MENTORING PROJECT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MENTORING PROJECT - Essay Example The beneficiary allows the European Commission, the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency and the National Agencies to make available and use all data provided in this report for the purposes of managing and evaluating the Youth in Action Programme. All personal data collected for the purpose of this project shall be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC) NÂ ° 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies. Data subjects may, on written request, gain access to their personal data. They should address any questions regarding the processing of their personal data to the Agency (National or Executive) in charge of the management of their application. For projects selected at national level, data subjects may lodge a complaint against the processing of their personal data with the authority in charge of data protection in their country at an y time. For projects selected at European level, complaints may be lodged with the European Data Protection Supervisor at any time. The beneficiary declares having informed the promoters and participants in its project on the provisions and practices regarding data protection applied under the Youth in Action programme Beneficiary Name, stamp (if available): Legal representative Name in capital letters: Place: Signature: Date: Part I. Project identification and summary (cont.) Type of Activity Please tick the box corresponding to the project for which you are submitting this final report. This project was of the following type: (tick one box only)  National Youth Meeting  Trans-national Youth Seminar Please specify the main target (only for National Youth Meeting):  debating relevant topics to the Structured Dialogue or EU policies  preparing the official youth Presidency event  organising activities linked to the European Youth Week  enhancing dialogue and cooperation between formal and non-formal education areas Relevance to the general objectives of the Youth in Action Programme Please tick relevant box(es). The project:  promotes young people’s active citizenship in general and their European citizenship in particular;  develops solidarity and promotes tolerance among young people, in particular in order to foster social cohesion in the European Union;  fosters mutual understanding between young people in different countries;  contributes to developing the quality of support systems for youth activities and the capabilities of civil society organisations in the youth field;  promotes European cooperation in the youth field. Relevance to the priorities of the Youth in Action Programme Please tick relevant box(es). Permanent thematic priorities  European Citizenship  Participation of young

Bathroom Fittings and Fixtures Industry in India Essay Example for Free

Bathroom Fittings and Fixtures Industry in India Essay Bathroom Fittings and Fixtures Industry Industry overview: The bathroom fittings industry which was not given much importance till a few years back in India has suddenly picked up. This has mainly happened due to the rising income of the people, rapid urbanization, and growth in the class conscious middle class. The Bathroom fittings industry in India is among the most booming industries in the country. Every year companies are coming up with new products or refurbishing old products with new designs and features. Due to the rapid growth of the countrys population the need for houses is continuously increasing. Both the Government and private sector real estate companies are investing huge amounts of money in this sector. The rise in the demand for good housing facilities is giving rise to the demand of quality bathroom accessories market in India. Countries like India and China are ranked among the major bathroom fittings market currently mostly because of their sizable populations. Industry Structure: India is home to numerous top bathroom fittings brands. The Industry is both organized and unorganized. The Bathroom fitting industry in India consists of a number of small, medium and large manufacturers. The small companies are mostly the local players that cater to a small section of the society. Whereas the popular bathroom fitting companies are mostly the top foreign and domestic players that have managed to establish a reputation in the Bathroom accessories market. Key Drivers of the Industry Industry works on the principle of demand and supply. Every industry is drive by the market forces and the market forces are affected by various forces. Key driver’s infact generated demand for the industry. Bathroom fitting industry is no exception to this rule. This industry is too like other industries are driven by various market forces which are as follows: Rising Income of the people and hence their purchasing power parity (PPP) The rapid urbanization due to which the demand for bathroom fittings is growing More and more investment in the construction sector both by domestic players and the foreign MNCs. Growing awareness among the people regarding bathroom architecture and fittings. Advertisement especially in developing nations is key factor in creating product awareness and hence the demand. Market Overview: Indian Sanitary Ware Industry bullish India, today, is all set to become the biggest manufacturing hub for international sanitary wares brand. The bathroom fittings market in the country is growing at a rate of 13. 3% per annum; India’s current sanitary ware market size is almost 500 crores and is growing at an annual growth rate of 3-4 percent in the industry. Going forward, India will have a huge market for sanitary ware products and of course the export market will also grow simultaneously. Further, government’s support to improve sanitation and hygiene and increasing urbanization has given a big push to the Indian sanitary ware industry. The companies are applying accurate standards and using top machinery and stringent quality measures with latest designs to manufacture finest quality machines India, today, is all set to become the biggest manufacturing hub for international sanitary wares brand. For the starters, Indian sanitary wares are comparatively cheaper as opposed to our western counterparts, courtesy availability of ample raw materials and low cost labor in comparison to other countries. This in fact has given Indian sanitary ware products an edge over the competitors from the nearby countries and naturally the exports of sanitary wares from India is scaling up. Certainly, Industry’s growth is directly related to the development in real estate. Today, housing’s demands are on rise. And interestingly people have started taking interest in top sanitary wares. The increased demand for sanitary ware is not just emanating from the new projects but there is a huge market for replacement products also. The remarkable growth by the industry has inspired industry majors to enhance their manufacturing system and even apply latest technology to give customers value for their money. Moreover, Indian companies are taking a step further to enlighten people about the advantages of premium sanitary wares. With 15 to 17 percent growth per year, Indian manufacturers have strengthened their dealer network all across the country. Demand for Made-in-India Sanitary Wares in the International Markets Market Share: Key Players: 1. Hindware: In 1960 Mr. Rajendra K. Somany established Hindustan Twyfords, in collaboration with Twyfords Ltd. of UK. With a bent towards innovation coupled with the intention to introduce vitreous china ceramics in India, he identified the sanitaryware market as the segment of interest.

Human Trafficking Essay -- forced labor, sex trafficking, debt labor

Introduction Human trafficking is phrase that is used to describe the various ways in which a person â€Å"obtains or holds another person in compelled service† (U.S. Department of State, 2011, p. 9). There are several categories of human trafficking, such as forced labor, sex trafficking, and bond or debt labor. Human trafficking can affect adults and children, with the trafficking in children for sex being particularly egregious (p. 9-11). Human trafficking frequently goes unnoticed, and victims often blame themselves for their problems and therefore are unlikely to self-report (Office for Victims of Crime, n.d.). Although many might think of this is a third world problem, human trafficking occurs in every country in the world, including the United States. It is believed about 600,000 to 800,000 victims of human trafficking cross boarders each year, and somewhere around 15,000 of them are brought to the U.S. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2004). Countries are ranked in a tiered system by the State Department, with Tier 1 countries being the most proactive towards recognizing, preventing, and prosecuting these crimes, and are required to report incident numbers annually. As of 2010, Tier 1 countries reported a total of 6,017 prosecutions for human trafficking, with 3619 resulting in convictions. But more importantly, Tier 1 countries identified an astounding 33,113 number of human trafficking victims during that same year (U.S. Department of State, 2011, p. 38). Myths and Misconceptions There are a variety of misconceptions held by the public about human trafficking crimes that can hinder discovery. Many people believe only foreigners can be victims of this crime, but in truth anyone from any nationality ... ...Victims of Crime. (n.d.). Anti-human trafficking task force strategy and operations e-guide. Retrieved from https://www.ovcttac.gov/TaskForceGuide/EGuide/Default.aspx. Polaris Project. (2006). Common myths and misconceptions about human trafficking in the U.S. Retrieved from http://ccatcoalition.site.aplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/common- myths-and-misconceptions.pdf. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2004). Human trafficking fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/about/fact_human2004.pdf. U.S. Department of State. (2011, June). Trafficking in persons report: Introductory manual. Retrieved from http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2011/index.htm. Warren, V. (2008, October 30). Nude photos, massage lead to indictments. Dayton Daily News. Retrieved from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-19414528.html.

Discuss the Reasons for, and Consequences of Social and Economic Groupings of Nations.

