FedEX company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

FedEX company - Essay Example The Company also aims to achieve a 10% increase in its operating margin. In order to attain to this long term objective, the Company has set out certain business goals, as laid out below (www.fedex.com): Additionally, the Company also plans to improve its reputation as an environmentally friendly organization, by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent by the year 2020. (www.thaipr.net). The central focus of the Company’s plans and goals revolves around its people, i.e., â€Å"people are the wind beneath our wings.†(Frock, 2006:201). In the achievement of its goals, FEDEX has capitalized the vision of its founder, Smith who believed the success of the Company lay in IT(Lappin, 1996) and has implemented IT systems that are geared towards strengthening its e-commerce operations. The realization that information systems could play a vital role in ensuring the success of business has enabled the Company to survive and gain a head start in package delivery (www.garyclarke.com). The Company has made large investments in technology, using tracking software in order to ensure that the current delivery status of a package is always available, through the use of its proprietary network called Cosmos. The Company also sets up computer terminals at its customers’ offices and allows them access to the tracking software as well, so that they are able to generate their own pick-ups and deliveries (www.brainmass.com). Customer tracking of packages is facilitated through the use of the Powership software and terminals (www.informationweek.com). The Company has been using wireless applications for a long time, but the efficiency of its current operations has been achieved by integrating SAP into its tracking system in managing its supply chain. The significant aspect of its technology development is the use of SAP R/3 systems to integrate its tracking systems with its supply chain logistics.

History Of Bloodstain Patterns Essay Example for Free

History Of Bloodstain Patterns Essay Function of bloodstain pattern analysis Bloodstain pattern interpretation/analysis has been around for many years but has only really been recognized in the past several decades. This interpretation/analysis is like a very important tool that an investigator or forensic scientist may use to help them better understand what happened or what did not happen in a case where there was bloodshed. Discoverable through the examination of bloodstain pattern The information that can be discovered or obtained when examining bloodstain patterns can help in apprehending a suspect, corroborating a witnesses statement, interrogating suspects, allowing for reconstruction of past events and lastly but probably the most important exonerating an accused. All bloodstains can provide important specifics to an event that occurred during an incident, so they are always examined. This is a very crucial part of an investigation, but it is never 100%, errors do occur. â€Å"Static Aftermath† There is such a thing called â€Å"static aftermath.† What an analyst evaluates is the static aftermath of an event; the shapes, volumes, patterns, number and size of bloodstains and their relationships to the scene. Timeline of bloodstain pattern analysis Surprisingly to me the study of bloodstain patterns has been going on since the 1800’s. On the following page is a time line showing the history of bloodstain patterns interpretation/analysis. The timeline I made begins in the 1860’s and goes through the 1970’s, not every significant moment is included on this particular timeline. 1970’s – MacDonell worked under a LEAA grant, and completed 3 different articles through the 1990’s. He has trained many in law enforcement and has developed courses to continue to train analysts. 1970’s – MacDonell worked under a LEAA grant, and completed 3 different articles through the 1990’s. He has trained many in law enforcement and has developed courses to continue to train analysts. 1863 -The Beck’s wrote â€Å"Elements of Medical Jurisprudence,† which discussed cases in which bloodstain pattern analysis was utilized. 1863 -The Beck’s wrote â€Å"Elements of Medical Jurisprudence,† which discussed cases in which bloodstain pattern analysis was utilized. 1939 – Balthazard is known for doing original research and experimentation with bloodstains and patterns. 1939 – Balthazard is known for doing original research and experimentation with bloodstains and patterns. 1882 – Professor Charles Tidy published â€Å"Legal Medicine.† 1882 – Professor Charles Tidy published â€Å"Legal Medicine.† 1955 – Dr. Kirk submitted bloodstain evidence and findings in a case; this was significant in recognition of bloodstain evidence by the legal system. 1955 – Dr. Kirk submitted bloodstain evidence and findings in a case; this was significant in recognition of bloodstain evidence by the legal system. 1895 – Piotrowski published a book concerning blood stains from blows to the head. 1895 – Piotrowski published a book concerning blood stains from blows to the head. 1880 – Henry Faulds published, â€Å"On-skin Furrows of the Hand,† described bloody fingerprints and their likely usage to identify the criminal. 1880 – Henry Faulds published, â€Å"On-skin Furrows of the Hand,† described bloody fingerprints and their likely usage to identify the criminal. 1856 Lassaigne wrote a paper that included discussion of marks that appeared to be bloodstains but was from insects. 1856 Lassaigne wrote a paper that included discussion of marks that appeared to be bloodstains but was from insects.

Syd Barrett :: essays research papers

Born on January 6, 1946, Roger Keith Barrett was raised in CambridgeEngland. He was given the nickname "Syd" as a youngster, while attending the city's High School, where his friends included Roger Waters and David Gilmour, and it stuck with him as he grew up. In his late teens, after his father died, he started producing paintings and music. He was an originating member of The Abdabs, The T-Sets, Sigma 6, and other names such as The Meggadeaths, in 1965. He worked with people like Bob Close, Roger Waters, Nick mason, and Richard Wright. When Bob Close left the band, Syd renamed the group The Pink Floyd Sound, named after the cover of an album of two american bluesmen, Pink Anderson, and Floyd Council. Syd wrote almost everything for The Pink Floyd Sound, then The Pink Floyd finally renamed just Pink Floyd), he played guitar, sung, and wrote the music and the lyrics as well. The other Cambridge native forming The Pink Floyd were Roger Waters (bass), Rick Wright (keyboards), and Nick Mason (drums). Within weeks the new line-up had rehearsed at the Thompson Private Record Company, a tiny studio sited in the basement of a house in Hemel, Hampstead. Here they recorded two songs; an original hinged to the Gloria riff entitled Lucy Leave and a version of Slim Harpo's I'm a King Bee already made famous by the Rolling Stones. At first, The Pink Floyd were a much more conventional act that the act into which they would evolve, concentrating on the rock and R&B material that were so common to the repertoires of mid-'60s British bands. Syd's influences were the Stones, Beatles, Byrds and Love," the group's first manager, Pete Jenner, told Nick Kent, adding at Barrett wore out his copy of the last-named group's debut album. "I was trying to tell him about this Arthur Lee song I couldn't remember the title of, so I just hummed the main riff. Syd picked up his guitar, followed what I was humming, and went on to use the chord pattern he worked out for 'Interstellar Overdrive'. Pink Floyd then began to experiment, however, stretching out songs with wild instrumental freak-out passages incorporating feedback, electronic screeches, and unusual, eerie sounds created by loud amplification, reverb, and such tricks as sliding ball bearings up and down guitar strings. In 1966, they began to pick up a following in the London underground; onstage, they began to incorporate light shows to add to the psychedelic effect.

