Career Transition

Career Transition In this paper, I will research career transition and how it has impacted the workforce and management. I will present from three research articles that I feel are important in understanding how career transition affects adults who are transitioning from one career to another. As an HRM, one of the biggest parts of our job will be to recruit new talent. Traditional careers are falling to the wayside and emerging is a type of employee who has been around the block once or twice. I am going to focus on first the way careers are changing, then I am going to look at the military and how they prepare their retirees, many of whom are still in their 30’s, for retirement, and finally, I will look at career transition and what role HR plays. Gone are the days of staying with one company until you are eligible for the pension and a gold watch. The average person born in the later years of the baby boom held 10. 8 jobs from age 18 to age 42, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U. S. Department of Labor (Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among the Youngest Baby Boomers: Results From a Longitudinal Survey Summary , 2008). Career transition is no longer looked at as something to avoid putting on your resume. It seems like everyone it doing. So how can a person make the transition smooth and successful? Career transition often requires employing new tools, skills and/or a switch in perception. In her article, Beyond the Career Mystique: â€Å"Time in,† â€Å"Time out,† and â€Å"Second Acts†, Phyllis Moen. states that Americans confront a major mismatch between outdated career and retirement regimes and the exigencies of (1) family responsibilities, and (2) the risks and uncertainties associated with a competitive, global, and information-based economy. Unlike privileged workers in the 1950s, members of America's 21st-century workforce find it increasingly rare to have either a full-time homemaker or a secure, â€Å"lifetime† job. This mismatch challenges both scholars and policy makers to revisit, research, and rewrite the disparate scripts constituting the rules of the career game. The mid-20th-century bargain of trading a lifetime of paid work for a lifetime of income security-never a reality except for a group of middle-class office workers and unionized production workers in the post war economic boom of the 1950s-is probably gone forever. (Moen) Her points regarding the changing career climate are spot on. Many of he lifetime jobs are ones that have no real advancement potential. A GS (Government Service) job will allow for increases in pay due to step promotion and COLA increases, but in order to advance into a higher GS position a person would have to make significant gains in their education and/or work experience. Both of these might require leaving the current job for a time period. In some cases, the GS jobs have no advancement potential even with additional education, a person would have to quit t heir current job and reapply for a new position. Even more evidence that points to employers changing the career game is an article published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that states that employ ¬ers are replacing defined-benefit retirement plans with defined-contribution retirement plans, allowing employers to shift more responsibility for retire ¬ment income to the employee. (U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010) So what are the consequences of this alteration of the career landscape? The median age of workers are increasing. The prime age group, composed of 25- to 54-year-olds, is projected to increase by 1. million and make up 63. 5 percent of the total labor force in the target year. The youth labor force, composed of 16- to 24-year-olds, is expected to decline from the 2008 level, but will remain over 21 million in 2018. The military is one area that has a great deal of experience with career change. Not only do the military members change jobs frequently, most retire after only 20 years of service. This puts someo ne who may only be 38 in the position finding new employment at a relatively young age. A study examined the concerns of retiring Marine Corps noncommissioned officers (NCOs) as they experience the adult career transition of retirement from military service and transition to the civilian workplace. Analysis of focus group transcripts reveal a range of concerns related to the transition factors cited in Schlossberg’s Transition Theory as the 4 S’s: situation, self, support, strategy. The study provided insight on the issues and challenges Marine Corps noncommissioned officers (NCOs), and all Military Personnel face upon retirement based on the following articulated themes: cultural, community, social and psychological concerns. The paper suggested that programming be offered to facilitate transition and should also address psychological and social concerns which may improve the quality and outcomes of transition to a new role in civilian life. (Johnston, Fletcher, Ginn, & Stein) Many of these jobs are in the skilled labor fields which are light on EAP's to assist once the transition has occurred. Next to the military, education is another area that see its fair share of transition. A quick Google search on career transition will bring up a plethora of sites offering advice on starting a second career in teaching. The main areas that see an influx are secondary high school education teachers and entry-level college instructors. Why are these areas so appealing? One paper seeks to reviews the current theory in areas relevant to industry-to-academia career transitions, and to outline a theory that targets this category of employee directly. They sought to outline the first step toward a limited theory explaining the special needs and motivations of industry-to-academia career transitions. Throughout this paper, the hybrid academic institution, consisting of a traditional core and a nontraditional periphery, received special emphasis. While the research did not conclusively define the reasons behind the transition, consider the following concepts: (1) proteanism, or the protean approach to career transitions; (2) transition types; and (3) human values. (Bandow, Minsky, & Steven) All of which are indicative not only in instances of industry-to-academia career transitions, but in most all other areas as well. Even for the most experienced and well-educated person, transition does require some finesse. Here are a few tips that can help make the change less traumatic. It is important to take a serious look at the many possibilities and outcomes before you jump into a new career or field. Consider these 10 tips as you make a transition from your present career to your next: 1. Have a clear plan. The smartest move that you can make is to carefully map out an effective career-change strategy. This should include a detailed action plan that takes into consideration finances, research, education, and training. Keep in mind that a successful career change can take several months or longer to accomplish, so patience is key. . Wait for the right time. The best time to consider a new career is when you are safely ensconced in your existing position. It is understood that a steady paycheck can relieve a lot of pressure. There are many ways to take steps toward your new career path; you can volunteer or offer yourself as a freelancer or consultant. This can help you to â€Å"test the waters† in your desired new field. 3. Be sure of your reasons. Just because you’re unhappy in your current job isn’t a strong enough reason to make a total career break. Carefully analyze whether it is your actual career you dislike or whether your employer, supervisor, or office situation is the problem. 4. Do your research. Be sure to examine all possibilities before attempting a career jump. Talk to people in your network; read career and job profiles; meet with a career management professional. The more information with which you arm yourself beforehand, the more successful you will be. 5. Decide what is important. This is the best time for thoughtful self-reflection. Ask yourself what it is you really want to do with the rest of your life. Take an honest inventory of your likes and dislikes, and evaluate your skills, values, and personal interests. Many people who are looking to change careers do so to find a balance between their personal and professional lives, to accomplish the right mix of meaning and money. You may want to consider consulting a career coach and/or taking a career assessment test. 6. Examine your qualifications. Do you have the necessary experience and education to be considered a qualified candidate in your desired career field? If not, you need to find a way to bridge the credentials gap. This might mean making your goal more long-term while you go back to school or receive additional training. 7. Learn about the industry. Get a feel for the field that interests you. Read industry journals, attend conferences, and talk to people in the profession about what they do. Learn whether your target industry has growth potential. Trade magazines, organizations, and entrepreneurs have created a slew of Web sites that offer searchable databases where job openings in many specific industries are listed. Start looking at these sites on a regular basis. 8. Develop your network. Begin nurturing professional friendships early and tend them regularly. Professional organizations and job industry trade associations are a good place to start. Many of them hold networking events and job fairs. 9. Update your job search skills. It is especially important to polish up your job-hunting skills and techniques before you get out there and start networking. Make sure you are using your time and resources as effectively as possible. 10. Pay your dues. Do not expect to begin at the same level of seniority in your new career that you held in your old one. It will take time to move up the ranks, but if you find a new career that you absolutely love, it will be worth it. (Ten Tips on Making a Successful Career Change) In conclusion, with the continued changing landscape of today's business world, career change is here to stay. People are having to work further into what used to be the retirement years and some are deciding to live to work instead of work to live. Whatever the reason the challenges of a career transition can be frustrating and rewarding at the same time. The most important thing is to be true to you and to not be afraid of new horizons. Works Cited Bandow, D. , Minsky, B. D. , & Steven, R. (n. d. ). Reinventing The Future: Investigating Career Transitions From Industry To Academia. Cote, M. B. (2004). Service quality and attrition: an examination of a pediatric obesity program. International Journal for Quality in Health Care , 16 (2), 165-173. Johnston, S. , Fletcher, E. , Ginn, G. , & Stein, D. (n. d. ). Adult Career T ransition: Exploring the Concerns of Military Retirees. Moen, P. (n. d. ). Beyond the Career Mystique: â€Å"Time in,† â€Å"Time out,† and â€Å"Second Acts†. Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among the Youngest Baby Boomers: Results From a Longitudinal Survey Summary . (2008, June ). Retrieved 07 2010, from U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics : http://www. bls. gov/news. release/nlsoy. nr0. htm Ten Tips on Making a Successful Career Change. (n. d. ). Retrieved July 2010, from All Business: http://www. allbusiness. com/human-resources/careers-changing-jobs/1618-1. html U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2010, March). Record unemployment among older workers. Issues In Labor Statistics , pp. 1-3.

