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

Business skills - Essay Example Therefore setting strategies is among the high priorities that a firm should make. According to Growth Online (n.d.), the strategy in the case of a firm includes market strategy, product and services strategies, and organizational strategies; people Strategies, and financial Strategies. After a firm has spent so much time and resources planning, and formulating strategies, the firm should figure how to implement them. This is because: For these strategies to succeed there are some essential steps to take. First, a firm needs to create an environment that can carry out the strategies successfully, second, allocate enough resources to strategy essential activities, third, create policies that will encourage strategy implementation, fourth, employ the policies, fifth, tie rewards to results, and finally utilizing strategic leadership (Rothwell & Kazanas 2003). Strategies are only applicable in the imperfect completion sort of an environment. When an environment turns perfect, the idea of strategies no longer works since there is free entry, perfect communication and firms deal in same products (Kazmi 2008). Perfect competition provides a standard for measuring the market behavior in terms of price and production (Gale & Sabourian 2005). Each firm in the market is so small that its operations do not affect the prices in the market (Williams n.d ). The market price is standardized due to the many competitors dealing in the same product hence there is no room for a firm to make super-profits (Klein 2007). The firm will operate within the earlier set standards to be able to remain in the market. This makes it hard for individual firms to set their own strategies when they enter in the perfect competitive market (Gale & Sabourian 2005). Perfect competition however is a rare occurrence. The highly probable event is that the market is imperfect allowing room for individual firms to set strategies to enhance profitability. The

Designing Qualitative Research for Social Science & Health Essay

Designing Qualitative Research for Social Science & Health - Essay Example deteriorating health, the sudden transition to a life of lesser financial control appears to be the underlying factor for both changing health status and limited access to the initial lifestyle. Retirement is the transition from being a working individual into not working. There are many reasons why people retire. Some of these include voluntary, sickness, incapacitation and age. Age is the most common factor for retirement. Most retirees are considerably aged by the time they make the transition (Smith and Moen, 2004). The transition is sometimes made at a point in life when the input of the individual is fading and their youthfulness has been lost. These factors, combined with the sudden transition to being non-salaried, have been known to negatively impact the inevitable transition into retirement. Psychologists postulate that retirement has adverse effects both on the psychosocial and physical wellbeing of the individual. For instance, some researchers have attributed the transition to accelerated ageing (Osborne, 2012). Many retirees have alluded to the fact that they did not make substantive decisions regarding their retirement days since they could not figure out how the transition would affect them. This implies that many retirees do not have an aforethought strategy to manage their new-found status. For this reason, they are usually met with constant challenges, both psychological and organisational. Yet retirement planning is considered an essential part of the transformation that follows ceasing employment. Planning should ideally be done before the individual crosses over to the world of retirement. The most important part of the planning is to necessitate a smooth transition into the new phase in life. However, many people attempt to develop a retirement plan after experiencing what the transition is like, and sometimes after realising that they could have made misinformed choices as they settle down. Some of these misinformed choices are likely to