History of the Ferrari :: American America History

History of the Ferrari Ferrari, when most people think of this word they think of two things: speed and sport. Ferrari is one of the most distinguished cars in history. It has won more races than almost any other cars racing. It is also just delicate a machine as it is the fast and furious sports car. Ferrari has come a great distance since its begins in the stock races onto the modern road. It has been compared with such great cars as the Bugatti and Alfa Romeo. In my report I will tell you the beginning and the future of this famous sports car. The Maker The man who made Ferrari, and made the name, was Enzo Ferrari. Born in Modena February 18, 1898. Forced to leave school when his father died he got work as a turning instructor in the Modena Fire Brigades' workshop. He served in WW I as a mechanic and later found work as a test driver in 1918 in Turin. He later moved to CMN to become a race car driver and tester. His racing debut came in the 1919 Parma-Berceto race and he entered the Targa Florio that same year. In 1920, he moved to Alfa Romeo establishing a relationship that lasted two decades and a career that took him from test driver to race driver to sales assistant and finally to the post of Director of the Alfa Racing Division until November 1939. (http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/www.ferrari.it/storia/enzoferr.e/enzoferr.html) In 1929 he joined with Alfa Romeo. He made the name Scuderia Ferrari. His goal was to organize racing for Alfa. He fully took over in 1933 and in 1940 completely separated from Alfa. The workshop was bombed out in 1944 and rebuilt in 1946 the year in which it started designing and building the very first Ferrari. In 1963 Enzo Ferrari built his Istituto Professionale per l'Industria e l'Artigianato, a training school in Maranello. In 1972 he built the Fiorano test track. (http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/www.ferrari.it/storia/enzoferr.e/enzoferr.html) He received numerous awards for his automotive genius, such as Italian award of Cavaliere and the Gold Medal from the Italian School of Art and Culture. After his many accomplishments and his numerous racing wins, he died on August 14 1988. The Early Years Now I will tell you of the early years of this car. The first Ferrari's were stock and racing cars, the Ferrari became a "street car" in about 1950, and were made in Maranello during WW II with the soul purpose was to race and win. History of the Ferrari :: American America History History of the Ferrari Ferrari, when most people think of this word they think of two things: speed and sport. Ferrari is one of the most distinguished cars in history. It has won more races than almost any other cars racing. It is also just delicate a machine as it is the fast and furious sports car. Ferrari has come a great distance since its begins in the stock races onto the modern road. It has been compared with such great cars as the Bugatti and Alfa Romeo. In my report I will tell you the beginning and the future of this famous sports car. The Maker The man who made Ferrari, and made the name, was Enzo Ferrari. Born in Modena February 18, 1898. Forced to leave school when his father died he got work as a turning instructor in the Modena Fire Brigades' workshop. He served in WW I as a mechanic and later found work as a test driver in 1918 in Turin. He later moved to CMN to become a race car driver and tester. His racing debut came in the 1919 Parma-Berceto race and he entered the Targa Florio that same year. In 1920, he moved to Alfa Romeo establishing a relationship that lasted two decades and a career that took him from test driver to race driver to sales assistant and finally to the post of Director of the Alfa Racing Division until November 1939. (http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/www.ferrari.it/storia/enzoferr.e/enzoferr.html) In 1929 he joined with Alfa Romeo. He made the name Scuderia Ferrari. His goal was to organize racing for Alfa. He fully took over in 1933 and in 1940 completely separated from Alfa. The workshop was bombed out in 1944 and rebuilt in 1946 the year in which it started designing and building the very first Ferrari. In 1963 Enzo Ferrari built his Istituto Professionale per l'Industria e l'Artigianato, a training school in Maranello. In 1972 he built the Fiorano test track. (http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/www.ferrari.it/storia/enzoferr.e/enzoferr.html) He received numerous awards for his automotive genius, such as Italian award of Cavaliere and the Gold Medal from the Italian School of Art and Culture. After his many accomplishments and his numerous racing wins, he died on August 14 1988. The Early Years Now I will tell you of the early years of this car. The first Ferrari's were stock and racing cars, the Ferrari became a "street car" in about 1950, and were made in Maranello during WW II with the soul purpose was to race and win.

Electronic Sources †Internet Essay

I will research promotional methods on the Internet including leaflets, in which I will look at the distribution of local newspapers to see how far advertisements spread. I decided to use a wide range of sources, as I believe this will give me a more reliable source to draw conclusions and to evaluate. Some information can only be found from one source such as the most popular brand of electrical appliances, which can only be found out by using a questionnaire. Another reason for a wide variety of sources is to allow me to find out information such as markets, which are not catered for by large companies, I will then cater for this market. I will carry out questionnaires or use research already carried out by another company, which will allow me to use textbooks or the Internet. I will group the people on their response to my research in social grades. This will help to create an image of the average wage, and class in the local area. Then I will cater for the group that the majority of people fit into. SECTION 4 RESULTS OF RESEARCH SECTION 5 PROMOTIONAL METHODS RECCOMMENDED I have reviewed all of my results and thought carefully about the recommendations I will give to the business ‘Electrical Retailer’. From my research I have found that the social grade of the local area is C and the average pay is between â€Å"15000-â€Å"25000. The majority of these people do not shop locally, and the main reason is that the local shops do not cater for their needs. This is shows me that I there would be place for me to sell my goods, aimed at social group C. This is because of the people surveyed the majority fit into this group, so it makes sense to primarily aim for them, and then unskilled workers. Also the shop that most of people say they shop at is out side of the local area, but they would shop locally if they had the choice. Source A and B shows the popularity of papers and how often they are read. These bar charts surprised me as I found out that the Spalding Guardian and the Lincolnshire Free Press was attracting a larger readership yet papers tend to be read more daily. This is a factor which I will definitely need to consider as newspaper advertisement is a possible promotional method, however I still believe that I will portray my message to inform potential customers and attract them towards my business. Source C shows a pie chart and my results show the different types of media and their accessibility. Television clearly stood out and then poster billboards on transport. This question told me a lot and played a big part in deciding the type of advertisement to use to promote the business. As part of my competition I looked in national newspapers and on the Internet to search for promotional methods used by Curry’s. Below I have found an advert, which from my market research I know is very expensive and therefore the size of the company is large. Also Curry’s attracts millions of customers throughout the country which is why they advertise nationally instead of locally. I found out that 25 slots a week prime time, which is when the radio is listened to most between 4. 01 – 8. 00pm costs   1000. This company has built up a massive customer base over many years, which is why I have a budget of   8000 for the first year of trading to spend on promoting the business. I think that the best method for me to use is poster billboards on public transport. Even though more people have access to a television, this media is not suitable for my business. I will also use leaflets as this would mean that I could put in coupons for the reader. Also that I should use bright colours in my advert, as my leaflets should have a distinctive shape. I will advertise on the local transport system i 780 per year, for a large advert on the back of a bus. The leaflets that I will produce will cost i 145 for a 1000 delivery, and will be in full colour both sides. Leaflets will contain information such as sales, the different range of stock being sold and prices. Also I will advertise in the local paper each month with a relatively small advert which is cheap. I will change my method of advertising depending on the time of year. This is because I feel that more advertising should be done when events like Christmas take place or the January sales. From my research I know that I need to advertise months before Christmas around about October to benefit. I have constructed a table, which shows how I will budget my advertising costs throughout my first year of trading. A lump sum of money is kept aside in case all goes wrong.

