Bilateral Trade in the Economies of Various Countries Essay

Bilateral Trade in the Economies of Various Countries - Essay Example Trade flows from traditional partners is becoming complicated. This means that distance is also an important factor in the bilateral trade. Bilateral trade plays an important role in the economies of various countries. However, a country’s trade with another or others depends on a number of factors. Due to the developments in bilateral trade such as regional integration are major factors (Brun, Carrere and Guillaumont 99). These coupled with the distance between trading partners they impact on bilateral trade. These forces countries to find viable options that help attract trade flow. This study analyses USA’s situation with relation to its traditional trade partners from Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. The countries used in this study were selected on the basis of their GDP, exports volume and traditional trading activities with the USA. As a result, bilateral trade flows’ gravity model is estimated between the USA and its trading partners for the periods 1990 and 2011. The general hypothesis is: The gravity equation is considered probably the most applied empirical trade device for more than a decade now. Its main advantage is that when it is applied to extensive variety factors and goods moving across national and regional borders under varying circumstances, it always produces a good fit (Anderson and Eric 170). This makes it an ideal device for econometric methods of measuring trade. Nonetheless, with the emergence of new economic theory, advancement in international trade, and globalization, a unique empirical application of the model with respect to a country’s GDP and export capability in bilateral trade is required. The Gravity trade model helps in predicting the flows of the bilateral trade and these predictions are with the distance between units in their respective  economic directions as the basis of prediction. The model can be applied in various circumstances to provide an explanation in the flow of commodities on the international scale (Anderson 106).  