Independent Regulatory Commissions

Independent regulatory commissions are essentially boards and agencies with ties to the government, but entirely separate from the policy making process in order to achieve unbiased information and effective results. They are formed and given power by Congress to regulate a specific industry. Within specific authority granted by Congress, these regulatory commissions have the power to form and enforce their own regulations upon industry. Agencies like the FCC (Federal Communications commission) were created to help regulate the private sector. In 1934 Congress passed the Communications Act, which abolished the Federal Radio Commission and transferred jurisdiction over radio licensing to a new Federal Communications Commission. The FCC’s main mission and obligation is to â€Å"make available so far as possible, to all the people of the United States, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, rapid, efficient, Nation-wide, and world-wide wire and radio communication services with adequate facilities at reasonable charges. As stated by the legislation of the Communications Act it states that the FCC was created â€Å"for the purpose of the national defense† and â€Å"for the purpose of promoting safety of life and property through the use of wire and radio communications. Putting the FCC in charge of radio broadcasting and communications regulation our government should be able to get an accurate and unbiased report. Many of today’s regulatory commissions wer e created to be outside the power of both the president and the Congress in their operations. While these committees do get their power through the political process and legislation passed by congress, they operate and act with minimal ties to the national government. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is another one of these agencies. The FAA is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation with authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U. S. The FAA’s major roles include regulating U. S. commercial space transportation, regulating air navigation facilities' geometry and Flight inspection standards, encouraging and developing civil aeronautics, including new aviation technology, issuing, suspending, or revoking pilot certificates, regulating civil aviation to promote safety, especially through local offices called Flight Standards District Offices, eveloping and operating a system of air traffic control and navigation for both civil and military aircraft, researching and developing the National Airspace System and civil aeronautics, and developing and carrying out programs to control aircraft noise and other environmental effects of civil aviation. These regulatory commissions are an important part in overseeing our government’s actions. Government Corporation The Federal Government owned corporations are a separate set of corporations funded and owned by the Federal Government, which operate to provide publ ic services. But unlike the federal agencies, they have a separate legal personality from the Federal Government, providing the highest level of political independence. They sometimes receive Federal budgetary appropriations, but some also have other independent sources of revenue. An example of this is the United States postal Service. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States. It is one of the few government agencies explicitly authorized by the United States Constitution. Independent Executive Agency Most independent executive agencies are established through separate statutes passed by the Congress, each providing a necessary statutory grant of authority that defines the goals the agency must work towards. These agency rules and regulations, while in force, have the power of federal law. Most executive agencies have a single director, administrator, or secretary who is head of the department. This leadership selection is at the will of the President. A god example of an independent executive agency is the CIA. The Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) min job is to coordinate the intelligence activities of certain government departments and agencies, collect, correlate, and evaluate intelligence information relating to national security, and make recommendations to the United States National Security Council within the Executive Office of the President.

The Causes of Commercial Bribery Crime

(1) From a historical point of view, in traditional Chinese culture, â€Å"human† is the social causes of commercial bribery. As everyone knows, China is a exquisite â€Å"courtesy demands reciprocity† state, courtesy demands reciprocity core is advocating â€Å"human intercourse†, in other words, Chinese person standards require that human relations between people..This traditional culture extends to business, evolved into â€Å"If you want to profit from the others, it is necessary to give people the appropriate return† business philosophy. This way, â€Å"If you want to earn more profits from the others, you should give greater reward† is taken for granted. (2) From the reality of power distribution situation, there has too much monopolistic industry in China, some of the management and the staff has too much power, which gives commercial bribery great road system laid the Foundation.Western economists had made the† Rent-seeking theory† to explain to the public rights advocates have with its control power for chip seek for their own economic interests phenomenon; According to the â€Å"power rent-seeking† theory, the power of the party will be looking for opportunities through the rent his power gain benefits, and possession of money but no dominant power a side is naturally will use their own money in exchange for power.There is no scientific and effective democratization and legalization power restriction mechanism premise, this inevitably appear using trading. (3) from actor inner point of view, the pursuit of maximization of interests huge internal power is the psychological causes of commercial bribery. The disadvantages is instinct. Each person can choose for their own works. In the business field, people tend to think hard to pursue the biggest profit.So, in this kind of mentality, because of the doer in order to obtain the biggest commercial interests, of course, will by hook or by crook – including the use of bribery and corruption means. (4) from the market the demand and supply of resources allocation to see, relation between supply and demand imbalance is the production of commercial bribery market economic conditions.Because the cause of the natural or man-made reasons, some material may be rare materials, will be in need greater than supply state; Some products and will appear supply is greater than demand state. Therefore, in the circulation of commodities in the process, in order to promote surplus commodities or buy shortage of goods, with excess goods party or need commodities in short supply party will by hook or by crook. Therefore, take commercial bribery seek market supply and demand balance of resource allocation is the unavoidable.

Active Shape Modelling compared to Hip Morphometry in the prediction Thesis

Active Shape Modelling compared to Hip Morphometry in the prediction of Hip fracture - Thesis Example It involves pain, stiffness and and swelling and most commonly effects knee, hips and hand (Lawrence et al., 2008). Despite being one of the oldest known diesases, the etiology of the disease is still obscure. Earlier believed to be a disease of the articular cartilage of the synovial joint of the effected tissue, it has now been proposed that generalized OA is a systemic musculoskeletal disorder with a metabolic component (Aspden, 2008), changes in other tissues being secondary; subchondral bone responding to abnormal biomechanics and other tissues to secondary inflammation and enforced inactivity. Hip is one of the weight bearing joints and is at heavy risk of wear and tear. In aged people it is at a high risk of fracture due to decline in the structural strength of bone tissues of the proximal femoral ends resulting from osteoclastic and osteocytic resorption (Chai et al., 1998). Study of association of OA and fracture has suggested increased risk of fracture in individuals with hip OA is mostly likely due to mechanical and locomotor factors (Arden et al., 1996). Aging again is the most consistent risk factor for OA in both men and women effecting the composition and structure of cartilage (Arokoski et al., 2007), the other major risk factors for the OA of the hip are physical loading related to heavy manual work and permanent damage as result of any musculoskeletal injury (Juhakoski et al., 2009), while obesity seems to have a moderate positive association with hip OA (Liu et al., 2007). In cases of hip joint damage due to either of these factors total hip replacement (THR) is an option wherein the diseased cartilage and bone of the joint is replaced by artificial material. However there are risks factors in THR such as deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, infection, hip dislocation, hip implant loosening, nerve injury etc. To study the various aspects of OA, osteoporosis, fractures etc, a retrospective case-control study was

Organizations environment analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Organizations environment analysis - Essay Example Environmental analysis plays an important role in formulating the business strategies, marketing plans etc. Its significance increases even more when the external business environment undergoes frequent changes. In the past few years dynamic changes in the political, social, economic and technological environment has been observed while on the other hand these have subsequently impacted the task factors of an organization’s environment such as suppliers, customers, competitors, regulators etc. Furthermore, if an organization fails to monitor its environmental changes then it expected to be pulled out of the business. The environmental analysis made in the paper will enable managers to evaluate any future business strategy. As discussed above that Bubble is a small business located in San Marcos. The organization offers special Asians fruit fused drinks along with bobas (Boba Tea San Marcos, 2014). The internal business environment of Bubble Tea constitutes of manufacturing, accounting, information systems, sales and marketing, research and development, finance and human resource department (Talloo, 2007). All of these areas are under the direct control of the management whereas these are the crucial areas which make a business successful or failure. As per customer reviews Bubble Tea has been efficiently managing its internal environmental factors while satisfying its customers’ needs. The most important step in the analysis of environmental factors is to define the general and task factors. Following is a brief description about different aspects of an environment which currently influences the business operations of Bubble Tea. Economic: Business cycles are largely influenced by the economic growth and development. Bubble Tea’s business activities are primarily impacted by interest rates, economic competition, powers of supply and demand, disposable income and unemployment. Socio-Cultural: Social

Providing Employees with Company Sponsored Fitness Memberships Essay

Providing Employees with Company Sponsored Fitness Memberships - Essay Example Introduction In an age of increased competition business organizations are looking forward towards generating overall excellence in business. The role of human resource management is very important in this regard as they form the most important asset for any organization. Organizations are trying to provide various benefits to employees in order to retain the best talents and increase the job satisfaction levels. In addition to monetary rewards and benefits, companies are also providing non material benefits like meal passes and other recreational items to the employees in order to ensure motivation among the employees. The present study would analyze the aspect of providing fitness center memberships to employees as an added benefit. The study would analyze the various advantages it can have on the employees of the organization that in turn can lead to generation of organizational excellence. The study would analyze the fitness center programs of LA fitness center that is based in U K and offers fitness center facilities to the members. In addition to this a comparison would also be made with two other competitors namely Virgin Active and David Lloyd with regards to the facilities and cost of each of these centers. Advantages of Memberships The aspect of providing fitness club memberships for employees has far reaching benefits for the organization. Some of the possible benefits for employees and the organization include reduction of insurance premium costs for the employees; generation of disability based benefits as well as reduced expenses on medical related reasons. In addition to these benefits a fitness center membership can also help in improving the physical fitness of the employees. This would help in reduced absenteeism due to lesser instances of an employee being unfit. This can also lead to generation of more productivity that can help the organization in the long run. It has also been found that sponsoring fitness schemes for employees leads to imp rovement in the morale of the employees that affects their performance at the organization which in turns affects the productivity of the employee. Certain other derived benefits of health club memberships for employees include attractiveness among the new and prospective candidates, reduced turnover rate of employees that in turn helps a company to not only get the best talents but also helps in retaining the talents of the organization that helps generate competitive advantage for the organization. Inclusion of family members in the fitness club membership can increase the satisfaction levels of employees manifold and would help the organization generate greater motivation for the employees. The effect of fitness center memberships can multiply if education and promotional programs are included as a part of the fitness program offering. Special efforts should be made to popularize these aspects especially among employees who have chronic problems such as blood pressure and diabete s as well as workers whose tasks are largely sedentary in nature. Physical fitness programs can help generate a healthy balance of mind and body

