Different Types of Documents Produced in a Business Environment Essay

The different formats in which text may be presented are font typefaces, headings, font size, effects (bold, italics, underlined), colours and text boxes. We can format text in paragraphs, tables and columns. We can add bullet points, headers and footers. We can also add tables, graphs, diagrams and flowcharts as a clear way to represent data and processes. 1. 3 Explain the purpose and benefits of producing high quality and attractive documents The documents you produce for your organisation are an image of representation of your organisation. So it creates an impression on the reader about the standards of the organisation. A good quality document that looks good to the audience can gain more customers and increase the company’s reputation. The quality of your documents is a reflection on you. 2. 3 Describe different types of technology available for inputting, formatting, and editing text and their main features A keyboard and mouse would be the main technology to insert text into a computer. When using a keyboard you press the specific key for each character that needs inputting, and this is transferred on to the computer screen, in a word processing program. A mouse helps you navigate on the computer screen to select the programs to select the programs to open and view and type the text. Another form of inputting could be copying and pasting information from the internet or another document. You could even use a scanner to input text and transfer documents into the computer. Within the Microsoft Word package, you have the following tools to format the text to make it look high quality: -WordArt: this includes effects such as shadows, outlines, colours, gradients, and 3D effects that can be added to a word or phrase. WordArt can also bend, stretch, rotate, or modify the shape of the text. -Page layout: the arrangement of text, images and other objects on a page. -Columns: this is a vertical division of text on a page, usually found in the layout of booklets, newspapers, magazines and leaflets. -Paragraphs: usually a distinct, short section on a document/ piece of writing, usually with a single theme. -Headers and footers: A header or footer is text or graphics that is usually printed at the top or bottom of every page in a document. A header is printed in the top margin; a footer is printed in the bottom margin. The types of technology that are available to edit text are: -Spell check: a computer program that identifies possible misspellings in a block of text by comparing the text with a database of the correct spellings. -Grammar check: this is a tool on Microsoft programs that gives you helpful hints to improve your sentence structure. -Find and replace: this is a function that allows you to search for a particular word in a document and replace it if you need to rename more than one word. 3. Explain the benefits of agreeing the purpose, content, style and deadlines for producing documents. The audience of a document is the group of people for who it is written for. Therefore, documents should be designed to meet the needs of the expected audience. You need to know the purpose of the document so you know what and how to produce it, for example, if it is advertising for young people you would want it to be eye catching and in a style that will appeal to them. It is important to agree the content so you can obtain the information, plan and organise the layout. Deadlines are important so you can plan other work around it and complete the document on time. 3. 2 Outline different ways of organising content for documents. To organise the content you require for a document, you first need to find out how the document is to be presented and the information that is to be included. But ways you could organise content could be: -Bullet points -Alphabetical ordering -Chronological order -Headings -Text -Graphs -Text boxes You should then store all the information needed safely and with clear file names. 3. Outline ways of integrating and laying out text and non-text. Text and non – text can be integrated easily with Microsoft Word or Publisher. There are many ways of laying out a document, using columns, graphics, and blocks of text, headings, background colours, images and white space and wrap text around; which helps you to work around with its different features to get a consistent format. Also there are other office applications that help with integrating and laying out text and non-text, for example, Excel and PowerPoint, help with integrating text and non-text in spread sheets and slides. Many organisations use a logo on all their printed materials and their documents often have a very specific style. This will be achieved by always using the same fonts, font sizes, text and page colours and page layout. 3. 4 Describe ways of checking finished documents for accuracy – including spelling, grammar and punctuation – and correctness, and the purpose of doing so. When you have finished creating a document, you should review and check it thoroughly before sending or printing the document. Word documents have a spell check function, however even using spell check might not be completely accurate, therefore using a grammar check on the document as well, will be more beneficial. After doing the spell and grammar checks, you could ask another colleague to proof read your work – having a proof reader can help highlight problems as they are a fresh set of eyes that have not read the document. Re-reading the documents several days after completing, may refresh your mind to notice any corrections and adjustments. It is beneficial to compare the final version with original notes and rough drafts. All of these checks are to ensure that your document that you want to make is fit for purpose and correct before showing to a senior member of staff or production of the document. 3. 5 Explain the purpose of storing documents safely and securely, and ways of doing so. Any document with any sensitive information should always be stored safely; electronically or physically. For example, -A filing cabinet which can be locked, as it may be required for future use/reference. Storing confidential documents electronically should always be stored with password protection, on a safe and secure operating system. -Locking your computer if you’re leaving your desk, even if it is for just a few minutes. -Being aware who is around you or your desk when dealing with documents with confidential information on. 3. 6 Explain the purpose of confidentiality and data protection when preparing documents. Any form of personal information held about a person within a company is protected under the Data Protection Act; this means all data should be kept confidential. This is significant to ensure nobody will be able to get the data and pass the information on. Confidentiality is very important when preparing documents, because Oxfordshire County Council is involved with a lot of personal data: †¢Full names †¢Contact details (addresses and phone numbers) †¢Records When preparing documents we need to be aware of what we are including in the document, for example if you are adding a photograph, do you have the right permission to use it? As a company, in order to protect the users and the owner, confidentiality must be observed. 3. Explain the purpose and benefits of meeting deadlines. If deadlines are valued and meeting those deadlines is enforced, expectations are consistent. It is important that you produce your work to the best possible standard in order to meet the requirements of the person setting the task. This will show you are responsible and trustworthy and you can be relied upon to get things completed. You may not know who else might be waiting for your work; it could have to be passed on to someone else. This may cause problems and delays in the workplace and could affect team relationships.

Mythology of Today

On the other hand there are many instances that show that Greek mythology still pulses through our veins and in our society; it's only in a efferent form that what how we normally see the Greek myths. The stories we know from history have strong parallels in the currently worshiped religion of Christianity. There are several tales and characters in Greek myth that can be paired with books and people from Christianity. First instance is the old Greek god Prometheus; he was the god whom gave us fire and the knowledge needed to allow mankind to grow and survive.When he did this he was then captured by Zeus and persecuted. His punishment was to be nailed to a rock and every day he'd have a giant eagle eat his liver and regenerate at the setting of each ay to do it again. Prometheus sacrificed himself for the well being of mankind. In a way, this character sound much like Jesus in modern day religion. Jesus was nailed to a cross as a sacrifice for the salvation of mankind. Prometheus is n ot the only one in Greek mythology that can be represented as Jesus, the later added Olympian wine god Dionysus shares some resemblance.Dionysus and Jesus are both the ones who game mankind the gift of wine and encourage a blissful lifestyle. The also both share the archetype of rebirth after death. Dionysus traveled to the underworld to search for his mother homo he never met and didn't know anything about. He wanted to bring her to Olympus since he was now considered a Olympian god. Dionysus went to the underworld to save a person he didn't know. Much like how Jesus went to hell after taking on the sins of all the humans on the earth.Then in a sense both Dionysus and Jesus rose up and were reborn from the place of the lowest level of existence. Almost all have heard the Flood story when Noah built a large boat to save himself, his family, and a pair Of all the animals in the world. Well in Greek mythology, there is also a flood story These religions also share the idea of giants a nd monsters once ruling the earth. In the Greek creation stories there were Cyclopes, Hysterectomies (hundred handlers) and the Titans. In Christianity there is a similar story with giants and large monsters that fight over the power of the world.Not many know of this book from Christian religious text because it was forbidden from the bible: the Book of Enoch. These giants in the bible were called Oenophile; they were half angel, half human, their fathers were renegade angels who fought god in order to help humanity, but in reality only lusted for human women. These beings that sprawled on every corner of the earth. Their appearance was similar to that in the Greek creation story as being these grotesque deformed creatures with great power.In the Book of Enoch, it states that God sent the Flood to dispose of these enormous beings that rivaled in power of god himself, much like how Zeus rivaled his father Crocus or how Crocus rivaled his father Chaos. Not only in common religion is there reminiscence of classical mythologies, they are also advertised, Worn, used, and distributed all over the globe. Almost everyone has used or at least seen an atlas, which was named from he titan that was forced to forever hold the world on his shoulders.Many people have also worn Mike products, the creators named there brand after the Greek god of victory. Then there is the Honda Odyssey and the Volkswagen Goes, named after the ten year long story of Odysseus and the Goddess of Dawn. Our culture even has sayings and terms like the Achilles Heel and having the Midas touch which are famous characters from Greek mythology. There are many more allusions and connections with Greek mythology to our culture. As was shone, Greek mythologies are alive and still a heavy influence on our ultra.Greek terms and names are thrown around everyday even if the meaning is not well known, many have the grand idea without the story behind it. So some people with this knowledge would argue with the belief that mythology is dying out They also are the people who may see the relations between classical mythology and currently worshiped religion. I use to say that mythology is nothing but a forgotten religion, but now I see that its really not all that forgotten. Which is why agree with professor Joseph Campbell when he said that â€Å"Myth is much more important and true than history.