Two Hole Paper Punch Engineering Essay

Two Hole Paper Punch Engineering Essay The product I have chosen to manufacture is the two-hole paper punch. This product is one which is widely used in homes, schools and businesses all over the world for the purpose of punching holes in paper to allow for attaching multiple sheets together in an organised fashion. Such examples of devices used in conjunction with the two-hole punch include the ring binder folder and treasury tags. Component Parts On close inspection of existing two-hole punch products similar to the one in Fig.1 it can be observed that there exists six fundamental component parts to the piece. Some of these components are used in matching pairs and for this reason they can be considered as one single part in regards to the manufacturing of the product. Therefore the component parts can be categorised in four groups as follows: Base Plate ( To which everything is attached) Lever Handel ( The whole mechanism works from the behaviour of this part) Punchers ( Creates the holes in the paper) Springs ( Resets the mechanism for next use) Possible Materials There are countless materials which could be used to make the components of this product but the question is which ones are cost effective and also offer good quality. At this point I am considering using Perspex for the lever handle and Aluminium for the base plate. Stronger materials will be needed for the puncher heads to ensure a lasting sharpness over repeated use. Stainless steel could be a possibility in this case. And the springs will need to be strong also for the same reasons of repeated use so I would consider using some other variation of steel here too. Perspex The material we now know as Perspex began life, when the first acrylic acid was produced, in 1843. Methacrylic acid was formulated in 1865 and the reaction between methacrylic acid and methanolresults in the coumpound called metyl methacylate. In 1877 Two German chemists discovered the polymerization process that turns methyl methacrylate into polymethyl methacrylate. In 1933 another German chemist named Otto Rohmpatented and registered the name PLEXIGLAS. Then in 1936 the first commercially viable production of acrylic glass began. During World War II acrylic glass was used for submarine periscopes, and windshields, canopies, and gun turrets for airplanes. From a chemical point of view it is the polymer of methyl methacrylate that is sold under the trade names of Plexiglas or Perspex. Perspex is frequently used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is often favoured because of its moderate properties, easy handling and processing, and low cost. However when loaded it behaves in a brittlemanner and this is especially the case when subjected to an impact force. Also when compared to glass it is more prone to scratching. Aluminium Aluminium is a silvery-white andductilemember of theboron groupofmetals. It has the symbolAl and itsatomic numberis 13. Also it is not soluble in water. Aluminium is themost abundant metalin theEarthscrust, and the third most abundant element therein, next to oxygenand silicon. It makes up approximately 8% of the Earths solid surface by weight. Aluminium is too reactive chemically to occur as a free metal naturally. Instead, it is found combined in over 270diverseminerals.The chief resource of aluminium isbauxiteore. Aluminium is remarkable for its ability to resistcorrosiondue to the phenomenon ofpassivationand the metals low density. Aluminium is a soft, durable, lightweight,malleablemetalwith visual appearance ranging from silvery to dull grey which depends on the surface texture. Aluminium is non-magnetic and non-sparking. It is also insoluble in alcohol, though in certain forms it can be soluble in water. Theyield strengthof pure aluminium is 7-11MPa, while aluminium alloyshave yield strengths ranging from 200 MPa to 600 MPa.Aluminium has about one-third the densityandstiffnessofsteel. It isductile, and easilymachined,cast,drawnandextruded. Corrosionresistance can be excellent due to a thin surface layer ofaluminium oxidethat forms when the metal is exposed to air, effectively preventing furtheroxidation. The strongest aluminium alloys are less corrosion resistant due togalvanicreactions with alloyedcopper.This corrosion resistance is also often greatly reduced when many aqueous salts are present, particularly in the presence of dissimilar metals. Aluminium atoms are arranged in aface-centred cubic(fcc) structure. Stainless Steel Inmetallurgystainless steel, also acknowledged asinox steelorinoxfrom French inoxidable, is defined as asteelalloywith a minimum of 10.5or 11% chromiumcontent by mass.Stainless steel does not stain, corrode, or rust as easily as regular steel (itstains less, but it is not stain-proof).It is also calledcorrosion-resistant steelorCRESwhen the alloy type and grade are not detailed. There are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment to which the material will be exposed to in its lifetime. Stainless steel is used where the properties of steel, and resistance to corrosion are both required. Stainless steel differs from carbon steel by the amount of chromium present. Carbon steel rusts when exposed to air and moisture. This iron oxide film (the rust) is active and accelerates corrosion by forming more iron oxide. Stainless steels contain sufficient chromium to form a passive film of chromium oxide, which prevents further surface corrosion and blocks corrosion from spreading into the metals internal structure. Carbon Steel Carbon steel, also calledplain carbon steel, issteelwhere the mainalloyingconstituent iscarbon. Carbon steel is defined as steel that has no minimum carbon content specified. The term carbon steel may also be used in reference to steel which is notstainless steel; in this use carbon steel may include alloy steels. Steel with a low carbon content has properties similar to iron. As the carbon content rises, the metal becomes harder and stronger but lessductileand more difficult toweld. In general, higher carbon content lowers the melting point and its temperature resistance. Carbon content influences the yield strength of steel because carbon atoms fit into theinterstitialcrystallinelatticesites of thebody-centered cubic(BCC) arrangement of the iron atoms. The interstitial carbon reduces the mobility ofdislocations, which in turn has a hardening effect on the iron. To get dislocations to move, a high enough stress level must be applied in order for the dislocations to break away. This is because the interstitial carbon atoms cause some of the iron BCC lattice cells to distort. Mild and low carbon steel Mild steel is the most common form of steel because its price is relatively low while it provides material properties that are acceptable for many applications. Low carbon steel contains approximately 0.05-0.15% carbonand mild steel contains 0.16-0.29%carbon, therefore it is neither brittle norductile. Mild steel has a relatively low tensile strength, but it is cheap and malleable; surface hardness can be increased throughcarburizing. It is often used when large quantities of steel are needed, for example asstructural steel. The density of mild steel is approximately 7.85g/cm3(0.284lb/in3)and theYoungs modulusis 210,000MPa (30,000,000psi). Background Research Production Process The Objective of this section is to define the materials and examine the possible production processes for each of my four component parts. There is always more than one way to carry out a job and yet still obtain a successful result. However some methods are more cost effective than others. I wish to present multiple solutions to manufacturing each of my parts and from there choose the best balance of quality, time and economy. Base Plate Aluminium Casting The first production process option to be examined is the idea of the multiple-use-mold casting process In the permanent-mold casting process a re usable mold is machined from grey cast-iron, steel, graphite or other such material. The mold is first pre-heated, and molten metal is poured in under the action of gravity alone. After solidification, the mold is opened and, the product is removed. The mold is then reclosed and another casting is poured. Aluminium is frequently cast by this process. There are numerous advantages for this process. The mold is reusable. A good surface finish is obtained provided the mold is in good condition. Dimensional accuracy can usually be held within 0.13-.25 mm. By selectively heating or cooling various parts of the mold, or by varing the thickness of the mold wall, directional solidification can be promoted so as to produce sound, defect-free castings with the desired mechanical properties. However there are some drawbacks to this process too. The mold life depends upon a number of factors: The allow being cast. The higher the melting point, the shorter the mold life. The mold material. Grey cast iron has about the best resistance to thermal fatigue and also machines easily. Thus it is used most frequently for permanent molds. The pouring temperature. Higher pouring temperatures reduce mold life, increase shrinkage problems, and induce longer cycle times. Mold temperature. If the temperature is too low, mis runs are produced, and high temperature differences form in the mold. If the temperature is too high, excessive cycle times result, and mold erosion is aggravated. Mold complexity is often restricted because the rigid cavity has no collapsibility to compensate for the shrinkage of the casting. As a best alternative, it is common practice to open the mold and remove the casting immediately after solidification, thereby preventing any tearing that may occur on subsequent cooling-down. Permanent molds are usually headed at the beginning of a run and are then maintained at a fairly uniform temperature as a means of controlling the cooling rate of the metal being cast. Since the mold rises in temperature as a casting is poured and sufficient time is permitted for solidification, it may be necessary to provide a cool-down delay before another casting is poured. Refractory washes are often applied to the mold walls to prevent the casting from sticking and to prolong the mold life. Mold costs are generally high so that high-volume production is necessary to justify the expense. Milling Milling is a basic machining process by which a surface is generated progressively by the removal of chips from a workpiece fed into a rotating cutter in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the cutter. Sometimes the workpiece remains stationary, and the cutter is fed to the work. In nearly all cases a multiple-tooth cutter is used so that the material removal rate is high. Often the the desired surface is obtained in a single pass of the cutter or work and, because very good surface finish can be obtained, milling is particularly well suited to and widely used for mass-production work. Several types of milling machines are used ranging from relatively simple and versatile machines that are used for general-purpose machining in job shops and tool-and-die work to highly specialized machines for mass production. Unquestionably, more flat surfaces are produced by milling than by any other machining process. The cutting tool used in milling is known as the milling cutter. Equally spaced peripheral teeth will intermittently engage and machine the workpiece. This is called interrupted cutting. Milling operations can be classified into two broad categories called peripheral milling and face milling. Each has many variations. In peripheral milling the surface is generated by teeth on the periphery of the cutter body. The surface is parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutter. Both flat and formed surfaces can be produced by this method, the cross section of the resulting surface corresponding to the axial contour of the cutter. This method is often called slab milling and is usually performed on horizontal spindle machines. In slab milling, the tool rotates at a certain rpm while work feeds past the tool. Water Jet Cutting Awater jet cutter or just waterjetis a machine capable of cutting intometaland other materials by means of a jet ofwaterat high velocity and pressure. The process is, in theory, the same aswater erosionfound in nature however it is greatly accelerated and concentrated. It is frequently used during manufacture of parts for machinery and other such devices. This is the preferred process when the materials involved are sensitive to the extreme temperatures that friction causes in other methods. Water jet cutting has found applications in a wide range of industries. Examples of these are mining and aerospacewhere it is used for operations such as shaping, cutting and carving. One important advantage of the water jet cutter its function to process material without interfering with the materials inherent structure as there is no heat-affected zone/ Haz. Minimizing the effects of heat allows metals to be processed without altering internal charachteristics. Water jet cutters also have the ability to produce rather detailed cuts in a material. When specialized computer software and 3-D machining tools are used, complex 3-D shapes can be created. The nozzle can be changed and adjusted to give the required cutting width. Typical abrasive cuts are made with a nozzle in the range of 1.016 to 1.27mm, but can be as narrow as 0.508mm. Non-abrasive cuts are normally 0.178 to 0.33mm, but can be as small as 0.076mm, which is roughly the width of a human hair. Small cutters ike these can make very small detail possible in a broad range of tasks. Waterjets are capable of accuracy of 0.13 mm, and repeatability to within a tolerance of 0.03 mm. Water jet cutting is a green technology.Nno hazardous waste is produced which reduces waste costs. Large pieces of recyclable scrap material are cut off using this method which would have been otherwise lost using traditional cutting methods. Waste water is usually clean enough to filter and disguard of down a normal drain. The abrasive is non-toxic and can be recycled for many uses. Water jets also avoid airborne fumes, and contaminates from cutting materials such as asbestos and fiberglass. This really benefits the work environment and greatly reduces any health problems arising from operator exposure. Lever Handel-Perspex Injection moulding Injection moulding is used to produce more thermoplastic products than any other process. Granules of raw material are fed from a hopper by gravity into a pressure chamber ahead of a plunger. As the plunger advances, the plastic is forced through a heated chamber, where it is preheated. From the preheating segment, it is forced through the torpedo section, where it is melted and super-heated to 200-300Â °C. It then leaves this section through a nozzle which seats up against the mold and allows the molten plastic to enter the closed-die cavities through suitable gates and runners. The die remains cool, so the plastic solidifies almost as soon as the mold is filled. To ensure proper filling of the cavity, the material must be forced into the mold rapidly under considerable pressure, typically 35-140 MPa. Premature solidification would cause defective products. While the mold is being opened, the part ejected, and the mold reclosed, the material for the next part is being heated in the torpedo. The complete molding process takes typically between 1 and 30 seconds and is very similar to the die-casting of molten metals. Because thermosetting plastics must be held at an elevated temperature and pressure for sufficient time to permit curing, the injection molding process must be modified for this type of polymer. In the jet molding process the polymer is preheated in the feed chamber to about 95Â °C and then is further heated to the temperature of polymerization as it passes through the nozzle. Additional time in the heated mold completes the curing process. Care must be exercised to prevent the material in the nozzle from cooling during this time and clogging the flow. Water cooling is introduced to the nozzle area as soon as the cavity is nearly filled. The water cools the material in this region and retards the hardening reaction. Because of the long cycle time, little injection molding of thermo-sets is performed. The properties can often compete with die-cast metals, provided the lower rigidity of the polymer is not objectionable. Milling The milling process is the same as before when it was discussed in relation to Aluminium. The only difference now is the material, which is Perspex. Laser cutting Laser-aided cutting has brought about a revolution in the manufacturing industries. These high-powered optical beams are used to cut through a variety of materials such as metal, wood, glass and plastic. The laser is directed at the required surface and moved around to cut the material in the desired shape. Laser cutting gives a finer finish to the end product as compared to conventional cutting methods. A typical laser beam is about 1/5th of a millimeter in width and has an intensity of 1000 to 2000 watts. Most laser cutting machines are integrated into a CAD/CAM system that helps the user design the end product on a computer before implementing it on the work piece. Laser cutting devices are proving beneficial in a wide array of industries. The plastic industry is no exception. These optic powered devices are used to cut precise shapes into plastic or acrylic sheets. The lasers can be used to cut plastics of varying thickness by simply altering the intensity of the beam. Lasers are not only used to cut through plastics but also help engrave on various surfaces. Laser plastic cutting machines bring precision and accuracy to the entire process. Since most machines are fully automated, they can perform complex cutting operations at high-speeds. The laser plastic cutting machines can also be used to cut polymers, polycarbonates and other synthetic materials such as polyesters and rubbers. The laser cutting method uses a non-contact approach when cutting the material. Due to this, the wear and tear associated with conventional methods is absent, preventing the product from any damage and deformation. The laser process also delivers a finish quality unmatched by any other process. When using laser plastic cutting machines, care should be taken to avoid the use of flammable plastics such as PVCs. These materials cannot cope with the heat generated by the laser and get damaged easily. Punches Stainless Steel Extrusion The process begins by heating the stock material. It is then loaded into the container in the press. A dummy block is placed behind it where the ram then presses on the material to push it out of the die. Afterward the extrusion is stretched in order to straighten it. If better properties are required then it may beheat treatedorcold worked. The extrusion ratio is defined as the starting cross-sectional area divided by the cross-sectional area of the final extrusion. One of the main advantages of the extrusion process is that this ratio can be very large while still producing quality parts. Hot extrusion is done at an elevated temperature to keep the material fromwork hardeningand to make it easier to push the material through the die. Most hot extrusions are done on horizontal hydraulic presses that range from 250 to 12,000 tons. Pressures range from 30 to 700MPa (4,400 to 102,000psi), therefore lubrication is required, which can be oil or graphite for lower temperature extrusions, or glass powder for higher temperature extrusions. The biggest disadvantage of this process is its cost for machinery and its upkeep. There are many different variations of extrusion equipment. They vary by four major characteristics: Movement of the extrusion with relation to the ram. If the die is held stationary and the ram moves towards it then its called direct extrusion. If the ram is held stationary and the die moves towards the ram its called indirect extrusion. The position of the press, either vertical or horizontal. The type of drive, either hydraulic or mechanical. The type of load applied, either conventional (variable) orhydrostatic. A single or twin screw auger, powered by an electric motor, or a ram, driven by hydraulic pressure (often used for steel and titanium alloys), oil pressure (for aluminum), or in other specialized processes such as rollers inside a perforated drum for the production of many simultaneous streams of material. Typical extrusion presses cost more than $100,000, whereas dies can cost up to $2000. Springs Steel The following description focuses on the manufacture of steel-alloy, coiled springs. Winding Cold winding Wire up to 0.75 in (18 mm) in diameter can be coiled at room temperature using one of two basic techniques. One consists of winding the wire around a shaft called an arbor or mandrel. This may be done on a dedicated spring-winding machine, a lathe, an electric hand drill with the mandrel secured in the chuck, or a winding machine operated by hand cranking. A guiding mechanism, such as the lead screw on a lathe, must be used to align the wire into the desired pitch (distance between successive coils) as it wraps around the mandrel. Alternatively, the wire may be coiled without a mandrel. This is generally done with a central navigation computer (CNC) machine. Examples of different types of springs. Examples of different types of springs. The wire is pushed forward over a support block toward a grooved head that deflects the wire, forcing it to bend. The head and support block can be moved relative to each other in as many as five directions to control the diameter and pitch of the spring that is being formed. For extension or torsion springs, the ends are bent into the desired loops, hooks, or straight sections after the coiling operation is completed. Hot winding Thicker wire or bar stock can be coiled into springs if the metal is heated to make it flexible. Standard industrial coiling machines can handle steel bar up to 3 in (75 mm) in diameter, and custom springs have reportedly been made from bars as much as 6 in (150 mm) thick. The steel is coiled around a mandrel while red hot. Then it is immediately removed from the coiling machine and plunged into oil to cool it quickly and harden it. At this stage, the steel is too brittle to function as a spring, and it must subsequently be tempered. Assembly Procedure Methods Quality Control Qulaity control is defined as the maintenance of standards of quality of manufactured goods. With this in mind there are a few methods i could employ in the upkeep of quality in the product choosen.