The Role of a Modern Industrial Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Role of a Modern Industrial Manager - Essay Example The paper tells that managers are pivotal in performing leadership functions in the organization. By definition, management refers to the activities and people involved in the four general functions of management -planning, organizing, leading and the coordination of resources. However, increasing number of literature today has tended to emphasize the difference between management and leadership. Modern management and modern management thinkers assert that management has to focus on leadership if managerial functions must be achieved. Zhong-Ming &, Takao argue that, most modern management thinkers assert that leadership must be more facilitative, participative and empowering in how visions and goals of the organizations are carried out. Industrial management is concerned with the design, improvement, and implementation of integrated systems of people, material, information, equipment, and energy. According to McGregor & Cutcher, industrial management draws upon specialized knowledge and skills in the mathematical, physical and the social sciences not leaving out the principles and methods of engineering analysis. Today, industrial management is also known as industrial engineering, operations management now encompasses services though initially applied to manufacturing. Management involves the process of directing, planning, controlling, and coordinating the activities of an organization so that predefined goals are met. However, prominent writers in the field of management see coordination as the main objective of management rather than one of its functions. In managerial terms, leadership is the way people relate themselves to an organization. Leadership is at the center of coordinating and executing management functions. The activities of an organization must be properly carried out and executed if the goals must be achieved. Managerial functions are performed by managers and leaders assigned to each of the functional areas. Acknowledged by all to be the fat her of scientific management, Frederick W. Taylor equated leadership with effective management, with focus on productivity, improvement, and efficiency, he thought of management as being generic and universal. As for Mullins, leadership is a relationship through which one person influences the behavior or actions of other people And he suggested that leadership is a dynamic process, which can be altered to suit a particular management philosophy.

Financial part of group case study about material Assignment

Financial part of group case study about material - Assignment Example Generally, business firms require capital for meeting long term financial needs and for meeting working capital needs. Long Term Financial needs include cost for purchase of building and plant and machinery. Roberto (2007:2). This amount would remain blocked for more than one year. It may even remain blocked for the entire life of the project. Hence, the purchase of plant and machinery, Land and Building that is, Fixed Assets has to be funded through Long Term Sources of Finance. All these capital expenditure decisions involve huge investments, however the benefits of the same can be perceived in the Long Term only. Moreover, these expenses are irreversible in nature; this means that once the expenses are incurred they cannot be altered. Hence, these expenditures need to be planned carefully to avoid liquidity crises. The firm has planned to meet the Long Term Capital needs through Owner's Capital and long term debt from relatives. We conclude that this is a sound decision as it redu ces the liquidity risk. Firms also require capital for meeting short term financial requirements include working capital which means the capital required for meeting the short term cash requirements for purchase of raw materials etc. Robert (2001:3). These are generally held in form of cash, for meeting short term requirements. ... Moreover, money can be blocked in accounts receivables, customers to whom goods are sold on credit basis. Liabilities are economic obligations of a business towards others to pay money or provide goods or services. Ronald (1986:4). There may be short term liabilities which need to be paid such as accounts payables, bills payable, outstanding expenses etc. The current assets and liabilities have to be managed efficiently. The firm is kept 1000 for meeting working capital needs, in order to fund the purchase of raw material and meeting short term manufacturing expenses. Cost of Capital The capital of the firm includes 40,000 loan (debt) and 10,000 as owner's capital (equity). The cost of capital of a business is the minimum rate of return it should earn to satisfy the various categories of investors who have contributed to the capital of the company. We have to determine the Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Roger, Shannon (2008:5). Here, we take debt and equity as weights. The rate of return required by equity investors is higher than the return required by debt holders. This is because there more risk associated with equity capital than debt capital. The debt capital holders will receive a fixed interest income every year and the equity shareholders receive dividends only in case there is profit. Hence, the rate of return required by equity shareholders is assumed to be 20% and the interest cost on debt is @ 8% p a. The interest cost is tax deductible. Hence, it reduces the cost of capital significantly. The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is determined by the following formula: D/(D+E) X Kd (1-T) + E/(D+E) X Ke Here, D = Debt Capital E = Equity Capital Kd= Interest rate on Debt T = Tax

The Future of the Renewable energy of Saudi Arabia(Jeddah) Dissertation

The Future of the Renewable energy of Saudi Arabia(Jeddah) - Dissertation Example This much energy can power the entire nation for 72 years. It becomes evident from the study that as the country lies very near to the equator, it is the best place to harvest solar energy (Aljarbou, 2009). In addition, it is seen that Jeddah has an average of 5.78 kWh/m2/day of insolation because of its higher solar intensity. This is because of the altitude of the place. So, in order to meet the entire energy needs of Jeddah, that is calculated to be around 50.915 GWh/day, the total area required will be 36.64 km2 which is about 1.22 % of the total land area of Jeddah (ibid). Aljarboua also looks into the financial aspects of installing Photovoltaic technologies. Here, the picture is negative. When the economic analysis is conducted using the national renewable energy laboratory guidelines, it is found that the saving to investment ratio (SIR) is very poor in Saudi Arabia as compared to other nations. While the SIR is less than 0.13 in Saudi Arabia, it is much better in other natio ns. The reason for this poor SIR is the low price of energy in Saudi Arabia due to the easy availability of oil resources. That means, if the solar energy technology is to become economically beneficial, either the cost of fossil fuels should go considerably upwards, or the installation costs of the photovoltaic solar energy technologies should come dramatically down. So, in his study, Aljarboua takes the other cheaper forms of harvesting solar energy. Some of them are solar water heating (SWH), and ventilation air preheating (SVP). From the study, it becomes evident that the last two forms of harvesting solar energy are more suitable for Saudi Arabia. While photovoltaic technology has an SIR of 0. 1175, that of SWH is 0.52 and of SVP is 7.78. In addition, the pay back years also vary considerably. If the PV technology requires 149 years, SWH and SVP require only 33.5 and 2.25 years respectively. In fact, the use of solar energy has been rising in Saudi Arabia since 1960. The King A bdulaziz University for Science and Technology’s Energy Research Institute has conducted many studies on the utilization of solar energy. Some practical use of solar energy mentioned in the study are ‘lighting, cooling, water heating, crop/fruit drying, water desalination, operation of irrigation pumps, running of meteorological stations, road and tunnel lighting, road signals and traffic lights’ (â€Å"Renewable energy feasibility study†). Despite all these developments, the practical use of solar energy has not made notable progress. There are various reasons associated with this failure. The first one, according to Said, I.M.Ei-Amin and A. M. Al-Shehri (n.d.), is that oil is easily available in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the oil is more effective as an energy source and it has a considerably lower cost in the nation. The second major issue is the dust effect that reduces the availability of the solar energy by 10-20%. The third most important reason is that while the government provides subsidies for oil and electricity generation, the same subsidy is not available for the use of any non-renewable energy source (ibid). Photovoltaic cells The term ‘photovoltaic’ indicates that electricity is made from light. The most widely used material to make photovoltaic cells is silicon. There are three different varieties of photovoltaic cells; monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous

Malcolm X Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Malcolm X - Essay Example Malcolm X’s growing up years led to his new way of resolving the difficulties of growing up in an unfair world. With the murder of his father at the young tender age of 6, Malcolm X realized the unfairness of the world (Goldman 162). Malcolm X believed his grandmother was raped by a White person (Goldman 27).His growing up as a criminal charged for larceny and other law violations indicated life was an uphill struggle to survive. To survived, Malcolm X had to do whatever is possible to survive in a crime-laden community. Malcolm X offers a unique way of finally resolving the racial issue. Malcolm X felt that one of America’s main problems is the African American people, including the continued discrimination of the African Americans (Goldman 9). Instead of trying to be equals in our American society with the Caucasians, Malcolm X highly recommended separation. Malcolm X recommended African Americans should live in a society filled only with African Americans. In the same manner, Malcolm X insisted the White Americans should live within a community that excludes African Americans. This concept shows that African Americans can truly live in equality if they exclude the White Americans from African American community. Going further, Malcolm X even recommended that all African Americans should return to their own home country, Africa. In Africa, the majority of the citizens belong to the African race. Thus, the small number of Caucasians living within the African communities cannot oppress or dis criminate against the more numerous people of African race. Malcolm X espoused the African Americans have the right to protect themselves against threats to their lives and property (Goldman 4). Such espousing included protecting themselves against Caucasian (White people) threats. Such powerful concepts prove that people should to succumb to the pressures of society, especially pressures bordering on harassment and unlawful

Accounts Sba Essay Example for Free

Accounts Sba Essay The aim of my project is for me to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the financial sector of the business world. To draw up the financial records for the year 2009 for Jen’s Supermarket and to comment on the entity’s performance using appropriate tools of Analysis Description and Overview Jen’s Supermarket is a developed and simulated entity owned by Jenevonne Kirton, who is the sole proprietor. Jen’s Supermarket is a developed supermarket which sells a variety of food items and miscellaneous goods, serving most of the island in its convenient location. The supermarket employ fifteen staff along with Ms. The capital at beginning was 202800 while at end it was 208165 which showed an increase by 5365 at the end of the month. Suggestions/Recommendations Current Ratio It is recommended that Jen’s Supermarket 1. Uses the excess money to expand the business by opening another supermarket. 2. Introduce new product to the business and purchase new equipment. Gross Profit It is suggested that Jen’s Supermarket should 1. Source cheaper suppliers to facilitate the demand of goods so profitability would be greater at the end of the month. 2. Offer new promotions every week and offer the customers raffles at a chance to win prizes at the end of the year. These are given to help Jen’s Supermarket increase gross profit and sales. Conclusion It is clear that Jen’s Supermarket keeps adequate records for the business to demonstrate the profitability over the financial period for the month. It could however, increase the current ratio and gross profit by incorporating the suggestions/recommendations outlined. Nevertheless Jen’s Supermarket made a good net profit for the month of December in 2009. Overall based on the performance of the business Jen’s Supermarket was able to make a profit of 6365 despite the low sales of 104 850.

