Gilette Case

GILLETTE CASE 1)Evaluate product innovation at Gillette throughout its history. Has Gillette been a victim of its own success? Has product innovation in the wet-shaving market come to an end? Explain. When we look at Gillette’s product innovation throughout its history, Gillette continued developing, innovating it self. Yes the product innovation in the wet-shaving market come to an end and now it is in decline part of the cycle but Gillette razors are still selling because shaving with razors has become the habit of consumers throughout the years and it is the cheapest way.Gillette also came up with personal care products. As the rivalry gets hot, Gillette comes up with new innovations, which are better than the competitors every time. 2)What do you make of the battle between Gillette and Schick? Is the battle one upmanship good for either company? The battle between Gillette and Schick is very good for the consumer. This rivalry is upmanship good for both of the companies in a way.Because everytime that one of the brands come up with a new product, the other brand decides to produce a better version of it. So the innovations always stay fresh and the consumers benefit from this battle. 3)What actions would you recommend over the next five years that would help Gillette maintain its worldwide dominance in the shaving market? What specific marketing program decisions would you recommend? Should Gillette be worried about Schick? Explain. I would recommend Gillette to focus more on the products for females.Gillette already gained a great success for men products, now the company can produce more women products such as personal care products and woman razors. Gillette should continue supporting sportive activities because sports are always global cases, by continuing this strategy Gillette can stay global. Gillette should not be worried about Schick but should always be on track so that every time Schick comes with a new product or advertisement, Gillette c an do a better one.

New Jersey v TLO Essay

New Jersey v. T. L. O. , (1985) is the case that impacted me the most. It is a decision by the US Supreme Court regarding the constitutionality of a search of a public high school student after she was caught smoking. A search of her purse revealed drug paraphernalia, marijuana, and documentation of drug sales. She was charged as a juvenile for the drugs and paraphernalia found in the search. She went against the search, claiming it violated her 4th Amendment right against unreasonable searches. The U. S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 ruling, said that the search was reasonable under the Fourth Amendment. This case established limitations on our 4th amendment right under school property. The majority opinion should be right one because in order to maintain every single student safe on school grounds, school officials need to be able to search anything on the school property without a warrant. In fact this case established â€Å"probable cause† which is when something is a â€Å"maybe† or â€Å"might be† and it is not necessarily written as a document. This is very different from real life because a police officer can only search where and when the warrant says to and only if he has one and any evidence found through an illegal search cannot be used. Since then, everything has change the way of doing things around school and people are now safer because less people start bringing this kind of inappropriate or illegal material especially if they know that someone might search their locker or backpack and get them in a lot of trouble. Another reason is that it happened in a school environment not too long ago and it gives some students something to reflect on as if they had to worry about their school safety. At last, this case had a huge impact on all students that go to school currently.

Fordism and the US Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Fordism and the US Economy - Essay Example The decline of Fordism was not an abrupt one; rather it was a gradual but inevitable process which can be attributed to three major factors: Advancement in technology, particularly in information and communication, the emergence of a new capitalistic model and the rise of the globalized economy. In order to understand how the Fordism came to an end, it is necessary to evaluate its significant attributes. Fordism, considered by scholars as a second type of industrial revolution, as typified in reference to Henry Ford's system of production which delineated specialization in mechanical techniques in the assembly line (Nadesan 259). The era also brought forth the rise of corporations and speedy growth in consumer culture giving rise to American consumerism. In its abstraction, Fordism is mainly the mechanization of production. It is also marked by protectionist market policies, oligopolistic competition, integration of the banking and finance business with the state and considerable focus on capital (Amin 1-40). Hence, it is safe to refer to Fordism as the ideal type Western Capitalism which puts emphasis on production techniques and organizational process as these were deemed the most effectual and profitable (Mead-A 53-61). Fordism initially transformed simple production tec hniques to a more complex mass production system which spawned the economics of scale and scope. This in turn brought about the proliferation of massive industries and organizations' emphasis on advanced plant equipment, organized production lines and higher output of production which reduced unit costs of products. Fordism also introduced a 'more doable' organizational structure in industries composed of functional units such as accounting and personnel management schemes in order to reduce cost in manufacturing. It led the reformation of industrial systems and practices as well as helped effect public policies and institutional regulations to temper the effects of market failures (Polanyi, 73). These practices included careful division of labor and standardization of components, parts and processes of a product which were easy to produce and repair. Others refer to this as to 'Fordize' or to standardize certain goods and mass manufacture them so as to make them affordable to the c ommon man (Abernathy, 57). The result of this was the total vertical integration of an industry as for instance the integration scheme of the leading car manufacturer of that period, Ford Motors, which manufactured parts needed for its own production (Chandler 77). This results to big number of employees and workers that were needed to be hired and included in the hierarchal system. This system of production, however, was not spared from criticism. Aglietta for instance, claimed that the rapid growth of production outpaced demand for consumption resulting to economic discrepancy (43). In the 60's productivity slowed down as the Fordist model of production reached its limitations as wages failed to increase and capital began to wane, worsened further by workers' fallout and union demand. Other scholars such as Gramsci argued that the crisis brought about by the Fordist form of production should be understood in its political and socio-cultural significance as this system of production was institutionalized by political legislations through which regulations with regards worker's union, wages and labor benefits were put into effect (110). This has been

Interactive illustration in print media targeting children's Thesis

Interactive illustration in print media targeting children's market(under12) - Thesis Example Against the back drop of this information, it won’t be an exaggeration to state that the increasing sophistication of the digital market has captured a major share of the children’s segment, thus indirectly driving them away from the conventional medium of reading i.e. the print media. Furthermore, the development of internet, and the growing affordability as well as ease of home computing has led to a further growth in increasing the attractiveness of the interactive digital media. Children today, have a wide variety of options at their disposal in terms of reading and learning, with internet and interactive digital media forming a huge chunk of their modern childhood activities. Considering the immense potential and popularity of the interactive digital media, and the fact that it has now penetrated educational settings, the significance of interactive print media seems to have taken a back seat. However, the importance and credibility of the print media in revolution izing the social and educational experiences of young readers cannot be completely written off. It is on account of this very reason that educators, researchers, content producers as well as policy makers are now showing an increased interest and concern regarding the dominance of interactive digital media and its likely impact on the invasive experience and understanding of essential social concepts of children. They have stressed that the revival of the print media is necessary as it has an immense potential to stimulate the intellectual, emotional as well as physical development of children. The unique characteristics that the print media offers can go a long way in helping children in shaping their understanding of the world around them. It can also help in the development of a well designed interactive print media can help in engendering a sense of true learning among the young readers. This paper on interactive illustration in print media throws light on various aspects of the print media and its likely impact on the young readers. In the process it traces the roots of this medium and charts its evolution into a highly interactive medium which is specifically designed to stimulate a keen sense of understanding and growth among the target audience, i.e. young children (Schumm, 2006; Wooten, 2009). History of illustration in print media targeting children The market for children’s books was virtually non-existent in the olden times. Most of the picture books prior to the sixteenth or seventeenth century were mainly designed and targeted at the adult audience. Children were not given due importance as an independent market segment and hence there were rarely any books targeted specifically at them, although a privileged few i.e. mostly children from rich upper classes of the society were exposed to and /or had access to illuminated manuscripts (Pope, 2010; Cullinan, Person, 2005). Figure: An example of an illuminated manuscript for children According to Aries, the artists during the tenth and the eleventh centuries hardly displayed any interest in illustrating for children, as they did not consider them an important segment of readers. He

E-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

E-commerce - Essay Example (Chaffey, 2004) This internet culture has resulted in the germination of certain expectations amongst customers. Customers’, due to the evolution of internet technology have come to expect online services for purchasing goods and services, connecting with colleagues and even maintain business relationship with vendors, customers, and employees. This new internet culture is global and is even connecting business partners which are situated across the globe (Chaffey and Smith, 2008). This age of information is propelled by the information technology. Information technology refers to all of the computer-based information systems used by an organisation, along with their underlying technologies. These information technologies and systems are slowly but gradually revolutionising the operations of the firms, industries and markets. In order for a business to keep pace with this information age, it needs to understand the transformation process and identify the opportunities which th is process is creating (Darby, Jones, and AL Madani, 2003). Since the emergence of this information age, information technology has become the largest component of capital investment for many firms. In many industries survival and existence without extensive use of information systems has become totally impossible. ... Experts believe that in this information age, there is a growing interdependence between a firm’s ability to use information technology and its ability to implement corporate strategies and achieve corporate goals. Corporate objectives are heavily dependent upon the depth of their systems. In order for a business to increase its market share, become a high quality or low-cost producer, developing new products and increasing employee productivity is now heavily dependent upon the variety and performance capabilities of the information systems of the organisation (Souder and Sherman, 1994). The more the firm understands this relationship the more valuable it will be in its industry. This information age has also created the utility for the information systems to cope with governmental regulations or other environmental changes (Deitel, Deitel, and Steinbuhler, 2001). A substantial and growing body of research is supporting the fact that information technology is playing a vital role in increasing organisational productivity and providing a fertile ground for cultivating an innovative environment. If a firm needs to take advantage of an opportunity in its marketplace, create new product, and come up with new services, than it needs to commit itself to make a substantial investment in information technology (Stair and Reynolds, 2009). Also, if a firm needs to differentiate itself from its competitors’ in the domain of business practices and management than it needs to employ information systems which enable it to indentify these minute opportunities (Fillis, Johannson, and Wagner, 2004). Having realised the importance of