Racial and Ethnic Groups Essay

There are three sociological perspectives of race and ethnicity which are functionalist, conflict, and labeling perspectives. The first one I will discuss is the functionalist perspective. The functionalist perspective emphasizes how the parts of society are structured to maintain its stability. As also described in the reading the functionalist approach is an approach, if an aspect of social life does not contribute to a society’s stability or survival, it will not be passed on from one generation to the next. The functionalist perspective thinks that racial hostility is hard to be admired but the functionalist would point out that it serves some positive functions from the perspective group of the racists as described. In the dominant group there are five functions that racial beliefs have for the dominant group. As described they are the following: 1. A society that practices discrimination fails to use the resources of all individuals. Discrimination limits the search for talent and leadership to the dominant group. 2. Discrimination aggravates social problems such as poverty, delinquency, and crime and places the financial burden of alleviating these problems on the dominant group. 3. Society must invest a good deal of time and money to defend the barriers that prevent the full participation of all members. 4. Racial prejudice and discrimination undercut goodwill and friendly diplomatic relations between nations. They also negatively affect efforts to increase global trade. 5. Social change is inhibited because change may assist a subordinate group. 6. Discrimination promotes disrespect for law enforcement and for the peaceful settlement of disputes. The second perspective is the conflict perspective which is the perspective assumes that the social structure is best understood in terms of conflict or tension between competing groups. As described in the reading society is a struggle between the privileged (the dominant group) and the exploited (the subordinate group). There is competition that takes groups between groups with unequal amounts of political and economic powers. A difference is that functionalists are not necessarily in favor of inequality; their approach is helps to understand why such systems persist as described. The subordinate group is criticized for its low status. The dominant group is responsible for subordination which is often ignored. The third approach is the labeling approach. The labeling theory which is described in the reading is a concept introduced by sociologist Howard Becker, is an attempt to explain why certain people are viewed as deviant and other engaging in the same behavior are not. As said in the reading a crucial aspect of the relationship between dominant and subordinate groups is the prerogative of the dominant group to define society’s values. Minorities are believed to have the lack of ability to perform in important positions where subordinate group are locked into society’s inferior jobs. I feel that I can agree with the labeling perspective the most. The reason for this is that it still exists in today’s society. Companies are required to provide equal opportunity employment and cannot discriminate against religion, race, or age. We know that this is still not true. You see that most police officers and firefighters are still mostly men. You still see large amounts of families have stay at home mothers. Another example would believe that if a child is bad in school that it has to be his or her parents that make them that way. I believe that it truly is still an issue among individuals. Part II I choose African Americans and the creation of migration and the consequence of segregation. Migration is defined as a general term that describes any transfer of population. Segregation is described the physical separation of two groups, often imposed on a subordinate group by the dominant group. According to Wikipedia I choose The Great Migration. As described it was the movement of 2 million African American out of the Southern United States to the Midwest, Northeast, and West from 1910 to 1930. They migrated to escape racism and seek employment opportunities in industrial cities. When the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863 less than eight percent of the African American population lived in the northeastern or Midwestern U. S. As described, â€Å"Between 1910 and 1930, the African American population grew by about 40% in Northern states, mostly in the major cities. Cities such as Chicago, Detroit, New York, and Cleveland had some of the biggest increases in the early part of the century. Because changes were concentrated in cities, urban tensions rose as African Americans and new or recent European immigrants, both groups chiefly from rural societies, competed for jobs and housing with the white ethnic working class. Tensions were often most severe between ethnic Irish, defending their positions, and recent immigrants and blacks. † â€Å"African Americans moved as individuals or small family groups. There was no government assistance, but often northern industries, such as the railroads, meatpacking and stockyards, recruited people. The primary factor for migration was the racial climate and widespread violence of lynching in the South. In the North, they could find better schools and adult men could vote (joined by women after 1920). Burgeoning industries meant there were job opportunities. † (Wikipedia, 2010) This in turn caused African Americans to feel segregated and felt they had to be among other African Americans do to how they are treated. There were many fights and riots among different cultural groups due to segregation. Such as the example of African Americans who could not sit in the front of the bus because of their race. In today’s society this is ethnically not acceptable. References: Wikipedia. (2010, October 15). Wikipedia. org. Retrieved October 23, 2010, from Wikipedia: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Great_Migration_(African_American).

Government and Nation's Growth Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Government and Nation's Growth - Research Paper Example Half a million more jobs today are available in Texas than it managed before the recession; however other states are still struggling their way out of a deep hole; this shows that there is much difference as compared inter-state. Currently, there is no federal unemployment extension fo the year 2014. The main unemployment advantage at the moment that is in place are the state unemployment insurance merits which avails up to a maximum of twenty-six weeks on unemployment reimbursement. Evidently, it is necessary that all states in USA should prepare the youth careers and education spanning above high school level (Bardhan, Jaffee, & Kroll, 2004). Reports from U.S.A Census Bureau, averagely, high school graduates carry home twenty eight per cent extra annually as compared to high school dropouts. The rate of unemployment for high school drop outs is a third higher that high school graduates; this nearly triples college graduate level with either a bachelor degree or even higher. In real events, college graduates are estimated to be carrying extra $ 1 million as compared to high school graduates. The joblessness rate by race era series retraces its roots back to the year 1954. Excluding the Asian time sequence, all of the rates presented here are adjusted seasonally. Hispanics may belong to any race (Whalen, 2002). The joblessness rate time series for women and men and as well dates back to the year 1948. Conventionally, women have enjoyed greater employment stability when compared to men during economic crisis. The Government of United States measures inflation through pinpointing products and services that exemplify the economy then decides the ‘basket’ price. The decided ‘basket’ price is represented by an index well known to be Consumer Price Index for all customers in the urban areas. I t compares the basket price over duration for the purpose

Empowerment and Goal Setting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Empowerment and Goal Setting - Essay Example It is management's responsibility to create an environment in which that knowledge is brought out and used for the benefit of the people and the organisation. An employee's ability to solve problems, make decisions and take actions based on those decisions, management has often encouraged the first two but has failed to allow the third. (Holbeche 2004, p.60). Three organisations utilising the empowerment process are Delphi Packard (Delphi), Virgin Mobile and Ritz Carlton Hotels, all three organisations are applying the process differently and with differing results. Delphi is applying empowerment as stated in the Holbeche quote from a management perspective, the lead engineer responsible for the day to day engineering management of the Ford Transit Project, has been empowered to request overtime for contractors and permanent staff. The necessity for it and the amount of time required needs to be agreed by senior management. The lead engineer also has the responsibility for giving appraisals and assigning staff responsibilities. All of which merely removes some of the repetitive tasks from the HR department. In opposition the junior staff at Delphi have been given more empowerment as an engineer can act on his decision to make changes to the system without the need to consult the lead engineer.

Property-liability insurance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Property-liability insurance - Research Paper Example Different insurance plans are needed that not only save the owners from many problems in future but also to satisfy the requirements of government regulatory offices and in acquiring loans from commercial banks. Property, general liability, workers’ compensation, automobile liability, liquor liability, life insurance, loss of business, food contamination, and specific peril insurance are the most commonly used contingency plans available. We will discuss these options one by one in length. Firstly, all business owners are required to have property insurance. A small amount of annual premium is paid to the insurance company against a full coverage from incidents like fire. One such incident can bring everything to ashes. National Fire Protection Association reports that fire related cases are the second highest cause after arson and constitute 14% of the total number of commercial fires in the US from 1999 to 2002 (Patrick, Nolan. 2008). Secondly, general liability insurance pl an protects from claims like ‘slip and fall’ or when a customer gets sick after eating food. Although it is named as ‘general liability’, business proprietors deal with such cases on a regular basis. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that there are 25,000 food related shipments arrive per day from 100 different countries. Food and Drug Administration department manages to inspect only 1% of them (Patrick, Nolan. 2008). Therefore, food borne illness is on the rise more than ever. It makes imperative to have a general insurance plan. Beside an insurance plan that covers food borne illnesses, business owners should be careful about the inventory suppliers, technical specifics to store perishable items e.g. minimum required temperature for walk-ins and so on. Thirdly many states, like Texas, require restaurant owners to acquire liquor liability insurance. It responds to different liabilities cause by selling or serving liquor in the premises. For exampl e if some drunk and gets involved in a fight than the serving party is responsible. The worst scenario is when someone gets intoxicated, drives away, and involves in a traffic accident. Fourthly, if a worker gets injured while at work then you need worker compensation insurance. Let’s understand the importance of such liability plan with the help of a practical scenario. Suppose an employee is driving a company truck and gets cornered by another vehicle. As a result, the employee gets seriously injured. Now who compensates the employee? Since the party at fault carries worker compensation insurance so the claim will be settled down by the insurance company no matter how much it is. However, the annual premium goes high and thus affects the employer to a great deal. Fifthly, Life insurance is another optional plan that the owners may consider for themselves. In case of the owner’s demise, the heirs may not have enough to pay for his debts. In this case the business will be possessed by the lender. Many multinational companies and corporations offer this plan to their employees also. But it costs a hefty amount to the employer in terms of premium. An employees’ death on the premises raise claims, then life insurance plan addresses such liabilities towards the employer. Sixthly, Loss of Business insurance

It depends what you choose for report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

It depends what you choose for report - Essay Example Walgreens was founded in 1901 and it has established its drug stores in forty seven states. In the Fortunes magazine Most Admired List (2015), Walgreens Company was ranked fifth in the food and drugstores category. The company was also ranked number three among food and drugstores in the Fortune magazine 500 largest U.S based companies (2015) (Fortune magazine). Consequently the magazine also ranked Walgreens number thirty seven overall in terms of revenue. In the fiscal year 2014, Walgreens recorded $ 72217 million in revenues, $ 2450 million in profits, $ 35481 million in total assets, $ 62739 million market value and $ 19454 million in total shareholder equity (Fortune magazine). Consequently, the percentage profit for the fiscal year was 3.4 percent on sales and 6.9 percent on assets. This report gives a deep insight of Walgreens Company and gives a better understanding of the company in relation to its operations, business practices, organizational strategies and growth prospects. Knowledge of Walgreens Company is vital in helping and guiding a prospective employee to make informed decision about whether to work for Walgreens or not. The primary strength that is enabling Walgreens to stays afloat is the fact that it is the market leader. This is attributed to many factors such as increase sale of generic drugs and favorable demographics. One of the major weaknesses that hinder Walgreens from operating optimally in the existence of fierce competition in the drug store industry. Although Walgreens is the current market leader, existing and new drug companies are reducing its market share. Another major weakness is the reduction in foot traffic to Walgreens drug stores. It is imperative for potential employees to carry out an assessment of the company they intend or aspire to work for so as to make informed and better decisions. The following are some of the considered factors: The compelling need for Walgreens to reorganize, reinvent and improve

Stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Stress - Essay Example This kind of stress is experienced equally by administrators, managers, employees and workers. Segal et al (2008, para.2) assert that â€Å"while some stress is a normal part of life, excessive stress interferes with your productivity and reduces your physical and emotional health, so it’s important to find ways to keep it under control†. A little stress is beneficial, as it keeps one going and forces him to maintain his good performance. This is called positive stress. However, negative stress weighs heavily on one’s well being because one feels weakened enough to fight the hurdles (Volhard & Volhard, 2011). Behavioral effects of stress include discontentment, argumentative behavior, lack of attentiveness, lack of commitment to the job, and conflicts in relationships (Soreq, Friedman, & Kaufer, 2009, p.42). Physiological effects include headache, stomachache, slow digestion, obesity, decreased sex drive, blood pressure leading to coronary heart diseases, and var ious skin infections (Mayo Clinic, 2011). Before treating stress, it is important to rule out the possibility of factors that accompany stress. Segal, J., Horwitz, L., Jaffe-Gill, E., Smith, M., & Segal, R. (2008). How to reduce and manage job and workplace stress. Stress at Work. Retrieved 6 April, 2012, from

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS - Essay Example Politics on this earth progressively became conquered by one type of division: the sovereign national state (SNS)ii. This study will focus on the questions-What is the Westphalian system and to what extent has it been undermined by globalization? The Westphalian system is the worldwide system emblematically instated at the Peace of Westphalia, 1648, which completed the Thirty Years War. At Westphalia the state was set up as an independent political division, meaning that it accredited no rival authorities. Popes and monarchs could no longer interfere straightforwardly in the relationships of the state, but neither could it include sovereign feudal jurisdictions or self-governing peasant societies. The plan of a universal society was devastated; or rather it was re-explained as a worldwide system. Several states were autonomous, but they co-existed in a surrounded space where they continued regular communications with each other. De jure, all states were identical, and although de facto a number of states visibly were more influential than others, the dissimilarities between them were not adequately large for a clear-cut structure to appear. Allegorically speaking, the Westphalian system was a game of billiards with states cr ashing and jumping into, and off, each other. Autonomy awarded each state the right to take care of its personal affairs: an opportunity first enjoyed by emperors and later, after the national revolts which was pursued by the French Revolution, by individuals. The Westphalian system produces guaranteed â€Å"national self-determination† and â€Å"non-interference† in the matters of other territories. To the states supporters this was a great move forward. Kingdoms, indeed any highly planned communication with other territories, associated with the past: to a Roman period, kept in mind for its â€Å"despotism† instead of for its centuries-long harmony, to the gloomy Middle Ages, or probably to a

El Salvador Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

El Salvador - Essay Example The poor groups are characterized with poverty and without property, with little opportunity to explore the possibility of expanding their income as well as education opportunity. This population increasingly lives in poverty, a situation that has been associated with high birthrate. (Romanoff, Steven, 28) Study reveals that the increasing population of the El Salvador is as a result or poverty rather than the later being the course of the former. (Romanoff, Steven, 30) The largest share of the population in El Salvador is employed in the Agricultural sector work in the plantation. This presents another question of what could be the structure of the population and what is the evolution it has obtained overtime? What are the functions that have perpetuated poverty among those who live in the rural, and what are the consequences of the increase in the rate of population growth. There is a high level of poverty in rural as well as in urban among the people of El Salvador. (Romanoff, Steven, 32) This has been contributed to the fact that there is a high level of unequal distribution of land. (Maxwell, Daniel G., John W. Parker, and Heather C. Stobaugh, 69) Land is a key factor of production in El Salvador and lack or possession of it has a bearing in determination of the poverty gap. In a study conducted on the family income in El Salvador, it was revealed that 10% of those who received their income among the wealthiest obtained more wealth than the remaining 90% put together. While those who could be classified as top 1% obtained more income than that of the 50% of the poorest in the society. The wealthy families at 5.2% and were having more than 10 hectares of land were controlling overwhelming 73%. (Maxwell, Daniel G., John W. Parker, and Heather C. Stobaugh, 69) A different study conducted in 1992 revealed that 72% of the rural

Explain how large companies raise capital from the equity and bond Essay

Explain how large companies raise capital from the equity and bond markets. Discuss the relevance of the capital asset pricing model ( CAPM) to company seeking evaluate its cost of capital - Essay Example The firm has to decide whether to raise funds through common stock, preferred stock, bonds or hybrid securities or a combination. In the case of common stock, the firm has to decide whether it should it be rights issue or public issue. The company can put on offer its block of securities for sale to the highest bidder or negotiate a deal with the investment banker. Since in the latter, the investment bankers should carry out a substantial investigation, they would do it for best known companies. Otherwise, the prohibitive costs and uncertainty of clinching the deal would make the bidding for lesser known companies unattractive for the investment bankers. Therefore, only the very large companies, about 100 of the largest companies in New York stock exchange have a choice of seeking competitive bidding for their offering. Others have only an option of negotiated deal with an investment banker. In case of a negotiated deal, the firm has to select an investment banker. Most of the investment banks operate in niches. For instance, older and larger veteran merchant bankers such as Morgan Stanley deal mainly with IBM, AT&T and Exxon and such and Drexel Burnham Lambert deals with speculative issues. Some investment bankers have penchant for new issues, while some others with a conservative brokerage client base would not take up speculative and risky issues. In Stage 2, the firm’s initial decisions will be revisited by the merchant banker. For instance, the merchant banker, after studying the environmental trends, may recommend and convince the management to change their earlier plan of raising $200 million by selling common stock to raising $100 million by common stock and the rest by the issue of bonds. In this stage, the firm and investment banker will come to a conclusion as to whether the banker will work on the best efforts basis or will underwrite the issue. In the best efforts basis, the banker does not assume

The book of Luke and Acts Essay Example for Free

The book of Luke and Acts Essay The book of Luke and Acts are of the same author. It is addressed to Theophilus. On the introduction of the book of Luke, Luke wrote: Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught (Luke 1:3-4). With that verse it is clear that Luke did investigated the accounts of Jesus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If we try to study the Bible from Matthew to John, all of the accounts are similar. They only differ in the details of the accounts. Luke is not the direct disciple (not one of the 12 disciples) of Jesus Christ but he was able to reconcile what he wrote with the books of John, Matthew and Mark. With the same accounts found in Matthew, Mark, and John, we can conclude that he understands Jesus’ purpose here on earth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the book of Acts, Luke elaborates the things that make a Christian. He mentioned even how a Christian should act. He even wrote some of the accounts of the believers after Jesus ascended to heaven. In his books he never mentioned about how he understands the death of Jesus, but on his writings we can say that he fully understand the death of Jesus; that is to redeem us from our sins.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, it is the faith that convicts him to tell the people that Jesus is innocent of a sin deserving to death. As we can see on the accounts of Jesus on the book of Luke, Jesus did not commit things that deserve death but rather it is because of the fear of the Pharisees that the attention of the people will be diverted to Jesus. They are afraid that their positions will not be honored by the people. It is for that reason that Luke really is convicted to tell the world not only the innocence of Jesus Christ but the truth and the love that Jesus offer on the cross to save His people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Basically, faith is the motivation of Luke in telling such thing to people. We can even attest that when we have faith on a certain thing we can do even the impossible things just to pursue or stand on the faith that we have. Work cited: The Holy Bible (1988). The New International Version. Broadman Holman Publishers: Nashville

