t Laughed, I Would Have Cried

I was indestructible. I was ruthless. I broke out, hurling a flurry of precise, mastered and skilful kicks. Each kick grew in supremacy, as I glared at my opponent’s face: grief stricken and glazed with unmistakable distress. Each kick neared her towards tasting the bitterness of a palpable defeat. Rhapsody enticed my face as I smirked mercilessly. I emerged from under the bedclothes and encountered the mottled morning light. Today was the day my dreams would become reality. I had always harboured a competitive streak but I was not always good at actually realising it. This was to be my first Taekwondo competition and the desire to win was overwhelming. I affectionately selected my loose white uniform that hung alongside my green school dress. Each Sunday morning for the past twelve months I had religiously swapped the academic rigidity of school for the physical rigidity of Taekwondo and noticed that even now, the whiteness of my uniform was a little dulled and the threads slightly frayed, revealing the chronic blows that it had suffered. Two badges were sewn onto the front by unorthodox and jagged black threads, visibly overlapping the stark whiteness of my uniform. Each badge bore the fist of a martial artist and was intended to highlight strength, skill and indomitable spirit. However, despite the air of sophistication emitted by the badges, my clumsy Year 10 stitching defeated their purpose as being signs of professionalism. My transformation was almost complete. I picked up my belt and placed it around my waist, cautious to avoid any untidy overlapping. Tying a taut knot, the two remaining straps were left to suspend freely, yet, their presence did nothing except weigh heavily on my pride. I was a yellow belt, a mere novice, and felt demeaned by such a lowly status. Nevertheless I managed to reassure myself, this was to be the final day I would have to endure the humiliation of this sallow shade. I surveyed my ref... 't Laughed, I Would Have Cried Free Essays on If I Hadn\'t Laughed, I Would Have Cried I was indestructible. I was ruthless. I broke out, hurling a flurry of precise, mastered and skilful kicks. Each kick grew in supremacy, as I glared at my opponent’s face: grief stricken and glazed with unmistakable distress. Each kick neared her towards tasting the bitterness of a palpable defeat. Rhapsody enticed my face as I smirked mercilessly. I emerged from under the bedclothes and encountered the mottled morning light. Today was the day my dreams would become reality. I had always harboured a competitive streak but I was not always good at actually realising it. This was to be my first Taekwondo competition and the desire to win was overwhelming. I affectionately selected my loose white uniform that hung alongside my green school dress. Each Sunday morning for the past twelve months I had religiously swapped the academic rigidity of school for the physical rigidity of Taekwondo and noticed that even now, the whiteness of my uniform was a little dulled and the threads slightly frayed, revealing the chronic blows that it had suffered. Two badges were sewn onto the front by unorthodox and jagged black threads, visibly overlapping the stark whiteness of my uniform. Each badge bore the fist of a martial artist and was intended to highlight strength, skill and indomitable spirit. However, despite the air of sophistication emitted by the badges, my clumsy Year 10 stitching defeated their purpose as being signs of professionalism. My transformation was almost complete. I picked up my belt and placed it around my waist, cautious to avoid any untidy overlapping. Tying a taut knot, the two remaining straps were left to suspend freely, yet, their presence did nothing except weigh heavily on my pride. I was a yellow belt, a mere novice, and felt demeaned by such a lowly status. Nevertheless I managed to reassure myself, this was to be the final day I would have to endure the humiliation of this sallow shade. I surveyed my ref...

Little India- a Singapore vignette Essays - Parts Of Speech, India

Little India- a Singapore vignette Essays - Parts Of Speech, India Little India- a Singapore vignette The writer clearly focuses the reader's attention to the colourful majestic scene that lay before him with use of sensory adjectives like "reddish.. yellowish' , blue to white' which brings life to the stunning view where a sense of admiration is over flowing from the writer. The description of the outstanding exterior is been painted to the minds of the readers. further use of adjective like "nostril-teasing' switches on the sense of smell of the famous Indian dishes that's being made by the numerous restaurants . the writers assurance of his cultural foods "one cannot miss' is clearing been portrayed with much confidence . The excitement for tasting the food was displayed by the use of adjective "tantalized', where the writer again provided a vivid image (By the repetition of bright, appetizing colors)of the food in his platter . A nostalgic aura was slightly evoked on the latter half "clear in my mind" , where the writer announces how this place looked identical to tamil nadu "not much different' , .moreover the feeling of being in tamil nadu is further stressed "re-emphasizes the illusion..' , not be much different', where it is clearly evident how the writer misses his hometown and wishes to be there even though he is enjoying at the moment. The factual details bindis mark on woman..' , sculptures depicting..' , again brings more life to the image being created by the writer . this adventurous , and stunning view makes this a memorable experience .

Marketing - Analyzing Buyer Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing - Analyzing Buyer Behavior - Essay Example Floor care products are majorly bought by women who range between 36 to 50 years who are married and take care of their dwellings. Women are majorly concerned about the cleanliness at home and aim at buying products that maintain hygiene at nominal price. As women in today's world are equal bread earners, they are independent to make purchase decisions. The consumer product proposal is good. As mentioned, there must be a new product line improved as a new market strategy to attract new customers and also to retain the existing customer by providing them different options. The new product line must concentrate more on the price and efficacy than the eco friendly and safety aspects of it. As the price factor is the priority of the customers, there has to be a relatively decrease in price for the product to compete with the existing products in the market. By decreasing the manufacturing cost and also reducing the cost of the product, there can be an increase in the volume of goods sold in the market and it will reach the customers effectively. Higher the volume of sales, greater is the profit. These new products can be marketed to mass merchandises like Walmart and K mart in their premier shelves as the inflow of people on a daily basis is very high and people believe in their prices and products. Expanding in to other retail sectors are also a good strategic move, as they can attract a different set of new customers and is a good market development. Expanding in to new sector will familiarize the product and brand in the market. The marketing strategies like online sales will be an added advantage as people now adays prefer online buying which is very comfortable. Online buying has become one o the most common ways of purchasing a products since the last decade. Online sales have doubled during the past two years, with 53 percent of US Web users saying they have made interactive purchases so far in 1999. ("Pastore", 1999) There can be few more consumer recommendations like anti bacterial product which prevents floor from infections, easy usage of the products by providing free liquid sprays, refreshing fragrant liquid, easy stain removal sprays etc. The proposal for commercial product is good; it has aimed at diversifying its supply areas to hospital and nursing homes as the hospitality industry is untapped. The commercial proposal will definitely work because of the increase in span of supply to other commercial sectors and concentrating on the pricing strategy. Whether it is an individual or an organization, they look at optimization of the product and a better value for money. When a product is sold at a nominal cost in the market and is also efficient, it has a better market penetration. A private label floor cleaner will be a good growth strategy as it will have good market development. The health care sector has a high concern for cleanliness and hygiene. It can be observed from any health care organization that there is a high level of abidance for cleanliness. There will be a house keeper who will keep cleaning the floor for at least five to ten times in a day. Their usage is also high where there is a high volume sales opportunity. Adding