Ferrari dealership Essay Example for Free

Ferrari dealership Essay A siren ripped this thought to shreds, before the same knocking sound which had woken him in the first place, hammered the thought out of his head completely. He moved his head back round to the left to see the milkman knocking on the window, a look of panic on his face. He tried to get up but it was no good; his body simply would not respond. Having seen the blood splattered window, the milkman had rushed next door and dialled 999. Now, the uniformed men hurriedly joined him at the window to see the horrific scene.. Through the glass they saw a large bedroom with what looked like a blunt metal instrument on the floor, in the opposite corner of the room to the window. From the haphazard position of the object, droplets of blood stained the cream carpet up to the white quilt of the double bed, upon which an elderly man lay still. He was attired in a white shirt, black trousers and black leather shoes, with a dress jacket and tie strewn on the floor beside him. Though this was an unusual scene it itself, the group were only driven into action by the site of the mans head. Blood stained the pillow around it, and the terror on his face told them what they needed to know. They needed to act fast. As he lay motionless, the paramedics smashed the window. The men in green uniforms rushed in through the gap they had created. They found him paralysed from the neck down, with a bloody gash across the back of his head. Though the blow which had been delivered to him would have been sufficient to knock him out, death was not instantaneous. As he could not move to get help, blood loss would have killed him eventually, had the milkman not found him. The paramedics rolled him off the bed and onto a stretcher, before loading him into the waiting ambulance, and off to hospital. Paralysis was temporary, and the doctor deemed it fit to allow the police to see him as he recovered. He relayed the events of the night before, and supplied them with a photograph of his wife, from his wallet. Later that afternoon, they returned to the hospital.  Good afternoon sir, said the police inspector as she shook his hand. You will be pleased to hear that we found your wife. She was pulled over for dangerous driving on the M18, near Doncaster. She pulled over, and, while performing the breathalyser test, the officer noticed the blood stains on her blouse. He put two and two together and so checked the photograph he had been supplied with. When he asked her to step out of the vehicle, she tried to escape on foot. Unfortunately we were unable to apprehend her before she got run over while attempting to cross the motorway. She died on her way to the hospital. We offer our condolences for your loss. He nodded in reply.  So, it turns out you were right she thought she had killed you. We found the family portrait in the glove compartment. The inspector placed it on the table beside his bed. By the way, she had five times the allowance of alcohol in her blood. Again he nodded. The following week, as he was being discharged from the hospital, the nurse informed him that his lawyer had called to arrange a meeting about his wifes life insurance. He could hardly suppress a smile as he boarded the elevator down to the hospital reception. As he left the hospital he flagged a taxi and stepped inside.  Any idea where the nearest Ferrari dealership is, mate?.

Relationship Between Social Policy And Welfare

Relationship Between Social Policy And Welfare Social policy may be described in two ways. Primarily, social policy is seen to have a direct impact on individuals and groups of people. Secondly, Social policy is an academic subject to be researched. Social Policy may be defined as the developing and implementing measures to combat social problems in society, and to the academic study of these measures and their broader social context (Alcock, Erskine, and May, 2002:240). Baldock, Manning, and Bickerstaff (2007: xxi.) describe a social policy as the states deliberate involvement to redistribute resources amongst its citizens so as to achieve a welfare objective. Social policies affect a wide range of people, whether it is at an individual level or regards to communities. According to Spicker (2008:1) social policies have to concentrate on several issues including housing, health, education, social security and employment. The development of Social policies and their implementation have a direct impact on the social welfare of everyone in the society. Social welfare refers to the various social arrangements that are in place to meet the needs of individuals and groups in society, with the hope to tackle social problems. According to Fitzpatrick (2001:5) social policy aims to maximize welfare and minimize diswelfare and he states that there are six main perspectives on welfare: happiness, security, preferences, needs, desert, and relative comparisons. There are numerous texts that exist around the issue of policy formation and its contested relationship with the effects of the policies implementation on the welfare of those it aims to target. This essay aims to provide an overview of the evolution of social policy, legislation and practice in relation to child welfare in Irleand. Relation to an Aspect of Irish Policy Hill and Hupe stated that Implemenation inevitably takes different shapes and forms in different cultures and institutional settings(2006:2). This section of the essay will examine some of the relationship between social policy and child welfare in Ireland from the 1940s up to the present day. Children Allowance and Health Care: Perphaps one of the most signisifcant social policy developments regarding child welfare was in introduction of Childrens Allowance in 1944. However, the initial implemention of the Act included serveral discrepancies, thus it did not benefit the welfare of all the communitiy. For example, initially the payment was only availabe to families with three or more children. Means testing meant that many families were elimanted from the possible social welfare they deserved. Simliarly, in 1950, Noel Browne introduced the Mother and Child Scheme. He hoped that this would overcome many of the elements that infringed the rights of people in regards to the Childrens allowance. However, both the Catholic church and the medical profession opposed hes scheme in fear that state run and free medical care would go against their hierachy. With Browns later resignation,the hope of his scheme being fully implented collapsed. Burke (2005:29) stated that the controversy over the mother and child scheme h as profound effecs on the developement of social policy in this country. The power struggle between the church and the state most definelty lead to diswelfare among citizens. Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse: Society has a challenging task of protecting children. Societies need to employ several ways in which they can achieve this, for example, social, economic, moral, legal and environmental. In the mid 1990s, The Law Reform Commission recommended the introduction of mandatory reporting of child abuse. The matter of mandatory reporting is one of complexity which has implications not only for childrens welfare but also families, workers and the state. One of the main advantages of the implemenation of such a system was the hope that it would empower proffesionals to report abuse. Above all else it was prodicted that this would secure consistency and would provide a basis for better statistical evidence. However, disadvantages included the danger of over reporting of cases using scarce resources. There was great variety of options about the mandatory reporting of child abuse. Many argued for an immediate introduction of mandatory reporting of child abuse as it was seen as a means of protecting children( ACT Legislative Assembly: nd) and their welfare. However, others believed it would divert the already scarce resources from programs that delivered assistance to families and at risk children. For example, Lipsky (1980) beleived that scarcity of resources leads to street- level bureaucracies being consistently criticized for their inability to implement policies which are related to the areas they work in thus leading to diswelfare in many cases. After much debate, the government decided against the introduction of mandatory reporting on the basis that it was not in the childrens best interests and welfare. The scarcity of resources combined with the complex relationship between proffesionals and clients made it unrealistic. Legislative Framework Governing the Implementation of Childcare Policy: The Children Act of 1908 and the Health Act 1953 and 1957 were replaced by the Child Care Act 1991 and the Children Act 2001 as the primary statutory framework for the care and control of children in Ireland. Among many provisions, the main aim of the Act according to O Sullivan (2009:251) is the placing of a statutory duty on health boards to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. In the period following the passing of the childrens act in 1991, many attempts were made to standardise procedures and practises in the area of childcare services. For exmaple, the Report of the Killkenny Incest Enquiry in 1993 evidently highlighted that guidelines were not being used and many workers were not even aware of there existence. However, in 1995, new guidelines on The Notification of Suspected Cases of Child Abuse Between Healthboards and Gardai were issued and aimed at standardising the cases between the two agencies. This was a step forward for ma ximising the welfare of children. In 1999, in the Publication of Children First; National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children were introduced to improve proffesional practise and thus improving the welfare of children. It highlighted the importance of consistency between policies and procedures. Unlike guidelines before it, Children First was built upon a set of principles which included participation by parents/carers and children in conferences and the development of child protection plans. These guidelines were valuable as they provided a framework for practise, meaning that proffessionals are accountable for their actions. In 2002, Buckley made a warning of the dangers of an over regulated system, as she believed it may lead to discretion and therapeutical skills being replaced by adminstrative management and regulation. In 2003 The Social Services Inspectorate was asked to monitor the implementation of the guidelines, however, while some aspect of the report were postivie,it was concluded that the progress in realtion to Garda/health board cooperation, the child protection committees and planning for family support services was inadequate O Sullivan (2009:257) Confusion surrounding the implementation of this policy still exists. Conculsion: This essay has attempted to summarise and give a critical analysis of certain social policy in Ireland and their relationship with childrens Welfare. As illustrated in the above examples, the in most cases policies may be developed with the hope to benefit and increase the welfare of children but unless they are implemented correctly the policies may lead to diswelfare.