Wittgensteins Children: Some Implications for Teaching and Otherness :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Wittgenstein's Children: Some Implications for Teaching and Otherness ABSTRACT: The later Wittgenstein uses children in his philosophical arguments against the traditional views of language. Describing how they learn language is one of his philosophical methods for setting philosophers free from their views and enabling them to see the world in a different way. The purpose of this paper is to explore what features of children he takes advantage of in his arguments, and to show how we can read Wittgenstein in terms of education. Two children in Philosophical Investigations are discussed. The feature of the first child is the qualitative difference from adults. Wittgenstein uses the feature to criticize Augustinian pictures of language which tell us that children learn language by ostensive definition alone. The referential theory of meaning is so strong that philosophers fail to see the qualitative gap and to explain language-learning. The second child appears in an arithmetical instruction. Although he was understood to master counting numbers, he sudd enly shows deviant reactions. Wittgenstein argues against the mentalistic idea of understanding by calling attention to the potential otherness of the child. This could happen anytime the child has not learned counting correctly. The two features show that teaching is unlike telling, an activity toward the other who does not understand our explanations. Since we might not understand learners because of otherness, the justification of teaching is a crucial problem that is not properly answered so long as otherness is unrecognized. As long as we ignore otherness, we would not be aware that we might mistreat learners. Ludwig Wittgenstein is a philosopher who often uses educational situations to examine philosophical puzzles. Asking how a word is taught is one of his philosophical methods. He invents imaginary situations in which children learn language, and describes how they learn there. He investigates the possibilities of concepts by considering how children could learn the concepts. The purpose of this paper is to explore what features of children he takes advantage of in his philosophical arguments, and to show whether and how we can read Wittgenstein in terms of education. Some scholars have expected Wittgenstein to contribute to pedagogy and educational research directly. Bartley claims, for example, that Wittgenstein is involved in child psychology. (1) Hardwick looks for pedagogical conclusions in Wittgenstein's philosophy. (2) Those scholars are likely to say that Wittgenstein merely suggests what empirical studies discover about language learning. Wittgenstein's Children: Some Implications for Teaching and Otherness :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays Wittgenstein's Children: Some Implications for Teaching and Otherness ABSTRACT: The later Wittgenstein uses children in his philosophical arguments against the traditional views of language. Describing how they learn language is one of his philosophical methods for setting philosophers free from their views and enabling them to see the world in a different way. The purpose of this paper is to explore what features of children he takes advantage of in his arguments, and to show how we can read Wittgenstein in terms of education. Two children in Philosophical Investigations are discussed. The feature of the first child is the qualitative difference from adults. Wittgenstein uses the feature to criticize Augustinian pictures of language which tell us that children learn language by ostensive definition alone. The referential theory of meaning is so strong that philosophers fail to see the qualitative gap and to explain language-learning. The second child appears in an arithmetical instruction. Although he was understood to master counting numbers, he sudd enly shows deviant reactions. Wittgenstein argues against the mentalistic idea of understanding by calling attention to the potential otherness of the child. This could happen anytime the child has not learned counting correctly. The two features show that teaching is unlike telling, an activity toward the other who does not understand our explanations. Since we might not understand learners because of otherness, the justification of teaching is a crucial problem that is not properly answered so long as otherness is unrecognized. As long as we ignore otherness, we would not be aware that we might mistreat learners. Ludwig Wittgenstein is a philosopher who often uses educational situations to examine philosophical puzzles. Asking how a word is taught is one of his philosophical methods. He invents imaginary situations in which children learn language, and describes how they learn there. He investigates the possibilities of concepts by considering how children could learn the concepts. The purpose of this paper is to explore what features of children he takes advantage of in his philosophical arguments, and to show whether and how we can read Wittgenstein in terms of education. Some scholars have expected Wittgenstein to contribute to pedagogy and educational research directly. Bartley claims, for example, that Wittgenstein is involved in child psychology. (1) Hardwick looks for pedagogical conclusions in Wittgenstein's philosophy. (2) Those scholars are likely to say that Wittgenstein merely suggests what empirical studies discover about language learning.