Conslusions on the psychological Affects of same sex parents ont he Essay

Conslusions on the psychological Affects of same sex parents ont he psychological development of Children - Essay Example However, there remains an important gap in the current literature regarding the social responsibility of the laws and court systems on the development experienced by children in the aforementioned families and how these culturally discriminating forces affect the sense of security that is necessary for successful growth. Therefore, the purpose of the proposed study is to examine previously recorded research that can be associated and correlated to determine the affect of living in a household that is not universally accepted as legitimate. By studying the research of a variety of topics related to this issue, a conclusion will be made in regard to the impact this issue has on the psychological influence on children raised by same-sex parents. Findings from this research will help clarify the social responsibility that may or may not be neglected by the current legal system. Findings from this research will help clarify what steps may be recommended to governmental agencies and law ma kers that will ensure the security and safety of these children in order to provide a more stable and secure environment to promote a successful development within the family structure. The issue of familial rights within homosexual partnerships have raised sociological questions that have proponents for and against marriage between couples of the same sex. As families of non-traditional forms are being created and sustained, the issue of child development within a non-traditional structure becomes a relevant social issue. The study of children who are raised in families that are comprised of two same sex parents who are also life-partners can answer questions of the affect that a non-traditional parental pair can have on the psychology created by that environment. In order to study the psychological affect of two parents who maintain a homosexual relationship on a child who is raised by those parents, one must take into consideration

Choose a good topic for me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Choose a good topic for me - Essay Example Overview The first group that would have to be met is Plant XYZ’s personnel as meetings with the plant managers, staff, and associates are set up to get a feel of the problem. After the meeting this group, namely, the administration, would follow the main aim of becoming familiar with the functions of the plant’s business, its systems, and methods of reporting used (Ranier 23). Concerning the business side of the operation, it would be prudent to begin by seeking to address the immediate support and needs initiatives that are already in progress, as well as identifying the opportunities presented and the areas that need action. Next, the partnership side of Plant XYZ’s operation would have to be reviewed, which necessitates meetings and assessing customers and business relationships. For this, both external and internal partnerships will be considered. Finally, a meeting with the team is on the cards with focus directed on the plant’s leadership, as well a s the building of a rapport with the entire team and the company’s clients (Ranier 24). Personnel As far as Plant XYZ’s personnel are concerned, it would be prudent to review them as well as their functions. Through an organizational chart, it is possible to assess the depth inherent within the various departments (Ranier 25). In the period given for coming up with the action plan, time should be taken to become familiar with the capability and functions of the plant’s staff. On top of this, there needs to be a review of key personnel procedures, as well as policies. Finally, an in-depth review of payroll processes and functions is to be carried out. Administration For the administrative side of the company, the first item on the agenda is the review of all responsibilities and duties of each position. During this exercise, observation of the roles and functions of the staff is to be made, in addition to an endeavor of understanding these roles and functions (Ra nier 37). To do this, it is prudent to attend all meetings held by various departments, as well as a solicitation of feedback on the opportunities and strengths that these departments feel are vital for the company’s growth. Finally, a review of the company’s budget, as well as processes of forecasting needs to be carried out. Business For the business side of operations, a comprehensive review of the functions and processes of financial reporting will be carried out in the first ninety days. This will be supplemented by a correspondingly wide-range review of the processes of forecasting and budgeting (Ranier 39). A review of the company’s metrics of performance and reporting will also be carried out, coupled with the solicitation of feedback from every department at the plant concerning perceived opportunities. Finally, in order to get a feel of the goings on, participation in all meetings that discuss business operations will be essential. Partnerships A compr ehensive review of all inter-departmental functions and roles will be carried out during the first ninety days. This will be followed by a review of financials for every department and its contributions to the operations of the plant. I will also attend every meeting held by various departments and make contributions during the dialogue session. In addition, an enhancement of communications between departments will be vital to creating a sense of mission and this will be given importance (Ranier 67).

