Proforma: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Judgmental Approach Essay

In addition to forecasting cash flows, managers and investors are also interested in forecasts of the firm’s financial statements. These projected financial statements are called pro forma financial statements. They give both the management and investors an insight into what the financial statements will look like in the future and a signal as to any need to raise long-term funds. The starting point in the creation of the pro forma financial statements is the construction of the pro forma income statement (do you remember why? ). Like the cash budget, it also relies heavily on the sales forecast. Significant errors in the sales forecast will result in errors in the income statement which, in turn, will cause errors on the pro forma balance sheet. Pro Forma Income Statement There are two approaches to creating the pro forma income statement: the percentage of sales method and what I will call the judgmental approach. The percentage of sales approach is simplistic and prone to error (estimating financial statements is tricky enough without compounding the error using an inferior technique). The percentage of sales method assumes that all items on the income statement except interest expense and tax expense vary in direct proportion to the change in sales. This is simply usually not true. Some items will change with sales, but others will not. See the criticism of the percentage of sales approach at the top of page 116 in your text. My illustration will focus on the judgmental approach which allows the analyst to apply judgment to forecast the level of those items that are not expected to vary with sales. My vehicle for illustrating the creation of a pro forma income statement appears below: Assume that sales for the BMX Corporation are expected to be $12 million in 2008 and that sales in 2007 were $10 million. Further assume that cost of goods sold can be divided into two parts: a part that varies with sales and a part that does not (i. e. , cost of goods sold has both fixed and variable components). Further assume that operating expenses can also be divided a fixed portion and a variable portion. Further assume the firm plans to increase its borrowing in 2008 which will increase interest expense on the income statement. The first step in the analysis is to determine the percentage increase in sales: (2008 sales – 2007 sales)/2007 sales = percentage change in sales ($12 million – $10 million)/$10million – 1 = . 2 or 20% The second step in the analysis is to construct the 2008 proforma income statement assuming those items that vary with sales will increase by the percentage change in sales (20%) and that those items that don’t remain fixed. An example of this process is given on the Excel worksheet below. Double click on the worksheet to access it, then scroll up or down as needed. Notice the variable expenses are found by taking the 2007 expense and multiplying by 1 + the percentage change in sales (1. 2). This increases those expenses by 120%. A common error students make is to simply multiply the variable expenses by the percentage change in sales. If we did that here, we would be multiplying the variable expenses by 20%. In other words, we would not be increasing variable expenses by 20%, we would be reducing them by 80%. Notice the pro forma net income for 2008 is $600,000. You may wish to analyze the effect using a strict percentage of sales approach would have had on pro forma net income. Would net income be higher or lower as a result? You would be correct to sense the potential for an exam question here. Finally $200,000 in dividends are deducted from the $600,000 net income giving us a $400,000 addition to retained earnings. The third step is to use the $400,000 pro forma additions to retained earnings in addition to a number of other assumptions to compute the Pro Forma Balance Sheet. I will also use the judgmental approach in this step. The 2007 historical balance sheet and the pro forma balance sheet for BMX Corporation appear in the Excel worksheet below. To access the worksheet, double click on it, then scroll up or down as needed to see view the worksheets. I will make the following assumptions regarding the pro forma balance sheet: 1. The firm wants to continue to maintain a minimum cash balance of $100,000 2. Marketable securities will increase to $75,000 in 2008. 3. Accounts receivable have historically been 36. 5 days of sales. Since sales for 2008 are expected to be $12,000,000, accounts receivable will be $12,000,000 x (36. 5/365) = $1,200,000 (you could also do the following which is algebraically identical: ($12,000,000/365) X 36. 5). 4. Inventories have historically been 20% of cost of goods sold. Since cost of goods sold for 2008 are expected to be $9,000,000, inventories will be $9,000,000 x . 20 = $1,800,000. 5. Vectra will increase fixed assets by $750,000. Depreciation expense for 2008 is estimated to be $200,000. Net fixed assets for 2008 will be: Net fixed assets (2007) + additions to fixed assets – depreciation expense 2008 $5,000,000 + $750,000 – $200,000 = $5,550,000 6. Annual purchases (all on account) have historically averaged 60% of cost of goods sold. The accounts payable balance, in turn, is typically 20% of purchases. Accounts payable will therefore be $9,000,000 X . 60 X . 20 = $1,080,000 7. Taxes payable will be approximately one quarter of the tax expense shown on the 2008 pro forma income statement. Taxes payable will equal $400,000/4 = $100,000. 8. Notes payable will increase to $1,000,000. 9. There will be no change in other current liabilities, long-term debt, or common stock. 10. Retained earnings on the 2008 pro forma balance sheet will change by the additions to retained earnings ($400,000) shown on the pro forma income statement. Since the 2007 retained earnings was $1,000,000, the retained earnings for 2008 are expected to be $1,000,000 + $400,000 = $1,400,000. Notice the 2008 pro forma balance sheet did not initially balance: e. i. , total assets ($8,725,000) did not equal the sum of total liabilities and equity ($8,332,500). In other words, the firm’s need to fund assets of $8,725,000 in 2008 will not be met at anticipated levels of debt and equity. This is the firm’s signal that it will have to raise funds by issuing additional debt or equity in the amount of $392,500.

Vijayawada in the Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh

A quadruplet is a multiplier that is lifted by four rotors. Unlike traditional helicopters, the quadruplet use 2 sets of propellers with 2 clockwise and 2 anti- clockwise. It was first designed by Louis Brute in 1907. It lifted off the ground by using four propellers In four different directions. Although It could only go up for several feet, it was a great step for the development of quadruplets. More than a decade later, in the asses, more engineers and scientists developed their own types f oratorical.Edmond Machine, a French engineer and helicopter designer, successfully designed a multiplier with four rotors that were installed at the ends of four arms. It provided a very high stability at that time and marked a record of 360 meters traveling distance. As time has passed, the quadruplet has changed into different styles and models. In asses-1 sass, the world was undergoing a very rapid economic development. There was a huge demand for transportation of Industrial materials. The quadruplet was a machine that people always prefer to use.However, due to lack improvement of the quadruplet, it was still not adopted for industrial use. In recent years, many small scale quadruplet are widely used in many ways. As there are many advanced airplanes, quadruplets are no longer under consideration as a means to transport people or commodities. Instead, they are used in different areas, like ordnance surveying, rescue support, film taking etc. Nowadays, quadruplets are always equipped with a camera. The data recorded by a quadruplet can be directly sent to a computer or saved in a storage system.During the Chuan earthquake In 2008, landslides blocked miles of country roads and properties. The rescuers could not enter the affected area. Also, airplanes could land or fly over some of these remote areas. The situation in the affected area remained unknown for the rescuers. The quadruplet help people to assess the damage quickly and more accurately in the remote areas. The ID robotics quadruplet, supported by a simple GAPS controlled through a computer, allowed the rescue teams to locate the affected areas.As the quadruplet is small in size and invulnerable, it can travel to very inaccessible places. We no longer need to rely on expensive alternatives like helicopters. Another common application of the quadruplet Is video and film taking. In the old days, if we want to take some scenes in the sky, we would probably need to use an airplane to help us. However, it is very difficult for an airplane to fly between skyscrapers and along narrow streets like In Hong Kong. Yet, but using a quadruplet can help the directors to achieve this goal.Since the quadruplet can be controlled by remote control or through computer programs, people can control their quadruplet to any direction they like. No matter whether you are standing on a cliff, or in I OFF flexibility and effectiveness of film making. The above applications are not those which are common in most pe ople's lives. Many people cannot afford to buy a quadruplet. Even if they could afford one, there are few ways that they could use it. However, in the future, we will have a chance to see hundreds of quadruplets flying over our heads.The world largest online retailer Amazon introduced a new delivery system-?Prime Air. This futuristic system allows customers to get their ordered packages into their hands within half an hour via unmanned aerial vehicles. The specially designed aerial vehicle is based on a prototype of a quadruplet. There are clamps to hold a box under the copter. The aerial vehicle is equipped with and tracked by a very precise GAPS system. It can even direct the copter outside the shopper's doorstep. In the future, the world's population will keep increasing. Land will become more crowded.Other than open up underground areas, the air space is expected to open p when we have better technology capabilities. As online shopping is growing in popularity, the Prime Air not only can boost the efficiency and economic growth, it can greatly reduce the demand for land transportation. To make Prime Air practicable, many weaknesses need to be considered and solved. What people discuss the most is safety. People will probably feel frightened and worried when they see a flying machine whizzing Just ten meters above their heads. People will also wonder whether the clamps strong enough to hold the box without dropping it.Although the copter is tracked by a very accurate GAPS system, there are many physical obstacles like trees, streetlights, advertisements and even construction sites which are not shown or frequently updated in the system. The technologies nowadays may not be capable to direct the unmanned aerial vehicles to keep away from these obstacles. This puts a restriction on sending a copter to crowded and busy areas like Hong Kong or New York. In the meantime, engineers needs to consider other problems like weather, battery life, load capacity and sec urity.A quadruplet for goods delivery use needs some kind f design to protect the electronic components inside it and this type of service would be highly susceptible to the weather conditions. If the quadruplet could only operate on dry days, the whole concept may somewhat lose it's meaning of effective delivery. What's more, there is no one guard the copter. How can we ensure it can safely and accurately fly to the destination? There are still many things need to deal with in the future to make an application like this a reality. In the future, accoutered will be more commonly used in different aspects.

