Recipe for the American Dream

Writing 100 October 28, 2009 Essay 2 Recipe for the American Dream Since the establishment of this country, Americans have set their eyes on success. The way we define success has changed along with technology. The American Dream is â€Å"that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. †[1] When repeating this phrase out loud one draws up images of fancy cars, big houses, quality clothes, etc. What Adams fails to mention is that success requires work, furthermore success in terms of fancy cars, big houses and other luxuries require over 40 hours a week of work. The more time one spends at work, the less time one has to spend doing other things. Ellen Goodman’s â€Å"The Company Man†, is a prime example of why spending an excessive amount of time working is harmful to a human being. In providing a comfortable life for his family, the main character neglects to have a presence in his home. The pursuit of the American Dream calls for an unbalanced lifestyle, which alienates individuals from their families. Very early on, Americans are taught to believe that the more one does, the more one receives in return. It is undeniable that this ideology stems from biblical teachings; â€Å"for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. † (Galatians 6:7) This ideology continues to get instilled in every aspect of the average American’s life. The more studying a student does, the better grade the student receives. The more an athlete practices, the better athlete he’ll become. It is not odd that adults keep this ingrained in their minds as they go into the workforce. The more time and energy spent on the job, the more money and benefits an employee will receive. Money is an important ingredient in making the American Dream become a reality, and Americans experience constant reminders of the need to live the dream, through the media and peers. Living the Dream is not a crime in itself, but what gets sacrificed in the process may prove to be more valuable than most of the objects themselves. Christopher Clausen helps readers to understand in â€Å"Against Work† that â€Å"the workaholic†¦neglects his family, withdraws from social life and loses interest in sex. (Clausen 673) Phil, the main character in Goodman’s, â€Å"The Company Man† works â€Å"himself to death, finally and precisely at 3:00 am Sunday morning. † (Goodman 629) Before his death, Phil â€Å"worked six days a week, five of them until eight or nine at night, during a time when his own company had begun the four-day week for everyone but the executiv es. He had no outside extracurricular interests† (Goodman 329), not even his life at home. It is heartbreaking for someone to die leaving their offspring to go around â€Å"asking the neighbors what [their father] was like† the â€Å"day and a half before the funeral. (Goodman 630) Phil is so consumed by his job that his children never have the opportunity to connect with him and get to know him as a person, rather than simply their biological father. His wife admits to â€Å"missing him all these years† (Goodman 629), which shows his absence as her companion. Phil never grasps the concept of balance, which is understandable considering the Dream he makes a reality never puts balance into the equation. â€Å"Working to earn one’s bread is something few people can escape. Working out of moral vanity is sheer self-deception. [2] It is true that the majority of people work because they are conscious of the fact that they will receive compensation for their time spent working. While it is imperative to earn enough to put food on the table and clothing on the backs of our loved ones, it is also imperative keep life outside of work in mind. Although working to obtain a â€Å"comfortable† life, without having to live from paycheck to paycheck demands a lot of time from a weekly schedule, there are benefits to hard work besides earning more disposable income. Some would agree with Voltaire who states that â€Å"Work spares us from three great evils: boredom, vice and need. [3] Work will absolutely remedy boredom, and vice, but people will always have a need for something else. Work satisfies the need of money to provide food, clothing and shelter, but it disregards the need for love, care and affection. Many Americans struggle with finding a balance of work and family. It is far too often the case that individuals choose to pursue riches, while leaving every other aspect of their lives to suffer. It is ironic that Phil and many oth ers like him work to provide the family with a â€Å"better† life, according to American standards, while neglecting everything that makes a life meaningful. A study of Workaholism states that â€Å"spouses and children of workaholics report feeling lonely, unloved, isolated, and emotionally and physically abandoned. †[4] This behavior is reflected in Phil’s wife and children. â€Å"His second child†¦lives near her mother and they are close, but whenever she was alone with her father, in a car driving somewhere, they had nothing to say to each other. † (Goodman 630) Since Phil was absent so frequently, his own daughter feels no connection to him, even when he is present, it is as if she is riding along with a stranger. Phil works his way near the top of his company, but has nothing to show for it. Yes, he earns a great deal of money, but look at what it costs him in the long run. â€Å"He works like the important people† only to have the company president, on the afternoon of the funeral to begin, â€Å"discreetly of course, with care and taste to make inquiries about his replacement. † (Goodman 630) To the company, Phil, and others like him are disposable, like plastic spoons used to mix up the ingredients for turning the Dream into a reality. His hard work at the job did not console his wife, nor did it establish a strong relationship with his children. Phil’s work ethic even steered the youngest of his children away from obtaining a â€Å"serious† job. â€Å"The youngest†¦has spent the last couple of years, like a lot his friends, doing enough odd jobs to stay in grass and food. He was the one who tried to grab at his father, and tried to mean enough to him to keep the man at home. † (Goodman 630) The boy is traumatized by the way his father lived his life. Work is what causes his father to withdraw from his family, and there is no doubt that the American Dream is what spearheads the separation. The need to ensure the family â€Å"happiness† pushes Phil to working toward the top of his career, eventually causing the detachment. It is very easy to get wrapped up in wanting to procure certain material things for one’s family, especially living in America. It is understandable that an individual may want to acquire the â€Å"finer† things in life, but doing so should not take precedence over any other aspects of life, such as one’s family. Once family alliances become solidified in the workaholic father's absence, spouses resent having their turfs violated when workaholics do try to become more actively involved in their families. Older children, too, often rebuff the workaholic's attempts to reconnect with the family because they feel the reentry is too little, too late, or both. â€Å"[5] Too much of one thin g is never a good thing, there needs to be a balance in order achieve more in life. In attempting to take the ingredients for cooking up the American Dream, one needs to consider adding the spice of balance into the recipe, without it, the Dream is bittersweet. Works Cited Sheet †¢ (Adams-Truslow, John). â€Å"What is the American Dream? † The Epic America. 2002. 28 Oct. 2009 http://memory. loc. gov/learn/lessons/97/dream/thedream. html †¢ (Clausen, Christopher) â€Å"Against Work† Occasions for Writing, Di Yanni & Hoy. Eds. New York: Thompson, 2008 672-676. Print †¢ (Goodman, Ellen) â€Å"The Company Man† Occasions for Writing, Di Yanni & Hoy. Eds. New York: Thompson, 2008 629-630. Print †¢ Healthcare Training Institute. Study of Workaholism Part II: Spouses and Children of Workaholics http://www. homestudycredit. com/courses/contentWK/secWK16. html †¢ Voltaire http://www. uotesdaddy. com/quote/302901/voltaire/work-spares-us-from-three-evils-boredom-vice-and-need ———————– [1] Adams-Truslow, John. â€Å"What is the American Dream? † The Epic America. 2002. 28 Oct. 2009 http://memory. loc. gov/learn/lessons/97/dream/thedream. html [2] Clausen, Christopher. Against Work [3] Voltaire http://www. quotesdaddy. com/quote/302901/voltaire/work-spares-us-from-three-evils-boredom-vice-and-need [4] Healthcare Training Institute. Study of Workaholism Part II: Spouses and Children of Workaholics http://www. homestudycredit. com/courses/contentWK/secWK16. html [5] Ibid

Philosophical Analysis Essay

â€Å"In the case of an ordinary illusion of the senses we often say: This object seems thus or so; but in reality it is thus †¦ (but) the seeming is opposed to the reality only in so far as the chance experience of one point of view gets contrasted with what would be, or might be, experienced from some larger, more rationally permanent, or more exclusive and uniting point of view. † Truth is the embodiment of reality; reality is the embodiment of experience. Yet, truth and reality are problematic concepts. Reality, when expressed in categorical terms, is in itself manifest-creating concept; that is, there is no clearly defined boundary of finding the essence of entities. In short, an attempt to define reality will result to more questions. An attempt to examine the source or basis of reality will inevitably result to ambiguity. What is the implication of this fact to truth? Truth also becomes a manifest-creating concept. Its basis is, from a vantage point, a derivation of reality (Kant, 1786/1926). Here, there is a need to mention two bases of truth and reality. For some philosophers, reality and truth are generally derived from sense experience. Aristotle once argued that the fundamental basis of reality is actual reference to existing objects. Here, reality is objective; truth is absolute. For other philosophers, rationality rather than sense experience is the formal basis of reality. Descartes, for example, argued that sense experiences often result to disconcerting assumptions of what is real and ought to be real (Descartes, 1637/1999). An example may suffice this point. Suppose an individual sees an oar in the water. From sense experience, the individual will interpret the phenomenon as genuine phenomenon. However, the individual perception of what is real is compounded by illusory assumption of what ought to be real. Descartes argued that the oar in the water, when rationality is used as means to discern truth, is a reflection of an actual oar. 2) â€Å"The best definition of truth from a logical standpoint is that which is fated to be ultimately accepted by all investigators †¦ (and not something to be identified with) some purely personal end, some profit upon which a particular individual has set his heart. † For many centuries, philosophers pondered on the best definition of truth. Perhaps, the most influential philosopher who developed a systematic approach in analyzing the nature of truth is Immanuel Kant. According to Kant, truth in categorical definition is a derivation of collective facts (Kant, 1786/1926). Kant argued that when a set of facts are accepted to be truth by rational individuals, then it is by definition, part of truth. Subsequent philosophers such as Whitehead and Russell expounded on the concept of truth. According to these philosophers, there exists a set of truths which in character is both relative and self-sufficient. Truth is relative because the discretion of a group of rational individuals is also relative. It is self-sufficient because its consequence is self-compelling. When presented to different individuals, a truth compels the individual to believe and accept it as true. What is the general consequence of these assumptions of truth? In essence, such assumptions reject the notion of absolute truth. Absolute truth defines an epistemological basis of reality; that is, reality bounded not by the laws of nature, but by the law of necessity. One can refer to this reality as Being, Divine entity, or God. However, absolute truth is not necessarily a definitive clause of a Divine entity. Absolute truth is assumed by some philosophers to be manifested in quintessential entities; entities which are purported to exist in reality. It may be argued that this interpretation of reality may be a personalistic interpretation of ends. In any case, it is possible to prove this assumption. References Descartes, Rene. 1637/1999. Discourse on the Method. London: London Publishing House. Kant, Immanuel. 1786/1926. The Critique of Pure Reason. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.