Pfizer | Business analysis

Pfizer | Business analysis FOUNDATION If you build that foundation, both the moral and the ethical foundation, as well as the business foundation, and the experience foundation, then the building wont crumble. Henry Kravis. The basis for success of the execution and running of any operation, no matter its scale or field, is almost always governed by solid guidelines of thought and intention. Such processes are not merely meant as a tool of Show Tell, but also aid in providing its participants with a common framework to work within each member aware of the impact of their individual roles as being the stepping stone towards the bigger picture and into greener pastures. In the world of business, this holds truer than ever before, in lieu of its complex dealings with a wide array of parties. The dilemma is thus posed by consideration of an organizations goals and how to accomplish them when realistically they may be in direct contradiction to the individuals groups ideologies, but nonetheless are the minds behind the po tential success. The answer lies in a fusion of freedom of choice and match made in heaven whereby common groups are created, each in consensus with one another, and walking down a straight line. However for such a tactic to be successful, it is important to define clearly the building-blocks of such an institution. Mission Broadly defined, a mission statement is a declaration of organizational purpose (Bryson, 1995). The importance of defining such a statement and having a leader who would lead as an example of these values was stressed upon by Jerome H. Want in 1986, when he explained that not only does it help provide employees with a sense of direction within the organization, but also forges loyalties in the long run allowing for maximum productivity and innovation. The factors to be considered in developing an effective Mission Statement could be summarized as follows: (Pearce David, 1987; David, 1989) Identification of Target Customers Markets Identification of Principal Products/Services Specification of Geographic Domain Identification of Core Technology Expression of Commitment to Survival, Growth Profitability Specification of Key Elements in the Company Philosophy Identification of Company Self-Concept Identification of the Firms Desired Public Image Identification of Concern of Employees With the above points in mind, it is equally as important to note that even a good mission statement would have the potential of doing more harm than good if the values and behavior standards devised are not in conformity with those of its employees (Campbell, 1997). The performance-enhancing drivers of mission statements is thus contingent upon the following factors: (Bart and Tabone, 1998) To Provide a Sense of Purpose To Increase CEO Control To Define Behavior Standards To Enable Employees to Identify with their Organization To Give Greater Recognition to the Interests of External Stakeholders To Inspire and Motivate Employees To Refocus the Organization During a Crisis To Improve the Resource Allocation Process Pfizers Mission Statement: We discover and develop innovative, value-added products that improve the quality of life of people around the world and help them enjoy longer, healthier, and more productive lives. Values Organizational values can be defined as the ideals and beliefs upon which a company not only holds its personnel accountable to by the given standards but also the quality in which tasks are executed. This concept is exceptionally important nowadays as it encompasses the roles and relevant reactions of numerous stakeholders such as (Barrett, 1998): Society: Financial Performance lingers on the perception of the public in regards to an organizations environmental and social stances Shareholders: Investors associating themselves with the firms image need to ensure that they are socially responsible and quality conscious Potential Employees: To attract the best Human Resources whose values are aligned with those of the companys Existing Employees: To Retain their current employees by ensuring their personal fulfillment which include Physical Fulfillment including wages and facilities offered Emotional Fulfillment by encouraging open communication, friendly environment professional growth Mental Fulfillment by allowing opportunities to learn, express personal creativity overall personal growth Spiritual Fulfillment which creates a sense of importance in them Values can be grouped into cluster groups as defined by the McCann Window on Work Values (See Fig.1 in Annex A). The 8 value types can be described briefly as follows, and organizations may stress on either a single way of value or encourage a mix of these different environments (McCann, 2006): Individualism: Promotes competitiveness with special rewards allotted to those who outshine others Authority: Leaders take the lead and charge with a hierarchical system of management employees follow Compliance: Focus on business objectives with an obedient, streamlined workforce to maintain order Conformity: Built on traditions cultures, outsiders are seldom welcome and change is not smiled upon Collectivism: People-first policy where decisions are based completely on unanimous agreements by groups Equality: An open environment with casual attitude, where everyone is believed to be equally valuable Empowerment: No heavy rules or regulations where innovative ideas are welcome, no matter how radical Independence: Freedom to experiment allowed within a common framework seen in most start-ups The common error, as has been seen, is the communication or rather a lack of it in transmitting these values onto others, once the values have been decided upon. It is important to integrate them and to make them visible in the daily life of the organization. This can be achieved through several means including at public activities like meetings conferences, Printed Materials, Annual Reports and on Web Pages. (Vidal, et al, 2008) Pfizers Values: integrity customer focus performance innovation collaboration respect for peoplecommunity leadership quality Objectives Organizational Objectives provide a sort of visual image of how to meet goals set forth by the organization. In general, objectives have 3 main functions: To control a firms plan (set up targets within a department) To motivate or inspire people to reach a common goal To direct everyone in the organization in a single direction All the above factors also need to be consistent with the organizations larger goals which are categorized as: Those that aim to make a profit for their owners Those that aim to maximize benefit to society Those that aim to maximize benefit to their members Generally, there are 2 types of Objectives: Outcome Objectives which specify the final outcomes that are to be attained Process Objectives that specify the means to achieve the outcome objectives Furthermore, objectives exist at all different levels of an organization to provide synchronous movement. Corporate Objectives Deals with the organization as a whole (E.g. Goals, Profit Maximization, Growth, Overall Survival) Departmental Objectives Very Specific Objectives; Departmental Targets Individual Objectives Targets set forth for Employees (Often used in performance Appraisal, E.g. Sales) In general, objectives should be: S Specific M Measureable A Attainable R Results Oriented T Time Bounded Pfizers Objectives: Advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures Bring the best scientific minds together to challenge the most feared diseases of our time Set the standard for quality, safety and value of medicines Use our global presence and scale to make a difference in local communities and the world around us Promote curiosity, inclusion and a passion for our work Be a leading voice for improving everyones ability to have reliable and affordable health care Maximize our financial performance so we can meet our commitments to all who rely on us. We will become the worlds most valued company to patients, customers, colleagues, investors, business partners, and the communities where we work and live. Assessment Although Pfizers Mission Statement provides a clear view of the industry it deals in and its policy dedicated towards the betterment of peoples physical health, the pharmaceutical industry during recent years has come under attack for a variety of reasons including: The high pricing of and widespread use of medicinal drugs The lack of focus in providing facilities in places that truly need it (e.g. Africa) The unsafe measures of clinical trials and a companys unwillingness to accept fault In view of these factors and several other issues that plague the industrys name, it is recommendable to allow for a new Mission Statement that would allow humanization of the company towards its customers. We careà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and we will listen to whoever requests it from usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and we will use the advancements in the field of science and technology to bring forth a new era; where every man, woman and child around the world is entitled to lead a healthier and more productive life without the worries of financial constraints As for its objectives, Pfizer, although still under scrutiny from certain groups, which ultimately is unavoidable in a business of such a scale, has managed to demonstrate its commitments towards its objectives. This has been done on several occasions, such as: The creation of new innovative drugs like its most famous product, the antibiotic Terramycin in 1949, the break-through male impotence drug Viagra, which became the worlds fastest-selling pharmaceutical product (until overtaken by another Pfizer brand), most recently Exubera, the worlds first inhaled insulin drug in addition to Sutent, a cancer fighting drug. The collaborative projects launched with other institutions and its workings with universities such as the first-of-a-kind collaboration between academia and industry between them and the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis that focuses on discovering new uses for existing compounds. Also most recently they launched a diabetes research in collaboration with Hadassah Medical Organization and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem on drugs to replicate and regenerate insulin-producing cells in people with type 1 diabetes. In addition to the organizations standards in medical quality, the company has also since its creation been a mega-giant player in the industry on its own through proper management and innovative techniques, thus accomplishing their financial objectives distinctly. Fortune ® named Pfizer as the fifth-best wealth-creator in America. The company is a global leader in human pharmaceuticals, and also has a large array of consumer health care, confectionery, and animal health care products. In 2000, its revenues equaled $29.6 billion ( £20,14bn), eight of Pfizers pharmaceutical products attained sales of at least $1 billion ( £680.4 million) each1. In 2001, Pfizer has budgeted approximately $5 billion ( £3,402 billion) for research and development -more than any other drug company in the world2. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Pfizer..not just bigger, but better, message by Pfizer CEO Henry A. McKinnell (published at the Pfizer web site, philanthropy section) 2 Ibidem STAKEHOLDERS The best generalization of the term Stakeholder was perhaps given by Freeman who defined them as any group or individual who is affected by or can affect the achievement of an organizations business (Freeman, 1984). He also specified the narrow sense of a stakeholder by describing it as any identifiable group or individual on which the organization is dependent for its continued survival (Freeman Reed, 1983). The term now also incorporates those groups who might have an interest in the organization, regardless of the organizations interest in them (Preston Sapienza, 1990). The issue most businesses face however is one of clear identification of its stakeholders and the matter of just how much attention is to be paid to each category, and which segments can suffice without any at all. In his paper, Prioritizing Stakeholders for Public Relations, the author Brad L. Rawlins after analysis of various takes on the issue from numerous scholars researchers, proposes a 4 step process as a plausible solution (Rawlins, 2006): Identifying Stakeholders Prioritizing Stakeholders According to Attributes Prioritizing Stakeholders by Relationship to the Situation Prioritizing Publics by Communication Strategy We shall briefly look into each of the above steps and get an overall sense of their influence on an organization, but first a definition of The Public is deemed vital to eliminate the common mistake of interchangeably using the term with Stakeholders. The Public can be defined as a group of people who face a similar problem, recognize the problem, and organize themselves to do something about it (Dewey, 1927). Therefore organizations choose stakeholders by their marketing strategies, recruiting and investment plans, but publics are on their own and choose the organization for attention, usually from the ranks of stakeholders (Grunig Repper, 1992). Identifying Stakeholders Efforts have been made focusing on the attributes of stakeholders in their relation to the organization1 (Rawlins, 2006). The linkage model developed by Grunig and Hunt provides a good basis of identification of stakeholder relationships to an organization (See Fig.2 in Appendix A). The components of the model, which can be closely associated with the case of Pfizer, can be briefly described as follows2: Enabling Linkages Includes stakeholders with some control authority over the organization (e.g. Stockholders, Board of Directors, Government Legislators, etc.). A large part of the companys autonomy and resources are based on such a linkage and problems here could lead to significant problems in these aspects. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Freeman, 1984; Savage, G.T., Nix, T.H., Whitehead, C.J., Blair, J.D. 1991. Strategies for Assessing and Managing Organizational Stakeholders. Academy of Management Executive, 19: 453-473; Harrison, J.S., St John, C.H. 1994. Strategic Management of Organizations and Stakeholders. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Co; Mitchell, R.K., Agle, B.R., Wood, D.J. 1997. Toward a Theory of Stakeholder Identification and Salience: Defining the Principle of Who and What Really Counts. Academy of Management Review, 22: 853-886. 2 Grunig, J. E., Hunt, T.1984. Managing public relations. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Grunig Hunt developed the model based on the work of: Esman, M. 1972. The Elements of Institution Building. In J. W. Eaton (Ed), Institution Building and Development. Beverly Hills: Sage: 19-40; Evan, W. 1976. An Organization- Set Model of Interorganizational Relations. In W. Evan (Ed), Interorganizational Relations. New York: Penguin: 78-90: Parsons, T. 1976. Three Levels in the Hierarchical Structure of Organizations. In W. Evan (Ed.), Interorganizational Relations New York: Penguin: 69-78. Functional Linkages This segment is responsible for the effective functioning of the organization and encompasses both input (employees, suppliers, etc.) and output (consumers, retailers, etc.) processes. Normative Linkages Usually groups or association with common interests with the organization and with similar values and interests. Normative linkages could also include competitors within the same industry. Diffused Linkages Hardest to clearly defined as their involvement with the organization is limited and often brought about in cases of crisis. Includes the publics, activists and other special interest groups. Pfizers Stakeholders: Refer to Fig.3 in Appendix A. Prioritizing Stakeholders According to Attributes Now that an understanding has been gained in the identification of the stakeholders and their respective influences on an organization, it is important to establish a strategy in which the most important stakeholders be paid the tangible amount of attention. For this we will first look into the different sorts of stakeholder attitudes that an organization may come across; these are broken down into different levels of support (Savage et al, 1991). Supportive Stakeholder: Is in harmony with the organizations goals actions and is of low threat. Marginal Stakeholder: Is not a threat either due to low stakes in the organization. Non-Supportive Stakeholder: As the name suggests, an organization will often find itself at odds with such segments and is to be considered as a serious threat at all times. Mixed-Blessing Stakeholder: Has potential to be either a great and resourceful ally or a serious enemy. The best model present not only to assist in factoring the attention needed to be paid towards a segment of stakeholders but also to single out which ones within the segment are most important, is perhaps the one devised by Mitchell, Agle and Wood in 1997. This model uses 3 important components in its analysis (See Fig.4 in Appendix A): Power The strength of influence over other parties in persuading them to make a decision, for or against a cause or an issue, which otherwise would have gone another way. Legitimacy The existence of legal, moral or presumed grounds by which an outcome, behavior, direction or some process be altered. Usually such stakeholders have some form of investment in the organization, financial or otherwise and are dependent on the organization. Power + Legitimacy = Authority Urgency This feature requires the organization to respond to the stakeholder in a timely fashion, usually in cases demanding immediate public intervention measures. The combination of these 3 attributes leads to a prioritization strategy. Accordingly, Latent Stakeholders will have 1 of the 3 attributes Expectant Stakeholders will possess 2 features Definitive Stakeholders will have all 3 attributes Individuals and groups that do not have any of the 3 attributes will not be considered as stakeholders. The priority categories can be further broken down in sub-categories to allow for a clearer distinction of the elements possessed by each group and the technique to be used in their handling: Latent Stakeholders Since this group possesses only 1 attribute they are less prominent in the scope of the organization. It can