insurance, but this is tax subsidized. In essence the government pays part of the healthcare bills of employees in private companies that are receiving healthcare plans through their employers. The soaring medical costs are causing private employers to cut back on wage increases to their employees in an effort to find the means to meet the growing healthcare bill, leading to dissatisfaction. In short the main issue of the healthcare implementation is the scarcity of funds. This situation is hardly going to change with the Government unwilling to consider tax reforms. Therefore managed care has to look after soaring medical bills with a paucity of funds. In such a situation the dissemination of healthcare to all segments of the population becomes difficult, and as usual it is the weaker segments of society that feel the pinch of inadequate healthcare provisions. (Americas health-care crisis: Desperate measures). The American healthcare system is an umbrella organization. The World Health Organization (WHO) has in its recommendations

The Indian Ocean Essay Example for Free

The Indian Ocean Essay In 2004, the world most witnessed one of the most devastating natural disasters that had occurred in the last 100 years. On December 26th of that year, an earthquake in the Indian Ocean spawned an enormous tsunami that claimed the lives of thousands in the surrounding lands. In the months following the tsunami, many wondered what steps could be taken to minimize human loss in the event of such an unavoidable natural event. As a result, scientists began to seek an improved early alert system to detect tsunamis. Almost two years after the Indian Ocean earthquake, NASA’s Earth Observatory announced the development of a new seafloor pressure recording system that is designed to detect tsunamis shortly after their development. The new system is expected to extend alert times in addition to avoiding false alarms. The project is being supervised by the German National Research Centre for Geosciences, located in Potsdam, Germany. Scientists from the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research are directing the project. Additionally, Optimare and develogic are companies that are working on the acoustic-based portion of the system known as PACT. See more topics Road safety. The Zentrum fur Marine Umweltswissenschaft and the University of Rhode Island are also working on PACT. Though generally thought to be a single giant ocean wave, tsunamis are actually made of multiple waves. In many instances, the affected shoreline can be repeatedly hit by several large waves. Tsunamis are caused by a sudden motion in the ocean floor which can be the result of an earthquake, volcanic eruption, an underwater landslide, or the impact of a large meteorite. Most tsunamis are caused by earthquakes that originate in subduction zones, or areas where an oceanic plate is being forced into the earth’s mantle. Where there is a great amount of friction between two plates, the overriding plate can become distorted and as a result a large amount of energy is stored, often over decades of centuries. After the stored seismic energy exceeds the frictional forces between the two plates, the distorted plate suddenly returns to its original position and an earthquake results. The overlying water is displaced, generating large waves that spread outward from the epicenter. The newly developed system measures vibration and horizontal seafloor movements in order to locate seaquakes, which could possibly generate tsunamis. The measurements that are taken from the seafloor are obtained and analyzed with a matter of just a few minutes. Data is collected and analyzed every 15 seconds. Water levels are also measured off the coast using bottom pressure sensors to detect any rises in sea level before the large waves reach the shallower waters along the coast. So far the system has proven to be compact, reliable, and energy efficient. At this point, an acoustic modem sends information to a second modem, which sends a satellite message, or telegram, to the warning center, delivering notification of a tsunami. After two years of development, none of the telegrams were lost, which believed to be an early indication of the system’s crucial reliability. The new system will be implemented into the pre-existing global system which is used to detect tsunami events. Further testing will be conducted in the Mediterranean. The developers will also examine the reliability of the system’s ability to transmit under different weather conditions. The development of this improved system shows great progress in the effort to provide effective warnings for tsunamis, thereby reducing the number of casualties. The potential for the success of this system has been indicated in a series of successful tests and the fact that no telegrams have been lost to date. Much still remains to be seen, however, in determining the limits of the system and discovering factors like weather conditions may contribute to reduced efficiency of the system. The article does not mention the important aspect of how those who are in the path of a tsunami will be notified that they may evacuate in time to avoid the disaster. This is of particular importance in the case of remote villages and areas where technological infrastructure may not be developed to the level of more industrialized regions. No matter how quickly the data is collected and transmitted to the warning center, it is imperative that the information regarding the approaching tsunami be delivered to those who may be affected in a timely manner. Delivering information to remote regions may be a challenge that the developers will need to address as they attempt to meet the need for early warning in the areas that lie along the Indian Ocean. Though there are still potential concerns that need to be evaluated, it is promising that an advanced system has been put in place over a relatively short period of time. Furthermore, there is now an alert system in a region where previously no such mechanism existed. This may provide greater protection and preparedness to a region that has already seen the devastation that a tsunami can do. If the system continues to be successful and is implemented into the global system, it will eventually save many lives and it may also allow scientists to learn more about the seismic activity that occurs under the ocean floor. In conclusion, NASA’s article provides an informative report on an important milestone in the development of a system that will not only help people across the earth prepare for natural disasters, but that also may lead to groundbreaking discoveries that could allow scientists to additional important discovers that can help us to better understand our planet Works Cited Earth Observatory. Tsunami-recording in the Deep Sea. 25 November 2007. NASA. 17 November 2007. http://earthobservatory. nasa. gov/ Newsroom/ MediaAlerts/ 2007/2007111925951. html.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Analysis of Shell Oil Company