Managing People for a Competitive Advantage Essay

Managing People for a Competitive Advantage - Essay Example The human resource function seeks to improve the performance of the workforce without having to hire new people for the job placements available. These managers can improve the performance of their workforce by demanding that the team members deliver more. c.Talent effective strained by new realities Interdependence has tremendously influenced how work is done within an organization as many opt to collaborate for the good of the business and the achievement of organizational goals. Collaboration makes the job of managing the workforce to be easy as they work towards the achievement of effective processes. Additionally, the performance of one employee tends to affect the performance of his/her peers making it important for managers to influence them to put in more effort. Interactions are also necessary when it comes to getting the job done as employees need each other for them to complete their tasks. d. A new Convergence of talent and business management The workplace has continued to change over the years while the talent has also been challenging, making it needful to collaborate talent management to ease the complex situation. Employees have to align themselves with the visions of the managers so as to be relevant to the business and its practice. 2. Four generations of people The silents- these are individuals born between 1925 and 1946. They are loyal, dedicated and risk-averse as their values are influenced by the fact that that they were present during the Great Depression and World War II.

Film An Inconvenient Truth Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film An Inconvenient Truth - Movie Review Example From the vivid description of Al Gore’s concept of global warming in this documentary shows that human beings are responsible of the severe effects of global warming and being responsible is the only way to achieve eco-stability. This article seeks to analyze the causes of global warming and its impact on the ecosystem as depicted in the movie â€Å"An inconvenient truth.† In the movie, Al Gore starts by creating the awareness that global warming is a reality that is already being experienced in the world today. As the documentary starts, visual images of the sun taken from different earth positions are shown and it is evident that the illumination of this light has intensified with time (Guggenheim). Also, he presents the data of carbon dioxide changes in the atmosphere and the changes in the temperatures of the globe. On this ground, Gore seems to believe that global warming is an active topic that must be tackled in the society to salvage the natural environment from the scourge of this disaster. The data presented by Gore is similar to the information that was tabulated by Booker (21) that shows the manifestation of global warming on the earth today in his effort to assert that this is threatening disaster. The correlation between the evidence presented by the two environmental activists show that global warming is a matter of concern in the society today. Next, the movie draws a connection between the activities of human beings and the problem of global warming that is being experienced in the society today. At this point Gore makes a reflection of grade-school experience when his teacher ridiculed a student who asked about the effects of continental drift in the society (Guggenheim). By pointing out that the teacher was ignorant, he asserts that the society, and more so the politicians, have ignored the reality of environmental pollution. He feels that the result of global warming is the cumulative effect every person’s irresponsibili ty in pollution and not necessarily the effects of large industries. This is similar to the argument of Booker that the environment should be protected from the people and not the vice versa (308). The minor activities of the society such as driving, waste disposal, chemical use, farming and damage of natural vegetation are the major causes of global warming. The idea of Gore is that human activities are responsible for global warming and that any effort to curb this disaster must start from individual responsibility. After developing the connection between global warming and human activities, Gore points out the severe effects of this scourge to the society. He explains that the trends in global warming promises more diseases, dry vegetation and reduce economic activities in the future of the world. At this point an image of the ‘Crimes of the Hot’ describes vividly the adverse effects that greenhouse effect would have on the environment. The image shows an earth that is completely burnt and captures the attention of the viewers to visualize how the earth would turn out to be if the disaster is not mitigated (Guggenheim). By making such an exaggeration, Gore seems to make a realistic threat to incite the people against global warming in the society. In reality, scholars have predicted a doomed global warmed earth under the mercies of the population proactive environmental rehabilitation. By

Strategic Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Operations Management - Essay Example â€Å"Operational activities are central to the provision of services and /or goods. Every organization provides a product and service combination. A meal in restaurant, a visit to the hospital, buying a pair of Levi 501s, making a pair of Levi 501s, insuring an automobile, staying in an hotel, going to the cinema,; all have operations activities and their management is central to the successful provision of goods and services.† 1 In this example, we are examining the operational activities of a small manufacturing company engaged in the production of automotive components. It is a known fact that small scale manufacturing companies undertake many diverse activities in providing different types of products and services. Modern organizations are complex entities, especially the small scale enterprise, and there will be many different types of operation, both in individual firms as well as across different industries. This clearly reveals that the types of operation vary across different sectors, and there are external factors that influence the organization in many ways. Over the past two decades, leaders of virtually all organizations -- big and small -- have come to understand that external forces can exert more influence over an organization than management itself does. Legislation and public opinion, for example, can greatly expand or restrict what an organization can do and how it does it. As a result, many organizations now try to monitor these external forces, looking for signs where new controversies or new opportunities may be brewing on the business horizon. In today’s competitive and highly sophisticated business world, awareness of those external factors is crucial for a business entity. These factors also determine the sustenance of an organization. Generally speaking, these factors exist both at ‘micro’ and ‘macro’ levels. At a closer micro level, the external elements include suppliers, competitors,

Rainwater Collection and Usage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Rainwater Collection and Usage - Essay Example Moreover, the running costs are quite minimal. Areas best suited for this rainwater collection system are areas with no access to water resources, and areas that receive at least 200mm of rainfall per annum as this system’s effectiveness is pegged on the intensity of rainfall received. Rainwater harvesting systems channel rainwater from the roofs into storage tanks, either placed on the land or underground, through a variety of pipes and gutters. These pipes and gutters should be strong enough to accommodate large amounts of rainwater experienced during the rainy seasons and withstand the windy conditions peculiar to heavy storms (Gould and Nissen 2000, p. 35). The storage tanks, on the other hand, must always be covered to avoid mosquito infestation and contamination from dust, bird droppings and other contaminants. A property owner may choose to use a backup valve like an aqua saver, which automatically switches from rainwater tanks to mains supply whenever available, hence saving the property owner from the hustle of having to manually switch these valves. Rainwater collected through this system can be used in irrigation and washing clothes. However, we note that rainwater harvested from roofs may require treatment as it may be polluted by dust and dirt build on the roof. Moreover, areas accustomed to coal burning and large bird populations may produce roof rainwater contaminated by pollutants such as mercury. Residents in these areas may choose to use the water to flush toilets. It is advisable to allow the first flush of rainwater runoff as it clears the roof of any contaminants present. However, once treated, the water may become suitable for human and livestock drinking. Storm Water Harvesting Another system used in the collection of rainwater waste is storm water harvesting. This refers to the collection, treatment and storage of rainwater that has run off on the earth surface, or on surfaces specifically designed for this purpose. This system no t only harvests run off rain water from drains, roads, parks or playing fields but may also collect snow that melts into storm water systems. The surface run off may be channeled into surface waterways or into water filtration systems tasked with filtering and treating the rainwater before it is stored ready for use. Moreover, surface run off may be filtered by using rain gardens. These are planted depressions that allow water infiltration by accumulating rainwater on the surface, filtering off any pollutants before the water is absorbed into the ground. Once absorbed, the water is channeled into storage tanks via pipes. Swales may, however, be used in place of rain gardens (Gould and Nissen 2000, p. 97). These are low tracts of land, usually marshy, that filter off pollutants from surface run off and improve infiltration. This system of collecting rain water is essential in the collection of water used for irrigation, flushing toilets and even drinking once the water is treated. It is also useful as it collects excessive runoff during heavy storms, which would otherwise lead to expulsion of raw sewage from outfalls when treatment plant capacities cannot handle the combined flow. The main challenge in this system is the removal of pollutants by use of retention ponds this problem is adequately solved. Steeper slopes may

General American Democracy and foreign policy Essay

General American Democracy and foreign policy - Essay Example It is submitted that such an argument ignores the complex socio-political backdrop of the US demographic, which has been instrumental in shaping the American constitutional conventions and in turn the American concept of democracy (DeRossa, p.23). For example, if we firstly consider the historical context, it is evident that the interrelationship between the interests of various ethnonational groups and continuous conflict has been instrumental in developing the American institutional framework for democracy. A prime example is the Civil War and the Bleeding Kansas Backdrop (Rawley 1980). For example, James Rawley’s â€Å"Race and Politics: Bleeding Kansas and the Coming of the Civil War† (1980) provides a detailed analysis of the controversies surrounding the repeal of the Missouri compromise and implementation of the Kansas/Nebraska Act 1854. Rawley raises the question as to whether the unsettled Kansas Territory, which was divided between pro-slavery proponents and abolitionists, resulted in irreconcilable factions which in turn creating conditions that only civil war could resolve. In considering the Bleeding Kansas backdrop, Rawley argues that the majority of literature focuses on the slavery debate and ins titution of slavery, without a detailed consideration of race and racial prejudice. In utilising the race debate, Rawley seeks to highlight what he posits as the overriding motivation for the Civil War being the white man’s supremacy struggle as opposed to a fight for emancipation and civil liberties for African Americans. As such, Rawley posits that the central issue in Bleeding Kansas was not the institution of slavery itself but rather race and whether the country could tolerate the expansion of the African American, whether slave or free. If we firstly consider the historical backdrop, Rawley provides an overview of the implementation of the Kansas /Nebraska Act 1854 and highlights the fact that the 1854 legislation organised the