Small and medium enterprises

Small and medium enterprises Abstract: Chapter 1: Introduction: Small and medium enterprises have different definitions in different countries. In India, it is known as the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) which is defined in terms of investment required. The MSMEs include all the enterprises in which the total investment does not exceed more than Rs. 50 million. The European Commission defines SMEs on the basis of the work force employed, total turnover of the business and the balance sheet total. In the US, the criteria for recognition is based on the work force employed. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are one of the principal driving forces in economic development. This sector has been recognised as growth engine around the globe. A healthy and vibrant SME sector contributes in a high and sustainable economic growth. They encourage private ownership and entrepreneurial skills, they are flexible and can adapt quickly to changing market demand and supply situations. They provide employment opportunities to the masses, help diversify economic activity and make a significant contribution to exports thereby increasing foreign trade. Many economies have acknowledged the need for growth and development of SMEs for industrial restructuring and have formulated national SME policies, programmes and enterprise development policies. Enterprise helps boost productivity, increased competition and innovation, thereby creating employment and prosperity, and revitalizing the communities. SMEs contribution to the foreign trade has been ever increasing. During the last decade, there has been a considerable increase in the foreign trade arising from the products of these SMEs. The open trade policy has been a great success. The policy makers in developing countries like India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and many other South Asian countries have been continuously reviewing their policies to help the functioning of these SME units. Finance is a subject of major concern to the SMEs. The financial institutions like banks and other money lending firms have come forward with plans of funding these units at very competitive rates. Subsequently, there has been an increase in the lending by such financial institutions to the SMEs. This has increased the efficiency of the SMEs to a great extent. Chapter 2: SMEs: An Overview Contribution of SMEs: SMEs are the backbone or the key drivers of the industrial economy. They can also be described as the engines of growth of the industrial sector. Although they are individually small, collectively they play a multiplayer role in the development of an economy. They have a multiplayer impact in developed as well as developing economies. The main USP of SMEs is low cost production i.e. the ability to manufacture low volumes profitably, meet niche requirements, capitalize on local skills and resources, provide outsourcing opportunities and most importantly create jobs. The below mentioned table indicates the contribution of SMEs across diverse economies. (Table-1) Table 1: Contribution of SMEs across diverse economies The sector has been consolidating over the years. What is new is the articulation and recognition of this process and its pump priming role. Therefore national SME policies, programmes and enterprise development policies have been formulated to support smooth working of SMEs and to overcome major obstacles such as lack of legislation, promotion and infrastructure. This can be done in the form of promotion programmes, positive discrimination hand holding and advocacy. Policy initiatives seek to highlight basic SME skills in low cost production. SMEs have an impressive presence in service industry ranging from the simple and traditional organisations to the most modern and hi-tech ones. SMEs contribute not only in terms of quantitative factors such as output, employment, income, investment or exports but also in terms of qualitative factors viz the synergies they promote with large industry, their contribution towards balanced regional growth, their contribution in nurturing entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and in providing a nationwide pool of skilled and trained manpower. While the comparative advantage of SMEs are well acknowledged, SMEs also have their share of pros and cons which prevent them from realising their full potential. They have to face some problems such as lack of proper guidance in the initial stages, lack of funds in the times of crisis, lack of proper marketing strategies, stiff competition from big players, lack of access to latest technology, no proper infrastructure etc. Therefore, although new SMEs are emerging very rapidly worldwide, the number of SMEs closing down every year is also very high. Also because of the twin forces of globalization and free trade policy of WTO, there is a serious threat to the SMEs sector. It will have to reorient and reinvent itself to overcome these challenges. This can be done by restructuring the small scale organisations, and if nothing works, they have to be closed down. Closures are undesirable but sometimes they are advisable from the resource allocation point of view. Thus the high rate of entries and exits reflect the dynamic nature of this sector and also explains why it is seen as an industrial incubator. As mentioned earlier, SMEs play a very important role in the development of an economy, especially from the employment point of view. They are very effective for the generation of employment for both skilled as well as unskilled workers. Therefore labour extensive countries should opt for SMEs. Even the underdeveloped or developing countries which are capital intensive and labour extensive, SMEs can be a great help. There has been increasing growth of SMEs worldwide in the recent past. The government of the developed and developing economies have been formulating policies which promote smooth working of the SMEs. SMEs have contributed significantly in the developed as well as developing countries. In the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland there are more than 16 million enterprises; of which less than 1% comprise large companies while the rest are SMEs. Two thirds of the job opportunities are provided by SMEs in this region and the remaining one third of the job opportunities are by large companies. SMEs are considered the backbone of Asia Pacific region as they account for 90% of enterprises. They provide around 32% 48% of employment and their contribution to Gross Domestic Product is around 60% 80% in individual Asia Pacific economies. Even in the United States, SMEs contribute greatly. It contributed at around 43% of the net employment opportunities from 1990 1994.SMEs are considered the engine of economic growth in both developed and developing countries not only because of low cost production but also because of low unit cost of persons employed as compared to large scale enterprises. Thus they provide a significant share of overall employment. Also SMEs assist in local and regional development by regional dispersion of economic activities, thus helps achieving fair and equitable distribution of wealth. SMEs not only contribute towards the GDP but also towards the export revenues. Although SMEs are at a disadvantage in terms of finance, technology, human resource development and networking; SMEs involved in foreign trade are very dynamic. This may be due to its low-cost labour intensive nature of its products; and since these units generally use indigenous raw-materials; they have a positive effect on the trade balance. For example, SMEs in OECD member states produce about 26% of OECD countries exports, and about 35% of Asian exports. Also SMEs increase flexibility in the provision of services and the manufacture of a variety of consumer goods and competitiveness of the market place and thereby curb monopoly of large enterprises. All this leads to fostering of self-help and entrepreneurial culture by bringing together skills and capital through various lending and skill enhancement schemes. Thus SMEs not only enables an economy to maintain a reasonable growth rate but also imparts resilience to withstand economic upheavals. Chapter 3: Indias SME scenario: The Indian Small and Medium enterprises sector formally known as the Small Scale Industries (SSI) has had a notable importance since the period of Mahatma Gandhi. SSIs were set up in the rural parts of India with a view to inculcate the habit of self reliance amongst the people. Later on, after independence, the SSI units were an important source of income to the people of India. Indian policy makers had noticed the importance of this self reliant industry and had always been striving hard for their progress. After achieving independence in 1947, India drafted and adopted the Industrial Policy of 1948 which meant that the government would act as both an entrepreneur and also as a governing body. With the beginning of the planning of a free India in 1951, the role of SMEs has been earmarked specially. In its industrial policy, the government started announcing special schemes for the growth of the SMEs in India. It was in 1956, during the Second Five Year Plan that the government announced the Second Industrial Policy, clearly stating the importance of the SME sector. This gave an impetus to the development of SMEs in a manner that made it possible for them to achieve the objectives of: Ø High contribution to domestic production. Ø Significant export earnings. Ø Low investment requirements. Ø Operational flexibility. Ø Low intensive imports. Ø Capacity to develop appropriate indigenous technology. Ø Import substitution. Ø Technology-oriented industries. Ø Competitiveness in domestic and export markets Today, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the ladder of progress for a nations economy, especially in case of developing countries. They contribute handsomely to the exports, the industrial base, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the Gross National Product (GNP) of the nation. Small and medium enterprises help provide employment and various facilities to the society. In 2006, the Government of India passed an Act known as the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Act (MSMEDA), 2006 to define SME sector of India. This Act defines micro, small and medium enterprises in India on the basis type of sector namely manufacturing and the service sector. In case of manufacturing sector, the size of the enterprise is decided on the basis of investment in plant and machinery. In case of service sector enterprise, the size is decided on the basis of investment in equipment required to set up the industry. Table 2: Definition of SME in India. Strategic Importance of Indian SMEs: In Indian economy, the SMEs occupy a place of strategic importance due to its contribution to the overall output, exports and employment. The total number of SMEs has been increasing rapidly. The total number of registered enterprises has been around 3million and has been increasing at an even faster speed. They contribute about 50% of the total industrial output and constitute 42% of total exports. These units produce approximately 8000 units which range from very basic to highly sophisticated products. By providing employment opportunities to nearly 29.4 million people, this sector takes the credit for employment to the largest number of workforce. Chart 1: Growth rate of SSI sector vis-à  -vis Total Industrial Sector. Chart 2: Growth Rate of Employment in the SSI sector. Link: http://www.smebank.org/SME%20Sector.htm#2 Role of Indian SMEs: The role of SMEs in the overall economic growth of the country has been fundamental and has been achieving steady progress over the last couple of years. With a view from the industrial development of India and the overall economic growth, SMEs have to play a vital role since their labour intensiveness helps to generate employment opportunities. In a developing country like India, the SME sector is of utmost importance in order to eradicate poverty and hence to drive sustainable growth. In case of countries where the capital resources are scarce, and an abundant supply of labour, SMEs help in the efficient allocation of resources by implantation of labour intensive production process. Performance of Indian SMEs: In the late 1940s, there were around 80,000 units. Today, the total number of units has increased tremendously and the total number of units is approximately 13 million units in 2006-07. Of the total 13million units, around 55% are in the rural India and the rest in cities and urban regions. Table 3: Number of Small and Medium Enterprises. The contribution of the SSI sector to the GDP was approximately 13% in 2000-01; this has grown to a 15.5% in 2007-08. The performance of the SSI sector in terms of economic parameters such as number of units, production, employment and export during the last decade is indicated in the table below: Table 4: Performance of Small Sector in India The SME has not only been successful in increasing its contribution to the GDP, but it has also outperformed the organized sector to a great extent in terms of production and also in employment creation. Table 5: Share of SME output to Indias GDP Employment: The employment opportunities created by the SMEs is considerable. It is evident from the table below that for every 10 million rupees invested by the SMEs, more than 4 times of employment opportunities are created; more than any other sector in India. It is clearly seen that in the year 2006, for every 10 million rupees invested in SMEs, generated employment opportunities for around 151.4 persons, whereas, the same amount invested in the other sectors would create employment opportunities for around 37.4 persons only. Table 6: Investment to employment ratio Exports: The SME sector is a major contributor to the total exports of India. Of the total exports by India, approximately 50% exports are contributed by this sector. SMEs are responsible for 35% of the total direct exports and 15% are contributed by its allied activities. The indirect exports may be in the form of export orders of other large units or in the form of production of various parts and components for the making of the finished product. The major trading houses, merchant exporters and the export houses play a vital role in the export development. The non traditional products account for more than 95% of the exports. The exports from the SME sector have increased tremendously during the last decade. The growth of the garments, leather, gems and jewellery units in the recent past is the reason for the increase in the exports by the SME sector. The SME sector dominates the sports goods, readymade garments, woollen garments and knitwear, plastic products, processed food and leather products industry. The table below indicates these segments and the corresponding SME contribution. (Table 7) Table 7: % of SSI in total Export SME exports growing in tandem with total exports: SMEs constitute an important segment of Indias industrial production with a contribution to 33% of its exports. During FY03-06, Indias total merchandise exports in US dollar terms witnessed a CAGR growth of 25%, while in the same period SME exports grew at a CAGR of 24%. The remarkable contribution of SMEs in generating employment in the country has been instrumental in addressing issues pertaining to poverty and inequality of income. As per the Third All India Census on Small Scale Industries-2001-02, highly populated states such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Jharkhand