The Strategies Of Marketing Mix Marketing Essay

The Strategies Of Marketing Mix Marketing Essay There can be many reasons for wanting to be internationalized like saturation in the home market, the desire of export your product and catch new type of customers in new markets, little opportunity to growth in the own countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ HM wanted to get a strong brand and arrive to the best cities and establish their shops. They are looking always for the best cities and places to build their shops in order to get more and more customers all over the world. When they decided to internationalized, their wish was to become in a great famous brand, and finally they got it, because as I said, it is a well-known company situate in 47 different countries which is also planning to build new shops in more different ones. (See appendix2) Target Market HMs primary target market is based on consumer both men and women between 18-34 years old. In order to satisfy the target customer, they produce good design clothes with good quality and all of that in very cheap prices, so that, the customers of HM are very satisfied with it because it offers them everything they want. (See appendix 3) Market Selection Criteria (Keegan, W., J. and Schlegelmilch, B., B., 2001) When a company wants to be internationalised in a new country it must answered this question so as to know exactly where to establish their brand: (See appendix 4) Which market is the best? Philippines Portugal As it can be seen in this two graphics, without a shadow of doubt it can be said that the most secure country to enter in is Portugal. First of all, although this graphics not shows the complete reason, it is the main reason for choosing Portugal. As it can be seen, in Portugal the corruption is really high, the government is not as competent as in Portugal, the infrastructure is not as prepare as in Portugal to be able to build storesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Finally, making the positive and negative points of each country, it is clear that Portugal is the best option not only because of these results, but also because the geographic location of the country. (Global Competitiveness Report, 2012-2013) (See appendix 5) Portugal OPPORTUNITIES THREATS POLITICAL Parliamentary representative democratic republic ECONOMIC High income mix economy The financial crisis ECOLOGCAL Many land hectares Ecology conservation Laws TECHNOLOGICAL Pioneer of technology The financial crisis FASHION INDUSTRY Growth in the industry The financial crisis LEGAL REGULATORY Control competition Not allowed aggressive competition (Technology Portugal, 2009) (Economy of Portugal, Wikipedia, 2012) (Politics of Portugal, Wikipedia, 2012) (See appendix 6) Competitors (See appendix 7) Indirect Competitors HM does not have many Indirect Competitors in the sector, however, there someone that are strong and that they are gaining presence in the online shopping: (See appendix 8) HM ASOS Direct Competitors As everywhere nowadays, in Portugal also there are many fashion retailers that are establishing their shops in many cities so as to get more benefits and became much more international brand. In the case of HM, it would have many competitors, and the main one it would be Inditex. (Retail Index, 2012) (See appendix 9,10,11,12) HM vs. Inditex The major competitor of HM is Inditex, this table shows what main differences are between them: Outsourcing of Core Activities Group Model Competitive advantage Segmentation Communication No own factories 80% is produced in Asia Cheaper Major margins 39,7% of cost upon sales Need to create collection well in advanced Single chain Major margins in the short run Collaborations with Luxury brands, singersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Own industries 40% is produced in Europe Major flexibility Major ability for growth 44,3% of cost upon sales New collection every 2 weeks Different Chains Major dynamism and growth in the long run Collaborations with new designers, actorsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Moda Rapida, 2012) Customers in Portugal In all countries the customer do not have the same purchasing habits, how are the shopping habits of Portuguese young consumers? Factors that influence in clothing purchasing At the time of purchasing clothes, young consumer In Portugal prefers not to have anybody behind them asking all the time if they need any help, that is, they prefer to go to big stores and have a look for everything and then if they need any help ask to a staff although they think that are really impersonal places. They prefer to be free, they want to be comfort when they are shopping. Shopping Behaviour and the influence of others Portuguese young consumers prefer to go shopping alone for many different reasons: More freedom of movements: They like to go alone as they dont need to be all the time calling to the other persona come here, go there and so on. More independence in choice: Young consumers do not like to be influenced by anyone; they like to buy things without any other opinion, if they like it they would buy it without having anybody prejudicing them. Individual decision: As it is individual decision, nobody would be saying anything bad about the clothes. Purchasing choice criteria What are looking for the customers at the time of buying clothes? They based their purchase in some factors that finally are the ones that makes one to take the decision of buying one thing or another. Low Price Comfort Good Design Good Quality Brand Name Does not have any influence in purchasing criteria as nowadays almost all brands are equal. (Information sources and clothing,2012) (See appendix 13) Perceptual Map Low Quality High Price High Quality Low Price INDITEX CORTEFIEL MODALFA CA HM PRIMARK MANGO GAP In order to create the perceptual, I use my perception about the fashion brands in the world, that is, I collocated each of the company in the position that I perceive. As it cam be seen, in the same square we can find HM and Inditex, but for my point of view, although the price of it is more expensive, the quality is much better so that its positioning is greater than HMs one. Apart from this, it can be said that for young people, Cortefiel and Mango are so equal in the quality and in the prince and also GAP and CA although being so expensive, their quality is very high. Finally, as for the brands with the lowest quality, although their low price is so attractive for punctual occasions, customers prefer to buy in companies that offer them a major quality. Recommendation I really recommend HM to go to Portugal as it can offer many advantages to HM starting with its geographical location. Although the financial crisis is affecting many consumer, as HM has very low prices it can be a very good opportunity for the young people to get fashion clothes with their low income, so as nowadays the physical aspect is gaining importance, HM would find a very good opportunity in Portugal (About HM, 2012) Appendices Appendix: HM 1980/90 Stores open in Germany and Netherlands. Stores open in France, and the use of celebrities to the advertisements 1947 1977 1976 1974 1968 1964 1952 Sales of cosmetic started. First store opened outside Scandinavia, In London. Listed on the Stockholms Stock Exchange Hennes buy the fish store Mauritz Widforss, and the name is changed to Hennes and Mauritz. First store opened in a foreign country, in Norway. Hennes open in Stockholm First store open in Và ¤steras (Sweedem), with the name of Hennes 2012 Plan to open Bulgaria, Latvia, Malasya, Mexico and Thailand. 2011 HM open in Romania, Croacia and Singapore. 2010 First stores open in Soth korea and Turky. Monki goes to Asia, HM home open in Sweden. 2009 First store open in Russia and in Beijing. HM home is launched, Weekday and Monki open in Germany 2008 First store open in Tokyo. Adquisition of Weekday, Monki and Cheap Monday brands. 2007 First Asian store in Hong Kong and in Shanghai. Expansion of online sales. COS stores launched. 2006 Major expansion of online and catalogue sales 2004 Initiates designer collaborations with luxury brands 2000 Stores open in US, Spain and in many European countries. HMs presence all over the world HM world map.   Ã‚   300+ stores   Ã‚   200+ stores   Ã‚   100+ stores   Ã‚   50+ stores   Ã‚   20+ stores   Ã‚   10+ stores   Ã‚   1+ stores   Ã‚   Upcoming stores (HHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HM_world_map.svgHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HM_world_map.svgM world map, Wikipedia, 2012) HM Group HM as Inditex is completed by many different brands, that is, HM is group that is composed by some different brands: HM: It produces a broad and diverse range of fashion for men, women, youth and children, furthermore, it also sales cosmetic, accessories and products for home. COS It offers customers a combination of timelessness and distinctive trends, for both women and men. Monki: It is a very creative brand that offers to the customer the opportunity to express itself. Weekday: It offers urban fashion for men and women always at the best price. Cheap Monday: Cheap Monday combines influences from street fashion and subcultures with a catwalk vibe. HMs expansion strategy HM is so conscious at the time of opening new stores in other countries, that is, it thinks that the stores should make much stronger the brand and attract customer giving them the best shopping experience as possible. When HM is moving to a new country, so as to see if it would be profitable or not to enter in it analyses the political, economic, demographic, and infrastructural environment. It creates very modern stores in all the countries that it establishes its business so as to offer a great shopping time to the customer. Furthermore, it is working in making its stores much more ecological so as to save the world and do not damage it. HM is looking for a great expansion in the future; it is planning to open many new stores in many different countries, so as to create a very strong brand. HM SWOT analyses Strengths Brand recognition: Low Price and style: It has presence in al over the world and people know it because of the fashionable clothes that sales in a very cheap price Operational efficiency: As it has a great control in the logistic area, it is able to have low cost and maintain really good margins. Opportunities Untapped potential in emerging markets: As the lifestyle is changing everywhere, people is much more aware of its physical aspects, so that, the fashion is gaining presence. Internet retailing: The fashion industry is increasing every day, and nowadays with the help of internet they can growth in an incredible manner, it gave them a great opportunity to growth. Weaknesses Reliance on outsourcing: The reliance of Inditex products put HM in critical situation as Inditex appeals much more to customers. Modest presence in emerging markets: It a well-known brand in the whole world, but the major presence is only in Europe and in North America. Threats Non-food expansion of grocery retailers: Many supermarkets like Tesco, are thinking in competing in the clothe industry with HM. Fast fashion becoming more competitive: Its major competitor is Inditex, that also does fast fashion, but new competitors also are appearing very strong (Ryerson, 2009) Vertical Integration HM has a vertical integration strategy in which was pioneer establishing it some years ago. Due to this strategy, the company is now able to collect information about the sales and customers and use it in order to make a better strategy always so as to get more profits for the future and catch much more customer. (Europa.eu,2012) LCCP, GCCP or FCCP? In the case of HM, it can be said that this company is GCCP( Global Culture Cultural Positioning), as they are a multinational that they sale their self saying that the customer is part of the global family. Although they need to adapt maybe their strategy in each of different country, they sale their brand as a global company; actually all their products are the same in all countries, they offer the same products for the customers of different places, Being the part of the global family is the message that they are selling to the customers mind. Appendix: Internationalization Motives There are 2 kinds of motives that prompt the companies to internationalised, Proactive and Reactive motives. In the case of HM there some points inside those factors that do not have any sense, so only the main points are going to be explained. Proactive Motives Profit and growth goals All companies want to growth, and so as to get that the best option is to go abroad and establish their brand in new countries. This is one of the main reason why the companies want to internationalized, in order to become i and bigger and be well known in the whole work. Managerial urge It is a motivation that the managers of the business have; their motivation is to be part of a company that works all over the world. Foreign market opportunities/market information HM could see many opportunities to growth in foreign markets as is a company that have great presence all over the world. However, it is not established in all countries, so if it wants to become a bigger brand, it should observe what opportunities offered each country and see if it is profitable or not. Economies of scale-learning curve Being internationalized, offers HM the advantage of the economies of scale as it could produce high amount of clothes at the same time. (Hollensen, S., 2007) Reactive Motives Competitive pressure HM could be scared for example of the competitive pressure of Inditex as it has a great strategy that helps it to continue in the top level. If the company see that other brands are growing all over the world and that are gaining customers and getting profits, the no internationalised company also would want to get all that. So for that reason, HM would like to enter in more and more countries so as to be a great company. Domestic market: small and saturated HM was created in Sweden many years ago, but as the market was becoming so small to compete there, it decided to enter in new countries so as to growth its presence. Extend sales of seasonal products As maybe the demand in the home country is not very big and it does not give the opportunity for the company to get the desire profits, they would find new opportunities to get what they want in foreign countries. (Hollensen, S., 2007) Appendix: How to choose the target market? Targeting is the action of evaluating and comparing the different groups of