Why can't we outlaw war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why can't we outlaw war - Essay Example War has existed from the dawn of humankind. Six thousand years ago, wars existed between tribes. A classic example is cemeteries found in the Nubian valley, people who died because of conflicts. Zulu kingdom is another example; in 1820s, Shaka fought the tribe of Ndwandwe and killed more than 40,000 people. War as gone through evolution, from using of stones and slings to the present nuclear bombs. A case in hand was the Second World War, where nuclear bomb was used, and over 70 million people died. However, what triggers war? It occurs because of several reasons. It could be a territorial dispute, minerals, and oil, example Iraq invading Kuwait in 1990s. Making wars involves the use of weapons. There has been an evolution of weapons from the use of crude ones like spears to the deadliest ones like the nuclear bombs. Bombs are now more deadly and accurate than before. This is evidenced by the case of precision guided bombs that only kills and destroys where it was intended. Atomic bomb, which kills many people, destroys property, and has prolonged side effects, has ushered in the era of the nuclear age (Eichensehr and Reisman54). The effects of war are adverse, diseases, hunger, pandemics and famines are just but a few. Given the above facts, we keep asking is war justified. Actually, we should not fight rather look for other options to our difference. Critics argue that war is necessary for a prosperous society. The results of any war are killings, destruction and loss of property. Wars dominated the past century. In the First World War, nearly eleven million people lost their lives, around fifty in the Second World War. The new century has ushered in the shed of blood such as the attack of Afghanistan and Iraq by the US forces. The causes of war in most cases are not natural but rather the divisions amongst us in form classes. People in a certain class find ways and means of protecting their

Answer questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 21

Answer questions - Essay Example We all know that scientifically, humans are related to primates. In the early times, at a point of time the chimpanzee developed a variant in gene and thus human version of predators started to develop. The chimpanzee and the humans lived in a same natural environment and the way they hunted food was through spontaneous process. Man too had same techniques and procedures to hunt food as he carried genetic similarity on a large basis with chimpanzees. If we look at the diet system both chimpanzees and humans have same routine. Chimpanzees as well as humans are omnivorous and had to acquire food from same weather condition. So it is sensible to state that the chimpanzee predators are a model for human hunting. -building and there are two chimpanzees staying apart and are indulging in care taking. Their locomotive limb behavior is also very evident in the video. We can observe here that the primates have a limb movement which is abducted during arboreal locomotion to a greater extent, and more variably overall, than during terrestrial locomotion. We can also observe that the, the social behavior of the chimpanzee is almost similar to human being as they care for each other and imitate what other chimpanzees does like peeping through the

Response To Peter Pans Text Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Response To Peter Pans Text - Essay Example The heterosexual desire is seen in the interaction of the two as they are overly sexualized. The focused light is although contrasted later in the scene due to lack of pigmentation in Peter's face when he is losing the fight in the last battle with Hook. The play displays the use of lighting to indicate different character’s feelings. In the romantic scene with Wendy, sexual stimulation and excitement are shown by the use of color red, while blue lighting reflects unhappiness and the lack of sexual stimulation. The play is revealing shades and colors since it is lit to resemble daylight before the entrance of Peter. When the two male protagonists start to fight the set is changed into a dark shade of red. The lighting also changes in the play highlighting Hook’s face to be red indicating his excitement. This happens when he’d realized he was beating Peter in the emotional game through verbally announcing his anxieties and fears, while Peter’s face was in a dull shade of blue showing his sadness. However, this changes when he battled Peter to the ground as the color changed to blue showing compassion. The play implicates a deeper connectional meaning to their fight, emotional attachments to each other, instead of the original version of good and evil. It shows that they are incomplete and have secret desires for companionship. The play shows the attempt by Disney in fighting or trying to eliminate the homosocial aspects present in Barrie's work out of the culture media.

Statement of purpose biotechnology Essay Example for Free

Statement of purpose biotechnology Essay There was a time when the average awareness of man did not extend beyond the immediate. But over the centuries and especially over the past decade the average intellectual and knowledge levels of people have -undergone an exponential increase. And keeping in with the laws of evolution and survival it has become imperative for every individual to strive a lot harder even to maintain a status quo. I do not wish to exist and strive merely for survival, for though human beings being a creature of this earth are subject to the same laws of nature and survival, I believe that there should be a cause which extends beyond mere survival to justify ones existence and the gift of a superior intellect. That I believe is the true essence of civilization. My Bachelors degree in Engineering will definitely ensure my survival, but to justify my existence I feel I should give back more to this world and leave it a better place. It is this philosophy and put myself in a position to do so that I wish to pursue my Masters and later my Doctoral studies. Background I have displayed a natural aptitude for biology ever since my school years. And have even won quite a few awards for the same. So upon passing out of high school it was but natural I seek a career in the same field. Microbiology and Biotechnology were the two options I was faced with. Microbiology though being the more glamorous cousin lost out. Because since Biotechnology is where my interest lay, it is what I felt I would excel at. For it is definitely â€Å"better to be the best in a mediocre field, than be mediocre in the best field †. My grades to date have vindicated my decision. Ever since the beginning of my third year I had decided to pursue Masters and later my PhD from an institute of international renown. It remained for me to zero in on the area of specialization. I studied up on the various options available, and the application of ______________ and its contribution to ____________________ fascinated me. In my pre final year I read a special article in a magazine called Global Educator about the application of ______________, after reading the article I got a clear insight as to what was ________________________ about and as expected, appealed to me. I was totally impressed with how _____________________. However my knowledge in the subject could at best be termed less than superficial. One of the major reasons for applying to your university is the highly impressive research work in progress in areas pertaining to the ______________________. I chose to present a paper on the topic of â€Å"_________________________†. I immersed myself in researching up the topic and presented the paper. My third year project â€Å" _________________† helped me get a better idea to the field of ___________________. I have tried to get a perspective of the industrial constraints and aspects of the subject by undergoing Industrial trainings and certifications at some of the premiere institutes in India like __________________, _____________ and _________________. I have also had exposure to various other fields like _____________, ___________ and _________________. In fact, I intend to use my masters as a testing ground for further narrowing down my area of interest so as to zero in on a topic that I could make a passion and of course also continue my research in the same! Why USA and your institute Lucre has never had much lure for me. It is a necessity, but only just that. It is to leave an indelible mark in my chosen field that is my â€Å"raison d’etre†. Unfortunately very few institutes in the world can boast of an extensive research set up and infrastructure, in my area of interest. And it is precisely this reason why I have chosen US of A, and your institute in particular to pursue my masters. I am especially impressed with research work being carried out by Dr. ______________ and Dr. ____________ in the field of _______________ and _________________. I am also keen on being a part of the research centers and laboratories like __________________ and __________________. For I believe your institute will provide me with the ideal ambience to pursue my masters and later my Doctorate. My life my philosophy and my possible contribution to your institute I know I am not perfect, and I am always willing to make myself a better human being. It is a process I will continue till the day I die. Life with its endless lessons is a class in itself. I have vowed never to become a cynic, no matter how many setbacks I have, for I have realized that life is too short to be spent over things that did not happen or could have. Because such a lot else is happening, and a lot more is yet to happen. Though in terms of knowledge I stand to gain more than I can contribute, but it is my abilities as a person and my attitude towards life in general which I believe will help enriching the already rich texture of your university. I realize everything we do is directly or indirectly an endeavor to make the world a better place, and therefore I always feel it is more important to be good human beings, than just good professionals. On a micro level, it applies to ones immediate surroundings. I also come from a land of immense diversity, where tolerance has been an accepted way of life. But unfortunately in the modern world it is often misconstrued as a weakness. I believe it is in the best interest of humanity that people with a broad global outlook, like mine, interact on an international stage. My Short and long term Goals I wish to be considered an authority in my field and leave a legacy that will  live on beyond me. I am well aware that age changes ones priorities. I know it is my youthful optimism and exuberance that speaks. Probably 20 years down the line tempered with the wisdom of age, I will be doing a rethink on my priorities but as of now I want to be involved in path breaking research work in my field and later pursue my doctorate along similar lines. Like mentioned earlier it is my desire to make a big difference in every possible way to humanity.