Human Nature in Bartholomae and Petroskys Our Time, Theft, and Music of the Swamp :: Petrosky Our Time Essays Theft Essays

Human Nature in Bartholomae and Petrosky's Our Time, Theft, and Music of the Swamp Why should college students read the stories that are assigned in English courses? Other than to satisfy the professor, what is the purpose of reading these difficult writings of people we don't know or care about? Many of these students find themselves asking, "What is this writer talking about?" Confused, some quickly give up trying to understand the story and make reading something just to get through, diminishing both their understanding and their grade. Knowing what these writers are trying to explain makes their stories much easier to read. Throughout history, we humans have tried to understand why we do the things we do. To aid in our understanding, many storytellers throughout literary history have written fictional and non-fictional stories about human nature to help others, as well as themselves understand. Human nature is what the writers of Our Time, Theft, and Music of the Swamp, three excerpts from the anthology Ways of Reading edited by David Bartholomae and Ant hony Petrosky, often read in English courses, are trying to explore. My personal story, Chinese Food Can Save Your Life, written for my English composition course is also an example of this exploration. The human nature in these stories is to blame other people, places, or situations for failures and general unhappiness. Most readers can probably relate to this since at one point or another, they have thought that, if they just had some extra money, a better job, a different lover, a new home, or a better childhood, they could be happier. To assign the blame to other people and things is easier than to point the finger at ourselves. Although a few things individuals are not responsible for do exist, such as ethnicity and hereditary characteristics, most of the things good or bad that happen to us are a result of choices we have made. In these stories, this human compulsion to obsess for what we (supposedly) don't have destroys any possibility of obtaining the particular possession. In Theft a chapter from Joyce Carol Oates' novel Marya: A Life, the main character Marya blames dependency for her unhappiness. Early in Marya's life she decided that dependence on other people and involvement in relationships resulted in her limited freedom.

The cultural relevance of the Bic Maxi lighter :: Culture Cultural Lighters Essays

The cultural relevance of the Bic Maxi lighter According to William J. Thomson, the natives of Easter Island’s â€Å"method of obtaining ï ¬ re requires considerable preparation of material and patience on the part of the operator. A pointed stick of hard wood is rubbed against a piece of dry paper-mulberry until a groove, is formed, which ï ¬ nally becomes hot from the friction and ignites the lint or ï ¬ ber thrown up at the end of the groove. This is blown into a ï ¬â€šame, and dried grass added to it until the ï ¬ re is sufï ¬ ciently established.†1 Society is still dependent on ï ¬ re today. If not for bare survival, ï ¬ re is used for some simple enjoyments of life: candle lights, barbecues, ï ¬ replaces, etc. But contemporary methods of obtaining ï ¬ re often simply require a ï ¬â€šick of the thumb. The portable disposable cigarette lighter is a very ubiquitous tool used by many of us who require a ï ¬â€šame once in a while. This paper will discuss the Bic Maxi lighter (ï ¬ g. 1 soon) a nd its relationship with some of western culture’s contemporary issues, mainly: branding, individual responsibility, the mainstream and ecology. It will illustrate the Maxi’s cultural relevance by presenting the implications of its belonging to the Bic brand, some background issues related to the Child-Guard mechanism, its popularity and omnipresence, and its impact on the environment. Will follow a discussion of the eminent disappearance of the Maxi as a product dependent on a socially deviant behavior. It is branded Although they are regarded by many as threatening to our health, destructive to our environment and corrupting our children, brands are an important part of the postindustrial commercial life.2 Many recent books have been chanting an anti-brand rhyme: Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation (2001), Franà §ois Dufour and Josà © Bovà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s The World is Not for Sale (2001), and most importantly, Naomi Klein’s No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies (2000). But still, brands are everywhere: â€Å"products, people, countries and companies are all racing to turn themselves into brands — to make their image more likeable [sic] and understandable.†3 Madonna, Canada, Starbucks, Martha Stewart, The European Union, Microsoft are all selling the greatness of being alive, surrounded by their music, culture, coffee, craft, money, software, etc. Historically, brands were â€Å"a form not of exploitation, but of consumer protection. In pre-industrial days, people knew exactly what went into their meat pies and which butchers were trustworthy; once they moved to cities, they no longer did.

Catching Them Early :: essays papers

Catching Them Early Richmond, California, is a predominately low-income city across the bay from San Francisco. In some of its hard-pressed neighborhoods, children are at high risk of gang involvement, drug abuse, and violence and teen pregnancy. But instead of relying only on law enforcement agencies to keep children safe, the people of Richmond have taken matters into their own hands. Community agencies and schools are working together to break the cycle of poverty and violence. "Catching Them Early" profiles the extraordinary efforts of Richmond's Lincoln Elementary School to ensure a bright future for its children. Ninety-nine percent of the kids attending Lincoln qualify for federal meal subsidies; many have family members in a gang. So the school makes special efforts, including the hiring of outreach workers, to provide the kind of support kids need to stay in class and do well. Teenagers in Richmond find support at Families Unites, an unusual community health organization that has made crime prevention part of its mission. Families Unites and its caseworkers like outreach worker Gonzalo Rucobo, who was himself once a gang member, help kids stay out of gangs and avoid conflicts that can lead to violence. "Catching Them Early" observes one teenager's struggle to remove himself from gang violence without alienating his old friends. "Two of my friends," he says, "have got shot down, [and] they were not banging' anymore. I'm just trying to stay out of trouble. I don't say I'm lucky until probably ten years from now. You never know who's going to come up behind you." "Catching Them Early" also explores how Richmond is responding to the growing tendency of teenage girls to become involved in violence and crime. Richmond targets teen mothers, providing them with training in child rearing and help in anticipating the difficulties they will encounter, and makes a special effort through programs like Head Start to make sure that young children get the support they need to become successful students. "Richmond is inspiring," says series writer/producer Roger Grief, "because it's a community under pressure that is challenging its youth crime problem without relying solely on cops, courts, and corrections.

Impact of Ww1 on Canada

World War One had an impact on Canada both over seas and on the Canadian home front. It helped Canada develop a sense of national identity by gaining international status overseas. It gave women more jobs than working at home and but during the war there was the Conscription Crisis. These points impacted Canada greatly during and after WWI. In 1914 when World War One started, Canada was a legislative union, but Britain still controlled the foreign policy of all its dominions. So when Britain declared war on Germany the whole British empire was involved including Canada.As the war ended Canada met in Paris for the â€Å"Paris Peace Conference†. The conference was a big step towards Canada's independence. The main reason was, Prime minister Borden demanded that Canada have its own seat in the conference. Although there was great debate, in the end Canada acquired the seat. Fr the first time ever Canada was recognized as independent internationally. Before the war a woman's main job was to stay at home and look after the children as well as cook and clean. It was a while different story during the war.A mere 2800 woman served in the army as nurses in oversea hospitals. Other woman worked in Canada on jobs which would usually be called a â€Å"mans job†. For example woman where working in industrial sites since most of the men had left to war and there needed to be someone to supply and build arms as well as general items. Woman also worked operating fishing boats and working on farms. With this new era of woman working the government took notice that the woman weren't as fragile as they once believed. Woman seemed to be able to do a mans job good if not better.Then in 1918 women were granted the right to vote in federal elections, with the exception of aboriginal and immigrant woman. When war ended women stayed in the job force and worked alongside men. The conscription Crisis was a big deal off-seas as well as in Canada. This is because in 1917 thou sands of Canadians were killed or injured making the need to supply more soldiers immediate. Borden had promised there would be no conscription but as the war proceeded it became apparent they would need more soldiers if they wanted to win the war.Borden introduced the â€Å"Military Service Act†, which stated everyone able and fit under the guidelines of the act would have to fight in the war. There was outrage but unless the person hid there was no way of escaping going to war. World War One did have an impact on Canada both over seas and on the Canadian home front. It affected the woman and the men. The aboriginals and the immigrants. Almost everyone was affected by World War One one way or another.

Childhood Obesity Essay

Introduction Obesity is one of the important contributing factors to diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, arthritis, depression and several forms of cancer [Williams, 2006]. Obesity is often established in adolescence, [Williams, 2006] examined the effect of child and adolescence high Body Mass Index (BMI) on the prospect of being overweight at 21 and reported that 40% of those who were overweight at 21 could be identified by age of 7, another 25% were identifiable by the time they were 15.   Genetic, familial, socioeconomic, psychological, behavioral and environmental factors have been identified as contributors to increasing prevalence of overweight in the population. Of these, genetics is the only factor, which for the time being is not possible to alter; a known genetic disposition towards overweight however provides more reason to try to control the factors that fall under human control. Parents have an important role in ensuring that their children adopt good eating and physical activity habits from the very beginning to prevent obesity in their children.   Parents have to provide the critical development phase support, beginning before birth and continuing through adolescence.   They are the key in ensuring that their children do not develop habits contributing to overweight and obesity. Family meals, balanced diet, support in getting adequate physical work and exercise and a watchful eye to ensure that their children do not acquire sedentary habits will result in reduced risk of overweight in children and adolescents. Unfortunately economic pressures, working parents, broken families and other social problems means that parents cannot exercise the kind of control required to ensure control of the problem through parental control and guidance.   Another problem is that children and adolescents spend most of their time away from home, in schools. The role school-based approaches can play in preventing and controlling obesity, therefore, acquires immense importance. Social scientists, physicians, schoolteachers, administrators, and parents have long recognized this role. The role schools have played in contributing to the overweight and obesity problem in school age children and adolescents has been the subject of considerable research. Many researchers have developed new school-based approaches and analyzed the effectiveness of the approaches for the prevention and control of obesity. Body Mass Index (BMI) In estimating the overweight and obesity problem, we ideally need to measure the percentage body fat of the subject; however this is an impractical measure. A much more convenient measure of Body mass Index (BMI) is widely used for determining if the person meets the desirable body/mass ratio. The body mass index (BMI) is defined as: BMI= (weight/height2) Where weight is measured in kg and height is specified in meters. For adult population, the cut off point for overweight is taken as 25 kg/m2 while people with BMI of 30  kg/m2 or over are considered obese.   The body mass index among children and adolescents varies significantly with age. [Cole et al, 2000] report the result of their research based on international data consisting of 97,876 males and 94,851 females from birth to 25  years of age from 6 countries including United States. They used this statistical data to tabulate boundary values for children up to 18 years of age. International cut off points for body mass index for overweight and obesity by sex between 2  and 18  years [Cole, 2000] Age (years) Body mass index 25  kg/m2    Body mass index 30  kg/m2 Males Females Males Females    2 18.4 18.0    20.1 20.1 4 17.6 17.3    19.3 19.1 6 17.6 17.3    19.8 19.7 8 18.4 18.3    21.6 21.6 10 19.8 19.9    24.0 24.1 12 21.2 21.7    26.0 26.7 14 22.6 23.3    27.6 28.6 16 23.9 24.4    28.9 29.4 18 25 25    30 30 Subgroups at Increased Risk of Overweight [Sherwood et al, 2004] investigated the children at increased risk of obesity and reported that while childhood obesity is present across all demographic and social classes; however, African American girls were at a higher risk. The data analyses showed that African-American girls of age group 6-11 years of age were almost twice more likely to be overweight. In this age group 22.2% of African- American girls were over weight compared 11.6 % white Americans. Among the adolescents (11-19 years age group), 26.6% African-American girls were overweight while 12.4% white girls were considered overweight. [Sherwood et al, 2004] believe that African–American girls do not face the same kind of social pressure about their weight as their white counterparts. Black American girls face less negative attitudes about overweight and are therefore less likely to be concerned about watching their weight [Kumanyika et al, 1993]. Correct Age for Overweight Intervention in Schools A 5-year British schools-based research project carried out by [Wardle et al, 2006] highlighted the need to target obesity prevention measures to