Discuss the reasons for, and consequences of social and economic groupings of nations. In this current generation exists a range of major trade blocks, for example: ASEAN – consisting of countries such as Laos, Malaysia and Singapore. However one of the most well known Trade blocs in the world today is the EU, which currently links together 27 countries.The reason as to which countries want to form these alliances with other countries is as they want to stimulate their economic growth via various methods, such as: making trade between the countries easier, thus increasing profits, allowing the free movement of labour and capital, and sharing knowledge thus allowing all members of the group to develop. There are different types of alliances that countries can form, the first of which is free trade areas. These are when countries remove all tariffs and quotas on trade between themselves, but keep the taxes for when countries outside of the trade bloc want to import into the grou p (e. g.NAFTA). The next type of alliance is common markets, which are like custom unions but also, allow the free movement of labour and capital – the EU once existed in this form. The final type are Economic unions in which members do all of the above but they also adopt common policies for the likes of agriculture, transport and pollution. The EU has currently adopted this format. Economic groupings do have a variety of advantages and disadvantages linked to them. Many humanitarians are in favour of social and economic groupings, as they believe due to an increased amount of international understanding, there is a greater chance of peace.Also, as trade barriers are removed, the economy of a country is allowed to develop which ultimately will cause a spiral of growth therefore resulting in better living conditions. In my personal opinion, trade blocs are ideal for people who find it difficult to seek employment in their own country, as they have the legal right to travel in to another member of the group and work there. This may cause conflict however as people in the country which is receiving migrants for work may believe that jobs they’re entitled to are being taken up, and for this reason, people may be against trade blocs.These benefits were apparent after the formation of NAFTA (The North American Trade Agreement) between the USA, Canada and Mexico. The gradual eradication of trade tariffs allowed the amount of trade to triple between 1993 and 2007 ($306 billion to $930 billion), with an increase in employment in the USA’s manufacturing industry due its expansion. As a result of Mexico’s participation in NAFTA, it received an increased amount of foreign investment, and so higher wages were paid to workers and there were increased sales from the agricultural industry.Similar benefits also applied to the European Union (EU). Trade has increased significantly between the European countries, which are part of grouping. In 1970 ju st over 12% of the UK’s GDP came from trade with European countries. After the UK joined the EU in 1973, this percentage rapidly increased: in 2002, around 23% of the UK’s GDP came from trade with EU countries. The EU also supports come industries; for example, it has the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which subsidises for EU farmers and adds import tariffs and quotas on agricultural policies outside the EU.This gives farmers a reasonable standard of living, secures food supplies and ensures a god price for consumers. There are other problems that social and economic groupings cause, and it is these problems that right-wing political parties such as the UK Independence Party (UKIP) will promote. These parties highly criticise groupings, as they believe they create a pressure on countries to adopt central legislation even though the country itself may not want to.Also, they believe that the elite countries of the group will hold a disproportionate amount of power thr ough voting systems and therefore there is a lack of equality. Finally, it is believed that these groupings tend to cause a loss of sovereignty and for this reason; decisions are centralized by what some perceive to be as an undemocratic bureaucracy. Critics of NAFTA pointed out that some Canadian companies had to close down as a result of competition from lower-cost USA firms.Furthermore, jobs were also lost in the USA as firms moved to Mexico – in my opinion, the main reason as to why companies moved to Mexico is because I believe they had the intention of exploiting the country due to its less stringent pollution laws. The EU, just like NAFTA has also had critics as it has had various negative impacts. For example, increased immigration within the EU has resulted in a lack of skilled workers in some eastern European countries because so many have moved to Western Europe to seek better wages.Furthermore, countries that are part of the EU have to share resources with each ot her – for example, countries joining the EU come under the Common Fisheries Policy, which means their fishing grounds become open to fishing by other member states. Overall it is clear to me that social and economic groupings are established in order to promote trade between its members thus allowing the development of the participating countries’ economies, and even though they do have their advantages, the groupings also has skeptics due to the drawbacks they create.

Why Is Strategy Important to Business?

Strategy is determining where you are now, where you want to go, and how to get there. It’s the art of developing and implementing specific actions and decisions that will help a business to achieve goals and objectives as set out by the owners. Through the strategy process the overall direction of the company is set including opportunities and threats in the outside world and the internal strengths and weaknesses of the business. The aim of a business strategy is to ensure that the threats posed by the external environment are minimized and also to strengthen or minimize the effects of internal weaknesses. The opportunities and strengths are combined to ensure maximum productivity is achieved. The more the external environment changes the more opportunities there are likely for a company, but the more threats can be a problem if not prepared for. Without a business strategy, it would be difficult for an owner to realize the opportunities available. Strategic management in contrast with business policy is a technical approach having a five step model. Strategic management is a set of managerial decisions and actions that determine the long run performance of a company. Strategic management does not have to be just a part of the top level management. In fact, organizations should focus on strategic management at all levels of the management and the entire hierarchy of the company should be involved both in planning and implementation phases. Strategic management does not have to be just a part of the top level management. Organizations should focus on strategic management such that all levels of the management and the entire hierarchy of the company should be involved in both planning and implementation phases. The basic theory of strategic management involves the action of creating and implementing plans and decisions for the benefit of the organization and to help it achieve its objectives. Strategic management analyzes and scan the environment therefore future problems and opportunities could be well anticipated, allows a firm’s top management to anticipate changes and provide track and control for the enterprise, provides clear cut mission, also gives vision and objectives of enterprise to all the employees, and allows a firm to take decisions on the basis of long range forecast. Your vision must be future-oriented it has to paint a picture that attracts employees through the use of visual imagery. This is what gets people hooked into buy-ins, followership, and implementation of the plan. So it means you just have to think outside the box of today and describe the world of the future. With the current situation of the economy the fact that some business establishments have stopped their operation and closed has caused big drop in small and large corporations. Having back up plan would be the idea should the original plan does not succeed businessmen could have alternative options or backed up plans for the continuity and success of the business. Since businessmen are knowledgeable of the business processes, they know the importance of having back up plans. Without a contingency plan, and should the original plan fail, businessmen and the business could experience a lot of trouble. The Mission statement is important because it describes the reason for the existence of an organization and what it hopes to achieve. While mission statements vary from organization to organization and represent the distinctness of each one, they all share similar components. Before writing a mission statement, leaders in the organization must have an idea of what is in store for the future. This vision is the foundation for the mission statement. Most statements include descriptions of the organization's target market, the geographic domain, their concern for survival, growth and profitability, the company philosophy, and the organization's desired public image. In addition, it is a tool that conveys the goal, organizational structure and strategy, legitimacy, values, participation and ownership among employees, leadership, responsibility to the community, ethical priorities, and commitment to the public and stakeholders. The organizational decision making process involves proper and efficient implementation of strategic plans and methods to achieve desired business objective. Often one difficulty facing an organization is that multiple divisions are involved in the overall decision making process. Making a decision can have different implications for each respective division. With the businesses of today facing shortened product lifecycles, organizations are facing intense competitive pressures to build market share to stay ahead of rivals. Process changes, the introduction of new and improved disruptive technologies are forcing companies to adapt new business goals and objectives in shortened timeframes, this alone places stresses on all organization. References Karger (1991). Strategic Management: The Key to Corporate Success Pearce II, J.A., & Robinson, Jr., R.B. (2008). Strategic management. (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Mission and Vision Statements http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Mar-No/Mission-and-Vision-Statements.html#ixzz1LGZLzvbI

USA World Bank Paper

USA World Bank Paper In recent years, the banking industry has experienced tremendous pressure to expand its market share globally. As a result, USA World Bank (UWB) is introducing more effective products and services to its customers. Competition has made selecting a successful product considerably more difficult than previous years; therefore, creating an exceptional and profitable product has become very challenging. UWB is a global organization that must create products to improve profitability and increase its market share. This analysis will identify challenges and opportunities, business goals, and potential problems preventing the successful launch of UWB's strategic goals.Scenario Background USA World Bank is a major player in the banking industry. Boasting both a large consumer and small business customer base, UWB has experienced marginal success on recent initiatives. UWB's President of New Product Development feels the pressure to present a product to the Board of Directors that will have si gnificant impact on the firm's earnings (University of Phoenix [UOP], 2007).Product Development TechnologiesBased upon the decision to introduce a new product, UWB's leadership team is now in the midst of deciding whether it would be more beneficial to focus on the consumer or small business market. As a result, the executive team has come up with two options: offer an instant reward credit card for consumers. Similar to a frequent flier program, an instant reward consumer credit card would collaborate with airlines, hotels, and retailers enticing the cardholder to make purchases with UWB credit card. The second option is the small business credit card with a $200,000 credit limit for capital purchases, offering discounted interest rates and incentive rewards.Mary Monroe, Vice President of New Product Development, and Jim Wilson, the Vice President of Marketing Development presented their products to the executive staff. The executive staff supported both Mary's Instant Rewards and Brian's Small...

Unit 3 2 Essay

Unit 3 2 Essay Unit 3 2 Essay tfurthe Negligence is a term used in civil law when breaches in health and safety have occurred and have resulted in injury or harm to another person or to property. Negligence claims are closely related to duty of care. To be able to win a claim for negligence, you need to have been owed a duty of care by the person who caused the harm or damage; you must be able to show that the duty of care was breached and that the injury or damage was a result of the breach of duty of care. The common defences that are used against negligence claims are that the injury or damage was caused by an unforeseen accident or that the injury or damage occurred when the claimant volunteered to take the risk or when the claimant was also responsible for the damage. Recently there has been an increased interest in negligence in sports events where players have been injured and made claims against other players. As a general rule of thumb, anything that occurs within the rules of the game as stated by that sports’ governing body cannot be classed as negligent. Anything that occurs outside the rules of the governing body, but within the accepted playing culture for the sport, cannot be classed as negligent. Any incident that occurs outside the rules of the sport and outside the accepted Negligence It is recognised that there is a higher duty of care owed to children and young people and this is something that those working in sport with children and young people must reflect. An example of this is the Occupier’s Liability Act (1957). This requires that ‘an occupier must be prepared for children to be less careful than adults would be in a similar situation’. This consideration should be even greater if a child is known to have learning difficulties or a medical condition that may make them more vulnerable than the average child to foreseeable risk of harm. Higher dutj of care Sports Coach UK provides guidance for sports coaches relating to duty of care. Research the Sports Coach UK guidelines to improve your knowledge of duty of care within a sporting context. Duty of care BTEC BTEC’S own resources - Local authorities a typical local authority will have a role in the health and safety in sports facilities such as leisure centres. The roles can be seen in Figure 3.5 on page 71. Other regulatorg bodies A regulatory body or competent authority is an organisation recognised by a national government as being the body responsible for the regulation and! or approval of processes in a specific area. There are many regulatory bodies appropriate to sport and safety, some of which may work together to ensure that safety in sports activities is achieved. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) looks at people’s health and safety at work. The different roles of the HSE can be seen in Figure 3.4 on page 71. The HSE visits properties and facilities owned by local authorities such as sports arenas and swimming pools, and works with local authorities to enforce health and safety legislation. Appropriate to ali activities There are regulatory bodies that are appropriate to all activities and some that are appropriate to specific