together contributed to around 55.4% of the total exporting units in India. In terms of distribution of value of exports from the SME sector, states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra together contributed 64.75% of total exports. Chart 3: Share of SME export to total exports The composition of export basket of SMEs in India, it has both traditional and non-tradition commodities in nature. There are few commodity groups which are exclusively exported by SMEs such as sports goods, cashew, Lac etc. In the commodity group of engineering goods, SMEs constitute around 40% of the total exports of this commodity group. Similarly, SMEs in basic chemicals pharmaceuticals finished leather and leather products and marine products account for around 44%, 69% and 50% of the export share in their respective commodity groups. In view of the Government of Indias ambitious target of average GDP growth rate of 9% during the 11th Five Year Plan, SMEs have to play a vital role in achieving this target. It is imperative for the government to address the major issues plaguing the sector and take further inclusive growth oriented policy initiatives to boost the sector. This includes measures addressing concerns of credit, fiscal support, cluster-based development, infrastructu re, technology, and marketing among others. As mentioned earlier, SMEs constitute 34% of Indias merchandise exports and in order to increase Indias export share to the global trade, SMEs are expected to enlarge their scope manifold. Problems Faced by Indian SMEs: The SMEs in India have been facing lot of issues that hinder the performance and the survival of this sector. The government has been striving hard to provide with policies that would help the smooth functioning of the SMEs. The main problems that have been faced by the SMEs are: Finance: Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, especially the micro enterprises have been facing the problem of inadequate access to finance. This is mainly due to the lack of information on financing activities and also due to the traditional business style. In India, there is also a lack of private equity, venture capitalists and business angels entering the MSME sector which would provide easy financing options to businesses which have unique ideas. The availability of finance has been a major problem for the SME sector. The SMEs have not been able to have easy access to the loan offered by the various commercial banks and other financial institutions. This is despite the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Ministry of Finance having laid down instructions to the banks and financial institutions to encourage easy financing options to the SMEs. According to Morris et al., 2001:11; â€Å"there are strong structural underpinnings to the inadequate flow: the organisational structures of banks, and processes within them, have taken them far from task orientation and have created a specific bias against small loan portfolios.† The government has been constantly seeking new ways to make access to loan funds an easy process for the SMEs. The small industries sector has been worst hit by the problem of financing. These units have not been able to understand their financial situation and also they havent been able to maintain transparency in their financials. The banks and financial institutions have been hesitant with regards to providing financing solutions by means of loans to these small units. This is because in the recent past, the loans that have been offered to some of these units have been transformed in to non-performing assets and hence, the banks have been trying to avoid this high level of risk. The banks and other financial institutions have been in fact extending more of their loans to the medium industries sectors in order to comply with the RBI regulation of financing for the ‘priority sector. Infrastructure: After finance, availing good infrastructural facilities has been a topic of concern for the MSME sector. The infrastructural facilities that are available in the rural parts of India differ substantially with those available in the cities and the urban parts of India. There has been growing concern towards the supply of power at affordable rates to these units. In the rural parts where the rates are comparatively lower than the urban parts, the adequate supply of electricity has been an issue. The lack of newer technological knowhow has been growing. There has been a huge difference in the technique used in the towns to those used in the villages. Those in the urban areas have now been able to make use of computers and other computer operated machines whereas in the villages, the traditional methods of production are still being used. The transport facilities have not been developed very well. In spite of so many highways being constructed, there has not been ease of transporting facilities for the SMEs at affordable rates. This hinders the rural and semi-urban markets to access new and larger markets in the other parts of India. Lack of skilled labourer: Lack of skilled labour hampers the productivity of the SME unit. The skilled labour can make better use of resourced and could also be able to handle computers. Skilled labourers can be of great help with means of management and marketing. Product Reservation: For the purpose of good productivity, there has been product reservation which means around 800 products are being reserved to be produced only by the SMEs. The list is being revised on a regular basis but under political influence. The main purpose of product reservation was to create local employment by means of using locally available resources. But due to increased political influence, the main purpose of the reservation has been lost. The SMEs are at times not informed that they produce the reserved product. Role of Government for SME development in India: The Government of India has recognised the role of MSMEs in the overall development of the countrys economic situation. The MSMEs are of utmost importance in terms of employment generation, share to the GDP, share to the industrial output, foreign exchange generation, etc. The Government of India has implemented various policies in conjunction with the state government, the RBI and various NGOs for the betterment of the MSMEs in India. As a stepping stone towards MSME development, the Ministry of Small Scale Industries (SSIs) was combined with the Ministry of Agro and Rural Industries to form the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This helped to formulate policies on a national basis bringing all the enterprises whether rural or urban under one cabinet. The main purpose of the Ministry of MSMEs was of drafting policies, programmes, development projects and schemes and also to keep a check on the implementation of these policies. The Government of Indias has launched a landmark initiative by the introduction of the MSEMD Act, on 2nd October, 2006. It is due to the enactment of this Act that there has been an increase in the SME competitive strength. The issues related to the growth of SMEs had been surfaced and thus, the SME had been able to accept challenges and reap the benefits of large scale economies. The co-ordination of policies at both the state and the national level has helped strengthen the role of SMEs not only at the lower but also at the higher level. A recent policy introduction by the Tamil Nadu government to encourage the agro-based industries by means of providing a wide range of incentives, support for infrastructure development, subsidies for investing in industrially backward areas, capital investment and technology development with an aim to sustain a growth rate of over 10% in the food and agro based sector. The Government of India has set up various institutions at both national and state level which are both a governing as well as a support body for the SMEs in India. The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Small Scale Industries Board, Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO), National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) Limited, The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and Coir Board work in co-ordination with the various institutes and assist the SMEs at both national and state level. Today, the working of the Ministry has lead to the existence of various SME governing bodies which help the smooth functioning of the SMEs. The Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), the SME Rating Agency of India (SMERA), etc. all play a convincing part in the development and smooth functioning of the SMEs in India. Policies implemented by the Government: The Government of India has been reviewing its policies for the SMEs. The various organisations set up in coordination with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises look after the formulation and implementation of the various policies for the SMEs. Finance: The Government of India in co-ordination with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the countries apex bank has been striving hard in order to create policies for making available easy financing options to the SMEs. The RBI has been issuing directives for every bank and financial institution to maintain a quota of funds to be made available to the Micro, Small and Medium enterprises. The Government of India has set up special financing institutions that provide easy finance options to the SMEs at very nominal interest rates. The Government has taken many initiatives to make finance readily available to the SMEs: Industrial Development Bank of India: Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) was instituted in 1964 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the RBI as the top institution for providing finance to the SME sector. The Government of India in 1975 passed a law for de-linking IDBI from RBI and making it the principal financial institution for (i) co-ordination of the working of institutions engaged in financing, promoting or developing industry; (ii) assisting the development of such institutions; and (iii) Providing credit and other facilities for development of industry and for matters connected therewith. IDBI has brought about a revolution in industrial growth by means of providing finance for medium and long term projects in co-ordination with the national policies. The range of products offered by IDBI has been increasing in every field of industrial need be it manufacturing or services sector. IDBI has been empowered to provide financial assistance to all types of small enterprises. Small Industries Development Bank of India: The Government, in April 1990, established the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) as a fully owned subsidiary of the Industrial Development Bank of India in order to promote financing activities for the Small and Medium Enterprises on a nationwide basis. In March 2000, the government amended the SIDBI Act and de-merged it from IDBI. The amendment led to the change in the capital structure, shareholding pattern, business and borrowing provisions. The SIBDI has two subsidiaries namely SIDBI Venture Capital Fund and SIDBI Trustee Company Limited. The Credit Guarantee Fund for the Small Industries and Technology Bureau for Small Enterprises are the two associate organizations that work in co-ordination with SIDBI. Since the foundation of SIDBI, it has been assisting the micro, small and medium sector (MSMEs) providing those with suitable schemes which are tailor made to suit the need of individual organizations. It assists in the setting up of new projects, expansion, diversification, modernization and rehabilitation of existing units. After the de-merger of SIDBI from IDBI, it has introduced several new schemes and products in order to meet the need of both new and existing SME units. It has been maintaining its policies and revising them from time to time keeping them in line with the policy plans of the Government and RBI. Competitiveness: The Government has been striving hard in order to provide a competitive edge to the units in the global environment. In order to increase the productivity of the MSME sector so as to overcome the competition that these units can face in the global markets and also to face the competition from the multi-national companies in the local Indian markets, the Government of India has introduced the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme (NMCP) in the year 2005-06. The NMCP programme was implemented to shift the focus of the SMEs from the production to the competitive side of business. There was a need for the SMEs to introduce some structural changes and therefore this programme was introduced. The programme was initiated to increase the competitiveness at the individual firm level and not at industry or sector level. The need of the hour was to address issues such as technology up gradation, cost reduction, in time delivery, total quality management (TQM) and to enhance the customer service. The NMCP worked in co-ordination with the SMEs and helped attain an environment for the accomplishment of these issues. National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector: The National Commission for the Enterprise in the Unorganised Sector has been set up to improve the productivity of the unorganised sector. It acts as an advisory board and a supervisory body for the informal sector for generation of large scale employment opportunities on a sustainable basis, particularly in rural areas. Reservation: The policy of product reservation had been started in the year 1967 with the governments objective of attaining socio-economic development by reserving the manufacturing of products solely by the SME sector. The Government introduce this policy with a view to improve the productivity of the SMEs especially in the rural areas which would in turn help to increase employment opportunities and also initiate the people to take up self employing business opportunities. The Government of India had reserved some products to be manufactured only by the SSI sector. In 1984, the list contained as many as 843 products to be manufactured only by the SME sector. But in the recent years, due to the lack of technological up gradation and competitiveness on the part of SMEs, the has been reduced to as low as 21 products. The de- reserving of the products has been progressive for the re introduction of the SMEs in the main stream. Simple Process: The registration of the SMEs was earlier a very painful and lengthy process. This system has now been replaced with the much simpler Entrepreneurs Memorandum (EM). The introduction of the EM has been the most valuable achievements of the MSMED Act, 2006. The Need of Credit as a Lifeline of Business: Finance or credit is of crucial importance for any business to grow and survive. If adequate finance is not available, even the best plans need to be put to halt. In case of MSMEs, credit is needed at every stage be it start up, diversification, technological up gradation, survival and expansion. If finance is not readily available, there is every possibility that the best performing unit can fall sick thus leading to the closing down of the unit. Thus, the need for a focused credit policy for the MSMEs was recognised by the Government of India. Hence, a credit policy with the following terms was laid down: Priority Sector Lending: Providing of credit to the MSME sector has been made compulsory by the government under the Priority Sector Lending Scheme. The priority sector includes agriculture, small enterprises and businesses, retail trade, etc. Under this scheme,