Deviant Behavior in the Light of Conflict Theory

Conflict theory is based on the idea that the main causes of crime and deviance are the economic and social differences among members of a society, prompting the have-nots to act out, if not to rob the haves. According to this theory, criminal law and the entire criminal justice system tend to be favorable toward the wealthy and the powerful elites, while the governmental policies are aimed at controlling only the needy and poor members of society.Moreover, the theory assumes that the entire criminal justice structure is aimed at compelling all members of society to accept the standards of good behavior and morality that are created by the rich and the powerful. There is a focus on separation between the haves and the have-nots, so as to protect the haves from physical attacks by the have-nots, and also to protect them from being robbed. In the process, however, the rights of the poor and needy people could be ignored. The middle class, on the other hand, enjoys the legal rights of t he elites by siding with them.These people believe that they might be able to rise in rank by backing up the status quo (â€Å"Conflict,† 2005). The simplistic conflict theory has been explained further thus: †¦[S]treet crimes, even minor monetary ones are routinely punished quite severely, while large scale financial and business crimes are treated much more leniently. Theft of a television might receive a longer sentence than stealing millions through illegal business practices. William Chambliss, in a classic essay â€Å"The Saints and the Roughnecks,† compared the outcomes for two groups of adolescent misbehavers. The first, a lower class group ofboys, was hounded by the local police and labeled by teachers as delinquents and future criminals, while the upper-middle class boys were equally deviant, but their actions were Deviant Behavior in the Light of Conflict Theory 2 written off as youthful indiscretions and learning experiences (â€Å"Conflict†). A lthough there is truth to the conflict theory, it is only partial. Of a certainty, there are countless people counted among the rich and the powerful who have engaged in deviant behaviors. What is more, they have not found the law to be lax toward them. As an example, both of President George W.Bush’s daughters have been in trouble with the law (Montgomery, 2001). The daughter of the President’s brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush, has also been arrested for deviant behavior (â€Å"Jeb,† 2002). The conflict theory does not apply in their cases. Nor does it apply in the case of Enron and Worldcom – rich businesses that should have been untouched by the laws of the land if the conflict theory were entirely true. Although there may be instances where the conflict theory correctly explains deviant behavior, it is obvious that this theory cannot be applied to all places in the world at all times.There are many nations in the world where corruption is the law of the land, and unfairness is the norm. In the developing regions of the world, in particular, the have-nots may rob the haves or simply act out because they are disturbed by the unfairness that is mete out to them. However, it is not correct to understand deviant behavior only in the light of the conflict theory. If we are to believe that it is conflict theory alone that explains deviant behavior in human beings, we would not have examples of the Bush daughters and Enron to consider. There are many theories to explain deviant behavior.The cultural transmission or the differential associations theory, for example, may compete with the conflict theory in explaining deviance. According to the cultural transmission theory, all kinds of behaviors, including deviant behavior, are learned. Furthermore, the young and therefore more impressionable Deviant Behavior in the Light of Conflict Theory 3 learners of deviance may have developed close relationships with their deviant teachers. With i ncreasing contacts with deviant teachers, the young learners of deviance engage in increasingly deviant behaviors (â€Å"Sociological Theories†).The cultural transmission theory does not rule out the possibility that the children of the rich and the powerful may engage in deviant behaviors because they may have had deviant teachers. The conflict theory rules out this possibility entirely with its assumption that the societal norms are established by the rich and the powerful, so therefore they cannot possibly go against their own rules. As explained previously, this assumption of the conflict theory is not true, seeing that the rich and the powerful are also known to go against the societal norms, which they should have established for themselves and by themselves.The conflict theory is also not true one hundred percent in places where laws are created on the basis of unfairness and corruption. Even in such places, it is known that there are always people that try to work har d and honestly, despite the unfairness that is dealt out to them. In short, all people in ‘deviant’ places may not engage in deviant behaviors, even if the rich and the powerful have corrupted the government with bribes, etc. Yet another theory that conflicts with the conflict theory is the social control theory that explains why people may not engage in deviant behaviors.According to this theory, individuals may follow the societal norms because of their connecting social bonds (â€Å"Sociological Theories†). In other words, they may refuse to engage in deviant behaviors for the following reasons: (1) attachment — a measure of the connectedness between individuals; Deviant Behavior in the Light of Conflict Theory 4 (2) commitment — a measure of the stake a person has in the community; (3) involvement — a measure of the time/energy a person is spending on activities that are helpful to the community;(4) belief — a measure of the person 's support for the morals and beliefs of the community (â€Å"Sociological Theories†). If all poor and needy folks in an unfair society were to follow the societal norms because of their social contacts, the conflict theory would once again be rendered meaningless. It may be that some underprivileged folks with weak social bonds would engage in deviant behaviors in a corrupt society. In that case, however, the conflict theory would only apply to that small group of people. In actuality, such a group may be existent.Theoretically, however, it is possible for that group never to exist. Thus, the conflict theory may actually apply only in the cases of disgruntled, underprivileged folks who truly believe in righting the wrongs with wrongs. It would not apply in a corrupt society where underprivileged folks would like to work hard and honestly. And, neither would it apply in societies where the rich and the powerful are not exempt from the law. Therefore, the conflict theory is a naive theory, which, like most theories, does not explain reality in its entirety. References Conflict. (2005, Nov. 22). Florida State University. Retrieved Sep. 20, 2007, from http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/conflict.htm. Jeb Bush’s Daughter Charged with Prescription Fraud. (2002, Jan. 29). CNN. Retrieved Sep. 20, 2007, from http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/01/29/jeb.bush.daughter.drugs/. Montgomery, A. (2001, Jun. 4). Jenna Bush may face jail on booze charge. Chicago Sun-Times. Sociological Theories to Explain Deviance. Retrieved Sep. 20, 2007, from http://www.valdosta.edu/~klowney/devtheories.htm.

