Inventory management ratio analysis of Ford and GM Essay

Inventory management ratio analysis of Ford and GM - Essay Example The inventory turnover ratio determines the management’s efficiency in converting the available inventory into sales. A low inventory turnover is a bad sign to a company’s performance since it indicates that the company’s products risk deteriorating. The company’s product will diminish in value due to overstaying in the stores. Due to this phenomenon, companies dealing with perishable goods usually have very high inventory turnover (Bull, 78). The average days to sell inventory is a financial measure that gives the willing investors an idea of the duration it takes for converting the available inventory into revenue. Therefore, a company’s performance ratio determines management efficiency in converting the stock into sales. In most scenarios a low average days to sell ratio is desirable. This ratio varies between industries. The average days to sell ratio is calculated as the total cost of inventory divided by cost of sales and the result got from the computation multiplied by 365 days. An average day to sell ratio forms one part of the cash conversion cycle. It represents the conversion raw material into cash. The day’s sales outstanding and the day’s payable outstanding are the other two stages in the cash conversion cycle. By determining how long a company holds on inventory before selling measures the company’s efficiency ratio. The ratio gives the average time it takes for a company’s cash to be tied up. The inventory turnover ratio of Ford is 15.9 times while that of GM is 10.0 times.

Women’s Rights in Tunisia Essay Example for Free

Women’s Rights in Tunisia Essay During a Conference held in 2002, members of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women commended Tunisia today for its great strides forward in promoting equality between men and women, and urged it to withdraw its reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. [Acting in their personal capacity, the Committees 23 experts from around the world monitor compliance with the Convention, which requires States parties to eliminate discrimination against women in enjoyment of all civil, political, economic and cultural rights. Tunisia ratified that human rights instrument in 1980, with reservations to several articles of the Convention, including article 9 on nationality, article 15 on womens choice of residence and domicile, and article 16 on womens equality in marriage and divorce. The countrys first and second reports were considered by the Committee in 1995.] As the Committee discussed Tunisias third and fourth reports during two meetings , experts commended the Governments strong political will to implement the Convention through numerous amendments to national legislation and measures to improve de facto gender equality. Besides many institutions and programmes for gender equality, the experts noted Tunisias efforts to integrate women in development and reduce illiteracy, maternal mortality and womens health problems. It was encouraging to see the countrys efforts to harmonize the provisions of Islam with the human rights approach, which integrated law and policy in a holistic way, speakers said. To improve the situation of women in the family, the country had done away with polygamy and introduced the concept of partnership in marriage under its personal code. Warning the country against complacency and resting on its laurels, however, experts pointed out that despite impressive achievements, patriarchal stereotypes still hindered progress in Tunisia in many respects. A large portion of the countrys female population was still illiterate and unaware of its rights. To rectify the situation, it was important to educate the people and raise womens awareness of their human rights. Addressing concerns about Tunisias reservations to the Convention, members of the delegation said the country would consider withdrawing its reservations in the future, but, for the time being, its main goal was to develop means of implementing womens rights and giving them a higher profile. At present, the country was doing everything in its power to implement the Convention. Above and beyond legislation, institutional machinery had been established to make equal rights a practical reality for all Tunisian women. A set of initiatives was under way to implement the national strategy on gender issues. [According to the countrys responses to questions by the Committees pre-session working group (document CEDAW/PSWG/2002/II/CRP.2/Add.2), in line with article 9, paragraph 2, of the Convention regarding equal rights in transferring nationality, Tunisias nationality code had been amended as far as acquisition of Tunisian nationality by a child born abroad of a Tunisian mother and an alien father was concerned. In connection with article 15 of the Convention, the document explains that freedom of choice of residence is guaranteed under the Constitution, but to ensure stability and cohesion of families, the law provided for a conjugal duty of cohabitation, incumbent on both spouses. With respect to Tunisias numerous reservations in connection with article 16 of the Convention on womens equal rights during marriage and upon its dissolution, Tunisia explains that a major development in that respect has been the abolition of the wifes duty to obey her husband. With respect to divorce, the countrys personal code now allows the wife to request and obtain a divorce under the same terms as her husband. By further amendments to the personal code, the country has protected the wife against attempts to manipulate divorce proceedings against her interests. The countrys law now stipulates that both parents should cooperate in managing the familys affairs, including childrens education, travel and financial transactions. Yet another amendment has given a say in the childs affairs to the father, guardian and mother.] Among other issues highlighted in the debate were problems associated with prostitution, the age and conditions of marriage, the situation of women prisoners, Tunisian inheritance laws, matrimonial property, and the countrys achievements in education. Background The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women met to consider the combined third and fourth reports of Tunisia (document CEDAW/C/TUN/3-4), submitted in compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. Tunisia ratified the Convention in 1980. The report notes that womens rights in Tunisia have been strengthened, their roles diversified and their image enhanced. It details various measures taken to advance the status of women through the countrys Personal Status Code, several international conventions on womens rights, and internal reform. Such measures ban discrimination in political parties, lay down principles for cooperation between spouses, establish the rights of women as individuals as well as daughters, wives and mothers, and bring in more balanced individual and civil rights. A major amendment to the Personal Status Code aims to eliminate the link between women and submission, which represents a break from the former treatment of women as inferior beings. Another major innovation obliges women to contribute to the familys expenses, recognizing the economic role of women. Under the Code, however, the husband remains head of the family, albeit in an economic rather than domineering role, as the provider for his wife and children. The report states that Tunisia has attempted to combat sexist stereotypes through the celebration of National Womens Day on 13 August, through an exhibition called Women through the Ages, through revision of school textbooks to remove inferior images of women and through the media. Several mechanisms have been set up to improve the medias portrayal of women, including the Commission for Monitoring the Image of Women in the Media, an observatory within the Centre for Research, Documentation and Information on Women that monitors the image of women, and the Tahar Haddad Prize for a balanced image of women in the media. In addition, the Ministry for Women and Family Affairs is developing a communications strategy to change attitudes towards women and also ensure that human rights become part of family life, using radio, television and the press as well as intermediaries working in the family environment. Efforts have also been made to combat violence within the family, the report continues. For example, an article of the Penal Code which granted attenuating circumstances to husbands who had murdered adulterous wives has been repealed. Husbands who murder their wives now face life imprisonment, and those who practice marital violence are subject to two-year prison terms as well as a fine. According to 1998 statistics, 3,600 women representing 0.21 per cent of families instituted legal proceedings against their husbands. The countrys Child Protection Code now shields children from any form of violence, and a body of regional child protection officers takes preventive action when the health or physical and mental integrity of a child is threatened. Officers may take measures to eliminate the source of the threat or temporarily place the child with a foster family or social institution. The report notes that prostitution has declined as Tunisian women have become more emancipated, and several establishments have closed. In 1998, the number of authorized prostitutes came to 422 in a total of 15 establishments. The remaining brothels are subject to strict medical and health controls by the Ministry of Public Health. The report states, however, that Tunisian society is tolerant of prostitution, and the practice can be only gradually reduced as relationships between men and women based on equality and reciprocity are strengthened. Regarding political and public life, the report states that the number of women in the Chamber of Deputies increased from 1.12 per cent in 1957 to 11.5 per cent in 1999, or 21 women out of a total 182 deputies. In 1998, the Higher Magistracy Council comprised 28 members, including two women. Since 1983, two women have also held ministerial office, as Minister of Public Health and Minister for Women and Family Affairs. In the late 1990s, women accounted for over one quarter of civil servants, 34.4 per cent of the banking sector and 48 per cent of the health sector. The role of women has also increased in ministerial departments, the economy, entrepreneurship, social and educational care facilities and in public life. Tunisian women have become increasingly active as international representatives, accounting for 14.3 per cent of the diplomatic corps in 1999, as compared to 9.1 per cent in 1993, as well as in international forums, intergovernmental and NGOs (non-governmental organizations). In the field of education, gaps between girls and boys at all levels are quickly closing, the report states. Promotion rates for both sexes have increased at an almost identical pace, but girls are now ahead. In higher education, the proportion of women rose from 37.2 per cent in 1988 to 50.4 per cent in 2000. Despite those figures, female illiteracy remains high at 36.3 per cent, compared to 17.7 per cent among men in the same age groups. A national programme to combat illiteracy has been set up to eliminate illiteracy among the 15-44 age group, narrow the difference in illiteracy between males and females, and prevent any backslide into illiteracy. Regarding employment, some 65.6 per cent of Tunisians are employed in the urban areas and 34.4 per cent in rural regions. Women hold 24.6 per cent of jobs in urban areas and only 20 per cent in rural areas, although the latter figure has climbed from 17.6 per cent in 1989. Tunisias legal system has gradually shifted towards integrating women in employment on the basis of equal skills, equal pay, and the demand for female employment grew consistently between 1993 and 1997. A priority objective under the countrys Ninth Development Plan is to more effectively integrate women into economic activity by giving them access to new technologies, improving their professional qualifications, achieving equal opportunities in training and retraining, and promoting equal opportunities in investment. Tunisia has also made gains in the field of womens health, which has been specifically recognized as a main component of the countrys overall health system, the report states. Currently, 90.6 per cent of basic health centres offer maternal and child health services. Due to improved living conditions and national programmes for women and children, including those providing immunization, fighting diarrheal diseases and enhancing prenatal follow-up and delivery, child mortality declined from 150 per 1,000 live births in 1966 to 45 in 1990. The adoption in the 1990s of a risk-free maternity approach reduced the child mortality rate to 27.2 per 1,000 by 1997. The mortality rate for women of childbearing age (15-49) fell from 1.6 per 1,000 live births in 1985 to 0.66 per 1,000 in 1994. Contraceptive use rose from 49.8 per cent in 1984 to 65.6 per cent in 1998 in Tunisia. In addition, abortion is now part and parcel of human rights for women, which makes Tunisia the first Muslim country to permit it. However, a significant gap remains between urban and rural areas in attitudes towards abortion, and there are pockets of resistance in the south and central west of the country. The report notes that the State has made considerable efforts to ensure access to basic health care as well as to maternal and reproductive health care. Attention is devoted to the health of women at various stages of their lives. But persistent gaps remain in some areas between the medical means employed and the results recorded. The Ninth Development Plan has rightly emphasized the need for better supervision of womens health in particular, including mental health, by stepping up prevention. In the financial field, womens access to home loans and income-generating credit has been increasingly encouraged by public authorities to strengthen the role of women in development. The creation of new finance mechanisms as well as a new system of micro-credit should open up new and promising horizons for women who have difficulty accessing traditional forms of bank credit. Diversification of micro credit sources will help strengthen both average and vulnerable social groups, the report states, favouring an increasingly active role for women undertaking small projects in the informal sector. According to the report, rural women have benefited from technical and financial support in the fields of agriculture and handicrafts. It highlights efforts to improve education, literacy, access to health services, and employment, to assist women farmers and craftswomen, and set up anti-poverty and other governmental programmes to assist agriculture and urban development. The quality of rural life had improved considerably, due to a combination of regional development policy, overall sectoral policies and efforts of the National Solidarity Fund and the Tunisian Solidarity Bank. New mechanisms and the launch of regional plans of action for rural women should open up real prospects for self-development and better living conditions, and the access of women to various services, including employment and production support. Tunisian women have also gained in the legal area, the report states. Women now have the right to conclude contracts in their own name, dispose of property, serve as administrators of estates and institute proceedings before any court. Other legal rights include access to judicial office, the right to choose their home, equality and partnership within the family, possession of their dowries, mutual respect between spouses, and the right of women to own, acquire, retain and dispose of property. A new era had been marked in the further strengthening of womens rights in Tunisia, as enshrined in the countrys Constitution of 1959. That Constitution promulgated equal political, economic and social rights and duties for men and women. Since the formation of the new Government in 1987, Tunisia has witnessed an important quantitative jump forward in the promotion and consolidation of womens status within the family and society as a whole, as well as a strengthening of their role in the development of the country. In this respect, Tunisia has implemented a comprehensive strategy to develop womens capacities and protect them against all forms of discrimination. The approach adopted was one in which democracy and development were closely related and solidarity and tolerance were complementary.   Since August 1992 Tunisia has fostered partnerships between women and men in the management of family affairs and of children, as well as in the areas of employment, social security and other fields related to civil and economic relations. She said that since the 1990s, Tunisia has been active in the development of a comprehensive system of mechanisms and programmes, such as the Committee on Women and Development, a planning methodology based on social gender. Tunisia had responded positively to the recommendations and working methodologies flowing from discussion of the countrys first and second reports in 1995. Various actions and decisions have been taken moves considered as breakthroughs in the consolidation of the status of Tunisian women. Among them were establishment of a committee on the image of women in the media and a national committee for the promotion of rural women. Tunisias determination to enhance the status of women by developing its legislative system is one of the options pursued in line with societys developing needs. Since 1995, Tunisia has passed legislation introducing a joint ownership scheme for couples; granting women the right to give their own family name to children born of unknown fathers and the opportunity for gene testing to prove parenthood; giving Tunisian women married to non-Tunisians the right to confer Tunisian citizenship on children born outside the country. This could be done by making a mere declaration when the father was dead, legally incapacitated or missing. Tunisia is proud of its success in achieving equal rights between men and women in most sectors. The eradication of illiteracy was another of the objectives of the comprehensive development schemes adopted by Tunisia. Female illiteracy rates has dropped from 80.4 per cent in 1966 to 36.2 per cent in 1999. Tunisia has also initiated a national adult literacy programme in April 2000 to reinforce the programme already in place. These programmes sought to reduce illiteracy rates to 20 per cent by 2004.Promoting the economic capacity of women, facilitating their access to appropriate vocational training, and encouraging them to set up small- and medium-sized enterprises were some of the highest priorities in the strategy for the promotion of Tunisias women. The ratio of girls benefiting from vocational training had increased from 27 per cent in 1996 to 35 per cent in 2000. The number of women benefiting from micro-project mechanisms had similarly increased, with the proportion of women granted loans rising to as high as 35 per cent in 2001 from 10 per cent in 1997. Tunisian women have gained access to all fields of employment and public life, their participation rate reaching 25 per cent in 2000. Today, women accounted for one out of two teachers, one out of three doctors, one out of four magistrates, 25.2 per cent of all journalists, and 14 per cent of all executive positions in public administration. Tunisia had not excluded anyone from its development plan, adding that women in both rural and urban areas had actively benefited from adequate care, allowing them to participate in economic and social programmes. There has been a dramatic increase in decision-making positions for women. Their presence in Parliament has increased from 7 per cent in 1995 to 11.5 per cent today. Women accounted for 9.3 per cent of government positions; such achievements would not have been accomplished were it not for the staunch political determination and firmly-rooted belief that democracy could not be achieved. Tunisia is unwavering its determination to safeguard all the gains so far made and to continue its efforts to eradicate all forms of discrimination against women.   Associations play a major part in the countrys development effort. As womens rights come centre-stage within the universal system of human rights, and as the number of worldwide initiatives to consolidate the status of women increases, Tunisia is determined to further develop its programmes and form forces with other countries and regions as well as international institutions and bodies.