include: Dormant Stakeholders; who have power but lack legitimacy and urgency thus effectively reducing the effects of their powers. Discretionary Stakeholders; who have legitimacy but lack the other two qualities. They are rather reliant on the good will of the organization since the lack of power negates their urgency on issues and are restricted in alternative measures. Demanding Stakeholder; who are considered to be rather bothersome since the only tool at their disposal is the one of urgency. Expectant Stakeholders Short of the extremely important stakeholders, this group requires an eye on it at all times since the combination of any two traits can yield a powerful effect. These are: Dominant Stakeholders; who receive much of managements attention since they can back up their actions based on legitimacy and a force of power. Dependent Stakeholders; who require a tactic of being socially responsible towards in resolving their claims since they have both legitimacy and urgency. Even though they may not possess the power to effect the organization directly through use of power, they may create hindrances through several other means. Dangerous Stakeholders; who have been known to stoop to low levels in their handling techniques with organizations. With the use of their power and urgency, these groups (e.g. social activists) highlight the importance of having boundaries at each negotiation. Definitive Stakeholders These have the highest priority since they have all 3 factors at their disposal and can significantly affect the organizations running in more ways than one. It is important to note however that in the model mentioned above, individuals and groups cannot be categorized permanently in a particular section and that with time, there may be a shift of attributes which would require a re-examination of their position on the importance chart. Prioritizing Stakeholders By Relationship to the Situation The situational theory uses the publics level of involvement to provide future predictions of activity by different groups and may be used by organizations to devise plans in advance to quench any upcoming problems. The level of involvement is a broad measurement of the extent where people find themselves personally connected to the situation. This involves all stakeholders who become involved in some situation (Grunig Repper, 1992), whereas those that remain inactive would be described as non-publics. Further categorization levels include: Latent Publics: who are aware of the problem facing them but are not effected to the extent of getting involved Inactive Publics: low levels of knowledge and/or lack of understanding of effect of issue and perhaps satisfactory relation to the organization limits their involvement on the issue completely Aroused Publics: initial low levels of knowledge; but since they accept the issue as problematic they may increase their understanding over time and get involved at a later time. Aware Publics: who are aware of the problemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦period! Active Publics: who are aware of the issue and desire to do something about it. They will usually have a high level of involvement as they would believe the issue directly affects them and strive to change the direction of the outcome. Prioritizing Publics By Communication Strategy Stakeholder management involves more than just predicting future behavior and avoiding issues before they arise. Social and personal tactics are important in forging long term relationships with those individuals or groups who may later prove to be an asset to the organization. Yet not all parties can be actively included in such measures and a final assessment is required to distinguish the levels of involvement to be pursued with each party. These can be segmented as such: Advocate Stakeholders: This sect should be utilized in a support-providing way in which their endorsements, campaigns, donations and attendance at functions are highly encouraged. Dormant Stakeholders: They are usually reluctant to get involved but should be encouraged to do so by conveyance of relevant information pertaining to the issues and the effects it could have on them. Overall objective would then be to try and increase emotional attachment. Adversarial Stakeholders: Although most managements use a defensive strategy on them, a positive negotiating environment has been seen to extract better results. The ultimate aim if not to get them to align themselves with you should be one which would allow both parties to walk away comparatively happy from the table. Apathetic Stakeholders: Although, initially non-active and a tendency to not get them involved, a tactic of positive reinforcement should be applied which would side them on the organizations front with the assistance of early, yet perhaps a bit biased knowledge of information. Assessment In terms of stakeholder performance and satisfaction, Pfizer has made great strides during recent years to improve their corporate image. Whilst they are still under scrutiny from many sections on factors such as pricing of drugs in poor nations and their obscenely large marketing budget a step which many claim lead to unnecessary sales of prescription drugs, they have taken steps to balance the negative scale with pro-active measures with stakeholders. These include: Animal Rights Groups: by greatly reducing the number of animals used in drug testing and making use of tissue studies and computer models. Those areas where it is deemed necessary to use animals, they do so within strict Government Policies Laws dictating the Ethical Rights of Animals. Employees: It introduced a sustainable transport program for the 3,600 employees at its operations in Sandwich, Kent. When developing its new UK headquarters at Tadworth, Surrey, Pfizer undertook extensive consultation to ensure that the companys integration into the areas existing infrastructure was as smooth as possible. The Public: Pfizers Health Awareness Program in the UK is driven by its expertise in health, education and science and by the recognition that it needs to be seen to be active in these areas. The company does this through forming partnerships with organizations and people who are active in the health arena and through raising public awareness of health issues. In 2003 Pfizer UK launched a cardiovascular disease awareness campaign highlighting the need to treat cholesterol and the risks of not doing so. The campaign also aimed to encourage individuals to seek further information from their GPs. It was launched in partnership with Heart UK and Diabetes UK, two established health awareness charities. The campaign was driven by Pfizers local marketing team, working within the companys sales team using a CHD awareness campaign of advertisements at over 60 poster sites, a website and a telephone hotline giving members of the public an opportunity to get further information. As part of the campaign, in June 2004 Pfizer helped to sponsor one of the flagship events the Big Heart Festival at Aintree Racecourse. Sponsorship covered a series of seminars featuring Merseyside cardiologists, which were open to the general public. This approach was chosen as it provided a means of getting the experts and a large number of the general public together to debate and discuss heart disease from experts in the field. Other activities at this event included: fitness training and health screening; blood pressure and cholesterol testing; advice from dieticians and other experts; a heart information center; and advice on how to stop smoking. The main challenges were coordinating the event, raising awareness about it, making it happen and making the public know that it was an event for all and not just the professionals. A focused advertising campaign and the use of the networks of the partners helped to overcome several of these challenges. Shareholders: Regional events, such as those on Merseyside help build relationships with customers and the wider community. Regional events demonstrate how Pfizer staff support the community in the region and add a business benefit in terms of staff interest and motivation. This Program was set up to help build strategic relationships with Pfizers customers. These relationships help inform the companys understanding of issues at the surgery and patient level. This program is one of many that Pfizer operates across the country to reduce inequalities in access to quality health care, to promote the think global but act local concept and to raise awareness of serious health issues a business objective. This is part of Pfizers business strategy of regional promotion. Similar programs are being replicated by Pfizer throughout the UK to raise health awareness and offer advice on health issues; this provides the opportunity to link business benefits to staff involvement. Elsewhere, Pfizers CR actions have included reducing the environmental impact of its operations through water and energy conservation and active participation in the United Nations Global Compact. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Article 13 and CBI CSR Case Study Series, February 2005 APPENDIX A Fig.1: McCann Window on Work Values Fig.2: Linkage Model Fig.3: Pfizer Stockholders Fig.4: Stakeholder Typology: One, Two, Three Attributes Present Garmin: The Worlds Largest Competitor Garmin: The Worlds Largest Competitor Gary and Min started their venture in Lenexa, Kansas with startup capital of four million dollars. Not even a decade after launching Garmin, sales are at 105 million dollars with a profit of 23 million dollars. Just to give you an idea of how quickly the company expanded, by 1999 Garmin had a hold of 50% of the GPS market in North America, has a presence in 100 countries worldwide, and is carried by over 2,500 independent distributors. Garmin continues to innovate and expand; below we discuss the environment Garmin is battling in, the companys core competencies, and where it stands among competitors in greater detail. External Analysis As most people know, Garmin is the worlds largest competitor in the market for Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, and particularly in the Personal Navigation Device (PND) market. According to the company, Garmin is a leader in providing navigation, communication, information devices and, applications, most of which are enabled by GPS (global positioning system) technology  [1]  . Garmins stated goal in creating these devices is to enrich the lives of their customers, by providing high quality products that create value for consumers  [2]  . The industry for navigation and communication devices consists of a number of highly competitive firms that, like Garmin, design, create, and distribute GPS devices for a variety of uses. The areas where Garmin specifically creates products for are automobiles, outdoor use, marine vehicles, and aviation  [3]  . The industry has become extremely populous in recent years due to technological advancements and high demand for GPS dev ices, but Garmin has remained near the top of the industry throughout this time frame -as of today, Garmin sits sixth among firms in the scientific and technical instrument industry in terms of total revenue, fifth in terms of market capitalization, and second in terms of net profit margin  [4]  . Most of these firms follow distinctly similar business processes as well, relying on innovation and vertical integration, making for an even more competitive industry. In order to stay ahead, Garmin has had to pay close attention to the actions of both consumers and competitors. Despite the presence of so many competitors, Garmin is able to stay at the forefront of the industry due to its capabilities in several key areas which are crucial for success in the industry. These key success factors include establishing market share and brand recognition, investing heavily in research and development and innovation, having a strong, global distribution network, and implementing vertical integration. Successes in these areas are critical for firms competing in the navigation and information industry, and Garmin achieves a level of success in each area. Market share and brand recognition carries a huge importance for companies like Garmin, particularly in an industry that suffers from overcrowding and very uniform products. Garmin initially created a niche market for itself, distributing quality, cutting-edge navigation products. At the time, top competitors included giants such as Sony and Philips, creating a situation where Garmin had to create a niche for itself if it wanted to compete. Over time, Garmin has grown into an industry leader with a strong reputation for producing great products. According to the company, Garmin owns around 36 percent of the personal navigation device market, making it the first in the North American market and second in the European market, and they are first in both the recreation and aviation markets as well  [5]  . In order for companies to compete in such a populous market, one dominated by large, successful companies such as Garmin that distribute highly similar products, they must create so me sort of recognition for themselves. Garmin has already done so, creating a brand well-known by most consumers and allowing success to build upon prior success. Emphasizing research, development and, producing innovative products also grow in importance in such a large, parallel industry. Due to the dynamic nature of the technological and scientific industries, firms must rapidly develop new products or ideas in order to attract new customers or retain old ones. Garmin describes their industry in such a way: The market for our products is characterized by rapidly changing technology, evolving industry standards and changes in customer needs. If we fail to introduce new products, or to modify or improve our existing products, in response to changes in technology, industry standards or customer needs, our products could rapidly become less competitive or obsolete  [6]  . Consumers today will almost always look for the product with the latest and coolest features. Technology giants such as Apple and Google are proof that those firms that can either constantly improve their existing products or introduce new products will stay ahead of the c urve. The market for GPS-driven navigation equipment certainly falls under the same category. Garmin places a heavy emphasis on research and development as a means of constant innovation-in 2009 they spent nearly 240,000 dollars on RD, or roughly 8.1 percent of sales  [7]  . Other firms in the industry, such as TomTom at around 9 percent of sales, spend comparable amounts  [8]  . Garmin also currently holds over 1 billion dollars in cash on hand, allowing the company plenty of resources for investing in RD  [9]  . With technology changing at such a rapid pace any firm that fails to fully invest in discovering the next great technological advancement will only fall desperately behind firms such as Garmin and TomTom, or even Google and Apple. Also, due to the nature of the operations of firms like Garmin and TomTom, it is absolutely necessary for companies to create and maintain strong distribution networks. Garmin and TomTom, and many other firms who distribute PNDs, do not actually operate individual stores that sell the products they make. Instead, they sell the devices through other retailers or through their websites. Selling through third parties can create a lot of functional problems, such as increasing costs and poor customer service, so creating and managing a strong, effective distribution network is an essential activity. Garmin, for instance, uses an extensive network of nearly 3000 dealers in about 100 countries, while relying on regional sales managers and in-house sales staff to provide support  [10]  . Moreover, many of Garmins largest dealers are among the largest, most recognized retailers in the world, including Best Buy (which accounts for 13.4 percent of Garmins revenues), Target, Wal-Mart, Amazo n.com, and Costco  [11]  . They also coordinate with in-country subsidiaries and local dealers around the world to manage their global sales, a task that would be nearly impossible without an established and well-managed distribution network. It is a testament to the importance of strong global connections that Garmin owns a significant share in the European market despite their late entrance into that particular segment. Without a strong distribution network, a firm competing in the industry could not reach the levels of profitability that firms such as Garmin and TomTom reach-instead, they would be incurring extra costs and losing revenues through inefficient supply chains. Furthermore, due to the capital-intensive nature of the business and the importance of RD, a certain amount of vertical integration is expected. A huge part of the industry, as we have seen, is the ability to design and produce new, innovative products. Such endeavors require large amounts of time and money commitments, making it much more logical for firms in the industry to take the product all the way through the production phase, from developing the idea to manufacturing the product. The industry leaders such as Garmin operate their own design and manufacturing facilities-in fact, Garmin believes its manufacturing capabilities to be one of the companys core competencies  [12]  . Vertical integration allows Garmin, and other firms, to solve common problems in the electrical industry, such as being quicker to market with products, streamlining the design and process functions, and minimizing logistical issues  [13]  . The efficiency and effectiveness of vertical integration makes it a common practice among firms in electronic fields, and any firm wishing to compete against leaders such as Garmin would most likely need to employ similar processes. Undoubtedly, any firm wishing to compete in the market for GPS-powered navigational and information equipment must excel in the key areas above. However, such practices do not guarantee success in such a complex industry. There are many factors that affect the profitability of firms such as Garmin, and one can rate the industrys attractiveness by considering the five forces model: the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitutes, the power of suppliers, the power of buyers, and the competitiveness of the industry. A significant risk of new entrants into the market