Lobbying in Alcohol Industry Essay Example for Free

Lobbying in Alcohol Industry Essay 1. Alcohol industry in EU The economic role of the alcoholic drinks industry is considerable in many European countries. Alcohol excise duties in the EU15 countries amounted to â‚ ¬25 billion in 2001, excluding sales taxes and other taxes paid within the supply chain – although â‚ ¬1.5 billion is given back to the supply chain through the Common Agricultural Policy. Due to the relative inelasticity of the demand for alcohol, the average tax rates are a much better predictor of a government’s tax revenue than the level of consumption in a country. 1.1 Alcohol and the economy of Europe Europe plays a central role in the global alcohol market, acting as the source of a quarter of the world’s alcohol and over half of the world’s wine production. Trade is even more centred on Europe, with70% of alcohol exports and just under half of the world’s imports involving the European Union (EU). Although the majority of this trade is between EU countries, the trade in alcohol contributes around â‚ ¬9billion to the goods account balance for the EU as a whole. Price differences play more of a role in the level of legitimate cross-border shopping, where individuals legally bring back alcohol with them from cheaper countries. At least 1 in 6 tourists returns from trips abroad with alcoholic drinks, carrying an average of over 2 litres of pure alcohol per person in several countries. The economic role of the alcoholic drinks industry is considerable in many European countries. Alcohol is also associated with a number of jobs, including over three-quarters of a million in drinks production (mainly wine). Further jobs are also related to alcohol elsewhere in the supply chain, e.g. in pubs or shops. However, the size of the industry is not necessarily a good guide to the economic impact of alcohol policies – for example, trends in alcohol consumption show no crude correlation with trends in the number of jobs in associated areas such as hotels, restaurants, and bars, suggesting that the effect of changes in consumption may be relatively weak. A reduction in spending on alcohol would also be expected to free consumer funds to be spent on other areas, with the economic impact depending on the exact nature of the new expenditure. While further research needs to be done on this issue, current evidence from alcohol and other sectors suggests that declining consumption may not necessarily lead to job losses in the economy as a whole. Based on a review of existing studies, the total tangible cost of alcohol to EU society in 2003 was estimated to be â‚ ¬125bn (â‚ ¬79bn-â‚ ¬220bn), equivalent to 1.3% GDP, which is roughly the same value as that found recently for tobacco. The intangible costs show the value people place on pain, suffering and lost life that occurs due to the criminal, social and health harms caused by alcohol. In 2003 these were estimated to be â‚ ¬270bn, with other ways of valuing the same harms producing estimates between â‚ ¬150bn and â‚ ¬760bn. While these estimates consider a number of different areas of human life where alcohol has an impact, there are several further areas where no estimate has been made as it was impossible to obtain data. Similarly, while the estimates take into account the benefits of alcohol to health systems and loss of life (valued intangibly), there is no research that would enable the other social benefits to be evaluated. 1.1 The use of alcohol in Europe The EU is the heaviest drinking region of the world, although the 11 litres of pure alcohol drunk per adult each year is still a substantial fall from a recent peak of 15 litres in the mid-1970s. The last 40 years has also seen a harmonization in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Most Europeans drink alcohol, but 55 million adults (15%) abstain; taking this and unrecorded consumption into account, the consumption per drinker reaches 15 litres per year. Just under half of this alcohol is consumed in the form of beer (44%), with the rest divided between wine (34%) and spirits (23%). Within the EU15, northern and central parts drink mainly beer, while those in southern Europe drink mainly wine (although Spain may be an exception). This is a relatively new phenomenon, with a harmonization visible over the past 40 years in the EU15. Around 40% of drinking occasions in most of the EU15 involve consuming alcohol with the afternoon/evening meal, although those in southern Europe are much more likely to drink with lunch than elsewhere. While the level of daily drinking also shows a north—south gradient, non-daily frequent consumption (i.e. drinking several times a week but not every day) seems to be more common in central Europe, and there is evidence for a recent harmonization within the EU15. While 266 million adults drink alcohol up to 20g (women) or 40g (men) per day, over 58 million adults (15%) consume above this level, with 20 million of these (6%) drinking at over 40g (women) or 60g per day(men). Looking at addiction rather than drinking levels, we can also estimate that 23 million Europeans (5% of men, 1% of women) are dependent on alcohol in any one year. In every culture ever studied, men are more likely than women to drink at all and to drink more when they do, with the gap greater for riskier behaviour. Although many women give up alcohol when pregnant, a significant number (25%-50%) continue to drink, and some continue to drink to harmful levels. Patterns in drinking behaviour can also be seen for socio-economic status(SES), where those with low SES are less likely to drink alcohol at all. Despite a complex picture for some aspects of drinking (with some measures showing opposite trends for men and women), getting drunk and becoming dependent on alcohol are both more likely among drinkers of lower SES. Every country in the European Union (EU) has a number of laws and other policies that set alcohol apart from other goods traded in its territory, often for reasons of public health. Despite the ubiquity of alcohol policies, just under half the EU countries still do not have an action plan or coordinating body for alcohol. Even so, most countries have programmes for one aspect of alcohol policy, of which school-based education programmes are the most common throughout Europe. All countries also have some form of drink-driving restrictions, with everywhere except the UK, Ireland and Luxembourg having a maximum blood alcohol limit for drivers at the level recommended by the European Commission (0.5g/L). However, many European drivers believe that there is only a slim chance of being detected a third overall believe they will never be breathalyses, although this is lower in countries with random breath testing. Sales of alcohol are generally subject to restrictions in most EU countries, in a few cases through retail monopolies but more often through licences, while the places that alcohol can be sold are frequently restricted. Over one-third of countries (and some regions) also limit the hours of sale, while restrictions on the days of sale or the density of off-premise retailers exist in a small number of countries. All countries prohibit the sale of alcohol to young people beneath a certain age in bars and pubs, although four countries have no policy on the sale of alcohol to children in shops. The cut-off point for allowing sales to young people also varies across Europe, tending to be 18 years in northern Europe and 16 years in southern Europe. Alcohol marketing is controlled to different degrees depending on the type of marketing activity. Television beer adverts are subject to legal restrictions (beyond content restrictions) in over half of Europe, including complete bans in five countries; this rises to 14 countries for bans on spirits adverts. Billboards and print media are subject to less regulation though, with one in three countries (mainly in the EU10) having no controls. Sports sponsorship is subject to the weakest restrictions, with only seven countries having any legal restrictions at all. The taxation of alcoholic beverages is another consistent feature of European countries, although the rates themselves vary considerably between countries. This can be seen clearly for wine, where nearly half the countries have no tax at all, but one in five countries has a tax rate above â‚ ¬1,000, adjusted for purchasing power. In general, the average effective tax rate is highest in northern Europe, and weakest in southern and parts of central and eastern Europe. Four countries have also introduced a targeted tax on alcopops since 2004, which appears to have reduced alcopops consumption since. When the different policy areas are combined into a single scale, the overall strictness of alcohol policy ranges from 5.5 (Greece) to 17.7 (Norway) out of a possible maximum of 20, with an average of 10.8. The least strict policies are in southern and parts of central and eastern Europe, and the highest in northern Europe – but the scores do not all decrease from north to south, as seen in the high score in France. This picture of alcohol policy is very different from the one visible fifty years ago, with the overall levels of policy now much closer together, largely due to the increased level of policy in many countries, particular in the area of drink-driving where all countries have a legal limit. Marketing controls, minimum ages to buy alcohol, and public policy structures to deliver alcohol policy are also much more common in 2005 than in 1950. Main interest groups in the industry and their leader in lobbying activities Eurocare: Who we are and what we do Eurocare, is an alliance of around 50 voluntary and non-governmental organizations across Europe created in 1990, working on the prevention and reduction of alcohol-related harm2 . One of the main goals is to promote the prevention of alcohol-related harm in European Union decision-making; this is achieved by monitoring all EU level policy initiatives, and carrying out advocacy campaigns directed at the European Commission (EC) and the European Parliament (EP) to ensure that alcohol issues are included in relevant policy discussions. The catalyst of our work in recent years (and the concrete result of fifteen years of lobbying) has been the â€Å"EU Strategy to Support Member States in Reducing Alcohol Related Harm†, published by the Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG Sanco) of the European Commission in October 20063. A cornerstone of this strategy is the recently launched Alcohol and Health Forum, a multistakeholder platform bringing together the industry and well as NGOs4 pledging to commit to concrete actions to reducing alcohol-related harm. The cross-sectoral nature of alcohol policy includes the Television Without Frontiers Directive (concerned with young people’s exposure to alcohol advertising), Minimum Excise Duties (a report from the EP proposed to scrap these in order to avoid cross border trade and smuggling), and Labeling (the EC is to present a draft Directive on labeling at the end of the year).For Eurocare, lobbying on alcohol presents several difficulties: first the EU has limited competence to legislate in the domain of public health5. DG Sanco’s Alcohol Strategy is thus useful for advocacy in Member States; at EU level, it has allowed alcohol to secure a place on the political agenda, despite being weakened by the influence of the Commission’s more powerful â€Å"big brothers† (DG Trade, DG Market, DG Agriculture, etc.) (Ulstein 2006). Second, at European level, the aim of reducing alcohol-related harm is competing against other strong public health discourses for example in the field of tobacco, nutrition and physical activity, the latter exemplified in the EU Platform for Diet, Physical Activity and Health on which the Alcohol and Health Forum is modeled. Roizen and Fillmore (2000) articulate this from the researchers’ perspective, but it is also true for advocates that â€Å"our consumerist or dangerous-commodity orientation to alcohol (†¦) obliges us to compete in a public-health-information-offering market place already crowded with health warnings of many kinds†. The specificities of alcohol serve to further complicate the picture; parallels with tobacco or junk food are obvious: indisputable public health burdens; links with social inequalities, and of course, powerful industries. What sets alcohol apart though, is the highly problematic, misunderstood and misused evidence on the â€Å"benefits of alcohol consumption†; like it or not, the â€Å"ambiguous molecule† alcohol forms an integral part of most cultures across Europe, â€Å"causing deaths while saving lives, inflicting pain while producing pleasure† The alcohol industry: no ordinary stakeholder The alcohol industry is undeniably a rival voice in the political process of â€Å"weighing up the evidence†; a strong economic asset, with increasingly visible corporate social responsibility policies, the industry represents a valid stakeholder. Alcohol producers unite underâ€Å"legitimate fronts† through social aspects (SA) organisations6, such as the International Centre for Alcohol Policies (ICAP) or the European Forum For Responsible Drinking (EFRD), both of which are participating in the Commission’s Alcohol and Health Forum. Under these banners, research, policy analysis and of course, lobbying are carried out: in fact, it has not been uncommon to find such groups walking the same corridors of power as ourselves. To the layperson, the â€Å"research† and â€Å"policy analysis† (e.g.: ICAP Blue Book) carried out by these organisations may appear methodologically sound, and conclusive, and the (simplistic) models as comprehensive and logical. For example, that â€Å"patterns of drinking are the best way to understand the place of alcohol in society†; that â€Å"targeted interventions are most sensitive to cultural differences†, and that â€Å"partnerships offer the best opportunities to develop policies†. Funnily enough â€Å"Drinking in Context: Patterns, Interventions and Partnerships†, an ICAP collaborative publication (Stimson et al. 2006) was recently publicised at a lunch meeting held in the European Parliament, hosted by German MEP Renate Sommer. Staff from the Eurocare Secretariat attended this lunch; the event was reminiscent of the spirit of the film â€Å"Thank You For Smoking†8; a sequel named â€Å"Thank You For Drinking† should be considered, and would be highly entertaining. This example highlights the tensions involved in the political process, and how apparently sound and legitimate evidence can be put forward by the industry, in order to counter what is regarded by the public health community as â€Å"legitimate† evidence. When the Institute of Alcohol Studies published the Alcohol in Europe report, the British Beer and Pub Association (also participating in the Alcohol and Health Forum) attempted to undermine its scientific objectivity by â€Å"denouncing† vested interests, namely, links to temperance; they likened this to â€Å"vegetarians writing a report about the benefits of eating meat†. The EFRD’s view (in Baumberg Anderson 2007) was that those advocating a stronger EU alcohol strategy â€Å"had a biased view of the evidence base†. It is precisely through the use of â€Å"evidence† and their engagement in research, policy analysis and lobbying (activities mirroring our own work) that the industry tries to secure a place at the policy table, which may be potentially difficult for the public health community to fight off. The WHO (2007) stresses the â€Å"importance of the participation of civil society organisations without the conflict of interests in alcohol policy development, as a counter influence to the vested trade interests, which might otherwise dominate political decision making†.