Organ Donation and Forest Depletion Depicted in Fitzhugh’s The Organ Gr

Organ Donation and Forest Depletion Depicted in Fitzhugh’s The Organ Grinders On the back of my drivers license there is a box which will allow me to donate organs if I wish to do so. Upon first receiving my license I didn’t know whether to sign it or where I could find three witnesses to watch me sign. Modern science is allowing people to live longer than ever before, and transplanting failed organs is another method to preserve our frail lives. The problem with human organ transplantation is there is never enough supply to meet the high demand. With organ transplants being a problem in our society, the diminishing rain forest is another pressing issue. It has been estimated that our rain forests could disappear within 40 years at our current logging rate (Raintree, 2004). The reason we were always told to recycle and ‘save a tree’ is because the rain forests provide our breathing air. The rain forests provide a home for many animals and removing the animals from their home will cause extinction. In the novel The Organ Grinders, P aul Symon the main character, observes the apparent problem that exists in rain forest depletion and with organ transplantation. With a few significant changes, the damage done by these technologies can be minimized and life be treasured. As an adolescent Paul Symon proposed a plan to Jerry Landis who was the owner of Landaq, a biotechnology corporation. Once Landis got a photo with Paul to make him feel good and got him to leave, Landis and his photographer burst into laughter. â€Å"Then he saw Jerry Landis drop his proposal into the wastebasket. And with that simple act, Jerry Landis taught Paul a painful lesson†¦it wasn’t the worst thing Jerry Landis would ever do to him.†(Fitzhugh,... ...e Organ Grinders. New York: Avon, 1998 â€Å"John J. Fung† Transplanting Animal Organs Into Humans Is Feasible 1999 Nov http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1272/is_2654_128/ai_57564084 â€Å"Alan H. Berger† Xenotransplantation: The Ethics, the Science, the Risks 1996 March 15 http://articles.animalconcerns.org/ar-voices/archive/xeno_risks.html â€Å"Alexander Tabarrok† A Moral Solution to the Organ Shortage 2001 February http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?ID=283 â€Å"savetherainforest.org† Facts about the rainforest http://www.savetherainforest.org/savetherainforest_007.htm â€Å"wikipedia† Rainforest 2004http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainforest â€Å"rain-tee.com† Rain forest facts 2004 http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm â€Å"Robert E. Michler† Xenotransplantation: Risks, Clinical Potential, and Future Prospects 1996 March http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol2no1/michler.htm

Essay on Mother as Villain and Victim in Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club

Mother as Villain and Victim in Joy Luck Club      Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan focuses on several mother-daughter relationships. One of the relationships explored is that between an immigrant Chinese mother and her American born daughter Jing-mei.   The mother expects Jing-mei to be a prodigy child - while pursuing this dream she unintentionally creates a serious conflict between her and her daughter.    To fulfill her unrealistic expectations, the mother pushes Jing-mei to be the best in anything and everything. At first, the reader may perceive the mother as the villain in the story; however, the mother just wants her daughter to have the life that she never had. Jing-mei does not understand her intentions.    Jing-mei's mother thought opportunity was everywhere in America, "America was where all my mother's hopes lay" (Tan 1208). The mother lost everything when she moved from China to San Francisco in 1949. In China she lost her family, her spouse, and she had to abandon her twin baby girls (Tan 1208). This implies that her mother had a difficult life and wanted to start a new life in America.    Unfamiliar with the customs of America, she had been brought up in a strict Chinese culture. Her mother probably raised her the same way, and therefore, that is where she learned her parenting skills. The Chinese life is strict, more so than the American life, and that was the only way the mother knew how to raise her daughter. The mother seemed to be the villain in the story, but she was only trying to be the caring parent the best way she knew how. She only wanted her daughter to be the best, but a conflict started when the daughter failed to meet her expectations.    In the beginning Jing-mei, th... ...he wanted to see her daughter become something better than what she had become. Instead of encouraging her daughter to become someone who she wanted to be, she ends up pushing her in the wrong direction. I think that Jing-mei finally realized why her mother did what she did. I agree with Ghymn when she states that "Jing-mei does care deeply what her mother thinks of her" (84). It is obvious that even though they were two kinds from two different cultures they still found forgiveness in the end.    Work Cited Souris, Stephen. "'Only Two Kinds of Daughters:'" Inter-Monologue Dialogicity in The Joy Luck Club." Melus 19.2 (Summer 1994):99-123. Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. Vintage Contemporaries. New York: A Division of Random House, Inc. 1993. Willard, Nancy. Asian American Women Writers. Ed. Harold Bloom. Chelsea House Publishers, Philadelphia 1997.