Analysis of Shell Oil Company Shannon Davison Abstract Companies face a number of opportunities and challenges in as far as their growth is concerned. An analysis of the Shell Oil Company reveals a number and therefore a consideration of the same in their strategies is necessary. This paper looks at a number of issues surrounding this company in as far as its performance as a business is concerned. The Analysis of Shell Oil Company One of the household names across many countries of the word when it comes to oil and oil products is the Shell Oil Company. Undeniably, Shell Oil Company is one of the largest oil multinational companies controlling huge market share not only in the United States of America, but the world as well. The Shell Oil Company which is a subsidiary of the Royal Dutch origins is headquartered in Houston, Texas (Pirog, 2007). Shell Oil Company together with its consolidated and equity companies is arguably the America’s largest producer of natural gas and oil. Besides production, Shell Oil Company markets natural gas and gasoline as well as petrochemicals. In the United States of America, Shell Oil Company significantly contributes to economic growth and development not only due to the large market spectrum and production, but job creation as well. This is because the company has absorbed approximately 22, 000 employees in the U.S America are approximately 22, 000 Shell Oil Company emp loyees in the U.S. of America (Pirog, 2007). This paper provides a descriptive analysis of Shell Oil Company in relation to production, marketing competitiveness and challenges affecting the energy sector. Roles of the Firm Apart from its normal business of selling oil and oil products, Shell Oil Company and its subsidiaries participate in various community development initiatives, environmental mitigation initiatives both in the United States of America and the subsidiary countries. This acts in their favour in terms of making their presence within the communities they work more significant and relevant. Furthermore, they are able to meet their moral obligation of ensuring that the communities they work with are at home doing business with them. For instance, Shell initiates environmental conservation programs in vulnerable oil producing nations including but not limited to Niger Delta and Nigeria (Pirog, 2007). The programs facilitate the restoration of degraded environmental ecosystems. This is in tune with what is going around across many other organizations and individuals who are out to ensure that the environment is kept safe from degradation in order to promote human life. The initiatives theref ore promote environmental conservation stewardships and biodiversity through sensitization, research activities and reduction of pollutants. On the other hand, the company provides competitive global transport fuel to 10 million customers daily. The customers are served through the 44,000 fuel stations spread in over 70 countries of operations. Equally, Shell’s products and services are designed to fulfill various business needs, encompassing chemicals to shipping and construction to aviation industries among others. Overall, Shell is a globalised group of energy and petrochemicals companies producing, marketing and enhancing sustainable environmental conservations. Globally, the company has employed approximately 92, 000 people in more than 70 subscribing countries and territories (Rexler, 2010). Moreover, Shell Oil Company has significantly capitalized on the technological advancements in bid to foster innovative approaches for sustainable energy production and marketing. However, the Shell Oil Company has also experienced challenges in equal measure in bid to accomplish the outlined goals and objectives. Therefo re, the newly appointed CEO Ben van Beurden in together with the company’s top management team brainstorm on potential solutions to the problems affecting the company and its subsidiaries. Among the challenges that they have to wrestle with include the stiff competition that is mounting up day after day, suppressive environmental and other policies given the nature of the problems that the company is dealing in, availability of alternative sources of energy such as solar and wind which is a threat to the marketability of its products, political and legal challenges within the countries they work in and cultural challenges, among others. Shell’s Recent Past Supply and Demand Impacts Although Shell Oil Company has greatly influenced global Oil production and marketing as well as transport, construction and aviation industries, but the last four decade-scenarios technically put the giant company in jeopardy. Hennchen (2011) attributes this to emerging issues in global oil trends as far as production, competitive product sales and marketing (136). Shell Oil Company and its subsidiaries use these scenarios in projecting future trends in relation current and emerging challenges. The projections underpin insightful outlines of the company’s future growth and development strategies. The scenarios have actually been into play since the early 1970s aimed at forecasting the future demand of refinery sectors. Ideally, Shell Oil Company among other players has been significantly affected by the inevitable changing global trends in economic status, population, geopolitics, climatic changes and resource stressors. The World over, there is a global economic liberation t aking shape thus the increasing demand of energy. Increasing number of developing countries is an implication of growing demand of Oil and oil products. To this effect, dwindling crude oil stocks in the producing countries has significantly