Centeotl - The Aztec God (or Goddess) of Maize

Centeotl - The Aztec God (or Goddess) of Maize Centeotl (sometimes spelled Cinteotl or Tzinteotl and sometimes called Xochipilli or Flower Prince) was the main Aztec god of American corn, known as maize. Centeotls name (pronounced something like Zin-tay-AH-tul) means â€Å"Maize Cob Lord† or â€Å"the Dried Ear of the Maize God†. Other Aztec gods associated with this all-important crop included the goddess of sweet corn and tamales Xilonen (Tender Maize), the goddess of seed corn Chicomecotl (Seven Serpent), and Xipe Totec, the fierce god of fertility and agriculture. Centeotl represents the Aztec version of a more ancient, pan-Mesoamerican deity. Earlier Mesoamerican cultures, such as the Olmec and Maya, worshiped the maize god as one of the most important sources of life and reproduction. Several figurines found at Teotihuacn were representations of a maize goddess, with a coiffure resembling a tasseled ear of maize. In many Mesoamerican cultures, the idea of kingship was associated with the maize god. Origin of the Maize God Centeotl was the son of Tlazolteotl or Toci, the goddess of fertility and childbirth, and as Xochipilli he was the husband of Xochiquetzal, the first woman to give birth. Like many Aztec deities, the maize god had a dual aspect, both masculine and feminine. Many Nahua (Aztec language) sources report that the Maize god was born a goddess, and only in later times became a male god named Centeotl, with a feminine counterpart, the goddess Chicomecotl. Centeotl and Chicomecotl oversaw different stages in maize growth and maturation. Aztec mythology holds that the god Quetzalcoatl gave maize to humans. The myth reports that during the 5th Sun, Quetzalcoatl spotted a red ant carrying a maize kernel. He followed the ant and reached the place where maize grew, the â€Å"Mountain of Sustenance†, or Tonacatepetl (Ton-ah-cah-TEP-eh-tel) in Nahua. There Quetzalcoatl turned himself into a black ant and stole a kernel of corn to bring back to the humans to plant. According to a story collected by the Spanish colonial period Franciscan friar and scholar Bernardino de  Sahagà ºn, Centeotl made a journey into the underworld and returned with cotton, sweet potatoes, huauzontle (chenopodium), and the intoxicating drink made from agave called octli or pulque, all of which he gave to humans. For this resurrection story, Centeotl is sometimes associated with Venus, the morning star. According to Sahagun, there was a temple dedicated to Centeotl in the sacred precinct of Tenochtitln. Maize God Festivities The fourth month of the Aztec calendar is called Huei Tozoztli (The Big Sleep), and it was dedicated to the maize gods Centeotl and Chicomecotl. Different ceremonies dedicated to green maize and grass took place in this month, which began around April 30th. To honor the maize gods, people carried out self-sacrifices, performing blood-letting rituals, and sprinkling the blood throughout their houses. Young women adorned themselves with necklaces of corn seeds. Maize ears and seeds were brought back from the field, the former placed in front of the gods images, whereas the latter were stored for planting in the next season. The cult of Centeotl overlapped that of Tlaloc and embraced various deities of solar warmth, flowers, feasting, and pleasure. As the son of the earth goddess Toci, Centeotl was worshipped alongside Chicomecoati and Xilonen during the 11th month of Ochpaniztli, which begins September 27th on our calendar. During this month, a woman was sacrificed and her skin was used to make a mask for Centeotls priest. Maize God Images Centeotl is often represented in Aztec codices as a young man, with maize cobs and ears sprouting from his head, handling a scepter with green cob’s ears. In the Florentine Codex, Centeotl is illustrated as the god of harvest and crop production. As Xochipilli Centeotl, the god is sometimes represented as the monkey god Oà §omtli, the god of sports, dancing, amusements and good luck in games. A carved paddle-shaped palmate stone in the collections of the Detroit Institute of Arts (Cavallo 1949) may illustrate Centeotl receiving or attending a human sacrifice. The head of the deity resembles a monkey and he has a tail; the figure is standing on or floating above the chest of a prone figure. A large headdress accounting for over half of the length of the  stone  rises above Centeotls head and is made up of either maize plants or possibly agave. Edited and updated by K. Kris Hirst Sources Aridjis, Homero. Deidades Del Panteà ³n Mexica Del Maà ­z. Artes de Mà ©xico 79 (2006): 16–17. Print.Berdan, Frances F. Aztec Archaeology and Ethnohistory. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2014. Print.Carrasco, David. Central Mexican Religion. Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia. Eds. Evans, Susan Toby and David L. Webster. New York: Garland Publishing Inc., 2001. 102–08. Print.Cavallo, A. S. A Totonac Palmate Stone. Bulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts 29.3 (1949): 56–58. Print.de Durand-Forest, Jacqueline, and Michel Graulich. On Paradise Lost in Central Mexico. Current Anthropology 25.1 (1984): 134–35. Print.Long, Richard C. E. 167. A Dated Statuette of Centeotl. Man 38 (1938): 143–43. Print.Là ³pez Luhan, Leonardo. Tenochtitln: Ceremonial Center. Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia. Eds. Evans, Susan Toby and David L. Webster. New York: Garland Publishing Inc., 2001. 712 –17. Print.Menà ©ndez, Élisabeth. Maà ¯s Et Divinites Du Maà ¯s Daprà ¨s Les Sources Anciennes. Journal de la Socià ©tà © des Amà ©ricanistes 64 (1977): 19–27. Print. Smith, Michael E. The Aztecs. 3rd ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013. Print.Taube, Karl A. Aztec and Maya Myths. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1993.Taube, Karl. Teotihuacn: Religion and Deities. Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia. Eds. Evans, Susan Toby and David L. Webster. New York: Garland Publishing Inc., 2001. 731–34. Print.Von Tuerenhout, Dirk R. The Aztecs: New Perspectives. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO Inc., 2005. Print.