Aurora Biosciences Corporation

This is one of those picket and shovel companies in the Biotechnology sector. ABSC designs and develops drug discovery technologies and services. Aurora Biosciences is developing a system using fluorescent assay technologies and ultra-high-throughput screening systems (UHTSS) to allow researchers to overcome many limitations of traditional drug discovery processes. Aurora's functional genomics technology can successfully analyze over half a billion discrete cells derived from 20 million independent GenomeScreen(TM) clones in one day. It's GenomeScreen(TM) technology acts as a search engine to rapidly scan the genome of living, human cells to find genes associated with specified diseases or physiological processes. ABSC has technology capable of searching through expansive libraries of compounds to identify those that might lead to new medicines. This enables Aurora to rapidly identify commercially relevant genes, and to directly develop screens for drug discovery, faster and more efficiently than existing methods. To date, Aurora has filed for patent protection on over 100 previously unknown gene sequences, including their use for compound screening, human diagnostics and drug discovery. ge ·nome – set of chromosomes: the full complement of genetic information that an individual organism inherits from its parents, especially the set of chromosomes and the genes they carry. A genome is the complete collection of an organism's genetic material. The human genome is made of about 50,000 to 100,000 genes located on the 23 pairs of chromosomes in a human cell. A single human chromosome may contain more than 250 million DNA base pairs, and it is estimated that the entire human genome consists of about 3 billion base pairs. Genetic information is found in each cell of the body, encoded in the chemical deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The ultimate goal of genomic mapping and sequencing is to associate specific human traits and inherited diseases with genes at locations on the chromosomes. The successful completion of the genome project will provide a better understanding of the organization of human genes and chromosomes. It promises to revolutionize both therapeutic and preventive medicine by providing insights into the basic biochemical processes that cause many Human diseases. Celera (CRA) will soon reveal the sequence of the genome. When completed it will steer to a new great scientific challenge. The big commercial challenge after the completion of the genome will be to understand the function of the genes identified. (This market will be colossal) Aurora stands at the crossroads of this challenge by conducting the gene discovery while at the same time assigning function information to the genes. With their GenomeScreen technology, they're in the business of discovering what genes actually do. So a challenge to sequence-based patents would likely heat up demand for Aurora's technology. (Ok, it gets complicated here so just bare with me) Currently, about 20% of discovery programs are based on genomics. In fact, it has been predicted that virtually all new discovery programs will be genomics based in a few years. A major challenge for the pharmaceutical industry is to determine which of these â€Å"targets† is significant from the drug discovery perspective (meaning $$$). To do this, companies must assign functions to the targets (what it does). Once the target has been identified, you still have to build a screen to find drugs that affect the target, a process which takes up to a year. Aurora's Genomics and Molecular Biology division has developed a technology to overcome these challenges. The value that Aurora brings to this process is added at all stages, from gene identification to target validation to screening compounds to the compounds themselves. In other words, it does important (cool) stuff that makes the company the good old American dollar bill. Revenue in 1999 was 90% higher than in 1998. Aurora has grown from $2 million in revenue in 1996 to $50 million in revenue in 1999, compared to revenue of $26.5 million and a net loss of $18.7 million, or $1.14 per share, for the year ended December 31, 1998. This year ABSC is expected to make $.19 and $.34 in 2001. Last year ABSC made $.01 per share, its EPS growth is expected to be 1750% this year and 82.43% in 2001. From three months ago its earnings have been raised 11.7% for 2000 and 21.4% for 2001. In the past four quarters is has beat expectations by between 18.75% and 54.55%. It is estimated that it†s growth for the next five years will be around 50%. ABSC has a proprietary enabling technology, agreements with almost every major pharma co., forecast profitability, high growth, strong management team, track record of exceeding earnings forecast, growth industry, small float leading to great price elasticity, and one positive press release after another and most importantly an explosive market. The future of this company is very bright. This sector is very volatile, this is a long term hold. The price hit a high of $140 a few months and has now dropped to $31 7/8. The reason for the drop was due to President Clinton†s comments concerning the Human Genome. Those comments do not affect ABSC, but because the shareholders did not know what Aurora Biosciences does they sold when Clinton said something negative about genomics. He said that when the Human Genome was decoded it would have to be shared. ABSC benefits from genome, it does not sell it. Current customers include American Home Products, Becton Dickinson, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Clontech Laboratories, Inc., Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Cytovia, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Exelixis Pharmaceuticals, F. Hoffmann- LaRoche Ltd., Genentech, Inc., Glaxo Wellcome, Merck & Co., Inc., National Cancer Institute, Pfizer, Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn, Inc. and Warner-Lambert Disclaimer: (its really good and it took me a lot of time to phrase it just right, so please read it) I know that the future growth might sound too good to be true and it might actually. And remember these are only ESTIMATES and no matter how conservative I make them sound the company might not fulfill them. This is not an investment advisory service, it is recommended that you consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. The information herein should not be construed as an offer to buy or sell securities. The information is taken from sources thought to be accurate but there is no guarantee. All due diligence should be done by the reader or their financial advisor.

Social Comparison Theory

Social Comparison Theory With regards to questions about identity, the average person responds by comparing himself to others. However, it is important to point out that the person compares himself to people that are in his immediate vicinity. Comparisons are made based on unique attributes, such as, age, gender, eye color, and height.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Social Comparison Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the average person relies on distinguishing features in self-description (Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014). Interestingly, the answer to the question does not remain constant. If the interviewer has the power to change the person’s social surroundings, then, he must also expect a different set of answers based on the same questions. Therefore, the self is a â€Å"relative† social construct (Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014). The significance of social comparison theory is in the idea that an individual has the capability to change his behavior, and how he perceives himself. Defining Social Comparison Theory The core concept of social comparison theory is the brainchild of Leon Festinger. He pointed out that a person belongs to a particular social group. Festinger added that the said social group influences a person’s opinion and abilities. Social comparison theory asserts that a person’s self-description is dependent on information gleaned from observing family members, friends, acquaintances, and other important person in the lives of the interviewee. Festinger asserted that, â€Å"individuals adopted a group’s standards by comparing their own opinions, and abilities with the consensus in the group, and modifying their views so that they were in accordance with the group’s norms† (Krizan Gibbons, 2014, p.39). Festinger emphasized the idea that â€Å"individuals compare themselves to others in order to seek information about the world and thei r place in it† (Krizan Gibbons, 2014, p.39).  It is important to point out, that to some extent self-description is even influenced by the â€Å"fleeting, everyday exposure to strangers† (Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014, p.64). Nevertheless, the average person compares himself to those who are similar to him in relevant ways. For example, a college student will determine his reading ability based on how he sees himself in comparison to other college students. He will not compare himself to high school students.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Significance of Social Comparison Theory Social comparison theory’s biggest contribution is the discovery that â€Å"the more uncertain people are, the more they will rely on those comparison for definition and validation† (Gerber, 1999, p.173). As a consequence, â€Å"individuals resolve their uncertainties by reference to groups, and that group definition often comes from comparison with other groups (Gerber, 1999, p.173). One of the problematic stages in personal development occurs during the teenage years when an individual is least uncertain and more vulnerable. Teenagers are prone to make choices that will negatively affect their future. It is therefore interesting to apply social comparison theory in crafting strategies that will help solve social problems involving teenagers. There are a variety of ways that social scientists can apply insights gleaned from the study of social comparison theory. Two of the most exciting areas are in the study of gang-related violence, and the creation of more effective intervention strategies in cases involving alcoholism or drug addiction. In this regard it is important to point out that the family is the â€Å"primary and most influential group for comparison, and for establishment of lifestyle† (Gerber, 1999, p.173). The focus must be on the family. It is imperative to support parents. It is imperative to focus resources to families in order to help parents build a strong family structure. Community resources must be redirected to the family. When it comes to gang-related problems, it is imperative to consider the impact of the group when it comes to validation, and the establishment of the person’s lifestyle. It is therefore foolish to attempt reforming behavior without creating a mechanism that can help the individual receive positive validation and develop a different kind of lifestyle. This is perhaps the reason why Alcoholics Anonymous is successful in helping people change their behavior towards the consumption of liquor. Alcoholics Anonymous created a new group or an environment filled with new social interconnections that help the individual create new social norms. Conclusion Social comparison theory has many applications. This theory offers insights when it comes to personal develop ment and human behavior. However, one of the key aspects of social comparison theory is the way it explains how an individual’s self-description is influenced by social factors that surround him.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Social Comparison Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to this theory, â€Å"self† is a relative construct. This is an interesting insight into human behavior and personal development. This theory can be utilized to solve social issues, such as, gang-related violence and drug addiction. It means that a person is dependent on social factors when it comes to altering behavior. It is therefore important to strengthen family structures. In the struggle against gang-related violence and drug addiction, half the battle is already won if a child belongs to a family that can help him establish a positive lifestyle. With regards to individuals that needed a way out of their troubled past, counselors and intervention specialists must develop a mechanism that will enable patients to generate positive validation. They need a mechanism that will help them establish a new kind of lifestyle. It can be argued that Alcoholics Anonymous is successful in helping people overcome destructive behavior, because they create a new environment that helps patients alter their â€Å"self† construct in a positive way. References Gerber, S. (1999). Enhancing counselor intervention strategies: An integrational  viewpoint. PA: Taylor Francis Group. Kassin, S., Fein, S., Markus, H. (2014). Social psychology. CA: Cengage Learning. Krizan, Z. Gibbons, F. (2014). Communal functions of social comparison.  New York: Cambridge University Press.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Role and Responsibilities Support Staff Essays