consumers and chooses which is the most suitable for the company. Companies have to base their research in 3 points: Current segment and the growth: It will be enough profitable to the company to centre only in that segment? Competitive intensity and potential competition: If that segment has a great competition, it is suitable to enter in? Compatibility and feasibility: If that segment give problems to the companies, could another company catch them? (Keegan, W.J. and Schlegelmilch, B.B., 2001) When HM creates its brand he had surely been thinking about these points at the time of creating its designs. When the companies are creating their collections they must be thinking on the target market as they are the wanted customers and they should create those clothes that appeals to them. Appendix: Market selection Criteria Market Potential Here the company should analyse if the market satisfied completely the customer and also if the customers has the necessary ability to purchase the product that the old retailers offer them. (International market selection, 2004) Market Size: The companies need to observe how much of the market it can expect to could afford. Market growth: They have to observe how much have grown this sector in that country during all the years so as to know if they would find and increase or a decrease in the industry. Competitive Intensity: The Company have to make a great research relating with the competitors of the industry in that country so as to know in what position they are and how strong are the competitors. Entry Barrier: In all countries are entry barriers to foreign companies so as to protect the future of the home country industries. They should make many deals so as to finally get into a new market. Political Environment The government of a country affects a lot the business life because of the changing policies, regulations and laws. Furthermore, the government of each of the country is who choose which businesses will receive protection and which is going to face an open competition. Furthermore, the political stability of a country will affect the action that government will take, and finally that actions will have many influences in an enterprise. (Sirkeci, I. and Cawley, R., 2012) Economic Environment Nowadays the economy has change radically, due to that factor all countries are now potential targets for every company. When a company has to make research in global marketing, the economy dimension of the world is crucial as it has great influence in this point. (Keegan, W.J., Schelegelmilch, B.B., 2001) Demographic Structure The company should observe how has change the demographic in the objective country so as to control the evolution of the Target customer. Purchasing Power It has to know how is the purchasing power of the objective customer so as to know if they are going to get benefits or loses in that country. Infrastructure The retailer need to observe if the infrastructure of the country is good or not so as to build and factories in that country. The country must have strong infrastructure so as to build powerful companies, strong social, economic, aerialà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦infrastructure. Appendix: Philippines and Portugal So as to choose the most appropriate country to enter in, many things must be analysed as it can be seen in the paper. However, not only those shown points are important, there many other things like the GDP, unemployment rate, population, innovationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ that should be take into account when an enterprise want to be opened in that country. Philippines Population: 93,6millions GDB per capita: 2,007$ Infraestructure: 3,1 Macroeconomic environment: 5 Goods market efficiency: 4,1 Labor market efficiency: 3,9 Having a look to these different score between 1-7, it is clear that Portugal it is clear that Portugal is much more secure country to establish their company. Although the most relevant dates had been explained before in the pages, this also are very important at the time of choosing the country to enter in. so finally, Portugal is the country that will be analysed for the report. Financial market development: 4 Technological readiness: 4,6 Portugal Population: 10,7 millions GDP per capita: 21,559$ Infraestructure: 5,5 Macroeconomic environment: 4,2 Goods market efficiency: 4,3 Labor market efficiency: 3,8 Financial market development: 4 Technological readiness: 5,3 (The Global Competitiveness report, 2012-2013) Appendix: Portugal Political Environment Portugal has a constitutional republic and a parliamentary system in which a semi presidential regime is establish. The prime minister is elected every four years and is the person who led the government, furthermore, the president of the government is elected every five years. (Doing business in Portugal, 2012) Economic Environment There can find many industries that has established their main company in Portugal, for example, in the case of Inditex, it has one factory there as the production is cheaper than in Spain. But although been a developed and high income country, it has the lowest GDP in Western Europe, and besides, the population has the lowest purchasing power of the European Union. (Economic of Portugal, Wikipedia, 2012) Regulatory Environment The Law 18/2003 In Portugal is create to maintain a competitive economy, not to have an unfair competitive and so heavy one. The law prohibited the company to make agreements that would affect the competition between economic agents in national territory. In addition to this, the companies are not allowed to make a very aggressive competition so as not to affect the sector in that country. (Doing business in Portugal, 2012) Fashion industry Nowadays the textile industry in Portugal represents just under the 10% of outputs. The situation in Portugal is not the best, but the companies that are surviving are having great profits, so people is seen as an optimist market. Many different brands produce their clothes in Portugal like Fred Perry, Inditex, Paul Smith because of the process is not as expensive as in other European countries, , however, although the industry is surviving, all the companies has suffered losses during the financial crisis. Every type of industry are suffering now due to the 2008 financial crisis, in many countries many companies closed their factories, nevertheless, the textile industry in Portugal is growing up again so slowly but is growing, every brand are getting now profits, so for HM it could be a great opportunity as the industry is having good results nowadays. Besides, it must be said that HMs strategy is very similar to Inditex ones, its clothes are so cheap and finally a country that is s uffering a lot because of the crisis , population wants to have the opportunity to buy cheap fashionable clothes. Inditex is having great results in the country, so as HM prices are cheaper, why it would not get many profits? Portugal as I said, can offer HM many great advantages. (UK reuters, 2012) Barriers to enter in country There many barriers in all countries for different companies that wants to establish their brand there are (Hollensen, S., 2007): General Market Risks The main barriers are the great competitiveness that HM could find in Portugal, the different culture and language, because the Swedish and Portuguese people are so different at the time of working and also the language is totally different. In addition to this, it is no easy to find a new distributor in a foreign country, they should make alliances an all of that work so as to get a great position, and finally, it must be said that it is a very difficult work to adapt all the company for that new culture and make a great company overseas. Commercial Risks Although Portugal is in Europe too, there are always delays in the delivering of the export products or some damages in them. Beside this, there are always changes in rates and that could have a great influence in the cost of a company. Political Risks This subject is a little bit special; companies have to take caution as politics have great influences in all countries. HM have to take into account how is the law of the exports in Portugal, what type of restrictions have impose the government, the thoughts of the citizensà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Opportunities of entering in the Portugal Investing in Portugal it would give companies many advantages for many different reasons (Doing business in Portugal, 2012): Strategic access to market Due to the Portugal economic openness and also because of its strategic geographical position it can offer great opportunities to different companies between EU and also different markets. As it has relations with Brazil and is near Africa, it offers great advantages so as to make exports and imports. Cost competitive, qualified and flexible workforce The Portuguese employers are known for having great attitudes at the time of adapting their self to new technologies, strategies and so on. Excellent environment to live and work It is a country that offers the companies very secure areas and ensure the security for their production, and so on as it is very pacific place. Infrastructure As during the last year Portugal has made great investment so as to modernizing its communication infrastructures, it is great country to establish a company as it can be adapted very easily to the new technologies that the company will bring with it. Appendix: Competitors Market 5 forces Threats of New entrance Rivalry among existing competitors Threat of Substitute products or services Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers (Keegan, W.J. and Schlegelmilch, B.B., 2011) Referring to HM, although it is a great company, its major competitor is doing everything much better than HM does. HM it would be the new entrance in that country and of course all those competitors like Inditex, Cortefiel and so on would be threat of it as they would need to fight with one more company. However, knowing that new entrance, those companies may start making much more deals with the suppliers so as to have the ability to offer much better products and service to their customers and not to lose them. Finally, HM has a great positive factor to the consumers that could be a great advantage to its competitors. It makes many alliances with famous designers like Versace, Moschinoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ so as to create new collection that are attractive to young consumers as they feel with higher status. Inditex should be worry about that as luxury brands are so attractive to consumers, but if it continuous doing a hard work it will be as everywhere the winner of the sector also in P ortugal. Appendix: ASOS ASOS is an online beauty store that provides the customer many products of different brands in very cheap prices. That is, the consumer can buy in the same website clothes from many different brands like Adidas, Armani, Topshopà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ it sales hundreds of brands, thats why it became so attractive to the customer, because it can find in the same place clothes from everywhere. ASOS was created firstly in United Kingdom in 2000, but them while it was gaining presence in whole Britain; it started going abroad and gaining presence in many countries of Europe. After that, the market of US was prepared to ASOS arrival as everyone wants to have the opportunity to buy many brands product in the same place. (ASOS, 2012) Appendix: MOFALDA Modalfa is a Portuguese fashion brand that offer the customer very fashionable clothes in a cheap prices. In Portugal, as I explained before, it is a great competitor for HM as it offers the customer similar opportunities as HM do. (Modalfa, 2012) Appendix: CORTEFIEL Cortefiel is the first brand created by Cortefiel group in 1946, which offer the customer an elegant and comfortable style with very high quality. With this personal style, Spanish brand has open its road to many countries and it is very strong competitor for many other companies. Its target customer is based on men and women between 35-45 years, and although HM is addressed to young people, finally all consumers are important for every company. (Cortefiel, 2012) Appendix: CA CA is a fashion company that has presence in 20 different countries of Europe. People have a very good perception about CA, it offers 10000 different products in all the countries, and although its high prices, the products have very high quality, the clothes lasts for years so people do not mind to pay more for those clothes. (CA, 2012) Appendix: Inditex The Inditex group is the most powerfull competitor of HM and as it, has many different brands inside that are very famous and makes the more and more strong everyday: ZARA: Zara has presence in 85 countries and it has opened 1671 stores in the best places of the cities. For Zara there is no any limit, they want to be in all the countries of the world in the future, and due to its great strategy it can get it as it is opening new stores every day. Pull Bear: It was create in 1991 especially for young people as it has very juvenile style. Is it one of the most profitable brand in terms of Urban clothes as every young people go there to get urban style clothes. Massimo Dutti: It has 567 stores spread in 53 different countries. It offers Urban and casual styles both for men and women, its target market is based on men and women adults, thats why the growth of the prices and the change in the style comparing with other brands. Bershka: It was launched in 1998 and nowadays it has 839 stores in 63 different countries, and as it is known, it appeals basically to the young target market. Stradivarius: It produces clothes, accessories, shoesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and its clothes are combination of elegant and hippie clothes that appeal a lot for young people. Oysho: Oysho sells the latest fashion trends in womens lingerie and intimate apparel Zara Home: It is specialised in home decoration and linen things that attract so much to women because of it reasonable prices. Uterqà ¼e: It is the newest brand of Inditex and it is the most expensive brand of the group. (Inditex group, 2012) Zara is the most powerful brand of the group, is the main competitor of HM alone as I said. In the above image appear where Zara has its stores. (Zara targetmap, 2012) Appendix: Customers The culture in which the consumers have been grew up have many influences in the priorities that the customers give to different activities an