Challenges Project Teams Face Example

Challenges Project Teams Face Example Challenges Project Teams Face – Coursework Example Challenges Faced by Project Teams al Affiliation) Challenges Faced by Project Teams According to Kendrick, , everyproject team ought to formulate the lifecycle of a project. The steps in the lifecycle are dependent on each other for a project to achieve its projected targets. The challenges faced in one step significantly affects the next step; hence inhibiting the success of the project (Kendrick, 2011). The project involving Denver International Airport Baggage Handling System is a clear indication of the challenges that project teams undergo at every stage of the lifecycle. At the initiation level, the Project Charter is established (Kendrick, 2011). Project teams face the challenge of assessing whether the project is achievable. The project may prove to be more complex than the original plan. Underestimating the complexity levels might hinder the effectiveness of the planning stage. At the planning stage, the project management plan is formulated. Project teams may be required to change the requirements of the project if its complexity was under-estimated at its conception. This might involve adjusting the entire budget structure to cater for the additional project costs. At the execution stage, project deliverables are produced. Project teams may be faced with coordination issues. Lack of coordination may alter the execution of the project. If the project teams are unable to coordinate the project management plan, the project deliverables might be a shadow of the original plan. At the monitoring and controlling stage, the project teams are responsible for controlling any change arising while monitoring the project’s progress. They should ensure that the project is well handled to meet its set objectives. It is at this stage where project teams evaluate the performance of the systems implemented, and ensure that the operation costs are within the budget. At the closing stage, project teams ought to ensure that there is sufficient backup for the whol e project in case a review for the project is required. The project should only be wound up after it has been successful. The project teams ought to evaluate the actual life span of the project against the projected lifespan (Kendrick, 2011). The Denver Baggage Handling System was scrapped off since it was not successful.ReferenceKendrick, T. (2011). 101 project management problems and how to solve them: practical advice for handling real-world project challenges. New York: AMACOM, American Management Association.

How to Deal With a Lazy Coworker

How to Deal With a Lazy Coworker document.createElement('audio'); https://s3.amazonaws.com/tjn-blog-images/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/17133337/How-to-handle-a-lazy-coworker.wavWe’ve all been there- paired with the team member that just isn’t holding up their share of the tent poles. You can’t quite tattle on them because that would just reflect badly on you, but you also can’t let them get away with it all the time and just keep carrying your weight. If you’re frustrated with a lazy, extra-long-lunch-taking, slack-off of a coworker, here are a few ways you can alleviate the situation.Don’t let them knock you off your pins.If you’re spending the entire day focusing on just how lazy and useless your coworker is, chances are you’re not doing your own work as well as you could and should be doing. Try tuning them out, no matter how many times you notice them checking Facebook. Focus on your own work- or you’ll end up having as low an output as the lazy perso n. It might not be fair, but neither is life. Too much attention on fairness is just immature.Stay focused on yourself.Instead of obsessing about what a lame-o your coworker is, direct your energy instead to deciding what kind of a person and coworker you want to be. And start living up to your own ideals. Be the kind of person you admire most- not just someone who carps on the weakest link. Don’t let your good attitude get affected by someone else’s bad work.Don’t assume responsibility.Don’t tattle, but also don’t just pick up their slack. Their work should not be your work. And if your boss recognizes that some work isn’t getting done, do your best to not be assigned any of the blame.Be a leader.Take this opportunity to distinguish yourself. Stay above the gossip. Step up and show your boss and your team how well you deal with difficult situations. Be the hero of your team. Communicate with your lazy co-worker- they may not be lazy at all, but rather dealing with issues or problems you haven’t imagined. Try helping them get back in the game, rather than watching them crash and burn.Say no.Don’t agree to projects that require your coworker to work at full capacity. And don’t agree to time frames that you know to be unrealistic given the situation. Worst case scenario, in saying no, you’ll earn an opportunity to broach the subject of your coworker with your boss in a non-tattletaley way. It’s the classier way to escalate the situation.Put your reputation first.As annoying as it is to find yourself in this situation, what you have to remember is that you cannot go down with the sinking ship. You might have to put in a few more hours and do a bit more work on the edges until the situation can be resolved. If you have a high-stakes project that can’t be avoided and the deadlines can’t be changed, you just have to do the extra work and sort the situation out afterwards. Try and hold your head up high and distinguish yourself as much as possible, which will make the inevitable fall-out that much easier.

Financial statment analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Financial statment analysis - Essay Example An attempt is also made to correlate the performance of the companies and the share price movements at the stock exchange. The profitability of a firm is usually evaluated in terms of the gross margin, net margin, earnings per share and payment of dividend. Over the last three years the gross profit of the company has been showing both upward and downward trend. In the first year (2006), gross profit has shown a decrease of 1.12 percent from that of the year 2005. In the next year also, the profit has shown a significant setback, which accounts for around 79 percent. However, it was corrected in the third year, where the firm could achieve an increase of around 29 percent when compared to the year 2007. This is because of the reason that in the first and second year (2006 and 2007), cost of goods sold has shown a significant increase which is not in proportion to the change in sales. However, the net profit figures over the period show a different picture. The firm could achieve a positive figure in all the three years which indicate that the firm is in a position to meet the interest of all its stakeho lders, particularly that of shareholders. The profit after tax, which represents the amount available to ordinary shareholders (investors) for all the three years, shows an increasing trend. ... It is given in the Task II that how good is the return on capital employed of the firm. It is evident from the table (please include table No. Here) that return on capital employed has been good for the form for the last three years. Apart from not being it stable, return on capital employed shows an increasing trend. From the year 2005 to 2006, there is an increase of about 7 percent. From the year 2006 to 2007, it is further increased by another 8 percent. It was again increased from 8 percent to 11.6 percent in the year 2008. This state of affairs is really a green signal for the investors to ensure themselves that they will be assured a happy return. Analysis of Financial Status Financial status of a firm is the financial position or condition that the firm has on a particular date as a result of business operations. Financial position of a firm is usually described the balance sheet and other analytical tools like common size balance sheet, balance sheet ratios etc. When balance sheet exhibits the list of assets a business owns and liabilities that the business owes, common size balance sheet and balance sheet ratios provide a detailed picture of the financial position of the concern. Therefore, it is better to describe the common size balance sheet and important balance sheet tools to know more about the firm's financial condition. In the common size statement all important items in the balance sheet are expressed as a percentage of shareholders' equity. The statement reports that current liabilities are regularly paid out by the firm as it shows a decrease from year to year. In the first year, current liabilities accounts for around 50 percent of the shar eholders' equity. However, it was reduced to 47 percent and then to 32 percent in the

Biographical Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Biographical Research - Essay Example Born in 1830 into a well established family in Amherst, Massachusetts, Emily has been one of the most enigmatic and studied literary figures in the English language. As a poet, she is found to be lyrical, innovative for her time and demonstrated a strong sense of knowledge based on her education and readings. The seeds of Emily’s discomfort with social interaction may have been sown early in her life where she spent a lonely childhood at an emotional distance from her parents. This is also reflected in her early poetry where she refers to herself as â€Å"the slightest in her house†, â€Å"starved like a gnat† and â€Å"locked up in prose† (Leiter 4). Emily’s father, Edward Dickinson, was a noted political figure in Massachusetts. Though popular in the community, he was a strict father and family man (Pollak and Noble 27-28). She had an unusual relationship with her father. Though she admired him, she did not feel close to him and felt that her liveliness was suppressed in his presence (Pollak and Noble 28). Emily could also not relate with her mother, Emily Norcross. Emily never felt she could speak to her mother when troubled and later scholars have characterized Norcross as an emotionally unbalanced person, not lucid in her communication and of avera ge intelligence (Leiter 4). A positive angle to this situation, however, was that Emily became more independent in her thinking and analysis of life (Leiter 6) which appeared as a hallmark of her poetry in later years. Her personal reclusiveness, as she grew up into an adult, was not a barrier to her expression which she found by writing a large collection of letters and close to 1800 poems (â€Å"Emily Dickinson†). Her separation from the external world possibly heightened her sense of observation and sensitivity to her surroundings (Pollak and Noble 109). She wrote on diverse topics such as money, religion, and individuality in her work which reflected the developing ethos and