Epidemly and biostats Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Epidemly and biostats - Assignment Example To do this, they have to contact hospitals and physicians. This activity requires a vast amount of resources and staff in order to accomplish its objectives and goals. a) The conclusion reached may be incorrect because proportional mortality was used when cause-specific mortality rates were needed. Cause specific rates are applied when calculating deaths from a specific disease (Polit, 2010). Proportionate mortality is applied when calculating the number of deaths in relation to the total deaths or all deaths (100%) a) The number of deaths from lung cancer in carpenters in 1949–1960 was greater than the number of deaths from lung cancer in bricklayers during the same period. SMR is often used to study the mortality in a specific occupation. From the data, carpenters have a higher mortality than brick layers during the same period. a)Reduce selection bias in the allocation of treatment. Treatment differences which are identified from nonrandomized trial designs possess methodological weaknesses. For example, cohort effects, selection bias and confounding. As such, the major purpose of a random assignment is to counter this methodological weakness. a)Avoid observer and subject bias. A double blind experiment design tests a drug or treatment’s effect by using groups of control and experimental subjects whereby neither the investigators nor the subjects know which drug is being used on which group (Grove, 2007). Therefore, this design eliminates the issue of prejudgment which can distort the

The Role of Leadership and Innovation in Sustaining Competitiveness Essay

The Role of Leadership and Innovation in Sustaining Competitiveness - Essay Example Therefore, organizations with creative and effective leadership will be able to sustain competitiveness in their business environment due to their superior strategic measures compared to their competitors. Organizational leadership involves the ability of management to achieve and protect a company’s benefits through the ability to balance employees’ needs and company targets by ensuring that there are no frictions between the two demands. This entails bringing employee demands and organizational needs together to work in an environment that will enable effective and efficient achievement a common goal. Consequently, organizational leadership has a central role of cultivating synergies between the organization and its employees. Leadership helps the member of an organization and working teams overcome workplace environmental challenges therefore working to achieve organizational goals in a worthy way (Kalamas & Kalamas and p.2004).   Innovative ideas can also motivate employees to give their best to the organization. Organizations that allow employees to undertake new and non-traditional ways of working will gain more from employees’ talents. ... Leadership is important for an organization since it enables the organization and organizational teams achieve their set goals. When leaders and the people led do not know where they are heading in terms of organizational goals and objectives, then leadership means nothing. Therefore, it is important for leaders in organizations to have a clear vision of how and where they see the organization in the future. According to Maxey (2000, p.48), vision of an organization represents a mental image of its possible and desirable future. The future of an organization depends on its leadership ability to recognize organizational changes accurately and use them intelligently for the improvement and sustainability of the organization. Sage and Rouse (2011, p.800) note leaders focus on the on the future and therefore the what separates a cultural change that fails from that which succeeds is the competent leadership at the top of organizational command. The importance of having a leader who is ab le to set visions for how the organization will operate in future can be demonstrated by the approach taken by Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs, as a strategic leader for Apple is an appropriate example in the area of creativity and innovation (Ireland, Hoskisson and Hitt 2008, p.36). He was able to position Apple to seize future markets through the firm’s strategy, which was based on insights into external opportunities. Steve Jobs recognized that Apple had a limited client base in the personal computing market. Nevertheless, Jobs maintained that the company was undertaking a long-term strategy that would see it operate beyond personal computer industry. Further, Steve Jobs claimed that he was waiting for the next big thing that was

Observation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Observation - Essay Example He is one of those people who have the talent for making a person feel really welcome. Though the shop is located in the suburbs, in a sparse neighborhood, yet all sorts of people prefer to visit this place owing to its rustic appeal, the social variety it offers, the jovial nature of old Joe and to have a cup of good coffee and a hearty cheese sandwich at a warm and friendly place. It is early morning and I am here to have breakfast after working long hours on a particularly difficult English assignment. As usual old Joe is sitting behind the counter, placing his chubby hands gently over his generous belly, passing a broad smile to every new visitor. I am rubbing my sleepy eyes, trying to get rid of the fatigue that has overtaken me. Going by the early hours most of the tables are still unoccupied. An aged couple is occupying the table to the left of me. They must be in their seventies. The husband is slowly munching a cheese sandwich while the wife is looking at him with tender eyes. Both of them are quiet, focusing more on the breakfast. The table in front of me has three young people sitting there, one boy and two girls, all the three in their early twenties, loudly laughing and chuckling as they talk over the breakfast. The table in the ill lit corner is occupied by a tall man with grizzled hair who looks really handsome. He is accompanied by a lady who seems to be a bit over weight, but otherwise cute. Both seem to be engaged in some intimate conversation, totally oblivious of other people in the shop. The place is gradually warming up with more people walking in. Here come a group of college students, five of them, three gents and two girls, all of them really loud. Being lost in my reveries I am not able to grab much of their conversation except for the bits and pieces like â€Å"History†, â€Å"Kills’, â€Å"missed the class†, â€Å"What a bore!†. Perhaps they are talking about the history

Survey result section with pie charts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Survey result section with pie charts - Essay Example From the results, some teachers felt that direct instruction to the students either individually or in class was an effective method. The numbers were however less (12%) as compared the group the group that preferred a cooperative learning approach moderated by the teacher (76%). In this method the learners would choose the topic of their liking and research on it before teaching their fellow students. None of the teacher preferred thought it was a good idea for the learner to be left to acquire the knowledge alone. This would deny the learner a chance to have a different perspective of the concept like the peers. The case study results indicated that 65 percent of the teachers (15) preferred to resolve the situation by dividing the students into mixed groups and letting them assist each other in learning (Answer 1). Some 22% of the teachers interviewed (5) thought it suitable to teach the whole group at the pace of the slow learner (answer 2). The remaining 13% or 3 of the interviewed teachers thought that the teacher should divide the student according to ability and teach them differently (answer 3). None of the teacher interviewed thought that teaching at the pace of the high level learning ability students was beneficial. From the results, a majority preferred the approach of combining the higher level learning ability with the low level learning students. This means that the students could cooperate with each other to effectively acquire the knowledge from their peers better. It should be noted that it is difficult to determine the learning pace of the slow students. This explains the reason why the method of mixed ability grouping was preferred by the majority. Dividing the group into two was not proposed by many. This because it would be difficult to foster social leaning between the learners and how the learners would benefit from each other is not

The Transferability of HR Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

The Transferability of HR Management - Essay Example The management of facilities and HR practices while being the core components to whether corporations are successful, they themselves are reliant on cultural factors. This creates a very complex arena in which global corporations do business, and unsaid laws to which they must adhere. It is a common belief among corporate researchers that cultural, institutional and societal conditions act as barriers or mediate corporate transfer. Along with this belief is the understanding that cultural and institutional conditions can only be understood within the context of their particular regions. In module 4, the author assesses the transferability of educational institutions and policies, as well as the reality of transferring policies to global corporations. This was found to be a very risky venture as some policy of practice were not easily transferable across cultural barriers. In the first section the author discusses one area of work on transfer that has originated within an educational arena. Turbin looks at the research of educationalists who have studied the transfer of educational practices, and sometimes systems, between the developed and less developed countries. (module 4) The focus on education and the transferability of HR management within the educational corporate structure is widely overlooked globally, but in the U.K. UCL is a leader in this position. It is one of the more profitable institutes in the U.K., as well as being one of the most prestigious. Its activity based management relies on the continuous improvement of the curriculum to enhance value of the degree it offers in the eye of the consumer, as well as in the eyes of the potential employers of that consumer. The newly ventured research, more often than not, is funded by grants, and is expected to be of substantial benefit to the community. It also makes the institute more creditable. Any new facility being built (i.e. a cafeteria, Library, stadium), any funding towards and extra curricular program (i.e. athletics, academic clubs, sociological studies,), or anything else that might draw positive attention to the University all classify as add-vale activities. Even once the Universitie s benchmarks have been complete, UCL is recognizable for its continuous growth, largely due to the merger. As of the financial portfolio for 2005, UCL was able to increase its value of endowment asset investments by 3 million. This was an increase to 78 million from the 75 million from the previous year. It borrowed 25 million from the Royal Bank of Scotland. The gross income of the University increased last year by 6.8%, earning them 489.8 million. There Academic fee income increased by 9.8 %, earning the school another 76.5 million. On top of this the University was awarded a 1.3% increase in Research Grants and Contract income which was an estimated 161.9 million. The University consists of 28,000 staff and students. This includes more than 3,800 academic research staff spread over 72 departments. They have the highest number of professors of any University in the country consisting of 600. They also have the highest number of female professors (UCL, 2005.) This focus on educatio nal practices put global transferability of HR and Facility management in a simpler perspective. It also makes a very