The Chosen, My name is Asher Lev, In the Beginning, and The Book of Lights :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

Assimilation and the American Jew in Potok’s The Chosen, My name is Asher Lev, In the Beginning, and The Book of Lights.  Ã‚  Ã‚   America has always been a country of immigrants, since it was first settled by Europeans over five hundred years ago.   Like any country with a considerable immigrant population, American has always faced the problem of assimilation.   Because America was founded and settled by immigrants, her culture is a combination of the cultures of other countries. Should these immigrants isolate themselves from the mainstream American culture, or should they sacrifice the culture of their homelands for the benefits American culture has to offer?   Judaism in particular has had to deal with the assimilation question.   One of the world’s oldest religions, it has remained strong over its six thousand year history by remaining distinct – and isolated – from other cultures. Chaim Potok focuses on how Orthodox and Hasidic Jews have handled this problem in his books The Chosen, My name is Asher Lev, In the Beginning, and The Book of Lights. Many of Chaim Potok’s characters want the American Jewry to remain isolated from the mainstream American culture: The world kills us! The world flays our skin from our bodies and throws us into the flames! The world laughs at Torah! And if it does not kill us, it tempts us! It misleads us! It contaminates us! It asks us to join in its ugliness, its abominations! (The Chosen 127)  Ã‚   The Chosen â€Å"deals with the problems Jews have faced in trying to preserve their heritage – in particular, the problem of how to deal with the danger of assimilation† (Young). The Jews have always been professionals occupying jobs in medicine, law, education, and other fields requiring a college degree. American Jews, however, face a dilemma: â€Å"Ideas from this secular world inevitably impinge upon an individual born in a church community or a synagogue community, especially when that individual embarks on a college experience† (Potok 2). American Jews must either take on nonprofessional jobs, assuming an identity completely different from that of European Jews, or expose themselves to secular America. Isolation is thoroughly impractical for the American Jew. Chaim Potok’s works often focus on main characters whose talents draw them to the outside world:    When individuals are brought up in the heart of such a community or culture [as Danny’s and Reuven’s did in The Chosen] they learn to commit themselves to its values †¦ They see the world through the system of values of that unique community.