affected global supply of the commodity. Moreover, the situation was fanned by the intrigues emanating from Oil Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) union. On the other hand, global climatic change has negatively affected oil production and refinery processes. Climatic changes eventually leads to global warming caused by significant rise in temperatures as well industrial gasses emission into the atmosphere (Rexler, 2010). Many oil producing countries are greatly predisposed to environmental degradation owing to poor harvesting methods and greenhouse gas emissions among other factors. For instance the Nigerian based Shell has been accused of indulging into fraudulent and corruptible deals thereby negatively affecting the performance. Major stakeholders in the vital commodity have therefore been compelled into adopting strategic development analysis. Therefore, stakeholders have prompted all the stakeholders concerned with the vital commodity into making strategic planning and development for a favorable business environment. The External Review Committee proposed various strategies to revive the economically vital sector (Uytrecht, 2013). Two energy scenarios are apparently at the foreplay namely; the scramble and unrest in oil producing countries hence less attention to better policies, probably until the supply would have tightened. Secondly, there is likelihood of outlined blueprints to address economic challenges in relation to energy, security and environmental pollutions. Basically, this could easily be facilitated by clean energy development technologies, carbon dioxide sequestration and trade and financial incentives to player countries thus reduced environmental degradation. Such initiatives would definitely enhance sustainable growth and development both in energy sector and industrial expansion. The strategies would h elp in tackling the World’s dwindling oil stocks which eventually might affect the Shell’s production levels. Today, Saudi Arabia is apparently unwilling to disclose to the world the total value of her exploitable crude oil despite having prior insinuation that it has the largest active oil fields. Definitely, Shell Oil Company depends on a seemingly depleted stock from Mexico, Cantrell and the U. S of American oil reserves among others (Sperling and Gordon, 2009). Poor cooperation amongst the oil producing countries coupled with high cost of extraction and high demand from developing nations result into global oil disaster. In addition to these, adverse policies among countries involved and unfavorable political atmospheres are also a great hindrance. Shell Market Share and the Price elasticity of Demand Price elasticity of demand (PED) is defined as the economic responsiveness of how the quantity of goods or services demanded changes in relation to the prices. The price elasticity of demand is usually affected by several factors, including time, availability of substitute, nature of commodity, uses of goods/services among others (Pirog, 2007). Similarly, the price elasticity of Shell Oil company products and services are dependent on the aforementioned factors. Given the structural changes in the world oil markets in the last ten years, the competitiveness of oil and its products have significantly influenced the balance between supply and demand. There is an apparent increase in oil supply emanating from unconventional oil reserves hence less elasticity of Shell Oil products. The price elasticity of Oil and oil products become elastic when a small change in prices produces a large change in demand. Shell Oil Company, one of the major players of oil and petrochemical products in not only the United States of America, but in the world greatly influences the price elasticity of demand of the vital commodity. The Shell’s profit margins are affected by the price elasticity of demand since costs usually change with the sales. At elastic price, the demanded shell products and services can be obtained by reducing price thereby raising sales. The company would therefore make remarkable returns through the economies of scales. The global change in oil production over the last four decades has significantly affected the price elasticity of demand. The price elasticity of commodities tends to fall over prolonged time duration. The â€Å"price inelasticity of oil and oil products over a short period of time could be attributed to high prices† (Sperling and Gordon, 2009). However, the elasticity would gradually become elastic in the long run following strategic planning and regulative mechanisms. To that effect, sustainable global oil production could easily be achieved by adopting modern technological advancements in refining and marketing crude oil as proposed by the ERC. On the other hand, highly competitive products are usually less affected by the price elasticity of demand. This is because the products would remain in high demand despite the presence of substitute goods and services from other companies. Additionally, the price elasticity of oil products can easily be affected by a reduction in the consumption of such goods and services, perhaps owing to economic downtown and loss of jobs. To that effect, the price e lasticity of Shell Oil company products and services has been significantly affected by the economic meltdown in the Euro zone and the U.S. of American economic recession. The presence of OPEC in the market could also influence the price elasticity of demand owing to stringent measures. Although oil and oil products are usually less elastic due to relatively marginalized choices, but there are sometimes when the price elasticity of demand become vulnerable owing to global economic situation and trends in the production (Rexler, 2010). However, natural gas is rarely affected by the price elasticity of demand because it barely has alternatives. Petrol and other oil products that many consumers use are also least affected by the price elasticity of demand. The Costs of production Today, the world’s increasing demand in oil is attributed to fast developing economies as occasioned in China and India. Industrialization process basically implies increased consumption of energy thus oil products. Pirog (2007) argues that developed countries are yet to â€Å"change their oil consumption habits† despite the global changing trends in