Production Manager Essay

Dawn’s Train of Thought Process Chart Activity Thought 1. Before Meeting the Sales Representative i. Objective of Meeting: to discuss whether it is best to buy additional equipment accessories. ii. What will the boss might say about if I decide to buy or not to buy? iii. I never made mistake in buying the equipment maybe my boss will trust me whatever I decide on the meeting. 2. Meeting the Sales Representative – Video Presentation. i. He looks ready, maybe he has a good point. ii. Okay, he comes prepared with the video. iii. The points are okay, but do I need that right now? iv. Maybe it is expensive, just by the look at the video. 3. After the Video i. How much will that cost us? ii. Okay, it seems a good cost-benefit offer. iii. But what will my boss think of me if I decide to buy? iv. I just bought this equipment. Can I justify it? v. Okay, I’ll take risk anyway benefits outweigh the cost. vi. I’ll just explain to the boss. vii. Okay, I will get and buy that accessory. What factors would have led Dawn to come to a different decision? Here are the factors that could have altered Dawn’s decision: (i) The Sales Representative is late; (2) The boss is not satisfied with the current equipment; (3) The company is under cost-pressure; (4) The boss and Dawn is not in a good relationship; (5) The Sales representative is not well dressed; (6) The Sales representative did not prepare a flashy video; and (6) The Sales Representative could not justify the cost versus benefits. Activity Thought 1. Before Meeting the Sales Representative i. Objective of Meeting: to discuss whether it is best to buy additional equipment accessories. ii. What will the boss might say about if I decide to buy when the equipment is not achieving its purpose. iii. How can I face the boss, this might be another wrong decision to add-up with our current status. 2. Meeting the Sales Representative – Video Presentation. i. He’s late. I have many things to do. ii. The video is lame. I have much better things to do. iii. I don’t think we need it at all.    3. After the Video    In this case, even before the meeting, Dawn has already stopped thinking whether to buy or not to buy because in the middle of the meeting he has already decided. What do you believe are the implications of `framing` on our judgments and on our attempts to influence others? Are there moral considerations? Why or why not? Manufacturing, business, even life and death decisions depends on how information is framed. However there is supposedly no problem with framing because it provides us confidence to convince people to buy, to believe, to be happy or to be sad, as long as our ulterior motive is good. Framing itself is not the problem—every piece of information communicated requires a frame to convey message clearly. The problem is a larger social issue which is usually done by the government, corporation, and individuals who want to deceive people in believing something else. Example, in the medical industry, hospitals or doctors might release statements that are framed in such a way to fool people. A few years ago, British women were informed that the use of the contraceptive pill leads to a 2-fold increase in the risk of thrombo-embolism. Many stopped taking the pill, which resulted in unwanted pregnancies and abortions. If the official statement had instead been that the pill increases the risk from 1 to 2 in 14,000 women, few women would have been scared. The problem here is that it framed in a general statement not showing any evidence or numerical study results.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A lot of moral issues in these wrong framing incidents are happening everyday in our television. Media in their attempt to get higher rating tends to bubble a story and framed the headlines in such a way that people will be intrigue to watch. It often results to a different decision and perception of things aside from that which is supposed to be true. REFERENCE LIST    Frege, G. The Thought: A Logical Inquiry. Mind, New Series, Vol. 65, No. 259. July, 1956. October 10, 2008. From http://links.jstor.org Gigerenzer, Gerd, MD. ( ) Why Does Framing Influence Judgment? Journal of   Ã‚  General Internal Medicine, Volume 18, Issue 11. October 10, 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgibin/fulltext/118885195/PDFSTART> Rieber R. (Interviewer). Dialogues on the Psychology of Language and Thought Plenum (Transcript]. 1983. Schweighardt, C. Thought Process Map for Six Sigma: What, Why and How. Isixsigma Website. 2000. October 10, 2008.

Aristotle and Weed Essay

What would Aristotle think about legalizing Marijuana? When attempting to speculate on how Aristotle would feel about this inquiry, I feel that only one thing must be addressed. What kind of person does marijuana make me, and does the legalization of marijuana increase or decrease a person’s ability to be happy and good? What Kind of Person According to Aristotle, the difference between animals and humans is our ability to rationalize and utilize reason. Man is at its most basic level rational animals. Non-rational beings only possess vegetative and appetitive aspects of their mind, whereas humans retain the most important, according to Aristotle, portion of the soul: the rational part. The reason that this is the most important is that it allows us to ascertain genuine happiness. Therefore, since animals and even children do not possess the rational facet of the soul, they cannot achieve true happiness. As humans, our advantage over non-rational beings is our ability to be happy, as defined by Aristotle. Happiness, he states, â€Å"is apparently something complete and self-sufficient, since it is the end of the things achievable in action. † (NE 1097b20). So for Aristotle to approve of the legalization of it, marijuana would have to be something that would advance the happiness of humans and promote reason on the part of the soul. So does marijuana foster sensible choices and assist humans in our quest for happiness? Well, when analyzed from a philosophical viewpoint, no. Using drugs diminishes our ability to utilize reason when faced with decisions. It modifies our mindset and transforms us from rational animals into just plain simple animals. Drugs can force one to talk with slurred speech, visibly alter their perceptions of what is going on around them, and even take their freedom of will. So the fact that marijuana decreases human ability to be rational, reasonable, and thus happy, I would have to say that Aristotle would disapprove for most cases. However, medicinal marijuana does promote happiness. If someone has a disease in which the use of marijuana could numb his or her pain, I think that Aristotle would say that this is ok and good because it is assisting him or her in his or her quest for happiness, even if temporary. So where would he draw the line between vice and virtue? I think that Aristotle would support the system that we have today. Excess would be allowing everyone to purchase marijuana. Lack would be banning it completely because it does have some benefits for the medical community. I think that the Mean would be allowing it to be used for medicinal purposes only and not for public access because repeated use does not promote rationalization and happiness. In conclusion, I think that Aristotle would not support the further legalization of marijuana for personal use. Aristotle would, however, not take action to ban it any further either. I think that he would be content with how the system is today. Marijuana does have some medicinal benefits to people with painful diseases in that it creates, although fleeting, happiness. For normal people, however, repeated use of marijuana results in a deteriorated capacity to make rational decisions. It weakens our soul and forces us to become irrational animals. This fact forces me to conclude that Aristotle would neither further nor reduce the current legal status of marijuana.

The Impact of Social Media on the Political Life in the Arab Countries Essay

The Impact of Social Media on the Political Life in the Arab Countries (proposal) - Essay Example The first section of this paper introduces the subject and provides aims and objectives of the research work. In the literature review section, models, theories and contemporary practices in Arabian nations are discussed. In methodology section, the research method which is to be followed is discussed. Finally a tentative timeframe is calculated and a conclusion is provided. Introduction Communication via mobile and through web has been on an increase in twenty-first century. High end technologies are responsible behind this growing trend. Events of Arab Spring used web based social media- the blogs, different networking sites which enabled social interaction, and content communities. Though the governments of Arabian nations have tried to restrict use of internet, and even arrested prominent internet users, but had failed significantly in many cases. Social mediums like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube were used to organize protests. Slogans of protests were set up in pages and groups wit hin these social networking sites. This helped in spreading of democratic ideas not only within Egypt where the Arab Spring assumed its voluptuous shape but also across international borders. Furthermore, social media heavily influenced political debate and formed divided opinions among urban educated youths of Arabian nations. ... The aims and objectives of this research works are stated and are followed by literature review, a detailed study of impact of social media on politics of Arabian nations. In next section, methodology which will be adopted in due course of research is described. After that comes possible interpretation and analysis of data to be collected. In the final section, a conclusion will be provided along with recommendations. Research Aim This research paper aims at tracing the role played by social media upon political upheaval in the Arabian countries and the controlling mechanisms behind them. Research Objectives a) To recognize the growing powers of social media in Arabian nations b) To identify the major powers in political scenario of Arabian countries c) To trace the impact of social media on governments, political parties and common people of Arabian nations d) To examine the pros and cons of influence exerted by social media on political of Arabian nations e) To presume the future o f social media with respect to political conditions on Arabian nations Rationale of the Research This research paper focuses on the role played by social media in Arabian nations. Owing to the facilities of social media like free flow of information, cross- border interconnectivity, etc. politics in Arabian nations have realized the latent potentials of social media. In this regard, social media has already started to pose as a threat for Middle East politics (Cobley and Schulz 2013, p. 404). Social media has fuelled some of the recent revolutionary activities in Arabian nations. This generates the necessity for tracing the growth, popularity and advantages and misuse of social media in Arabian nations

Skin cancer ( Health Professional Practice 1) Article

Skin cancer ( Health Professional Practice 1) - Article Example Article-1: De Launey, J. (1996). The sun and the skin cancer. Current therapeutics, 30- 39. The article by De Launey (1996) provides and over view of the role of sun in the development of skin cancer. According to De Launey (1996), all forms of skin cancers are becoming significant causes of morbidity among human beings. There are basically 2 types of skin cancers and they are melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. Non-melanoma skin cancers include Bowen's disease,actinic keratosis, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and keratoacanthoma. The author opines that the incidence of malignant melanoma is doubling every year and that even non-melanoma cancers are on rise and hence general practitioners must be aware of these types of cancer so that early recognition and prompt treatment is possible. According to the author, significant risks for malignant melanoma are sudden burning exposures especially in the first two decades of life. Thus, prevention of skin cancer is possibl e only through recognition of significant risk factors which include non-black skins and those living in areas of high sunlight exposure. prevention is mainly by limiting the number of hours of outdoor exposure and by wearing sun protective clothing and broad spectrum sunscreens 15 plus with skin protection factor containing UVA and UVB blockers. Along with these salient features, the author also describes individual types of cancer and their histopathological features. He also discussed clinical presentation, prognosis and treatment strategies. I strongly recommend that general practitioners and other health professionals must be aware of the types of skin cancers described in this article and various preventive measures that can be applied with assertion. Since protective factors are very essential during the first 2 decades of life, pediatricians must educate the parents of their patients about risks associated with sun exposure and strategies to prevent them. Article-2: De Herto g, S.A.E., Wensveen, C. A.H., Bastiens, M.T., et al. (2001). Relation Between Smoking and Skin Cancer. J Clin Oncol., 19, 231-238. The main purpose of study by De Hertog et al (2001) is to investigate, ascertain and evaluate the risk of skin cancer in those who are exposed to tobacco smoking. This study is in the wake of unknown risk estimates of cancer with tobacco smoking. The study is a hospital based case-control study in which patients with different types of skin cancers were put in the study group and those without cancer in the control group. Personal interviews were done and information about smoking history was collected. Based on relative risk estimation, it was evident that there does exist an association between smoking and squamous cell carcinoma and the risk was higher among current smokers. A dose-response relationship was found between the number of cigarettes or pipes smoked. Other forms of skin cancer were not associated with smoking. The authors concluded that sm oking is an independent risk factor for cutaneous squamous cell cancer. The authors discussed that smoke is a skin carcinogen and can affect the skin either locally or systemically. It contains several classes of compounds with demonstrated carcinogenic or cocarcinogenic activity, including nitrosamines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic amines, unsaturated aldehydes, and phenolic compounds. these can cause genetic mutations and contribute to development of cancer. in my opinion, this study provides