Summary Response

Agents of Change and Nonviolent Action* Nonviolent action is a way for ordinary people to fight for their rights, freedom, and justice. It is frequently associated with moral or ethical nonviolence, but I will address it here as a distinct phenomenon, separate from any moral or ethical underpinnings, to expand on how it works as a pragmatic way to exert leverage in a conflict. Nonviolent action is based on the insight that power in a society is ultimately derived from people’s consent and obedience.In contrast, the prevailing view is that power in a society is inherently based on whoever has concentrated wealth and the greatest capacity for violence. But just as the economy is a subsystem of the biosphere— and therefore is ultimately governed by the laws of the biosphere—so too, systems of power that are seemingly based on violence and money are actually subsystems of thousands or millions of people’s broader behavior and obedience patterns.If those people shift their loyalties, behavior, and obedience, the balance of power in a society, and in the world, shifts. Simply put, if people do not obey, then rulers or corporations cannot rule. Nonviolent action, therefore, wields power by creating shifts in people’s loyalties, behavior and obedience patterns at a collective level. This can happen dramatically, for example as it did at moments during the Indian Independence Struggle, the US Civil Rights Movement, various labor struggles (i. . the United Farm Workers movement in the mid-late 1960s), and the downfall of Ferdinand Marcos (1986), Augusto Pinochet (1988), Apartheid in South Africa (1980s-90s), Slobodan Milosevic (2000), and the authoritarian system in Ukraine (2004). Or, shifts can happen more subtly, as when people choose to shop at locally owned businesses, boycott a product, or work to develop alternative institutions and economies.Regardless of its myriad of methods and manifestations, all acts of nonviolent action fa ll into one of three categories: acts of 1 Â © 2008 Hardy Merriman. *A slightly modified version of this essay appeared in: Conservation Biology, Volume 22, No. 2, April 2008 pp. 241-2. commission—that is, people do things that they are not expected, supposed, or allowed to do; acts of omission—that is, people do not do things that they are expected, supposed, or required to do; or a combination of acts of commission and omission. In order to promote shifts in people’s obedience and behavior patterns, it is important to understand why people obey and behave as they do in the first place. Reasons will differ from society to society, but two of the most common reasons for obedience that I encounter in my work with activists and organizers around the world are that people feel there is no alternative way of behaving and they lack confidence that their actions make a difference. Many people have forgotten that they are the true power holders in their society.Of cou rse formal education, corporations, governments, and media all reinforce the narrative that power resides among the few individuals in a government building or corporate headquarters, and that money and guns (on which they have a monopoly) are the ultimate source of strength. This narrative suits their purposes well. Successful nonviolent movements throughout history, however, have awakened people to the fact that through their collective actions, people who are organized around a common vision and act strategically are far stronger than armies and money.Any contemporary grassroots movement that wants to gain traction should take note of this fact and make reminding people that they are powerful a central point of its rhetoric. Taking this one step further, successful movements not only tell people that they are powerful, they demonstrate people’s power by setting clear, achievable objectives and then documenting and publicizing their victories. The victories themselves may b e limited, but their impact on mobilizing people can be enormous.For example, the US Civil Rights Movement concentrated its strength on desegregating buses in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955-56 and desegregating Nashville lunch counters in 1960. The Indian Independence Movement focused its effort on gaining concessions from the British on the Salt Acts and others laws in 1930-31. Once achieved, these objectives were small 1 Gene Sharp, Waging Nonviolent Struggle: 20th Century Practice and 21st Century Potential, (Boston, MA: Porter Sargent Publishers), 2005, p. 547. 2 Â © 2008 Hardy Merriman. A slightly modified version of this essay appeared in: Conservation Biology, Volume 22, No. 2, April 2008 pp. 241-2. relative to the mammoth task of overturning segregation in the entire US South or gaining independence in India. But their true impact was in their catalyzing effect on the movements themselves. These victories showed people that their actions mattered and that they were capable of making a difference, which led to great increases in support and mobilization and propelled these movements to the national and international center stage.These objectives were not achieved merely because the US Civil Rights Movement or the Indian Independence Movement occupied the moral high ground. They were achieved also because of hard work, creativity, and skillful political analysis. This is true of all successful nonviolent action. However, many neglect this fact and instead assume that nonviolent action consists primarily of public protests, expressions of outrage, and moral injunctions, or that its success depends on a charismatic leader or some sort of mystical power. It does not.Nor does it require people who are ideologically committed to pacifism or ethical nonviolence. What it does require is an inclusive vision that unites people, sound strategic planning, effective public communications, and the identification of appropriate methods for the situation. There is no one -size-fits-all recipe—nonviolent action is place-specific. While the principles that govern it, such as power being based on consent and obedience, are constant across all struggles, its application depends on the context and particulars of a given society.Whether it manifests as bold public action, subtle shifts in buying patterns, or both (most movements have a wide variety of tactics that are designed to be used by people with different levels of involvement), it provides a way for people to use or create political space in their society from which to leverage concessions from an entrenched adversary. Fortunately, a lot of intellectual work, research, and communication have been done about how people can use, and historically have used, nonviolent action to achieve great results.Demand for this knowledge is increasing among those who recognize the power and potential that nonviolent action holds. You won’t read about this in most 3 Â © 2008 Hardy Merriman. *A sligh tly modified version of this essay appeared in: Conservation Biology, Volume 22, No. 2, April 2008 pp. 241-2. newspapers, and you won’t find a lot of politicians talking about it, but if you talk to grassroots organizers and members of civil society around the world, they will tell you. They recognize that it is the people in a society who are the agents of change and that structural change is created from the ground up.They are not waiting for a person to lead them, because they understand that most government and corporate leaders will not take the lead to do what is right if their populations are disengaged and do not know the means to hold them accountable. Therefore, people around the world are increasingly looking towards nonviolent action (which they may use in conjunction with voting, the legal system, or other traditional means of making change) as a pragmatic way to empower their communities to win human rights, freedom, justice, transparency, women’s, indige nous people’s and minority rights and environmental protection.Regardless of the objective for which nonviolent action is used, its prerequisite is the same: a reframing of the concept of power in people’s minds. Sharing this knowledge, and awakening people to their power, is an essential task in shifting humanity’s course. 4 Â © 2008 Hardy Merriman. *A slightly modified version of this essay appeared in: Conservation Biology, Volume 22, No. 2, April 2008 pp. 241-2. Summary Response Agents of Change and Nonviolent Action* Nonviolent action is a way for ordinary people to fight for their rights, freedom, and justice. It is frequently associated with moral or ethical nonviolence, but I will address it here as a distinct phenomenon, separate from any moral or ethical underpinnings, to expand on how it works as a pragmatic way to exert leverage in a conflict. Nonviolent action is based on the insight that power in a society is ultimately derived from people’s consent and obedience.In contrast, the prevailing view is that power in a society is inherently based on whoever has concentrated wealth and the greatest capacity for violence. But just as the economy is a subsystem of the biosphere— and therefore is ultimately governed by the laws of the biosphere—so too, systems of power that are seemingly based on violence and money are actually subsystems of thousands or millions of people’s broader behavior and obedience patterns.If those people shift their loyalties, behavior, and obedience, the balance of power in a society, and in the world, shifts. Simply put, if people do not obey, then rulers or corporations cannot rule. Nonviolent action, therefore, wields power by creating shifts in people’s loyalties, behavior and obedience patterns at a collective level. This can happen dramatically, for example as it did at moments during the Indian Independence Struggle, the US Civil Rights Movement, various labor struggles (i. . the United Farm Workers movement in the mid-late 1960s), and the downfall of Ferdinand Marcos (1986), Augusto Pinochet (1988), Apartheid in South Africa (1980s-90s), Slobodan Milosevic (2000), and the authoritarian system in Ukraine (2004). Or, shifts can happen more subtly, as when people choose to shop at locally owned businesses, boycott a product, or work to develop alternative institutions and economies.Regardless of its myriad of methods and manifestations, all acts of nonviolent action fa ll into one of three categories: acts of 1 Â © 2008 Hardy Merriman. *A slightly modified version of this essay appeared in: Conservation Biology, Volume 22, No. 2, April 2008 pp. 241-2. commission—that is, people do things that they are not expected, supposed, or allowed to do; acts of omission—that is, people do not do things that they are expected, supposed, or required to do; or a combination of acts of commission and omission. In order to promote shifts in people’s obedience and behavior patterns, it is important to understand why people obey and behave as they do in the first place. Reasons will differ from society to society, but two of the most common reasons for obedience that I encounter in my work with activists and organizers around the world are that people feel there is no alternative way of behaving and they lack confidence that their actions make a difference. Many people have forgotten that they are the true power holders in their society.Of cou rse formal education, corporations, governments, and media all reinforce the narrative that power resides among the few individuals in a government building or corporate headquarters, and that money and guns (on which they have a monopoly) are the ultimate source of strength. This narrative suits their purposes well. Successful nonviolent movements throughout history, however, have awakened people to the fact that through their collective actions, people who are organized around a common vision and act strategically are far stronger than armies and money.Any contemporary grassroots movement that wants to gain traction should take note of this fact and make reminding people that they are powerful a central point of its rhetoric. Taking this one step further, successful movements not only tell people that they are powerful, they demonstrate people’s power by setting clear, achievable objectives and then documenting and publicizing their victories. The victories themselves may b e limited, but their impact on mobilizing people can be enormous.For example, the US Civil Rights Movement concentrated its strength on desegregating buses in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955-56 and desegregating Nashville lunch counters in 1960. The Indian Independence Movement focused its effort on gaining concessions from the British on the Salt Acts and others laws in 1930-31. Once achieved, these objectives were small 1 Gene Sharp, Waging Nonviolent Struggle: 20th Century Practice and 21st Century Potential, (Boston, MA: Porter Sargent Publishers), 2005, p. 547. 2 Â © 2008 Hardy Merriman. A slightly modified version of this essay appeared in: Conservation Biology, Volume 22, No. 2, April 2008 pp. 241-2. relative to the mammoth task of overturning segregation in the entire US South or gaining independence in India. But their true impact was in their catalyzing effect on the movements themselves. These victories showed people that their actions mattered and that they were capable of making a difference, which led to great increases in support and mobilization and propelled these movements to the national and international center stage.These objectives were not achieved merely because the US Civil Rights Movement or the Indian Independence Movement occupied the moral high ground. They were achieved also because of hard work, creativity, and skillful political analysis. This is true of all successful nonviolent action. However, many neglect this fact and instead assume that nonviolent action consists primarily of public protests, expressions of outrage, and moral injunctions, or that its success depends on a charismatic leader or some sort of mystical power. It does not.Nor does it require people who are ideologically committed to pacifism or ethical nonviolence. What it does require is an inclusive vision that unites people, sound strategic planning, effective public communications, and the identification of appropriate methods for the situation. There is no one -size-fits-all recipe—nonviolent action is place-specific. While the principles that govern it, such as power being based on consent and obedience, are constant across all struggles, its application depends on the context and particulars of a given society.Whether it manifests as bold public action, subtle shifts in buying patterns, or both (most movements have a wide variety of tactics that are designed to be used by people with different levels of involvement), it provides a way for people to use or create political space in their society from which to leverage concessions from an entrenched adversary. Fortunately, a lot of intellectual work, research, and communication have been done about how people can use, and historically have used, nonviolent action to achieve great results.Demand for this knowledge is increasing among those who recognize the power and potential that nonviolent action holds. You won’t read about this in most 3 Â © 2008 Hardy Merriman. *A sligh tly modified version of this essay appeared in: Conservation Biology, Volume 22, No. 2, April 2008 pp. 241-2. newspapers, and you won’t find a lot of politicians talking about it, but if you talk to grassroots organizers and members of civil society around the world, they will tell you. They recognize that it is the people in a society who are the agents of change and that structural change is created from the ground up.They are not waiting for a person to lead them, because they understand that most government and corporate leaders will not take the lead to do what is right if their populations are disengaged and do not know the means to hold them accountable. Therefore, people around the world are increasingly looking towards nonviolent action (which they may use in conjunction with voting, the legal system, or other traditional means of making change) as a pragmatic way to empower their communities to win human rights, freedom, justice, transparency, women’s, indige nous people’s and minority rights and environmental protection.Regardless of the objective for which nonviolent action is used, its prerequisite is the same: a reframing of the concept of power in people’s minds. Sharing this knowledge, and awakening people to their power, is an essential task in shifting humanity’s course. 4 Â © 2008 Hardy Merriman. *A slightly modified version of this essay appeared in: Conservation Biology, Volume 22, No. 2, April 2008 pp. 241-2.