exists due to the low barriers of entry that exist in the industry. One such low barrier to entry involves the extensive growth of the technology PND devices require. GPS technology, like most every other technology, is now easy to copy and implement due to its widespread use, and since the satellites GPS relies on are available for civilian use, it is not exactly difficult to establish a GPS system for use in products. When you factor in the decreasing prices of necessary components such as semiconductors and microprocessors, it becomes clear that the technology for PNDs represents a very small obstacle for new firms. The ease of obtaining the technology has lead to the current trend of smartphones, specifically the Apple iPhone and the phones Google sponsors, containing GPS technology  [14]  . One must also consider the channels of distribution to be a very low entry barrier for potential entrants, specifically firms that are a lready large and successful. As previously discussed, Garmin (and most other PND makers) sells through third party retailers such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart; unfortunately, this channel is easily accessible by top electronic companies such as Sony and Samsung. More than likely such large companies already own connections with the large retail chains, and the vast resources of electronic giants such as Sony offer them a strong advantage in dominating the retail channel. Google and Apple both own similar advantages. The low entry barriers are leading to an influx of companies entering the industry, and, most ominously for Garmin, new competitors such as Google are able to offer the same technology with features Garmin cannot replicate. The threat of substitutes in the navigation industry does not represent such an apparent problem per se; since all PND products use basically the same GPS technology, no real substitute exists. However, there are now substitutes to the PNDs companies like Garmin sell. Most notable, of course, are the smartphones with GPS capabilities. These phones offer a huge problem in that no person with such a phone would need to own a PND due to the phones equal capabilities. Another substitute is the current practice of car companies including built-in GPS systems into their vehicles. Garmin is managing to limit this threat by entering the market itself-they currently have contracts for built-in GPSs in 15 Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep vehicles  [15]  . Still, the company considers the in-dash vehicle segment, along with the phone segment, to be their biggest threats going forward. In such a competitive industry, and with all devices requiring vital components such as semiconductors and LCD screens, suppliers obviously own a decent amount of power  [16]  . Suppliers of these absolutely crucial components are, in effect, selling to everyone in the industry, creating a substantial amount of leverage for the suppliers. Garmin relies on these components, and so shortages or rising costs are devastating to the business  [17]  . Garmin is, however, able to slightly circumvent this issue by having sole source providers for some key components  [18]  . Even so, supplier power represents a significant issue in the industry. Even more alarming is the power of buyers in the industry. Prices for PNDs in the automobile market have been falling rapidly over the past several years due to the number of quality products the market offers  [19]  . As with any competitive industry, it is difficult to charge price premiums when products are virtually the same in terms of functional use, and firms are then forced to compete on price. Buyers are able to shop around for the best prices, and are more willing to choose a product because of auxiliary features such as appearance and ease of use. Garmin does own a distinct advantage in their other markets though, as prices in the aviation, outdoor/fitness, and marine markets are rising due to advancements in these markets over competition. However, the majority of Garmins sales still come from the automobile segment, making the power of buyers a very real threat. Just how competitive is the PND industry? The list of Garmins competitors is quite extensive. The threat from Google, Apple, and other electronics companies such as Sony, Samsung, and Motorola has been well documented. TomTom remains the biggest threat in the automotive segment, and the two companies are currently waging a battle for world domination of the PND market (Garmin currently leads in the US market, while TomTom leads the European market). MiTAC and Navigon AG are also strong competitors in the automotive market  [20]  . MiTAC is also a competitor in the outdoor segment (through subsidiary Magellan) along with Lowrance and Delorme, while Nike and Timex Corp. represent threats in the fitness area  [21]  . Raymarine Ltd., Lowrance, and Furuno are the biggest competitors in the marine segment  [22]  . Finally, competition in the crowded aviation industry comes from Honeywell, Avidyne Corp., L-3 Avionics Systems, and Rockwell Collins, Inc., among others  [23]  . Judging by the five forces model, the PND industry appears to be a very unattractive industry. The threat of new entrants, the power of buyers, and the competitiveness of the industry are all very high, while the threat of substitutes and the power of suppliers are at least moderately high. Garmin remains profitable due to its achievements in the key success factors of the industry, but those factors are not easily replicable by incoming firms. Most importantly, overcoming the market share advantage Garmin, TomTom, and others own seems nearly impossible. Even if one is able to penetrate the market, the strong competitive nature of the industry is sure to keep margins razor thin and profits very low. Overall, the PND industry looks like an overly risky environment for any firm. However, that does not mean Garmin can no longer be profitable. Garmin has built a highly successful business model, and despite recent struggles, they should be able to rebound. There are several strategies they can pursue to combat the new industry issues they face. For one, they can shift some of their focus to their other product segments. Right now, Garmins main threat is competition in their automotive segment from other PND producers and smartphones; consequently, it may be beneficial to place greater emphasis on the marine, outdoor, and aviation segments that may be more profitable anyway. Garmin can attempt to penetrate these markets even more, entering into new agreements with specialty retailers for the marine and outdoor segments and airlines for the aviation segment. Increasing RD ventures in the other segments might also give Garmin a new competitive advantage in those fields. Since prices have been increasing in these areas, Garmin may be able to substantially increase revenue by renewing focus in other segments. Overall, though, Garmin may need to do very little else. Garmin has already introduced their version of the smartphone to compete with Google and Apple, and there is no doubt that the poor economy has played a role in Garmins recent downturn. A recent study by Forrester Research analyzing the PND market found that, although companies like Garmin have suffered from competition from smartphones and price cuts, the Garmin should be fine for the foreseeable future-Charles Golvin, the author of the study, says, I think Garmin and TomTom will be successful going forward because theyre innovating and differentiating, and theyve got the software and skills and knowledge with maps that the phone makers dont  [24]  . In other words, it may be a case where Garmin needs to just trust in their successful business model and continue to produce high-quality devices. As the economy improves, and the devices continue to improve, sales will eventually rise. Internal Analysis Garmins mission is to enrich the lives of its customers, suppliers, distributors, employees and stockholders by designing, manufacturing and selling navigation and communication products that provide superior quality, safety and operational features, lower cost of manufacturing and ownership, and sufficient profits to support desired company growth.  [25]   Garmin follows a first mover, differentiation strategy. Through heavy investment in research and development they are able to develop new products that users perceive as more valuable and are willing to pay a premium for. The first mover aspect is most easily observed in their aviation division where they have received numerous awards as well as FAA certifications for being the first to market with new and innovative products. A recent review of recreational GPS receivers revealed 38 of the top 50 receivers  [26]  were Garmin products. With the Oregan 400t coming in at number one, and products from the Rino, GPSMap, and eTrex product lines all ranking in the top 10. This speaks for itself that the company has been able to define their products as superior. We have 36% of the PND market share, are number one in Aviation and Recreation, and number two in the marine division.  [27]   Garmin has been able to develop a high quality product while still striking a balance of costs, with their products costing only slightly more than their competitors. They have been able to achieve this in two ways, heavy investment in RD and acquisitions that have vertically integrated value chain operations. In 2009 alone the total expenditures on RD totaled $238 million or 8% of total revenue, up from 6% of total revenue in 2008  [28]  . The fruit of this labor is reflected in the ownership of more than 400 patents as well as 250 trademarks. This has also allowed the firm to not only be the first to market with new products, but also be able to design manufacturing processes that allows the company to adapt and be dynamic  [29]  . Garmin uses multi-disciplinary teams including industrial designers, various engineers as well members from manufacturing operations to develop products allowing them to quickly move from concept to manufacturing. The company has also used a seri es of acquisitions to vertically integrate itself creating a supply chain that has given it a competitive advantage. The company believes manufacturing operation in Shijr, Jhongli and LinKou, Taiwan, Salem, Oregon as well as Olathe is one of its Core Competencies  [30]  . Vertical integration combined with the engineering methods described above has allowed for reduced time to market, design and process optimization and logistical agility. Logistical agility is one area where vertical integration has really given Garmin an advantage. By operating its own manufacturing facilities, Garmin is able to re-engineer products when they experience component shortages. This is an advantage over competitors because manufactures in the electronics industry typically require long lead times.  [31]  Garmin has also used strategic alliances to enter new markets. When they began development of the nà ¼vifone Garmin partnered with ASUSTek Computer Inc. to design, manufacture and distribute co-branded location-centric mobile phones.  [32]  The business model was subsequently remodeled, stating that no new Garmin-ASUS phones will be developed, and Garmin will expand its own, internal development of mobile phones.  [33]  This failure further reinforces Garmins vertical integration strategy that has given them an advantage in the past. A SWOT analysis performed by Datamonitor in December of 2009 revealed the following Strengths and Weaknesses: Robust inorganic growth, Strong product innovation, and Intellectual property.  [34]  During 2008 Garmin made several acquisitions strengthening its presence in the European market. Another asset Garmin possesses is their relationship with auto manufacturers. Garmin currently has contracts to install Garmin devices with Hyundai, Suzuki, Chrysler, Ford, BMW, MINI, Citroen as well as motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson. A challenge Garmin is facing the rapid growth they experienced leading up to the weak economic climate experienced in 2009. We grew very rapidly through the late 2000s and when we finally got fully staffed in 2009, poor economic conditions hit. Developing management skills is one problem we face.  [35]  Other weaknesses included overdependence on the North American market, dependence on sole suppliers, and declining margins.  [36]  It is also ver y important to discuss the potential for a decline in demand for the automotive products. Almost 70% of 2009 sales were from the automotive/portable segment. It is becoming more and more common for consumers to use navigation technology built into smart phones they already own. It is our recommendation that Garmin leverage its existing assets to continue to be successful. We do feel it is wise to try and enter into the smart phone segment, however, it is already saturated and carving out a niche would be difficult. Manufacturers such as Apple, Motorola, and BlackBerry control the smart phone market and offer an opportunity for Garmin. While Garmin already offers an app for BlackBerry, we feel that licensing Garmins technology to other existing manufactures could create more value for the company. By developing apps for other platforms such as the iPhone, Android and Windows 7, Garmin could capture more of the phone segment, while keeping in-line with their current strategy of primar ily internal development. Charging a monthly fee for use of the app would also help shore up the declining margins by generating a recurring revenue stream. A timeline should be set to terminate the venture should it turn out to be unsuccessful with specifics determined on a case by case basis. The key to success in developing a smart phone that would compete directly with Apple, Motorola and the like would be to develop the phone completely in-house and continue the legacy of high quality, innovative products. The joint venture with ASUSTek clearly did not work, and historically Garmin has had the most success with products they engineer themselves. The major risks are the potential high costs of developing the technology, however one of Garmins core competencies is their ability to integrate the user interface and the software.  [37]  This provides them the ability to develop a product that will differentiate itself from current products and open the company up to a new produc t line. Garmin should also continue its efforts to vertically integrate. While they already own their own engineering and manufacturing operations, and also a large part of their distribution system, continued forward and backward integration could further shorten the time to market for the highly dynamic electronics industry. Further backward integration into the manufacturing of more of the parts would negate the need for re-engineering of existing products when there are shortages by easily being able to obtain the data to more accurately forecast demand, streamlining the entire manufacturing process. The major downside is the heavy investment in equipment to begin manufacturing more of the components; however, with no debt on the balance sheet, it would be rather inexpensive to finance such a venture. Further forward integration would also benefit Garmin by allowing them to capture more of the profits from the sale of their merchandise by once again leveraging their existing ass ets such as their ISO 9001 certification. A fully integrated distribution system would further decrease time to market, the potential for stock-outs and also increase the flow of detailed information about demand conditions to all aspects of the value chain allowing Garmin to continue to adapt and be dynamic. We believe these recommendations are consistent with Garmins mission, broadening its product offering, delivering a superior product and increasing share and stakeholder value. Competition Overview Garmin has three top competitors and they are MiTAC International Corporation, TomTom N.V., and Google. Each competitor has unique aspects different from Garmin that allow them to be successful. MiTAC owns several different GPS companies that are competing to steal market share away from Garmin. TomTom has the greatest market share in Europe and is competing head-to-head with Garmin for world-wide share. Google owns the rights to a wide variety of maps allowing it to have huge leverage in the purchasing of mapping rights. Each of these companies has the opportunity to over-take Garmin as the United States market leader in GPS devices. MiTAC is the maker of Mio GPS, Navman GPS, and Magellan GPS. Mio is a subsidiary of MiTAC International established in 2002 that develops products in the Personal Navigation Devices (PND), GPS TV, GPS phone, and Mobile Internet Devices (MID) markets  [38]  . Mio claims to be a Brand focused on customer needs who are a great user-focused provider of great customer experiences with the tagline Explore More. They believe that mobile business and communications will be a great part of life in the future and try creating products that adhere to that lifestyle. Navman GPS provide PNDs similar to Garmin and also are a major seller of marine GPS. Navmans advantage over Garmin is in the marine market segment rather than the PND market. Navman has a strong fan base, but has a low market share compared to its competitor Garmin. Magellan offers GPS products for hand-held outdoor devices and in-car navigation. It was purchased by MiTAC in 2009 and has been ranked by many as one of the top man ufacturers of GPS devices  [39]  . Magellans most unique attribute compared to Garmin is that it has the ability to select up to 20 destinations at once allowing the user to select the order in which to arrive at each destination. This feature is good for long, cross-country trips that include many pit stops along the way. Another difference between Magellan and Garmin is that Magellan devices generally have a larger screen size than the opposing Garmin products. One product, the Magellan RoadMate 1412 has a 4.3 inch-wide screen whereas the comparable Garmin nuvi 360 is only 3.5 inches  [40]  . A larger size could make the routes easier to read, but it may not be preferred due to taking up too much space. TomTom is a top manufacturer of GPS devices in competition with Garmin. TomTom is the European leader in the GPS market while Garmin is the leader in the United States. TomTom mostly competes with Garmin