Royal Selangor

The Royal Selangor Pewter: STP Strategy and Marketing Mix. (Written by: Wong Eu Jun of DIA201204. ) Founded by a man named Yong Koon in 1885, Royal Selangor Pewter is a Malaysian pewter manufacturer-retailer which has since become the largest global brand leader in the line of pewter objects manufacturing and a prominent one in the metal craft industry. It is also recognized as a very highly celebrated Malaysian brand icon because of the success that it has gained throughout more than a century of existence. Looking at what Royal Selangor has done, it is needless to say that Royal Selangor has expanded its product range beyond mere pewter objects to a broader variety such as certain glassware and jewelry. Due to the fact that Royal Selangor made such a bold move by venturing into foreign shores, it cannot be denied that the company is bound to face a myriad of possible challenges if it were to carry on with what it is doing. In this case, having a well-planned STP strategy which allows the company to identify its intended market segment thus enabling the company to single out specific groups of buyers would be a very beneficial move. At the same time, it will also help Royal Selangor to set its target market and position its brands in which as we can see, it is already something that they have accomplished because Royal Selangor is a high-end luxury brand name in the minds of many and that the company makes pewter objects of the best quality. Therefore, on a personal level, I’d like share my insights on the STP strategy and marketing mix of Royal Selangor. STP Strategy: Royal Selangor has been able to divide and partition their market segment in a somewhat organized manner. From where I see this, Royal Selangor has catered to a couple of highly notable figures such as the likes of the former U. S President Bill Clinton, Hollywood actor Mel Gibson and lifestyle talk-show host Martha Stewart. Notable figures like celebrities and political icons are supposed to make up a large portion of Royal Selangor’s market segment because they likely come from the higher-income group which is why they would therefore behave in a very lavish way. In addition, the company also creates trophies for major sports events and tournaments like the Petronas Malaysian F1 Grand Prix and the Sime Darby Golf Tournament. This means that Royal Selangor already has a few clear-cut market segments which consist of notable figures, other companies or organizations that need to have pewter objects given as gifts or prizes and probably higher-income people who are likelier to have a stronger purchasing power of buying luxury goods and that is just what Royal Selangor makes; pewter objects that are categorized as luxury goods. Also, I believe that another group of buyers that are a part of Royal Selangor’s market segment would be people who want to decorate their household with pewter objects. From a personal point of view, I have been able to notice that a lot of affluent people tend to display pewter objects and glass wares in their homes for ornamental purposes because they are characterized by their desire to flaunt their status and hence, this leads me to believe that these people are also a part of the market segment of Royal Selangor. Now, as I further on to the target market of Royal Selangor, it seems like as though there are only a couple of target markets that Royal Selangor focuses on and these target markets tend to be very niche ones. The first would be notable figures, as I’ve mentioned earlier in the market segment. These people play a very pivotal role as customers and actual buyers of Royal Selangor and its products and the strategy that Royal Selangor has come up with to satisfy their needs and wants is by creating beautiful tableware, wine accessories, jewelry and various luxury products. As we speak of this, the fact that Royal Selangor is a leading brand when it comes to pewter objects and other accessories is already an advantage for the company because this group of people would feel a need to purchase pewter ware and other luxury items from a well-renowned company like Royal Selangor. Moreover, Royal Selangor also forges rather good entrepreneur ties with sports organizations like Formula 1 by manufacturing their trophies. This is an example that clearly tells us that organizations like Formula 1 are also part of the target market of Royal Selangor. In this circumstance, Royal Selangor fulfills the need of Formula 1 to have a pewter trophy made for a grand prix. Moving on to how Royal Selangor positions itself, it is without doubt that in the Royal Selangor sets itself apart as being the leader of its industry. This is why Royal Selangor is able to attract its buyers because they already know that Royal Selangor is second to none in the metal craft industry. Furthermore, Royal Selangor incorporates very unique designs and excellent craftsmanship in their products. This is the reason Royal Selangor allows itself to be ingrained in the minds of its customers that it is the top pewter objects manufacturer that produces the best pewter objects and other accessories. Secondly, the international reputation of Royal Selangor as a brand that has catered to notable figures is also possibly a reason why the affluent are willing to buy its products. This could have created a mindset psychologically because people are going to believe that Royal Selangor is a brand that has been used by people of celebrity-like status. Marketing Mix and the 4P’s: Product: Considering the fact that Royal Selangor has transformed itself into a highly-revered pewter object manufacturing company synonymous with quality, I feel that it is necessary for the company to have a well-controlled marketing mix in order to monopolize the industry. First and foremost in the marketing mix, Royal Selangor already possesses the trump card of having products that are superior in terms of quality and design. Besides that, the variety of products will also appeal to more market segments since Royal Selangor no longer focuses on just pewter objects. Packaging wise, from what I’ve seen, Royal Selangor packs its gifts in very elaborate boxes and packages like those of wedding-ring boxes so the packaging itself is something that most people may possibly be attracted to. As the common belief exists, ‘’you pay more for the packaging than the goods sometimes’’. This is why the packaging of Royal Selangor is equally important as a part of the product’s characteristic because it is what helps the products to stand out by enhancing its attractiveness. Promotion: Although advertising and other promotional activities have never really been done on an exceptionally large scale by Royal Selangor, one will notice that the company predominantly relies on the use of print media as their primary media platform of advertising despite a few marketing communication events being held probably to gather a bigger crowd. By doing so, they have been able to successfully enforce their tagline ‘’ Pewter has a new attitude’’ with the use of print media. From what I’ve noticed based on a personal observation, there are a lot of Royal Selangor print advertisements like posters and billboards in these 2 places particularly; Central Market and Suria KLCC in Kuala Lumpur. This could possibly be because these 2 areas are frequented by high-income people and not to mention the definite fact that there are a lot of handy-craft and pewter ware for sale in these 2 places. Place: Where Royal Selangor sells its products has never really posed a problem to the sales it generates every now and then. As I take a look at the retail outreach that Royal Selangor has been doing, it is undoubtedly a good idea for the company to make its presence in higher-end shopping destinations because it obviously does a lot of good by strengthening the prominence of the brand Royal Selangor. International expansion is also a very bold move because by venturing into the markets of other countries, it allows the company to attract more customers and set more target markets beyond the confines of the local market segment. This attests to the fact that Royal Selangor has indeed brought the brand beyond the Malaysian target market because in the 1970’s era, the company began selling it products abroad in stores like Harrods’s in UK, Myers in Australia, Mitsukoshi and David Jones. This bold move had initiated the global expansion of Royal Selangor and therefore, the brand could then succeed beyond the regional and local market. Price: The money factor plays an indispensable part of Royal Selangor’s marketing mix because as we all know, what ultimately matters at the end of the day, to most people is how much they have in their wallets. This is why the prices of Royal Selangor are closely linked to the target market the company focuses on. As we all know, Royal Selangor is a company that sets high prices for its products probably because the company dominates the metal craft industry as well. Discounts, as most customers and buyers would expect, are not so easy to come by because if the company were to lower its prices, there will be no standardized price and it will definitely be a loss to the retail outlets. Opportunities and Threats (External Environment): Nobody denies that almost all companies are bound to face its fair share of threats and opportunities, therefore, the same would go for Royal Selangor as a manufacturing company that has existed for more than a century. On the positive side of things, an opportunity that Royal Selangor has would be its long existence as a Malaysian brand icon and one of the earliest Malaysian brands that dates back to the pre-Independence era. So in this case, the company’s strong position as the market dominator definitely gives them the opportunity. Secondly, the broad product range that the company offers that is recognized worldwide is also another opportunity for the company because I feel with this, it is the key for the company to sell its products abroad at a much better pace because it builds the brand recognition at an international level. If there are opportunities that the company might possibly have, it comes in an inevitable package because there should also be some underlying threats that the company is likely to face. As the saying goes, ‘’when there is life, there is death’’. So assuming that the situation is similar, one of the threats that the company may face is an economic recession. In short, when the times get tougher and inflations start happening, people will most likely cut down on luxury products. At the same time, they might have problems adapting to other target markets even though they are a dominant force when it comes to manufacturing pewter objects. For instance, if Royal Selangor were to sell its products in the jewelry market, they could face fierce challenges from jewelry companies like Poh Kong, Habib, Tiffany & Co if these other companies lower their prices. This is when the factor of price intertwines with the purchasing power of the buyers should there be an economic recession because in that case buyers tend to opt for the cheaper brand. In final consideration, Royal Selangor is able to manage its marketing mix very well and it has done a tremendous effort in boosting the economy of the ountry as a manufacturer that exports its produce to foreign lands. Thanks to the right marketing strategy and not to mention, quality control being just as important, these have made what the company is today; a leading brand in the industry of pewter objects manufacturing. Last but not the least, being a leader of an industry that is almost certainly unchallenged is what gives Royal Selangor the edge and it is definitely a bold move for Royal Selangor that brings a whole new challenge when it goes into other industries by crossing beyond the world of pewter manufacturing. So in my opinion, I don’t think it would be surprising if one fine day, Royal Selangor succeeds as a very highly respected global conglomerate brand that is successful in various industries and not just the pewter manufacturing. At the end of the day the fundamental principle is the more territory you control, the more powerful you are. So this is exactly what Royal Selangor ought to do. Expand its product ranges to a broader variety and engage the brand name in the lives of more people that would cut across all walks of life. References: Royal Selangor Pewter (n. d. ) Royal Selangor. [online] [Accessed: 20 November 2012]. Peopalove (2012) BrandTalk: Branded means Wanted. [online] Available at: http://www. peopalove. com/brandtalk/2005/jul/wanted. html [Accessed: 20 November 2012]. The Star Online (2012) Royal Selangor on expansion mode. [online] Available at: http://biz. thestar. com. my/news/story. asp? file=/2010/9/18/business/6935822&sec=business [Accessed: 20 November 2012].

Day Care Center vs Nanny

There are many parents who are looking for someone who takes care of their children while they are away. Their option will be a day care center or nanny. If you are one of those parents, I want to persuade you not to choose quickly because they are not the same. They provide your child with different environment, you should select after understanding their similarities and differences. The first similarity between a day care center and nanny is that they take care of your child for specific period. Some parents can’t have jobs or study and pursue careers. It is because they have to take most of their time off for taking care of their children and don’t have time to do it. The job of day care provider and nanny is to help those parents by taking care of their children. The second similarity is that a staff in day care center and nanny are trained people. They are educated in early child development or a related field. It means that they can assist your child in developing his academic skills. They can help children with preparation for kindergarten and children who are in school with homework. Also, because they studied early child development or related field, they know children’s emotional needs and how to discipline properly. The third similarity is that they have issues with illness. Day care center can’t let you leave your child with them when he is sick. It is because, in the day care center, children are in close contact with other children ant it will let germs spread easily. On the other hand, it is needless to say, but a nanny can’t take care of your child when she is sick either. The first difference is the number of children they take care of. Day care provider can’t take care of multiple children because there are many children in day care center. It means that they will not give one-on-one attention to your child. However, your child’s being among many children will good to your child. Your child will learn how to socialize because he will interact with other children. On the other hand, nanny is responsible for only your child, so your child will be able to open his heart to her quickly. The second difference is the location where they look after your children. Needless to say, if you choose day care center, your child will be taken care of in the day care center. Your child may feel uncomfortable because he can’t move freely in the day care center like he does in his house. On the other hand, nanny comes to your home to take care of your child. Your child may feel comfortable to be in his house, but he will not be able to make friends like he can in a day care center. The third difference is the cost. You will have to pay for day care center between 62 dollars to 320 dollars a week. On the other hand, the cost of nanny is from 350 dollars to 700 dollars a week. The cost of day care center is much cheaper than the cost of nanny, so to put your child into a day care center will help you a lot with money. However, a nanny does things worth the cost. For example, if your child is allergic to a certain food, she will not cook meal that contains that food if you ask her. This will not be done in day care center. As you know now, a day care center and nanny are similar, but not the same. They provide different environment for your child and affect you differently. Because of it, you have to consider carefully with whom you should leave your child while you are away.