Role and Responsibilities Support Staff Essays Role and Responsibilities Support Staff Essay Role and Responsibilities Support Staff Essay Support staff Teaching assistant (TA) / Learning Support assistant LSA compliments the Class Teacher and support learning for all pupils. works under the guidance of the Class Teacher would not be expected to undertake any direct teaching responsibilities or lead the class, however may be required to supervise the class in the temporary absence of the teacher. Duties and responsibilities can include: planning, delivering and evaluating teaching and learning activities with the Class Teacher, helping to prepare for lessons, assisting pupils who require additional support, observing pupil performance and behaviour, setting up resources and using ICT. Playworkers School Midday Supervisors and Assistants (SMSA) / Lunchtime Supervisors/Assistants look after the welfare of pupils in school during the lunchtime break. Responsibilities and duties can include: supervising pupil behaviour indoors and outdoors, helping younger children with tasks such as cutting up food, ensuring the health and safety of pupils at all times, distributing and tidying away lunchtime resources, assisting with play activities, dealing with any misbehaviour and reporting to a senior member of staff. All midday staff are expected to be aware of safeguarding and child protection legislation and their responsibilities in relation to this. Cover Supervisors (typically found in Secondary schools) to cover short-term absences of teachers such as unexpected sick leave or professional development setting work for pupils in accordance with school policy, behaviour management and supervision, collecting work at the end of the lesson and reporting back to the appropriate senior member of staff. Learning Mentor support, motivate and challenge pupils who are underachieving in schools as a form of pastoral support. to help pupils overcome barriers to learning aused by social, emotional and behavioral problems. Duties and responsibilities identifying pupils who would benefit from mentoring, liaising with parents and carers, implementing strategies to support pupil confidence, listening to and helping pupils resolve a range of personal or social issues, monitoring pupil attendance and working closely with teachers and other professionals across the Children’s Workforce. Caretakers and Cleaning Staff upkeep and mainte nance of the school premises and grounds. maintaining the security of the school during the school day and during any extra-curricular events or activities, dealing with grounds maintenance, carrying out basic repairs, stock taking and supply and developing relationships with outside contractors. Catering Staff planning menus, following guidelines on nutrition and healthy eating, preparing meals, complying with food safety legislation, monitoring and managing supplies within a budget and developing relationships with food suppliers Science ICT Technicians provide valuable information, resources and expertise to support teaching and learning Librarians Maintain library resources; show, encourage and help develop research skills; help with ICT related topic within library environment Clerical and Administrative support staff Schools Business Managers (Bursars) / School Administrator to manage the school’s finances, policies, resources and planning. may lso undertake a range of other bespoke responsibilities to support the smooth running of the school as a centre of the local community. may be part of the senior leadership team in the school and work closely with the Headteacher and Deputy Head to plan the staffing, budgets and running of the school. Receptionists, Personal Assistants or Front Office staff provides a key role in the day-to-day running of the school, communication between staff, pupils and parents, handling of staff rotas, parent enquiries, pupil absence and admissions.

Biography of Andrew Young, Civil Rights Activist

Biography of Andrew Young, Civil Rights Activist Andrew Young was born March 12, 1932  in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a pastor, civil rights activist, and former politician. As a Democrat, he was mayor of Atlanta, a U.S. congressman representing Georgia’s 5th District, and the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. He also served as executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and as pastor of various churches. Andrew Young Full Name: Andrew Jackson Young, Jr.Occupation: Civil rights activist, politician, pastorBorn: March 12, 1932 in New Orleans, LouisianaParents: Daisy Young and Andrew Jackson Young Sr.Education: Dillard University, Howard University, Hartford SeminaryKey Accomplishments: Atlanta mayor, US Ambassador to the United Nations, US House of RepresentativesSpouses: Jean Childs (m. 1954-1994), Carolyn McClain (m. 1996)Children: Andrea, Lisa, Paula, and Andrew Young IIIFamous Quote: â€Å"It is a blessing to die for a cause because you can so easily die for nothing.† Early Years Andrew Young grew up in a middle-class Italian neighborhood in New Orleans. His mother, Daisy Young, was a teacher, and his father, Andrew Young Sr., was a dentist. His family’s privilege, especially relative to African Americans, could not shield Young and his brother, Walt, from the racial tensions of the segregated South. His father so feared for his children’s safety in this environment that he gave them professional boxing lessons to help them protect themselves, if necessary. Andrew Young, American senator and civil-rights leader who began his career as a pastor, also worked with Martin Luther KIng, Jr. Young was the ambassador to the United Nations and the mayor of Atlanta.   CORBIS / Getty Images In 1947, Young graduated from Gilbert Academy and enrolled in Dillard University. He ultimately transferred out of Dillard, receiving his bachelor’s degree from Howard University in 1951. He went on to get a divinity degree from Hartford Theological Seminary in 1955. A Pastor, Pacifist, and Activist Young’s early career as a pastor led to some significant changes in his life. At an Alabama church, he met his first wife, Jean Childs, with whom he would go on to have four children. He also served on the pastoral staffs of Georgia churches. Early in his career, Young took an interest in the philosophy of nonviolence and civil rights. His efforts to register African Americans in the Deep South to vote led him to meet the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and join the Civil Rights Movement. He faced death threats because of his activism but continued to advocate for voting rights. He moved to New York City in 1957 to work with the National Council of Churches, but returned to the South to continue his civil rights activism in Georgia in 1961. He participated in the citizenship schools that taught rural blacks how to read and mobilize politically. African Americans who tried to exercise their voting rights in the Jim Crow South were often presented with literacy tests at the polls, though such tests were not routinely given to white voters. In fact, the examinations were used to intimidate and disenfranchise would-be black voters. Civil rights activist Andrew Young addressing the crowd at the funeral of assassinated American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr (1929 - 1968), Atlanta, Georgia, 9th April 1968.   Archive Photos / Getty Images Young’s involvement with the citizenship schools and his relationship with King resulted in him taking a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement. Having successfully organized anti-segregation marches, Young proved himself a trustworthy activist, and he rose to the highest ranks of the SCLC. He became the organization’s executive director in 1964. During this tenure, he would serve jail time for engaging in civil rights protests in Selma, Alabama, and St. Augustine, Florida. But serving as the SCLCs executive director also led him to help draft important civil rights legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Together, these laws helped to strike down Jim Crow in the South. While Young had enjoyed a great deal of success as a civil rights activist, the movement came to a halt with the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. As the turbulent sixties came to an end, Young transitioned out of the SCLC and into the political world. A Rocky Political Career In 1972, Young made history when he became the first black person to serve as a U.S. congressman from Georgia since Reconstruction. This victory came after he lost his bid to be congressman two years earlier. After winning his congressional campaign, Young continued to champion the causes he had as a civil rights activist, including anti-poverty and educational programs. He served in the Congressional Black Caucus and advocated for pacifism; he objected to the Vietnam War and established the U.S. Institute for Peace. Mayor Andy Young (1932- ) announces his bid to run for governor of Georgia with his wife Jean who stands at right. Bettmann  / Getty Images Young left Congress when newly elected President Jimmy Carter appointed him the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 1977. In the role, Young advocated against racial apartheid in South Africa, but in 1979, he inadvertently sparked a controversy that led to his resignation from the post. He had a secret meeting with Zehdi Labib Terzi, the Palestinian Liberation Organizations U.N. observer. This was controversial because the U.S. is an ally of Israel and the Carter administration had promised that none of its officials would meet with the PLO until that organization formally recognized Israel’s existence. President Carter denied any responsibility for Young’s meeting with the PLO and had the unrepentant ambassador resign. Young said he felt that the secret meeting was in the nation’s best interest at the time. The PLO controversy did not interfere with Young’s political career post-White House. In 1981, he successfully campaigned to be Atlanta’s mayor, a post he held for two terms. Afterward, he entered the 1990 race to become the governor of Georgia but lost the campaign. While the loss stung, Young also played a pivotal role in bringing the 1996 Summer Olympic Games to Atlanta. He said he wanted to show the public that Atlanta â€Å"is a world-class city† as well as â€Å"a brave and beautiful city.† Young’s Influence Today In the twenty-first century, Andrew Young has remained relevant. He has served in leadership positions for various organizations, including the National Council of Churches from 2000 to 2001. He also established the Andrew Young Foundation in 2003 to advocate for human rights throughout the African diaspora.   Author Kabir Sehgal, Author and Ambassador Andrew Young, and President Bill Clinton attend the Walk In My Shoes: Conversations Between A Civil Rights Legend and His Godson on The Journey Ahead Book Event at The Paley Center for Media on February 9, 2011 in New York City.   Brian Ach / Getty Images Today, Andrew Young belongs to the select group of activists who directly witnessed the Civil Rights Movement unfold. He has documented his activism in several books, including 1994’s â€Å"A Way Out of No Way† and 2010’s â€Å"Walk in My Shoes: Conversations Between a Civil Rights Legend and His Godson on the Journey Ahead.† Young has won a number of awards, most notably the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He’s also the recipient of the NAACP’s Springarn Medal and the Democratic Party of Georgia’s John Lewis Lifetime Achievement Award. Educational institutions such as Morehouse College and Georgia State University have named the Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, respectively, after him. Young’s influential role in the Civil Rights Movement was also captured in the 2014 film â€Å"Selma,† which introduced a new generation of young people to his work. Sources â€Å"Andrew Young Fast Facts.†CNN, Feb. 27, 2019.George, Lisa. â€Å"Andrew Young On 1996 Olympics: ‘We Were Working Together.’† WABE.org, July 21, 2016. â€Å"Young, Andrew Jackson Jr.† History.House.gov.