Nuclear war :: essays research papers

The Next Episode Would you like to play a game? The infamous words muttered by the WOPPER computer in the movie War Games. In this movie an amuter hacker looking for some cool games nearly sets off a nuclear war by just some simple manuevers. Although just a movie it put light on the easiness of one person to start an all out nuclear war. This movie was made in the 80’s when we didn’t rest on the power of computers to control a system and still we almost had an all out nuclear war. Now we reali on computers making us twice as vulnerable. With that in mind I feel that it is my responsibility to affirm the resolution that the possession nuclear weapons is immoral. For clarification of this round I offer the following definitions Black’s Law, 5th Edition. Possession: The detention and control of anything which may be subject of property, for one’s use and enjoyment. Nuclear: anything with radioactive materials. Weapons Something used to destroy someone or something. From the Lexicon-Webster dictionary Immoral: not conforming to accepted patterns of what is considered right and wrong behavior in a culture Nuclear weapons are a strange weapon they are one of the feew weapons that can kill long after the initial blast. The radiation emited from this blast would infect all the surrounding nations thus causing a global catastrophy. That is why I would like to adopt the value of Global Security. Along with this value I will use the criterion of Safty because Safty is the only way to obtain global security. Contention One: Nucs have no target only death. The sole purpose for nuclear weapons is to kill large amounts of people very quickly without the threat of losing men. Let me repeat to kill with out being killed. This sounds like a great strategy except it is no strategy at all. If you have a thousand nucs you are not going to target them at military bases no, you are going to inflict the most damage and that is the civilian population. People innocent of any crime put to death by a faceless weapon. Subpoint A: Nuclear war is inevitable. The only reason to create a new weapon is to use it not to have just sit around and collect dust. History has shown the minute a new weapon is invented people are standing line to use it and show its effectiveness. The bombs we dropped on hiroshima and nagasaki were only one weapon now we have unused missles and bombers that are unused wasting money.