A Guide on How to Survive Summer School

A Guide on How to Survive Summer School Summer school is a great option for students who have to catch up or for those who just want to lighten their load throughout the normal semesters. These extra units might be the ones that will save your grades, but they might also bring a lot of stress and spoil your summer. If you want to know how you can survive summer school and save your happy summer, read the tips that we have found for you. 1. Take It Easy We all know that our attitude defines our behavior and mood. It can even affect your productivity and performance at school. How many times did you notice that when you’re bored, sad, depressed, or overall not interested in the subject, you just cant study well? Basically, what you always have to do is try to keep a positive approach. Even if you are not that excited about going to summer school this year, ask yourself a question: â€Å"Will anything change if you keep concentrating on the bad aspects?† You might be considering canceling all these plans for the sake of enjoying your summer, but think twice – you had a reason to go there first. Remind yourself about that reason and believe that you are not messing your summer up, as you still can have a fun time while going classes. So, just keep calm and study. 2. Get Enough Sleep This is what every person should do no matter what the time of the year is or what they do. Studying is just as hard as working, so you need to have rest in order to be productive and feel well. We know that summer is the perfect time to sit until dawn with your friends, chatting and having fun, but try to avoid it. You won’t thank yourself when getting up in the morning for classes if you had too little sleep. Its not a secret that your sleep has a significant influence on your productivity and your brain activity. If you decide to go to summer school, you need to get the most out of it. You dont want summer school to be a waste of time and effort, right? So, in order to gain knowledge and boost your grades, put a little effort into studying and a healthy sleep schedule will help you with it. Dont sacrifice your rest hours – if your assignments keep you awake in the middle of the night, you should definitely request our help. 3. Make Friends Going to summer school isnt easy. However, not having anyone to talk to while you’re there is even harder. Making friends with people from your class is a great way to make summer school less boring and tedious. You can also do your homework together – this also will help you a lot. Dont miss your chance to make great friends. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up with life-long friends. If you already have your friends going to summer school with you, make sure you are in the same class, you can ask your counselor to put you together. This will help you make it through the day. 4. Dont Push Yourself Too Much As was said earlier, you have a reason to go to summer school and you need to get the most out of it. However, that doesnt mean that you should sit all summer only studying. It means that you need to gain essential knowledge, not a headache. Everything should be balanced. Avoid running to extremes – you will only develop a negative attitude towards learning. Alternate studying and having fun. Go for a walk, go to a party, meet up with your friends, visit movie theaters or clubs – in other words, dont isolate yourself from the world. If you also need to find a summer job, check out our article with the best part-time jobs ideas. 5. Take Online Classes If Possible Some summer schools offer online courses which are very convenient for students who want to visit other places in summer. Moreover, it might give you a chance to sleep as long as you want without having to get up early and going for classes. Online classes are arguably not as good as regular classes because you dont have an opportunity to interact with your teacher and classmates as much. However, students who are diligent, organized, and disciplined can do very well in online learning. 6. Establish a Schedule Establishing a schedule is very important for any student. It helps to adjust to a studying routine and trains your brain to be more productive needed. If you have an established schedule throughout your regular semesters, you probably know how convenient they are. So, you might keep following the same schedule in summer. Going to bed at the same time every day helps you fall asleep quicker, while eating your meals on time helps your digestive system to function better. So, create a schedule that will allow you to study, dedicate time to hobbies, eat, and rest. Get an app that will help you schedule your studies and track your assignments – you will definitely find them useful. We have an article that will help you to pick the most convenient app. Wrapping Up Summer school isn’t always something that you â€Å"want to do.† Often, they are something that you â€Å"have to do.† However, even if you have to go to summer school, you dont have to feel bad about it. Summer classes help you stay focused and disciplined, in other words, keep you attentive and ready to learn. Even if its hard for you to imagine that you might enjoy summer school, just give it a try. You might spend your time there learning, while also making a lot of friends. The way you spend your summer mainly depends on how you treat it. Surviving through your summer school might turn into truly enjoying it.

Nursing research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nursing research - Assignment Example On the other hand Van Schoonhoven defines the concept as the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of the best current evidence which is available in the decision making process. The decisions made should be applicable to the individual patients; above all the optimality of the evidences is core (Herdman & NANDA International 2011). EBP helps nurses to make informed decisions on the quality of the services they offer, it is very crucial to base judgements and formulate decisions based on the use of EBP as compared to the traditional methods. By doing this it improves the health care system as it basically facilitates and ensures consistency in the decision making process. According to Prior, Wilkinson, and Neville (2010) the system helps nurses to make informed decisions based on an up to date technology, thereby ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in the practice (Herdman & NANDA International 2011). EBP is the right channel towards achieving fully functional nursing services. Each of the techniques imparted on these nurses is a clear functional criterion which will spearhead the whole process of efficiency and effectiveness. Most times patients will have beneficial and improved outcomes where the EBP mechanism has been utilized which typically gives maximum results on different topologies in the practice. By doing this different preference of the individual and the entire society are addressed (Hoffmann, Bennet & Del Mar 2010). Prior, Wilkinson, and Neville (2010) quantitative analysis was the start incarnation to formulate a robust and quantitative question which was intended to provide a clear cut direction to the literature search. This study suggests that a strong question corresponds to the research technique, it also touches on; methods used for research, the interactions and the general outcomes of interests. It is also evident that there are three aspects of consideration; search of relevant evidence, the decision on whether the evidence is

Political Cartoons act as a catalyst for social and political change Essay

Political Cartoons act as a catalyst for social and political change - Essay Example Such matters are best addressed using these cartoons. Others cases here cartoons are used is to make request, exposing inhuman actions, immorality, and pushing for change (Heckel & Kvetensky 20). There different types of cartoons used to address different issues in the political environment. Each and every category of cartoon has its own complexity in getting the verbal and the visual meaning in them. Multi-genre study helps in the production of this sign as well as comprehending the, presentational, organization, and orientation aspect of this expressions. In this case, visual and verbal interrelations become different because each one of them has been fixed in their own complexities. But in real sense there is always a language between them and within them as well as some imagery or metaphor or in the aim of making the subject to have a hidden meaning. It is the duty of the reader to differentiate them in principle terms, making some combination of ideas, and ultimately getting the hidden information in the cartoon (Freud 67). The paper’s main focus is to give an over view about the political cartoons, this uses and categories. This is because different cartoons are used to deriver different information to different target groups. Different imageries are used as well in the aim of coding the information to the required complexity and for the appropriateness in delivering the intended information (Giora 470). Both the qualitative and quantitative research methodologies are important in conducting a research. This is in the aim of coming up with a solid conclusions which is reliable for further analytical studies. Observation is the most suitable method in coming up with a detailed out come because almost all the inclusion in this review are revolving in an about cartoon images. It incorporated both the past and the present records as far as the subject is concerned, as well as other relevant records (Hudak 780). Animal

The European single market crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

The European single market crisis - Essay Example This essay entails of the factors that the Europe focuses to use in making positive changes stimulate economic growth. It outlines the various approaches that the country seeks to use in economic recovery process, asserting relative data sources and the theoretical perspective on the data’s view. The country’s policies propelled tremendous economic growth since the year 2009, with a relative increase in GDP. The highest marginal implication on the GDP was an overall increase by 3% throughout the years of 2009-2011. This was possible despite the many challenges that the state suffered after implementing the single market, which affected economic integrations. B Balassa encouraged the implementation of single markets with arguments that it would help the country achieve monetary union in the globe. They argued that single markets would help eliminate most of the barriers though this was not possible with the free movement of goods, services, people, and even capital (Bald win and Wyplosz, 2009: 256). As the European states aim at improving on their financial capacities, some of the main objectives laid down help in strategizing plans for the progress of the economy (Nello, 2009: 219). The stability of the euro is necessary to help build confidence to other states in trade transactions. The issue of maintaining the tax rates for enabling the prices of commodities to suit the consumer financial ability. Tax increase results to an increase in production costs and thereby increasing the commodities cost. This in return increases the living costs and demands for increases in salaries by the consumers. Another issue lies on creating an internal market for local commodities by laying import regulations within the region. This helps solve the cross border conflicts and increases efficiency of financial institutions between the regions (Piggott and Cook, 2006: 76). The crisis in the formation of single markets Through the integration of European countries, af ter periods of World War II between America and Europe has helped calm the economic crisis. Many economic treaties enacted helped improve on economic performance and to strengthen competition between the regions to help increase the quality competence of products from the two regions (Craig and Elliott, 2009: 209). The European Union also passed several acts in their agreement and gave directions on financial expenditures towards developing the rural areas and developing reliable energy production, which would majorly boost on the emergence of new industries increasing the economic activities in the region. Through the cohesion between the two regions, the internal market developed competence in the global market and thereby this ensured that the economy was strong even after the crisis (Cini and Borraga, 2010: 164). The European single market was at efforts to pursue single currency for all the member states and aimed at getting involved in international trades as one joint unit. T hey believed that such effort would help increase the trade area, reduce operational costs, and implement similar economic policies across al the union states. They had similar tariffs and quota systems with outside states but free trade within member states. They faced challenges on standardization of qualities and regulations and specifications for production. The lag by the union states in