L’oreal and the Globalization of American Beauty

MGO403 HW4 <L’Oreal and the Globalization of American Beauty> How did L’Oreal become the world’s largest beauty company? What was the role of acquisitions in the growth? The global strategy of Loreal started first from European countries like Austria, Italy, and the Holland providing hare care and hair color products. After the launch in the USA, they decided to expand their market share by mainly M&A of many similar but way smaller companies. With proper acquisition strategy over the years, they finally became the largest company in beauty industry. L’Oreal offers consumers worldwide â€Å"American† and â€Å"French† concepts of beauty.Are there any limits to the national beauty images it can globalize? There may be some limits for Lorear to go more ‘worldwide’ even if they have huge branches and offices over the world. I think it may be related with ‘racial issues’. The society for ‘minority’ is changing faster than ever before, but still, the ‘majority’ of American and European countries are white but Asian, African American, and Hispanic. Thus, if they really care about optimal ‘globalization’ in all ways, they should probably consider making their diversified strategy in other markets (minorities)What are the global opportunities for Kiehl’s? What are the limits, if any? Even though Kiehl’s were taken over by Loreal through M&A, their products are not easily found at many stores, unlike there are so many producsts of Lorean in any store. And this is mainly because their products line are simply expensive targeting luxury market, so I think if they really want to go ‘global’ they should find proper way to make their products easily available to the customers through mega-stores like walmart, or target.