Regional Economic Integration (BLOBAL BUSINESS) Essay

Regional Economic Integration (BLOBAL BUSINESS) - Essay Example Custom unions are similar to free trade area, but differ in the idea of treating non-member states. Unlike free trade area where each member nation has the autonomy to decide how to deal with non-member countries, custom unions promote uniform treatment of non-member nations by all member countries. A perfect example of common union is the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Common market on the other hand permits for the development of economically incorporated markets between member nations. It involves the abolition of trade barriers, capital and labour flow limitations and promotes the formation of common trade policies for dealing with non-members. Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) (Kyambalesa and Houngnikpo 79) is an epitome of common market. Lastly, an economic union refers to an economic agreement formed between countries that involves abolition of trade barriers and implementation of common trade policies, for example the European Union (EU). Regional integration creates trade and employment opportunities for member states and also promotes cooperation between them. However, regional integration may also jeopardize national sovereignty, leads to shift in employment and thwarts diversification in

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

Macro - Essay Example The popular opinion among monetary economists is that the central banks should focus on inflation control as the basis for the creation of jobs as opposed to the reverse method of spurring job growth by decreasing borrowing costs. The article states the case for a dual mandate for banks in the control of inflation and the management of the unemployment levels. The article discusses two major underlying macroeconomic topics, inflation and unemployment. I agree with the popular opinion that the central banks should focus on controlling inflation as the means to controlling inflation as opposed to lowering the borrowing costs as a method of spurring employment and curbing inflation. The Federal Reserve does not have control over congress spending and as such it can only manage the inflationary effects on employment over the unemployment effect on inflation. However the Federal Reserve can also engage in small scale initiatives to reduce the level of unemployment. Appelbaum, Binyami. ‘Fed Responds to a Grim Reality’. New York Times. September 14, 2012. Web. November 7, 2012.

Organizational Leadership Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Organizational Leadership - Term Paper Example The intention of this study is leadership as the ability to influence a group towards the achievement offset goals. In an organization there are leaders who may be vested with formal authority to influence the activities of the other members so that the goals of the organisation can be achieved. On the other hand, the classical approach to leadership loosely refers to a type of conditioning where an individual responds to some stimulus that would not invariably produce such a response. In as far as leadership is concerned, it can be noted that there is need to influence people within an organization to behave in a particular way so that their efforts can be pulled in the same direction towards the attainment of the set goals. However, the success of this strategy mainly depends on the type of the organisation and the leadership style that is used by the leaders. Merton defines a bureaucratic structure as one that is formal and it involves clearly defined patterns of activities and ev ery action is ideally related to the purposes of the organization. Such an organization is hierarchical in structure where power and authority follow a top to down structure. Another very important aspect of this organization is that power is vested in the office not the particular person who performs the official task. The formality of this type of organization suggests that subordinates have to take orders from their superiors and the methods of communication are also formalised where the leaders give orders to the junior employees. In a bureaucratic structure, everything is centralized and this particular type of organization cannot easily change its formalised way of operation. Another important aspect about this structure is that the decision making process is centralised and other ordinary members may not contribute their ideas. In short, the leadership style used by this organization is authoritative where focus is put on the vision of the firm. On the other hand, it can be n oted that some organizations are liberal and they welcome initiative, innovation as well as creativity. Goleman (2000) posits to the effect that the effectiveness of this particular type of organization can be attributed to the leadership style that is used. In this case, the members of the organisation are given the autonomy to contribute towards the decision making process and it can be observed that this kind of firm is flexible since it allows people to learn and adapt to changes that can take place within and outside the organisation. The success of such kind of organisation can also be attributed to the leaders’ ability to encourage the members to learn from others as well as to participate in activities that are crucial to its operation. There is a shared vision among the members and it can be noted that this structure is more flexible compared to a bureaucratic st

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

Macro - Essay Example The popular opinion among monetary economists is that the central banks should focus on inflation control as the basis for the creation of jobs as opposed to the reverse method of spurring job growth by decreasing borrowing costs. The article states the case for a dual mandate for banks in the control of inflation and the management of the unemployment levels. The article discusses two major underlying macroeconomic topics, inflation and unemployment. I agree with the popular opinion that the central banks should focus on controlling inflation as the means to controlling inflation as opposed to lowering the borrowing costs as a method of spurring employment and curbing inflation. The Federal Reserve does not have control over congress spending and as such it can only manage the inflationary effects on employment over the unemployment effect on inflation. However the Federal Reserve can also engage in small scale initiatives to reduce the level of unemployment. Appelbaum, Binyami. ‘Fed Responds to a Grim Reality’. New York Times. September 14, 2012. Web. November 7, 2012.

Analysis Of The Activity Of Louis Vuitton Company Essay - 4

Analysis Of The Activity Of Louis Vuitton Company - Essay Example PESTEL stands for factors which may affect the operations of the business such as political, economic, social, technological, environmental as well as legal factors (Lancaster & Reynolds 1999). These are explained in detail below and Appendix 1 shows a summary of the major points noted. This is a very useful tool for analyzing the environment in which an organization operates. It can be noted that there are various factors that affect the operations of any given organization and these have to be taken into consideration by an organization that is serious about its viability so as to achieve competitive advantage (Kottler 1999). Any given organization is guided by certain factors that so as to ensure that it does not violate the needs and interests of the consumers as well as the other stakeholders. Political In the UK, there are policies that govern the operations of all organizations that are involved in the manufacturing of different products so as to meet the expected standards. Consumer law in the UK is effective and under the EU law, every big organization like Louis Vuitton is expected to protect the needs and interests of the customers. It can be noted that the current political environment prevailing in the EU is not exploitative which is seen as the reason why exclusive manufactures like Louis Vuitton continue enjoying growth and expansion since inception to the present day. Economic factors The organization has not been spared by the impacts of the recent global economic recession though it managed to bounce back in the first half of 2010. By virtue of specializing in producing only exclusive products with premium prices, the operations of the organization are likely to be affected during turbulent times given that premium prices charged are specifically meant for a few people who can shift their buying behavior which negatively impacts on the operations of the organization as a whole. However, LVMH- Louis Vuitton harnesses on its resilience and responsiveness even during the most difficult trying times.