Analysis of Irony and Coincidence in Suzhou River Essay

Analysis of Irony and Coincidence in Suzhou River - Essay Example Lou Ye departs drastically from other contemporaries of Beijing Film Academy, takes an abrupt swing from the downbeat realism that characterizes their works, and embarks on a mystical treatment of the theme. He employs irony and elements of coincidence in portraying the theme of love in a complex and obscure manner that makes the movie a mysterious enigma for the audience. The movie deals with the romance between Mardar and Moudan, as narrated by an unnamed videographer. Mardar, a motorcycle courier runs the errand of riding Moudan from her father’s residence to a relative’s place whenever the father wants to engage in his assignations. The girlish Moudan, young an adventurous, asks him to â€Å"drive like Schwarzenegger.† (Ye, Lou). The couple falls in love but tragedy strikes in their lives in the form of Mardar’s betrayal of her. Mardar is associated with the criminal underworld and is forced to kidnap Moudan on the instructions of the gang he belongs to, in order to extract money from her father. Moudan learns about Mardar’s deceit, and heartbroken, she jumps into Suzhou River and disappears. Mardar is arrested for complicity in the incident and sentenced to imprisonment. When he returns he meets Meimei, a look-alike of Moudan, who works as a night club performer, dressed up as a mermaid. Mardar believes she is M oudan, and wants to seduce her. The videographer who is obsessed with Moudan tries to drive Mardar out of town. Tragedy strikes again when the couple gets consumed the metaphorical river. The mystic play of love and obsession between Mardar and Moudan, and the videographer and Meimei, between Meimei and Mardar, further underline the complexity of love, makes it impossible for the viewer to exactly know whether Meimei is actually Moudan’s reincarnation or just Mardar’s illusion or whether Moudan’s story is real or just a fictitious one. Lou Ye uses irony to good effect in alluding to the complexity of

The Quest for Becoming a Star Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Quest for Becoming a Star - Essay Example We go out and it is a rat race, people briskly walking without saying hi to those they meet and they are not even looking at each other’s faces, somehow, we all have set our eyes on that bright star that we seem to see nothing else. We consider Mark Zuckerberg (Rusli) exceedingly brilliant and we want to be like him. We adore Steve Jobs and so we give our children all the latest gadgets we can afford hoping they will someday find out what made Gates extremely wealthy. We look with enthusiasm to Oprah Winfrey (Colander) like she is our very selves, knowing her well from head to toe and fighting with her critiques like they have hit us on the head. Who would not want to be like them? All that is said about them are complements and if there would be derogatory comments that slip one’s mouth or be published on print or the internet, they do not have the need to talk for themselves because they have unsolicited help that will surely be available for their rescue. That must b e a wonderful life. And so we go on with gusto, working hard for every penny we could save, putting ourselves in the best school hoping that is where we will find our gold. Whatever, it takes, we have to find our fuels that would propel us to the top, that which would bring us to our brightest star where along with it we could shine and gain the praises of men. But was it not one of them who said, â€Å"When you get to the top, there is nothing there†? Boris Becker, was at the very top of his tennis career when he considered all his achievements and fame are worth nothing because somehow he found out that his life as a star is not all exciting when you are living it (bible.org). Similar stories abound, yet we have the hope that we would be different. We argue that we know better, that we would know how to manage a star-like life therefore we still continue our journey and find out for ourselves what could be found there. In the end we will find out we are all the same. Rich o r poor, male or female, educated or uneducated, intelligent or dumb, we all are on a level that make us notice our neighbors again, smile and say hi to those we meet and perhaps try to walk against the mob and wake them in their dreamy quest. Should we get an ugly dog, bathe it, apply perfume on it and dress it up, would it become a better dog? We buy one that is worth much more expensive than the latest ipad and treat it more than we treat people. We consider it our best friend for we argue that they can save our lives, look after our security needs but we know that that is sad because humans need humans for their best friends and dogs need dogs for their company. What if Zuckerberg lived centuries ago, would he still been known as Mark Zuckerberg? What if we stripped off Steve Jobs of his wit and education, would he still be human? What if Oprah Winfrey was not famous and rich? Surely, she would still be Oprah Winfrey, a human being, capable of and in need of love, care, friendshi p, company and all that make us human. Oh sure, I am sounding so idealistic and so this is what is proposed. In a world where you use the computer to get in touch with other people through the internet or simply to search for information and, through the process you find a statement blinking at you that you have to prove you are human and not a computer by following some steps it requires, things are just absurd. But absurdity

The Role of PsychiatricNurse Practitioner Essay

The Role of PsychiatricNurse Practitioner - Essay Example However, after liberalization of advanced nurses, some of the researches have revealed that this carder of nurses are being underutilized especially within the realism of mental health. The area that they cover is wide since they are based in the communities where the mental disease burden is notable. The following are the prescribed area of services that the nurses they offer in the community. The role ranges across from admission to discharge and comprehensive pharmacotherapy that is involved. On admission, the advanced practice psychiatric mental health nurse, evaluates the patient’s status. This helps the nurse to know whether the patient is for the admission or discharge on evaluation. The other role is taking overnight calls and coverage when there is shortage of psychiatrist. More importantly, it’s the ability of this nurses to perfume extensive diagnostic skills and come up with psychiatric and mental disorders with precision of psychiatrists that are perfect. Such competencies are developed during their preparation and education which they undertake role plays in order to have a clear understanding of their environment from all angles (Hubbard, 2014). More so, they carry out interventions and implementation of the treatment plans for a caseload patients that are under isolations. Such interventions includes psychopharmacology, individual family or gr oup psychotherapy. They have the ability of covering on emergence psychiatric patient. Muxworthy and Bowllan (2007), the realization of knowledge that nurses with advanced credential are needed is paramount since the medical field is overarched by the physicians who are less than the disease. Nursing profession is slowly being revolutionized and the dominance is slowly being suppressed by the increased disease burden and the capacity of nurses to perform at advanced levels. The disease burden of the mentally patients is rising due to a number of factors such as substance abuse,

United States and New York Times Essay Example for Free

United States and New York Times Essay What is the article or editorial about (100-150 words)? A 14 year old girl, Malala Yousafzai was shot in head and neck by Taliban while she was in her school bus with fellow students. Malala Yousafzai, who raised her voice for the education rights and opposed Taliban for their actions against women education in her home town, was a symbol of pride for the region. Malala came into attention in 2009 when she was covered by many international media groups for her brave initiative fighting for women rights. She was awarded by many organizations including the government of Pakistan. Malala was taken to a hospital in Peshawar and doctors said that there is a chance that the bullet would have damaged her brain. Many people including the Prime minister of Pakistan Condemned the incident. What are your thoughts? For instance, how does it relate to what we have discussed in class (100-150 words)? I cannot imagine how ignorant one can be and what guts it takes for someone to attack a 14 years old girl who raised her opinion for education rights. Taliban who call themselves the protectors of Islam do not even know that attacking children and elderly is strictly prohibited in Islam and that Islam has given equal rights of education to women. These incidents create a negative image of a region all over the world. We discussed about the women rights in class and that it is not like this everywhere in Pakistan, in fact this action was opposed by everyone in the country. This action by the Taliban determines how coward they have portrayed themselves. It takes a lot  of courage for a girl to come out of nowhere and fight for the rights humanity. In my opinion her efforts created a lot of awareness among the people in the country and especially her region where the literacy rate is less than 50 percent.