Reflection †Thank You for Smoking essayEssay Writing Service

Reflection – Thank You for Smoking essayEssay Writing Service Reflection – Thank You for Smoking essay Reflection – Thank You for Smoking essayThe movie under consideration is entitled â€Å"Thank You for Smoking† and is a successful adaptation of the novel by Christopher Buckley. Jason Reitman’s media sharp satire deals with cigarette industry and a brilliant career of the tobacco lobby Nick Naylor, whose job is to present daily proof that there are no problems with tobacco indeed killing many each year. On continuing to defend them he promotes a cover anti-smoking advertising and wins several arguments demonstrating his moral flexibility. It is a true challenge to defend a controversial issue that is evidently harmful, analyze the issue and demonstrate it from another angle. Nick insists on tobacco being overreacted as a social issue and finds it important for everyone to decide for himself what is best. He has to do his job though it seemingly goes against what he believes as a young father. However, speaking to the audience in the assembly, the spokesman accen tuates that tobacco education should be first and foremost at family level. He teaches his son that nothing can be totally proven and that the beauty of an argument is that if you argue correctly, you’re never wrong. Nick talks fluently of challenging things, but the climax is when he is straightly asked if he gives his son the first cigarette, he appears to lose part of himself at the very moment he acknowledges it. Nick demonstrates liberal tolerance and his toleration of his son’s future smoking contradicts with his moral obligation to his son to safeguard his life and health.Thus, the spokesman violates the ethical to reestablish it later. He sacrifices his son’s future health for a greater ethical good, that is freedom of choice. He shows that he won’t compel his son act this or that and sacrifices his personal victory for the benefit of society. Freedom is high above that and his son’s health doesn’t outweigh the right of every citizen to make free choices. Nick’s job lies in making dangerous products like tobacco more appealing to the American public along with other members of the MOD Squad. But only he demonstrates how his own maxims and intentions contradict with his actions and results. On the one hand, he probably uses others as mere means in his scheme of action, during anti-tobacco advertising campaign or deceives people on TV show when he proves that tobacco industry wouldn’t like to lose its consumer and kill him by the example of a 15-year old boy dying from cancer. He gives his audience who doesn’t now his real maxim some false promises that he is not going to keep. On the other hand, the character acts beneficently as he tries to achieve what others want and lobbies freedom of choice, his beneficence being selective.   Though we cannot say that from the very beginning his words express his true intentions, but according to the Formula of the End in Itself   his intentions fos ter others ends and promote freedom of choice without any constrain. Nick Naylor definitely faces moral dilemma when human happiness demands the sacrifice of someone’s lives and welfare. Despite using his audience as mere means at first, his intention at the end is to bring them to happier result valuing the life and choice of each and every person. The character shows that no one should be an instrument and mere means in others hands, humans should be treated as ends in themselves for their own benefit.

Employment relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Employment relations - Essay Example Trade unions are institutions which are constituted for the welfare and protection of employees. Such unions are needed to first identify the major issues faced by the workers and then they should work to find remedies for those problems. Women and minority groups have demands for transformation of unions so that unions incorporate their current issues and raise voice for them. Trade unions or labor unions are special organizations formed by individuals that represent people at work to strengthen the protection of their existing rights, and to raise their voice against any uncivil act. It is also constituted as the union’s duty to protect and improve upon the payment and working conditions of the employees. In addition to that, the unions also campaign for laws and policies for the betterment of the working population. The ideology of union formation is basically rooted in the concept that an individual worker has very little power to influence decisions that are made about hi s or her job. Hence, in order to make the workers have more control of their working conditions, the unions attempt to join them all together so that there is more chance of them having a voice (Sofia-Roth, I. 2010, p.3). Labor unions are criticized in many aspects like the ineffectiveness of their existence, raising unnecessary aggression against employers, provoking employees for unjustified demands and so on. Research has been conducted about the usability of unions and their impacts in addition to checking out the argument that unions have outlived their existence. The global environment, the diversity in the workforce, decentralized structures, flattened organizations and increased employee autonomy suggest that unions are no more required. On the other hand, the cases of labor injustices and uncivil practices are still in practice. Employees still have to face the challenge of getting justifiable wages for their skill and effort, suitable working conditions and social benefits . Therefore, it can be easily assumed that labor unions are still required and are needed to play an effective role in setting up standards and regulations fro working class. Although the unions have not become obsolete altogether, yet they require transformation and modification in many ways. Due to globalization, technological advancements and diverse, multicultural workforce the role of unions should be improved and modified according to new requirements. They need to work on building their image as organizations supportive to both the employees and employers, rather than being taken as bodies with their main focus being on strikes and riots. Women and ethnic minority groups are always being discriminated and undervalued since their introduction into employee market. Even their introduction and entry into the workforce is an issue to be considered in this modern and civilized world. These issues require consideration from legislative bodies, labor rights institutions, social welf are groups, non governmental organizations and the most relevant institution that is ‘the union’. Unions need transformation to adjust and accommodate the needs of women and minority groups in an effective way. It can be done by taking into consideration all those issues which are currently being faced by the members of minority groups and then making policies and strategies to process these issues along with the general labor policies. Although the issue is been discussed and resolved in many ways until now, but its complexity suggests that it requires further consideration in various dimensions and by different institutions. To start with the unions, they must recruit the women and minority group members. It will give a moral support and deeper penetration into the problem to be solved. When the union involves such individuals, only then they can argue that they are working in the best interests of all the stakeholders. Furthermore, it will erase the unnecessary

The impact of the internet an markting development a case study of Dissertation

The impact of the internet an markting development a case study of apple Inc. computers - Dissertation Example high end electronic gadgets like mobile phones with innumerable features, computers, laptops, tabs and many more items have drastically changed every aspect of human life (Hou & Rego, 2002, p. 1). Everywhere technology has taken a leap. From irrigation to the agricultural revolution, from scientific upheaval to the invention of nuclear power, technology has made its presence felt. The list is endless. In this era of globalization with the effect of technology, marketing has also evolved thoroughly in every sector. Earlier marketing used to be a part of business strategy where the main intention was â€Å"telling and selling† the product by force or by will through different mediums like advertisement, push selling, door to door selling etc. to achieve business target first and then to meet the customers’ need (Kotler, 2008). In short it would be defined as â€Å"meeting needs profitably†. (Kotlar 2007). But with time the strategy of marketing has changed and has taken a different form altogether. Nowadays the foremost aim of marketing is to satisfy customers’ needs by providing them with better services without comprising on the benefits of the company. Most of the companies with the help of technology and information started using marketing as an effective tool to build and maintain customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return (Kotler, 2008). In topical time, technology is a vital influence and underlines the choice of implementation strategies of international marketing mix and furthermore â€Å"enables the more effective control of a firm’s diverse international activities.† (Bach, 2007, p. 3). From the above mentioned quotation it is understood that marketing has taken a new dimension with the emergence of the Internet. In this age of Information Technology (IT) most of the companies are exploring their business to another level by diversifying their resources and expanding their busines s on the global platform. With the help of the Internet, companies are utilizing this opportunity to go to every extent to increase their sales, promote their products and services. In simple words it can be explained that Internet marketing helps to market the business online. The increase in the number of online businessmen over a period of time made Internet marketing even more popular and important these days. With the emergence of the Internet, the traditional marketing idea has changed. The broad networking model helped to change the organizational function related to the marketing campaign, altering products or change in the service based on feedback from the customer, shareholders and others related to the companies. Today E-commerce has become important for every company starting from small ventures to MNCs, public or private sectors and common public in general, even to those who are not accessible to the Internet also by effective word of mouth or other medium like radio television etc (Costa, 2001; Keinan, 2000). The online medium provides a faster rate of innovation than the conventional channel (Lee, 2001, p. 12). Thus today's Internet marketing has transformed to a higher level with a lightning speed with respect to website design and usability advances, e-commerce facility, optimization of search engines, pay per click marketing strategy, web analytics initiative via social media, from the booking of bus-train-flight ticket to search for a holiday destination, from online education to online