oil supply (14). Therefore, several factors come into play to affect the cost of producing oil in different countries. For instance, varying cost of extracting crude oil in different counties greatly influences companies’ capacity to efficiently produce high quality and cheap oil products. In the United States of America, the federal government usually provides production patents to major players in the oil industry. Ultimately, Oil companies with production patents greatly influence the prices of oil hence the production costs. The price of oil products in some parts of the U.S. of America has been a function of domestic crude oil production, for instance in North and South Cushing. Consequently, the average cost of one barrel of crude oil basically fluctuates at around $101.50 thus the prevailing situations in Cushing. In fact, this is a measure of local production in relation to average pipeline inflow capacity per day. On the other hand, the updated crude oil cost in Oklahoma depicts a tightening regional demand thereby outstripping the supply. However, the cost of crude oil is likely to remain unpredictable until the completion of the American-Canadian Keystone XL pipeline project in 2016 or 2017 (Rexler, 2010). The global demand in oil and technological advancements also affect the cost of producing oil. The OPEC’s strategic planning and policies predetermine the global oil production costs hence the prevailing prices. Although the counties subscribing to OPEC control about 80% of the world’s oil reserves, but they only produce a third owing to high cost of extraction. The unprecedented failure of OPEC to effectively strategized oil production cost has significantly impacted on global oil prices. The cost of oil production is also influenced by the availability and cost of water. Competitive Advantage and Entry Barriers Shell Oil Company and its subsidiaries enjoy remarkable portion of the world’s oil market owing to its competitive advantage over other oil producing companies. The recent ERC report describes Shell’s strategic plans in addressing production and marketing issues currently facing the energy sector (Sperling and Gordon, 2009). Shell’s active involvement in environmental conservation, community development initiatives and strategic planning basically give the company a cutting edge over other oil producing companies. According to ERC, Shell’s production and sales has significantly increased owing to the competitive brands of oil products released into the market. In addition, Shell’s top management embraces collaboration thus business integration. Shell closely works with research institutions, NGOs and other companies to plan and strategize for a sustainable oil production and marketing across the world. The sustainable oil production requires technologically innovative ways of extracting and processing crude oil to meet market’s growing demand for oil and oil products. Alternatively, business patent apparently enjoyed by the Shell Oil Company puts it on a better position than other oil producing companies. This is because politics usually take center stage in influencing business laws and policies. In addition, business patents usually bar new business ventures from getting into the market thereby hindering free and fair business completion. There are other business barrier s controlling the restricting competitive venture into energy sector (Uytrecht, 2013). For instance, large startup capital as well as resource ownership usually limit the number of businesses in the vital energy sector. The federal government of the United States of America issue patents, copy ownership and restriction waivers only after the fulfillment prerequisite terms and conditions set up in laws and regulations. The market segment exposed at the oil production and marketing could thus be described by the monopolistic structure (Uytrecht, 2013). This is owed to the barriers imposed by the major oil payers in collaboration with federal government of the U.S. of America. Therefore, Shell Oil Company apparently enjoys oil business patents thus the exclusive right to use, sell, develop and explore more energy resources, preferably through research. Shell Product Substitutes According to the case study, the majority of clients usually find no difference in motor oils hence minimal alternatives. However, critical analysis reveals various differences in motor oils based on the manufacturers’ standards and performances (Hennchen, 2011). Informed customers may therefore prefer one oil product to another based on the combustion rate, additive content and uses. Oil and oil products have fewer substitutes despite significant variations in customers’ distinctive preferred properties. For example, propane has been extensively used in almost 200,000 vehicles in the United States of America. However, propane is not considered a good substitute for gasoline since it is harvested as a byproduct when refining natural gas and petroleum (Uytrecht, 2013). Alternatively, hydrogen has been proposed as a possible replacement for gasoline thus alleviates the already strained energy sector. Similarly, ethanol has been proposed for use in Brazil and the United St ates of America to provide alternative fuel energy source. In conclusion, Shell Oil Company plays a significant role in the production and marketing of oil and oil products not only in the U.S. of America, but also globally. Being present in a number of countries across the world, its business is of high value and is therefore expected to meet different opportunities and challenges at the same time. As such, both the opportunities and challenges need to be met with a number of heightened strategies in order to deal continue running a profitable business. Apart from the core business, Shell Oil Corporation actively participates in making strategic planning and development programs. The strategies would help in solving various challenges currently impacting on the vital energy sector. Eventually, the sector would register an effective, efficient and sustainable global oil production, marketing and environmental health. As has been seen in the analysis, corporate social responsibility is also a key consideration that this company needs to keep to speed with as it is happening given the numerous advantages that it is bound to reap from the same. There are different challenges that this company is facing and these can be tagged on both external and internal factors. References Hennchen, E. (2011). The role of oil mayors in supporting sustainable peace and development in Nigeria: the case of Royal Dutch Shell. Barcelona: School for a Culture of Peace (UAB): Institute for Social Innovation (ESADE), 1(2), 133-145. Pirog, R. (2007). The Role of National Oil Companies in the International Oil Market. CRS Report for Congress, 1-20. Rexler J. (2010). Beyond the oil curse: Shell, State power, and environmental regulations in the Niger Delta. Stanford Journal of International Relations, 12 (1), 1-6. Sperling, D. Gordon, D. (2009). Two billion cars: Driving toward sustainability. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Uytrecht, M. U. (Ed). (2013). Transforming refinery economics technology and catalysts to maximize margins. Shell Global Solutions, 1 (3), 1-16.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Greenlands Climate Essay -- Greenland Weather Environment Essays Pape

Greenland's Climate Anyone who can locate Greenland on a world map knows that the world’s largest island is not a sunny tropical paradise. Greenland is a place of climactic extremes, lying mostly within the Arctic Circle, where dog sleds are preferable to cars for out-of-town transportation. Residents of Greenland can by no means ignore the weather. Climate has played a leading role in Greenland’s history and even today plays a large part in any Greenlander’s existence. It is responsible not only for the state of their economy, but also for the limits that exist on their infrastructure today. In short, Greenland is a society that has been forced to accommodate its climate and which has a great deal at stake regarding the peculiarities of the same. European colonization of Greenland has over the past thousand years has been inconsistent, and the wellbeing of its residents has been directly linked to the climate. The Old Norse Greenlanders, who arrived around AD 950, came during a period of unusual warmth(Lamb, 175). Having the luxury of living in a Greenland that was actually green, the Norse raised crops and livestock in ground that today is permanently frozen. The mistake the Norse settlers made was to assume that Greenland’s climate, which had been suitable for their way of life for more than two centuries, would remain so, and ultimately it was a shift in climate that resulted in their demise. Starting about half way through the 13 th century, a cooling trend developed, and by 1369, regular communication between Greenland and the rest of Europe ceased due to ice sheets encroaching on the shipping routes that took vessels past Greenland (Lamb, 187). It was around this time that the more northern of the two Norse settl eme... ...uld otherwise significantly raise the sea level. Greenland is a society that relies on a very delicate balance of weather factors to remain viable. The balance is maybe less precarious for many other parts of the world, but a change in the status quo of the climate always has the possibility to upset society on a biblical scale. Advanced as humans are as a species, we have not by any means developed to the point where we can force the climate to accommodate us. Works Cited Lamb, H.H. Climate, History, and the Modern World. New York: Routledge, 2002. â€Å"Lonely Planet: Destination Greenland.† The Lonely Planet. 2003. Accessed: 12 December, 2004. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/greenland/printable.htm â€Å"The World Factbook – Greenland.† CIA World Factbook. Accessed: 12 December, 2004. http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gl.html

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Cultural Images and Adolescent Behavior Essay -- Essays Papers

Cultural Images and Adolescent Behavior Teenagers seek to define themselves through their clothing, jargon, experiences, hairstyles, and, most of all, group associations. In all, this experimentation suggests that the adolescent attempts to discover himself/herself through external—rather than intrinsic—stimuli. Accordingly, images from popular culture often provide the external basis from which teenagers will benchmark their thoughts, opinions and associations. Indeed, adolescents will forge their identities largely in conformance with these pop culture images. They perceive such images as the social norm and, thus, as a means to attain the social acceptance that is so vital to their personal maturation. Furthermore, such pop cultural figures as P. Diddy, Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez create intangible brands that help establish these norms. Not only does each celebrity market tangible brands through their various products and clothing lines, but each also enjoys a social acceptance that extends well beyond the sales revenue of their name-emblazoned products. The celebrities themselves constitute, in fact, their own name brands. Indeed, they can sell magazines, capture massive audiences and have a strong fan following based solely upon their individual popularity. When people associate themselves with a particular brand or branded image, they immediately assume a new identity that is in some senses, confined to the societal viewpoints of that brand. Teenagers exemplify this phenomenon. When they wear an article of clothing that says GAP or listen to music by Eminem, they are creating a brand of themselves. But do brand images presented in popular culture really create social norms that affect how teenager... ... & Saltzman, J. & Leary, M. (2003, April). Social approval and trait self-esteem, 23-40. The Journal f Research in Psychology, 37, 2. Miller, L. (2003, August). The little book of social theories, 49 -50. Rushkoff, D. (1999). Coercion: why we listen to what they say. New York: Riverhead Books. Sewell, R. (2003, August). The pressure to be perfect. Scripps Howard News Service. Retrieved October 1, 2003 from Lexis-Nexis database. Zgourides, G. & Zgourides, C (2000). Cliffsquickreview: sociology. Foster City: IDG Books Worldwide. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] Members of a group where the leader personifies the ultimate goal and the members task is to journey up the pyramid of commitment and devotion in order to move closer to the idealized but unattainable goal (Rushkoff, D., 2000).