Free Essays on Reality

If you saw my family sitting together at a restaurant, you would say to yourself,† now there is a nice looking family.† Everyone says so. Although underneath it all is what you really don’t see. I was blind to it myself until it was brought to my attention. Two people that were destined to be together from the start are just falling apart more and more everyday. Walking into my house ten years ago you would smell whatever was cooking on the stove, the fireplace burning in the living room, or Dads’ cologne when he walks from his bedroom. Now, it’s just a stale smell from an old house. It’s like no one is even living within the walls of the English tutor home. No love between the two people that made everything what it is today. It was a major change for all of us to move here from New York. It seemed like the â€Å"in thing† was parents getting a divorce. We felt like a minority moving here because our parents were still together. My sister and I would listen to our friends and how difficult it is for them to be fair and see each parent every other week. All we could think to ourselves was, â€Å"thank God that is never going to happen to us.† Well it wasn’t until the middle of my sophomore year that it was brought to my attention by my dad that things weren’t going all that great, and that in fact they hadn’t been for quit some time now. I remember standing in our hot muggy garage as he was telling me this. Perspiration was melting off both our faces. I’m not sure if I was angry or scared; but I knew my Dad was trying to hold back his tears. Everything that meant the most that day just went from the top to the bottom of the list. One thing that was different from all of the other families that go through this is that my parents tried very hard to put things back together. They went to counseling and little get-aways. Again, my sister and I thought that things were going good between them. We just wen... Free Essays on Reality Free Essays on Reality If you saw my family sitting together at a restaurant, you would say to yourself,† now there is a nice looking family.† Everyone says so. Although underneath it all is what you really don’t see. I was blind to it myself until it was brought to my attention. Two people that were destined to be together from the start are just falling apart more and more everyday. Walking into my house ten years ago you would smell whatever was cooking on the stove, the fireplace burning in the living room, or Dads’ cologne when he walks from his bedroom. Now, it’s just a stale smell from an old house. It’s like no one is even living within the walls of the English tutor home. No love between the two people that made everything what it is today. It was a major change for all of us to move here from New York. It seemed like the â€Å"in thing† was parents getting a divorce. We felt like a minority moving here because our parents were still together. My sister and I would listen to our friends and how difficult it is for them to be fair and see each parent every other week. All we could think to ourselves was, â€Å"thank God that is never going to happen to us.† Well it wasn’t until the middle of my sophomore year that it was brought to my attention by my dad that things weren’t going all that great, and that in fact they hadn’t been for quit some time now. I remember standing in our hot muggy garage as he was telling me this. Perspiration was melting off both our faces. I’m not sure if I was angry or scared; but I knew my Dad was trying to hold back his tears. Everything that meant the most that day just went from the top to the bottom of the list. One thing that was different from all of the other families that go through this is that my parents tried very hard to put things back together. They went to counseling and little get-aways. Again, my sister and I thought that things were going good between them. We just wen... Free Essays on Reality According to James, pragmatic reality seems to be an individual’s construction of ideas and is based upon the fulfillment of one’s own interests. First of all, James believes that there is a number of different â€Å"worlds† or realities that exist such as the world of science, the world of abstract truths, etc.. Of these worlds that James thinks exists, he feels that the world of physical objects is the most important world when considering reality. He considers this world to be most important because physical objects have more impact on our lives and most affect our ability to fulfill our ends. So, when we discuss James and his ideas on a pragmatic reality, we are focusing on the reality of physical objects. James’ ideas on pragmatic reality also seem to take into account two major sides. Side one would include an individual’s interests, values, and concerns, and side two would include an individual’s experiences. James thinks that an individual creates his own reality by sorting through his interests, values, and concerns and then relating his experiences to those factors in a way that will be satisfying to him. This process will result in an individuals own reality, and not any â€Å"absolute† reality. What is real needs to be understood, and if one can not understand something, then it is not reality to that person. Therefore, each individual’s perception of physical objects will result in an individual sense of reality for each individual based on the perception of the same group of physical objects. James’ metaphysical conception of reality is based on the idea that there are many ways that one can view something, and once again it is up to the individual to decide which way the thing will be perceived. The idea here is not to argue about which point of view is the correct one, but it is to see which point of view is more appropriate given the purposes the individual has. Many examples are given ...

Art vs Design Essays

Art vs Design Essays Art vs Design Essay Art vs Design Essay If we want to talk about Design, many people will think about work of Art because we usually see those words beside each other as Art and Design such as a name of a school School of Art and Design and understand Design convey aesthetics as Art but their meaning is totally different. Moreover, lines between them are complex and intriguing. Many designers are artists and many artists are designers. Artists almost never want to be called designers but many designers seem to want recognition as artists. However, as easily explain, art is created by artists or aspiring artists or artistic creation while design is produced by designers. In fact, Art and Design have a connection between them. There are some pretty clear areas and have also identified where those areas have become blurred. Commercial sense The first point is that designers work for money in the commercial sense but artists usually recoup their cost of creation to purchase new paints or inks or paper. Design as a career pays a lot more than Art. In the real world for most cases, therefore Designers probably should be quite content not being called Artists because design often is about meeting commercial outcomes Design is start from thought, art is begun from feeling Another point, Design is about solving problems and sorting through hypotheses and alternatives to create the best solution to something â€Å" the best chair, home, garden, room, poster, or car. Design is about understanding people and the user experience. Design is a very calculated and defined process; it is discussed among a group and implemented taking careful steps to make sure the objectives of the project are met. Designers are similar to engineers in that esteem and must not only have an eye for color and style but must join to very complex functional details that will meet each objective of each project. The word design lead itself to a hint that someone or something has carefully created a thing and much planning and thought has been achieved to produce the imagery or materials used for the project. On the other hand, Art is about creating works which try to arouse a response in the viewer, to make them rethink assumptions or look in a new or specific way. Art is something completely separate. Good artists should convey a message or inspire an emotion it does not have to adhere to any specific rules. Artists are creating their own rules. Art is something that can draw a single thought or feeling such as happiness or sadness from the hands of the artist. The artists are free to express themselves in any shape, form, color, using any number of methods to transfer their message. Artists do not need to explain why or what they did something . Different roles As the beginning of the article, many designers are artists and many artists are designers. There are some designers who could be loosely called artists. However, the problem is not that designers cannot be artists but it is that being a designer is different from being an artist, just different between driving trains and trucks. A train driver can be a truck driver even though these are different roles. Potters make cups commercially as well as pieces of artwork. The sculpture made by the potter does not turn the cup into Art. Convergence between Art and Design In summary where gotten more confusing, this is a convergence grey area. Design and art are mixture that designers create their products or objects. They are not just good designs but works of art as function and aesthetic. Art affects to feeling of consumers as aesthetic while design correctly responses as a function use. If they lost either design or art, their products or objects will not be successful. Therefore designers are artists in their own right. There is no architectural design that is not art and no landscape design that is not art. Both design and art are able to go along together even though they came from difference places. This is how to create a truly harmonious balance between art and design.

Startups in Publishing †IPR License

Startups in Publishing – IPR License Startups in Publishing – IPR License What’s the â€Å"publishing industry†, really? It’s a mixture of a lot of companies, big and small, that all revolve around authors, books and readers. The big ones have been shaken by the digital disruption and are only now realizing the truth of â€Å"adapt or die†. And because they’re big, this will now obviously take time, as Hugh Howey recently pointed out (quite accurately).That’s where the smaller cogs in the wheel come in–and I’m going to say â€Å"we†, as Reedsy is a part of the machine, and I’m a part of Reedsy. Since the digital disruption, the landscape of publishing has become a fabulous playing ground for many startups. So many, in fact, that I hear this question a lot when presenting Reedsy: â€Å"Do you really think we need yet another self-publishing/digital publishing company?†My answer is usually a version of: â€Å"Are you satisfied by the current state of this industry? Do you think ind ependent publishing has now been made a simple process? Do you think we’ve all finally, fully embraced the digital disruption?† I dare you to say yes.Here at Reedsy, we’re big fans of all the little ships that enter the vast ocean of book publishing with the certainty that they will make a difference. We believe they will be the ones fashioning the future of the industry and turning it into something coherent and adapted to these modern, digital times.To celebrate them, we have decided to create a serial on startups that we will be publishing every Monday on this blog. These are all startups actually providing fantastic value to authors, and which we believe will play an important role in the future of publishing. For this reason, they are all startups that Reedsy is or will be partnering with in the near future.Today, we start with IPR License, the first and only online platform on which to acquire subsidiary book rights and permissions on a global scale. It was founded by Tom Chalmers back in 2012 and has greatly grown since. Read our interview with Tom below.RF: Why did you start IPR? What’s the founder’s story?Tom Chalmers: I founded my first publishing company in 2005, Legend Press, and with only a borrowed computer and no experience or contacts I licensed the second novel into seven editions and four languages. Five further companies were started between then and 2012, when the idea of licensing potential that had stayed with me since 2005 came to the fore. That led to my seventh company, IPR LIcense, the global rights licensing platform.RF: That’s great! I actually was at Frankfurt Book Fair, and felt it was more mess than â€Å"Messe†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ So I can understand the need for an online platform for trading rights, but how quick do you think big publishers can be to switch from a meeting-at-book-fairs model to an online one? Is your ambition to replace big international fairs or to complement them?TC: Itâ₠¬â„¢s not a case of switching from face-to-face meetings–publishing will always be a subjective and personable industry–but complementing them. Book fairs are now hubs of business and not the only place to do business, which does mean a smaller but more focused footfall.Technology not only means business can be completed 24 hours a day seven days a week, all year round, but at the book fair as well. We see a time shortly where meetings can be held and interested parties can then complete the deals immediately rather than waiting for the two-weeks-later follow-up.RF: What rights are most acquired by publishers on IPR License (digital, print, foreign, Film/TV, etc.)?TC: It is hard say as we have over 13 million titles on the platform, not only books but journals, manuscripts and screenplays too. The obvious focus is on print and in particular translations where there is huge potential, but we also see lots of for instance audio, large print and production materials deals being completed as well. The book is a single entity of intellectual property, one of many that can potentially be licensed.RF: How active are you in the negotiations and contracting that follow after a publisher has singled out a book whose rights they are interested in?TC: As much as the member would like us to be. In general we are a technology solution to allow the seller and buyer to directly complete deals. But we also have a team to help facilitate the transactions, so if a seller says they want a bit of help in the negotiation or contract and so on, we will provide that for them.RF: I think that’s great. It’s important to keep this individual approach to every single client even if you have a scalable model. Now over to the revenue stream; what’s your business model?TC: We charge a flat annual fee of  £99 for authors and a fee for publishers dependent on company turnover. We then take 15% commission from deals completed via the platform.When you join IPR License, you don’t only have access to market-leading technology but account management, licensing and marketing support. We usually say the annual fee is the equivalent to the fee from a single deal completed, a lot less for authors, so the risk is not unreasonable.RF: Now here’s something I’ve always been curious about: Some say indie authors start out self-publishing specifically in the hope of getting discovered by a traditional publisher. But on the other hand, you get the numerous stories of traditionally published authors switching to self-publishing as soon as their contracts end (or even sooner). From what you’ve seen at IPR, which wave is bigger: indie to trad or trad to indie? Or do you see a hybrid model becoming the norm?TC: We’ve seen a self-published author, Mary Wood, received a seven-book deal from Pan Macmillan and we have many authors who have reverted the rights from publishers and are looking to license them directly. Weâ⠂¬â„¢re not really focused on or interested in the trend, which I imagine is changeable anyway; we’re solely focused on helping the rights owner, whether an author, publisher or agent, license their valuable IP to third parties around the world.RF: What would be your top advice to self-publishing authors looking to sell their print or foreign rights? In other words, what do publishers look for on IPR License?TC: Get the basics rights: how the book is listed, what categories to use, what content to use to support the potential purchase of the rights, ensuring the correct sales and rights information is listed and so on. Also, making sure the key books are listed as key books as they are then prioritised in the search engine.RF: How should indie authors be using IPR? Should they be listing a particular kind of title? Or is the benefit of an open directory like IPR that even niche works can find an audience, and so all works ought to be listed?TC: We try to be as open as possibl e and we see licensing deals being completed for works completely across the spectrum. As well as getting the basics rights, as per above, I would also say to take a back step and think honestly about where the work may appeal and to tailor the listing details accordingly. A lot of authors say â€Å"perfect for film† or â€Å"should be big in the US† etc., but the most successful ones have a basic understanding of the markets and a realistic view of where the work will appeal.RF: You launched Rights Magazine last year to coincide with the five biggest international book fairs in 2014. What’s its content and who is it distributed to? Why a magazine?TC: It contains editorial, company news, publisher and author profiles and highlighted titles, etc. We have a market-leading technology platform but we also want to provide as much visibility and marketing for our members as possible and the magazine has been a very successful way of achieving that. It is distributed i n different ways at each book fair and is part of a wider promotional plan at each event.RF: From founder to founder, how do you see IPR License and Reedsy working together? What value would Reedsy add to IPR License (and its authors)?TC: I think two ambitious start-ups looking to be at the forefront of the market should have natural synergies, whether that means providing joint services, education or other forms of partnership, so I look forward to a long period of working together and discovering what can be offered to each other’s customers to improve their experience.RF: Easy one to finish: How do you envision IPR License in 5 years? Do you have any major milestones you plan to hit on the way?TC: Our plan is to be the industry standard tool for finding and transacting rights business. We are confident that will happen over the next 12 months, so saying where we’ll be in five years would sound far too grand.RF: Thank you for your time, Tom!Post edited by our lovely editor Becca!Find us on Twitter: Reedsy, IPR License, Tom Chalmers and Ricardo