Atmosphere in Macbeth, by Shakespeare

Atmosphere in Macbeth, by Shakespeare The word atmosphere usually means the air around us. When using the word in the sense of a play it means a certain mood around a certain area at a certain time. Tension usually means emotional or mental stress. Act 2 Sc 2 is the climax of tension that has been built up all the way through Act 1. Act 1 is building up to the murder of Duncan and it is a sinister atmosphere because of the tension and atmosphere in the play as a whole. In Act 2 Scene 2 Macbeth has killed the king, Duncan. This decision comes after the witches come to him after the battle in Act 1 Sc 3 and give him the prophecy that he will be King. In the Elizabethan era people were rather superstitious and believed that witches and anything to do with the witches were bad news. So to be seeing them in real life or so they thought was really bad news. Because of the superstitions of the Elizabethan folk, this tends to be a rather evil sight in their eyes. He is further tempted to kill the King when his wife persuades him to do so. He does this with the help of his wife, who has drugged the Kings guards so as to put them to sleep. Going back to the scene, Macbeth kills the King and is very remorseful for what he has done and his power greedy wife tries to remove any thoughts of remorse from his mind. However, in his hastiness to leave the scene of murder, he forgets to smear blood onto the guards daggers but Macbeth didnt want to go back there so his wife goes and does the deed. Meanwhile, Macbeth is hearing sounds and we would think that he is going mad. This is the beginning of many sounds and visions that Macbeth will see and hear. At the beginning of Act 2 Sc 2 tension is created as Lady Macbeth is waiting and nervous, so she has taken a drink and that has given her confidence. She says: That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold. This creates tension because Lady Macbeth is tense and so the audience will also be tense. In this scene the tension is created by the exclamation of Lady Macbeth when she fears that all has gone wrong. This is when she says: Alack! I am afraid they have waked, and tis not done: thattempt and not the deed ¦ This scene creates a sense of tension and suspense because it creates a feeling as to what the consequences of this failed plan will be if not carried out properly. We get to know all the emotions at this point of the character in the scene, Lady Macbeth. The atmosphere is also created by the natural sounds of animals in the night. Lady Macbeth says: I heard the owl scream, and the crickets cry ¦ This creates the sort of atmosphere of suspense as if something is about to happen. She is awaiting the arrival of Macbeth, so obviously shes listening extra hard to try to hear anything going on in Duncans room. The audience would know that this event took place at night, under the cover of darkness. We know this because Lady Macbeth says that she hears the owl scream, and owls only come out at night as they are nocturnal. In this scene, the atmosphere is also created by the silence of the night. We can deduce this from the way Lady Macbeth refers to the way she did not hear a sound when asked by Macbeth, except:  ¦the owl scream, and the crickets cry. The silence leaves the audience in a state of suspense as to what is going to happen next and eagerly awaiting the next course of action the actors will produce on stage. In this scene the tension is created when Macbeth has brought the daggers back with him when he should have left them with the servants. .Lady Macbeth says: Why did you bring these daggers from the place? This creates tension because if Macbeth is seen with the daggers he will be accused straight away of murder. This creates a cliff hanger as it is a race against time to get the daggers away and them back into safety. The tension in the scene is created when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are having a fast paced conversation. This is said in the conversation: Didst thou not hear a noise? Did you not speak? When? As I descended?. This causes tension because shes trying to establish what happened, however she does this quickly, which shows that there is no time to waste. In this scene, tension is also created when Macbeth starts to hear sounds. We can deduce this from the text when Macbeth says: Methought I heard a voice cry Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep; innocent sleep ¦ This creates tension because people in the Elizabethan era were rather superstitious and would start to think that either the demons have come to get Macbeth, or he has gone mad. Also, the religious people from the Elizabethan era would interpret that Macbeth has murdered eternal sleep. Some people would interpret sleep as rest and when people are resting they are at their most innocent and vulnerable, they have no control over what they say, do or dream. Therefore they would interpret it like Macbeth has murdered innocence and some would interpret it that Macbeth has lost control. In the scene the atmosphere is also created when Lady Macbeth tries to remove any thoughts of remorse from the mind of Macbeth. We can deduce this from when Macbeth says: Macbeth: This is a sorry sight. Lady Macbeth: A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. We see that Lady Macbeth takes control when she treats Macbeth like a child and puts him in his place. We see that Lady Macbeth has turned from a normal woman, to something cold hearted and cruel. She is turning away from any kind of emotion and creating a cold feeling into the hearts of the Elizabethan audience. In Elizabethan times a woman was considered to be lower than a man in the world order at the time. However, as we see in the play, that Shakespeare has changed the order as Lady Macbeth asks to the demons to be unsexed. We see that, even though that the worlds order at the time put women below men, Lady Macbeth is the one who takes the pivotal role that Macbeth should be taking. Also, tension is created by the way that Macbeth has been so strong and noble, yet after killing the king his bravery and chivalry seems to desert him. We see this in the sentence: Why, worthy thane, you do unbend your noble strength, to think so brainsickly of things This is one of those things that the Elizabethan era could speculate about. Some superstitious people would say that Macbeth has been punished by the gods/demons/angels. Less superstitious people would say that the drain of having to kill someone who you have paid oath of fealty to and thinking about the consequences would drain your bravery out of you. This is one place where Shakespeare has let the audience do the thinking. Finally, tension is also created in the scene when the knocking starts. Whence is that knocking? This creates tension because people in the audience were not expecting it. In conclusion, there are many ways that this scene creates atmosphere and tension and I have only mentioned a few. Shakespeare has created the character of Macbeth in such a way that you dont know whether to be sorry for him or to accuse him. Shakespeare has created the character of Lady Macbeth as a normal woman at first, and then becomes a cruel cold blooded character later on. The Elizabethan audience can decide for themselves if Macbeth is guilty or was persuaded by the witches and his wife Lady Macbeth.

Problems Facing Breeder Reactors as a Future Energy Source Essay

Breeder Reactors: A Foreseeable Option? Abstract: Fission of nuclear particles has the potential to produce massive amounts of energy and electricity to help mankind. Breeder reactors bring forth modern technology at its finest; mankind is becoming more and more creative to make reactors which can be optimally efficient and cost-effective at the same time. By being able to harness plutonium-239 with a blanket of uranium and start chain reactions consistently, breeders seem to be a viable option to help produce electricity for a bigger population. However, maintenance and operation costs are big problems to deal with, and these are some of the ramifications that factors into the decision of realizing if breeders could potentially be our next alternative energy source. Introduction: Non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels have been used up by society on a daily basis and have forced the world to find a new, clean energy source. The rising price of oil and the constant emission of carbon dioxide are proof that in the future our lives will be much harder to live. One answer to this problem is nuclear power, which has shown its efficiency during the times of World War II but has not been used commercially due to the challenges of dealing with nuclear waste and proliferation. In today?s modern era, nuclear power has been used in liquid metal fast breeder reactors, reactors that use uranium-238 to produce plutonium-239. Historical Background: Nuclear energy was first achieved through Enrico Fermi?s experiment of nuclear fission where he and his team shot neutrons towards uranium atoms, which confirmed Albert Einstein?s theory of relativity that mass could be converted into energy. The first nuclear reactor was built by... ... 2008 . 11. "Plutonium for Everybody." Plutonium obtained from nuclear waste can be used. 28 July 2008 . 12. Gagnon, Steve, ed. "Jefferson Lab." It's Elemental. 28 July 2008 13. "JAEA R&D Review." Ideal Fuel Cladding Materials for Fast Breeder Reactor Irradiated at Highest Temperature in the World. 28 July 2008 http://http://jolisfukyu.tokai-sc.jaea.go.jp/fukyu/mirai-en/2007/1_2.html 14. "Plutonium End Game." Chapter 2: A Brief History of Commercial Plutonium. Jan. 2001. 28 July 2008 . 15. www.cameco.com/common/pdfs/media_gateway/factsheets_publications/nuclear_facts-canada.pdf) 16. http://www.fas.org/nuke/intro/nuke/plutonium.htm0

The Joy Luck Club :: essays research papers

Please refer to the book, â€Å"The Joy Luck Club† by Amy Tan. Turn to page 35(for those with the red cover version by the series editor, Judith Baxter) and refer to the story ‘Scar’. Extract: â€Å" I was sitting at the top of the stairs when she arrived. I knew it was my mother†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦She cried with a wailing voice that was so sad. And then I remembered the dream with my mother’s voice.† (till page 37) Question 1: EXPLAIN CLEARLY WHAT FEELINGS IN THIS PASSAGE AROUSES IN YOU TOWARDS AN-MEI AND HER MOTHER. YOU SHOULD REFER CLOSELY TO THE EXTRACT IN SUPPORT OF YOUR ANSWER. I am saddened by the relationship between An-mei and her mother. â€Å" I knew it was my mother even though I had not seen her in all my memory†, this shows us that, despite being mother and daughter, they did not have the opportunity to establish a close bond. An-mei had no memories of her mother, even though she â€Å"knew it was my mother†. An-mei’s mother is foreign and strange to her as her mother looked â€Å"strange too, like the missionary ladies at our school, who were insolent and bossy in their too-tall shoes, foreign clothes, and short hair†. I am touched by An-mei’s mother’s perseverance and determination to go to her dying mother. An-mei’s aunt â€Å"quickly looked away†, â€Å"did not call her by name† and â€Å"offer her tea†, which is the Chinese traditional way of treating visitors. Even the servant looked down on her as she â€Å"hurried away with a displeased look†. Despite the aunt’s protest, â€Å"Too late, too late†, it â€Å"did not stop my mother†. In spite of the humiliation and disrespect given by the aunt and servant, An-mei’s mother did not leave as she tolerated all this for the sake of Popo, her own mother. I feel sorry for An-mei as her mind has been greatly influenced by her grandmother. She observed her mother and â€Å"saw that she had a long white neck†, â€Å"just like the goose that had laid me† (one of her grandmother’s stories). She knew she â€Å"was the girl whose belly held a colourless winter melon†. â€Å" Popo told me not to speak her name†, thus An-mei â€Å"stood there, mute†, not daring to address her mother. This is pitiful of An-mei as she does not deserve this treatment from her grandmother, making her confused and hesitant towards her mother. I have pity for An-mei as she â€Å"did not look for fear my head would burst and my brains would dribble out of my ears†, scared as she laid in her mother’s arms.