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

Changes - Essay Example array of studies was conducted by Gendreau and Ross is 1987 that proved to be effective in proving certain reforms to be true and arranging the juvenile system is the set order. More researches are carried by the Greenwood and Zimring in 1985 that added several feature to secure the rights of the juvenile offenders and secure the made the juvenile justice system to be respected and responsive in solving the problems of the juvenile offenders. Similar types of researches are carried by the Altschuler and Armstrong in 1984 that made the juvenile justice system different from the general justice system in every method, proceedings and punishments. Most recently, the National Council on Crimes and delinquency evaluated how the system can be made more responsive in minimizing the crime rate by summarizing the previous reforms in the juvenile justice system. These reforms are made by Lipsey and other colleges of him in

Marketing Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Marketing Plan - Research Paper Example Satellite television has premium charges and many people cannot afford its charges. The Beat Broadcasting Network realized this and decided to proceed with the cable television. In so doing it came up with a product service called biTV: which is internet Television and has drawn up a marketing plan to facilitate the implementation of the service to many of its subscribers. Executive Summary of Marketing Plan The Beat Broadcasting Network is an international media company based in America that specializes in cable-based television broadcasting. Through a comprehensive market research the company has realized the importance of cable television especially to the upcoming markets in other continents such as Africa. The company has decided to launch a new television service in the market called the biTV service. This is internet television that is aimed at providing flexible content and affordable prices to the company’s subscribers. Viewers will subscribe to the service and depend ing on the duration of their subscription will access various contents and channels that will be streamed directly to their home Television or PC as long as they are connected to the internet. The purpose of this service is to maximize on sales and profits and to penetrate other continents that the company is yet to make a huge impact. The pricing will be low and this is aimed at getting more people to identify with the company and secondly because the target population is the young generation that are still unstable financially. This service aims at changing the state of the internet television in the market by providing flexible coverage and content to everyone at affordable prices. Company Overview Beat TV was launched in in 1996 as the fifth cable television provider. The company was established from a sister company named The Beat News Network that has a global coverage. This company is owned by two American brothers and renowned journalists who began it to provide entertainmen t and maximize on advertisements in the industry. The Beat Television network has many affiliates and these operate many entertainment channels internationally, broadcasting programs in the US and in local countries. The company was rated as one of the best cable TV in a survey covering people aged between 16 and 49 coming second to Fox TV. It became popular because of its programs that majorly target the young generation producing content that the youths easily identify with and a wide range of other programs that cover a majority of the age groups unlike other cable television networks. The company is fifteen years old and enjoys coverage globally targeting the young and the middle age group in America and the rest of the world. Company has no partnerships but enjoys the coverage of the parent company, The Beat Broadcasting Network that has always supported its marketing activities, though not all activities that are aired by the beat Network are aired by the Beat Television. Rece nt successes in entering the African market have given it a big boost keeping in mind that most American Television networks operate in Europe and Asia. It has partnered with local television networks to air content both local and foreign especially movies and series. The company’s total revenue increased from 1.5 billion in 2009 to 1.8 billion in 2010 representing a 16 percent increase in revenue. This was attributed to the expansion in the African markets and the

Commentary on Endo Shusakus When I Whistle Essay

Commentary on Endo Shusakus When I Whistle - Essay Example When Ueda finally mentions a teacher that he knows will make Ozu recognize him, he touches him, a gesture considered an affirmation to reaffirm the recall of what transpired. At the mention of the teacher ('old Rat Hole'), Endo has slowly started to weave a tapestry of events by which Ozu will recall his past. Ozu's "half pleased and half pained smile" elicits questions from the readers - was he half pleased to realize he actually remembered, or that he was meeting someone from his past Was he half pained because he realizes how distant it was Ozu's pronouncement that he does not attend any of the reunions reflects his personality as a simple man. Reunions are not a special event for him, especially with those who did not contribute much in his life and therefore weren't actually given a special place in his memory; the same does for him during reunions. He was not within the capacity nor is he the type to spend time to mingle and socialize. Of the three characters, Ozu is the most interesting. He is indeed the main protagonist, but rather have the entire novel revolve around him, the first part starts with the narration of how special people and events in Ozu's life was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Endo plainly presents the setting and environment by which his novel is to start - a time when industrialization was sure to stay in Japan. The train passed Lake Hamana. Smoke flowed slowly from the factor chimneys. In the distance, the white buildings of a housing development stretched out in the afternoon sun. (Endo 2) It was during the 1970s that Japan experienced a tremendous shift since the arrival of manufacturing, where industrialization became widely implemented, and a new way of life was slowly being suggested and eventually superseded the traditional way of life in Japan. Settlers in the cities grew in number as jobs in industrial factories also increased. Upon mentioning by Ueda that their former school, Nada Middle-School, has now become the topnotch education institution in their country, Ozu recognizes the immense change - it used to be a place that housed "a lot of the students who couldn't make it into any other middle school" (1). Ozu was not ignorant; he has already heard of the news about their former middle-school, even learning that some parents move near the school in order to have their children attend the school. Such efforts just so parents can support their children as they attend the brightest school in the country affirms the notion of how attaining a grand education has now become the primary goal of families inculcated from parents to children to grandchildren, forgetting the simplicities of a basic life that used to be what Japan had, usually traditional way of life that is content with produce from the farm or from fishing. When Ozu's son tells him , "I just can't believe you went to Nada, Dad," (2) Endo introduces us to this new character who, as we learn through the novel, was a young struggling doctor with desires constituting the Western concepts of life, particularly skilled workers and industrialization, at a time when investing on securing children a good education to declare their social status as somewhere up the

Does urea formation have a feedback inhibition mechanism Explain the Essay

Does urea formation have a feedback inhibition mechanism Explain the why or why not - Essay Example Carbomyl phosphate synthase I acts as the rate limiting enzyme in urea cycle. N-acetylglutamate allosterically activates it thus lowering its Km for protein synthesis. Carbomyl Phosphate Synthase I binds with the primary ATP molecule and converts into a vigorous conformation. It then changes into a second form by binding with N-acetylglutamate thus enhancing its own ATP affinity. As a result, a phosphate group is transferred from a subsequent ATP to the enzyme bound carbamate. This changes the carbamate to carbomyl phosphate. This happens according to the Rubio-Britton-Grisolia model. Hence, it is seen that hepatic N-acetylglutamate controls the rate of protein synthesis in the urea cycle, by regulating its rate-limiting enzyme allosterically (Das 475). Arginine does not cause feedback inhibition of Carbomyl PS-1 or OTC but stimulates the activity of acetylglutamate synthetase. However, according to Snodgrass (67), â€Å"in bacteria and fungi, arginine inhibits conversion of glutamate to acetylglutamate†. Also, only at high concentration levels, orthinine transcarbomylase and argininosuccinate synthase undergo feedback inhibition mechanism by citrulline and argininosuccinate, which are their respective

TVR chapter 5 and 6 journal entries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

TVR chapter 5 and 6 journal entries - Essay Example as young as 2 years old, like, for instance, The Triplets: Christmas Special, as well as for a much more mature audience, as the movie About Schmidt starring Jack Nicholson as an aging man approaching retirement and coming to terms with his life. The movie medium is now taking over most of the entertainment industry medium, with books being sidelined as a secondary source of entertainment, and every book, in a way, claiming to be a movie in the making. Additionally, more and more individuals are taking up movie making, as they perceive it to be a medium through which they would be able to express their true selves and emit their ideas to other individuals. In a day and age where each not only has a story to tell, but wants to share it with as large an audience as possible, it is only logical that such individuals will reach out to the movie industry, an industry that reaches the maximum number of audience. Professional movies, with a director, producer, and cinematographer, try to be as creative as possible and tell a story, but, with the use of a camcorder and a connection to the Internet, individuals like Chris Crocker on YouTube expressing his views about Britney Spears aim to present themselves as their true selves. This use of the medium can have both positive and negative effects on its audience, as the way a situation is perceived varies from individual to individual. Moreover, such platforms for â€Å"movie making†, so to speak, normally end up not serving the audience, but causing them to be frustrated. Notwithstanding the movie platform is a great source of entertainment to the public as well as a platform to raise social issues, it can be used to merely document the mundane routine of one’s life, as is often seen on YouTube. YouTube, in my personal experience, can be, and often is, used for uploading mundane videos about people who have no clue what they are talking about, simply wanting their voices to be heard, or wanting to get noticed.