The power of music

The power of music The Power of Music Music surrounds us in our everyday lives. We hear it when we are in the car, at work, when we are shopping, at restaurants, at doctors offices, and many more places. The music serves a purpose other than entertainment at many of these places.   Music has the power to influence mood and behavior in people and it is no secret that it is used at every available opportunity. We are introduced to music in our mothers womb even before we are born. It is used to sooth, to hype up, to educate, for entertainment, as a medium to remember information, for medical purposes, and so much more. Music is used in many ways to improve and enhance the lives of people. It is meant to be consumed, whether it is by the listener, performer, or composer. It is a way to translate feelings and desires that are sometimes difficult to express using language. The style of music has changed dramatically throughout the ages. For instance, there are six main eras in music history. The Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Twentieth Century. The music in these eras reflects the time period. Music has been and always will be a popular form of entertainment for many. The dictionary defines music as an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color(Dictionary). Music has the ability and power to influence human thoughts and behaviors. Employers and retail stores use the power of music to produce a desired behavior from their employees and customers. For example, according to The Journal of Marketing, background music is thought to improve the stores image, make employees happier, reduce employee turnover rate, and to stimulate customer purchasing (Milliman). Does music actually influence mood and behavior? What is it about music that affects mood? According to an article in the Music Educators Journal, volume, tempo, consonance, dissonance, tone color and form all may have an effect on a persons mood (Gaston). It is not just the music itself that has an effect on people; the lyrics of a song can also have an effect. Many people are concerned that music with violent or derogatory lyrics may have a negative effect on youth and provoke violent behavior. Many researchers have examined the effects of how music provokes violent behavior. In a study conducted at Western Connecticut State University researchers examined whether or not watching a violent music video would provoke the participants to answer questions with violent responses. There were thirty-three participants, eleven in each of three groups; one group watched violent music videos, another group watched non-violent music videos, and the last group did not watch any videos. Afterw ard, the participants were given a questionnaire. The study found that the violent music videos did provoke participants to react more violently when answering questions about hypothetical scenarios (Tropeano). People are introduced to music even before they are born. According to an article in Pregnancy Today, by the fifth month of pregnancy the babys hearing is completely developed and they are able to hear noises that are outside the womb. Prenatal stimulation through music may provide some babies with a sense of confidence and relaxation when they are born (Lacey). In 1993 a study was conducted in Irvine, California by Dr. Francis Raucher, Dr. Gordon L. Shaw, and their colleagues on a group of thirty-six undergraduate college students it was found that they improved their spatial-temporal intelligence (the ability to mentally manipulate objects in three-dimensional space) after listening to 10 minutes of a Mozart sonata. The results of the study showed that student IQ scores improved by 8-9 points and lasted for 10-15 minutes. This study was coined the Mozart effect (Jones). Music is sometimes used to relax and soothe people. After a stressful event, listening to calming or classical music relaxes the body and mind. Music can also induce a more positive state of mind. It has long been believed that music can also act as an aphrodisiac (an element, either natural or chemical, that stimulates a sexual desire). Human senses are powerful and can trigger emotion. The type of music depends on the person. Music triggers different emotions in different people. What one person enjoys and is stimulated by could disgust and upset someone else. Many people use music as a way to get pumped up. Gyms usually play music with a faster tempo to increase speed and motivation. According to a study on musical tempo an increased tempo increased the speed in which people preformed simple tasks. It also affected the participants in the study by acting as a stressor and increasing their heart rate. When the tempo of the music was reduced the heart rate decreased (Mayfield). Music with a fast tempo and stimulates and demands physical activity. Music therapy is growing in the field of medicine. Its calming effects can help reduce anxiety and ward off the negative effects of stress (Stress and the Environment). This can help by reducing the negative effect t the stress response has on the body and mind. Music is used for medical purposes such as lowering blood pressure and autism. In an Italian study twenty-eight peoples blood pressure was monitored for twenty-four hours. They were then given a CD of classical, Celtic, or Indian music to listen to for thirty minutes per day for one month. After the month the patients blood pressure was monitored once again. The patients blood pressure did in fact drop. Their average systolic blood pressure (the first number in a blood pressure reading) had dropped three points, and their average diastolic blood pressure (the second number in a blood pressure reading) had dropped four points. There were twenty other patients who did not listen to music and after monitoring their blood pressu re, there was no change (Hitti). Children who have been diagnosed with autism receive many benefits from music therapy. Depending on where children are placed on the autism spectrum music can assist with communication and provide structural regularity that the children need (downey). We have seen that music is used for healing but what about as a weapon of war? In 1989, music used as a weapon to torture first came into light. U.S. Troops blared loud music in an effort to induce the surrender of Manual Norriega, the Panamanian president. According to an article written by Suzanne G. Cusick this form of torture, called acoustic bombardment went mainstream after the cold war and is a common practice on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom (Cusick). The US also used this acoustic bombardment during interrogations in Guantanamo (Rapp). What is it about music that has such a profound effect on the human mind and body? Research has shown that music with a strong beat can stimulate brain waves to sync with the beat. The fast beat encourages sharper thinking and better concentration whereas the slower beat creates a relaxed almost meditative state. Music can also stimulate the brain to change gears easier. It effects remain evident even when you are done listening (Saarman). Using music to advertise is a good way to for a company to get the attention of a potential client or customer and for them to purchase the product or service that they are offering. Jingles are often easier for people to remember than just plain information. Many companies use popular artists or songs as a medium to advertise their products. One such company is Dr. Pepper. Their advertisements feature popular songs in hopes of getting the attention and marketing to the specific demographic associated with the song. By using music in advertising the company wants the listener to associate the song or tune with the product or service so when they hear the song they will think of the product or service. This is a great way for people to remember what they are selling. Religion uses music as a means to express ones faith and devotion. Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the worlds most famous and influential composers, wrote most of his music for the Lutheran church. Modern Christian songs are derived from popular music tunes and uses religious lyrics. According to an article written by Lorenzo Candelaria who is an assistant music professor at the University of Texas at Austin, Sacred music and art allow us to touch the face of God, through our perception of the world around us.' He believes that music is a way for people to understand their faith and spirituality and is a direct way for people to try to make sense of life and the afterlife (Moini). Music is sometimes used solely for entertainment purposes and accompanies many group and individual activities. Must is played in places such as dance clubs and skating rinks and produces a feeling of power. Faster music will control the speed at which you skate or dance or put you in the mood to do any of these activities.   Music is almost always used in movies. It can used to produce the feeling of suspense or excitement. It is used in tear-jerkers to solicit an emotional response of empathy. As you can see music has been and will always be woven into the fabric of our society. There are many uses for music and it has many hidden meaning and uses. Who knew that music was such a powerful tool and could have so many effects on the human body and mind? Its power spans from entertainment and fun to the ability to heal, reducing stress, creating a desired atmosphere for shoppers and employees, and so much more. What does the future of music hold for us?