Friday, October 11, 2019

Green Washing and Its Effects on Consumer Perspectives Essay

The term green washing denotes the use of false or misleading information concerning green marketing by companies to compel consumers to buy their products on the perception that the company is environmentally friendly. It involves the misleading use of green marketing to endorse a false perception that the company products or policies are environmentally friendly. Green washing has been growing in the recent years mainly due to the increasing demand for green products. Due to increasing concerns about global warming, consumers are increasingly demanding for economically responsible products (Hart, 1997). Companies that seek to survive have no option but to either provide these products or to fake them. Another reason why green washing is growing is due to the fact that the sales of green oriented products have increased. A study carried out in the United States showed that in 2007, 328 products labelled â€Å"environmentally friendly† were launched by major manufacturers. This was a significant increase as in 2002 only 5 products were labelled the same (Bansal & Roth, 2000). The rise of green products in the market has forced companies to undertake green washing in order to compete effectively. Another reason why green washing is growing is that the communication of environmental messages is still not controlled by any industrial wide standards. Companies are free to disseminate information about their environmental policies without any restrictions hence they can provide misleading information at will. The final reason why green washing is common is that government action and regulation is still pending. An analysis by HSBC on passed and pending economic stimulus packages of 15 countries reported that over US $3 trillion is intended to stimulate economies for the next ten years (Bazzillier & Vauday, 2009). A large percentage of this money will support environmental objectives. This situation has resulted in the increase of lobbying which in turn has resulted in a situation whereby companies have to hunt tactical opportunities that do not conform to their messages on environmental friendliness. Ways of Carrying out Green Washing There are several techniques of green washing employed by companies. Although only a few literatures exist on the subject, the basis of identifying these techniques is that proposed by the TerraChoice Environmental Group. The group did research on the manners with which companies mislead consumers about their environmental friendliness and came up with six ways which they dubbed â€Å"the six sins of green washing. † The first sin is â€Å"the sinof hidden trade off†. This involves the attempt by companies to promote a product as green by using only one environmental attribute or an intolerable narrow set of attributes disregarding other more important environmental issues. Although the claims are not false, they portray a â€Å"greener† picture of the product which cannot be supported by a full environmental analysis. The second sin is â€Å"the sin of no proof. † This involves all information disseminated by a company about environmental friendliness but cannot be validated by easily accessible supporting information. According to a study by Bazillier and Vauday (2009), communication of full CSR activities by companies to customers is impossible. As a result, two types of information communicated to consumers exist, hard and soft information. Hard information is that which can be verified by customers but tends to be costly while soft information is that which is readily available to consumers but cannot be verified.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

First Union: An Office Without Walls Essay

Introduction The purpose of this paper is to analyze the Integrative Case 5.0, â€Å"First Union: An Office Without Walls,† found on page 589 of the text book Organization Theory & Design, by Richard L. Daft, and to respond to the questions relating to the case study. Problem Statement First Union Federal is a large savings and loan banking organization at which Meg Rabb has been employed with since she was 18. Meg has been recently promoted to Vice President of her division after serving the last five years as assistant V.P. At the time Meg was hired as an assistant V.P. there had not been a single female in the position of V.P. After a week in her new position, Meg was notified by her boss Dan Cummings that she would be moving into a new office. After three weeks of construction, Meg’s office was complete; however, only a day after settling in, Meg was summoned to her boss’ office yet again. She was informed that the First Union president had performed a walkthrough of the building and ruled that Meg’s office was too large and would have to be torn down and rebuild from the current 12 feet by 12 feet specifications down to the new 10 feet by 10 feet specifications outlined in the new regulations. Meg was angry and questioned herself how this would effect and damage her department’s morale, and how she could possibly lose the respect from her peers she worked so hard to earn. Meg also wondered if this had to do with her being a woman in a position of power – especially when her promotion came after an intervention from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC discovered that First Union did not have any female executives at or above the level of V.P. prior to Meg’s promotion and encouraged First Union to seek out qualified female candidates for promotion to executive status. This paper will identify