Does urea formation have a feedback inhibition mechanism Explain the Essay

Does urea formation have a feedback inhibition mechanism Explain the why or why not - Essay Example Carbomyl phosphate synthase I acts as the rate limiting enzyme in urea cycle. N-acetylglutamate allosterically activates it thus lowering its Km for protein synthesis. Carbomyl Phosphate Synthase I binds with the primary ATP molecule and converts into a vigorous conformation. It then changes into a second form by binding with N-acetylglutamate thus enhancing its own ATP affinity. As a result, a phosphate group is transferred from a subsequent ATP to the enzyme bound carbamate. This changes the carbamate to carbomyl phosphate. This happens according to the Rubio-Britton-Grisolia model. Hence, it is seen that hepatic N-acetylglutamate controls the rate of protein synthesis in the urea cycle, by regulating its rate-limiting enzyme allosterically (Das 475). Arginine does not cause feedback inhibition of Carbomyl PS-1 or OTC but stimulates the activity of acetylglutamate synthetase. However, according to Snodgrass (67), â€Å"in bacteria and fungi, arginine inhibits conversion of glutamate to acetylglutamate†. Also, only at high concentration levels, orthinine transcarbomylase and argininosuccinate synthase undergo feedback inhibition mechanism by citrulline and argininosuccinate, which are their respective

Proposed reform on Judicial Review Research Paper

Proposed reform on Judicial Review - Research Paper Example Whereas the level and extent to which other reforms may be beneficial to the judicial process are not in question, this author will lay out but a few salient reasons why the judicial nomination process is one of the most important functions that government makes with regards to the functionality, diversity, fairness, and representative nature that the judiciary should display. Furthermore, due to the fundamental shift in the judicial nomination process that has been experienced over the past 50 years, this author will seek to lay out a series of issues that define the shortcomings that the current legal system experiences as well as seeking to law out what steps could be effected in order to ameliorate these. The first issue that this analysis will consider is the fact that the judicial nomination process has turned into what can only be considered a type of media and political frenzy. Whereas the constitution states that the president should seek the counsel of congress in order to appoint a judge, the actual process whereby the judge is vetted is not enumerated upon and has largely become to be defined by Congress as something of an evolving practice that draws on prior precedence and the political fervor of a given point in time (Gonzalez et al 2003). As Congress itself, nor the president for that matter, can be trusted to make a determination based upon qualifications, the process oftentimes diverges into a political mudslinging contest where both sides attempt to paint the other as either obstructionist or attempting to push through some form of radical judge to the bench. As such, this interpretation of the law and precedent is neither helpful to the understanding of the constitution nor the judicial nomination process. As a function of this, the following analysis will detail and proscribe a set of solutions with regards to this particular shortcoming. Recent court appointments have highlighted the fact that rather than determining the overall qualificat ions of the judge, the opposing political party merely regresses to performing a series of partisan character attacks as a means to stymie the process and generate a degree of public awareness and involvement (McGinnis et al 2010). This of course is counterproductive and forces the process itself to be a multipart game that both the Congress and the sitting president at the time engage upon. Oftentimes the way that such a game progresses is that the president will nominate a series of un-selectable and/or unqualified candidates as a means to exhaust the Congress or the general public with the intractability of the process. Only once this has been accomplished, the president will nominate the candidate that he truly wanted to be make it through the process in the first place. This game theory is counterproductive, inefficient, and wastes a great deal of shareholder time and energy. A better and more efficient process for nomination and selection is therefore necessitated in order to institute a process that is not only more efficient but also a better representation of how the constitution originally envisioned the process of judicial nomination. In this sense, the entire process is hijacked at the expense of political posturing, partisanship, and a degree of political gain

Operations Management Essay Example for Free

Operations Management Essay The case at hand is hinged on the efficiency of operations in the different facilities of Canbide Corporation. With all the pressing problems, the system of operations in the company needed to be re-designed to answer the problems in every area that needs attention. The four concerns of Mr. Iwani, which are: 1. There is a need to put up a distribution facility in the Pacific Northwest; 2. There are quality problems at a facility in Nebraska; 3.  Customer Service problems; 4. There are inventories / materials handling problem at Newark facility, could actually be consolidated as problems of Aggregate Planning. In the case of Pacific Northwest, which locates the plant S facility, where inventory problems and shipping concerns abound, the root causes of which is the not so good facility location planning. The expansion of the company was not able to be considered over the initial planning stage. Hence, some strategic solutions would be available for each of the facilities which could be centrally based on the Japanese’s â€Å"Just-In-Time (JIT) system which uses the Kanban and Lean Management System† First, on the Denver Facility, the production queuing model should be revised as to the process whether one â€Å"Work-In-Process flow†. When a customer had to pick up a product, it should be centrally ordered on one building alone and have to wait on a lounge until the orders are ready to be picked up on a central loading plant. The products are thus carried over to the central loading station for customers. This will eventually solve the problem of traffic inside the facility. Parking should be organized to be able to serve the first customers first. Further solutions would include the proper â€Å"facility lay-outing of future building plans† Secondly, on the Problem in the Oregon facility, the production process should be already automated since the increasing demands require such facility. In this way, using the Kanban system of the Japanese Toyota system or the Just-In-Time system which forge strong linkage over its suppliers and order system is placed in attention when inventory is kept at low. With this system, the storage facility could be converted into production facility because stocking of materials needed would be minimized or even eliminated through the use of the system. Also, this system will be beneficial to the firm because it would drive down the cost of materials especially in the value loss of inventorying at its warehouses. Problems on shipping inventories would also be minimized. Thirdly, on the issue on the Copier Rehab Facility near Charleston, the management should focus its attention on Knowledge Management and Information System. This would require an in-depth analysis on the problems of the copiers being brought in for repair and the time spent and behavior analysis of every customer. If this would be done, then the management would be able to note the materials needed to be inventoried in the rehabilitation center. The turnaround rate of seven days would even be minimized, and not just targeted. The Materials Requirement Planning would thus be needed by the company to cope up with the demands of the products to be repaired. In summary, the Oregon facility problems could thus be solve through re-structuring with the inception of the JIT system in each plant and revising the process workflow to ensure on time production and ensure the quality of the products made. Warehousing costs would also be minimized if not totally eliminated with the Kanban System, which is also hinged on the Just-In-Time system of the Toyota Company in Japan.