Foreign country relating to the world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Foreign country relating to the world - Essay Example India is one of the few countries which escaped from the damages of current global recession. India has achieved this positions through carefully planned economic and foreign policies. They have adopted a diplomatic approach to most of the problems associated with it in the region and never adopted an aggressive approach even when their sovereignty was in jeopardy. Immediately after getting freedom, India has started conscious efforts to make an international body for the non-aligned countries under the leadership Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Former Egyptian President Abdul Nazar and Yugoslav President Tito joined hands with Nehru in the formation of NAM. At the time of cold war both US and USSR tried to gain the support of NAM countries in order to expand their power. Some political analysts believe that India was more aligned towards USSR at the time of cold war, but even then India never given up their commitment towards NAM movement. After the destruction of former Soviet Union, America has started to attract India’s support in international affairs because of India’s growing stature as a world economic power. At present India is maintaining a good relationship with both America and Russia which help them in interfering in international politics effectively. â€Å"The principles of Indias foreign policy have stood the te st of time: a belief in friendly relations with all countries of the world, the resolution of conflicts by peaceful means, the sovereign equality of all states, independence of thought and action as manifested in the principles of Non-alignment, and equity in the conduct of international relations†.   (Indias Foreign Policy - 50 Years of Achievement) â€Å"Indeed, the Independence of India itself played the role of a catalyst in removing the vestiges of colonialism in other parts of the developing world, particularly in Africa† (Indias Foreign Policy - 50 Years of Achievement) India has

Role of Leadership in Managing Quality Research Paper

Role of Leadership in Managing Quality - Research Paper Example Moreover leaders establish a particular direction for their followers which allow them in managing the internal environment of the organization, business, school, institute, nation etc. Once the adherents follow guidance provided by their leader efficiently they can ultimately achieve their targeted goals, aims and objectives in an organized manner. Hence it is clearly evident that quality can easily be maintained with good leadership on any stage or medium as it is the excellence of leaders who are able to set objectives efficiently and assist their followers in implementing those objectives within specified time limits (tribehr.com, 2012). In Big Organization Considering the role of leaders in big organization it is found that leaders are proactive and lead their employees through providing example. The employees follow such instances after being inspired by the charismatic leadership of their leader rather than having a sense of dictatorship. A good leader is one who leads in a ma nner which is depicted through implementation and then leading through actions as opposed to simply dictating their rules and actions without exemplifying any real instances. Leaders recognize and act in response to the variation of the external environment and completely understand the ups and downs of the changing external environment. They are then able to communicate the right direction to their followers for attaining quality in work. The role of leadership in a big organization is to comprehend the requirements of every stakeholder such as clients, owners, suppliers, working staff, general public and any other concerned associate of the business. Every stakeholder formulates the significant part of the quality management process hence they all combine to have an effect on organization’s success. It is the quality of good leadership to induce ethical values throughout their organization which can be achieved through organization’s mission statement or they can the mselves become role models for inspiring their employees for becoming a strategic part of quality management initiative (lennoxhill.co.uk, 2011). True leadership has the ability to equip their employees with the essential resources and struggle to fulfil their duty with sincerity and accountability. The entire organization can be motivated by true leaders for fulfilling their duties and get everyone involved in the process of quality management. It is essential at this stage that leaders must inspire and recognize the contributions and efforts made by employees at all levels which will further instigate a sense of accountability amongst employees and will inspire them in attaining more results and they will voluntarily involve more in quality management procedures. This entire process is dependent on the inputs from both sides whether it is the leader or it is the company’s workforce (Ovretveit, 2005). In Educational Institution The educational field has also changed consider ably in a manner that education administration is now treated more towards the scope of educational management which is now further improvised and transformed into educational leadership. This example is clearly evident from the ceremony held in 2000 having the inauguration of the National College for School Leadership in England. The expression ‘instructional leadership’ is basically derived from North America and it has been superseded in England and all around the world by the concept of ‘learning centred leadership’. It has become a requirement for educational leaders and managers to focus all their efforts more towards the quality management of their educational institution for competing with the other leading

Prevalence and incidence rates for diseases or health conditions allow Term Paper

Prevalence and incidence rates for diseases or health conditions allow us to make comparisons between communities - Term Paper Example This essay will compare and contrasts obesity and overweight of the blacks in San Diego against other communities in the country and against the national obesity situation in Canada. CDC (2012) defines body weight affected by a mixture of genes, culture among others; on the other hand, obesity is known as the condition of overweight in which a person has body weight which is more than is considered healthy for that individual’s height. Often the body mass index (BMI) is used to measure this condition however; most medical professionals do not need to use this method as mere observation of the patient can be used to evaluate the condition. According to Shields, Carroll and Ogden (2011), amongst children aged between six to ten years old, it is defined to be at or above the sex and age specific ninety seventh percentile of BMI. On the other hand in adults it is measured as a Body Mass Index of at least 30kg/m2. In the county of San Diego, the number of blacks who are obese is ve ry high and as will be shown below, this community in the county has a high percentage of more then forty percent amongst the adults. Other recent reports have predicted that the number could even be higher amongst children. Adults that may be described as neither overweight nor obese according to the 2009 to 2010 survey of adults in the county amongst the blacks stood at a mere 23.2 percent. In the paragraph below, it is important to compare it against other ethnic and racial communities in the county (California Healthcare Foundation, 2010). In the county of San Diego, the four major ethnic and racial communities used in obesity survey are; blacks, whites, Hispanics and Mexican-Americans. In a survey conducted between 2009 and 2010, blacks had on average the highest number of adults with obesity. Hispanics and Mexican Americans were on average had the highest number of people who are overweight; therefore, the number of adults was determined as people who had the at least 20 years . The percentage number of white people in the county who are obese stood at 33.2 whilst a higher percent of 33.5 percent were overweight. The percentage number of blacks in the county who are obese in the county was the highest at 46.6 percent while only 28.3 percent of the black population in the county was overweight. The percentage number of Hispanics in the county, who are obese, was 38.4 percent and 39.3 percent for the overweight. In the county during a 2009 demographic research, the central region of the county had the highest percentage of obese adults at approximately 29.3 percent whereas the North Central region had a meager 14.2 percent, the lowest in the county amongst obese adults (Ogden et al., 2012). An analysis conducted in the year 2007 and 2009 in Canada to gauge the rate of obesity in the country revealed that the incidence in that country was 24.1 per cent. Unlike in the county of San Diego where there is significant number of blacks amongst the population, Cana da actually has a higher number of South Asians. Over the same period, both reports have revealed some damning information; the prevalence rates of obesity in both regions have increased significantly. The two reports have further noted that the number of obese amongst blacks in San Diego and the population in Canada amongst adult men aged 60 to 74 are very high. In general, whist black population have a