Iran's Foreign Policy Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Iran's Foreign Policy - Research Proposal Example The election of President George Bush in 2000 dampened these hopes as he left moderate Iranians puzzled by his demonizing of Iran and the inclusion of the country in the 'axis of evil' along with North Korea (Katz, 2005, p.59). This set the stage for the election of the conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, an Islamic nationalist that is suspicious of the US and capitalist countries, and has increased the tensions between the countries and elevated the risk of direct confrontation (Pirouz & Reed, 2005). The possibility that Iran may have a nuclear weapons program has made them a threat to the national security of the US. Iran poses a significant threat to the US national security from Islamic extremists that have considerable influence on the Iranian government. This has placed the advocates of a 'Holy War' against the United States in a position to disrupt trade or Iran's vital supply of petroleum. Regional disputes could spill over into Iran and involve a nation that may have nuclear capability. The current administration has professed the belief that Iran is going to get a nuclear weapon or the necessary resources to build one sometime in the near future (Sagan, 2006). If the US administration believes that Iran poses a significant economic or military threat there is a risk of the US taking preemptive action to prevent Iran from destabilizing the region or the world economy. The last 60 years have seen considerable swings in our relations with Iran. In 1951 Iranian Premier Ali Razmara, who was open to trade and favorable relations with the West, was assassinated and replaced by Mohammad Mossadeq. Mossadeq was a hardliner that planned to nationalize the country's oil reserves and limit the power of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a pro-western Shah (Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). In 1953 a joint operation between the CIA and British intelligence overthrew the Mossadeq regime in a military coup that put the Shah into power (Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). This began a period of favorable relations with Iran that lasted until the Shah's removal in the Iranian Revolution of 1979. The Iranian Revolution was accompanied by the taking of the American embassy and the kidnapping of its occupants in Tehran. This resulted in the Carter administration implementing sanctions against Iran and an embargo on Iranian oil. In 1995, Clinton banned all trade with Iran. These tough sanctions were temporarily eased as companies were allowed to sell food and medical supplies in 1999 (Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). The current US policy has labeled Iran a terrorist nation and in 2002 Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld stated that Iran was responsible for, " inspiring and financing a culture of political murder and suicide bombing" (as cited in Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). This policy has continued with tougher sanctions and a policy of non-negotiations. The Bush administration has continued to escalate the rhetoric against Iran and Iran has responded by taking provocative military actions against the US and British interests in the region. This has led to the curren t policy of economically and politically isolating Iran in an effort to get them to curb their nuclear ambitions (Katzman, 2007, p.2). Faced with a hostile nation that may possess a nuclear weapon in the near future highlights the importance of having an effective policy in regards to

Podcast Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Podcast Summary - Essay Example ies like China which recycled plastics and sell it back eventually to Americans and European countries which recycled shredded papers and turn it into recycled papers, toilet papers, tissue papers, etc. However, they pointed out that not all trash are recyclables. When a person is able to gain profit from trash, it is called recyclables; whereas if it’s not, it is called trash/garbage. Curious as to where her used yogurt containers and Wall Street journal went through and to understand the flow or process of recycling business, the woman in the podcast followed Tom to a garage and found out that these items are recycled and produced approximately a 100-billion dollar earnings. This is where the people in the podcast linked recycling industry to microeconomics – in terms of economic prices. Microeconomics deals with the study of the economic behavior of an individual units of an economy (such as the recycling industry) and how does it affects the choices of an individual, makers, markets, and the law of demand and supply. For instance, the podcast revealed that recycling plastics is affected the price of petroleum in the market as plastics are considered as petroleum products. If the price of the petroleum gets lower, then the price of the fresh plastics are lower than the recycled plastics. In return, those who are engaged in recycling plastics industries h ave to lower their production of recyclable plastics as the demand for it would be low. The same goes through for recycled papers when European currency is higher than US’ currency. In microeconomics, we tackled about the effect of a single industry to the economic behavior of demand, supply, price, and

Iran's Foreign Policy Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Iran's Foreign Policy - Research Proposal Example The election of President George Bush in 2000 dampened these hopes as he left moderate Iranians puzzled by his demonizing of Iran and the inclusion of the country in the 'axis of evil' along with North Korea (Katz, 2005, p.59). This set the stage for the election of the conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, an Islamic nationalist that is suspicious of the US and capitalist countries, and has increased the tensions between the countries and elevated the risk of direct confrontation (Pirouz & Reed, 2005). The possibility that Iran may have a nuclear weapons program has made them a threat to the national security of the US. Iran poses a significant threat to the US national security from Islamic extremists that have considerable influence on the Iranian government. This has placed the advocates of a 'Holy War' against the United States in a position to disrupt trade or Iran's vital supply of petroleum. Regional disputes could spill over into Iran and involve a nation that may have nuclear capability. The current administration has professed the belief that Iran is going to get a nuclear weapon or the necessary resources to build one sometime in the near future (Sagan, 2006). If the US administration believes that Iran poses a significant economic or military threat there is a risk of the US taking preemptive action to prevent Iran from destabilizing the region or the world economy. The last 60 years have seen considerable swings in our relations with Iran. In 1951 Iranian Premier Ali Razmara, who was open to trade and favorable relations with the West, was assassinated and replaced by Mohammad Mossadeq. Mossadeq was a hardliner that planned to nationalize the country's oil reserves and limit the power of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a pro-western Shah (Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). In 1953 a joint operation between the CIA and British intelligence overthrew the Mossadeq regime in a military coup that put the Shah into power (Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). This began a period of favorable relations with Iran that lasted until the Shah's removal in the Iranian Revolution of 1979. The Iranian Revolution was accompanied by the taking of the American embassy and the kidnapping of its occupants in Tehran. This resulted in the Carter administration implementing sanctions against Iran and an embargo on Iranian oil. In 1995, Clinton banned all trade with Iran. These tough sanctions were temporarily eased as companies were allowed to sell food and medical supplies in 1999 (Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). The current US policy has labeled Iran a terrorist nation and in 2002 Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld stated that Iran was responsible for, " inspiring and financing a culture of political murder and suicide bombing" (as cited in Chronology US-Iran relations, 2005). This policy has continued with tougher sanctions and a policy of non-negotiations. The Bush administration has continued to escalate the rhetoric against Iran and Iran has responded by taking provocative military actions against the US and British interests in the region. This has led to the curren t policy of economically and politically isolating Iran in an effort to get them to curb their nuclear ambitions (Katzman, 2007, p.2). Faced with a hostile nation that may possess a nuclear weapon in the near future highlights the importance of having an effective policy in regards to

Barclays Retail Banking in India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Barclays Retail Banking in India - Essay Example Analysis of Environment 5 1.1. PEST Analysis 5 8 1.2. Industry Life Cycle 8 2.0. Competitive stance of Barclays in India 9 2.1. Porter’s Five Forces 9 Section 2 13 2.1. Scale and Scope 13 2.2. Analysis of Strategy 14 2.3. Evaluation of Sustainability 15 References 17 Bibliography 21 Introduction After realising the potential of the emerging markets, many internationally operating business institutions have shifted their focus from developed economies to developing economies, such as China, Russia, and India (Raman, 2009). Following the trend, Barclays Bank Plc, which is by its origin an England-based financial institution, decided to expand its business in India in the year 2006. Conversely, the organisation had already entered the market almost 30 years before the commencement of retail banking in the economy (Barclays, 2011). The paper focuses on the business environment of Barclays Bank Plc in India and services rendered by the company in the economy. With this concern, the paper discusses the macro-economic factors existing in the Indian Banking Sector through PEST analysis. It also intends to identify the strategic alliances adopted by the company with the assistance of Porter’s Six Forces analysis and evaluate its appropriateness in overcoming the challenges existing in the economy. With the objective to analyse appropriateness of the strategies adopted by the company, the discussion of the paper presents a comprehensive outlook of the current status of the industry in the economic region. It also represents the various facts regarding the strategic behaviour of the company. Section 1 1.0. Analysis of Environment 1.1. PEST Analysis Political Factors The Indian political system has a great influence on the commercial sector of the economy. The current scenario of the political environment in India possesses few advantages and disadvantages which in turn can affect the banking sector to a large extent. For instance, the economy possesses a wel l-structured regulatory framework to control commercial banking and on the contrary a high inflationary rate which is most likely to have an effect on the growth of the banking industry (The Times of India, 2010). Moreover, in the current fiscal year the government of India have subscribed to recapitalise the public sector banks in order to assist them in achieving a target of 15% in terms of outstanding loans (Scribd, 2011). One major reason which can be identified in this context is the growing concern of the political leaders in the economy to improve the financial market trends with an objective of stimulated economic growth. This reformation will certainly make the competition fiercer in the market and thus affect the operations of Barclays in India. Economical Factors The GDP rate of the economy is recorded to continuously increase and currently figures around 5.75% (as was recorded in March 17th 2011). According to the economists, the economic growth rate shall persist to inc rease in the next few years (Ganesh, 2011). The interest rate of the economy is forecasted to continue on a high percentage (i.e. 5.75%). However, the inflationary rates of the economy are also recorded at an increase with 9.30%. Interest Rates of the economy currently figures to 5.75% and thus reflects a challenging business environment (Ganesh, 2011; Trading Economics, 2011). The economic situation of