Classic Knitwear Essay Example for Free

Classic Knitwear Essay Classic Knitwear, founded in 1995, began production of a unique line of unbranded casual knit apparel. Included in their product line were such clothing as T-shirts, sport shirts, sweatshirts and other wearing apparel. Although the company saw exceptional revenues as of 2005, they still felt that they were not meeting certain criteria when it came to their gross margin. They sought to increase their gross margin, currently sitting at 18%, to that of a more comfortable number of 20%. To combat this issue, Classic Knitwear decided to team up with Guardian, a producer of odorless repellant protection against bugs, and combine their fortes into a line of clothing infused with the bug repellant technology. These new products would hopefully to rise the gross margin to the 20% they were hoping to accomplish. The non-fashion casual knitwear market consisted of products that range from casual t-shirts to even underwear. Within this industry, it can be divided into two categories, those manufacturers who brand their products with their name and those companies who choose not to brand their line of products. On the branded side of the industry, Classic competed with three major brands. These brands were JamesBrands (which accounted for $4.5 billion in revenue from sales), Flowerknit (which accounted for $1.25 billion in revenue from sales), and Greenville Corporations TopTops Division (which accounted for $630 million in revenue from sales). These branded labels competed on the level of private- labeled businesses. On the other side of the industry, Classic competed with one company in terms of unlabeled products. BB Activewear were major competitors as they generated $590 million or 23.6% market share, which made them a leader in the market. Although not directly involved within this sector, Jamesbrand, Flowerknit and Greenville Corporations TopTops Division still were involved with Classic on this level. Distribution channels are essential when it comes to the wholesales of these companies products. 90% of the product distribution from these companies go directly to two distinct types of retailers. Almost 50% of these sales are accounted for from mixed retailers, such as Wal-Mart and Kohls, who sell clothing as well as wide variety of other products. The other 40% is sold towards clothing specialist retailers, such as Gap and Brooks Brothers, who only specialize in the selling of clothing related products. The remaining 10% of the distribution channels contained bits from non- grocery retailers, home shopping, internet retailing and direct selling to the customers. In order for manufacturers to compete for retail business, they used a variety of strategies in order to gain attention from these retailers. Some of these tactics involved prices, variety of products, and efficiency of delivery. Classic Knitwear, since its inception, has been a simple manufacturing company whose focus is on creating and distributing unbranded casual knit apparel which includes T-shirts, sweatshirts and fleece like products. Unlike other companies that chose to have expensive products which carried prestigious fashion labels, Classic decided to venture away from them and focus on products that were categorized as non- fashioned knitwear. With this strategy, Classic accounted for $550 million in revenues from domestic sales. They have also decided to sell only in the United States, as foreign markets were too much of a risk that could have negative consequences. 75% of this revenue came from the selling of their products to wholesalers, who in turn, resold the Classic clothing to screen- print channels which customized the products with logos and images. Ortiz and Chong decided to concentrate on this pathway because it offered the fastest growth potential than trying to sell like ordinary retailers. As a result, Classic Knitwear had established itself as the #2 seller in the market, accounting for 16.5% of the market share. Classic generated the remaining 25% of their revenues from mass retail channels under private labeling. Classic would sell their products to retailers such as Wal-Mart and Dollar General and would be carried under the name of the retailer or through a house brand that was developed by the retailers themselves. In fact, these two retailers accounted for 57% of those revenue sales. To help accomplish such high revenues, Classic had to achieve low production costs throughout the entire company. To ensure that such goals were obtainable, Classic established state-of-the-art production factories that were situated off shore, mainly in the Dominican Republic. Being situated not in the United States allowed them to have much lower production costs than those produced domestically. Although other companies had also set up production factories in other countries, Classic was able to have a slight competitive advantage over these other companies. What helped them keep this competitive advantage was a high volume- low SKU (stock keeping unit) strategy. This ensured that they would produce high quantities of products without the large variety of products that other companies had. As of 2005, Classic felt that it would never reach their goal of 20% gross margins through various controlled labels or tie in promotions. However, Classic Knitwear had an epiphany which could potentially shoot their gross profits to levels that they would feel satisfied with. With the rise of the West Nile virus across the Americas, more and more people were looking for ways to prevent the transmission of the diseases. Classic thought it would generate the attention of customers to produce a new line of clothing that would be infused with chemicals that would be able to repel insects that carried the West Nile virus. With the help of another company, Guardian, who specialized in insect repellants, they would be able to create such a line of products. The reason that they chose Guardian was due to their flagship repellant, have established them as one of the top producers in insect repellant. The products would consist of a short and long sleeve T-shirt, a Mens polo, and a Mens fleece. Along with the production of these chemical infused clothing, Classic was targeting males 18-35, seeing as these individuals would most likely be outside during times when insects are active. The initial investment of such a line could cost about $10 million, which would help to generate 50% unaided awareness across the United States. In order to get the needed awareness of their product out to the public to ensure increased gross margins, Classic relied heavily on marketing. They had studied how other brands that were selling similar brands of insect repellant clothing and how they were successful, establishing themselves into small niche markets. Based on those already established companies, Classic decided to sell their product lines to retail stores with cardboard displays housing the different styles of shirts. On the outside of each of the boxes would display pictures of outdoor related activities that would promote the proper use of each shirt. Some of these retail stores would be outdoor related stores such as Bass Pro Shops and L.L. Bean. Classic wanted to have 10,000 displays in stores over the next 2 years after the product line was to begin production. To help get these displays in stores, they offered discounts on the sale of T-shirts if the store agreed to have a display in their store. Classic, with the production of these chemical infused shirts, could have a possible juggernaut to help generate sales, but there could be other possibilities that could help them reach their target gross margin of 20%. One alternative would be to not produce the new line of shirts, relying on frequent customers to help generate the extra sales to gain the extra gross margin. Another possibility would be to vertical integrate with one of the screen-pressing companies that create the logos which are later screened onto the sold shirts. By integrating, they could possibly cut unnecessary costs that would also help create higher gross margins. Lastly, another possible alternative to this problem would be to establish a brand of clothing that is positioned near the high labeled brands. They would have to compete with the big three companies with sales, but could possibly steal sales away from them to help establish themselves. Classic Knitwear was set with a problem of what to do to try and earn more in their gross profits. To solve such case, it would be recommended that they continue with the production of these insect repellant shirts. With the outbreak of the West Nile virus and outdoorsmen wanting styled brands to wear, this idea would help to generate the sales need to raise the gross profits. Based on Consumer.com surveys, it was concluded that there was a strong desire for such a product, especially one whose clothing was made out Classics materials. In the end, the continuation of this line would help generate the extra gross margin they had hope to gain.