Managerial Finance Essay

Managerial Finance – Problem Review Set – Dividends Policy 1) If a firm adopts a residual distribution policy, distributions are determined as a residual after funding the capital budget. Therefore, the better the firm’s investment opportunities, the lower its payout ratio should be. a. True b. False 2) Even if a stock split has no information content, and even if the dividend per share adjusted for the split is not increased, there can still be a real benefit (i. e. , a higher value for shareholders) from such a split, but any such benefit is probably small. a. True b. False 3) Which of the following should NOT influence a firm’s dividend policy decision? a. The firm’s ability to accelerate or delay investment projects. b. A strong preference by most shareholders for current cash income versus capital gains. c. Constraints imposed by the firm’s bond indenture. d. The fact that much of the firm’s equipment has been leased rather than bought and owned. e. The fact that Congress is considering changes in the tax law regarding the taxation of dividends versus capital gains. 4) Which of the following would be most likely to lead to a decrease in a firm’s dividend payout ratio? a. Its earnings become more stable. b. Its access to the capital markets increases. c. Its R;D efforts pay off, and it now has more high-return investment opportunities. d. Its accounts receivable decrease due to a change in its credit policy. e. Its stock price has increased over the last year by a greater percentage than the increase in the broad stock market averages. 5) If a firm adheres strictly to the residual dividend policy The stronger management thinks the clientele effect is, the more likely the firm is to adopt a strict version of the residual dividend model. d. Large stock repurchases financed by debt tend to increase earnings per share, but they also increase the firm’s financial risk. e. A dollar paid out to repurchase stock is taxed at the same rate as a dollar paid out in dividends. Thus, both companies and investors are indifferent between distributing cash through dividends and stock repurchase programs. 7) P;D Co. has a capital budget of $1,000,000. The company wants to maintain a target capital structure which is 30% debt and 70% equity.

Abortions in America

Abortion is a very touchy topic in America. For several decades there has been a debate if abortions are legal or not. In this paper I will attempt to take you through the history of abortions with a specification on politics. The practice of abortion dates back to ancient times. Pregnancies were terminated through a number of methods, including tools, taking abortion herbs, the use of sharpened tools, abdominal pressure, and other techniques. In western parts of the world during the 20th century various women's rights groups, doctors, and social reformers successfully worked to have abortion bans repealed. Various anti-abortion laws have been on every state statute book since at least 1900. During this time, abortion was illegal in 30 states, and legal in 20 states under certain circumstances. These circumstances were rape, incest, and date drug. Abortions were seen as only need in life and death situations. The criminalization of abortion accelerated during the 1860’s. By the 1900’s it was generally punished as a felony. In the 1930’s approximately 800,000 abortions a year were performed by licensed physicians. In 1962 Colorado became the first state to legalize abortions but only under the circumstances I previously disclosed. Soon similar laws were passed in California, Oregon, and North Carolina. In 1970, Hawaii was the first state to legalize abortions on the request of the mother. This lead the way for New York, to repeal its laws and allow women to terminate their pregnancy up to 24 weeks. A law in Washington, DC allowed abortion to protect the life and health of the women, was challenged in the Supreme Court in 1971. The case was United States v. Vuitvch. In this case, the Supreme Court upheld the law, stating that â€Å"health† meant a women’s physical and mental well-being. This allowed women in Washington, DC to receive abortions. The Supreme Court decision, Roe v Wade set guidelines for the availability of abortion. The case established that the â€Å"must be considered against important state interests in regulation. † The Supreme Court ruled that the Texas statute forbidding abortion except when necessary to save the life of the mother was unconstitutional. The decision in this case was later modified by the Planned Parenthood v Casey case in 1992. It upheld the decision on central holding, but it revised the trimester system with the point of fetal viability. It defined fetal viability as the states right to verride the women’s autonomy. The Constitutional protection of women’s decision to terminate her pregnancy comes from the due process clause of the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment states that no state shall â€Å"deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law†. In a more recent case, on April 18, 2007 the Supreme Court issued a ruling in the case Gonzales v. Carhart. The case dealt with the federal law â€Å"Partial Abortion Ban Act of 2003†. President George W. Bush signed it into law. The sentence that carried for breaking this law was up to 2. 5 years. Since 1995, The House of Representatives and U. S. Senate, which was led by the Congressional Republicans, tried several times to pass laws banning the specific type of abortion known as, partial abortions. After much emotion filled and long debates on the issue of partial abortions, President Bill Clinton vetoed the bills in April 1966. In October 1997 on the evidence that they did not include health expectations. Other tries of the Congress to override the veto were not successful. On October 2, 2003, the house approved once again the measure of banning partial abortions with a vote of 281-142. With this law in place, a doctor or physician could face up to 2 years in prison and could face civil lawsuits. Women who undergo partial abortions could not be prosecuted under this law. The law did include an exemption for women whose life was threatened without the partial abortions. On October 21, 2003 they passed a similar law with the help of demarcates with a vote of 64-34. The bill was signed by President George W. Bush on November of 2003. The federal judge blocked its enforcement in several states hours after it became law. The Supreme Court still enforced its ruling of a nationwide ban on the procedure of partial abortions from the case Gonzales v Carhart. The Supreme Court made a statement stating that just because there was a 5-4 ruling; The Partial Abortion Ban Act does not cause problems with the previous court decisions towards abortions. The current interpretation of the U. S. Constitution by The U. S. Supreme court based on the landmark case of Roe v Wade in 1973 is that abortion is legal but may be illegal by the states to a certain degree. This means abortions may be illegal from state to state but under the conditions of ape or incest for an example, an abortion can be performed in those states. Many states in America have passed laws to restrict late term abortions. Also, in many states, parental notification is required for minors to receive an abortion, and in clinics, it is mandatory to tell the patient abortion risk information before the procedure is started. The article that is most de bated from The Constitution when it comes to abortions, is the Fourteenth Amendment, which states: ’ All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. † The one problem with legalizing abortions is trying to determine when a fetus is able to live outside of the womb on its own. The majority rule in the case of Roe v Wade states that a fetus is viable at or after 28 weeks but can occur earlier. Viability can even occur as early as 24 weeks. With the technology advances over the last thirty years, a fetus is able to live outside of the womb a few weeks earlier than 24 weeks. These advances only make it harder to determine whether abortions are legal or illegal. To this date, in the youngest child to survive as a premature was delivered at weeks and 3 days. Due to the split laws between the federal government and state government, to get a legal abortion varies from state to state. Eighty-seven percent of U. S. territories and states have no abortion provider. Only seventeen states offer coverage of abortions under state healthcare plans. Legalizing abortions in the United States is a major issue that frequently arises during the nomination of people to the U. S. Supreme Court. With that being said, many nominees prefer to remain silent about that issue during their hearing because abortions may come up while their a judge. On April 1, 2004, President Bush signed The Unborn Victims of Violence Act. The act allows two specific charges to be filled against someone who kills a pregnant mother. One is for the mother and the other is for the fetus. The act specifically bans charges against the mother and the doctor when it comes to abortion procedures. Various states have various laws when it comes to abortions. In March 2006, South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds signed a law that made performing abortions a felony. It was repealed in November 2006. In February 2006, Mississippi’s House Public Health Committee voted to approve a ban on abortions. The bill died after the house and senate failed to agree on compromise legislation. Several states enacted â€Å"trigger laws† which would only take effect if the Roe v Wade decision was overturned. In February of 2009, The Personhood of Children Act, was passed by the North Dakota House of Representatives. The law was later defeated in the North Dakota Senate because if it was passed it would likely have been used to challenge Roe v. Wade. In February 2012, the Virginia House of Delegates passed House Bill 1 with a vote of 66-32. The law outlawed all Virginia abortions by declaring that the rights of persons apply from the moment sperm and egg unite. The second bill that was passed 63-36 vote, that requires a women to have an ultrasound before undergoing abortions. The public opinion towards abortions is split. It’s almost the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, majority of Americans believed abortion should be illegal in or most cases. This was conducted by the NBC News and The Wall Street Journal. Approx. seventy percent of respondents oppose Roe v. Wade being over turned; forty-eight percent supported it being over turned. This paper was written to address the abortion topic in America with a specific on politics. The paper stated the views and laws from the earliest days of abortions to now present day. The laws have changed over time, but still with decades to come you can count on abortions still to be a controversial.

Mentel Health Essays - Human Behavior, Social Psychology

Mentel Health Essays - Human Behavior, Social Psychology Mentel Health 1. Healthy Relationships- Being in an abusive relationship can be very hard on a person. Being in a healthy relationship can be rewarding and fun. In a healthy relationship you must have many things, trust is one, dont be jealous and share your feelings. It involves fair fighting, no hitting, pushing or grabbing, arguments should focus on hear and now. Things of an abusive relationship are, like physically abused, being slammed in to things, or being forced to stay, when you want to leave, and wrecking or destroying personal property. Emotional abuse is also used in unhealthy relationships. Telling you no one else will want you dont care for your feelings. If you want your relationship to be healthy always include I messages. Effective communication and always confront him or her when something is wrong. 2. Personal Inventories- Somethings I learned about personal inventories is people may be assertive, passive or aggressive. Being Assertive means trying to seek a compromise with the person your talking to. Being passive is well you really dont care, and youll give in easily to other people and you listen well but dont say anything back to the person. Being aggressive means you always want it your way, always not listening to others and when other people are talking they usually interrupt them and forcefully put in their own words. 3. Suicide- Suicide is the act of intention all taking ones life. Things that cause suicide might be the rising Divorce rate, increased use of alcohol, pressure to succeed in school and troubled families. Some possible warning signs of suicide are depression, giving away prized possessions, writing a will, and prior attempts. You can help one person by trying to talk to them, and ask what are wrong, and making jokes. 4. Coping with loss- Coping with loss can be very hard on a person. They might blame themselves or say a cure will be developed.