Case Study: Application Architecture

Case Study: Application Architecture Brian Jerozal   For any given organization, it is vitally important to always ensure that the payroll system is designed in such a way that overall effectiveness in enhanced. Traditionally, payroll systems were not quite complicated since employees were more or less few in number. However, the modern-day payroll systems have to take into consideration numerous aspects such as insurance cover, house allowances, bonuses, advance payments and the like. In addition to this, the world has experienced tremendous innovations in terms of cutting-edge technological advancements; these technological innovations have enabled organizations to streamline their payroll systems and thus enhance the standards of effectiveness. For this case study, a comprehensive analysis of the payroll system of a leading American firm will be done. Emphasis will be made upon the specific type of architecture that should be used while establishing the new payroll system for the organization. The various technological platforms tha t shall be integrated into the new payroll system will also be documented while also presenting a graphical illustration of the new model. In addition to this, a comprehensive analysis of possible issues of ethical concern with regard to the new payroll system shall also be conducted. Considering the fact that this organization has a wide area network that interlinks the numerous offices in different parts of the United States of America, it is of paramount importance that the new payroll application system be based on a solid architectural framework. Such an architectural framework must consider all-important factors such as the avoidance of errors, synthesis of data contained in inventories, evaluation of allowances, and integration of the prevailing rates of income tax. Following is an analysis of the specific components of the architecture for the new payroll system. As mentioned above, the payroll system of such a large organization should be based on a solid framework that considers all-important factors. Firstly, the architectural framework must have the capacity to evaluate the fine details pertaining to the payment of employees. The number of hours of work done by individual employees should be included in the new architectural framework; this is one of the most critical aspects of any kind of payroll system (Bragg, 2004). The hours vary from one employee to another and as such, this results into pay variations even among employees who are categorized in the same job group. Apart from the number of hours, another important variable that must be included in the architectural framework for the new payroll program is the prevailing rates of tax or revenue deductions. On an annual basis, the Federal Government of United States of America reviews the rates of income tax in accordance with the specific budgetary projections. These rates must be ta ken into consideration while calculating the total pay of all employees and as such, the new architectural framework should have the same (Steinhoff, 2000). Another important variable that should be included in the design of the new payroll system is the labor data; the nature of work done within an organization varies from one employee to another. This results into pay variations and as such, it must be included in the design of the new payroll system. The employee master file is another crucial aspect that must be taken into consideration while designing the new payroll system; the master file provides all the fine details about the employee including pending bonuses, increments and other miscellaneous information. Apart from the employee details, the architectural system of the new payroll program shall also include the relevant platforms for making precise calculations. Some organizations incur huge expenses every now and then as a result of using payroll systems that are characterized by substandard levels of accuracy. In order to avoid such eventualities, the new payroll system should be carefully designed in such a way that high l evels of accuracy are attained while performing calculations. Finally, the architectural design should also have the capacity to provide an updated payroll without any kind of delay; this will go a very long way towards helping the organization avert unnecessary instances of time wastage (Bragg, 2004). As already mentioned in the introductory section of this paper, the extensive advancements in technology have made it possible to streamline the payroll systems in all kinds of organizations. In order to successfully implement the architectural system for the new payroll system as outlined above, it is of paramount importance to examine some of the most important technological components that shall be used. Firstly, internet connection will serve as an important element from a technological point of view. This is because the organization has offices in different parts of the United States of America and as such, reliable connection is required (Steinhoff, 2000). Considering the expans ive nature of United States landmass, it would be critically important to back-up the wide area network connection with high-speed fourth generation internet connectivity. In order to enhance the security of the data transfer from one office to another, unique internet protocol addresses must be used. All the IP addresses must be encrypted in accordance with the specifications provided by the main server in order to streamline communications while also enhancing the standards of security. Apart from internet connection, another important technological platform that must be integrated into the architectural framework of the new payroll system of the organization is the use of quality software applications (Bragg, 2004). There are numerous payroll software applications available in the United States and global market; however, this fact notwithstanding, some are characterized by fundamental flaws such as the lack of accuracy and susceptibility to cyber-crime. One of the most effective payroll software for corporate organizations is the Dynamics GP. Produced by Microsoft Corporation, this software has the capacity to streamline the payroll systems within the organization since it has high levels of accuracy and also saves time. TRAVERSE by Open Systems is another software application that might come in very handy for the payroll system of this organization since it is characterized by high levels of effectiveness (Boroughs, 2008). Despite the fact that the new architecture for the payroll application in this organization would be characterized by high levels of efficiency, it is critically important to pinpoint the fact that there are several potential issues of ethical concern that might characterize its implementation (Boroughs, 2008). For instance, the new application might contribute immensely towards the infringement of fundamental rights of the employees because of being too dependent on detail. The potential ethical issue can arise in the connection with the new architecture for example reduced jobs,if the company uses the architecture method for the new payroll, then the employee might no longer be essential. Usually, the company has a department where it looks at the payroll of the employee, but with this system, most of the job will be done and handled by the computer. Fraud is another concern, the employee who knows about computer and networking can easily manipulate the information like changing th e time sheet. Hacking is one of the most common problems in todays world. No matter how secure the company system is, there are people who can back the system company. Putting their information in the web can be hacked and the information can be used against them. In addition to this, the fact that the computer systems of the organization are connected with one another might result into the disclosure of the payroll details of employees to unwanted parties.   Ã‚   References Boroughs, A., Hunter, I., Palmer, L. (2008). HR Transformation Technology: Delivering Systems to Support the New HR Model. New York, NY: Routledge. Bragg, S. M., Bragg, S. M. (2004a). Creating a Payroll System. In Accounting for Payroll: A Comprehensive Guide (pp. 3-15). John Wiley Sons, Inc. Bragg, S. M. (2004b). Setting Up the Payroll Department. In Accounting for Payroll: A Comprehensive Guide (pp. 251-258). John Wiley Sons, Inc. Steinhoff, J. C. (2000). Human Resources and Payroll Systems Requirements (United States, Government Accountability Office). Retrieved from www.gao.gov/special.pubs/ai002123.pdf