Comparing the Treatment of Death in the Movie Antz and Antony and Cleop

Comparing the Treatment of Death in the Movie Antz and Antony and Cleopatra At first sight, Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra and the movie Antz seem to bear little resemblance to each other. Not only does a time period of almost 400 years separate the publication of Antony and Cleopatra from the first broadcast of Antz, but the very species of the characters differ as well. Yet, in the two stories the characters’ thoughts and actions are surprisingly similar, especially in regard to the thematic elements of war and death. Antony, the middle-aged Roman general in Antony and Cleopatra, and General Mandible, the unfeeling commander in Antz, both share the opinion that the life of an individual soldier does not matter. Instead of trying to ensure the safety of their soldiers, they endanger them by taking great risks. Antony persists in fighting Caesar at sea although Enobarbus warns him that a fight at sea would mean to â€Å"throw away the absolute soldiership [he] has by land â€Å" and to â€Å"give [himself up] merely to chance and hazard.† Similarly, General Mandible declares war on the termite colony and remains indifferent when Cutter, one of the soldiers, objects that a battle against the termites is suicide. Antony and Cleopatra presents large-scale death in a more distant way than Antz. Shakespeare’s play does not contain bloody war scenes displaying slain men. Death in Antony and Cleopatra retains a certain nobleness and dignity because the audience does not see unpleasant moments of suffering nor disfigured war victims. Antz, by contrast, shows the brutality of war and the disfigured corpses of the ants and termites after the battle. Barbados, who saves Z’s life during the battle, is dismembered -- at the neck -- by the ter... ...mes most horrible at the end when General Mandible, in a sudden uncontrolled rage against Cutter, reveals his whole cruelty and shouts: â€Å"I am the colony.† At first sight one might expect that in Antony and Cleopatra war would be the predominant theme, for the Romans are well-known as warriors throughout their early history. It may therefore be surprising to find that Shakespeare’s play focuses less on detailed battle scenes than Antz, especially since the latter is a children’s movie. But maybe the emphasis on war in the movie is not a contradiction to the fact that it is primarily intended for a very young audience. Are not the children of today the voters and politicians of tomorrow and would it not be beneficiary for the future of mankind if before agreeing to a war those voters and politicians reminded themselves of Barbados’ last words â€Å"Think for yourself†?