Discovery Of Losartan Potassium Health And Social Care Essay

Discovery Of Losartan Potassium Health And Social Care Essay Losartan is the first angiotensin II receptor antagonist drug to be marketed for use mainly to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Losartan was first discovered in March 1986 by scientists on their first assignments at a corporate research laboratory, in Du Pont, as DuP 753(Merck 954), a highly potent and orally active non-peptide Ang II receptor antagonist. At the time, DuPont as a company was rather new to pharmaceutical business. The company had previously been dealing in chemicals, but the in the 1970s when the demand for Petroleum and its related products natural gas drove prices high, management attempted to diversify the business by seeking other business avenues to reduce their dependency on chemicals in a hope of also increasing their profit. As a result of creating new business, DuPont had ventured into pharmaceuticals and other life sciences businesses by the 1980s. Losartan work was one of the compounds DuPont research labs worked on. The company being inexperience in this area of business, hired Robert I. Taber, a scientist with two decades of research experience with Schering, to head pharmaceutical research at DuPont.It was Taber who recognized the areas of potentials and encouraged the research team to delve further. However, DuPont being a fairly young company in these areas would lead to other weighty problems, and these issues were quickly settled by a collaboration with the more experienced Merck, who also recognised the Potential of Losartan and convinced DuPont that there was more to be gained by working on Losartan. Development of Losartan was done after a series of efforts. The final market product was Co-Developed with Scientists from both Merck DuPont. [BHARDWAJ, G., 2006] Losartan was approved by the FDA in April 1995, and it was then launched that month as the first non-peptide anti-hypertensive drug in the new class of Ang II receptor antagonists. Merck started selling losartan under the trade names CozaarT and HyzaarT with annual sales in excess of $3 Billion Dollars by 2005. Chemical Structure (IUPAC) nomenclature (2-butyl-4-chloro-1-{[2-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl) biphenyl-4-yl] methyl}-1H-imidazol-5-yl) methanol Chemical data Formula C22H23ClN6O Mol. mass 422.91 Action of Losartan Losartan selectively inhibits all Ang II responses that have been studied and lowered blood pressure in several animal models of renin-dependent hypertension. In animals, the antihypertensive efficacy of losartan has been found to be similar to that of the ACE Inhibitors (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitors) but, unlike ACE inhibitors, losartan is a more selective inhibitor of the renin-angiotensin system since it does not affect the metabolism of kinins. Compared with peptide Ang II antagonists (e.g. saralasin), losartan has significant advantages, including a long duration of action, effective oral absorption and no Ang II agonist activity. [SIEGL, P.K., 1993] Indications Hypertension Losartan tablets is indicated for the treatment of hypertension. Losartan can be used alone or used in combination with other antihypertensive agents, including diuretics. [Rx LIST THE INTERNET DRUG INDEX., 2009] Hypertensive Patients with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Losartan is also indicated in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy to reduce the risk of stroke, but there has been a study to suggest that Losartan is not beneficial with Black patients in reducing the risk of stroke. [Rx LIST THE INTERNET DRUG INDEX.,2009] In the LIFE study, it was found out that Black patients with conditions of hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy had a lower risk of stroke on atenolol than on Losartan. However, there was some shortcomings of the LIFE study, as it did not provide evidence that the benefits of Losartan in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy by reducing the risk of cardiovascular events applied to Black patients. [Rx LIST THE INTERNET DRUG INDEX.,2009] Nephropathy in Type 2 Diabetic Patients Losartan is also very useful in the treatment of patients with diabetic nephropathy, where there is an elevation of serum creatinine and proteinuria (urinary albumin to creatinine ratio à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ 300 mg/g) in patients that have type 2 diabetes and a history of hypertension. In this group, Losartan has been shown to reduce the rate of progression of the nephropathy. This is measured by the occurrence of doubling of serum creatinine or end stage renal disease where there is need for dialysis or renal transplantation. [Rx LIST THE INTERNET DRUG INDEX.,2009] SPECIFIC PRODUCTS ( CONTAINING THIS DRUG) AVAILABLE FOR USE IN GIVEN CONDITION Combination therapy: A combination therapy is used if losartan monotherapy alone is not sufficient to control hypertension. Hence, losartan is available in combination with hydrochlorothiazide in different strengths as follows:[BRITISH NATIONAL FORMULARY., 2009] Losartan 50mg + Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg Losartan 100mg + Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg Losartan 100mg + Hydrochlorothiazide 25mg. The above combination is used for treatment of high blood pressure and stroke in patients with heart disease. It is a prescription only medicine. [MEDICINES AND HEALTH CARE PRODUCTS REGULATORY AGENCY., 2009] EVIDENCE FOR EFFICACY FOR THIS TREATMENT. Clinical trials have shown a better efficiency of losartan as an antihypertensive by itself and a further higher efficiency in a combined state with hydrochlorothiazide. For example : a double-blind, multicenter, randomized, parallel group study performed on African Americans (who are generally less responsive to monotherapy from any hypertensive class), with severe hypertension have shown a significant reduction in sitting diastolic and systolic blood pressure with losartan monotherapy (45.8%) when compared with placebo (27.2%) . In the same study, the combination losartan/ hydrochlorothiazide regimen showed significant higher reductions (62.7%) in blood pressure compared with losartan monotherapy or placebo. More over, both the regimens i.e losartan monotherapy and the losartan/hydrochlorothiazide were as well tolerated as the placebo[FLACK, et al., 2001]. Other studies were performed on hypertensive patients who had discontinued treatment with calcium channel blockers and angiote nsin converting enzyme inhibitors due to side effects like peripheral edema or dry cough respectively. These patients when treated with losartan have shown as much reduction and control over blood pressure as they use to with previous therapies.[GIOVANNETTI, et al., 1997]. And quite interestingly it has also been observed that the clinical side effects were minimal with losartan treatment and the haematologic and biochemical profiles were also not disturbed. [GIOVANNETTI, et al., 1997] Studies performed on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic parameters of losartan on healthy male volunteers and also on special patient groups like elderly patients with renal impairment and those having liver disease, suggest that losartan is orally active and its effect lasts for over 24 hours. None of the patient groups showed any significant pharmacokinetic interactions[McINTYRE, et al., 1997]. Losartan 50mg appears to be a safe starting and maintenance dose in most patient populations. However, when an additive effect is required, it can be easily combined with thiazide diuretics to achieve the target blood pressure. Losartan has low discontinuation rate and it has also been observed that it was not associated with cough even in patients who experience this side effect with to ACE inhibitors [McINTYRE, et al., 1997]. A BRIEF COMPARISON WITH OTHER MEDICINAL PRODUCT USED TO TREAT THE SAME AILMENT Losartan potassium, is an angiotensin receptor antagonist (AT1) used in the treatment of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. However, a comparison with other ARB(e.g. valsartan and candesartan) shows that, these drugs have the same mechanism of action, though, their differences in pharmacokinetic profile may be responsible for their differences in efficacy in the treatment of hypertension. Losartan and valsartan when compared, exhibited a similar reduction in blood pressure at a lower concentration ,however, valsartan has a higher response rate and more effective 24hours blood pressure control rate at the dose of 160mg and 80mg respectively than losartan at 100mg and 50mg respectively.[BURNIER BRUNNER 2000]. Candesartan 8mg and 16mg has also demonstrated a more lasting antihypertensive effect than losartan 50mg and 100mg in ambulatory BP monitoring.[LACOURCIERE ASMAR 1999] A brief comparison with other medicinal products from the other class like B- adrenergic blocker(e.g. atenolol), ACEI(e.g. enerlapril), calcium channel blocker(e.g. felodipine) and diuretics were based on the efficacy, tolerability and safety in the treatment of essential hypertension. Losartan , when compared with amilodipine has been shown to exhibit a similar clinically relevant reduction in patients with systolic blood pressure, however, losartan was better tolerated as evidenced by fewer clinically adverse effect(CAE)and discontinuation compare with amlodipine [VOLPE, et al., 2003]. Meanwhile, in the contrasting effect of losartan, nifedipine GIT, and fosinopril on the ambulatory blood pressure, cardiac structure and function, and protective function of the endothelium in patients with essential hypertension, nifedipine GIT is superior to others in plate- granule membrane protein (GMP), while fosinopril and losartan had a preffered action to nifedipine GIT in reversing ventricul ar hypertrophy, however, losartan was better tolerated than the other drugs [QI XIURONG 2001]. Losartan potassium has been known to exhibit a fewer drug related adverse effect in contrast to other medicinal products in the other classes used in the treatment of hypertension. [GOLDBERG, et al., 1995] In summary, losartan potassium has an excellent tolerability profile in patient with essential hypertension and, in a demographic sub group of elderly versus young, women versus men and black versus non black; it has been shown to have an excellent safety profile. ADVANTAGES OF LOSARTAN POTASSIUM. Side effect; In the treatment of hypertension, losartan has exhibited fewer drug related side effect when it was compared with other class of antihypertensive agents .[GOLDBERG, et al., 1995] Tolerance; when compared in patients with essential hypertension, losartan was better tolerated than other agents from the other class and hence an excellent tolerability profile. Safety profile; It has a good safety profile in a demographic sub groups. It doesnt produce rebound high blood pressure when it is withdrawn. DISADVANTAGES OF LOSARTAN POTASSIUM. 1 Losartan has been associated with some damaging effect on the foetus which may include reduced body weight, death and kidney injuries hence it is contraindicated in pregnancy. [GOLDBERG, et al., 1995] Analysis of the market potential for the development of new drug candidates to treat the given condition Development of new drug products has always been a challenging task. Growth in technology resulted in an evolution in pharmaceutical world and has paved way for research and development to meet demands for more efficient products. About one billion people have been affected by hypertension world wide and reports also says that in US alone 65 millions people are affected by high blood pressure.[SMITH ASHIYA 2007]. This indicates the level of demand of antihypertensives world wide. Efforts have been made and many potential drugs have been developed till date. However the expiry of patents of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) opened doors for arrival of cheap generic products which resulted in a threat to the global pharmaceutical market. Data monitoring of the sales of antihypertensives in seven major global markets (i.e UK, France, US, Italy, Spain, Germany and Japan ) predicted sales of upto $ 29.5 billions by 2018, which would be a drop of $6 billion when compared to that of 2008. Considering above threats, the big pharmaceutical companies are under an impression that it is not worth to spend on research and development of novel therapies and they appear to be moving away from investing in research and development to develop more efficient antihypertensive therapies. [THE MEDICAL NEWS., 2009] Product Name Patent Number Patent Expiration Mercks COZAAR (losartan potassium) 5,138,069*PED  Ã‚   11 Feb,2010 Mercks COZAAR (losartan potassium) 5,153,197*PED   06 Apr, 2010 Mercks COZAAR (losartan potassium) 5,210,079*PED  Ã‚   11 Nov,2010 Table showing the expiry of patent of COZAAR (losartan potassium) Angiotensin receptor blocker. [DRUG PATENT WATCH., 2010] Short comings of the existing treatment to justify new drug development Though antihypertensive agents were able to achieve significant control over hypertension induced morbidity and mortality, still there is much to be done. For example: disappointments associated with coronary artery disease, risk of cardiovascular events even after treatment with antiphyertensive agents and comparatively higher possibility of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients compared to normotensive patients. These effects are thought to be due to inability of existing antihypertensives to reverse other associated factors like left ventricular hypertrophy, negative metabolic effects and risk associated with overtreatment.[HANSSON, L., 1991]. Hence there is a need for an ideal hypertensive agent which may be able to control blood pressure to normotensive levels whilst being free of negative metabolic effects. Moreover, it should also be able to reverss cardiovascular changes like cardiac hypertrophy and control tissue damage in case of possible vascular complications. [H ANSSON, L., 1991]. Analysis of data available on search engines indicates the promising role of upcoming gene therapy and nano-technology to produce new drug candidates. For example: Exploring areas like gene transcripton, molecular genetic regulation of blood pressure ( targeting genetic risk factors as in cases of essential hypertension) appears to be a new hope for future developments of antihypertensives.[KURTZ GARDNER 1998] Possible potential for new therapy. Research is currently being carried out to explore the potential of upcoming gene therapy and nano-technology to produce new drug candidates. For example: Areas like gene transcripton, molecular genetic regulation of blood pressure ( targeting genetic risk factors as in case of essential hypertension) appears to be a new hope for future developments of antihypertensives.[KURTZ GARDNER 1998]. However alternatively, combination products containing antihypertensives and statins could be a new hope for future developments. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦

Dale Earnhardt and Stock Car Racing Essay -- Stock Car Racing Dale Ear

Dale Earnhardt and Stock Car Racing Over 50 years ago a new sport was introduced. This sport was stock car racing. The organization that sponsors stock car racing is known as National Association of Stock Car Racing, NASCAR. The driver that is identifiable with NASCAR is definitely Dale Earnhardt. Over the years there have been many great stock car racers from Cale Yarborough to Richard Petty and Davy Allison, but no other name was better known than Dale Earnhardt. Whether on the track or in the crowds, there is no possible way a person can look without seeing a black number three or some other Earnhardt insignia. In first or last place, victory circle or behind the wall, the black GM Goodwrench Chevrolet could not be deprived of its respect. Who would have ever guessed that the legendary Dale Earnhardt’s life would be taken from him on the last lap of the biggest race of 2001? Dale Earnhardt was born on April 29, 1952. He was raised in Kannapolis North Carolina. Dale started racing at age twelve and won his first race at age fifteen. After winning his first race Dale decided that this was what he wanted to do as a career. Dale dropped out of high school in the ninth grade. Dale’s parents did everything they could to try to keep him in school but they were unable to. Earnhardt would soon find out just how hard it would be on him and his future career though. Dale Earnhardt came from a family of stock car racers. Dale’s father being a racer himself knew how hard it was to start racing. That is the main reason he tried to keep Dale from dropping out of high school to race. â€Å" They even offered Dale a new car to keep him in high school.† (1:72) Dale Earnhardt’s grandfather was also a racer. Dale was not very close to him though. â€Å"In an interview Earnhardt said that he regretted not knowing his grandfather very well. Earnhardt also mentioned the fact that his actions as a kid were embarrassing to him now.†(1:73) Being one of the most dominant drivers on the track, Dale quickly earned the nickname the Intimidator. Dale won his first Winston Cup championship in 1980. After his first Winston Cup championship Dale went on to earn 6 more championships to tie Richard Petty with 7 victories. The nickname Intimidator fit Dale very well. â€Å"He was known for causing wrecks to move himself up in the race.† (1:73) After several complaints from other drivers... ....†(6:1). Nobody can truly say what exactly happened that day and who knows if NASCAR will tell the truth in August but at least we will be closer to an answer than we are now. Earnhardt is the driver, the reason, and the person that made NASCAR is what it is today. Darrel Waltrip said it best when he said, â€Å"We have lost the best thing that ever happened to NASCAR†(6:1). As a renegade teenager or even a little fearsome racer, Earnhardt was the man who always came through. The legacy will be passed on through Dale Jr. and the Earnhardt name will be respected for the years to come. Sure NASCAR will get over this tragedy in time, but there will always be some trace of Intimidator, Dale Earnhardt. Works Cited 1. Pare, Michael A. Sports Stars, Detroit/ Michigan: U-X-O Publishing Co. 1998. 2. Bondi, Victor. American Decades 1980-1989, Detroit/Michigan: Gale Research Inc. 1996 3. Dodge, Herb. â€Å" We’ve Lost Dale Earnhardt,† Speedway Illustrated, (April 21, 2001) pgs. 72-85. 4. Bartlett, Jeff. â€Å"Circuit Breaker,† The End of an Era, (April 16, 2001) pgs. 2-5. 5. â€Å"Dale Earnhardt† www.daleearnhardt.com, online February 21, 2001. 6. â€Å"Dale† www.NASCAR.com, online February 21, 2001.

Import Substitution Industries Essay

â€Å"There is a belief among some economists that a country should focus more on export sector explanation and diversification than promoting the import substitution Industries (ISI).† Critically comment on this taking Sri Lankan economy as an example. You are expected to refer relevant articles from recognized sources on the said areas and provide your own views and analysis with proper reasoning. Export means shipping the goods and services out of the port of a country. An import is a good brought into a jurisdiction, especially across a national border, from an external source. Import Substitution Industries (ISI) means an economic theory employed by developing or emerging market nations that wish to increase their self-sufficiency and decrease their dependency on developed countries. Implementation of the theory focuses on protection and incubation of domestic infant industries so they may emerge to compete with imported goods and make the local economy more self-sufficie nt. Normally importing is not bad. Importing raw materials and goods is one of the paths of increasing the profit margins. There are number of benefits in importing the goods, such as high quality, low prices, and benefits related to the international trade. But I think there are more disadvantages for country. Importing of goods could lead the erosion of the domestic markets and national economies specifically when there is trade deficit occurrence the import is higher than the export. And can also be increased due to import of goods such as conflict in the domestic values due to the acceptance of social values. The domestic industries can also be crippled due to the import of the countries where the wages are low and the domestic industries are unable to compete since they cannot lower down their prices of goods than the cost of goods. The exporting of goods is specifically difficult and disadvantageous for the small and medium size firms. The sale of services and goods into the foreign market is difficult for them rather serving the domestic market. A lack of knowledge of different languages, difference in culture, exchange regulations and trade regulations having the major impact on exporting the goods. But normally there are have more advantages than importing. One of the major advantages of export is the ownership advantage which is specific to the firms international experience, asset and ability of the exporter to  either develop the differentiated product or low cost product with in the values chain. A combination of investment risk and market potential is known as the location benefit of the particular market combination. In order to retain the core competencies within the organization and stitching it throughout the country without retaining the license, selling or outsourcing is the international advantage in export. Some of the organizations having lower level of ownership advantage may do not enter into the foreign markets. In case a company’s products and company’s ownership equipped with the international advantage and ownership advantage, the entry can be made through low risk model known as exporting under the eclectic paradigm. There is low investment requires in exporting of goods than the other modes of inter national trade and expansion such foreign direct investment. Somehow it is recognized that the lower level of risk result in ,lower level of rate of return than possibly the other modes of international trade. On the other hand the usual return on international trade in export sales might not have greater potential but also there will be no risk. In export of goods the managers are allowed to exercise the various operational control however it does not have the option over the control of marketing activities of the company. The end consumer of exported goods is far away from the exporter though the various intermediaries can manage the risk. Export performance is one of the strongest areas of Sri Lanka’s economy at the present time. It can be best described as a growth area. If you were to take exports as a whole, there has been an improvement of around 14% across the board, in terms of the foreign exchange that was realized by Sri Lankan exports. However, in some sectors, the growth has been very much more. For example, in the electronic sector, it is as high as 80%, with rubber performing at 45%, wooden products at 57%, and so on. And also emphasis that the government’s policy is not restricted to enhancing the quantum of foreign exchange that we earn from exports. Earning more foreign exchange is important as the country requires it, but we do not intend to stop there. This is a necessary condition but we do not see it as being sufficient. One of the main policy objectives is to ensure that all benefits percolate down to the grassroots level. In other words, there has to be an equitable distribution of wealth and income right throughout the country. So Sri Lanka is today referred to as a ‘middle income country’ with a per capita income  of US$ 1,370. However, one of our problems is that the distribution of income within the country is far from equitable. A good example of this is the fact that the per capita income in the district of Colombo is seven times what it is in districts such as Monaragela, Pollonnaruwa and Hambantota. Thus we need to address the inequities that are inherent in that situation. This is why the putting a particular emphasis on the concept of ‘export promotion villages’ that are being developed around the country. However in this year Imports in Sri Lanka increased to 1845.30 USD Million in July of 2014 from 1439.40 USD Million in June of 2014. Imports in Sri Lanka averaged 1035.70 USD Million from 2001 until 2014, reaching an all time high of 1986.40 USD Million in November of 2011 and a record low of 408 USD Million in February of 2002. (Reported by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka) Normally we export different type of goods like Apparel, tea, rubber coconut gems etc†¦ In those industries the tea industry is perhaps Sri Lanka’s most strategic economic sector and pure Ceylon tea our only internationally known brand. We are the world’s biggest tea exporter, manufacturing more than 300 million kilos of black tea annually, almost all of which is exported. Our orthodox teas usually sell at a premium over other orthodox teas from elsewhere. Therefore we can increase that industry and get more economical profit for our country. In importing we have to pay more money with huge taxes to other countries, and in that situation we waste our money more. But if we focus more on export sector explanation and diversification we can improve our productions, develop our manufactures, and finally we can export those productions for other countries, then we can earn more profit. Don’t want to pay unessential money for other countries if we’ll develo p our exporting industry. In that case we can increase jobs for our people also, and we can develop our economy. So, mainly Imports and exports may seem like general terms that have little bearing on everyday life, but they exert a profound influence on the consumer and the economy. In today’s interlinked global economy, consumers are used to seeing products and produce from every corner of the world in their local malls and stores. These overseas products or imports provide more choices to consumers and help them manage strained household budgets. But too many imports in relation to exports which are products shipped from a country to foreign destinations can distort a  nation’s balance of trade and devalue its currency. The value of a currency, in turn, is one of the biggest determinants of a nation’s economic performance. So finally studying about those cases I also think the country should focus more on export sector explanation and diversification than promoting the import substitution Industries (ISI).

Describe the Possible Effects of Two Major Unpredictable Life Events

Task 3 (p3)- Describe the influences of two predictable and two unpredictable life events on the development of the individual. Major life events- Predictable and unpredictable events Major life events can be positive and negative and can be unpleasant, frightening, confusing and unsafe at times. Unpleasant stuff happens to all of us wether its predictable or unpredictable by feeling in control and able to organise, learning to cope with changes in life, coping with a physical changes. Predicted events of a teenager: When a child is born they are predicted to move on with their life and live it the best possible way they can.Any major changes can influence development positively within their life, as they grow. When they start secondary school they would want to make new friends and cope with the changes that would come ahead of them, which is known as positive learning. However, there could be risks of stress because no-one might let him/her hang around with them or he/she don't fit in with any group which is painful and makes them feel lonely and anxious; sometimes worthless. Perhaps no one listens to them – then he/she feel that no one cares. This may not really be happening but it feels that way and it hurts.They may feel angry at the world and even stay away from the people you know which lowers their self-esteem and confidence in talking to other people again their anger would lead them to end up criticising themself. Thinking too much about it – which a lot of people do – can confuse the child as well, which is not healthy. Another positive learning, during a predicted event, can be when the teen has now become old enough to leave home and has achieved independence and to control thier own personal enviroment, but coping on your own isn't easy.Suddenly the teen don't feel that smart anymore. He/she can become anxious and handling daily stress can become very difficult for them. And if they have had bad experiences in the past (such a s abuse), leaving home can be a ‘last straw' and tip themselves over into difficulties in handling fears. Some even experience loss of family support depending on the reason leaving home. Unpredicted event of an adult: One of the down side of life is things that happen are sometimes not expected and are really hard to go through but some surprises