The Kite Runner Essay Example for Free

The Kite Runner Essay The book Kite Runner is about a kid that passes through rough moments during his life time because of war. The boys name is Amir, and his father is a rich man of Pakistan. Amir calls his father Baba and doesnt have a quite good relationship with him. Amirs best friend is called Hassan. Hassan lives in Amirs house, and is his servant. Hassan father also works for Amirs father as a servant. Hassan and Amir do everything together, but there is always that line in the middle of them, between servant and rich kid. When the Russians invaded Pakistan Amir and his father had to leave Pakistan, and got to California. There they had to live as servants because they left Pakistan with all their belongings. Pakistan was devastated and so was Amir. He had left Hassan and his father in Pakistan. So one day Amir goes to meet other Pakistanis and sees a girl he likes. His father gets ill and tells Amir to marry her before he dies. They do get married and his father dies 2 weeks later. After amirs father died the couple realized they couldnt have children. So Amir became an important novelist. The people in India are very kind but take religion seriously. There is a total amount of 7 religions that have been documented. Those include Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity. People have a 54% of literacy level. Its average life expectancy is about 59 years old for males and 60 years for females. There are 18 recognized languages spoken in India. They are classifies in two groups. Those are Indo- Aryan and Dravidian. There is no official language spoken in India. Indias architecture is very unique in its own way. In fact India owns one of the most beautiful pieces of work in the world. The name of this building is called the Taj Mahal. It has a circular shaped figure. There is a fountain in the entrance. This building is a tourist attraction all over the world. It was built by a prince that wanted to give her princess a gift in 1627. The Taj Mahal has 4 pillars next to the main building. In front of it there is an opened gallery with lots of fountains. The Indian architecture is very distinguished even in todays date. After the war in Pakistan ended, Amir decided to go back to search for his best friend Hassan. When he got to his village, he asked every living person where Hassan could be. He found an old lady that told him that Hassan was murdered with his wife and that his son was in an orphanage. Amir searched for Hassans son everywhere until he found him. He took Hassans son back to California where Amir and his wife raised the child as theirs. At first the kid had problems bonding with Amir but as time passed on, the kid accepted Amir as his father. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Health Promotion Proposal Reducing Obesity Health And Social Care Essay