The Concept Of Medicalization: Shifting Ideas

The Concept Of Medicalization: Shifting Ideas Medicalization is term for the erroneous tendency by society-often perpetuated by health professionals to view effects of socioeconomic disadvantage as purely medical issues. It is the process by which human conditions and problems come to be defined and treated as medical conditions and problems, and thus come under the authority of doctors and other health professionals to study, diagnose, prevent or treat. The process of medicalization can be driven by new evidence or theories about conditions, or by developments in social attitudes or economic considerations, or by the development of new purported treatments. Medicalization is often claimed to bring benefits, but also costs, which may not always be clear. Medicalization is studied in terms of the role and power of professions, patients and corporations, and also for its implications for ordinary people whose self-identity and life-decisions may depend on the prevailing concepts of health and illness. Once a condition is classed a s medical, a medical tends to be used rather than a social model. Medicalization may also be termed pathologization (from pathology), or in some cases disease mongering. The term medicalization entered academic and medical publications in the 1970s, for example in the works of figures such as Peter Conrad and Thomas Szasz. They argued that the expansion of medical authority into domains of everyday existence was promoted by doctors and was a force of social control that was to be rejected in the name of liberation. This critique was embodied in now-classic works such as Conrads The discovery of hyperkinesis: notes on medicalization of deviance, published in 1973 (hyperkinesis was the term then used to describe what we might now call ADHD). Medicalization explains a situation which had been previously explained in a moral, religious or social terms now become defined as the subject of medical and scientific knowledge. Many years ago for example some children were deemed and regarded as problematic, misbehaving and unruly. Some adults were shy and men who were balding just wore hats to hide it. And that was that. Nevertheless, nowadays all these descriptions could and possibly would be attributed to a type of illness or disease and be given a diagnosis or medicine to treat it in some cases. Medicalization explains this. Likewise, medicalization has been applied to a whole variety of problems that have come to be defined as medial, ranging from childbirth and the menopause through to alcoholism and homosexuality (Gabe et al. 2006: 59). Furthermore, the term explains the process in where particular characteristics of every day life become medically explained, thus come under the authority of doctors and other health professionals to study, diagnose, prevent and or treat the problem. Originally, the concept of medicalisation was strongly associated with medical dominance, involving the extension of medicines jurisdiction over erstwhile normal life events and experiences. More recently, however, this view of a docile lay populace, in thrall to expansionist medicine, has been challenged. Thus, as we enter a post-modern era, with increased concerns over risk and a decline in the trust of expert authority, many sociologists argue that the modern day consumer of healthcare plays an active role in bringing about or resisting medicalisation. Such participation, however, can be problematic as healthcare consumers become increasingly aware of the risks and uncertainty surrounding many medical choices. The emergence of the modern day consumer not only raises questions about the notion of medicalisation as a uni-dimensional concept, but also requires consideration of the specific social contexts in which medicalisation occurs. In this paper, we describe how the concept of m edicalisation is presented in the literature, outlining different accounts of agency that shape the process. We suggest that some earlier accounts of medicalisation over-emphasized the medical professions imperialistic tendencies and often underplayed the benefits of medicine. With consideration of the social context in which medicalisation, or its converse, arises, we argue that medicalisation is a much more complex, ambiguous, and contested process than the medicalisation thesis of the 1970s implied. In particular, as we enter a post-modern era, conceptualizing medicalisation as a uni-dimensional, uniform process or as the result of medical dominance alone is clearly insufficient. Indeed, if, as Conrad and Schneider (1992) suggested, medicalisation was linked to the rise of rationalism and science (ie to modernity), and if we are experiencing the passing of modernity, we might expect to see a decrease in medicalisation. The idea of medicalization is perhaps related only indirectly to social constructionanism, in that it does not question the basis of medical knowledge as such, but challenges its application. Nettleton continues and states that is draws attention to the fact that medicine operates as a powerful institution of social control (Nettleton 2006: 25). It does this by claiming expertise in areas in life which previously were not regarded as medical problems or matters. This includes such life stages such as ageing, childbirth, alcohol consumption and childhood behaviour moreover, the availability of new pharmacological treatments and genetic testing intensifies these processesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ thus it constructs, or redefines, aspects of normal life as medical problems. (Conrad and Schneider 1990 as cited in Nettleton 2006: 25). Medicalization can occur on three different and particular levels according to Conrad and Schneider (1980). The first was explained as conceptually when a medical vocabulary is used to define a problem. In some instances, doctors do not have to be involved and an example if this is AA. The second was the institutional level, institutionally, when organizations adopt a medical approach to treating a problem in which they specialise and the third was at the level of doctor patient interaction when a problem is defined as a medical and medical treatment occurs (as cited in Gabe et al 2004:59). These examples all involve doctors and their treatments directly, not including alcoholism which has other figures to help people such as the AA. The third level was the interactional level and this was where the problem, social problem, becomes defined as medical and medicalization occurs as part of a doctor-patient interaction. Medicalization shows the shifting ideas about health and illness. Health and illness does not only include such things as influenza or the cold, but deviant behaviours. Deviant behaviours which were once merely described as criminal, immoral or naughty before have now been labelled with medical meanings. Conrad and Schneider five-staged sequential process of medicalizing deviant behaviour. Stage one involves the behaviour itself as being deviant. Chronic drunkenness was regarded merely as highly undesirable, before it was medically labelled as chronic drunkenness. The second stage occurs when the medical conception of a deviant behaviour is announced in a professional medical journey according to Conrad and Schneider. A prominent thinker in the idea of medicalization was Ivan Illich, who studied it profusely and was very influential, in fact being one of the earliest philosophers to use the term medicalization. Illichs appraisal of professional medicine and particularly his use of the term medicalization lead him to become very influential within the discipline and is quoted to have said that Modern medicine is a negation of health. It isnt organized to serve human health, but only itself, as an institution. It makes more people sick than it heals. Illich attributed medicalization to the increasing professionalization and bureaucratization of medical institutions associated with industrialization (Gabe et al 2004: 61). He supposed that due to the development of modern medicine, it created a reliance on medicine and doctors thus taking away peoples ability to look after themselves and engage in self care. In his book Limits to medicine: Medical nemesis (1975) Illich disputed that the medical profession in point of fact harms people in a process known as iatrogenesis. This can be elucidated as when there is an increase in illness and social problems as a direct result of medical intervention. Illich saw this occurring on three levels. The first was the clinical iatrogenesis. These involved serious side-effects which were are often worse than the original condition. The negative effects of the clinical intervention outweighed the positive and it also conveyed the dangers of modern medicine. There were negative side effects of medicine and drugs, which included poisoning people. In addition, infections which could be caught in the hospital such as MRSA and errors caused my medical negligence. The second level was the social iatrogenesis whereby the general public is made submissive and reliant on the medical profession to help them cope with their life in society. Furthermore all suffering is hospitalised and medicine undermines health indirectly because of its impact on social organisation of society. In the process people cease to give birth, for example, be sick or die at home And the third level is cultural iatrogenesis, which can also be referred to as the structural. This is where life processes such as aging and dying become medicalized which in the process creates a society which is not able to deal with natural life process thus becoming a culture of dependence. Moreover, people are dispossessed of their ability to cope with pain or bereavement for example as people rely on medicine and professionals. (Illick 1975) Sociologists such as Ehrenreich and English had argued that womens bodies were being medicalized. Menstruation and pregnancy had come to be seen as medical problems