Company Case ESPN Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Company ESPN - Case Study Example In essence, ESPN’s product is the availability of sports knowledge, discussion as well as video and audios of live games, across a wide variety of platforms. At its heart ESPN is a 24-hour cable network that focuses on sports and entertainment based content for television, however the cable network is only one piece of the entire ESPN brand. The brand now contains more than 50 different businesses. Product wise, the brand consists of six cable channels which are home to many important sporting events such as the IndyCar Series and NBA finals, a sports radio network, ESPN The Magazine and a website that offers streaming video and audio as well as downloadable pods casts. ESPN’s augmented product is its ability to provide accurate and up to date information and commentary about all areas of the sports industry and its delivery of this information across many different media types 4. ESPN has strong brand equity. Its name is immediately associated with sports, and the easy access to information that the brand provides across its many different platforms ensures wide recognition from consumers. There is a strong relationship between the brand equity of ESPN and its brand value. The value of its brand can be seen by large number of products and media that ESPN is present on, the continued growth of the company and its longevity. The cable network alone earns close to twice the amount per subscriber each month than the next most profitable network, Fox Sports ($2.91 and $1.67 respectively). Benefits: This association has resulted in the acquisition of many new viewers and gave the network the ability to host key sporting events, and types of sporting events that they did not previously have access to. Possible risks: ESPN has little control over the quality of the merchandise that is produced, and any negative responses to the cobranded

Wo'men and society Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wo'men and society - Assignment Example Women working in chicken processing, computer manufacturing, and housecleaning and manicuring have the tendency of poor health and giving birth to unhealthy children. The debate arises on why contamination affects women more. The simple answer to this women and children has low birth weight and weak immunity due to which they suffer more. One protective mechanism for infants is access to breastfeeding. Environmentalists argue that the current civil rights are not protective of people’s health because they ask for evidence against environmental hazards. Women have always had the upper hand in the food department either in the households or the in the kitchens of restaurants. Studies also show that low income neighborhoods have more fast food joints and supermarkets which do not sell healthy food. The increasing population of the world calls for more food production. The number of farming systems that are biodiverse, enhance pest control, increase pollination and reduce risks of global warming should be increased. Women play a vital role in the establishment of such farms. There is no decreased amount of food in the world, but the political instability has caused the pseudo shortage of food. Increment in population is also an issue the world faces. Population changes are directly proportional to climate changes, immigration issues and issues of security. Population issues can be assessed by ecological foot printing, which shows the amount of energy, land, water and resources is consumed by country. This is a productive tool which assesses consumption changes. Current studies show that there is an increase in the access to uncontaminated water. Clean water serves as source of strength among countries. The surface of earth is covered with water but in the form of glaciers and salt-water. Americans have favored bottled water over tap water, but the making of bottled water consumes large quantities of oil and plastic. Companies such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola have been

Arab and israeli conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Arab and israeli conflict - Essay Example Evidently, this changed leading to a series of conflicts that are still being experienced today. Podeh (27) reveals that after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, both the Arab and the Israeli aimed at occupying the empire; as a result, there was a political and nationalist conflict between Arab and Israeli over territorial competition. The conflict then spread to the local Israeli and the Palestinians. The conflict between Arab and Israeli was based on different aspects. There was religious aspect where by Muslim, Jewish and the Christian argued about the idea of the chosen people. Both sides claim to have full right to take the land of Canaan. The Israeli people claim that the land was for the children of Israel as promised by God according to the bible. The Arabs, on the other hand, claim the same land in accordance to their Quran. The Arabs argue that the land of Canaan was promised to all of Abrahams’ descendants including Ishmael. Arabs claim descent from Ishmael hence they had to fight for the land of Canaan. Despite a number of peace agreements between Arabs and Israeli, the conflict has moved from bad to worse. The two conflicting parties have involved into wars of which the Israeli defense force has won most of them. Throughout the conflict period, the Israeli government is positive at the conflict negotiations with their rivals Arabs. The conflict is one of a kind having lasted for almost six decades. Podeh (34) asserts that America has been in the front line to help in resolving the conflict between Arab and Israeli. The United States provides defense to the Israel against the common threats of the radical Islam and the terroristic activities. America has significantly promoted peace to the Arabs and Israelis by allowing the Israelis to take greater risks for peace. United State has also helped the government of Israeli to retain back many of its immigrants America being a superpower nation, it has

Police Training Essay Example for Free

Police Training Essay Nowadays professional training is paid more attention as it is one of the best ways to increase job commitment and enhance performance. I think that all police officers should have free access to formal and informal courses, seminars devoted to violent death investigation, interrelations, and criminal laws. The training programs should cover also the principle of supervision and civil liability. Training plays crucial role in today’s police work because training ensures not only organizational efficiency, but also increases effectiveness and productivity of all police departments. It goes without saying that it is hardly possible to except effective work from untrained police officers. Moreover, community doesn’t feel safe if they realize that their police officers aren’t skillful and experienced enough to defend them when necessary. Nevertheless, state funding isn’t enough to solve training dilemma because of lack of money assigned to support training programs. Without money and proper funding it would be difficult to solve the problem. The purpose of training is to promote occupational and professional development of police department through specialized job-related programs. Nevertheless, training differs significantly from education because training is so-called study in the process. Education provides only theoretical background of the particular situations, whereas training develops practical skills and acquirements in real situations. However, I think that training is the second step after education as the officer should firstly realize the aspects of actions and only then should master his skills. Harry More defines training as â€Å"something like an inchoate crime†. He means that training is continuous process and can’t be ever fully accomplished. Training is always a process. Education provides knowledge and training applies it to specific situations. The goals of trainings are: To improve police officer’s performances and job commitment; To develop the sense of responsibility in police officers. It is necessary to underline that training is designed to help individuals to cope better with challenging duties and responsibilities. Simply saying, training helps to perform job better. Training is claimed to be unique because it suggests unity within particular organization. According to More and Miller, modern police training is based on the following philosophical foundations: Positive action is ensured when accompanied by acquired skills and motivation; Learning process depends not only motivation and personal abilities, but also on the instructional methods, behavior of the trainers and the climate within department; Training is considered tripartite responsibility; Training is continuous process requiring constant updating of skills and knowledge. Finally, it is important to document all formal and informal training because it helps to identify what type of training is actually needed. Documenting is defined as task analysis aimed at ensuring the relevance of training. While documenting it becomes possible to identify the tasks performed by the person who holds the position. Also documenting ensures easy assessment of training programs. Tasks analysis helps police officers to determine whether the training program is professional enough to provide skills and knowledge required for particular job. In conclusion it is necessary to note that training develops the following professional skills in police officers: interpersonal communication skills, perception and awareness, decision-making ad critical thinking, adaptability and definitiveness, oral and written communication skills.