Verb Conjugations for Maintenir (To Maintain) in French

Verb Conjugations for Maintenir (To Maintain) in French The French verb  maintenir  means to maintain. Because the English and French are very similar, this is a relatively easy one to remember. Yet, if you want to say maintained or maintaining in French, you will need to conjugate the verb. Since  maintenir is an irregular verb, this lesson is a little challenging. Conjugations of the French Verb  Maintenir   Maintenir is an  irregular -ir verb. This means that it does not follow one of the more common verb conjugation patterns. However, all French verbs that end in  -venir  and  -tenir  are conjugated the same way. It may be a good idea to study a few of these at one time to make learning each easier. In order to learn the most basic conjugates of  maintenir, study the table below. You will need to pair the subject pronoun with the present, future, or imperfect past tense to fit your sentence. For instance, I am maintaining is je maintiens while we will maintain is nous maintiendrons. Pay particular attention to the verb forms that add an I after the T as these can catch you by surprise. Subject Present Future Imperfect je maintiens maintiendrai maintenais tu maintiens maintiendras maintenais il maintient maintiendra maintenait nous maintenons maintiendrons maintenions vous maintenez maintiendrez mainteniez ils maintiennent maintiendront maintenaient The Present Participle of  Maintenir   The present participle of maintenir  is maintenant. This was formed by simply adding -ant  to the verb stem  mainten. When needed, it can also be used as an adjective, gerund, or noun as well as a verb. The Past Participle and Passà © Composà © The  passà © composà ©Ã‚  is a common way to express the past tense in French. Its a simple phrase to construct and makes use of the past participle  maintenu. You will also need the subject pronoun and the appropriate conjugate of the auxiliary verb  avoir. It all comes together rather easily: I maintained is jai maintenu and we maintained is nous avons maintenu. More Simple  Maintenir  Conjugations to Learn The conjugations above should be a priority in your French studies because you will use them most often. There may be times when you will need other simple conjugations. For instance, the subjunctive verb mood implies uncertainty while the conditional says that the action is dependent on something. In contrast, the passà © simple and the imperfect subjunctive are literary verb forms and found in formal writing. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je maintienne maintiendrais maintins maintinsse tu maintiennes maintiendrais maintins maintinsses il maintienne maintiendrait maintint maintnt nous maintenions maintiendrions maintnmes maintinssions vous mainteniez maintiendriez maintntes maintinssiez ils maintiennent maintiendraient maintinrent maintinssent To express  maintenir  in short and often direct sentences, you can use the imperative form. When doing so, theres no need to include the subject pronoun. Rather than nous maintenons, you can simplify it to maintenons. Imperative (tu) maintiens (nous) maintenons (vous) maintenez

Order, Age, and Pareidolia

Order, Age, and Pareidolia Order, Age, and Pareidolia Order, Age, and Pareidolia By Maeve Maddox In his Essay on Criticism (1711), Alexander Pope (1688-1744) wrote: A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: there shallow draughts [swallows] intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely [drinking great quantities] sobers us again. In Greek myth, drinking from the Pierian spring instilled knowledge. In modern terms, Pope is saying that superficial knowledge makes people imagine they know more than they do about a topic; this false sense of knowledge leads to extravagant conclusions that do not hold up with further information. An example of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing is the web of misinformation and conspiracy theory that has grown up around a Latin quotation on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States. Note: Images of both sides of the Great Seal can be seen on the back of a one-dollar bill. The image of the reverse is on the left. The reverse of the Great Seal shows an uncompleted pyramid with an eye in a rayed triangle above it. The words ANNUIT COEPTIS appear above the eye, and the words NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM appear on a scroll beneath the pyramid. Both quotations are taken from Vergil’s Latin epic, the Aeneid. The first quotation, annuit coeptis, translates as â€Å"[He] favors the undertaking.† In the context of the poem, the line is part of a prayer by Aeneas to Jupiter, and the understood subject He refers to the chief Roman god. Aeneas was praying about â€Å"undertakings† that included the foundation of Rome. (According to Vergil, Romulus and Remus were descendants of Aeneas.) To the eighteenth-century Deists setting up a country they viewed as a â€Å"new Rome† destined to endure for centuries, the eye- and the implied pronoun- represented Divine Providence. The second quotation, novus ordo seculorum translates as â€Å"new order of the ages,† not, as conspiracy theorists would have it, â€Å"New World Order† or â€Å"New Secular Order.† The designers of the Great Seal did not attach the same meanings to the Latin words ordo and seclorum that modern conspiracy theorists do. In the quotation from Vergil, ordo implies a sequence of historical periods. And seculorum does not denote the same thing as the English adjective secular. The most common use of secular today is as an adjective meaning â€Å"worldly, not sacred.† To Vergil, the adjective saecularis, (â€Å"relating to a long period of time†) derived from the noun saeculum, which could mean â€Å"a generation,† â€Å"a century,† or â€Å"a very long period of time.† For example, to a modern English speaker, the phrase â€Å"secular entertainment† would mean â€Å"entertainment having nothing to do with religion.† For ancient Romans, â€Å"secular entertainment† meant shows or games that were put on at very long intervals. The ancient Ludi Saeculares (secular games), for example, took place every 100 or 110 years. The classically trained men who approved the final design of the Great Seal in 1782 were acquainted with the ancient belief that human history progresses and declines by Ages. For example, Ovid describes four ages: Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. The quotation from Vergil reflects the founders’ feeling that the creation of the new nation represented the beginning of a new age in the history of the world. Some conspiracy theorists who misinterpret the quotation also claim to see occult symbols hidden in the designs on both sides of the Great Seal. There’s a word for seeing meaningful images in random patterns: pareidolia /pair-eye-DOLE-ee-uh/ noun: the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful, image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern. One type of pareidolia is face pareidolia: the illusory perception of non-existent faces. Another is letter pareidolia:  the illusory perception of non-existent letters. Claims to see satanic images in the Great Seal are examples of symbol pareidolia. This type of pareidolia is especially troublesome in the context of logo design because the same image can appear differently to different viewers- even to the same viewer at different times. Symbol pareidolia occurred with the 2014 World Cup logo: some viewers saw it as the depiction of a soccer fan doing a facepalm: a gesture in which the palm of ones hand is brought to ones face, as an expression of disbelief, shame, or exasperation. Sometimes an artist intentionally plays to pareidolia by creating an image intended to be seen in two ways. A famous example is the drawing called All Is Vanity by Charles Allan Gilbert (1873-1929). At first glance, the viewer sees a lovely Victorian-era woman looking at herself in the large round mirror above her cosmetic-laden dressing table. With a second look, the viewer discerns not the woman, but the image of a deaths head- a human skull that represents death and the fleeting nature of life. Alexander Pope would probably be amused to see the amount of nonsense about the US Great Seal that has resulted from a little learning and a lot of pareidolia. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†40 Synonyms for â€Å"Different†"Wracking" or "Racking" Your Brain?

Tourism in Switzerland and Kenya. Advantages and disadvantages Essay

Tourism in Switzerland and Kenya. Advantages and disadvantages - Essay Example Kenya and Switzerland have registered an impressive record in tourists’ attendance, especially international tourists. Both countries have diverse tourist attractions sites and locations, receiving recognition across the globe. In Kenya, tourism is an industry that has sustained thousands of people in their daily living. It remains the second great foreign exchange earner, after the leading agriculture. Wildlife remains the core tourist attraction. Kenya is also rich in cultural heritage especially along its coastal region (Akama, pg. 8). This too acts as a source of tourist attraction. The coastal beaches are a superb place to visit especially during winter in the West. Switzerland also remains a famous tourist destination location. It does possess an abundance of natural resources and beautiful landscape. The Alps peaks creates a fascinating site. Their rich culture attracts tourists from various locations across the world (Banfi, Filippini, and Hunt, pg. 690). Both countries do acknowledge that tourism does fetch immense income. A major exchange earner has steered the growth of the various locations in both countries. There has been a steady rise in the number of revenues collected from tourism activities. Such revenue goes a great way in improvement of Gross Domestic Product. Essentially, it is the business and the fastest growing service industry in the mentioned countries. It does hold immense potential in it. The growth of t tourism sector has led to the upsurge and development of other sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, retailing, and hotel industry. Tourism contributes directly or indirectly to the macro-economic growth of the countries. Dues to the stimulation of development ion technology, investments, industries and infrastructures, there is creation of an environment that favours economic growth. The foreign currencies stimulate growth. Taxes emanating from