The Fmcg Industry Of Netherland Marketing Essay

The Fmcg Industry Of Netherland Marketing Essay This Global/ Country Study and Report is prepared as the partial fulfillment for Forth Semester of degree Program of Masters of Business Administration curriculum of GUJARAT TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY. The topic of the project is FMCG Industry in Netherland. Here, the project report on Netherland, we have tried our level best to Collect information from it and prepare this report as an error free report; We assured that all information is trusted: every effort has been made to offer the most authenticate position with accuracy. During the whole project period we got a lot of knowledge and came to know about the reality of the mining industry of the country. Acknowledgement The successful completion of a Global Country Project Report requires guidance help from a number of people. We were fortunate to have all the support from our faculty, therefore take this opportunity to express our profound sense of gratitude to the all those who extended their whole hearted help and support to us in completing the project study report work on FMCG Industry in Netherland. We also express our deep sense of gratitude to Prof. Ramzan Samaa (Guide Faculty), who has helped us to do our project. We also thank to other faculty of L J Institute of Management Studies respondents for his valuable help in each stage of the project. Because of his co-operation and continuous guidance successful completion of this project study report was made possible. No Acknowledge would suffice for the support of my family members, classmates friends. Lastly, we extend our thanks to all whose name have not been mentioned in successful way carrying out the project report. Index Sr No. Particulars Page No. 1. The FMCG industry of Netherland Introduction 7 2. Upgrades on major mines in North Korea 15 3. The North Korea Mining Business Projects Between Korean Mining Projects Foreign Company Mining Projects 26 4. The outlook for Inter Korean Mining Corporation 34 5. The Indian Mining Industry- Market Opportunities Entry 36 6. Future Prospects 38 7. Conclusion 39 Introduction of FMCG Industry Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) or consumer packaged goods (CPG) are products that are sold quickly and at relatively low cost . Examples include non-durable goods such as soft drinks, and grocery items. Though the absolute profit made on FMCG products is relatively small, they are generally sold in large quantities, and so the cumulative profit on such products can be substantial. Fast-moving consumer electronics are a type of FMCG and are typically low priced generic or easily substitutable consumer electronics, including lower end mobile phones, MP3 players, game players, and digital cameras, which have a short usage life, typically a year or less, and as such are disposable. Cheap FMCG electronics are often retained even after immediate failure, as the purchaser rationalizes the decision to not return the goods on the basis that the goods were cheap to begin with, and that the cost of return relative to the low cost of purchase is high. Thus low-quality electronic FMCG goods can be highly profitable for the vendors. The term FMCGs refers to those retail goods that are generally replaced or fully used up over a short period of days, weeks, or months, and within one year. This contrasts with durable goods or major appliances such as kitchen appliances, which are generally replaced over a period of several years. FMCG have a short shelf life, either as a result of high consumer demand or because the product deteriorates rapidly. Some FMCGs-such as meat, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and baked goods-are highly perishable. Other goods such as alcohol, toiletries, pre-packaged foods, soft drinks, and cleaning products have high turnovers rates. An excellent example is a news papers-every days newspaper carries different content, making one useless just one day later, necessitating a new purchase every day. The following are the main characteristics of FMCGs: From the consumers perspective: Frequent purchase Low involvement (little or no effort to choose the item products with strong brand loyalty are exceptions to this rule) Low price From the marketers angle: High volumes Low contribution margins Extensive distribution networks High stock turnover Introduction of FMCG Industry in Netherland The Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) market in Europe is highly competitive. This market is quite saturated, with thight margins and difficult to predict consumer behavior. The battle to win consumers is forcing companies to give highest priority to cost reduction, risk management and logistics efficiency. Moreover, the recession has changed the behaviour of almost all consumers. Instead of impulsive shopping, price value trade-offs and extensive search for value are nowadays leading. In this respect, you can imagine that e-tailing and e-commerce are becoming more and more trending topics. Online presence of companies has improved enormously in recent years. Every company which delivers their products to end-consumers has its own webshop. MediaMarkt, the electronica retail chain with a franchise-formula, part of the German METRO Group, was one of the last large retail chains which hasnt a webshop untill now. Their invisibility on the web was due to regional price differences of their products. Up to now, because even the MediaMarkt now opened its webshop. Other examples are the British company, The Body Shop, which started last November with their webshop in the Netherlands. Its important to take care of reinforcement between online and offline shop, instead of the other way around. On the other hand, companies with a pure online focus, like bol.com and wehkamp.nl, are reaching the highest turnover levels. A recent research of JP Morgan reveals that the worldwide growth of e-commerce in 2011 will be 19%. In 2012 this growth will be more than 20%. The online sales in the US and Europe will grow at a stable level, but Asia will emerge as a growing e-commerce market. Regarding e-commerce in Europe, the main importance and presence in this segment is coming from West-Europe. In this are, the market is expected to grow with 11% per year in the coming four years. The turnover from online shopping in Western Europe in 2009 was equal to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 68bln. The most popular products to buy online are books, event-tickets and clothing. Recent transactions in the e-commerce market support the above statement. In 2007 Sanoma acquired mrticket.nl, an online ticketing agency. In 2010, the Italian company Arnoldo Mondadori Editore acquired Mondolibri, active in the book segment. Recently, Sanoma Digital acquired (a part of) No Search, an internet marketing company, active in the development of several fashion portals like Fashionchick.nl. As mentioned earlier, online fashion is a high growth segment in the e-commerce market. Based on recent transactions in the e-commerce market, the estimated EBITDA multiple for mid-market companies is on average around 6-8 times EBITDA. Despite the international character of the European e-commerce market, only 7% of all European consumers buy their products in webshops in other EU-countries. Probably, this number will rise in coming years. Looking at the Dutch e-commerce market, youll see that the Netherlands are rather active in this online segment, because 71% of all consumers buy products online. An important reason for the growth of the e-commerce market is the trust that consumers have in the security regarding payments. Just 7% of the Dutch population is worried about this financial security. In the Netherlands, since several years an online secure payment system exists, callled iDeal, which means that customers can easily connect with their bank to make safe online payments. This type of payment is an important succes factor in the e-commerce market. To further realise growth in the e-commerce market in the future, it will be important to develop a cross-channel strategy in the coming years. Consumers will buy offline as well as online and mobile commerce is a new channel, which will develop in the near future. In the Netherlands 69% of the consumers buy products via 2 or more different channels, in the US this percentage is even higher, 78%. In general, for the retail sector, branding and customer loyalty are important factors for success. Nowadays, social media is used to reinforce branding and to promote several in-store loyalty programs as well as customer loyalty programs. In the near future, social media could be used as well for sharing online purchasing activities. Recently, wehkamp.nl has invested in social shopping applications in their webshop, so that customers can shop online together with friends, or could start a private shopping session. Other key factors, which are important to realise the predicted growth in the future are the focus on expansion in other countries as well as a variety of segments in different webshops. Furthermore, the e-commerce segment is of interest to several private equity clubs. It is expected that this will lead to consolidation in the market, which will lead to larger e-commerce companies and a stronger competitiveness in the market. Figures released by Statistics Netherlands show that retail turnover was nearly 1 percent higher in August 2012 than in the same month last year. Prices rose by 1.9 percent, while the volume of sales fell by 1 percent. The favourable shopping-day pattern had a positive effect on turnover in August this year. After correction for this effect, turnover is nearly 2 percent lower, and the volume is around 4 percent lower. Compared with August 2011, turnover in non-food shops was nearly 5 percent lower. The decrease in turnover in the first eight months of 2012 is now just under 4 percent. The largest drop in turnover was reported by shops selling home furnishings; their turnover was 13 percent down on August last year. Textile supermarkets and clothes shops, too, experienced large decreases in turnover. Chemists were the only shops that saw turnover increase. For shops selling food, drink and tobacco turnover rose by 7 percent. After adjustment for the effects of shopping-days, however, this drops to only 2 percent. Prices in these shops rose by 1.5 percent, while the increase in volume was limited. Turnover for mail order companies and internet retailers rose by 9 percent, for petrol stations it grew by nearly 4 percent. FMCG companies/Retail stores in Netherland HEMA (originally an acronym for Hollandsche Eenheidsprijzen Maatschappij Amsterdam, Dutch Standard Prices Company Amsterdam) is a Dutch discount retail chain that started life as a dimestore. It was part of the Maxeda company until June 2007, when it was bought by Lion Capital LLP. The chain is characterized by relative low pricing of generic housewares, which are mostly made by and for the chain itself, often combined with original design. The first HEMA opened in Amsterdam on 4 November 1926, set up by the Jewish owners of the luxury department store De Bijenkorf. Originally, as a price-point retailer at prime locations in town centers, goods were sold using standard prices (hence its name), with everything having a Standard price of 10, 25 or 50 cents, and later also 75 and 100 cents. The relative economic boom in the Netherlands in the period 1900-1930 benefited HEMA. Branches http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/HEMA_interieur.JPG/220px-HEMA_interieur.JPG http://bits.wikimedia.org/static-1.21wmf12/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png Since the 1990s, HEMA has also expanded into neighboring countries. HEMA branches by country per 2011: Netherlands: 445 Belgium: 88 Germany: 10 (in 2013) Luxembourg: 4 (in 2013) France: 16 (in 2013) De Bijenkorf De Bijenkorf (literally, the beehive) is a chain of high-end department stores in the Netherlands with its flagship store on Dam Square, Amsterdam. It was founded by Simon Philip Goudsmit (1845-1889). De Bijenkorf flagship store on Dam Square in Amsterdam De Bijenkorf was founded in 1870 by Simon Philip Goudsmit (1845-1889), starting as a small haberdashery shop at 132 Nieuwendijk, one of Amsterdams oldest streets. Initially limited to yarn and ribbons and employing a staff of four, the stock expanded gradually. After the death of Goudsmit in 1889, Goudsmits widow expanded the business with the help of a cousin, Arthur Isaac, and her son Alfred, eventually purchasing adjacent buildings. In 1909, these connecting shops were replaced by a new building. That same year, a temporary building was erected on the site of the demolished Beurs van Zocher, and construction of a new store commenced beside it. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Lahayebijenkorf19.JPG/120px-Lahayebijenkorf19.JPG http://bits.wikimedia.org/static-1.21wmf12/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png De Bijenkorf in The Hague Rotterdam store, 1930-1940 A third store opened in Rotterdam in 1930, designed by Willem Dudok. 700,000 people attended the ceremony. The store was heavily damaged in the Rotterdam Blitz of 1940. The intact part of the store remained open to business until 1957, but was cleared in 1960 to build the Rotterdam Metro. A new store was designed by Hungarian-American architect Marcel Breuer (1902-1981). As of 2012, de Bijenkorf has 12 stores nationwide. The oldest and largest branches, situated in Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam have retail space ranging between 15,000 and 21,000 square meters. Smaller stores (7,500-10,000 m ² of retail space) can be found in Amstelveen, Arnhem, Eindhoven, Enschede, Utrecht and Maastricht. The branches in Breda, Den Bosch and Groningen specialize in fashion (3,000 m ² retail space). Metz Co Metz Co is a department store in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, founded in 1740 by Mozes Samuels who sold his company to his three sons in 1794. Metz Co. has the right to display the Dutch royal coat of arms with the legend By Royal Warrant Purveyor to the Royal Household since 1815. To celebrate its 150th anniversary in 1890 the store moved to a new location on the Leidsestraat, where the company is still located. One of the first designers was Paul Bromberg (1893-1949), he became famous as a author and promotor of Decorative Arts and Interior Design. The distinctive cupola on the stores roof was built in the 1930s and designed by Dutch artist Gerrit T. Rietveld. Metz Co celebrated its 250th anniversary in 1990 by launching its own fragrance. The roof of the store doubles as an exclusive location for wedding ceremonies. Introduction of FMCG industry in India India is one of the largest emerging markets, with a population of over one billion. India is one of the largest economies in the world in terms of purchasing power and has a strong middle class base of 300 million. FMCG companies operate in a highly competitive and fast-changing environment. In order to stay ahead, they need to regularly renew their product portfolio to suit the ever changing needs and preferences of their customers. ValueNotes has executed in-depth research in many segments of the FMCG industry and can help you keep your finger on the pulse of your existing consumers; identify new markets for your products; track the activities of your competitors; and monitor industry trends. India a large consumer goods spender An average Indian spends around 40 per cent of his income on grocery and 8 per cent on personal care products. The large share of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) in total individual spending along with the large population base is another factor that makes India one of the largest FMCG markets. FMCG Category and products Household Care Fabric wash (laundry soaps and synthetic detergents); household cleaners (dish/utensil cleaners, floor cleaners, toilet cleaners, air fresheners, insecticides and mosquito repellents, metal polish and furniture polish). Food and Health beverages; soft drinks; staples/cereals; Beverages bakery products (biscuits, bread, cakes); snack food; chocolates; ice cream; tea; coffee; soft drinks; processed fruits, vegetables; dairy products; bottled water; branded flour; branded rice; branded sugar; juices etc. Personal Care Oral care, hair care, skin care, personal wash (soaps); cosmetics and toiletries; deodorants; Perfumes; feminine hygiene; paper products. INDIA COMPETITIVENESS AND COMPARISON WITH THE WORLD MARKETS Materials availability India has a diverse agro-climatic condition due to which there exists a wide-ranging and large raw material base suitable for food processing industries. India is the largest producer of livestock, milk, sugarcane, coconut, spices and cashew and is the second largest producer of rice, wheat and fruits vegetables. India also has an ample supply of caustic soda and soda ash, the raw materials in the production of soaps and detergents India produced 1.6 million tonnes of caustic soda in 2003-04. Tata Chemicals, one of the largest producers of synthetic soda ash in the world is located in India. The availability of these raw materials gives India the locational advantage. Cost competitiveness Labour cost comparison Source: DIPP. Apart from the advantage in terms of ample raw material availability, existence of low-cost labour force also works in favour of India. Labour cost in India is amongst the lowest in Asian countries. Easy raw material availability and low labour costs have resulted in a lower cost of production. Many multi-nationals have set up large low cost production bases in India to outsource for domestic as well as export markets. Leveraging the cost advantage Global major, Unilever, sources a major portion of its product requirements from its Indian subsidiary, HLL. In 2003-04, Unilever outsourced around US$ 218 million of home and personal care along with food products to leverage on the cost arbitrage Opportunities with the West. To take another case, Procter Gamble (PG) outsourced the manufacture of Vicks Vaporub to contract manufacturers in Hyderabad, India. This enables PG to continue exporting Vicks Vaporub to Australia, Japan and other Asian countries, but at more competitive rates, whilst maintaining its high quality and cost efficiency. Presence across value chain Indian firms also have a presence across the entire value chain of the FMCG industry from supply of raw material to final processed and packaged goods, both in the personal care products and in the food processing sector. For instance, Indian firm Amuls product portfolio includes supply of milk as well as the supply of processed dairy products like cheese and butter. This makes the firms located in India more cost competitive. FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS POLICY India has enacted policies aimed at attaining international competitiveness through lifting of the quantitative restrictions, reduced excise duties, automatic foreign investment and food laws resulting in an environment that fosters growth. 100 per cent export oriented units can be set up by government approval and use of foreign brand names is now freely permitted. TRENDS AND PLAYERS The Indian FMCG sector is the fourth largest sector in the economy and creates employment for three million people in downstream activities. Within the FMCG sector, the Indian food processing industry represented 6.3 per cent of GDP and accounted for 13 per cent of the countrys exports in 2003-04. A distinct feature of the FMCG industry is the presence of most global players through their subsidiaries (HLL, PG, Nestle), which ensures new product launches in the Indian market from the parents portfolio. Critical operating rules in Indian FMCG sector à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Heavy launch costs on new products on launch advertisements, free samples and product promotions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Majority of the product classes require very low investment in fixed assets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Existence of contract manufacturing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Marketing assumes a significant place in the brand building process à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Extensive distribution networks and logistics are key to achieving a high level of penetration in both the urban and rural markets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Factors like low entry barriers in terms of low capital investment, fiscal incentives from government and low brand awareness in rural areas have led to the mushrooming of the unorganised sector à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Providing good price points is the key to success THE TOP 10 COMPANIES IN FMCG SECTOR S. NO. Companies 1. Hindustan Unilever Ltd. 2. ITC (Indian Tobacco Company) 3. Nestlà © India 4. GCMMF (AMUL) 5. Dabur India 6. Asian Paints (India) 7. Cadbury India 8. Britannia Industries 9. Procter Gamble Hygiene and Health Care 10. Marico Industries Market Summary Approximately 80 percent of the Dutch food retail outlets are full service supermarkets, operating on floor space between 500 and 1,500 square meters located downtown and in residential areas. The remaining 20 percent includes superstores located in industrial parks, convenience stores near human traffic and department stores. In Belgium, full service supermarkets, like Colruyt and AD Delhaize, account for an estimated 75 percent of the market. The share of superstores and convenience stores in Belgium is higher than in the Netherlands, an estimated 25%. In Luxembourg, full service supermarkets like Cactus, Alvo and Match dominate the market as well. In all three markets, independent food retail stores are increasingly leaving the scene. On-going consolidation in the retail market, changing consumer demands and shrinking margins seem to drive this trend. The top 3 biggest retailers in the Netherlands, Albert Heijn, C1000, and Jumbo [1] , have a market share of 56 percent. The market for discounters like Aldi and Lidl has stabilized around 15%. Also discounters like Bas van der Heijden, Dirk van den Heijden and Digros were able to maintain their share of the market. In Belgium, the leading 3 retailers have 75 percent of the market. The market share of the discounters in Belgium is about 40% where Colruyt saw its market share growing at the expense of Aldi and Lidl. Recent market share figures for Luxembourg were not available when writing the report. Table 1: Market Shares of Leading Food Retailers in 2010 Netherlands Belgium Luxembourg Company Name Market Share Company Name Market share Company Name No. of Stores Albert Heijn 31.1% Carrefour 29.0% Delhaize 30 C1000 14.9% Delhaize 25.0% Cactus 18 Jumbo 9.9% Colruyt 23.5% Match 14 Aldi 8.5% Aldi 12.5% Alvo 11 Plus 6.1% Lidl 4.0% Smatch 8 Lidl 5.5% Louis Delhaize 3.0% Cora 2 Other 23.8% Other 3.0% Auchan 1 Total 100.0% Total 100.0% Higher Prices For Food Products The turnover of the Benelux food retail industry in 2009 was an estimated à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬52.7 billion (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬31.1 billion in the Netherlands, à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬21.1 billion in Belgium and à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬0.5 billion in Luxembourg). For 2010 turnover is expected to increase by 1.5%. Reasons for this moderate growth: Expected moderate increase of the unemployment rate Limited economic growth Consumers plan to spend more food euros at retail than foodservice Due to the current economic situation the growth of value-added products has decreased at the expense of more basic products. Table 2: Turnover Benelux food retail, past 5 years 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 44.1 billion à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 45.7 billion à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 47.7 billion à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 50.5 billion à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 52,7 billion The trend of higher prices for raw materials and therefore consumer products, as discussed in the previous Food Retail report, seems to have stopped. Benelux consumer prices rank among the cheapest within the EU-27. Changing Consumer Needs In addition to the fact that Benelux consumers are shedding retailer-loyalty, they shop at different times and locations. During lunch breaks, people buy their lunch and often the ingredients for that eveningà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s meal. Small convenience stores, like AH To Go and Delhaize shop à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾n go are opened at locations near heavy traffic like train stations, schools, and shopping malls to satisfy these consumersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ needs. The traditional neighborhood grocery stores are either going out of business, are taken over or are changing their product portfolio. They are expanding the grocery line of fresh and convenient prepared-foods with tailor-made sandwiches, filled tortillas and drinks to satisfy the consumersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ need for food for now. The ready-to-cook segment is also expanding. Awareness of Health and Well-Being Consumers are becoming more aware of and are more concerned about the effects food has on their health and well-being. There is a trend to a healthier lifestyle in Western countries. The following US industries have all benefitted from this trend: nuts (like pistachios, almonds, walnuts, etc.), fruits (like cranberries, pomegranates, berries, etc.), seafood (like salmon, halibut, etc.). Consumers are more cautious about foodborne illnesses. Consumers are looking for and finding more information on this topic; the media, including the Internet, TV and magazines, respond to this desire and feed into it. Food processors and retailers play a crucial role as well, as they develop and market food products (like juices from POMwonderfull, Healthy People, etc.) to create, anticipate and meet consumersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ needs. Climate Change Carbon Footprint Labeling Last year the European Commission conducted a survey on mandatory Carbon Footprint Labeling (CFL). Popular support for CFLl by country, varied between 47% to 90% of all 27,000 Europeans that were interviewed. Seventy percent of the respondents in Belgium and Luxemburg were supportive of a mandatory label whereas this was only supported by half of the Dutch interviewees. The latter, on the other hand, were after the Finnish the most likely (28%) to prefer a voluntary labeling system. After the December 2009 U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the discussion on CFL got a new boost. Belgian federal Minister of Climate and Energy, Mr. Paul Magnette, stated that in addition to the price, the CO2 emission should also be mentioned on each product. This way, consumers become aware and see to what extent the products they buy influence global warming. Carbon Footprint Labeling is not (yet) an issue in the Netherlands. The government hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸t come out with a statement or position on CFL. It seems that all the individual stakeholders are waiting for the other to make the first move. Within the EU-27, the U.K. and Sweden are taking a leading role in CFL. For more information on Sweden, see GAIN Report SW9016. The overall labeling requirements for the Benelux can be found in the following GAIN Reports: NL9020 and GAIN BE9004. Advantages and Challenges of the Benelux Food Retail Market Advantages Challenges Sector Strengths Market Opportunities: Sector Weaknesses and Competitive Threats: Expected slight recovery of the economy in the EU import regulation and tariffs. EU Benelux is a promising prospect (expecially enlargement has given and will give compared to some other EU economies) for the preferential access to products from retail industry. new member countries. Affluent, open minded and curious consumers create Discounters are the fastest growing opportunities for new products. segment in the Benelux retail market; margins continue to be under pressure. The region has an excellent infrastructure which Competition is growing from non-food offers great opportunities. retail players like IKEA, HEMA, VD and Bijenkorf as they enter the food market. Greater demand for healthy food products not or not The industry is highly consolidated and suffiently available on the local EU market; e.g. therefore has a strong negotiating seafood, tree nuts, (exotic) fruit, vegetables, juices, position and good contacts. Road Map For Market Entry Entry Strategy Success in introducing your product in the Benelux market depends mainly on knowledge of the market and building personal contact with knowledgeable and established importers. Prior to any export, invest in research that analyzes the Benelux food culture (concepts, flavor, price, requirements). Once the product has been chosen, be aware of fierce competition. There are tariff and non-tariff trade barriers that can complicate exporting to the Benelux. An importer knows the market, the trade barriers and the required documentation. The Office of Agricultural Affairs (OAA) offers guidelines on business practices and import regulations. For a complete overview of offered reports, see Section V of this report. Market Structure Supermarkets and Superstores The vast majority of supermarkets and superstores buy foreign (specialty) products via specialized importers. This is especially the case for retail-ready consumer-oriented products like sauces, beverages and snack products. Convenience stores operate, in general, on a much smaller scale and therefore buy smaller quantities through wholesalers. Department stores work either