Growth Strategies Of Kelloggs, India

Growth Strategies Of Kelloggs, India This report aims at discussing and evaluating the growth strategies adopted by Kelloggs in India. Kelloggs is a universal brand operating in about 160 countries having its manufacturing plant in more than 16 countries to produce breakfast cereals, snack and other confectionary. Kelloggs marked its presence in the Indian market in 1994 to increase its business as it saw huge potential growth owing to Indias large population and growth in economy. This report will analyse the main challenges that the company is facing now in India. Further the report aims at recommending and justifying the actions that Kelloggs should take in India to maintain their market leadership. The present day multi-national food empire of cereals was accidentally discovered by William Kellogg in Michigan, USA in 1870s. On February 19, 1906, W. K. Kelloggs officially filed the papers and incorporated the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flakes Company which later came to be known as Kelloggs. Kelloggs India has gone a remarkable growth from 1994 to the present day. To analyse the growth strategy of Kelloggs, various strategical theories can be used like Ansoff Growth theory, the 4ps of marketing, Product development process, etc. In the initial stage Kelloggs entered the Indian market in the year 1994 with three varieties of cornflakes. Then Kelloggs improved its growth strategy by changing the packaging and product to be more attractive to the targeted consumers. The company chased through the process of product development and diversification. To understand it we have to follow the Ansoffs Matrix. By adding ethnic flavours like coconut and mango, Kelloggs embarked on the process of the product development. Product development is a necessary growth strategy and can be compared with the strategy of market penetration. Kelloggs strategy becomes more effective due to the fact that the organisation not only embarked on product development with just a particular aim in mind in fact Kelloggs early entry in the Indian market draws more attention towards the customers needs. Diversification is being demonstrated by Kelloggs when it introduced its products like Sunrich and Cheez-it which were made focussing more on the impulse food rather than the breakfast cereals. The process of diversification helps an organisation to represent its brand name more widely and to decrease the risk of focussing heavily on individual market. Regardless of various attempts and strategies the products of Kelloggs were not successful. The Marketing Mix and the 4Ps of Marketing:- Neil Borden brought up the concept of the concept of the 4ps in 1964 (Adcock et al 2001) which include Product, Price, Place and promotion. These are broadly being used by the different companies to take strategic marketing decisions to develop product to satisfy customers requirements, the right price, taking the product to the right place and then promote it. 1 Product:- Products means the actual product or service that the company offers to its consumers. According to (Levitt, 1969). People do not buy products, they buy the expectation of benefits. It is the benefits that are the product. Kelloggs paid much focus on the products as it continuously changed its product. It introduced flavour like coconut and mango in its cereal products for the Indian taste. The company changed the packaging to attract the target customers. Even some of the products were given the Indian names. 2 Price:- Price provide revenue. Kelloggs has always faced problems for Price in India as Indian masses couldnt afford its products. In 1994, when Kelloggs entered India the average cost of its product was INR 21 per 100gm compared to Mohans INR 16.50 per 100gm (Vasudha, 2009). Rather than offering customers small packages of its products, Kelloggs didnt do much in reducing its price. Place:- Place implies distribution through various medium like supermarkets, offices, grocery shops etc. Kelloggs has over 200 distributors in India which has made its distribution quite efficient. While operating in India, it used to launch a new product every month to target the Indian customers. Promotion:- This strategy is used by the companies to let people know what they are offering to them with an intention to make them buy and use their products. It involves commercial ads, sales promotion etc. Kelloggs used a lot of promotion techniques to promote its products like sponsoring school programmes, associating itself with JWT ad agency, movies like Spiderman 2 etc. to boost its brand and sales of its products. To understand the various Challenges, various opportunities and threats that Kelloggs now face in India can be done by examining the external environment of Kelloggs. To understand it the PESTEL Analysis, SWOT Analysis and the PORTERS 5 GENERIC FORCES have been analysed. PESTEL ANALYSIS:- Political: The political challenges and threats Kelloggs is facing results from the rising ethnic conflicts in the disturbed areas of India like Kashmir and the other regions of it. According to the latest report of IFC and the World Bank, India is being ranked I34 in the list of Ease of Doing Business 2011. Further Indian Governments policy under Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (1973), which requires foreign investing companies to dilute their equity holdings to 40% act as a political challenge to it. Economic: According to the CIA Factbook 2001, about 1/4th of Indian population lies below poverty line. Kelloggs products are quite high priced. No doubt the Indian economy is booming as one of the largest economies of the world, still people feel price reluctant to buy Kelloggs product. Further being a huge country, there is a huge difference in the spending power of the people. Social: Difficulty in understanding the mindset of different geographical segment of customers i.e. Indian customers, e.g. Indians misunderstood how to eat cereals with cold milk. Instead, they used to take it with hot milk and thus make it soggy. People prefer the traditional Indian breakfast dishes. But still people are changing their traditional way to more global cultural traits owing to the factors like health benefits, Getting in Shape predominantly among women, increment in the awareness of convenient foods and growing concern for the deficiency of vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients especially among the kids. Technological:- The increasing use of the internet provides a useful medium for communication. Consumers remain up to date of the global trends. Environmental:- India is a vast country which requires a widespread and well set up distribution infrastructure. SWOT Analysis:- . Strength:- Kelloggs is a leading brand with international quality standards. Kelloggs strength includes its advertising campaigns. It is the first manufacturer with the highest experience of ready to eat breakfast cereals which gives it a competitive advantage over the new companies. Kelloggs has a great distribution channel that help its products to reach the target consumers. It has a wide range of innovative, nutritional and convenience products that helps it to suit a range of customer taste and preferences. WEAKNESS:- Kelloggs failed to analyse the taste of customers culturally and biologically. E.g. Northern Indians used to eat Paranthas and South Indians used to eat Idli/Dosa. A complete and thorough Indian market research was needed before introducing Kelloggs in India. Its high prices act as a weakness as most of the Indian masses find it difficult to afford it. It did not succeed in repositioning itself as a convenience food company. E.g. its product Cheez-It was far away from breakfast and was an impulse food, therefore a different strategy was required for it. The fluctuating oil prices, non availability of good power supply hinders Kelloggs to lower its prices. Porters 5 Forces: Threat of New Entrants:- Multinationals like Heinz, Nestle etc. have entered in Indian market owing to its potential growth. So threat of entry is high. Threat of Substitute product:- Threat is medium owing to local breakfast meals. Rivalry:- Threat is low as there as just a few competitors for Kelloggs. Suppliers bargaining power:- Low threat as suppliers have more opportunity to bargain in terms new organisation entering the market. Buyers bargaining power:- High threat as buyers have an open option to buy from other organisation like Heinz etc. Recommendations and Justifications:- On the bases of above report following recommendations can be given to the organisation:- Kelloggs should spotlight more on the market research and monitoring before launching any product or conducting any other activity. This is quite important as India is a huge market place with diversity in terms of costumers spending power. Kelloggs should increase its communication channels so as to address the huge population of India. Further one of the main challenges for Kelloggs is to find product to suit well to the Indian taste. It should find products that could appeal well to the Indian masses. Kelloggs should collaborate with other small local companies of India which can lead to saving its costs and adding constancy to its productions. As India is one of the booming economies of the world with a vast potential of growth, so Kelloggs moving to Indian market is fully justified. Its entrance in the Indian market was not quite easy as it had to suffer huge loss due to unacceptance of its products by the Indian masses. Kelloggs used a lot of innovative strategies to remain in the Indian market. There are a lot of challenges which Kellogs has to face in India like fluctuating oil prices, repositioning its brand correctly, conducting good market analysis and monitoring the Indian culture, taste and price sensitive market.

Social Effects Of The Cruise Industry Tourism Essay

Social Effects Of The Cruise Industry Tourism Essay The social impact of the cruise industry on the cruises particular destination has a few positive effects. When cruise tourists arrive at ports of destination, interactions between local residents and cruise tourists can benefit both parties. The cruise tourists have the opportunity to gain knowledge regarding the lifestyle and culture of the local people, and vice-versa; residents can learn about the lifestyles of their guests from various places around the world. However, a high interaction level between residents and cruise tourists can have drawbacks. Tourists can limit the personal space of residents, due to the high population of cruise tourists. Eventually, high levels of interaction between cruise tourists and local inhabitants could change the local inhabitants unique lifestyles. This brings to light the point of social damage, as social and cultural damage is one of the main arguments against tourism. In the context of tourism, cruise tourists are typically wealthier than l ocals of popular cruise destinations. This evidently creates social problems; for example, hierarchies are created that can cause tension between cruise tourists and locals. Furthermore, new and unusual ideas brought in by cruise tourists can make locals envious and want to copy the tourists who can seem more wealthy and stylish. Social damage caused by the cruise industry can also be supported by the idea of competition of space. This is triggered when large amounts of cruise tourists, usually two or three cruise ships, arrive at small ports. When large amounts of cruise ships arrive, the number of cruise tourists ratio to locals is large. According to Espinal, 2005, Bahamas has 11 cruise guests to 1 local; Aruba has 8 cruise guests to 1 local; Antigua and Barbuda, 7 to 1; and Dominica, 5 to 1 (When was this? Was this the case for the entire year of 2005? Was it an average?). However, this ratio is only true to small parts. Large cities such as Miami, Barcelona, and European countries differ. In fact, highly populated cities have the opposite effect, because cruise tourist numbers are rather small compared to on-land tourists or residents. The competition of space enhances through the fight for cruise ships by neighbouring ports to attract cruise ships for economic benefits. The fight continues between the c ruise ship industry and the cargo shipping industry to gain port space. Another dilemma of space continues between on land tourists and cruise tourists. When cruise tourists arrive at destinations, on land tourists are forced to wait in line for attractions such as monuments and museums, and wonder why it is overcrowded at the beach. Finally, the idea of competition of space limits the transportation benefits. What hurts transportation the most is when large amounts of cruise tourists arrive at destinations which causes volatility in the demand for transportation (e.g. taxis). Environmental Impact of the Cruise Industry The cruise industry is the fastest growing industry in the travel industry. With enormous growth in the number of passengers, the number of cruise ships at sea, and the increased variety of destinations, followed by bigger and more luxurious cruise ships to keep up with the increase of demand; the substantial growth in the industry follows with increasing impact on the environment. Like many hospitality and travel industries, the negative impacts on the environment outweigh the positive impacts. Even though the cruise industry is relatively small compared to the airline industry, cruise ships and their passengers generate more volume of waste and pollutant emissions while travelling and docked in port. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, a one week voyage generates more than 50 tonnes of garbage. During that same week 3.785 million litres of waste water is produced. That is water that is harmful to the ocean life and cannot be dumped back into the ocean wi thout it being treated. Furthermore, 794,850 litres of sewage, 95,000 litres of oil contaminated water, and 568 litres of hazardous waste is produced. These numbers are multiplied by more than 200 cruise ships sailing the world 365 days a year. In comparison to other travel industries, a cruise ship such as Queen Mary 2 emits 0.43 kg of Carbon dioxide per passenger mile, compared to 0.257 kg for a long-haul flight (Climate Care). In comparison to on-land tourists, cruise ship passengers generate 3.5 kg of garbage while 0.8 kg of garbage is generated by on-land tourists. (http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/sust-tourism/env-3main.htm). In addition to pollution, coral reefs are taking significant damages. According to Ocean Planet, there are 109 countries with coral reefs. In 90 of them, reefs are being damaged by cruise ship anchors and sewage. It is said 70% of cruise destinations are in these biodiversity hot spots. However, it is not the amount of pollution and damages generated by cruise ships that most are concerning, but rather, the way cruise ships dispose their waste. Cruise ship waste disposal is highly unregulated, where waste can be dumped a few short miles off shore, which is later brought back to shore due to ocean currents. In the past, discharge from cruise ships exceeds the water quality standards set by National Authorities in relations to bacteria level, metals, and hydrocarbons and plastic. In most cases, there was no monitoring, no enforcements and no deprivation from local authorities if cruise ships violated the pollution standards. While the cruise industry continues to promote itself as environmentally friendly, the truth is, there are many instances of cruise ships breaking the law. A single cruise company can accumulate hundreds of pollution violations, which have resulted in payments of millions of dollars in environmental fines. However, in some cases, environmental inc idents have been accidental, due to simple human and mechanical error, such as fuel discharge from cruise ship loading fuel at ports. Since the increased harmful effects on the environment have come to light, the cruise industry has done its part by improving their efforts in processing waste onboard. As technology increases, their ability to become more eco-friendly becomes a priority. Holland American Line has invested $1.5 million into a program called Seawater Scrubber Pilot. This program looks for opportunities to reduce engine emission on its ships. The Sea Water Scrubber system uses the natural chemistry of seawater to remove all sulphur oxide. The seawater is then treated to remove harmful components before dumping it overboard (world cruise industry review). Even though recycling and using green materials is only a small step, it makes a big difference. Take Crystal Cruises for example. They are introducing 100% recyclable coat hangers, which prevents 9 billion wire and plastic hangers from being sent to landfills each year. They are also using washable and reusable garment bags instead of plastic laundry bags (world cruise industry review). On the major scale, most cruise ship companies are taking steps to map out global routes where waste discharge will cause the least damage to delicate ecosystems. Another major effort that some cruise ship companies are implementing is scheduling their arrival and departure time so cruise ships use less fuel while docking. Princess Cruises has invested $4.5 million to implement a cold-ironing program in Alaska. This is when ships plug into a ports electricity supply while docked in order to get hydroelectric power on board. This is the same concept as a hybrid car. The cost of equipping each ship is $500,000 where the benefits outweigh the costs. In California, 70% of cancer risk is due to the toxic air contaminants created by diesel. The biggest contribution to these toxins is cargo-handling equipment and the ships use of diesel engines while at port. With the use of the cold-ironing program, ships will not create this harmful pollutant that cau ses many environmental problems. Companies are taking the next step to keep their ships as cool as possible to eliminate excessive stress on air conditioners in addition to maintaining speeds at fuel efficient speeds. Crystal cruises has begun auditing its ships lighting and energy consumption. They are saving more than 960,000 kW/h per year, which is equivalent to nearly 200 tonnes of fuel a year. Economic Impacts of the Cruise Industry Cruise tourism is the fastest growing tourism industry in the last twenty years. Since 1990, the cruise industry has an average annual passenger growth rate of 7.4 percent per year, and in 1980, more than 163 million passengers have taken cruises longer than 2 days. Of the 163 million passengers, 56 percent of the passengers were generated within the last 10 years (CLIA, 2008). The industry has high potential in providing economic benefits to port states. Conversely, accommodating large cruise ships into ports need a lot of initial investments to build infrastructure and to maintain those infrastructures. With cruise ships growing in size more investments is needed to withstand larger ships. With scenarios of high infrastructure cost, rapid growth in tourism may result in stagflation or even a decline in GDP (Chase, 2001). For small cities, significant foreign investment is needed for these infrastructures, and it is questionable for many whether construction of the ports is cost-efficient. The majority of the state ports generate economic benefits from cruise ship tourism by generating revenue through passenger spending, person head taxes, dockage fees, and port entry. Passenger spending is the greatest benefit in supporting cruise tourism due to great deal of new money coming into the economy and creation of new jobs. According to an annual study by the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL), United States is the primary beneficiary of the Global economic impact of more than 75 percent of the cruise expenditures made with United States based business. U.S. ports account for 75 percent of 10.85 million passengers embankments worldwide. Since, United States is the majority of the Cruise Line industry, we will analyse the economic impact on the United States. Economic Impact of the Cruise Industry on the United States The impact of the cruise industry on the United States has both negative and positive results. Reasons for the negative result are due to the increase presence in the European market, and the increase in the Caribbean ports used for cruise embarkment. As a result, United States experienced a decline in its share of the global cruise industry and experiences a decline in the number of passengers embarking for the U.S. ports (CLIA, 2008). Table 1-1 shows that in 2008 United States, passenger embarkment totalled 8.96 million, a 2.4 percent decline from the previous year, with the majority of the global passenger of 69 percent. Table 1-1 In 2008, decline in its market power is due to hurricanes disrupting destinations to the Caribbean. Hurricanes such as Ike severely damaged retail facilities at ports in Turks and Caicos for nearly a month. In addition, Hurricane Ike consequently shut down cruise terminal ports in Galveston, Texas, for nearly two months due to landfall. The biggest factor in decline of the United States embarkment was the transfer of Pride of Hawaii and the Pride of Aloha by Norwegian Cruise Lines. This resulted in a decline of more than 200,000 passengers, which accounts for 75 percent of net decline of passenger embarking from the U.S. ports (CLIA, 2008). The growth of the industry spending including passenger and crew has slowed to 2 percent to $19.07 billion in 2008. This was the weakest growth in domestic spending since BEA began compiling these statistics (CLIA, 2008). The expenditures by the cruise lines including wages and taxes totalled to $15.67 billion which accounted for 82 percent of spe nding. This was the weakest growth in the cruise line expenditure since 2001.