Health Promotion Proposal Reducing Obesity Health And Social Care Essay The increase in obesity has been identified as a major public health threat. It has been predicated by the Government Office for Science Foresight that without taking action nearly 60% of the UK population will be obese by 2050, which would have serious financial consequences for the NHS and the economy.1 The causes are complex and related to behavioural, social and environmental factors therefore to tackle obesity a range of agencies and communities need to work together to: Change the obesogenic nature of the local environment. Develop opportunities to make healthy choices easier. Help those already obese or at high risk of becoming obese. This strategy provides a framework for local action and seeks to: Provide an understanding of the extent of the problem in the local population and sets goals. Provide leadership by bringing together a multi agency group. Choose interventions that evidence has shown to be effective. Enable monitoring and evaluation. Build up local capacity via training. There is a focus on childhood overweight and obesity in line with government recommendations. This two year evidence based strategy will require funding, the costs and resources required are provided in the action plan. 2.0 The organisation 2.1 The geographical area and population To make up the target population for this strategy, 90% of Prestons population and 15% of South Ribble were chosen, this is a population of approximately 150,000. Prestons health profile3 shows there are inequalities with nearly 40% of the residents living in the most deprived quintile. The percentage of children classified as obese is similar to the England average. South Ribbles health profile4 shows less than 5% of residents living in the most deprived quintile, child poverty and deprivation rates are low, the percentage of children classified as obese is better than the England average. Preston has a Black Minority Ethnic (BME) population of 15.5% which is greater than the England average, the largest majority being Asian (Indian the majority) or Asian British.3 South Ribble has a BME population of less than 5%.4 To ensure the population had a range of social classes, age groups and ethnic groups, two of the most deprived wards of Preston (Ribbleton [GL] and Fishwick [GB]) total population 12,720 were replaced with 3 less deprived wards of South Ribble (Broad Oak [GC], Kingsfold [GL] and Middleforth [GU]) total population 12,430, see Figure 1. This ensured the target population for the purpose of this strategy was approx 150000 with mixed class, age and ethnicity. The geographical area for the purposes of this strategy is called Preston Ribble Council. Figure 1: Wards of Preston (A) and South Ribble (B) 5 (A) (B) KEY: Source: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk 2.2 Health Improvement As part of Preston Ribble Council, the Health Improvement Team delivers a range of services and health campaigns designed to improve the health and wellbeing of the population of Preston Ribble. The health improvement team includes public health consultants and practitioners who work with the NHS, other organisations, the voluntary sector and local business to provide education and training services to empower residents of Preston Ribble to make healthy lifestyle choices. Health improvement and tackling inequalities is an integral part of Preston Ribble Councils Culture. All policies that support health improvement are evidence based. Partnership working is a necessity to deliver the health improvement agenda. 3.0 Obesity strategy development Obesity is a multi-faceted problem and therefore requires a multi-agency solution. A multi-agency Obesity Strategy Group was set up with key partners from the Local Authority, NHS and the voluntary sector to develop this strategy. The group was lead by the Health Improvement teams consultant in public health. It sets out how partners and communities will work together to reduce obesity by taking into account the specific needs of the local population. This strategy will link in with other strategic plans to ensure tackling obesity is high on the political agenda of Preston Ribble Council. 4.0 Background 4.1 Defining overweight and obesity Overweight and obesity are terms used to describe excess body fatness which can lead to adverse effects on health and wellbeing.2 Overweight and obesity occurs when energy intake from food and drink is greater than energy expenditure i.e. what is used by the body. The causes however are more complex and related to behavioural, social and environmental factors.2 The calculation of BMI body mass index (BMI=weight/(height)2) > 30 kg/m2.is a widely accepted definition obesity. The World Health Organisation produced a classification of overweight adults based on BMI, see Table 1. Table 1 Classification of overweight adults.6 Classification BMI (Kg/m2) Risk of co-morbidities Underweight Clinical problems increased) Normal weight 18.5 24.9 Average Overweight > 25 Pre-obese 25 29.9 Increased Obese class I 30.0 34.9 Moderate Obese class II 35.0 39.9 Severe Obese class II > 40.0 Very severe Source: Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO Consultation. Geneva. World Health Organisation, 2000 (WHO Technical Report Series, No 894) Guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence now recommends the use of waist circumference in conjunction with BMI as the method of measuring overweight and obesity and determining health risks.7 Because a childs BMI varies with age and sex, the BMI score for children is related to the UK 1990 BMI growth reference charts.8 4.2 Obesity and Health Life expectancy is reduced in obesity cases by an average of three years, and in severe obesity cases (BMI >40) life expectancy is reduced by eight to ten years.9 It has been estimated that the cost to the UK economy from overweight and obesity was  £15.8 billion per year in 2007,  £4.2 billion of which were costs to the NHS.9 Childhood obesity Short term risks mostly include emotional and psychological affects associated with being overweight through being teased by peers, resulting in low self esteem and depression. There are longer term consequences as obese children are more likely to become obese adults, there are however some obesity related conditions such as type 2 diabetes which have increased in overweight children.9 Adult obesity Evidence has shown that adult obesity is associated with a range of health problems including those related to; the musculoskeletal system because of the extra strain on joints; circulatory system e.g. coronary heart disease and stroke; metabolic and endocrine system e.g. type 2 diabetes; cancers such as breast and colon; reproductive problems; gastrointestinal and liver disease and psychological and social problems.9 5.0 The scale of the problem in the UK Within the last 25 years, the prevalence of obesity in the UK has more than doubled.1 The latest Health Survey for England (HSE) in 2009 showed that the proportion of obese men increased from 13% in 1993 to 22% in 2009 and from 16% of women in 1993 to 24% in 2009 i.e. more women are obese than men, there were however more overweight men (44%) than women (33%).10 The 2007 Foresight Report predicted that if no action were taken, by 2025 47% of men and 36% of women will be obese and Britain could be a mainly obese society by 2050, adding  £5.5 billion annual cost to the NHS.1 The rise in obesity among 2-10 year olds from 1 in 10 in 1995 to 1 in 7 in 2008 appears to be flattening out.10 There are however, still 1 in 5 children that are overweight or obese by the age of 3 years.11 Rates of obesity are higher among some Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities and also in lower socioeconomic groups.12 The latest Health Survey for England in 2009 also showed the link between obesity and deprivation, women in the lower income quintiles had a higher BMI and greater prevalence of obesity than those women in higher income quintiles, there was no apparent pattern in men,10 see Figure 2. Figure 2 Age-standardised prevalence of overweight and obesity by equivalised household income and sex.10 6.0 The scale of the problem in Preston Ribble Council. Using the NICE costing tool13 the selected population obesity and overweight prevalence and numbers were calculated, see Appendix 1. The extent of the problem is summarised in Figure 3. There are an estimated 4511 children and young people who are classified as obese (BMI over 30), and a further 4580 who are classified as overweight (BMI between 25 and 30). There are an estimated 31993 adults who are classified as obese and a further 51821 who are classified as overweight. 22.9% of adult females and 26.8% adult males are obese. Figure 3 the extent of the problem in Preston Ribble Obese Overweight Normal weight Adults BMI > 40 n=2105* BMI 30-39 n=29888* BMI 25-30 n=51821* Children Young people BMI >40 n=69* BMI 30-39 n=4442* BMI 25-30 n=4580* *NICE costing tool The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) introduced in 2005 aims to monitor the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children in Reception Year and Year 6. The table below presents the results for the local authorities of Preston and South Ribble compared to the North West and national averages. Table 2 Local prevalence of overweight and obesity among children for the Local Authorities of Preston and S.Ribble and for England 2009/10 and 2008/09 14 Reception Year 6 Overweight Obese Overweight Obese 2008/09 Preston 10.9 8.5 13.1 17.3 S.Ribble 11.5 6.8 15.6 16.3 NW 13.5 9.6 14.1 18.9 England 13.2 9.6 14.3 18.3 2009/10 Preston 12.5 9.1 12.9 17.0 S.Ribble 15.3 8.5 14.0 18.0 NW 13.7 9.9 14.8 19.3 England 13.3 9.8 14.6 18.7 Source: http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/obesity The table above shows an increase from 2008/09 to 2009/10 in Reception Year in the numbers of overweight and obese children in both Preston and S.Ribble. In Year 6 there was just an increase in obese children in S.Ribble. The targeted population for this strategy is Preston Ribble, as the population is 90% Preston and 15% South Ribble these increases are clearly a concern. A report by Intelligence for Healthy Lancashire (Joint Strategic Needs Assessment) on childhood obesity in Lancashire showed that measurements of year 6 pupils from the 08/09 NCMP dataset highlighted that across Lancashire there could be found extremes of weight (underweight and obese) in the most deprived areas and there was a link between higher levels of overweight and lower levels of deprivation.15 6.1 The local cost of obesity Using the NICE costing tool for the target population of Preston Ribble, the estimated savings from implementing NICE guidance is approximately  £43,000 savings on prescriptions and  £127,000 in GP contacts, see appendix 1. That is the current local cost to the NHS of not implementing NICE guidance for tackling obesity is approximately  £170,000. There would be however additional costs with disease associated with overweight and obesity plus costs on the economy from days off work due to obesity and associated diseases and conditions. 7.0 National Drivers and Guidance Reducing obesity is a national priority for government as highlighted in the recently published white paper Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our Strategy for public health in England.16 In January 2008, the government published the national obesity strategy Healthy Weight Healthy Lives.17 It highlighted the need for a long term approach and set out a new Public Service Agreement target for England: Our ambition is to be the first major nation to reverse the rising tide of obesity and overweight in the population by ensuring that everyone is able to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Our initial focus will be on children: by 2020, we aim to reduce the proportion of overweight and obese children to 2000 levels.17 In 2006 Nice Guidance on Obesity was issued, this set out guidance on prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children in England and Wales.7 In addition to the NHS the guidance was also aimed at non-NHS settings for example, local authorities, schools early years and workplaces and sets out recommendations aimed at these various settings. It was also highlighted that obesity cannot simply be addressed through behavioural change at individual level; population based interventions are needed to change the obesogenic environment of modern industrialised nations.7 The Foresight Report, Tackling Obesity: Future Choices (2007) highlighted that obesity is determined by a complex multifaceted system of determinants and that in the 20th century the pace if technological revolution outstrips human evolution which has left an obesogenic environment.1 To tackle the complexities of obesity the report advocated using a multi agency or whole system approach. The report concluded that Preventing obesity requires changes in the environment and organisational behaviour, as well as changes in group, family and individual behaviour.1 8.0 Effective interventions Research highlighted in the Foresight report1 found that the top five policy responses which they assessed as having the greatest average impact on obesity levels were: â‚ ¬Ã‚  increasing walkability/cyclability of the built environment targeting health interventions for those at increased risk controlling the availability of/exposure to obesogenic foods and drinks increasing the responsibility of organisations for the health of their employees â‚ ¬Ã‚  early life interventions at birth or in infancy. 1 9.0 The Local Approach Healthy weight, healthy lives: a cross government strategy for England17 and the accompanying Healthy weight, healthy lives: a toolkit for developing local strategies2 have been utilized to develop this strategy for Preston Ribble. It supports the governments recommended approach of focusing on five key themes: Children: Healthy growth and healthy weight. The stages of pre-conception, breast feeding, infant nutrition through to early years can shape outcomes and choices made in adulthood.18 Promoting healthier food choices. Supporting the governments recommendation for promotion of a healthy, balanced diet. Building physical activity into our lives. Supporting the governments recommendation of promoting active living throughout the life course. Creating incentives for better health. Promoting action for maintaining a healthy weight in the workplace through promotion of healthy eating choices and more opportunities for physical activity within the workplace. Personalised support for overweight and obese individuals. Providing clinical care pathways to assess and manage overweight and obesity through effective weight management services. A life course approach has been used to assess the various stages of peoples lives where evidence has shown targeting interventions can be successful in preventing or treating overweight and obesity. This strategy uses universal population preventative approaches in addition to targeted interventions for those already obese or at high risk of developing. As evidence suggests peoples lives are shaped from very early years11,18 this strategy focuses on childrens health. To help people overcome barriers to maintaining a healthier lifestyle and changing their behaviour, this strategy takes a combined approach as recommended in the Foresight Report1 that is using types of interventions that focus on the determinants of behaviour such as the environment and education, the second type of intervention focuses on the behaviour itself in those at risk.1 The strategy uses all 5 different approaches to health promotion, i.e. medical, behaviour change, education, empowerment and social change to tackle both the determinants and the behaviour itself. 10.0 The Obesity Strategy Aim and Objectives The overall aim of the strategy is to reduce obesity levels in the local population of Preston Ribble. The strategy has three strategic themes with objectives: Change the obesogenic nature of the local environment. Develop opportunities to make healthy choices easier. Help those already obese or at high risk of becoming obese. 10.1 Change the obesogenic nature of the local environment Objectives: Influence public policy Influence businesses to become healthy workplaces Work with communities to make active lifestyles easier As planning and transportation policy development can have huge effects on opportunities for activity within the local built environment, it is important that health issues such as obesity are considered in policy decisions, Health Impact Assessment (HIA) should form part of policy development. As part of this strategys action plan HIA training will be rolled out to planning and transportation teams within the council. . Foresight report1 found that one of the five policy responses which they assessed as having the greatest average impact on obesity was increasing the walkability/cyclability of the built environment. The report highlighted that residents of highly walkable neighbourhoods are more active and have slightly lower body weights than their counterparts in less walkable neighbourhoods, it was also highlighted how perceptions of social nuisances may increase the risks of obesity.1 Therefore key actions of this plan include interaction between Environmental Health, Housing, Police and communities to tackle social nuisances, set up community action teams and working with communities to empower and reassure residents. Community food growing initiatives have been recognised as providing benefits to help tackle obesity, they can offer physical activity, increase food knowledge and give a better appreciation of food that helps them make healthier food choices, in addition they help create cohesive communities and social inclusion thereby reducing health inequality.19 Because of the potential health gain this strategy aims to set up several community horticultural projects targeting the most deprived areas likely to have high risk individuals. The influence of the workplace on health of employees is well recognised and the Foresight report1 found increasing the responsibility of organisations for the health of their employees was one of the five policy responses which had the greatest impact on obesity. As part of this strategy the importance of this has been recognised and therefore a newly created health wellbeing workplace officer will be recruited to promote and facilitate the development of healthy active workplaces promoting the national Workwell campaign20 a health and wellbeing workplace award scheme will be launched. 10.2 Develop opportunities to make healthy choices easier. Objectives: Enable young children to eat a healthy diet Enable adults and families to eat a healthy varied diet The stages of pre-conception, breast feeding, infant nutrition through to early years can shape outcomes and choices made in adulthood.18 In Tackling obesity through the healthy child programme, a framework for action evidence is presented which strengthens the argument for focusing interventions in the very early years, it is highlighted that epidemiological studies have shown once obesity is established in a child it can continue into adulthood.11 The Foresight report1 found that one of the five policy responses which they assessed as having the greatest average impact on obesity was early life interventions at birth or in infancy. Therefore this strategy focuses on early years as they have been identified as critical opportunities for interventions in the life course, see figure 4. Figure 4 Critical opportunities for intervention in the life course of an individual 1 Source: Government Office for Science (2007) Tackling Obesity: Future Choices, Foresight Report. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/foresight/docs/obesity/17.pdf Breastfeeding can provide protection against obesity and related health problems in later life22 and that by breastfeeding mothers are more likely to return to their pre-pregnancy weight.23 It has been recommended by the WHO and the Department of Health that breastfeeding should be encouraged for the first 6 months of life.24 This strategy includes actions to increase uptake of breastfeeding. Both parents and childcare providers have a role in ensuring children have healthy balanced diets. This strategy includes actions to help ensure healthy eating at childcare premises. A healthy eating award scheme for childcare will be launched to encourage and provide recognition to childcare providers. NICE guidance recommends a whole school approach to tackling overweight and obesity.7 Healthy weight healthy lives highlights the importance of schools in ensuring opportunities are provided for children to develop healthy eating habits. This strategy therefore supports Healthy Schools25 and also increasing the take-up of school meals. National qualitative research commissioned by the Department of Health for the change 4 life campaign included segmentation of the population into 6 clusters, it was identified that 3 cluster types that were more at risk of obesity, Clusters 1 and 2 also had low income, these clusters each require specific key messages.26 See Figure 5. People on low incomes (Cluster 1 and 2 ) will be targeted as the Food Standards Agency low income and diet survey highlighted they had poorer diets due to several factors including a lack of cooking skills and knowledge.27 Figure 5 Department of Health Segmentation analysis 26 Taking an educational approach to promote healthy food choices in the home this strategy will implement a package of workshops designed for these high risk clusters to provide knowledge, practical skills and confidence to prepare healthy affordable food. As BME communities have also been identified as high risk of obesity, they will also be targeted for healthy eating workshops. As suggested in Healthy Weight Healthy Lives a toolkit for developing local strategies 2 to effectively engage BME communities, interventions will be culturally appropriate and group workshops will include sharing ideas how to make traditional meals healthy. The availability of affordable fresh food in deprived areas will also be address by this strategy, by introducing initiatives such as fruit and vegetable box schemes and food co-operatives which will promote local sustainable suppliers. 10.3 Help those already obese or at high risk of becoming obese Objectives: Identify early those at high risk of overweight or obesity and direct towards appropriate intervention Ensure provision of and equal access to weight management services for those who want to loose weight. As the numbers of obese individuals is forecast to rise1 it is paramount that services are in place to meet their needs and help individuals reduce and maintain a healthy weight. For those individuals already burdened with obesity or are at high risk of becoming, comprehensive care pathways for both adults and children will be developed using NICE guidance7,28 to ensure they are evidenced based. It was recommended in Healthy Weight Healthy Lives a toolkit for developing local strategies that more weight management services should be commissioned.2 Counterweight is an evidence based weight management programme that has been shown to be highly cost effective.29 This strategy will therefore utilize this cost effective service to ensure weight management services are available for those who want to loose weight. Weight management schemes designed specifically for children will also be assed and introduced on securing funding e.g. MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it).30 The full Obesity Strategy Action Plan is shown in Table 4. 11.0 Monitoring and evaluation The implementation and monitoring of this strategy will be overseen by the Obesity Strategy Group for Preston Ribble. To measure success of the overall aim of reducing obesity levels in the population, overarching strategy indicators are shown in Table 3. Table 3 Overarching strategy indicators. Indicator Source Timing 1 % children in Reception who are obese NCMP Annually Feb 2 % children in Reception who are overweight or obese NCMP Annually Feb 3 % children in Yr 6 who are obese NCMP Annually Feb 4 % children in Yr 6 who are overweight or obese NCMP Annually Feb 5 Prevalence of BMI > or equal to 30 in adults over age of 16 in previous 15 months in GP registers QoF Annually The Obesity Strategy Action Plan shown in Table 4 includes an evaluation framework. For each action, the outcome and performance measure is indicated. The highlighted lead will be responsible for ensuring the specified outcomes and performance indicators are measured and reported back to the Strategic Obesity Group at the specified time. Table 4 Obesity Strategy Action Plan Strategic Theme 1: Change the obesogenic nature of the local environment Objectives and key actions Approach to health promotion indicated: (medical / behaviour change / educational / empowerment / social change) Timescale Resources Lead responsibility and partners Performance Measure / Outcome (Social Change) Objective: Influence public policy Ensure HIA part of policy development Roll out HIA training to planning and transportation teams within the council. Within 6 months IMPACT 5 day HIA training course for team leaders ( £700 pp) In house HIA awareness 1 day course delivered by trained HIA champions. Council Training providers All team leaders completed 5 day HIA course 1 day in house HIA awareness training attended by 90% of officers Increase availability of active transport Planning and transportation to map existing cycling and walking routes around the district and undertake a gap analysis of opportunities for more routes. Within 6 months Planning Officer time Planning Parks and Leisure Transport Existing cycling walking routes mapped. Results of gap analysis reported. Restrict access to unhealthy food. Work with planning to restrict permission of fast food outlets within 500 metres of schools Ongoing Planning Officer time Planning PCT Health Promotion No applications granted after 1 year. Improve walkability of neighbourhoods. Improve timely interaction between Environmental Health, Housing, Police to tackle social nuisances. Monitor community satisfaction via questionnaires / community meetings every year. Ongoing Procedural development time by all partners. Environmental Health Housing Department Housing Associations Police Community Groups Community group and resident feedback of significant improvement. Establish new food growing sites to improve the health and well being of residents. Identify land available for food growing projects. Within 6 months Planning Officer time Planning Sustain Land Owners 4 new growing sites to be established. Objective: Influence businesses to become healthy workplaces Organise an area forum and develop website for representatives of local businesses to raise awareness in employers of production benefits in promoting healthy lifestyles. Promote business in the community workwell campaign, case studies of good practice. Within 6 months Health and wellbeing workplace officer (in Environmental Health)  £30K Environmental Health, PCT Health Promotion, Occupational Health, IT Existing Area Business and Commerce Forums Forum website developed. Influence roll-out of workplace policies to tackle obesity via newly appointed health and wellbeing workplace officer employed to promote and facilitate the development of healthy active workplaces. 1 2 years Health and wellbeing workplace officer Environmental Health, PCT Health Promotion, Occupational Health, Existing Area Business and Commerce Forums Feedback from forum of increase in healthy policies. (website survey monkey at 1 and 2 years) Critically assess workplace practices in NHS and the Local Authority and introduce policies that encourage physical activity and healthy eating. Promote implementation of NICE Guidance 43. 1 2 years Health and wellbeing workplace officer Environmental Health PCT Health Promotion, Human Resources teams, Occupational Health, Catering services All NHS and LA workplaces assessed after 2 years. Launch a workplace health and wellbeing award scheme to encourage employers to recognise the influence that they can have on their employees health. 6 12 months Health and wellbeing workplace officer time, LA communications team Environmental Health, Council Comms, PCT Health Promotion, Occupational Health, Existing Area Business and Commerce Forums Award scheme launched after 12 months. (Empowerment) Objective: Work with communities to make active lifestyles easier Work with communities to identify perceived needs for cycling and walking routes. 6 12 months Planning Officer time Planning Parks Leisure Community Groups Health walk Leaders