Herman Melvilles Bartleby the Scrivener :: essays research papers

American Dream?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American dream! What is the American dream? Who lives and considers their life the American dream? Does Bartleby live the American dream? What makes this story have anything to do with the American dream? Well in the next few pages I am going to try to relate my idea of the American dream to this story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American dream to me is quite simple, happiness living in America. To strive for happiness you need some other tools, just face it happiness isn’t everything. Money is a big tool to happiness. â€Å"Anybody that tells you that money is the root of all evil, doesn’t fucking have any. They say money cant buy you happiness look at the fucking smile on my face, ear to ear baby.†-Boiler Room. The American dream is in one mans eyes to have a nice house, nice car, fun toys, a great family, and dignity. That is the ideal American dream. But that nice house, nice car, and fun toys aren’t going to just appear on a piece of land for you with out money. Working hard for you money, who really wants to work hard for a living? Everyone is out doing what ever they can to make good money with less work. Ever receive those emails or phones that guarantee you to make millions of dollars from home, and have all the free time you want? Well that is the dream of the American dream. The American dream to me is being able to maintain a nice home, with a great family, with more free time on my hands that time spent at an office. With a nice chunk of change in my pocket. But hey that’s why they call it the â€Å"American Dream† it’s only a dream and only the lucky ones will live such a dream. But not so much are they lucky, but smart and figured something out before everyone else figured it out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ill do a quick sum up of Bartleby the Scrivener. It’s about a lawyer who helps out wealthy people mortgages, titles deeds, and of the such. He has two scriveners, Nippers, and Turkey, these are just their nicknames. He hires a man named Bartleby, who just replied to add that was put out. Then Bartleby is asked to proofread a document, and replies with â€Å"I’d prefer not to† Its of course irritates him and the rest of the people in the office.