the main issue at First Union, discuss the forces for cultural change, explain the use of power, and finally determine what political tactics Meg should use to resolver her office situation at First Union. Questions What is the main issue in this case? The main issue in this case is First Union’s corporate culture, the accompanying ethical values and how these are motivated by organization managers. According to Daft (2013), organizational culture exists at two levels – on the surface are the visible characteristics and observable behaviors and below the surface are the underlying values, assumptions, and beliefs that make up the second level (p. 393). At First Union, the issue with corporate culture touches on both levels of organizational culture. The observable behaviors include office layouts, the type of control systems and power structures used by the company and the ceremonies organizations share (Daft, 2013, p. 393). The office layout in Meg’s department was split up into sections and partitioned off for each of her 12 staff. Depending on their level in the organizational hierarchy, employees had variable office furniture for their individual section. The lowest-level employees received minimal second-rate quality furniture and often had to share the space with other employees. Robertson argues with the right approach, a company can become forward-thinking by creating a workspace with flow and function that motivates and inspires people and their business (2006, p. 35). Today, forward-thinking companies are turning to egalitarianism to get the job done. Rather than acting like the office space is symbol of status, all office spaces should be equal, cutting down on costs of space, equipment and furniture (Robertson, 2006, p. 34). Secondly, Meg’s boss, Dan Cummings, is senior V.P. of human resources. With his position, he organized the first annual â€Å"Dan Cummings Golf Invitational† now in its fourth year setup. Invitations to this prestigious event indicated status in the organization – only those V.P.s and assistant V.P.s close to senior management received invitations; yet no female employee had ever been invited to the golf tournament. Disregard to ethics threats substantial harm to reputation and to other significant intangible corporate assets – including employee morale and productivity. The outcomes of unethical behavior can affect an organization’s ability to survive (Doorley & Garcia, 2007, p. 30). In addition to these contributing factors, Meg was the first person to fall victim to stri ct adherence to the miscalculation of  her office size. Not only that, but shortly before her promotion, the EEOC put pressure on First Union to hire female executives since none had been put in place. Meg was the first of her kind. The EEOC was trying to encourage diversity management. Diversity management is defined by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) as a practice intended to produce and maintain a positive work environment that recognizes the value of individuals’ similarities and differences, so that everyone can reach their potential and make the most of their contributions to an organization’s strategic goals and objectives (GAO, 2013, p. 5). What are the forces for cultural change at First Union? Cultural changes will need to start from the top down. According to Daft (2013), culture changes refer to changes in the values, attitudes, expectations, beliefs, abilities, and behavior of employees such as the mindset of the organization (p. 435). Miller and Tucker (2013) suggest the senior leadership must set the tone at the top for integrity and ethics including diversity (p. 56). Consulting with First Union’s outside auditors, internal and outside legal counsel may be helpful in laying the groundwork for an updated diversity plan and Code of Ethics (Miller & Tucker, 2013, p. 56). Miller and Tucker go on to state top management should work with legal counsel to identify possible events that could impact the company’s diversity program, such as the annual golf tournament (2013, p. 56). Discuss the use of power at First Union. The use of power at First Union is interesting as it has many facets. For one, the mortgage division was considered the most powerful as it was the department that made that brought in a substantial amount of revenues. Because of the mortgage division’s contribution to the bottom line, the mortgages offices had been remodeled so beautifully, that they stood out from the rest of the bank. This is an example of reward power (Jing, 2010, p. 220). The president was not happy with the cost of the renovations but kept his displeasure to himself due to the significant profits generated by the mortgage division. Just as stated above, First Union had not employed any female executives until the EEOC intervened encouraging them to do so. And just as there had not been any women executives in a VP status, none had been invited to play in the annual golf invitational either. This is a prime example of referent power, which refers to the ability to provide others with feelings of personal acceptance, approval, usefulness, or worth (Jing, 2010, p. 220). The artwork around First Union was also suggestive of the values perceived by top management as one particular art piece displayed a member of the female body and was hung in the president’s conference room. This is another example of referent power. An example of legitimate and possible coercive power is the president’s influence on the building manager in deciding to downsize Meg’s office. As stated in the text, Meg was the first person