History Lectures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

History Lectures - Essay Example In the years that followed, humans started to come up with ways to develop reliable food supplies through the planting of crops and domesticating of animals (Levack, Muir, Mans, & Veldman, 2010). People began to live longer, and as a result, were able to increase their population. Most people became farmers, increasing food supplies to the point of excess, with which they would trade and barter with others (Levack et al., 2010). With these initial commerce practices, the civilized societies slowly emerged. Around 6000 B.C.E., the picture in Southwest Asia presented that of farming and interactive communities. From these communities, the Sumerians from Southern Mesopotamia, slowly emerged, and they built cities to govern their ways of life (World History, 2007). It is important to note that the existence of these cities were dependent on the ability to control the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers because most of these cities relied on water for their sustenance and for the support of their farms and their livestock (Dellapenna and Gupta, 2008). As in contemporary rule, the traditional Sumerian cities were also ruled by a leader; these cities were controlled by kings. The people from these times worshipped the sun and the moon and sometimes inanimate objects and they built temples to honor their gods. They made a valuable contribution to society with their introduction of cuneiform writing which is now the basic foundations of our current writing and reading (Levack et al., 2010). War and conquest were common themes during these early times. The Sumerians were no exception, as they were conquered by the Akkadian empire (Northern Babylonia which is now a portion of Iraq) (Abrams and Wang, 2003) and made a part of a multi-ethnic empire being exposed to various languages and cultures. Other societies emerged at this time, bringing about the Assyrian and Babylonian cultures. A significant contribution by the Assyrians (later

Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Statements - Essay Example This project aims at studying and analyzing the annual report of Home Depot as submitted to the United States SEC in the year 2008. The basic financial statements including the income statement, the balance sheet and the cash flow statements of the company are studied and mapped against the managerial decision making processes of the company in the specific year under study. The consolidated statement of earnings of Home Depot indicates that the company has been extremely proficient in generating revenues in 2008. The total revenue in 2008 was USD 77349 million. The operating expenses of the company were USD 18755 million. This indicates that the company was much efficient in generating high revenues while being able to maintain much lower operating expenses. The net earnings of Home Depot in 2008 were USD 4395 which is favorable when mapped against the industry requirements. In overall, as per the consolidated statement of earnings of Home Depot, the company was performing at a standard level in the year 2008 (Home Depot Inc., 2008, p. 4). The consolidated statement of earnings or the income statement of a company summarizes the revenues that a company has earned during the period of reporting through the sale of its products and services. Also, it includes the expenses that a company has made to produce the revenues during the same period. These expenses may include the selling expenses, overheads, general expenses and depreciation of the assets. The comparison of the revenues and the expenses of a company show the net operating profit of a company. After the deduction of various statutory deductions like taxes and interest expenses, the consolidated statement of earnings of a business represents the net earnings of the company over a specific period of time. The key business decisions like how the return on investment for the company can be improved are

Ethnic Diversity of Counseling Clients Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethnic Diversity of Counseling Clients - Essay Example California has been one of the leading states of the United States of America in terms of diversified ethnicity. The state has wide range of population which includes major proportion of African – Americans, Hispanics and Asians along with the white populace. The need of counseling is observed more in to the lower strata of the society especially among those who have immigrated from the lesser developed nations. The fight for the survival often takes toll of those struggling minds. It is observed that they often need counseling because of drug over dose, alcoholism and other social curses that they become part of. In the broader perspective, the need of the counseling is felt in two ways namely voluntary counseling and that mandated by the judicial system. The voluntary counseling is such counseling, the need of which, the recipient himself can understand. On the other hand, the judicially mandated counseling is that which the court of law orders the recipient to receive (the treatment of counseling) as it deems fit. The diversifying need of the mental health treatment in the state of California is high among the Africans – Americans, Hispanics and Asians. A report of the year 2001 suggested that 16.3% of the entire population of the state needed mental health treatment which was a hopping figure of 4 million adults (Lund, 2005). Another important report in the mental health care segment, which is also directly related with counseling, depicts those more than 600,000 persons to receive health care treatments in the state of California itself in between 2004 to 2005 (Jew-Lochman, 2008). Mental counseling has been one of the fastest upcoming sectors in the health industry. It has been observed that almost every day the number of affected person increases. The requirement of well trained professionals is on the rise. The other important aspect of the counseling is that sometimes the client himself can feel the need of counseling while many

Building Engineering Services Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Building Engineering Services - Research Paper Example Depending upon the location, the nature of the building, residential or commercial, renewable energy sources of appropriate origin can be employed (EERE, 2005). One of the major reasons for power consumption in buildings is for heating and cooling the buildings (EST, 2006). This consumes almost 42% of the energy consumed by the entire building. If this could be brought under the energy optimization and under renewable energy portfolio, it could result in immense savings for the buildings. A solar-powered energy source is one of the renewable sources that are adopted. Solar energy is a constant and free for use source that is available during the day time and has to be stored to make use of during the night. This is accomplished using two methods of solar energy tapping. One, solar energy is trapped as heat and is used to heat the house or building and it is insulated in such a way that it continues to maintain the warmth in the house throughout the day and the night. Secondly, solar energy is also converted into electric energy using solar photovoltaic cells. This gets saved in the batteries are is directly employed to run the types of equip ment for heating and cooling like the HVAC systems in association with the regular power supply. Transpired solar collectors are used to collecting solar heat. These are normally dark, the perforated metal wall that would collect almost 80% of the solar heat that falls over it. This is then used to heat the air draught that would provide needed heat for the ventilation of the building. Two methodologies are adopted in using the heat collected in the solar collectors. The draught of air gets heated up during the course of the day and continues to heat the entire building as it continues through the night. The other method heats the water to a high degree from which the heat is distributed through the regular heating lines in the building. Both the methods are used at different locations depending on the convenience. Solar Photo Voltaic Cells Solar panels are extensively used in environmentally friendly buildings to collect the heat of the sun and convert it directly into electricity to enable employing it effectively in all the spheres of work. This has been done extensively in many locations, as roof fitted photo panel; also as separate panels that would help in augmenting the electricity consumption exercises. Ground Source heat pumps These are normally pipes or bores dug into the ground to depths of about 200 to 300 feet is sunk and the additional heat is pumped into the ground during summer and taken off later during the winter when heating is needed. These ground source heat pumps are effectively employed in some of the locations in the US and in the rest of the world. It has been repeatedly found that the ground source heat pumps are efficient in pumping in and out the energy, contain it for a period of time and can be used as a large storage space for energy (EST, 2006). These are specifically suited in locations where there is a cooling requirement in the summer and a heating requirement in the winter.

Campaign post-morterm analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Campaign post-morterm analysis - Research Paper Example The Obama campaign had faced different rhetorical challenges at the outset: the negative turnout in 2010 which shifted the confidence of the voters from the Democrats to the Republicans; the eventual developments in the economy and national security; less control over rhetorical strategy in presidential debates and forums; and time constraints and fewer communication alternatives. Surfacing The primary purpose of surfacing is to help determine the focus of the campaign (Smith 189). Barack Obama establishes the rhetorical theme for the campaign. Running for his second term, as he travels around the country, he begins to understand the concerns of the people, begins to relate himself to those concerns, and begins to develop solutions to issues that appear to be in agreement with popular opinion. The mass media reiterate Obama’s statements and hence help transform the issues and opinions into state or national concerns. Barack Obama officially declared his re-election campaign on the 4th of April 2011 (EM Publications (b) 18). The very first communication activity they engaged in was a promotional video depicting Obama supporters mobilizing for the re-election campaign. They used Facebook and Twitter to reach a larger target audience. Even the official announcement of his re-election plan was carried out through an online video that can be viewed on his campaign website. The campaign started with the slogan ‘It Begins with Us’ (EM Publications (b) 18). Another communication strategy of the Obama campaign for 2012 was the decision to base the campaign in Chicago, where recent former U.S. presidents also based their re-election campaigns. On the 30th of April 2012, the campaign launched a new slogan: ‘Forward’ (EM Publications (b) 18). Basically, Obama had a massive campaign effort. Obama applied his 2008 campaign communications to reinforce his goals for 2012. The campaign had created comprehensive records of its supporters and had an accurate knowledge of the people it can recruit to take part in demonstrations, communicate with legal representatives, and attract others to support Obama programs. The exigencies of the campaign, embedded in their slogan ‘Forward’, were to help improve employment opportunities, health care, education, and energy autonomy of the country. The target audience of the campaign was the masses or the working class, which was also reflected in the refusal to base the campaign in Washington, DC. The main factor that constrained the campaign’s choices was the negative turnout of the 2010 election. The voters held President Obama responsible for the economic downturn, rising unemployment, poor health care system, and other issues that should be prioritized. At the time, American voters had more confidence in Republicans than Democrats on major concerns about the U.S. economy. Within the perspective of narrative analysis, the communication choices of the Obama campaign for 2012 worked persuasively. The narrative framework had demonstrated the effectiveness of evaluating and discussing changes in the political and historical situation of America. The Obama campaign concentrated its rhetorical force mainly on policy appeals. The rhetorical strategy at this stage was governed by policy discourse, particularly as regards the economy. The strength of this rhetorical strategy, based on narrative analysis, rests in its outcome, stability, and importance, and the degree to which it is rooted in the interest