Evaluating Change and Management of Organizational Change at A&B Smart

Introduction In today’s fast growing global business environment, change is needed to keep up with competition, for innovation of products and services, for meeting global needs in business. The Group choose A&B smart industries to discuss and evaluate change and issues and most importantly management of organizational change. Research Objective: -To identify the issue of organizational change -How OCM strategy will facilitate the company -Appropriate recommendation on how management could improve their response to the opportunities and threats associated with organizational change. Company Background: A&B smart industries established in 1998, it is the only screw rivet producer in Bangladesh. It is a manufacturing company making fasteners screws nails rivets clams etc Overview: Fasteners are screws, bolts rivets, nuts, washers, and pins etc. These are needed to assemble doors vehicle, machine, equipments even toys. From the most complicated space missile to simple children’s toys. Fasteners are usually needed in large quantities. Because fasteners are highly standardized and are used in such incredible numbers, the markets for these are getting highly industrialized. Fastening industries are flourishing very fast in Bangladesh, one of the flourishing fastening industries is A&B Smart industry, and it is trying to keep up with competitors. Their biggest competitors are Chinese companies which used to export fasteners to Bangladesh. At this competitive environment A&B smart industries seeking a organizational change to innovate and reinvent the system. Organizational Change What is organization change? Organization change is when businesses makes needed cha... ...anagement. 1 Edition. Kogan Page. Ian Palmer, 2008. Managing Organizational Change: A Multiple Perspectives Approach. 2 Edition. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Esther Cameron, 2004. Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models, Tools and Techniques of Organizational Change Management. Edition. Kogan Page Business Books. Joe Tidd, 2005. Managing Innovation: Integrating Technological, Market and Organizational Change. 3 Edition. Wiley. Michael Beitler, 2006. Strategic Organizational Change, Second Edition. 2 Edition. Practitioner Press International. John P. Kotter, 1986. The General Managers. 1 Edition. Free Press. Types of Organizational Change . 2014. Types of Organizational Change . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/more-subjects/principles-of-management/managing-change/types-of-organizational-change. [Accessed 19 April 2014].

Nasha is my idol Essay

Natasha (Russian: Ð Ã °Ã'‚Ð °ÃŒ Ã'ˆÐ °) is a female given name of Russian origin. Originally it was a diminutive form of Natalia, which in turn derives from the Latin Dies Natalies, meaning â€Å"Natal Day† or â€Å"Birthday† in reference to the traditional birth of Jesus. It was traditionally given to girls born around Christmas.[1] In Russia and other post-Soviet countries this name still remains only an unofficial diminutive form, while in the West it became an independent given name, probably under influence of Natasha Rostova from Leo Tolstoi’s â€Å"War and Peace†. Alexis Davis (born Natasha Cassadine) on the soap opera General Hospital Other Natashas[edit] Natasha (monkey), macaque at the Safary Park zoo near Tel Aviv, Israel Natasha’s Story, 1994 non-fiction book Where is Baby Natasha? A sesame street children’s book â€Å"Natasha†, a song on the 2003 album Want One by Rufus Wainwright â€Å"Natasha†, a song by American grindcore band Pig Destroyer released on 2004 album Terrifyer as bonus, and also as separate ep album. Natacha (comics) a French comic about an air hostess Natascha Kampusch, an Austrian author who was kidnapped at the age of 10 years old Natascha is the name of an unlockable weapon in Team Fortress 2