Contemporary issues in management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contemporary issues in management - Essay Example Thus developments in telecommunications and transportation infrastructure comprising the emergence of the telegraph together with its posterity and recently the rise of the internet are key aspects of globalization, producing more interdependence of cultural and economic activities (Ritzer, 2011). According to scholars, globalisation can be traced long before the European advent in voyages and discovery of New World. There are even those that trace its origins to the 3rd millennium BCE Nevertheless, the cultures and economies of the world grew very fast as the 19th century came to an end and 20th century began. The phrase globalisation has been used increasingly since 1980s and particularly in the mid-1990s.Thus the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2000 identified 4 primary features of globalisation; transactions, trade, investment and capital movements, movement and migration of people as well as the distribution of knowledge. Moreover, environmental challenges like cross-boundary air pollution and water, over-fishing and climate change are all associated with globalisation. Various globalisation processes are affected and do affect business as well as work organization, socio-cultural resources, economics together with natural environment. Globalisation has also stimulated innovation. Thus American companies can for instance transfer technology to countries such as China. Thus, Apple’s iPad and iPhones were all prototyped and designed in California but their production is done in China. Thus China’s manufacturing competition is progressively more taking low-skill production while at the same time nurturing highly skilled innovations and inventions (Jones, 2010). In addition, around 15% of technological transformation in Europe previously can be directly accredited to Chinese imports competition, a yearly benefit of nearly 10 billion Euros to European economies. Thus, companies have reacted to China’s imports threat by adopting

Emergency Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Emergency Management - Assignment Example The author is also keen to present the seven standards that define critical thinking in a bid to enlighten the reader. In the last chapters of the book, the author presents a review of the process involved in critical thinking. One of the concepts described in the definition of critical thinking. Using the SEE-I process it is possible to break down the definition of critical thinking ((Nosich 40). For example, certain political situations compel a leader to indulge in critical thinking. This is common when nations face economic recessions and a leader must think critically in a bid to identify effective strategies for addressing the issue. The globe is facing a new Ebola threat, which has proven to be more severe than those experienced in the past. West African countries have been adversely affected by the Ebola epidemic with a registered mortality of over 1000. This situation compels nations to indulge in critical thinking as they identify potential strategies of combating the spread of the disease. This may translate to a rigorous process of critical thinking that identifies the most effective solutions that leaders can adopt in their fight against Ebola (Frieden et al). Such critical thinking should consider the eight elements of reasoning highlighted in the assigned reading discussed

American Revolution Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Revolution - Term Paper Example The American Revolution, which took place from 1775 to 1783, can be considered as a remarkable event in the United States history (Fiske 2009, p. 26). The revolution played a significant role as it brought the United States into existence. As a result of the revolution, the United States gained independence from the oppressive British rule. During the political upheaval that accompanied the American Revolution in the second half of the 18th century, thirteen colonies from the North of America joined together. These colonies broke from the British Empire and combined to become the United States of America. First, the colonies turned down the authority of the Great Britain Parliament, which aimed at governing them overseas and denied them representation. This lack of representation made the states condemn the oppressive British rule, and they worked extremely hard to get rid of it (Wood 2002, p. 34). The introduction of new taxes can be regarded as a significant cause of the revolution. Since the British government wanted to come up with ways of generating income, it made a decision to levy new taxes on the colonies. These taxes could be used to offset the high costs of defense incurred by the Great Britain. For example, the Sugar Act of 1764 introduced a three pence tax for every gallon of molasses. The act also included a list of the goods that could be exported to the Great Britain. Contrary to other previous acts, this act had to be strictly enforced; this placed a heavy burden on the colonies and led to enormous economic downturns (McNeese 2003, p. 42). The â€Å"taxation without representation† triggered the onset of the revolution as colonial leaders complained of lacking members of Parliament to represent the interest of Americans. Further, the implementation of the currency act worsened the situation 2in the United States; the act prohibited the printing of paper money by the colonies. A number of

Emergency Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Emergency Management - Assignment Example The author is also keen to present the seven standards that define critical thinking in a bid to enlighten the reader. In the last chapters of the book, the author presents a review of the process involved in critical thinking. One of the concepts described in the definition of critical thinking. Using the SEE-I process it is possible to break down the definition of critical thinking ((Nosich 40). For example, certain political situations compel a leader to indulge in critical thinking. This is common when nations face economic recessions and a leader must think critically in a bid to identify effective strategies for addressing the issue. The globe is facing a new Ebola threat, which has proven to be more severe than those experienced in the past. West African countries have been adversely affected by the Ebola epidemic with a registered mortality of over 1000. This situation compels nations to indulge in critical thinking as they identify potential strategies of combating the spread of the disease. This may translate to a rigorous process of critical thinking that identifies the most effective solutions that leaders can adopt in their fight against Ebola (Frieden et al). Such critical thinking should consider the eight elements of reasoning highlighted in the assigned reading discussed

The Science and Culture of the Sea Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Science and Culture of the Sea - Assignment Example Nowadays, most people are not as afraid of seafaring as they might have been in the mid-19th century. Without the aid of deep underwater equipment and scuba diving, there was really no way—back then—to know exactly what the deep dark sea did consist of exactly. This scared many people away from the water. However, there were a certain brave few who weathered the elements because they were so curious as to how the sea operated, even though the sea was considered a strange animal. There were â€Å"strange forms in the water†¦[and] sea-ravens†¦therefore fit roosting-place for their homeless selves. And heaved and heaved still unrestingly heaved the black sea, as if its vast tides were a conscience; and the great mundane soul was in anguish and remorse for the long sin and suffering it had bred.†1 Additionally, over time—but especially in Melville’s book—a case has been made that there is something very sacred about the sea which perhaps, he writes—lives within all of us. â€Å"Consider, once more, the universal cannibalism of the sea; all whose creatures prey upon each other, carrying on eternal war since the world began. Consider all this; and then turn to this green, gentle, and most docile earth; consider them both, the sea and the land, and do you not find a strange analogy to something in yourself?†2 Melville makes us attempt to draw a comparison between the sea and land and our respective souls. Where is it dry? What does the stability of land provide, and what do we give up when we go out to sea? In exchange for a salty, untamed coexistence, the sea beckons even as it threatens to revolt against its seafarers. Yes, it is the sea, that most wild of all natural elements, that nurtures, destroys. It is this sea inside (the mind) which Melville seeks to draw out, as he continues to dazzle readers with his linguistically rich and metaphorical prose. III. Deductions About Accurate and Inaccu rate Science in Moby Dick (450 words) Of course, water cannot be like air, which is apparent to everyone except the speaker here, even if only in jest, when he says, â€Å"Methinks that in looking at things spiritual, we are too much like oysters observing the sun through the water, and thinking that thick water the thinnest of air. Methinks my body is but the lees of my better being. In fact, take my body who will take it I say, it is not me.†3 These are not the only examples of historically scientific references—most of which were indeed accurate.