The Definition of Cyberpunk Essay -- Science Fiction Literary Genre Es

The Definition of Cyberpunk In Bruce Sterling's article, "Cyberpunk in the Nineties," he explained how public opinion had defined himself, Rucker, Shiner, Shirley, and Gibson as the cyberpunk "gurus" in the 1980's. Because of being labeled cyberpunk "gurus," the public had come to understand the definition of cyberpunk as "anything that cyberpunks write." To break this definition of cyberpunk established by popular public opinion, I will pursue giving cyberpunk a more definite definition. After reading numerous cyberpunk fiction stories, I noticed reoccurring themes in these stories. I believe these themes can form a criteria under which a story can be defined as cyberpunk. These criteria are total enhancement and integration of everyday life by technology, some degree of pleasure (by the author) in explaining this technology, cyber-lingo, and some degree of global connectiveness. The first criterion or theme, total enhancement and integration of everyday life by technology is probably the most obvious and vital in order for a story to be deemed cyberpunk. Why is it the most obvious and most vital? It is the most obvious because cyberpunk writers use the "everyday," that is, objects, concepts, or places we causally shrug off as normal, and integrate/enhance the normal with technology. A good example can be found in John Shirley's "Freezone." Upon entering the "Semiconductor" the scene is unusual but appears to be a everyday freak club. An occasional flare dots the audience. They have multi-colored hair that is styled straight up. In reaction to the flares and much more frequent than the flares are minimonos; they have ultra-straight hair falling down past their shoulders and uniform monochrome colored clothes. Anyway, the ... ...d projecting its evolution in the future, he is not intimidated, therefore he is able to enjoy himself in explaining this concept or technology. Furthermore, because the author is reflecting off of a society so obsessed with detail, he is obligated to present his story is such a detailed fashion. Basically, I think, that if cyberpunk fiction fulfills its purpose then the four criteria will fall naturally into place and therefore these four criteria build the backbone of the definition of cyberpunk. Works Cited Sterling, Bruce, Ed. Mirrorshades. New York: Arbor House, 1988. Cadigan, Pat. "Rock On" Shirley, John. "Freezone" Browning, Tonya, Ed. Writing About Cyberpunk. Austin: Abel's Copies, 1995. McCaffrey, Larry. Storming the Reality Studio Gibson, William. "Johnny Mnemonic" Tiptree, James Jr. "The Girl Who Was Plugged In"

Type of Genre :: essays research papers

Type of genre and its importance by "Briton Hammon" Briton Hammon's captivity narrative was a well-recognized African American prose text that was published in North America. His life has been limited to the information that is within his narrative. While reading through his prose it is still undetermined as to whether he was a servant or a slave. In his narrative he has tried to explain a life of a man of African decent and how he gets along with the public sphere and made use of the opportunities he was given. Hammon mainly discussed the issue of his suffering while he was in captivity. In the introduction he explains him and other people were brought to the shore and were suddenly attack by sixty Native Americans, "†¦but on advancing yet nearer, we found them, to our Surprize, to be Indians of which there were Sixty; being now so near them we could not possibly make our Escape." (pg 1005) He says as soon as they figured out who these people were it was already too late to escape. He also says that all their arms and necessary items were taken away from them. While reading along his narrative, Hammon describes how these Indian caused an environment of terror among these people, and how he tried to escape from these savages and was once again trapped with them. Soon he escaped from these villains by getting aboard a Spanish schooner, later he was imprisoned again in a dungeon for four years in Spain because he refused to serve their ships. After escaping that imprisonmen t Hammon worked in Cuba, which lead to his opportunity to go back to London. As said before, Hammon's life is limited to the information contained within the narrative. He had spent thirteen years of his life in captivity. Hammon's narrative is one of the best examples of genre. He chose to write a narrative so that his audience thoroughly understand the hardships that he went through while being an African decent and a captive. According to his writing he was liked were ever he went as a prisoner, which forced the Indians to request an appeal for his relief, "†¦[the Captain] came to the Prison, and ask'd the Keeper if he might see me; upon his Request I was brought out of the Dungeon†¦intercede with the Governor for my Relief†¦and the next Day the Governor sent an order to release me.