The Mobile Phone Market in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

The Mobile Phone Market in China - Essay Example At the same time, there is a heavy reliance on group affiliation and group membership in China that continues to feed growing consumption demand ratios for mobile phone products as a means to stay connected with other Chinese family members and peer acquaintances. There is also a growing demand for mobile services in the business environment for executives and generic employees alike, representing a whole different market segment other than just the middle class Chinese buyer. Therefore, there are multiple market segments that are available for targeting which will require the creation of an integrated marketing campaign for business and generic consumer markets. China, however, is a saturated market for mobile phone marketers, with such competition as Nokia, Motorola, Toshiba, Panasonic and other local Chinese manufacturers under partnership with NEC and other Chinese service providers (Myers & Yuan, 2008; Wang, 2005). This must be taken under consideration prior to market entry as unit volumes of competitor mobile phones have exceeded 134 million in 2008 (Fu, 2007). Subscribership to mobile services of varying variety has reached 480 million in China by 2008, a 20 million unit increase since 2007 (Fu). Thus, in order to be competitive in this market, the business must develop a marketing strategy that targets key demographics using a marketing strategy that is differentiated from competition and caters to local market needs. In 2006, Mitsubishi was forced to exit the Chinese mobile market due to a lack of acceptable market presence and failure to adopt marketing strategy to fit the local Chinese consumer (Myers & Yuan, 2008). Toshiba also was forced out of the market in 2006 after a joint venture with Nanjing Patina Wang Zhi Corporation was unable to meet market demand (Myers & Yuan). These are important factors to consider that have opportunities for new market entry and also to illustrate the importance of consumer influence in the Chinese mobile market. De spite the saturated presence of competition, research has identified much significant potential for revenue growth in China if the business develops an appropriate integrated strategy that targets multiple buying groups. The goal is to maintain an image of local market fluency that fits the psychographic profile of Chinese consumers related to their lifestyle, preferences, and social tendencies. This report provides research data on the Chinese consumer, the mobile market, competitive practices, and describes opportunities for short-run and long-run revenue growth in this difficult NIC market with ample consumer market availability. To succeed in China, the business must be flexible, innovative, and also invest considerable capital into promotion and advertising. 2. Background analysis on China The Chinese market currently maintains a 34.5 percent growth in mobile phone usership, with an increase of 20 million year to year in subscribership to mobile services (Fu, 2007). Growth in m obile phone usage has occurred by new industrial developments, new job opportunities, and also the balance of payments equilibrium that exists in China associated with import and export volumes and capital expenditures. The Chinese government maintains a significant trade surplus with other countries, but is able to offset this through capital outflows into foreign investment (Warren & Keegan, 2009). China has been

Exam Notes - Strategic Management Analysis Essay - 1

Exam Notes - Strategic Management Analysis - Essay Example The company engages in the business of producing electric vehicles that are more efficient and appealing to many users than the steam cars. It exists to improve the environmental conditions that the previous locomotives have degraded due to the high level of greenhouse gases that they emit into the atmosphere. Despite the rigidity and complexity of the motor industry, Better Place Company cooperates with all stakeholders to control a sisable market share and beat competition. For example, the company targets corporate clients to be the potential buyers of electric vehicles it intends to manufacture. This group of stakeholders is imperative because the targeted consumers can influence the operations in the company by either propelling it to success in the market or reducing its dominance if they refuse to purchase the products. Governments are the second major stakeholders for the company. They include national governments and local authorities of the country and specific areas where the company operates a franchise. For instance, the company operates in the United States and intends to open branches in Israel, Denmark, Japan, Canada, and Australia among others globally. The branch in Israel is very significant to the company because it specialises in research and development to improve the quality of output. This means that the company must work with the respective government of each country to ensure uninterrupted operations and sustainability. These governments are equally important because their policies, in areas of taxation and electric utility may affect the company. The other important category of stakeholders for this company is its suppliers. This group includes car manufacturers, battery companies and venture capital firms whose contributions and influences to the company are immense. For example, venture capital firms are important to the organisation because they provide the much needed capital for startup. For instance, they helped the company to r aise a total of $200 million to initiate the business (Etzion & Struben 2011, p. 2). Battery manufacturers, including Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd, A123 Systems and Automotive Energy Supply Corporation are also significant because they would provide connectivity for the electronic vehicles with switching stations, positioned to charge and swap batteries so that the vehicles would change them at convenience (Etzion & Struben 2011, p. 6). In addition, there has to be battery chargers at each station capacitated to charge the batteries within the shortest time possible. The car manufacturers such as General Motors, Ford, Subaru, Mitsubishi, and Toyota would provide experts who will contribute to the development of the electric cars (Etzion & Struben 2011, p. 12). Figure1: Stakeholder Analysis Topic 2 - Industry and Scenario Analyses In this scenario, the analysis is on Porter’s five forces, including the suppliers, potential entrants, buyers, substitutes, and competitive rivalry th at have a remarkable impact on the progress of the company (Porter 2008, p. 3). Certainly, the company understands that changes in the means of transportation came from the need to counter the increasing animals’ wastes and nuisance that they caused in urban centers. Other changes that necessitated the manufacturing of electric vehicles were the adoption of clean energy and other liquid fuels, which include ethanol, kerosene and gasoline in addition to petrol (Etzion & Struben

British Colonialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Colonialism - Essay Example When a territory builds and maintains colonies in other territories, this is known as colonialism (Kohn, 2006). When the West or Europe pictured the Arabic and Asian states, they showed people living darkness and void (Kumar, 2007). They showed they did not want to grow and get updated. They showed that the people were simple and could be made to do anything. This is what was thought about South America and Africa when it was colonized (Kumar, 2007). This also brought these governments the support of their citizens (Kumar, 2007). When Europe wanted to conquer these "Oriental" countries, they passed a message to the people that they wanted to develop the territory to be colonized. They planned to strip the territory of its history and cultures and create a new one as they seem to be fit (Kumar, 2007). Orientalism was so depicted and explained as if it was a curse or a bad thing going on in the world. The true meaning of orient was hidden and in the shade of Orientalism, the West exploited and colonized the Asian and the Arabic countries (Kohn, 2006). Thus, Orientalism was one of the tools used by Europe to colonize the Arabic and Asian Countries (Kohn, 2006). ... Vathek (Salah, 2007) One of the examples of orientalism among the British colonial writers was Vathek (1782) by William Thomas Beckford. Beckford (1760-1844) was and English novelist (introduction to Beckfordiana). He was also a member of the parliament from 1784 to 1790. Vathek was originally written in French at a time when orientalism was entranced in the European population. The plot tells the story of the fictional ruler Vathek who falls from power and then engages himself in deplorable activities with his mother to gain supernatural powers. The setting of the tale is oriental, i.e., in the Arabic countries. The novel clearly shows how backward and downgraded the people of the East were considered. The story clearly shows the supernatural and superstitious beliefs and casts the image of the Eastern countries as those who live in the early ages when everything was considered to be supernatural and science and technology played no role. Kubla Khan (Library, 1999) Another example of orientalism among the British colonial writers is the poem Kubla Khan written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Coleridge (1772-1834) was an English poet and a romantic (Poetry Foundation). Kubla Khan is a poem describing about a king who claims to be Son of God and thus ascends to the throne on the grounds that God wants him to rule. He makes his subjects build him a house that is suitable for residence for the Son of God. This poem though short shows how the countries in the East are ruled through superstitions and that the British need to go and save the people from such superstitious beliefs of the people there. Thus they could potrait the image among their people that they are colonizing the territory to revive but instead destroy the culture and history of the

Strategic management analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic management analysis - Essay Example The Paper will also suggest several recommendations that will be deemed as helpful in improving the Coffee house’s operations within the United States market. A Brief History of Starbucks. Starbucks is an American global corporation that specializes in selling coffee in its various coffee houses situated all over the world. Its main base of operations is currently at Seattle, Washington. The first Starbucks coffee shop opened its doors in the Seattle Springs area of Washington in 1971 and the company has grown to become the largest coffee house company in the world. It boasts of having about 19,972 stores which are spread out in 60 countries across the globe. Most of the company’s branches are currently located in the United States with an approximately 12,937 branches. ... Starbucks has also expanded its current investments into the entertainment industry and through its Starbucks Entertainment division as well as its hear Music brand, it also markets films, books and music. Most of the company’s product offerings are found to be not only seasonal but also specifically tailored particularly to satisfy the requirements of customers in the locality that the branch is located. Some of its branded products such as coffee and ice cream are sold in grocery stores all over the United States (Starbucks 2012). The United States Coffee House Market The Coffee Shop business and the entire coffee industry have had a significant boom over the recent years. This is especially so in the case of the specialty coffees offered by the industry. The market for these coffees has registered significant growth that has been spurred by the growing trend of the consumers becoming increasingly educated about the industry’s espresso-based drinks as well as how they are made (Starbucks 2012). According to research data conducted by First Research, the United States is host to about 20,000 coffee shop businesses whose total combined revenue has been estimated to stand at $10 billion as of 2011. More than 50% of these sales have been seen to be generated by the country’s top 50 coffee shop operators. Most of the county’s coffee shop operators have increasingly been spreading their business into the international market with Starbucks reporting to having set up shop in over 5,500 licensed locations outside the United States in 2010 (Green and Keegan 2012). The average gross margin for a single coffee shop in the country is