Technologys Impact on Children With Communication Disorders Essay

Technology's Impact on Children With Communication Disorders â€Å"†¦If all of my possessions were taken from me with one exception, I would choose the power of communication, for by it I would regain all the rest. Daniel Webster† (Lloyd, Fuller, and Arvidson 1). Imagine that you were born one hundred years ago and as you grew, you never learned to talk, or at the very most, could only communicate in two or three word sentences. What would you do? How would you make your wishes known to those around you? Remember, this is one hundred years ago and you didn’t have computers or other augmentative devices to â€Å"talk† with. Perhaps you are able to use your hands to write, but often communication disorders are joined with other problems like Down syndrome, autism, or cerebral palsy, all of which make it more difficult to control your hands. Be thankful that you live in the twenty-first century, where computers can help communicate as well as teach children with these disorders how to survive within a communicating world. I will discuss the impact, effects, and Christian perspective of technology on communication disorders. Impact of technology on children with communication disorders A communication disorder is described as, â€Å"‘an impairment in the ability to receive, send, process, and comprehend concepts or verbal, nonverbal and graphic symbol systems [ASHA, 1993, p. 40]’† (Owens, Metz, and Haas 14). Several years ago, people with communication disorders could get therapy to learn how to talk if they were able, but there wasn’t much that could be done if it was physically impossible to say the speech sounds. This person would have to go through life trying to communicate by hand signals, writing, and maybe a few choice wo... ...Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.; Baltimore, 1992. 175-202. Hjelmquist, Erland. â€Å"Form and Meaning in Alternative Language Development.† Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Whurr Publishers; London, 1999. 31-39. Lloyd, Lyle L.; Fuller, Donald R.; and Helen H. Arvidson. Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Allyn and Bacon; Boston, 1997. Nelson, Lauren I. And Julie J. Masterson. â€Å"Computer technology: Creative interfaces in service delivery. Topics in Lavguahe Disorders v19 n3, May 1999, 67-86. Owens, Robert E., jr.; Metz, Dale Evan; and Adelaide Haas. Introduction to Communication Disorders: A Life Span Perspective. Allyn and Bacon; Boston, 2000. Yorkston, Kathryn M.; Beukelman, David R.; Strand, Edythe A.; and Kathleen R. Bell. Management of Motor Speech Disorders in Children and Adults. Pro-Ed Publishers; Austin, Texas, 1999.

Hate Crimes and The Mitchell v. Wisconsin Decision Essay -- Hate Crime

Hate Crimes and The Mitchell v. Wisconsin Decision The American Heritage Dictionary defines hate as intense dislike or animosity. However, defining hate as the basis for a crime is not as easy without possibly jeopardizing constitutional rights in the process. Hate crime laws generally add enhanced punishments to existing statues. A hate crime law seeks to treat a crime, if it can be demonstrated that the offense was a hate crime differently from the way it would be treated under ordinary criminal law. Since the 1980s, the problem of hate crimes has attracted increasing research attention, especially from criminologists and law enforcement personnel who have focused primarily on documenting the prevalence of the problem and formulation criminal justice responses to it. Lawmakers have passed legislation to encourage data collection and attach enhanced penalties to hate crimes at both state and federal levels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Americans are assaulted merely because of their real or perceived sexual orientation, gender, or disability, the law should be as tough on their assailants as it currently is tough on criminals who attack based on racial, religious, or ethnic bias. Yet only in rare circumstances can the federal government investigate and prosecute hate violence against gays, lesbians, or bisexuals. Attempts have been made to reach a definition of hate crime, including that it is a crime, most commonly violence, motivated by prejudice, bias or hatred towards a particular group of which the victim is rarely significant to the offender and is most commonly a stranger to him or her. The current law (18 U.S.C. 245) permits federal prosecution of a hate crime only if the crime was motivated by bias based on race, religion, national origin, or color, and the assailant intended to prevent the victim from exercising a "federally protected right" (e.g. voting, attending school, etc.) T his dual requirement substantially limits the potential for federal assistance in investigating or prosecuting hate crimes, even when the crime is particularly heinous.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hate crimes demand a priority response because of their special emotional and psychological impact on the victim and the victims’ community. The damage done by hate crimes cannot be measured solely in terms of physical injury or dollars and cents. Hate crimes may effectively intimidate other members of the vi... ...  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Law." Human Rights 22 (1995): 32-33 Dennis, Valerie. MTV remembers Matthew Shepard with 17-hour program on hate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  crimes, University Wire, 01-10-2001 Feingold, Stanley. "Hate Crime Legislation Muzzles Free Speech." The National Law  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Journal 15 (July 1, 1993): 6, 16 Franke-Folstad, Kim. Denver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer, HATE-CRIME   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LAWS NOT A BLACK-WHITE ISSUE. Denver Rocky Mountain News, 01-18-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1999, pp 6A Gellman, Susan. "Sticks And Stones." UCLA Law Review 39 (December, 1991):  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  333-396 Patrick, Robert F. Cops find hate often has broad definition, The Washington Times, 04-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  02-01, pp C1 R.A.V. v. St. Paul (505 U.S. 377) Texas v. Johnson (491 U.S. 397) The Associated Press, Reno Fights Hate Crimes, Newsday, 01-09-1998, pp A21 The Christian Science Publishing Society 30 Brad Knickerbockers, Staff writing of The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Christian Science Monitor, Hate Crimes: Should they receive special attention?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Christian Science Monitor, 06-23-200, pp 22 U.S. v. O'Brien (391 U.S. 367) Wisconsin v. Mitchell (508 U.S. 476) Wooley v. Maynard (430 U.S. 705) W.V. State Board of Education v. Barnette (319 U.S. 624)

Nurses

(1) According to the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association (2010): ‘The term cultural competency refers to a long-term, developmental process that moves beyond cultural awareness (the knowledge about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people primarily gained through media resources and workshops) and cultural sensitivity (knowledge as well as some level of direct experience with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people). Cultural competency emphasizes the idea of effectively operating in different cultural contexts: knowledge, sensitivity, and awareness programs o not include this concept. Cultural competence aims to reduce barriers to high quality care experienced by Indigenous people and is directly linked to improving social and emotional wellbeing and mental health outcomes. ’ Cultural Competence What is cultural competence? Cultural competence is the ability to interact effectively with people across different cultures. It has four components: * Awa reness of one's own cultural worldview (assumptions, biases) * A positive attitude towards cultural differences * Knowledge of different cultural practices and worldviews * Cross-cultural communication skillsWhat is cultural competence in health care? Culturally competent health care providers provide the best possible care for all their clients and work in the most productive way with all their colleagues. Everyone has a culture Cultural competence begins with the recognition that we are all born, raised and living in social, educational and organisational cultures. These cultures shape our assumptions, beliefs, values and behaviours. When we interact with others, the similarities and differences between our cultural expectations often make the interaction both more interesting, and more challenging.In a health setting, these challenges must be met if we are to provide equitable, appropriate and accessible services to all our clients. Competent practitioners are culturally competen t A person who is culturally competent can communicate sensitively and effectively with people who have different languages, cultures, religions, genders, ethnicities, disabilities, ages and sexualities. Culturally competent health staff strive to provide services that are consistent with the clients’ needs and values firstly by acknowledging them, and secondly by, wherever possible, responding to them appropriately.Health care practitioners need to develop a broad repertoire of skills, knowledge, attitudes, perspectives and practices which they can use to enhance their cultural competence and direct their relationships with clients and colleagues. Cultural competence is about organisational competence It is very difficult to operate as a culturally competent practitioner without organisational support. SESIH is strongly committed to equality for clients and staff, and continues its commitment to the policies and principles of multicultural health. Benefits of a culturally co mpetent workforceLack of cultural competence impacts on both clients and staff. Clients who feel that their concerns have not been understood, who feel they have been dismissed or ignored, or who have not received optimum services because of their cultural background or ethnicity or language will find it hard to develop a sense of trust in a practitioner or a service. Culturally competent health staff build trust and respect which leads to increased client satisfaction and improved health outcomes such as a better use of the staff and clients’ time, more accurate information, and more effective and acceptable outcomes for staff and clients.Cultural competence benefits everyone. Why is culture so important in health care? Because health care is cultural. Although the scientific bases for medical treatment and care is considered ‘objective’, the way that we choose and use health services, whether we accept a diagnosis, how we decide if we will continue with a parti cular medical treatment, and the sorts of questions we ask health staff are all culturally influenced. Staff need to recognise the beliefs and values that affect our health decisions and take account of them when treating us (2)

Plato theory of forms Essay

Plato was a duellist and thus believed that there are two worlds; the material world and the world of ideas/Forms. The world of ideas or Forms is the true reality and the world of appearances is just reflections of world of Forms. Plato believed that our knowledge of the Forms was a priori which means that our souls knew the Forms before it was inside us, therefore we have knowledge prior to experiencing the objects with our senses. Plato believes everyone is born with an intuitive but imperfect understanding of the Forms. He also believes the philosopher is able, through using his intellect, to achieve true knowledge of the abstract Forms without using his senses. Plato’s theory of Forms can be seen as unconvincing to some who believe that abstract ideas e. g table, horse, beauty are actually names that have been invented to help people describe their experiences of the physical world. This is a materialistic view as it suggests that objects in this world are the real reality and our ideas can develop based on experience of things. Aristotle agrees with this and believes knowledge is gained through experience and that there is not an eternal World of Forms that is a priori to us. However, in Plato’s defence some believe that each variety of a Form shares a likeness for example each horse is slightly different yet they all share something that makes it resemble a horse. According to Bertrand Russell, Plato`s theory made a `very important advance in philosophy, since it is the first to emphasise the problem of universals’. Plato’s theory is often regarded as unconvincing due to the fact that Plato believes that every object and idea in the world of appearances is an imperfect copy of an image or Form in the World of Forms. This suggests that there is a perfect Form of things such as a cinema ticket, mud or an insect and so on. According to Bertrand Russell, his ideas of the Forms when taken to its extreme.