Segregation and Civil Rights Essay -- Black Civil Rights in America

The definition of the term â€Å"American character†, in general, was in fact plagued during the 1950s. Instead of the believable â€Å"picture perfect† definition that American character was portrayed to be, it was really constructed of major struggles between different races. In particular, the significant struggles between blacks and whites. The 1950s was a crucial decade of change for African Americans. The results of the battle for nine African American children to attend Central High School (Little Rock, Arkansas) in 1957 promoted social advance for the permanent desegregation of public school systems. However, even with this nationally recognized social advance, the concept of â€Å"American character† varied between blacks and whites due to racial and social inequality. Back in 1896, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson that racial discrimination was constitutional. This decision gave the states permission to segregate citizens by race and to operate â€Å"separate but equal† facilities all around. Terrence Roberts, in his novel Lessons from Little Rock, shares his first-hand experience of neglect from society. Roberts states, â€Å"As a black person, I had no legal right to assume that I could participate fully in civic, educational, economic, political, or social affairs† (Roberts 19). Whites lived in great satisfactory after this decision. They remained the group with the upmost authority and continued to mistreat blacks at any cost, including denying them the right to an equal quality of education. Their definition of American character, being the wealthiest and the smartest, was still acknowledged as the existence of African Americans became more and more surreal. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Boa... ... Kirp, David L. Political Science and Politics, Retreat into Legalism: The Little Rock School Desegregation Case in Historic Perspective Vol. 30, No. 3 (Sep., 1997), pp. 443-447 Published by: American Political Science Association. (http://www.jstor.org/stable/420120) Lawson, Steven F. and Payne, Charles. ""Mob Rule Cannot Be Allowed to Override the Decisions of Our Courts": President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1957 Address on Little Rock, Arkansas." History Matters: The U.S. Survey Course on the Web. Lanham, Maryland: Rowan & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1998. Web. . Reumann, Miriam G. American Sexual Character: Sex, Gender, and National Identity in the Kinsey Reports. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2005. Roberts, Terrence J. Lessons from Little Rock. Little Rock, AR: Butler Center, 2009. Print

In Favor of Drug Legalization :: Illegal Drugs Narcotics

The legalization of drugs has been an enormous issue in politics for an extremely long time. Many people believe that the legalization of drugs will allow the government to gain more control and therefore reducing crime on the streets. Another issue in this matter is that the government will be able to profit money off the drugs and be able to control prices and what age you will have to be to be able to buy the drug. On the issue of less crime, with the government controlling drugs there will be fewer drug dealers on the streets, as there is no need for them. The ban on underage people using drugs will lessen the crimes by minors and by students in our schools. With the government regulating the drug, they can readily control how much is sold and how much is appropriate for consumption by the buyer. In addition, the government could profit off the legalization of drugs. If the government were to legalize drugs, then they could choose the prices of the drugs and how much or if they want to place a tax on them. With the government doing this, people would be paying higher prices than what they currently pay from a dealer. This would, in turn, reduce the demand for the drug due to the high prices. The money that the government makes off the taxing and the pricing of the drugs could go to health care or to another good cause that support the citizens. However, it seems we will never see the legalization of drugs. Many people go out and do things just because the authoritative figures say you shouldn't do them. In other words, certain people merely break the law not to experience the drug, but to be a rebel. The legalization of drugs would most likely cause the use of drugs to decline.

Lesson learned

There comes a time in everyone's life when bad things happen that we wish had never occurred. This experience, that result in being punished or even disciplined by our parents, guardian, police or even by a teachers, often leads us to learn an Important life lessons. Soon, we realize that we did something we know we should not have done. Growing up, I was always the kid who had to be punished; not because I was bad, but by doing and saying stupid things, and by keeping the wrong set of friend, who often got me Into trouble.My punishments Include, being grounded from my phone, television ,and everything else that I would consider fun. When I would get into trouble, often I was deadlines by my parent, but getting deadlines by Mrs.. White – who was my fifth grade teacher at All Mercy middle school- was very different and scary. I was slating In Mrs. White's math class, and she began to pass out our Math test scores. I was, and still, am Inefficient In my math skill. As she passed the tests back, my anxious eyes searched the bright colored room, was expecting the worst. E colorful posters were not enough to distract me from my inevitable bad grade, and the blue walls were hardly calming. The garden I received was very low. A depressing, bold looking in bright red ink, was burned at the top of the paper close to where my name was written. I got mad at myself,and I let out an exasperated sigh that Just happen to include the â€Å"F -word† . Everybody in the class, including Mrs.. White, turned toward me with looks of shock and astonishment. Mrs.. White then shouted my name and said; â€Å"Tamari, get in my office owe l† I was in shock at myself that I had lousily sighed this obscenity.I was so scare to go to Mrs.. White's office. In a angry tone of voice, she shouted again, â€Å"Tamari, in my office now! † I was so terrified to face her, because I and never heard Mrs.. White sound so angry before. She shouted one last time, â€Å"Tamari, in my office, right now! † I walked slowly, slower than a turtle, into her office. I could feel the entire class staring at me as I walked as slow as possible. Finally, when I reached Mrs.. White's office, she had me sit down in front of her desk. She said, † You know saying the F word was unacceptable. I nodded my head. That day after lunch, Mrs.. White had me apologize in front of the entire class for using foul language, and she had me sit In the naughty corner of the class by myself for four days. I was happy that Ms. While did not called my parents because I knew my punishment would have been much worse. Luckily, my parents never actually found out that I used the F word at school. That day I clearly learned that there are consequent for my actions, and I have to be more careful with the things I say.Word can get you Into trouble, but not Just In the classroom, at work, and their power to hurt others . Because word are very power, you can hurt someone feeling by sa ying the wrong thing. Be aware of using polite words also show how matured and respectful a person can be. Lesson learned By tinniest 16 important life lessons. Soon, we realize that we did something we know we should set of friend, who often got me into trouble. My punishments include, being When I would get into trouble, often I was disciplined by my parent, but getting disciplined by Mrs..White – who was my fifth grade teacher at All Mercy middle school- was very different and scary. I was sitting in Mrs. White's math class, and she began to pass out our Math test scores. I was, and still, am inefficient in my math room, I was expecting the worst. The colorful posters were not enough to distract me received was very low. A depressing, bold looking â€Å"F†, in bright red ink, was burned at astonishment. Mrs.. White then shouted my name and said; â€Å"Tamari, get in my office now I was in shock at myself that I had lousily sighed this obscenity.I was so â€Å"Tama ri, in my office now! † I was so terrified to face her, because I and never heard White's office, she had me sit down in front of her desk. She said, † You know saying sit in the naughty corner of the class by myself for four days. I was happy that Ms. White did not called my parents because I knew my punishment would have been have to be more careful with the things I say. Word can get you into trouble, but not just in the classroom, at work, and their power to hurt others . Because word are very Lesson learned There comes a time in everyone's life when bad things happen that we wish had never occurred. This experience, that result in being punished or even disciplined by our parents, guardian, police or even by a teachers, often leads us to learn an Important life lessons. Soon, we realize that we did something we know we should not have done. Growing up, I was always the kid who had to be punished; not because I was bad, but by doing and saying stupid things, and by keeping the wrong set of friend, who often got me Into trouble.My punishments Include, being grounded from my phone, television ,and everything else that I would consider fun. When I would get into trouble, often I was deadlines by my parent, but getting deadlines by Mrs.. White – who was my fifth grade teacher at All Mercy middle school- was very different and scary. I was slating In Mrs. White's math class, and she began to pass out our Math test scores. I was, and still, am Inefficient In my math skill. As she passed the tests back, my anxious eyes searched the bright colored room, was expecting the worst. E colorful posters were not enough to distract me from my inevitable bad grade, and the blue walls were hardly calming. The garden I received was very low. A depressing, bold looking in bright red ink, was burned at the top of the paper close to where my name was written. I got mad at myself,and I let out an exasperated sigh that Just happen to include the â€Å"F -word† . Everybody in the class, including Mrs.. White, turned toward me with looks of shock and astonishment. Mrs.. White then shouted my name and said; â€Å"Tamari, get in my office owe l† I was in shock at myself that I had lousily sighed this obscenity.I was so scare to go to Mrs.. White's office. In a angry tone of voice, she shouted again, â€Å"Tamari, in my office now! † I was so terrified to face her, because I and never heard Mrs.. White sound so angry before. She shouted one last time, â€Å"Tamari, in my office, right now! † I walked slowly, slower than a turtle, into her office. I could feel the entire class staring at me as I walked as slow as possible. Finally, when I reached Mrs.. White's office, she had me sit down in front of her desk. She said, † You know saying the F word was unacceptable. I nodded my head. That day after lunch, Mrs.. White had me apologize in front of the entire class for using foul language, and she had me sit In the naughty corner of the class by myself for four days. I was happy that Ms. While did not called my parents because I knew my punishment would have been much worse. Luckily, my parents never actually found out that I used the F word at school. That day I clearly learned that there are consequent for my actions, and I have to be more careful with the things I say.Word can get you Into trouble, but not Just In the classroom, at work, and their power to hurt others . Because word are very power, you can hurt someone feeling by sa ying the wrong thing. Be aware of using polite words also show how matured and respectful a person can be. Lesson learned By tinniest 16 important life lessons. Soon, we realize that we did something we know we should set of friend, who often got me into trouble. My punishments include, being When I would get into trouble, often I was disciplined by my parent, but getting disciplined by Mrs..White – who was my fifth grade teacher at All Mercy middle school- was very different and scary. I was sitting in Mrs. White's math class, and she began to pass out our Math test scores. I was, and still, am inefficient in my math room, I was expecting the worst. The colorful posters were not enough to distract me received was very low. A depressing, bold looking â€Å"F†, in bright red ink, was burned at astonishment. Mrs.. White then shouted my name and said; â€Å"Tamari, get in my office now I was in shock at myself that I had lousily sighed this obscenity.I was so â€Å"Tama ri, in my office now! † I was so terrified to face her, because I and never heard White's office, she had me sit down in front of her desk. She said, † You know saying sit in the naughty corner of the class by myself for four days. I was happy that Ms. White did not called my parents because I knew my punishment would have been have to be more careful with the things I say. Word can get you into trouble, but not just in the classroom, at work, and their power to hurt others . Because word are very