Generalists Social Work and Rape Survivors

Generalists Social Work and Rape Survivors Introduction Generalist social work practice is one of the conceptual framework developed to guide social workers on social delivery. This approach was developed following the Milford conferences in 1990s. By definition, generalist social work entails a way of viewing practice. It focus on the association between system, on a client-centered and use of appropriate theories and approaches meant to improve people’s well being (Council on Social Work Education 2008). It is always expected that the social work should entail multifaceted approach and that any social worker employing generalist perspective must be ready to engage in direct and indirect intervention based on multilevel assessment (Council on Social Work Education 2008). The generalist social work is also expected to be client-centered and problem-focused in process of helping the client advance social functioning. It should be based on research. As it shall turn out, generalist social worker must be able to skillfully select and apply multifaceted intervention modes and should carry out multilevel assessments and intervene at one or more levels depending on client situation. A generalist social worker should be well-versed with the individual, group, family, community and institutional intervention methods. Generalists social worker should be competent in different treatment skills (Council on Social Work Education 2008). He or she should be able to intervene with complex activities than only referral and should engage in the full spectrum of direct services. He should be even competent in policy and program development, organizational and community development. The generalists social worker should work based on evidence based research rather than traditional chores, which comprises only of referral Generalists social work should help different groups in the society experiencing social problems or needs. Rape victims are example of individuals who need the assistance of the generalist social worker. Victims of violent crimes are most vulnerable to many conditions and should be assisted accordingly (Council on Social Work Education 2008). Social workers are expected to identify these victims and take necessary and appropriate measures to assist them recover from trauma. Before exploring the generalists social work practice with victims if violent crime, this paper will first elaborate who the victims of violent crimes and why they deserve special attention from generalist social worker. Rapeis a form of forced sexual intercourse whereby the resistance of the female is prevented by threats of great and immediate bodily harm such as use of knife or gun. It is very common crime. The choice of this group of victims is prompted by the fact that rape is one of the most serious assault and is characterized by stigmatization (Council on Social Work Education 2008). In fact the victims of rape may decide not to seek any medical assistance because of the stigma. In addition, rape is not only associated with physical injuries but also with the psychological torture and trauma. Fortunately, rape victims may seek help from multiple formal social systems, which include the legal, medical, and mental health system including the rape crisis centers (Council on Social Work Education 2008). This means that the victims of rape deserve special assistance from social workers. Rape also takes place mainly when there is political instabilities. For example, Ghitis (2010) reveals that in any battle ground, rape must take place. He adds that possibly millions of women who have suffered rape during wars are now telling their stories and taking action with the help of legal specialists and womens rights groups. History also justifies that sexual assault inevitably accompanies armed conflict and war. In fact some researchers has used rape to mean a weapon of war and as a phenomenon with important tactical and strategic dimensions (Council on Social Work Education 2008). For example, rape during Bosnian War was used to change the ethnic make-up of the conquered territory. Similarly, rape during Rwandan genocide was strategically done to clear Tutsi population. In Rwanda, for example, the number of rape victims is estimated to be about 500,000. The incidence and frequency of rape is also significantly high. The study by the Federal Bureau of Investigation reveals that a rape case occurs in every ten minutes but is underreported. The analysis also shows that 1 in every 15 women will be raped sometime during her life if the current trend continues. It is also important to note that most of the attention is focused on the rapists. Most policies are designed to punish the rapists. Little has been done to help the rape victims. Rape being a social factor, generalist social worker is considered the most appropriate person to assist the rape victims. The next section of the paper presents the intervention that the generalist social work profession can make to address or intervene in the problem of rape. The analysis would be based on the framework proposed by the Council on Social Work Education, which places emphasis on the use of evidence to inform practice and practice to inform research (Council on Social Work Education 2008). According to the CSWE, the generalists social work should take the role of a broker, an advocate, a mediator, educator, social actionist and also as a clinician (Council on Social Work Education 2008). Evidence based practice of generalists social worker in helping rape victims As indicated, the general social work practice should no longer entail the traditional roles such as referral. Firstly, the generalists should diagnose and identify the needs of the rape survivors or victims that should be addressed. There are many problems that the rape victims could wish to be solved. The first need is that most rape victims may encounter rape ordeal when they were not expecting. This means that the need to be informed about what to do and where to seek medical, mental health and social and legal services (Schatz, Jenkins, Sheafor, 1990). The second need is that after medical treatment, the rape victim needs to go through professional counselling for emotional trauma and its consequent social disruption. They also need legal assistances in aspects such as information about rights, advocacy and representation in the criminal justice system. Rape is also associated with consequences such as unwanted pregnancy and also HIV and other venereal diseases. They need thoro ugh intervention on these matters (Schatz, Jenkins, Sheafor, 1990). Based on these needs, it is apparent that rape victims needs a comprehensive range of services from different fields such as law, mental health, and social life. The only challenge is that most of the rape victims are in a state of extreme emotional crisis. They are not prepared to go through all these fields and may even have little knowledge on what to do altogether. Generalist social worker act as a coordinator and referee Generalist social worker is considered an integral agency who should take the responsibility for developing the program and for organizing and coordinating additional support services. Social worker should be the one to guide the victim of rape on where to seek primary care and where to seek the secondary care. It is indisputable that many services may be available in the community already. However, accessing these services may be the major obstacle. Generalist social worker, according to Council on Social Work Education (2008), should be the one addressing the obstacles barring the rape victim from accessing the appropriate services. The generalist social worker should act as a coordinator and should bridge different facilities with an aim of improving management of rape victims. For example, the hospitals may be ready to manage patients and families in crisis but may face financial limitation as an obstacle and hence may not be able to sypport all the services necessary for a compr ehensive rape-treatment program (Schatz, Jenkins, Sheafor, 1990). However, with the intervention or help of generalist social work, the victims can get assistance from the financial programs and facilities that are meant to aid the patient in accessing necessary treatment. Generalist social work is therefore acting as a coordinator who should coordinate different programs together and also as a referral agent who should refer the victims to the relevant services. Generalist social work as a counselor Council on Social Work Education (2008) considers counselling as an integral part evidence based practice in the management of rape victims or rape survivors. The experiences that such victim go following disclosure of their problems is always unbearable. It has been shown that most of them undergo different forms of victimization. They also receive insensitive treatment, survivor blame and most of them are not offered adequate social services. All these can worsen their state of health. In fact it has been shown that most of them undergo what is called second rape or second sexual assault based on the nature of victimization they experience (Schatz, Jenkins, Sheafor, 1990). For example, it has been shown that survivors experience with medical and criminal justice agencies closely mimic the nature and /or dynamics of actual rape experiences and can be even more re-traumatizing Collings, 2009). The generalist social work is meant to counsel the rape victims on the best way of contain ing the situation. The generalist social work should offer appropriate counselling to the rape survivors and make them understand the situation and also value the importance of social services. There generalist social work should be a source of hope to the rape survivors because they usually receive a lot of resistance not only from society but even from their mothers, in case the rape survivor is a child (Schatz, Jenkins, Sheafor, 1990). They should help the rape survivors recover from the otherwise second rape by counselling them that their future is still bright and assuring them that there exists many social services apart from the medical services that can be utilized (Schatz, Jenkins, Sheafor, 1990). During counselling process, the counsellor should provide the victim of rape with current data regarding the value and responsiveness of the support services. They should also help in educational process. They can, for example give seminars on the emotional trauma of rape. It is always important fo r social worker to be knowledgeable about the criminal justice system. Generalist social worker as a clinician in helping rape survivors As stated earlier, generalists social worker should have clinical competence. Rape victims or survivors normally require medical assistance. Despite the fact that there are hospitals, those working in the hospital may not have enough expertise to handle the rape victims. Many researchers have proved that healthcare providers are not trained on how to handle the case of rape victims (Schatz, Jenkins, Sheafor, 1990). For example, instead of sympathizing and emphasizing with them, the healthcare practitioners may victimize the rape survivors. This is evidenced by the study by Collings (2009), which indicate that most of rape survivors undergo different forms of victimization in the hospitals. They also receive insensitive treatment, survivor blame and most of them are not offered adequate social services. All these can worsen their state of health. In fact it has been shown that most of them undergo what is called second rape or second sexual assault based on the nature of victimization they experience. For example, it has been shown that survivors experience with with medical and criminal justice agencies closely mimic the nature and /or dynamics of actual rape experiences and can be even more re-traumatizing. This means that generalists social worker could be the best clinician to address the medical needs of the rape survivors because generalist social worker is not only trained in clinical competence but also in how to handle the victim of rape without imposing any form of victimization or secondary rape. Generalist social work should therefore diagnose the physical injuries sustained by rape victim or survivor and administer appropriate intervention. The generalist social worker should also test whether the victim contracted the venereal and STI and administer the appropriate int ervention. Generalist social worker as a broker in helping rape victims It is indisputable that the rape victims are in need of many resources and services. However, most of them may not have information as to where to obtain such resources and services. It is therefore the role of the generalist social worker to act as a bridge and to let the rape survivors access the required services and resources. As a broker, generalists social worker should not have personal vested interests. When broking, they should be guided by a number elements. Firstly, they should recognize the victim as an individual with fear and preferences which should be solved at the end of plan or brokerage process. They should also turn the brokerage plan into reality and should take into consideration the risks and benefits of the brokerage process. Generalists’ social worker as a mediator in helping rape victims As stated earlier, rape victims undergo different forms of victimization. They also receive insensitive treatment, survivor blame and most of them are not offered adequate social services. It is also shown that survivors experience with medical and criminal justice agencies closely mimic the nature and /or dynamics of actual rape experiences and can be even more re-traumatizing (Schatz, Jenkins, Sheafor, 1990). Because of this, most of the rape cases are underreported despite the fact that they occur in every ten minutes. The stigma and the traumatizing experiences that the rape victims go through prevent them from even seeking medical assistance. Generalists social worker is therefore expected to mediate the process and help make decisions that are meant to benefit the rape survivor. In fact in court cases, the generalist social worker should be the one representing the client. Ethical considerations It should be noted that the generalists social worker should work towards benefiting all the affected groups. He or she should promote social justice by ensuring that all members of society access the societal resources that a society offers (Schatz, Jenkins, Sheafor, 1990). They should help the most vulnerable groups in the society. Despite the fact that they may act as brokers, they should not use this role to benefit themselves. They should expand institutional resources such as adequate education, political participation and should strive to promote fairness and respect. They should not cause further trauma to the rape victims (Schatz, Jenkins, Sheafor, 1990). It is also important to note that most professionals may defy their professionalism and perceive the rape victim as the cause of problem and hence the professional and personal values conflict. In such case, the generalist social worker should try to maintain his or her professional values. References Ghitis, F. (2010). Pushing Back Against Rape as a Weapon of War. World Politics Review (Selective Content), 1. Collings, S. J. (2009). Where the streets have no names: factors associated with the provision of counselling and social work services for child rape survivors in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Journal of Child Adolescent Mental Health, 21(2), 139-146. Schatz, M. S., Jenkins, L. E., Sheafor, B. W. (1990). Milford Redefined: A Model of Initial and Advanced Generalist Social Work. Journal of Social Work Education, 26(3), 217-231. Council on Social Work Education. (2008). Education policy and accreditation standards. Retrieved from http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation/2008EPASDescription.aspx