When to Consider a Single-Instance Erp Strategy

Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Garner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. Although Garter's research may discuss legal issues related to the information technology business, Garner does not provide legal advice or services and its research should not be construed or used as such.Garner shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for Interpretations thereof. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. WHAT you NEED TO KNOW Adopting a single-instance, single-vendor enterprise resource planning strategy can deliver benefits, but it does not make sense for every organization. It should only be undertaken If you have a good business case for the project and it matches most or all of Garter's single-instance success factors.If the challenges balance or outweigh the success factors, then you should address organizational issues before proceeding. If this Is not feasible, then consider Illimitableness consolidation or a tiered business application strategy. ANALYSIS Most large multinational organizations have a heterogeneous application portfolio hat has built up over time. The portfolio often is made more complex by tactical purchasing and merger and acquisition activity.Senior executives in such organizations are attracted to the idea of standardizing on applications from a single enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendor because of potential operational cost savings and reduced complexity of the IT landscape (see Note 1). Vendor consolidation is often a first step toward instance consolidation. ; A single instance of an application can run all operating companies on a common process template, a ingle release AT ten application Ana a giggle copy AT ten applications dataset, using a cons olidated technical infrastructure.A single-instance strategy can drive cost reductions in several areas, including integration, interfaces, training, support and hardware. In addition, potential benefits may be found in process improvements, better data consistency and improved visibility of information. However, adopting a single-instance, single-vendor ERP strategy is not a task to be undertaken lightly, because it can create disruption in enterprise operations and often involves replacing some systems that are favored by users.Even if the business case appears to support the deployment of a single-instance ERP solution, there still may be significant obstacles to overcome. Certain types of organizations will find it more difficult to realize the benefits of a single-instance ERP strategy because of their culture and infrastructure. See Table 1 to determine whether single-system ERP might work for your organization. Rank yourself against each of the categories. If you have mainly (or exclusively) success factors, then a single-instance ERP strategy is more likely to be successful. Table 1 .Single-Instance ERP Success Factors and Challenges Enterprise Profile Business Model Corporate Culture and Policy Definition Geographical Concentration Success Factors Single primary core business with similar business processes Centralized with strong corporate head office; policy dictated at corporate level and globally enforced Company aspires to operate as a single global company, and operations, sales and marketing are concentrated in a single geographical region Stable, unlikely to undergo dramatic growth or downsizing Challenges Diversified group with wide range of business processes Decentralized tit autonomous business units; policy decided at the business-unit level Company operates as a multinational company, and operations, sales and marketing are distributed globally Dynamic, growing rapidly or downsizing significantly Business Environment publication Date: 28 September 2005/AD Number: GO 30366 2005 Garner, Inc. And/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved.Page 2 of 6 Merger, Acquisition and Divestiture Status Established ERP Systems Technology Environment Acquiring smaller entities that are easily absorbed into the corporate culture Highly likely to be acquired or merge with a company of a similar size (or larger); vesting encore businesses Diverse, with an even spread from potential single- system suppliers Architecture and technology are decided at the business-unit level Elemental mummer, wilt majority AT systems Trot likely single-system vendor Enterprise-level architecture with similar technologies Source: Garner (September 2005) Note that the scope of this analysis is limited to the processes automated through traditional ERP systems, such as financial, HRS, procurement, inventory management, production planning and order management. Single-instance strategies are typically noninsured first in the ERP domain because these processes are more internally focused and homogeneous, and have less impact on competitive differentiation. Suitability of a single-instance strategy in other domains, such as customer relationship management (CRM), product life cycle management (PLUM) and supply chain management (SCM), should be assessed following a similar process. However, with CRM, PLUM and SCM, organizations are even less likely to meet the criteria in Table 1 and will typically discover that a single-instance strategy doesn't align with the business strategy.By implication, even if a single-instance ERP environment is successfully created, most organizations will have to support multiple instances of peripheral systems. Enterprise Profile Elements ; Business Model: Organizations in service industries such as software or financial services will find adoption of single- system ERP easier than those with a diversified business model, because the ERP adoption will primarily affect their back-office administrative functions. Process changes in these areas will have less impact on revenue-creating activities and, therefore, are lower risk than changes in operational areas such as manufacturing and logistics operations.Corporate Culture and Policy Definition: Organizations that operate in a decentralized manner with highly autonomous business units may find these operations unwilling to release control of local systems to a central IT function. If there is a culture of local decision making, then business-unit executives may not be willing to accept a decision that is mandated from the corporate head office. Geographical Concentration: Companies that aspire to operate as global companies (operate on a common set of business processes across the globe) are well- positioned to achieve a global single instance, because they align the IT strategy with he business strategy.Companies operating as multinationals (have a unique set of business processes for local markets, particularly sales and marketing, and SC M), will have difficulties running their international businesses on a common system. Also, organizations that are physically concentrated in a single geographical region will find it easier to achieve a single instance, because support and operations of the system take place in a narrow range of adjacent time zones. The need to support a single instance around the clock creates issues with available support windows for upgrades and maintenance, and possibly network-related performance and availability issues.Business Environment: A single-instance ERP strategy may not be appropriate for organizations that face significant change. Implementation of a single-instance system may be thrown into disarray if there is a significant change of direction in the business Page 3 of 6 (for example, a manufacturer decides to sell its manufacturing operations and focus instead on design and logistics services). ; Merger, Acquisition and Divestiture Status: This aspect of the general business situ ation can have a major impact on a single- instance strategy. Organizations that are likely to acquire or merge with entities of a similar size may find their investment in a significance strategy compromised if they merge with organizations that use different ERP systems.Established ERP Systems: If the ERP system from a potential single-instance vendor is already used in the majority of the organization, then there may be little resistance to a wider deployment. Many organizations have initially implemented multiple instances of a single ERP system are now considering instance consolidation. However, if there is no nominate provider, then a single-instance strategy will face resistance, because some users are likely to fight to retain their â€Å"much loved† locally implemented systems from â€Å"their† vendors. Technology Environment: Similar challenges may arise if there is no common technology environment and enterprise architecture in place.A single- instance stra tegy requires the adoption of a specific technology environment (operating system, database, middleware and other IT infrastructure), and organizations that already have an enterprise architecture in place will find it easier to implement a single-instance approach. When the technology environment is defined at the business-unit level, local IT functions may resist moving away from their architecture to that which is required to support the single-instance strategy. Determining Who Drives the Initiative Often, instance consolidation initiatives are driven by the IT organization on the basis of simplification of the application landscape, and the IT technical and support infrastructure. Table 1 shows that five out of the seven success factors are within the business domain and entirely outside the control of the IT organization.This underscores the point that instance installation projects should primarily be business-driven projects, with a business case solidly based on business be nefits. Without understanding, sponsorship and commitment at the senior business management level, the project is doomed to fail. The IT organization plays a critical role in educating the business units, and planning and executing the project; however, it does not own the project. What to Do If the generalness outlawed ten success Factors organizations considering giggle-alliance ERP that find the challenges outweigh the success factors have other options: 1 . Consider a limited ERP vendor and infrastructure consolidation strategy, without moving to a single-instance consolidation.This strategy will enable organizations to achieve some efficiency improvements in the IT organization by consolidating some of the operating and support infrastructure of the ERP systems. However, the strategy will not realize the full benefits of a single-instance system. This strategy may be suitable for organizations that are diversified and decentralized in nature, operate in a highly dynamic market environment and consider IT costs to be a significant factor. A common approach is to adopt vendor consolidation with some level of instance consolidation (for example, regional or divisional instances). 2. Adopt a tiered business application strategy (see â€Å"How to Approach Tiered Business Applications†), where specific applications are adopted to address the needs of decentralized business units.Page 4 of 6 3. Address the organizational issues that are creating the challenges prior to implementing the single-instance strategy. There are two main actions that need to be taken to address these organizational issues: ; Involve business-unit executives in alluding and reviewing the business case to create buy-in. Develop a feasibility study that shows how business-unit requirements can be accommodated in a single- instance implementation, and build an instance strategy to support this. Consider getting business-unit executives to develop a business case to Justify why their business unit should not be included in a single-instance solution.Get the executive management team to understand and accept how investing in a single-instance strategy can affect your merger and acquisition strategy. During their due diligence, organizations adopting a single-instance strategy must take account of how ERP systems are used by potential acquisition targets. Similarly, a single-instance strategy may limit downsizing options, because it will be difficult to divest parts of the business on an ongoing basis if they do not have their own business applications. If significant divestiture is likely, then a single-instance ERP project should be deferred until the business environment stabilizes. Key Issues How can more value be gained from an enterprise resource planning investment?Note 1 Definition of Single Instance A single instance of an ERP system is when a single installation of the application is linked to a single database. This significantly sleepless support Ana m alfeasance Decease tenure Is only one set AT application infrastructure to be maintained. This does not necessarily mean that all business units have to use the same business rules, because most ERP systems enable different entities within a single instance to have a degree of uniqueness. However, there will be constraints on the capability of the business units to define their own business rules (compared to separate instances for each business unit).