Human Perception :: Psychology Essays

Human Perception: An Intimate Look Into The Most Intriguing Aspect of Modern Psychology. It determines what we see, what we do, what we feel. It controls our emotions, our thoughts, and our conscience. What is this remarkable element of the human mind? It is called perception. Perception as defined in the Merrian- Webster Dictionary as the following- 1 a : awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation b: Physical sensation interpreted in the light of experience 2 a : quick, acute, and intuitive cognition : APPRECIATION b : capacity for comprehension Perception. As hard as it is to define it, it is impossible to correctly conceive a "correct" or "right" way to use it. Perception varies with not only humans, but with virtually all other animals as well, whether through instinct or with conscious thought. Let us take this a step farther. When a bee looks at a flower that is meant for feeding from, they do not only notice the colors the human mind sees. The bee sees a yellow "run-way" directly into the core of the flower, guiding it into the source of nectar. This brings us to the question- "is what we see real, or is what we see our own reality?". What the human mind sees is only three dimensions. Since Albert Einstein first conjured the scientific possibility of a fourth dimension, human beings have longed to see it. Many people assume that it does not exist simply because they cannot see it. They are not able to see the yellow "run-way" into the heart of a flower, but to the bee and an ultraviolet light, that "run-way" is certainly real. People's physical use of their own perception is very limited, as such noticeable in the "tunnel-vision" effect. A good example of the Tunnel Vision effect is a perception or thought such as "if I cannot see it, it simply does not exist". We as humans are limited not only to what we can sense, but how we perceive what we sense. Such is a formidable question. What if that fourth dimension does exist, what if we can see it , only our brain cannot perceive it being there, therefor it never exists in the first place. I would consider that as a paradox. Where does perception come from? Is it a result of the upbringing and surroundings of an individual (animal or human), or is it a result of genetics? Certainly I would believe that conditioning has a great impact on an individual's perception. An example to that would be as such : A dog is abused, Human Perception :: Psychology Essays Human Perception: An Intimate Look Into The Most Intriguing Aspect of Modern Psychology. It determines what we see, what we do, what we feel. It controls our emotions, our thoughts, and our conscience. What is this remarkable element of the human mind? It is called perception. Perception as defined in the Merrian- Webster Dictionary as the following- 1 a : awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation b: Physical sensation interpreted in the light of experience 2 a : quick, acute, and intuitive cognition : APPRECIATION b : capacity for comprehension Perception. As hard as it is to define it, it is impossible to correctly conceive a "correct" or "right" way to use it. Perception varies with not only humans, but with virtually all other animals as well, whether through instinct or with conscious thought. Let us take this a step farther. When a bee looks at a flower that is meant for feeding from, they do not only notice the colors the human mind sees. The bee sees a yellow "run-way" directly into the core of the flower, guiding it into the source of nectar. This brings us to the question- "is what we see real, or is what we see our own reality?". What the human mind sees is only three dimensions. Since Albert Einstein first conjured the scientific possibility of a fourth dimension, human beings have longed to see it. Many people assume that it does not exist simply because they cannot see it. They are not able to see the yellow "run-way" into the heart of a flower, but to the bee and an ultraviolet light, that "run-way" is certainly real. People's physical use of their own perception is very limited, as such noticeable in the "tunnel-vision" effect. A good example of the Tunnel Vision effect is a perception or thought such as "if I cannot see it, it simply does not exist". We as humans are limited not only to what we can sense, but how we perceive what we sense. Such is a formidable question. What if that fourth dimension does exist, what if we can see it , only our brain cannot perceive it being there, therefor it never exists in the first place. I would consider that as a paradox. Where does perception come from? Is it a result of the upbringing and surroundings of an individual (animal or human), or is it a result of genetics? Certainly I would believe that conditioning has a great impact on an individual's perception. An example to that would be as such : A dog is abused,

Buisness Letter Order

Hi. How are you? I don’t think you remember me. I am a your niece [Your name] thrice removed. I am Evelyn’s little girl. You visited us last Christmas. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you how much fun I had that Christmas getting to know you all over again. I hoped to keep in touch with you after Christmas. Remember when I told you about the business venture I have with Christie? You remember Christie? she’s your other neice, my cousin. You also met her at Christmas.Christie is the girl with the long dark hair and dark eyes. She’s is the most  friendly person you could ever meet. Well, you saw that when you met her at Christmas. She’s a graphic artist and graduated valedictorian. Christie receives so many job offers from major companies, even DISNEY! She’s married now with a baby. The baby is adorable. Her husband is a really nice guy. The baby is one year old, and her name is Isabel. As for me, I am a graphic artist too and also a computer e xpert. I graduated just this year. Christie and I have invested in a space for a store we want to open at the huge mall at Rockaway in New Jersey where we live.It is a custom designed gift basket store for all occasions. Though the huge Rockaway mall stores are varied, they are lacking a store, which provides something more personal to the public. There are too many stores, which consist of cold impersonal items such as electronics, Order#31114685 Pg. 2 clothes, music, on the first floor. Books, videos games, furniture, on the second floor, food, toys, shoes on the third, computer disks, thimbles, exotic furniture, movies, bed clothes, on the fourth. Desks, paper products and hair brushes etc on the fifth.Appliances on the sixth, hair cutters and fur coats on the seventh. I know these items can seem personal, however not as personal as a customized gift basket. Our idea is to open a store in the mall as well as a virtual storefront on the Internet. Christie and I have already accumu lated 100,000 in seed money between us however; we’re going to need a little more to make our dream a reality. But let me first tell you about our little store before I ask you for the money. Christie and I are thinking of a huge friendly store designed for people to enter andleisurely choose inside colorful bins filled with personal items such as stuffed bears, pretty personalized stationary, candy, pretty colored pens and pencils, plastic jewelry (The kind you would find in a bubble gum machine) and all scents of perfume oil; all forare low price. The design for our store is openly friendly. Tall walls painted a sunny yellow color, greet the customers are greeted as they arrive. The concept is for people to be able to enter our store and freely look over our inventory inside the bins to choose what they want to have fortheir gift basket. The customers then will arrive at the cashier, pay for the items and choose what customized gift basket you want. Our customers will choos e from a large portfolio of different types of gift baskets for all occasions, painted with rich bright colors, custom-made by Christie. Her specialty is a yellow and brown celophane wrapped gift basket in the shape of Spongebob Squarepants. She paints the straw baskets and stuffs them for the customers herself. Order#31114685 Pg. 3 The competition as I said before Aunt Betty, is non-existentThey are all cold and impersonal electronics, and we think boring. We see that they have a normal amount of customers streaming in and out of these stores, however it will definitely not be as much as there will be coming into our stores. Like I said before, our gift baskets are for all occasions and are already in demand. We have orders for Birthdays, holidays, weddings, christenings and anniversaries. The list is very long and is getting longer as word gets out since finishing our website. Our virtual store on the Internet is expertly done, if I shouldsay so myself with colorful pictures of th e assortment of the many gift baskets we can create and Christie and myself. I also included our history as computer graphic designers and has generated over 200 orders already with over 100 orders in backorders. We have money already, over $200. 00 however we need some more to keep this dream going. We can save you money, legally as a small business tax exemption that will make you a lot more money in future, Aunt Betty. Socially, we will be famous as we make more money for you globally as well as nationally.The truth is people today would rather give a gift that is personal instead of something cold and impersonal like an electronic something which needs batteries every two weeks. I hope to hear from you soon, after you receive this letter, Aunt Betty and see you this coming Christmas. Maybe then you can see the space we have rented out in the mall for our store. I am sure you will like it. Best wishes. Sincerely, [Your signature] [Your name] -Works Cited- The Little, Brown Handbo ok fourth Edition H. Ramsey Fowler Jane E. Aaron; Copyright ? 1989 by Scott, Foresman and Company.