to come under scrutiny with the current regulations. This is considered legitimate because of the president’s position to impose a sense of obligation on the building manager to follow the guidelines even though they were casually held in compliance with other executives. It is also coercive as the president has the power to grant and take away rewards and privileges (Jing, 2010, p. 220). What political tactics should Meg use? Political behavior is an important factor of power progressions in organizations and has been found to enhance leader-member relations, career mentoring, and customer satisfaction (Gupta, Singh, & Singh, 2008, p. 16). Meg should only employ sanctioned political tactics that are perceived as acceptable in the workplace as a way to progress positive relationships. She should try to cultivate positive relationships throughout the First Union by learning about their views and developing mutually advantageous coalitions and alliances (Daft, 2013, p. 548). Meg should also use the political tactic of reciprocity which works hand in hand in building coalitions and alliances. Being in a V.P. position, Meg has the prime opportunity to be a mentor to  other females since she is the first woman V.P. at First Union; not only would she be educating females, but educating males on acceptable behavior changing the culture of First Union and its perception of women in the workplace (Gupta et. al, 2008, p. 23). Other political tactics include: promoting self-interests (such as her golf lessons) through creating and maintaining a favorable image with the â€Å"power holders† to help foster a change in culture. Meg can draw the attention to the success her department has in establishing positive staff morale and by developing a reputation as formidable as the mortgage division. Doing so would make her as a V.P. and the department more desirable to the influential members of First Union (Gupta et. al, 2008, p. 24). And lastly, Meg can become a â€Å"mentoree† by looking up to the more senior members of the organization for advice and support. Conclusion In conclusion, First Union’s main issue is the corporate culture and the need for change in the organization. In order to foster this need, top management will need to change their way of thinking and educate the staff from their level on down. With Meg being the first woman hired as a female V.P., she is in a prime position to help pave the way towards this new cultural change. References Daft, R. L. (2013). Organization Theory & Design (11th ed.) Mason, OH: South-Western. Doorley, J., & Garcia, H. (2007). Reputation Management: The Key to Successful Public Relations and Corporate Communication. New York: Routledge. Government Accountability Office. (2013). Diversity management. (GAO-13-238). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Jing, Z. (2010). Cross-cultural study on French and Chinese managers’ use of power sources. International Journal of Business & Management, 5(5), 219-225. Miller, S.K., & Tucker III, J. J. (2013). Diversity trends, practices, and challenges in the financial services industry. Journal of Financial Service Professionals, 67(6), 46-57. Robertson, D. (2006). Does your office work for you?. J@Pan Inc, (66), 32-35. Gupta, B., Singh, S., & Singh, N. (2008) Self-monitoring and perceived job security and use of sanctioned and non-sanctioned political tactics. Vilakshan: The XIMB Journal of Management, 5(2), 15-32.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

DNA synthesis and repair Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

DNA synthesis and repair - Essay Example contains over 3 billion bases that are similar in all people but the order of their arrangement determines the uniqueness of one individual and can be used to determine if there is any relationship between individuals. The DNA bases combine with each other to form a base pair for example when A combines with T, C and G they form a pair that is unique for each human being (Adams and OIRL Press, 1991, p.17). Each base is combined with a sugar molecule and a phosphate molecule and the combination is called a nucleotide which is arranged in two long strands forming a double helix. The spiral nucleotide forms its self like a ladder with the DNA pairs as the ladder rungs while the sugar ad phosphate molecules act like the sidepieces of a ladder (Kornberg and Baker, 2005, p.7). DNA serves the purpose of storing biological information since it is resistant to cleavage and both strands store the same biological information (Adams and OIRL Press, 1991, p.44). In the human body cells, there are normally 46 strands of DNA that are called chromosomes and they are coded in a sequence of heterocyclic amines (Adams and OIRL Press, 1991, p.47). The chromosomes contain genes that contain hereditary information used to distinguish an individual from another or establish their biological information. The human body cells are in a continuous process of multiplication due to cell damage and body growth. Prior to cell division the DNA material that was previously in the cell must be duplicated so that the cell to come after cell division will have a full amount of DNA material. The semi-conservertive process by which the dna material is duplicated is called DNA replication. The process is termed as semi conservertive since the DNA in the new cell contains one strand from the previous cell and a newly synthesized strand and DNA Replication take place by breaking the hydrogen bonds between bases of the two antiparallel strands (Adams and OIRL Press, 19 91, p.50). The unwinding of the two