Road Carnage in Africa

Hot Topic Road accidents (Carnage) in Kenya. How organizations can contribute to address this imminent Human and Economic crisis. Table of Contents 1. Introduction to road accidents in Kenya2 2. The main issues with road accidents5 3. Other subsidiary issues7 4. The effect of road accidents to businesses and the economy 8 5. Prepare to manage road safety challenges in an organisation 10 6. Dealing with ethical and legal issues 13 7. Future implications if issue is not addressed 15 8. Bibliography17 1. Introduction Last year, 1 day before Christmas day, the Kenya Traffic police led by the Police Commissioner, Mr Mathew Iteere launched yet another National Road Safety Campaign aimed at curbing road accidents during the holidays and cutting the holiday period road accidents rate by 50% from the tradition high of 200-300 accidents that happen during that period from 24 December to 5 January (Daily Nation, 24th December 2009). In his Christmas message, The Police Commissioner regretted that most road accidents in Kenya can be avoided (even eliminated). He noted that road accidents are mainly caused by carelessness (human error and poor judgement) y road users. He singled out over-speeding, over-loading, none use of the safety belts and disregard of the Highway Code as the most abused traffic rules today. In his widely televised message, he issued a warning to careless drivers and directs the traffic police (blue boys) to act on those that abuse the traffic rules. Such a road safety crackdown is not new in the 46-year old post- independence Kenya. But those actions should be strengthened and be made into routine practices that have a longer timeframe enabling one to build the much needed sustainability. It’s a widely known fact worldwide that road accidents cost huge amount of money let alone the lost human resources especially to the developing and undeveloped economies (WHO & World Bank report, 2004). The combined human and economic cost is simply not acceptable to poor countries that want to boost the standard of living of their majority population with very scarce resources. According to a recent report done jointly by the World Bank and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on road traffic injury prevention, road accident statistics are quickly becoming the global catastrophe as shown below. 1. 2 million People are estimated to die globally each year on our roads. That’s around 3,000 deaths daily of which 500 of them are children. ? 50 million people are estimates to be injured globally on road injuries each year, 15 million seriously. ? Developing countries account for more that 85% of the global death toll from road traffic crashes or accidents. ? The global finan cial cost of road traffic injuries is about 518 billion USD each year (about 2-4% of GDP). Such is cost is equivalent to 50% of the GDP of Africa the continent (Kenya Statistics, 2004). For males aged 15-44, road traffic injuries rank second (after HIV/AIDS) as the leading cause of premature death and ill health worldwide. ? By 2020, unless action is taken, road traffic injuries are predicted to rise to about 80% in low and middle income countries especially developing countries (WHO and World Bank report, 2004). Clearly, it is as difficult to accurately determine the economic burden of Africa's road traffic accidents, as it is to collate accident data in the first place. There are the problems of under-reporting to contend with, as well as different countries adopting different criteria e. . defining a road traffic accident fatality (Odero & Heda, 2003). Some countries define a fatality as one occurring on the scene, others for periods of 24 hours, three days or 30 days after the e vent (Bamburi Cement, 2009). Today road accidents are Africa's third biggest killer, after Malaria and HIV/AIDS (WHO & World Bank, 2004): Africa's roads are the most dangerous in the world, but with a growing awareness of the true cost of road accidents, initiatives are underway to dramatically improve their safety. Road traffic accidents are known to be a major cause of death and disability throughout the developing world, but nowhere is the problem as acute as sub-Saharan Africa. Bad roads, aged vehicles and lax regulations are all considered major contributing factors to Africa's road fatality and accident numbers, themselves three times as great as the continent's share of motor vehicles. It’s this nationally critical issue that we want to study and propose urgent remedial actions for organisations as well as non-governmental organisations operating in Kenya. . The main issues with road accidents in Kenya The key issues with the road accidents and road injuries in Kenya are not new. For our literature review, Kenya has had a long history of road safety initiatives that have not lived to deliver the much needed breakthrough results. In 1979 a National Road Safety project was initiated and implemented with funding from the Finnish government, though few results can be seen 30 years late r (Kenya Roads Board, 2009). Kenya looses about 3,000 persons every year through road accidents annually. About 13,000 people are injured of which 6,000 are seriously injured and need long term medical treatment (Saidi & Kahoro, 2001). Most of the people who die on road accidents are vulnerable road users. These include pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists (Kenya Police, Traffic department). The majority of most of the people losing their lives are the young people, young graduates who provide the much needed skills and human resources base the country and organisations are in dire need of. A common question not asked is why educate and train a professional for over 16 years, then lose him / her on the road just before he can be useful to the country or a business organisation. First, after a critical review on all road safety initiatives in Kenya, we find 3 main issues that we believe clearly explain the poor road safety record for the past 20-30 years. 1. What to do – we know what to do, but we have trouble implementing it 2. Implementation – the challenge with implementation is due to lack of capacity at 4 main levels †¢ Inadequate Human resources Inadequate Financial resources †¢ Lack of knowledge †¢ Lack of political will 3. Collaboration – Is it then possible to build a Private Public Sector Partnership Program (PPSPP) which will implement road safety measures that can make a difference to the nation and make Kenyan roads a safer place for our children and the future generation? Secondly, the economic cost to the country is inde ed very significant (WHO & World Bank, 2004). As noted earlier, the average cost of the road accidents and resulting injuries is about 2-4% of GDP per annum. In 2009, the IMF assessed the Kenya economy GDP to be about 30 billion USD, a 2% cost per annum will translate to 600 million USD (estimated about 50 billion Kenya Shillings in one single year). It’s not doubt that such colossal amount of wasted expenditure only comes second to the annual recurrent expenditure allocated in the annual budget to Education and Health budgets (Ministry of Finance, 2008). Such a burden has huge implication on the ability of the economy to meet its needs from meagre resources that are available for nation building. Thirdly, we have a public sector that does not see road transport and accidents as a key issue as long as it does not affect them or their families. This perspective does undermine any tangible progress in road safety initiatives as it’s created no sense of ownership on role as a general public (Kenya Police, Traffic department). 3. Other issues on road accidents in Kenya While the main issues have been addressed under section (3) above, the other issues that must be addressed include the following; ? Lack of a clear policy on road transport (review of the old traffic act is now mandatory). A clear policy will create guidelines to administer and manage the road safety roadmap. ? Poor enforcement of existing traffic rules particularly by the enforcement officers, mainly the traffic police. ? Rampant corruption within the traffic department. Corruption is perhaps the single largest bottleneck to enforcing the traffic rules and does in a way create an impunity culture for PSV drivers on our roads today (Transparency International, Kenya chapter, 2008). ? Lack of a clear ownership between the public sector and the private sector on the framework to deal with road carnage. A guideline which included an approved curriculum on training and licencing of all types of drivers. ? How to develop an axis to mobilise the public to take care and protect their lives and those of other road users. 4. The effect of road accidents to organisations Our research shows that road accidents do not respect any business entities, indeed their implications transverse all business organisations. B oth private and public institutions face the full blunt of road carnage in different ways as shown below; ? Loss of critical human resources and talents in organisations The primary age group heavily impacted by the road accidents are the young people between the ages of 15 – 44. This is usually the young professional age group that provides the much needed human resources in organisations. Road accidents take away the much needed source of talent as well as the future leaders in organisations (WHO & World Bank, 2004). ? Higher direct cost of doing business in the country Loss of lives through accidents results in increased business costs, organisations face both short term and long term treatment and medical expenses. The severe injuries require more long term medical costs that result in increased medical premiums and medical costs for an organisation. On the other hand, the lost man-hours cannot easily be compensated especially in the case of a fully trained, qualified and proficient staff member. ? Higher indirect cost of doing business compared to other countries In modern day settings, injuries to family members created more demand for employees, particularly if an employee’s relative suffers injuries after an accident. Such strain impacts on employee’s morale and ability to dedicate all his abilities to get his / her work done. In addition, accidents results in increases cost of road transport (through higher insurance premiums, higher fuel consumption and delays due to traffic congestion after accidents). The business partner involved in an accident has increased cost of losing an asset, which in most cases is indirectly passed onto the organisations. For government organisations e. g. public health hospitals (Kenyatta National Hospital), higher accident victims results in higher operating expenses which have to be funded by the central government through increase of taxes on an annual basis. Unpredictable business planning Businesses rely on predictable business environment to remain profitable and continue with their operations (Kumar & Subramanian, 2000, p. 1). Road accidents hinder the predictability of the business environment through delayed delivery timeliness and increased turn-around time for organisations. In nearly all cases, these additional costs must be paid for in full by the organisations i n question, resulting to lost productivity, efficiency and profitability. 5. How can organisations better manage the road safety challenge When we talked to a number of organisations in Nairobi, we notice how heavily they have invested in state of art security and alarm systems to protect their assets (money, machines, organisational documents, policies, trademarks and patents etcetera), but few if any have developed even a simple structure to safeguard the safety of their employees while on the road. It’s important to also include human resources as a critical resource for the organisation. A great proportion of companies have not developed sound plans to safeguard their most important asset (human resources), especially when they are on the road travelling while on the Job. While road safety from the office to work is largely seen as an issue for the employee to manage, it’s paramount that organisations and their management teams provide a clear framework to provide their employees with a road safety roadmap that will enhance their vigilance while on the road to and from work. People are the greatest asset an organisation can have today. Good employees are a source of competitive advantage for an organisation (Samson & Daft, 2009). A glimpse of the few organisations that have designed an effective road safety program in Kenya today especially, petroleum companies (e. g. Total Kenya and Bamburi Cement) highlights about 5 step action plan to set an effective road safety roadmap. Each organisation needs a clear roadmap which if well implemented and incorporated in the organisation systems, will lead to improvement of safety in most of our roads today and safe companies lost man hours, sick leave, absenteeism and higher medical bills. 1. Collect data At the beginning, the organisation should assess its specific road safety context by collecting road accident statistics (road fatalities, lost time injuries, medical injuries, and first-aid injuries) and define what is measurable. The data collected should then be analysed into critical information to aid in decision making. Second the organisation should define a road safety policy with clear milestones and key objectives to be monitored on a monthly basis. A regular and consistent monitoring mechanism should be designed by the organisation, to review its progress of its road safety objective. 2. Develop a road safety plan A road safety roadmap is a mandatory document for any organisation committed to ending the carnage on our roads today. The roadmap should be a well neat and elaborate plan of action on what the organisation wants to do in improving its road safety commitment and objectives. These action plans must address the challenges on policy, enforcement, ownership, and training and self renewal priorities for the organisation. 3. Resource the road safety plan A plan is ineffective without key resources being allocated to it. The organisation should identify and sufficiently allocate two main types of resources; (1) Financial resources and (2) Human resources (competent and well trained resources. . Launch urgent interventions A key lever for a road safety action plan is to address current major gaps with immediacy to build legitimacy in the roadmap. The key areas that require immediate intervention are on;- ? Speed ? Impaired driving ? Seat belts ? Helmets ? Road mapping ? Defensive driving training ? Emergency preparedness 5. Collaborate with others Finally the organisation should plan to share its best practi ces with other institutions as a way to benchmark performance and renew its practices both on local, regional and international levels. With increased collaboration and partnership with the public sector, with a shared vision, the challenge of the road accidents and injuries will be addressed head-on by all stakeholders hence creating a sustainable avenue to address this great challenge facing organisations in the 21st century. 6. Ethical and Legal Issues The key challenges towards realising an effective road safety program in any organisation is how candid data collected or observed will be shared across the organisations so that corrective actions (that may include sanctioning) can be applied. Most of the major changes in safety awareness remain with our culture (way of doing things here) or on changing individual behaviour and taking a personal commitment to protecting other people lives. Some of the common ethical dilemmas that managers face include the following; ? Can i report the Chief Executive, Senior Managers or a friendly colleague who i noted did not adhere to the company’s guidelines e. g. driving while speaking on mobile phone on the road? Will this affect my career or my relationship with my supervisor? Can staff be required to use the Alco-blow to detect the influence of alcohol (though this is not yet legalised in Kenya)? ? Can staff carry out safety initiatives away from the office e. g. monitor staff travelling for a weekend to upcountry and are not wearing seat belts? ? Can we terminate an employee who does not comply with the organisations code of conduct on safety? ? Should i disclose an accident or should i bribe the traffic policeman to be left scot-free. A reported accident my injure my career opportunities and limit subsequent promotion changes in future. On the legal side, the main challenge remains how to deal with corruption (so called white lies) both within and outside the organisation. ? Internally, this may not be a great issue as staff can be directly sanctioned in the line with staff standing instructions and their employment contract. ? However, externally the issue with corruption (rather falsification of accident information so as not be appear guilty) is a major setback for enforcing a successful road safety roadmap. According to Transparency International, the police department has year after year been rated as the most corrupt institution in Kenya. Can they be relied upon to book violation of a driver, pedestrian or other road user fairly and equitably? This remains a key component that requires constant collaboration and use of other tools e. g. global positioning systems (GPS) to address rampant cases of cheating on the part of employees (Transparency International, Kenya chapter report, 2008). 7. Conclusion In conclusion, there is no doubt that road accidents results in huge human and economic cost to our relatively poor country (WHO & World Bank, 2004). The lives that are lost on our roads every year are critical to achieve the economic objectives of the country and organisations as well. Similarly the country has to save money to be spent towards treating road injury victims rather than providing such much needed funds to other areas of economic growth e. g. to fund projects like free primary education (FPE), improve our road network (build and repair our roads) and provide the much needed medical facilities in public hospitals (equip public hospital better). As a country we cannot afford to lose 2% of annual GDP (about KShs 50 billion) on road accidents, related injuries and long term medical treatment to accident victims. If accidents can be avoided, these resources can be allocated to other critical areas of the economy and organisations can be able to improve their productivity and become more responsible citizens. The medium term impact on the economy is indeed catastrophic and as a country we will not be able to meet our vision 2030 to becoming an industrialised nation. It’s time for all Kenya, young and old to participate to improve their safety standards in our roads and make Kenya a safer country for our children future. As a nation we owe this to the future generations of this country. As noted by the World Bank and the World Health Organisation in 2004, unless action is taken, by the year 2020, road traffic injuries are predicted to rise to about 80% in low and middle income countries (developing countries). Our country will not be spared if it does not take immediate and more radical actions to manage the road safety issue. At today’s road accident frequency rate, road accidents will become the 2nd largest cause of death after Malaria in Kenya by the year 2020 and surpass HIV/AIDS as the 2nd largest killer (WHO & World Bank, 2004). This is confirms our recommendation that as a country we are sitting on a time bomb. Today is the time for you and me to develop our solid action plan, put these actions into practice and contribute towards improving the safety in our roads. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. WHO & World Bank. (2004). World report on road traffic injuries prevention. Accessed on 4 January 2010 from http://www. ho. in/violence-injury-prevention. html 2. The Kenya Roads Board. Road accident statistics (2009). Accessed on 4 January 2010 from http://www. krb. go. ke. html 3. Bamburi Cement limited. Road safety campaign â€Å"Epuka Ajali† (2009). Accessed on 31 December 2009 from http://www. bamburicement. co. ke. html 4. Kenya Police. Traffic department. Accessed on 4 January 2010 from http://www. ken yapolice. go. ke. html 5. Kenya Statistics. (2004. ) Accessed on 4 January 2010 from http://www. unicef. org/infobycountry/kenya-statistics. html 6. Odero, W. K. & Heda, P. M. (2003). Road traffic injuries in Kenya, magnitude, causes and status of intervention. Inj Control saf promotion, Mar-June 10 (1-2). Pg 53-61 7. Saidi, H. S. & Kahoro, P. (2001). Experience with road traffic accidents violations at the Nairobi Hospital. East Africa Medical Journal, 78 (8). Pg 41-44 8. Samson, D & Daft, R. D. (2009). Fundamentals of Management. 3rd Asia Pacific Ed. Pg 170-206. 9. Kumar, K. & Subramanian, R. (1998). Navigating the External Environment. SAM Advanced management journal. Retrieved December 14, 2009 from HighBeam Research: http://www. highbeam. com/doc/1P1-5377780. html