Murphy Case Analysis Essay

Just-In-Time Concept. Just-In-time manufacturing, or JIT, is a management philosophy aimed at eliminating manufacturing wastes by producing only the right amount and combination of parts at the right place at the right time. This is based on the fact that wastes result from any activity that adds cost without adding value to the product. The goal of JIT, is to minimize the presence of non-value-adding operations and non-moving inventories in the production line. This will result in shorter throughput times, better on-time delivery performance, higher equipment utilization, lesser space requirement, lower costs, and greater profits. The key behind a successful implementation of JIT is the reduction of inventory levels at the various stations of the production line to the absolute minimum. This necessitates good coordination between stations such that every station produces only the exact volume that the next station needs. On the other hand, a station pulls in only the exact volume that it needs from the preceding station. In this case, Murphy’s management started the implementation of JIT without wholly understanding the concept; the poor performance was caused by lack of knowledge about JIT and lack of communication/coordination between the departments. Problems at Murphy: The CEO of Murphy Manufacturing liked the idea of JIT (reducing inventory holding cost while improving production efficiency) based on a few books he read, thus he wanted to implement this concept in his company even though the present MRP system had been working very well for a long time. On the other hand, Joe Vollbrach, Vice President of Operations for Murphy Manufacturing, initiated the implementation process based on the way it was working in the book examples he read without doing any feasibility study a or having a complete understanding about how to implement JIT concept in a small manufacturing environment like which Murphy is in. The result is disastrous, purchasing department are constantly ordering  materials at very high cost; the shipping/receiving department are harassed by endless loading/unloading task; production efficiency was down due to lack of production materials and no clear production schedule; sales people has to deal with angry customers because most the order aren’t shipped/delivered on time. General JIT Implementation Guidelines: Since JIT encompasses a number of functional areas of the company, top management support are a must. Full acceptance by top management is required to empower middle management to overcome the inevitable roadblocks in implementation. In this case, John should take the initiative to be the champion of JIT concept and provide the full support for implementation. Second, training and education as a fundamental requirement for JIT implementation in order to promote a significant change in attitude of the workforce that will create an environment conducive to completing the implementation. Training courses should be made available for employees to fully understand JIT concept and harness it. Third, it is important that JIT is seen as a philosophy rather than a set of add-on techniques to current practices. The company must question why and how it uses JIT and be able to figure out the results of undertaking JIT and incorporate them into its marketplace strategy. By adhering to these guidelines on implementation and instill the knowledge of JIT concept to entire employees at Murphy’s, the transition process to JIT will go smoothly and best JIT implementation techniques will be utilized. The pros/cons of implementing JIT in Small Manufacturing Enterprises: Most publications discussing JIT implementation focus on large manufacturing firms, the environment in which the concepts arose. Because of the limitations that small manufacturing enterprises face, which include limited staffing and material resources and reduced bargaining power with customers’ suppliers and financial institutions, it is not clear that all JIT  components are applicable to every environment. Thus choosing the right JIT implementation strategy is crucial for Murphy’s future successes. Most Small Manufacturing Enterprises depend heavily on a few major customers, thus normally suffer fluctuating demand from these key customers. In regard to vendor relationships, their purchase volume is not large enough to give them leverage over their suppliers to purchase in a small batch size with a good quality at a definite time. Compared to large firms, Small Manufacturing Enterprises normally have limited free cash to fund investment in new production concepts or technologies. They also lack bargaining power with their creditors and debtors, and have difficulties in getting loans from financial institution. Hence, forward planning is constrained by cash flow maintenance. Consequently, if Small Manufacturing Enterprises get involved in innovative projects at all, they will focus on projects with short term returns and overlook initiatives promoting long-term results. Small Manufacturing Enterprises also have limited non-cash resources (machinery or people). They do not normally have specific departments such as a training department or an engineering department. With limited management staff there is a small pool for potential champions of new techniques. Also, small firms may be so small that a change in production cannot be implemented without affecting the entire plant. This is another barrier for Small Manufacturing Enterprises to improve their operations as they have to risk the whole factory in order to know whether a certain technique is appropriate or not to the company. Which is very true in this situation, slight modification in any one of the major operation departments, will affect the entire company. Thus, every step has to be carefully analyzed and backup techniques needs to be developed. However, there are also several advantages for small manufacturers compared to big ones. Small firms normally do not have union contracts and usually have fewer problems with resistance to change compared to large companies. A flatter organization is typical in small firms and it fosters more frequent open communication. Therefore, the decision making process is simpler and the result is conveyed faster throughout the employees. Compared to large  firms, small firms are used to working in smaller batches and are more accustomed to a flexible response to demand changes. Problems in Implementing JIT Components: First, Cross training is common for small manufacturers because of the need to cover absent employees from a small labor pool and is also easier to implement than in large companies. The only problem is that extensive training is costly. Small manufacturers may train key employees individually and ask them to impart their knowledge to other worker. In this case, all the middle management can learn about JIT concept then passing it to production employees. Second, most small companies are very dependent on a few major customers. They lack bargaining power with their key customers and will not be able to compel these customers to order on a stable demand rate. The most desirable situation would be the cooperation of their customers in sharing their forecast demand and production schedule. Achieving this may be limited by bargaining power and therefore the result may be production based on inaccurate forecasts resulting in using finished goods inventory as a buffer. Production leveling can be a great barrier for small businesses to fully adopt JIT. Third, JIT Purchasing is normally implemented as the last component, especially for small manufacturers, due toe lack of bargaining power with their suppliers. Small manufacturers normally do not give enough sales to their vendors and are forced to order in large batches and store a large amount of raw material or they will suffer a higher cost to get the materials just-in-time. All these potential problems need to be studied, when implementing the JIT concept at Murphy.

Medical Record Keeping

What are the problems with America’s current medical recordkeeping system? How would electronic medical records alleviate these problems? The majority of America’s current medical record keeping is paper based which creates a lot of problems like:- a. Recordkeeping became really difficult with growing numbers of patients and their visits to Medical Practitioner. There are shelves full of folders and papers in corridors. b. It makes it difficult to effective communication, referring and access to the records. During emergency it could be the matter of life and death. c.It’s difficult to systematically examine and to share the information; the updating of these records is almost a challenge. There are cases of wrong entry and duplicate entries etc. d. When a patient changes a Doctor or moves to other problems, it becomes a hassle for patient as well as for Doctor. The electronic medical records will allow patients to enter their basic medical data into an online si te initially and after that Doctor also will be able to send relevant information for regular update. This system will make record keeping more effective and streamlined which are easily accessible.The use of electronic record keeping reduces errors in medical records. The handwritten records are subject to lots of human errors due to misspelling, illegibility, and differing terminologies. Thus digitations and standardisation of records will make the information universally accessible and cost effective too. Apart from this, it could also be used for remainder message for refilling of prescription, directories for doctors and personalised health advice. 2. What are the pros and cons of electronic patient records? Do you think the concerns over digitizing our medical records are valid?Why or why not? The main proponents of electronics patient record cite the following advantages: a. The electronics patient records reduce errors in medical records. With the use of electronics patient records standardization of patient health records may eventually become achievable. b. Paper records can be easily lost. Digital records can be stored virtually forever and can be kept long after the physical records are gone. Electronics patient records also help keep records of health information that patients tend to forget with time, i. e. inoculations, previous illnesses and medications. . Electronics patient records make health care cost-efficient by consolidating all data in one place. Previously, paper-based records are located in different places and getting access to all of them takes a lot of time and money. d. Electronics patient records can save lives. It enables rapid identification of at-risk patients and access to their medical history, thereby enabling rapid diagnosis and treatment especially in emergency situations. Classic examples are people with diabetes and/or heart problems who have high risk of collapsing and having attacks.The disadvantages of Electronics pa tient records: Electronics patient records threaten privacy. Many people are uncomfortable about having their entire medical history recorded and digitized for almost just anybody to see – in other words, incursion into people's privacy. a. Medical data can be used against a person in some cases, be it for a job application, insurance coverage or a college scholarship. Although it is against the law to discriminate against people with illnesses and disabilities, it is a fact of life that the fitter you are, the more competitive you are in the job market. . Electronics patient records can lead to loss of the human touch in health care. In the process of digitalization, the interpersonal aspect in health care may be lost. The doctors are forced to think in categories and can seldom express a personal opinion on an individual case. c. Electronics patient records are not that efficient. Despite efforts in digitalization and standardization, but sometimes one clinic's EMR system i s not compatible with that of a general practitioner or another clinic's system, thus belying the claim of added efficiency d.Electronic medical records are not safe and secure. Google Health and HealthVault are quick in assuring patients of the safety of their online health accounts. Stories of data hacking, stolen identities and blackmail abound. Even high security databases such as those run by banks and credit institutions are often compromised. 3. Should people entrust Google with their electronic medical records? Why or why not? People should adopt Google’s electronic medical records as it allows patients to control their medical records.If they decide to change doctors or hospitals, they will be able to electronically transfer their Google records by themselves. There are a lot of advantages that has been discussed in above questions which will benefit people and the whole system. Some concerns like privacy and security of data is restricting people to adopt this; they wonder whether hackers will be able to access the Google medical records or whether the company will use them commercially. Google has assured that it will not share or sell the data, and it's absurd to think Google would attempt to use medical records for commercial purposes.Further, hacking into hospital, small clinic, or family practice computer systems is far easier that going after Google's data centre. Google’s reassurances that its security is iron-tight and that businesses and individuals should have confidence in its ability to store and protect data. Based on these facts people should trust Google with their records. 4. If you were in charge of designing an electronic medical recordkeeping system, what are some features you would include? What are features you would avoid? The features which should be included in an electronic record keeping system are: a.It should store and manage the medical and health information in one central place. b. It should be personalize d i. e. the patient decides what goes on the record. c. It can give doctors fast and easy access to the patient’s records but only if the patient allows it. d. It can import electronic records from hospitals and pharmacies that are Google Health-enabled or are registered Google Health partners. e. It should be completely free. f. It should be secure. g. The system will have record standardization and interfaces can be customized to each provider environment.This customization should be done so that a physician's input interface closely mimics previously utilized paper forms. More time must be spent by both the implementation team and the healthcare provider to understand the workflow needs. h. All together features that should be included are security, universal standards for gathering, storing, and disseminating data, and universal standards for transmission technologies. Some features to be avoided are unrestricted access to data and unencrypted transmissions.