Progressive Taxation

Progressive taxation rates are unethical and need to be changed. The media likes to say the rich need to pay their fair share and I will show that if everyone paid the same percentage of their income without all the loopholes the current tax system has the government would be better off. This is an ethical issue that needs to be addressed by our current and future leaders to help eliminate the extraordinary amount of debt our country currently has to reimburse. Utilitarianism is that an action is right if it tends to promote happiness and wrong if it tends to produce the reverse of happiness [1].It also involves the happiness of the performer of the action but also that of everyone affected by it. This would lead the current system of progressive taxation since those involved in creating the current tax system believe it is fair to all involved. The poor would see the rich pay a higher percentage of their income to fund the government and the items that they provide. Unfortunately th is country has been using this type of taxation and now it has a tremendous debt to repay. So our current taxation system must not be working if we are not taking in the amount needed to pay our yearly government expenses.Relativism is the belief that everyone has their own version of the solution to the problem. It is also a concept that states points have no truth or validity, but only a subjective value [2]. The discussion of progressive taxation is not one that many people want to change. Everyone that thinks a fair taxation of a flat percentage is afraid it will not promote happiness among those that would have an increase in taxes. This theory would allow us to give the chance to try a flat tax to see if indeed it would increase the income this country generates along with removing tax loop holes allowing some people to avoid paying what they should.My view is more of the relativism type of view. I believe that for our country to avoid a horrible financial crisis we must try t o generate more income and everyone must pay their fair share which would be of an equal percentage of their income. Progression has been  in use somewhere in the world for thousands of years. It is safe to say the debate on its merits goes back at least that far. At the present most nations employ some form of progressive taxation. The first time there was a federal income tax it was imposed in 1861 as a means of financing the Civil War.The tax rates were decreased after the war and the income tax was allowed to expire in 1872. The concept of an income tax was controversial so when a new income tax was levied in 1894 it was challenged in the courts. In 1895 it was found to be unconstitutional. It was not until 1913, with the ratification of the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, that the first constitutionally sanctioned income tax was enacted. The first income tax was a progressive tax [3]. Today, we Americans are paying the highest taxes in our nation's history. The current ta x system is complex and includes several inequities.It penalizes those who are married by making them pay higher taxes than single individuals. Many Americans face a death tax that will claim a large portion of their estate after they die. We need to get rid of our confusing, unfair tax code and replace it with a simple flat tax with one rate with no deductions or special interest loopholes [4]. The overly complicated tax code creates an unnecessary burden on all Americans, with an annual compliance cost estimated to be $365 billion. The extensive nine million plus word document is complex and unfair.It inhibits saving, investment, and creating jobs along with imposing a heavy burden on American families. At the same time, the tax code reduces economic growth. The code is so complex with all of the deductions, credits, and other preferences added to the tax code by the special interest lobbyists. It is because of these loopholes, taxpayers with similar incomes can end up paying diff erent amounts in taxes. This uneven treatment of taxpayers is fundamentally unethical and is not part of the American value of equality under the law.The tax code should be replaced with a new code that is simple to understand, has low rates, that is flat and fair. The new flat tax as outlined in Heritage’s ‘Saving the American Dream’ plan, would replace the current tax system with a simple tax system that would allow America to achieve its full economic potential [5]. It has to be honest in order to help promote economic growth. It will do this while removing disparities in the tax code at the same time. The existing tax system is wrong, especially in its complication and its decrease of our economic audacity.The tax system is complex and it is forced upon all taxpayers. The low income must journey thru the extremely hard to understand Earned Income Credit. Those who can save some money must overcome the loss of confidence and go through the hassle of trying to understand the tax rates and manage the different forms of saving. Businesses investing in new equipment must pay extra to get equity capital and must then overcome the tax hurdles added on their vested interests. This results in a deranged tax system which results in a much smaller economy. The need for tax reform is clear.The tax reform proposals such as the traditional flat tax would only solve part of the problem by regenerating or changing the federal individual and corporate income taxes. A new flat tax would replace income taxes, as well as the death tax, payroll taxes and all tariffs not set aside for a trust fund. Under a flat tax taxpayers will handle a single tax. The design of a flat tax is because of the need for a more rational tax system. Unavoidable high tax rates combined with unethical rules have altered the economic decisions of businesses and families. This leaves the economy in a complete weaker position by these perversions.We need a stronger economy and that i s the goal of a flat tax. It would obtain this goal by achieving an economically neutral tax base and by lowering the tax rates. The amount of taxation and the degree of redistribution are questions that will need to be answered and be separate from the primary question of taxation. Simulations have suggested a flat tax would meet this test of generating enough revenue and would leave the allotment of the federal tax load fundamentally unchanged. A better economy would create more jobs, increased wages and greater economic safeness.The economy has enjoyed economic growth in recent decades along with too many recessions and high unemployment. While this has been happening China and India are regularly gaining strength, and America must act to match their rise. Tax reform would be a good place to start in gaining and advance America’s economic strength for the years ahead. The federal tax code is very complicated and hard for most to understand. Thanks to personal computers and tax software it has created an issue with policymakers in Washington to create tax complexities that tax professionals can have issues understanding.There are too many credits, exemptions and deductions and many of them are subject to special rules and only are allowed at certain amounts of income. With all of this complexity individual taxpayers suffer minor compared to the outrageous rules and exceptions businesses suffer thru. As bad as the complexity is the drain on the economic system by our federal tax system is worse. High tax rates have discouraged all levels of productive activity. Our corporate income tax rate is almost the highest in the industrialized world and higher than the average of our international competitors. The economy is further decreased y the existents system’s impulse to overtax saving which means people are discouraged from saving enough for their retirement and for the large investments. This steers consumers toward debt and everyone towards an a bbreviated economic security. These reactions will lead to a depressed level of national savings which will lower investment opportunities. The federal tax system should not be this hard to understand and damaging to the U. S. economy. It is this way because for many decades Congresses have twisted the system often creating two new issues while trying to solve one issue.The income tax has turned to be a bad decision from its outset. After many Congresses it continues to get worse without any exceptions. A stronger economy would be a vital role in advancing the federal finances. This would create better levels of tax revenue and create less spending needs for the unemployed. A strong economy offers increased wages and increased job opportunities to the citizens of our tax base. This would create less poverty and with less poverty comes fewer demands for welfare. A flat tax would be a complete reform of the entire federal tax system as with most previous tax reform proposals.The flat tax can be started as a single tax plan or as part of a more complete rewriting of our government’s federal fiscal policy. A flat tax would offer astounding understanding for individuals and businesses. It would create much greater clarity so that we taxpayers would be more convinced the taxes that are paid are in close to the amount of their neighbors. It will also allow taxpayers to be more informed about the costs of running our government. The flat tax will free the potential for the American economy to grow without being burdened by high tax rates.American taxpayers spend an average of 26. 5 hours processing and preparing their tax returns [6]. However companies and wealthy people hire teams of professionals to play the system. How is that fair? A flat tax treats everybody the same. You don’t have to worry about missing deductions that the other guy is taking. Other countries in the world have adopted the flat tax, even former Communist countries. Why can’t the United States? Those other countries have understood that a flat tax reduces the incentive to play the system.Because of its simplicity and low tax rate, a flat tax encourages people to stop cheating and honestly report their income. They can be assured that both the rich and the poor are paying the same rates and taking the same deductions. We save time and money and make our country more competitive in the world. A flat tax would replace our existing tax system with a very simple single rate system that would only tax individual’s incomes only once, offers businesses with an economical investment-friendly tax, and replace all federal income taxes along with payroll taxes.This will prove that progressive taxation rates need to be eliminated to allow for a fair and balanced tax rate that all Americans can feel is fair. We do not need to be overtaxed, but equally taxed. We need to save our country from bankruptcy and save it so our children’s children will have a p lace to call home. We need to keep America the greatest country in the world without having the future generations force to pay even higher taxes because our government officials can’t stop spending the money they do not have to spend. 1 – www. utilitarianism. com – Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, plato. stanford. edu 3 – Hoover Institution, Stanford University, www. hoover. org/publications/policy-review/article/72291 4 – Freedom Works, www. freedomworks. org/issues/flat-tax 5 – The Heritage Foundation, www. heritage. org/research/factsheets/2012/01/the-new-flat-tax-encourages-growth-and-job-creation 6 – David Keating, A Taxing Trend: The Rise in Complexity, Forms, and Paperwork Burdens (National Taxpayers Union, April 18, 2011), 13. Available at: http://www. ntu. org/news-and-issues/taxes/tax-reform/ntupp130. html (April 20, 2012)

Children and Play

D1, D2, D3 There are many different settings where children can play. Children from a very young age can go to a baby room and after the baby room, children can go to pre-school nursery and then they can go to school. In my assignment these are the three settings I will be talking about. In a baby room the age range would be 9 months to 1 year old. The stage of play for this age range is solitary play. In solitary play children play on their own, totally independent from adults or other children. In a pre-school nursery the age range would be from 3 to 4 years old. There are 3 different stages of play this age range would be at. These are parallel, associative and co-operative play. Parallel play is when a child is playing along aside another child, but not playing with the other children. Associative play is when children share their materials and they talk to one and other. They all have different ideas of what they want to do and play. Co-operative play is when a child plays within a group and fully interacts with the other children. They also share their resources. In a school the age range is 5 to 11 years old. The stage of play the children are at is co-operative play, (see above for co-operative play). In a baby room the play that takes place is physical play. Physical play may include crawling and walking. Some children may be picking up objects, e. g. rattles and sucking toys.