Merton Truck Co

Case Analysis: Merton Truck Company Linear programming techniques can be used to not only determine the best production mix, but also to provide clues and data suggesting ways to improve profits. In 1988, Merton Truck Company was searching for ways to increase profits and ultimately its poor financial performance. Options being considered included changing their product mix by either removing or adding a product line, or renting capacity. In the following pages, the product mix and capacity options considered by Merton are evaluated, other factors and alternatives are discussed, and final recommendations are provided. Product Mix Based on the financials in 1988, Merton’s president suspected that discontinuing their Model 101 would result in stronger financial performance. With unit costs of $40,205 (including fixed overhead) and a sales price of $39,000, each sale of Model 101 resulted in a $1,205 loss. However, the president did not consider that fixed overhead (OH) was being allocated across all units, and the discontinuation of Model 101 would increase the overhead applied to Model 102. In reality, the $8. M in monthly fixed overhead exists regardless of the product mix and does not need to be allocated on a per unit basis to determine overall profit or financial performance. Therefore, fixed overhead was not considered until the end of each evaluation. In order to evaluate any alternative, we need to compare to current profit. Utilizing the data from Tables B and C to obtain production costs per unit as well as fixed overhead, Merton is currently making a profit of $1. 9M (Exhibit 1A). Since it was the specific request of the president, the impact of discontinuing Model 101 was evaluated. The first step was to determine the capacity of producing only Model 102, which is as follows based on Table A: Engine Assembly4,000 hours / 2 hours per unit = 2,000 units Metal Stamping6,000 hours / 2 hours per unit = 3,000 units Model 102 Assembly4,500 hours / 3 hours per unit = 1,500 units The resulting capacity of 1,500 units is the same as the current production level, so it was suspected immediately that discontinuing Model 101 would likely have a negative result. Without an increase in sales, discontinuing Model 101 would only result in increasing the fixed costs for Model 102 without increasing the revenue. As seen in Exhibit 1B, this would indeed result in a $1. 1M monthly loss for Merton. This is a phenomenon known as the death spiral, when the discontinuation of a seemingly unprofitable product causes otherwise profitable products to become unprofitable. Merton should continue to use that extra capacity to produce Model 101 to generate additional revenue and help absorb costs. The impact of making only Model 101was evaluated by determining the capacity using Table A: Engine Assembly4,000 hours / 1 hour per unit = 4,000 units Metal Stamping6,000 hours / 2 hours per unit = 3,000 units Model 101 Assembly5,000 hours / 2 hours per unit = 2,500 units As shown in Exhibit 1C, producing 2,500 units of Model 101 results in a $1. 1M loss. However, since the bottleneck is the Model 101 Assembly, additional capacity remains to produce Model 102 units: Engine Assembly1,500 hours remaining / 2 hours per unit = 750 units Metal Stamping1,000 hours remaining / 2 hours per unit = 500 units Model 102 Assembly4,500 hours / 3 hours per unit = 1,500 units Exhibit 1D shows that producing 500 units of Model 102 results in a $1. 4M profit; however, Merton is still better off in its current situation. In the current analysis, it is assumed that Model 102 Assembly cannot be used for Model 101, a logical assumptionsince Merton specifies the department where Model 103 will be made. However, if Model 102 Assembly can be used for Model 101, the bottleneck then becomes Metal Stamping at 3,000 units x $3,000 CM = $9. 0M – $8. 6M = $0. 4M profit. In a similar fashion, the ability to use Model 101 Assembly for Model 102 would also drastically change the impact of discontinuing Model 101. The bottleneck for producing only Model 102 would then become Engine Assembly at 2,000 units x $5,000 CM = $10. 0M – $8. 6M = $1. M profit. So far an improved product mix has not been identified, so linear programming was used to identify the production mix that would maximize profits using the following objective function: To maximize c1x1 +c2x2 Where: x1 = Number of Model 101 trucks to produce x2 = Number of Model 102 trucks to produce c1 = Contribution margin of Model 101 (excluding fixed costs) c2 = Contribution margin of Model 102 (excluding fixed costs) The contribution margins (CMs) were calculated in Exhibit 1 as: c1 = $3,000 c2 = $5,000 Subject to Constraints: Engine Assemblyx1 + 2Ãâ€"2 ? 4000 Metal Stamping2x1 + 2Ãâ€"2 ? 000 Model 101 Assembly2x1 ? 5000 Model 102 Assembly3x2 ? 4500 Negativityx1,x2 ? 0 Each constraint was graphed as a line by setting each variable to zero, and then determining which side of the line satisfied the equation by plugging in points (such as the origin). Once the relevant range of all the constraints was determined, the extreme points were clearly identified. The extreme points corresponding to the non-negativity, Model 102 Assembly, and Model 101 Assembly constraints were easy to identify, and the rest was determined by simultaneously solving the equations of intersecting lines. Exhibit 2 shows the graph, including the values in USD obtained when the extreme points are plugged into the equation. Many of the values were in accordance with expectations as they corresponded to the earlier analyses. The optimal product mix was identified as 2000 units of Model 101 and 1000 units of Model 102, which would generate $11. 0M – $8. 6M fixed costs = $2. 4M profit. The same result was obtained when the analysis was done in Excel Solver (see attached Exhibit 3, Model 101 & 102 Solver Results). The binding constraints seen in Exhibit 4 are no longer the Model Assemblies s seen with earlier combinations, but are now the Engine Assembly and Metal Stamping departments. The optimal product mix for Merton given their current product mix and constraints has been determined, but Merton is also considering the addition of a new Model 103. The values for contribution margin (CM) are given as well as the portion of departmental capacity required to produce 103. Based on the capacity information, it was determined that Model 103 would require 0. 8 hours of Engine Assembly, 1. 5 hours of Metal Stamping, and 1 hour of Model 101 Assembly per truck. The constraints and objective function were modified with these new values and run in Excel’s Solver, which determined that Model 103 should not be produced (Exhibit 5). Exhibit 6 provides a sensitivity report indicating a reduced cost of -$350, meaning that the CM of Model 103 would need to increase by $350 before it would make sense for Merton to begin producing Model 103. Capacity Options Given the capacity limitations seen thus far, it is a fair conclusion that increasing capacity may present an opportunity. In the optimal solution, there are limitations in both Engine Assembly and Metal Stamping. If one or both of these was increased, this could have a strong positive impact on profit. By referring to the sensitivity report for the optimal solution found in Exhibit 7, we see that Engine Assembly and Metal Stamping have shadow prices of $2,000 and $500 respectively, which means that an increase in one unit of capacity would result in the corresponding increase in profit. If Merton can rent capacity for less than the shadow price for either department, it should. Note that for each, this is only true for 500 units before the scenario would require reevaluation (see the allowable increase in Exhibit 7). Also, only one variable or department can be increased. If both are modified, the shadow prices may no longer hold true. Merton also has the option of increasing engine capacity by 2,000 hours using overtime. This would also result in a 50% increase in direct labor or: Model 101$4,000 current from Table B x 1. 5 = $6,000 (reducing CM by $2,000) Model 102$4,500 current from Table B x 1. 5 = $6,750 (reducing CM by $2,250) In the overtime tab (Exhibit 8), we add two additional variables epresentative of overtime production o1 and o2, including an additional constraint representing the maximum of 2000 hours. As seen in Exhibit 8, Solver has determined that overtime should be utilized to produce 250 additional units of Model 102. However, fixed OH has not been included in the calculations until afterwards as it does not impact the optimal solution, only the net profit. In this case however, the fixed overhead increases by $0. 75M to $9. 35M if overtime is utilized. Therefore, the $9. 35M is subtracted from this result and compared to our previous optimal solution net profit of $2. M. This was done in Exhibit 8, resulting in a net profit of less than $2. 4M. Therefore, Merton should not assemble engines on overtime under these conditions. Other Factors, Alternatives and Considerations Merton’s president would like to impose a marketing mix constraint requiring Merton to produce at least three times as many units of Model 101 as units of Model 102. By adding this constraint to the analysis in Exhibit 9, the marketing mix moves to producing 2,250 units of Model 101 and 750 units Model 102, and a net profit of $1. M . The marketing constraint hinders the potential total net profit by $500,000 because at optimal production levels, Merton will be able to produce a total net profit of $2. 4M. There are several other options th at Merton did not consider. Renting capacity from an outside supplier was one alternative, but a similar option would be to simply outsource (at a rate less than the shadow prices discussed earlier). It is also mentioned that at present, demand is great enough that the company is selling everything it produces. How much greater than supply is the demand? If it is much greater, Merton should consider raising its prices to reduce demand. If demand is expected to continue, Merton should also evaluate the ROI of investing in capital and permanently increasing capacity as an alternative to renting or outsourcing capacity. Merton should also consider the impact that learning curves and technology may have on their production process. As the Model 101 and 102 life cycle continues, the company should see a reduction in time and costs associated ith every aspect of the truck manufacturing process as a result of learning curves. It can be reasonably estimated that labor hours per vehicle will be reduced due to learning curves (which result from staff experience and familiarity with the production process), and that Merton will therefore be able to increase the total volume of vehicles produced. Technology could also play an important role in reducing the time and costs needed to produce the vehicles, so it is important that Merton maintain a watchful eye on new production methods and machinery. Investments in technologies can reduce the firm's fixed overhead costs and increase profits and improve productivity. In addition, technologies can help reduce the costs of designing, developing, and manufacturing a product which can help the firm to improve product quality and to charge a higher price. Conclusion Merton’s president was absolutely correct in his supposition that the company could improve its financial performance by changing their product mix, though wrong in his initial thoughts on which actions to take. The value of linear programming techniques in evaluating possible solutions is clear, particularly in that it quickly provides clues of other options to consider (such as adding additional Engine Assembly Capacity). Based on the information provided here, further recommendations for Merton would be to (1) immediately change the production mix to 2000 Model 101s and 1000 Model 102s, (2) evaluate anticipated demand and the impact of a capital investment to increase capacity, and (3) seek quotes for capacity rental or outsourcing Engine Assembly.