Course Outline – General Principles of Management

WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY IN AFRICA Addressing gender disparity and fostering equity in University Education FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES & I. T. BSc MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES (BM114) Course Outline for General Management Principles (BM114) Preamble A study of the General Management principles that seeks to equip students with the general management and managerial skills that will prepare them to be effective managers and entrepreneurs who can quickly adopt to new management situations. Aims To equip students with modern general management principles.Objectives of the Course 1. To enable students to understand and appreciate the nature and scope of management. Course Content †¢ Management and Managers What is management? †¢ Team Building †¢ Managerial functions †¢ Types of managers †¢ Manager’s roles and skills †¢ Challenges for management in a Global Environment 2. 0 The Evolution of Management Theory †¢ Scientific Management Theory †¢ Administrative Management Theory †¢ Behavioural Management Theory †¢ Management Science Theory †¢ Organisational Environment Theory †¢ Total Quality Management †¢ Business Process Reengineering 3. 0 The Environment of Management Theory . 1 The Organisational Environment †¢ Task environment †¢ General environment †¢ Managing the organisational environment 3. 2 The Global Environment †¢ The changing global environment †¢ The global task environment †¢ The global general environment †¢ The collapse of time and distance †¢ You and International Management †¢ Importance of understanding Cultural Differences 4. 0 Strategic Planning †¢ The manager as a planner strategist †¢ The planning process †¢ Determining the organisation’s mission and goals †¢ Formulation of strategy †¢ Planning and implementing strategy †¢ M. Porter’s Five for ces model . 0 Organising †¢ Designing organisational structure †¢ Grouping tasks into jobs; job design, grouping jobs into functions †¢ Strategic alliances and network structure. †¢ Organisational control and culture (output, behavioural and organisational culture and clan control system) †¢ Strategic Human Resources Management †¢ Groups and group dynamics 6. 0 Leading †¢ Nature of leadership †¢ Trait and behaviour models of leadership †¢ Gender in Leadership †¢ Motivation and motivational theories †¢ Managers as a person (personality, attitude, behaviour, perception, career development and stress management) . 0 Conflict Management †¢ Organisational conflict †¢ Organisational politics †¢ Change Management 8. 0 Managing Information Systems and Technologies †¢ MIS and Decision Making 9. 0 Managing Innovation, Product Development and Entrepreneurship †¢ Innovation, Technological change and competition â₠¬ ¢ Product Development †¢ Entrepreneurship Assessment †¢ Examination : Course work (30%) Assignments (10%) Class Tests (20%) End of year Examination 70% Recommended Textbooks 1. Business Management: A contemporary Compilation, Johannesburg: FVBC by Nieuwenhuizen C and Oosthuizen TFJ. 2012. 2.Introduction to Business Management 6th Edition Editors Cronje, Du Toit, Marcus, Motlatla. Oxford University Press 3. Management A Practical Introduction 3rd Edition by Angelo Kinicki and Brian K. Williams. McGraw Hill International 4. A Handbook to Human Resources Management Practice 10th Edition by Michael Armstrong. International Student Edition 5. Management Concepts and Practices 5th Edition by Tim Hannagan 6. Fundamentals of Management Essential Concepts and Application 6th Edition Pearson Productions by Stephen P Robbins, Sanghamitra Bhattacharyya, David A DeCenzo, Madhushree Nanda Agarwal. ———————– [pic]

Internationl Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Internationl Business Law - Essay Example Millions of dollars were also spent to pay up third parties that implicated embezzlement. It was found that there is an atmosphere of tolerance and even the company’s cultural acceptance of the practice in all levels of the corporation. There has been a systematic implementation of this scheme that engaged the members of the organization (ibid). There was a failure by the internal safeguards of Siemens to clean up their business adequately in time prior to the case filed by the SEC to their disadvantage. The main issue encompass the acts of the company in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA) under the United States federal law which punishes bribery of foreign officials. This is in relation to the thrust of the Securities and Exchange Commission to regulate businesses under its jurisdiction. Specifically, the provisions of Sections 30A, 13(b)(2)(A), and 13(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act were violated (ibid). The court found in favor of the SEC and grante d the highest settlement in this particular area where Siemens has offered $1.6 billion in payment for the fines and disgorgement provided under the law. Out of which, $350 million will go to the SEC in disgorgement, $450 million in criminal fine to the Department of Justice, about $569 million as fine to Germany’s Office of the Prosecutor General in Munich. This is apart from the approximately $285 million Siemens has already paid in 2007 to the Prosecutor previously mentioned (ibid). In the end, the SEC and the State together with the German government won this case through an amicable settlement by the plaintiff and defendant. This is a good manifestation of the gravity of the battle against foreign bribery as a matter of policy showing the best possible sign of its effectiveness. This was an ideal scenario where the company has offered on its own a significant sum to rectify its deeds. The willingness of the Siemens to settle, granted that $1.6 billion is already a sizabl e sum, brings to question the actual extent of the profit that they may have acquired through these dubious dealings. Further raising doubts is the fact that there are many countries involved in the transactions investigated by the SEC. Upon scrutiny of this case and the outcome, it is immediately apparent that the United States and Germany got the best end of the bargain. It must be noted that there are a number of other countries who suffered with most of them developing countries. It brings to mind the question of what the others will get out of this case and will they benefit from Siemens’ mea culpa. 1. How do the Siemens’ penalties relate to the caps on fines discussed earlier in this chapter? Fines are a form of sanction on companies to deter them from committing offenses and grave abuses to the expense of others. The penalty imposed upon Siemens is a glaring example for others not to follow suit on the ill practices that they have previously engendered as a comp any culture. The likelihood of a significant fine that

Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Proposal - Essay Example I believe that though some studies also showed that violent media can have bad effects on the sociability and aggression of adolescents and adults alike, these effects came more from their childhood experiences of violent media. Adults can understand what is wrong and right, so they can better understand the harmful effects of violence and they know that violent media is unreal. Children, however, are different because they are not yet mentally and emotionally mature. Violent media can have serious effects on their perceptions of violence, as well as attitudes and actions toward violence. My pathos is that I believe that when we fail to protect the healthy development of the minds and emotions of our children, we are also forsaking the development of a peaceful and rational society. If violent media is bad for kids, then kids must not play them at all, or be exposed to them, including marketing tools that sell violent media. 4. What’s your thesis? Violent media is bad for kids because it has significant short-term and long-term effects on children’s development of aggressive thoughts, emotions, and actions, regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, intelligence, and parenting styles and characteristics. What information do they need and why? They need to know why violent media is bad for kids using logic and evidence because they need convincing on why violent media can affect the thinking and behaviors of their kids. How much or how little are you going to use that/those source(s)? I am going to use them all but I also need contradicting research or studies and anecdotes that oppose them, so that I can respond to these research and ideas and prove that my position is more convincing than

ABC hospital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ABC hospital - Essay Example Therefore, recruitment of nurses has become a tedious activity. ABC hospital is experiencing a similar situation where it is in shortage of nurses. So the company needs to employ a better strategy for the recruitment and retention of the nurses in their hospital. Registered nurses are available not only from the US but also from other countries. The first strategy should be taken up is to rely on recruitment agencies. It should open up direct offices in those countries where a great pool of prospective registered nurses are available. The office can be for short term or long term depending upon the requirements. ABC should portray a better picture about them through their agencies. Otherwise there are chances for the prospective candidates to choose another organization. The recruited nurses and already working nurses can be used as referrals. They may be asked to refer to whom they knows. In this way more and more pool of candidates can be made available. The nurses may be remunerat ed in a reasonable amount for referring the candidates. "Ask your top nurses individually to increase their referrals (give them a target of five a month). Ask them to refer their "mentees," friends, and former colleagues." (Sullivan, 2001). Retention of Nurses: Retention of nurses is one of the issues faced by the hospital. The process of retention is more complex than recruitment. Since there are sufficient opportunities for registered nurses in the job market they don’t mind quitting from an organization. ... Timely redressing of grievances is the primary strategy to be employed by the hospital to retain the nurses. "It's a complex process, requiring in-depth knowledge of the needs and wants of the nursing staff and lots of creativity. "You have to know what motivates nurses to stay," says Pamela Thompson, CEO of the American Organization of Nurse Executives." (Runy, 2001). Therefore, the management should first of all identify what the requirements of the nurses are. Proper examination of the working conditions must be done by the management. The HR management of ABC must try to maintain a personal relationship with the nurse's inorder to learn them in detail. Such an interaction will help the nurses to express their grievances before the management. In short a free and two way communication chains must be fostered in the organization. Providing a better learning environment is one of the factors that the nurses expect. Providing new certificates for specialized practices will make the n urses self motivated. Most of the personal factors affect the nurses at the work place. So, the management should assist them in solving their personal matters. This will provide a homely atmosphere for them. The nurses must be imparted a feeling that they are a very important compound for the success of the hospital. The role that every nurse should perform must be clearly defined. After all what affects most in the retention is the proper remuneration. Sufficient incentives along with the fixed remuneration will motivate the nurses to stay with the organization they work. Efficient nurses and the one who have been with the organization for quite a long time should be promoted with more responsibilities. Decreasing turnover: Employee turnover refers to the phenomenon of

AUCA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

AUCA - Essay Example Also, their stories captivate people such that for instance the tale of Ghismunda and Tancredi is translated into so many languages like Latin severally and Italian among others because it appeals to people’s emotions greatly. These two stories are similar in a number of ways. Both Ghismunda and Madonna Filippa stand up for themselves. Nobody would stand up for them and they both brave up and speak up to defend themselves. Moreover, they both stand up to defend their love. Filippa Madonna is accused of adultery and she is encouraged to plead innocent but she boldly pleads guilty and even goes ahead to speak against the cruelty that the society has on women. She sees it unfair for all the blame to be put on the woman yet even the man in adultery and the husband of the adulterer could be at fault. She explains that, â€Å"†¦Sir, it is true that Rinaldo is my husband, and that last night he found me in Lazzarinos arms, in which I enjoy myself. And because of the good and perfect love I have for him, many times I have done this, which I would never deny. But as I am certain that you know, the laws must be fair and made with the agreement of those who are affected by them. In this case it is not so, sinc e this law affects only the unfortunate women, who much better than men could satisfy many. And besides this, no woman agreed when the law was made, and no woman was ever consulted. Therefore, we could justly define this law as unfair.† â€Å"†¦Is it not much better to serve a gentle man who loves more than himself than let it wither or go waste?† On the other hand, Ghismunda stands up to her father for her right as a woman and states all the reasons she actually took matters to her hands and found for herself a lover. She also gives her reasons for choosing the man she chose despite the father’s seemingly displeasure for choosing