Writers Strike

The Writers Guild of America is a labor union that represents the thousands of professionals who write what we see and hear on our televisions, in movies, and. The guild combines the efforts of two different US labors; those east of the Mississippi are included in the Writers Guild of America, East. Those members in Hollywood and southern California would be part of the Writers Guild of America, West. Once ever three years the East and West guilds come together to negotiate an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is the association that conducts all the negotiations across all the industry-wide guild and union contracts. In the particular year of 2007 when it had come to the negotiating time of year the Writers Guild felt it was time to fight for change this time around. When home video was just starting out the studios asked the writers to take an 80% cut on their pay of videocassettes in order to expand the industry. This was done with the understanding that once home video was a healthy market the studios would give back what they had given up. With sales soaring with the selling of DVD’s and the use of digital downloading the writers pay has yet to be changed from their pay cut. Dave McNary of Variety Magazine stated that â€Å"the Writers Guild wants studios and networks to take a serious look at the Guilds proposals – which seek a doubling of DVD residuals, spelling out terms of new media work and broadening WGA jurisdiction over new media, reality and animation. Attempts at a negotiation to avoid a walkout failed as the Guild announced they would start their strike on November 5, 2007. The Writers guild had a solid reason behind their strike. Patric Verrone, President of the Writers Guild of America stated, â€Å"What we must have is a contract that gives us the ability to keep up with the financial success of this ever-expanding global industry. † In response to the Writers Guild’s DVD proposal the Alliance of Motion Picture Television Producers tayed with the fact that the studios’ DVD income was needed to pay for the rising costs of production and marketing. The AMPTP took a solid stance on their approach to the negation. AMPTP spokesman Jesse Hiestand shared that â€Å"the AMPTP may have different companies with different assets in different businesses, but they are all unified in one common goal – to reach an agreement with writers that positions everyone in our industry for success in a rapidly changing marketplace. Although the AMPTP was after mutual benefit things always didn’t go that way. One of the major issues that happened throughout the writers strike was the fact that negotiations between the two parties would fall through. One particular issue that broke up the negotiation was the issue of payment for content broadcast free or bought over the Internet. Finally after 100 days ups and downs the two parties came to an agreement. The deal they came to put in effect a scale of royalty payments for writers whose work is sold over the internet. Over the 100 days the writers strike lasted, there are several things that could have been handled better. One of the greatest things is this childish behavior reported by Multichannel News Reports stating â€Å"Representatives for the writers guild and the studio alliance are blaming each other for the lack of negotiations. † They could of avoided this issue and possibly could have had an agreement before the strike if they approached the negotiation by separating the people from the problem and working together towards mutual benefit. The greatest thing that went well in this negotiation is the positive outcome. Writers Guild President Patric Verrone said, â€Å"this was not a strike we wanted, but one we had to conduct in order to win jurisdiction and establish appropriate residuals for writing in new media and over the internet. Rather than being shut out of the future content creation and delivery, writers will lead the way as TV migrates to the internet and platforms for new media are developed. Those advances now give us a foothold in the digital age. † The outcome that came from the negotiations between the two parties sets them off to a positive co-existence in the future.

Athletes and Financial Investment Firms

Does the acquisition of material goods or financial gains insure financial stability? Is there peace of mind for an individual once these goals of procurement are achieved? Is there anyway to insure financial peace of mind? The simple answer would be to become a professional athlete, to win the lottery, or marry into Bill Gate†s family. However, these are all long shots for a majority of the world. But even these do not guarantee long-term financial stability. That is why it is becoming increasingly important to possess a high level of competency in the area of wealth management. What exactly is wealth management? Wealth management is the proficient administration of one†s total assets through financial planning and accurately allocating wealth to achieve a financial goal. Financial planning integrates the execution of various financial services, which promote growth, and stability of an investor†s wealth. Planning is differentiated according to the specific needs and focus of individuals. A high-net-worth individual would bear distinct goals that differentiate from that of a small-time investor. Albeit that these investors may have unique objectives, the necessity for a competent provider of such financial services is evident. The world of finance is unpredictable and continuously shifting. Investors find themselves overwhelmed by intimidation caused by the perception that investment firms are bottom-line oriented with no regard to their personal financial goals. As a result, investment firms are making resilient efforts to educate investors and offer them extended financial services. These services are specifically designed through a financial plan, which caters to the individual investor. Athletes and Financial Investment Firms Does the acquisition of material goods or financial gains insure financial stability? Is there peace of mind for an individual once these goals of procurement are achieved? Is there anyway to insure financial peace of mind? The simple answer would be to become a professional athlete, to win the lottery, or marry into Bill Gate†s family. However, these are all long shots for a majority of the world. But even these do not guarantee long-term financial stability. That is why it is becoming increasingly important to possess a high level of competency in the area of wealth management. What exactly is wealth management? Wealth management is the proficient administration of one†s total assets through financial planning and accurately allocating wealth to achieve a financial goal. Financial planning integrates the execution of various financial services, which promote growth, and stability of an investor†s wealth. Planning is differentiated according to the specific needs and focus of individuals. A high-net-worth individual would bear distinct goals that differentiate from that of a small-time investor. Albeit that these investors may have unique objectives, the necessity for a competent provider of such financial services is evident. The world of finance is unpredictable and continuously shifting. Investors find themselves overwhelmed by intimidation caused by the perception that investment firms are bottom-line oriented with no regard to their personal financial goals. As a result, investment firms are making resilient efforts to educate investors and offer them extended financial services. These services are specifically designed through a financial plan, which caters to the individual investor.

Direct Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Direct Marketing - Essay Example Data is generated by transactions that form the foundation of many industries, such as retail, manufacturing, utilities, transportation, insurance, credit cards, and banking. In addition to these internal data, external data sources also provide demographic, lifestyle, and credit information on retail customers, and credit, financial, and marketing information on business customers. Data mining is a very useful tool to analyse business data and to use it to identify key customers and in turn increase business opportunities by targeted marketing. From the direct marketing perspective, data mining and data fusion provide a necessary means to collect and analyse customers' data in order to utilise direct marketing strategy most effectively. Data mining and data fusion are the exploration and analysis of large quantities of data in order to discover meaningful patterns and rules (Berry et al., 2004). Used in various simpler forms in earlier times, mining and fusion have made way for businesses to finally make some sense out of all the data that they have accumulated for years (Rudd, 2000). Several books and journals have been published to strengthen the cause of these tools to improve relations between customers and generate more business. Some other areas where data mining and data fusion have been extensively used include credit scoring, direct marketing, sales forecasting, insurance, manufacturing, telecommunications, web-mining and text mining. An area pertaining to the scope of this paper is the application of data mining and fusion in direct marketing. Mining and fusion are useful tools in almost all aspects of a business and direct marketing. It helps in building supporting systems for day-today business. It is u seful in forecasting trends, it is used in decision making processes. It can be used in strategic planning of the course of action to be followed (Berson et al., 1999). A significant application in this area is the usage of data mining and fusion as tools in customer marketing and effective promotion (Berry et al., 2004). Customer acquisition is another such application. Statistical modeling using data mining and fusion are useful in effectively segmenting customers so that suitable marketing efforts can be carried out (Berson et al., 1999). Estimation of customer profitability is another such vital application of data mining. Determining customer segments help establish better marketing and services practice (Berson et al., 1999). Data mining and fusion thus help businesses to a very great extent in managing customers and helps maximise the tenure of relationship with customers, optimise the transactions or business carried out, increase profits associated (Berry et al., 2004). Mining is an activity that processes raw data or information recorded on a transactional basis. Earlier in smaller companies, this 'mining' process was carried out by people who dealt directly with customers. Now with companies that have billions of customers, a system has to be established to carry out these activities. Mining is a follow-up and is closely connected with data warehousing (Berson et al., 1999). If useless data has been collected and warehoused, the mining process will yield no better results. At the same time, having

Read this stories and pull out imporatant 3 qoutes from each story Essay

Read this stories and pull out imporatant 3 qoutes from each story (6qoute) - Essay Example As a cripple, I swagger†. (p 1) â€Å"I wake up in the morning feeling the way most people do at the end of a bad day, and I take it from there. As a result, I spend a lot of time in extremis and, impatient with limitation, I tend to ignore my fatigue until my body breaks down in some way and forces rest. Then I miss picnics, dinner parties, poetry readings, the brief visits of old friends from out of town. The offspring of a puritanical tradition of exceptional venerability, I cannot view these lapses without shame. My life often seems a series of small failures to do as I ought†. (p 2) â€Å"A friend who also has MS startled me once by asking, "Do you ever say to yourself, Why me, Lord?" "No, Michael, I dont," I told him, "because whenever I try, the only response I can think of is Why not?" If I could make a cosmic deal, whom would I put in my place? What in my life would I give up in exchange for sound limbs and a thrilling rush of energy? No one. Nothing. I might as well do the job myself. Now that Im getting the hang of it†. (p 8) â€Å"It was at that moment I realized the deceit I had been living under. Children growing up in the American Southwest, drinking contaminated milk from contaminated cows, even from the contaminated breasts of their mothers, my mother--members, years later, of the Clan of one-Breasted Women†. (p 2) â€Å"But one by one, I watched the women in my family die common, heroic deaths. We sat in waiting rooms hoping for good news, always receiving the bad. I cared for them, bathed their scarred bodies, and kept their secrets. I watched beautiful women become bald as cisplatin, Cytoxan, and Adriamycin were injected into their veins. I held their foreheads as they vomited green-black bile and I shot them with morphine when the pain became inhuman. In the end, I witnessed their last peaceful breaths, becoming a midwife to the rebirth of their souls.

Strategic Operation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Operation Management - Essay Example To begin with, Schmenner & Swink (1998) argue that operations management has its basis in the known theories of natural science. They argue that the discipline of operations management can explain the reasons why two production centers are not alike in their productivity. According to them, certain deductive laws such as Law of Variability, and the Law of Bottlenecks can explain the ways of improving productivity to a certain extent. Productivity gets hampered due to myriads of variability factors in the processes. It can be measured in terms of labor output, machine output, or total factor productivity output. Similarly, when bottleneck issues are addressed, overall productivity can be improved. The effect of above mentioned laws can be further augmented by certain other laws that have been derived out of real life experiences and they are: the Law of Scientific methods, the Law of Quality and the Law of Factory Focus. The law of scientific methods, for instance, is based on empiric al findings using industrial engineering tools. The law of quality states that productivity gets enhanced as quality of product improves through changes in processes or product design. The law of factory focus explains why outsourcing has become so popular in current times. The rationale is that only core functions are focused within the unit and all other activities such as small component or utility services are procured from outside sources. Other processes or parts are outsourced to those who can better produce them more efficiently and can be assigned as their core activities. In recent years, supply chain management has been a most crucial issue for several transnational companies. They not only market their products globally but operate several production centers across several countries. Their success in these countries depends upon how efficiently they manage and coordinate different activities. Supply chain management is becoming more and more crucial for their success. Se veral theories have emerged in last decade or so that revolve around supply chain management issues. Kor and Mahoney, (2004) argues about resource-based view theory that resources of the organization create, sustain and built competitive advantage of the firm. The origin of this theory goes back to the theory of comparative advantage proposed by famous economist David Ricardo. The crux of the theory lies in its recognition that resources are rare and cannot be substituted to gain competitive advantage. Many authors emphasize that in the changing world scenario, knowledge is a resource that is crucial for gaining competitive advantage. For most modern organizations, this is a discerning characteristic to differentiate from others (Grant, 1997). Strategic decision making has been cornerstone of the successful organization that is where Strategic Choice Theory comes into play. According to this theory, managers play a crucial role in making strategic decision to advance the organizatio n towards fulfilling its objectives (Ketchen and Hult, 2007). McNichols and Brennan (2006) propose Network perspective (NP) as an important theory that can be applied in augmenting supply chain management efficiency. According to NP theory, networks among the support organizations increase competencies and resource capabilities of firms through coordinated activities (Robert and Mackay, 1998). It

Videocy findings memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Videocy findings memo - Essay Example The aforementioned can be achieved through the implementation of the following advice: The article historically contextualizes multimedia information delivery technologies. In so doing, it normalizes it. As you overview the evolution of the printing press, the rise of multimedia information channels, such as the television, and move onto interactive multimedia technologies, you normalize this media and present its evolution as a process of natural progression. This certainly allows readers to understand that the phenomenon in question is an evolution of already existing media and communication technologies, not a revolution against them. Nevertheless, the stated approach detracts from the uniqueness of multimedia as an information communication channel. It is essential that you fully acknowledge the uniqueness of this technological development. In so doing you will be expressing a sympathetic understanding of the position held by its opponents. The simple fact of the matter is that many fear multimedia technology and believe that its integration into the classroom and teaching environment will have a detrimental impact upon intellectual and cognitive development (Alliance for Childhood, n.d.). Indeed, as argued in an Alliance for Childhood article entitled `Fool’s gold,’ (n.d.), â€Å"Interactive multimedia leaves very little to the imagination †¦ multimedia narrative includes such specific representations that less and less is left to the minds eye.† This above-stated viewpoint, which as Jonnavithula and Kinshuk (2005) explain, is held by many, should have been acknowledged in the body of the article. Acknowledgement should have taken the form of an explicit concession to the uniqueness of the phenomenon in question. By conceding to uniqueness, you would have been expressing an understanding of the objections sounded against multimedia as a teaching tool. This would have

Mobile Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mobile Marketing - Essay Example Therefore, the marketers of today should have a hawks eye on any new marketing trends and issues so that they can be adopted and addressed respectively and so that they benefit the marketing activities of the product to the maximum possible. The current issues in marketing are those which have not been that prevalent/popular or even existent a year ago, and this is where the need for spotlight on them arises. Marketers in the making need to have a close look at these current issues so that they can incorporate them in their marketing practices when they step into the practical life. Not just those in the making, but it is essential for current established marketers to be flexible for these current issues so as to provide the best marketing services to the product or company. When the mobile phone was initially invented, it was done so for the purpose of wireless communication and was used specifically for emergencies or when someone had to travel. But with the passage of time, dependence on the mobile phone has increased as this little device has become more than just a means of communication for emergency purposes. The mobile phone has become a very interactive medium, with the invention of other services like SMS (Short Message Service), MMS (Multimedia Message Service) and GPRS (General Packet Radio Service). These services have increased the attractiveness of this little piece of phone and opened many horizons and opportunities for marketers. This can be said because the mobile phone is a device which is present with the owner 24/7. It is not a television, which is seen only when time is available or the newspaper, which is read once its got hold of. It is the mobile phone, which is individually owned by every single person and they keep it. Therefo re, access is unlimited and the user is bound to go through any SMS or mms that hits their cell phone, thereby increasing the chances of attention that a particular marketing attempt will get in the eyes of the target audience. (Salter, 2007) With passing time, the popularity of the mobile phone marketing is ever increasing and this rate is not getting stagnant. In the year 2008 only, it has been reported that over 89% of businesses will be considering marketing through using the mobile phone. At times, the issue in this type of marketing often gets raised that the users of mobile phones are bombarded with unwanted advertisements and marketing efforts, something that stands as a boulder to the important messages that they might be waiting for. It was even regarded as "spam", a term popularly known for email, but can be used when the customers are abused by unwanted content in any other media as well. But in some parts of the world, mobile marketing through using the SMS facility has been made a legal act to do, and therefore, this increases the opportunities for all marketers as they can now reach their optimal potential in marketing without worrying about harming laws. (Goswami, 2008) Mobile marketing can take many forms: they can be done through MMS, through sponsoring the

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTIONS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTIONS - Assignment Example The average minutes that I use in physical fitness training, every day, is equal to 50.8. The figure is from data collected for duration of 10 days. The list number of minutes spent on physical fitness training is 38 minutes and the highest number of minutes is 60. The standard deviation is the square root of the variance. The standard deviation of the above data is 9.33 meaning that, on average, every value of the collected data is far from the mean by 9.33 units. Data falling within the range include 60,60,38,38,58,58,58,41,41,56, meaning that 100 percent of the sample is within the range. For normally distributed data, only 5 percent of the value should fall outside the above range. Therefore, the above data is normally distributed. Additionally, the data does not have any outlets, which reflects the fact that it is normally distributed. A curve for a normally distributed data is bell shaped and symmetric, meaning that the data has an equal spread on both sides of the curve (William, 2003). The data is also continuous on both sides of the bell shape. Comparing normally distributed data and non-normal data, the estimates from normal data are more accurate compared to estimates from data that is not normally distributed (Bryc, 2013). When defining normally distributed data, one must specify two quantities, including the mean ( µ) and the standard deviation (ÏÆ').which reflects the spread of the curve. Different values of the mean and standard deviation yield different normal curves thus different normal distributions. Besides the 95 percent test, 99.7 percent test is also applicable while determining if data is normally distributed. 99.7 percent of all the values should fall within three standard deviations from the mean. In other words, they should fall between  µ-3ÏÆ' and  µ+3ÏÆ' (Berman, 2013). More than 99.7% of the data fall within the range reflecting the fact that the data has a normal distribution. One of it implications