requiring interventions such as hysterectomies. Nettleton furthered this notion and discussed this in relation to childbirth. The Medicalization of childbirth is as a result of professional dominance. She stated that the control of pregnancy and childbirth has been taken over by a predominantly male medical profession. Medicine can thus be regarded as patriarchal and exercising an undue social control over womens lives. From conception to the birth of the baby, the women are closely monitored thus medical monitoring and intervention in pregnancy childbirth are now routine processes. Childbirth is classified as a medical problem therefore it becomes conceptualized in terms of clinical safety, and women are encouraged to have their babies in hospitals. This consequently results in women being dependent on medical care. Nevertheless recent studies and evidence have shown that it may actually be safer to have babies at home because there would have been less susceptible to infection and technocological interference (Oakley 1884, as cited in Nettleton 2006: 26) Medicalization combines phenomenological and Marxist approaches of health and illnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in that it considers definitions of illness to be products of social interactions or negotiations which are inherently unequal (Nettleton 2006: 26). Marxism discussed medicalization and linked it with oppression, arguing that medicine can disguise the underlying causes of disease which include poverty and social inequality. In the process they see health as an individual problem, rather than a societys problem. Medicalization is studied in terms of the role and power of professions, patients and corporations, and also for its implications for ordinary people whose self-identity and life-decisions may depend on the prevailing concepts of health and illness. Once a condition is classed as medical, a medical model of disability tends to be used rather than a social model. It constructs, or redefines, aspects of normal life as medical problems (Nettleton 2006: 26). Medicalization has been referred to as the processes by which social phenomena come to be perceived and treated as illnesses. It is the process in by issues and experiences that have previously been accounted for in religious, moral, or social contexts then become defined as the subject of scientific medical knowledge. The idea itself questions the belief that physical conditions themselves constitute an illness. It argues that the classification and identification of diseases is socially constructed and. It has been suggested that medicine is seen as being instilled with subjective assumptions of the society in which it developed. Moreover, it argues that the classification and identification of diseases is socially constructed and, along with the rest of science, is far from achieving the ideals of objectivity and neutrality. The medical thesis has much to recommendà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦including the creation of new understanding of the social processes involved in the development and response to medical diagnosis and treatment To understand the level of social power that the medical community exercises through medicalization, Conrad explains that physicians have medicalized social deviance. They accomplish this by claiming the medical basis of matters such as hyperactivity, madness, alcoholism and compulsive gambling [Conrad, p 107]. By medicalizing social matters, medical professionals have the power to legitimize negative social behavior, such as the case of suspected killers in judicial courts who claim temporary insanity and are, therefore, exonerated on medical basis [Conrad, p 111]. In extending this concept, the Endocrine Society may have medicalized social deviance in men who reduce their work motivation or become characteristically unpleasant because they are experiencing andropause. In effect, despondency in older men might become an indicator of male menopause rather than a possible indicator of social deviance. Physicians also play a direct and significant role in the medicalization of social experiences. In analyzing the doctor-patient interaction of medicalization, Kaw argues that medical professionals have medicalized racial features by encouraging cosmetic surgery among Asian American women, for example, in order to avoid the stereotypical physical features of small and slanty eyes that are often associated with passivity, dullness and lack of sociability [Kaw, p 75]. Kaw asserts that plastic surgeons use medical terms to problematize the shape of their eyes so as to define it as a medical condition [Kaw, p 81]. Their use of technical terms and expressions should be questioned, especially since the power of such language influences Asian American women to pursue cosmetic surgery, when it is not necessary [Kaw, p 82]. Analogously, the Endocrine Society medicalized testosterone deficiency by defining it as Andropause; this helped perpetuate the notion, among older individuals, that if the y lack sexual drive or sense depression and fatigue, they should seek medical attention because they are experiencing an acute medical condition rather than a stage in the physiological cycle. The role played by the health care structures in medicalizing conditions is enhanced by that of the pharmaceutical industry. In order to achieve implementation of a drug in the market, the medicalization of a problem is critical [Conrad, p 111]. Once a medical definition for male menopause was established, the pharmaceutical company further medicalized the problem by launching strong advertisement campaigns aimed at older men and physicians alike, so as to popularize the drug among the general public and medical community [Groopman, 2002]. In a Time magazine advertisement, the industry appealed to the emotions of older men by linking low sex drive to the decline of testosterone levels rather than to a life process [Groopman 2002]. In this manner, the pharmaceutical industries profit based ideology facilitates the medicalization of testosterone deficiency by popularizing conditions that may be exceedingly common among health product consumers. Medicalization also changes patients ideologies of biomedicine and leads them to believe that biomedicine must not only offer cure for illnesses, but also offer life enhancements. Similar to the way that impotence and hair loss was medicalized by promoting drugs like Viagra to enhance sexual performance, and solutions like Rogaine for hair re-growth, male menopause has been medicalized because it causes low sex drive among other general symptoms [Groopman, 2002]. As a consequence, older men will opt to not only seek but demand life enhancements achievable through medicine disregarding the fact that such treatments can be detrimental to health. In fact, Groopman states that known side effect of testosterone therapy include abnormal enlargement of the breasts, testicular shrinkage, congestive heart failure and enlargement of the prostate gland [Groopman, 2002]. Medicalizing a problem can be harmful and deadly, yet medical professionals perpetuate this dangerous behavior by medicalizing conditions that patients may seek to treat for their personal wellbeing It is important to realize that medicalization is not merely the result of medical imperialism but rather the interactive process that involves society and the health community; [Conrad, p 115]. It includes patients and doctors alike. Nonetheless, awareness of the mechanisms by which the medical community affects society is important because medicine pertains to all health consumers. Male menopause only serves as one of the many examples of life experiences that have become medicalized by the healthcare community. Concluding this essay, the concept of medicalization started with the medical dominance which involved the increase of medicines influence and labelling over things regarded as normal life events and experiences. However in recent time, this view of a submissive lay populace, in thrall to expansionist medicine, has been challenged. As a consequence, as we enter a post-modern era, with increased concerns over risk and a decline in the trust of expert authority, many sociologists argue that the modern day consumer of healthcare plays an active role in bringing about or resisting medicalization. Furthermore Such participationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦can be problematic as healthcare consumers become increasingly aware of the risks and uncertainty surrounding many medical choices. Moreover the emergence of the modern day consumer not only raises questions about the notion of medicalisation as a uni-dimensional concept, but also requires consideration of the specific social contexts in which medical isation occurs (Ballard and Elston 2005). In addition they suggest that as we enter a post-modern era, conceptualizing medicalisation as a uni-dimensional or as the result of medical dominance primarily is insufficient.

Charles Lindbergh Biography :: Essays Papers

Charles Lindbergh Biography My biography is on Charles Augustus Lindbergh. He is most famous for his nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. In the next paragraph I will be telling you about some of the things that he is famous for. His life is more interesting than most people think. If anything I would say that he is the most famous pilot in the world, or at least he should be. Charles was a pilot, inverter, and an environmentalist. He was born on February forth of nineteen o two in Detroit Michigan. His father was a Minnesota congressman. He studied mechanical engineering for two years at the university of Wisconsin and left in nineteen twenty-two to enroll in flight school. In nineteen twenty-three he bought a war surplus training plane and worked as a barnstormer and as a traveling stunt flier. In nineteen twenty-five he completed army flight training. After flight school he worked as an airmail pilot, only to become the chief pilot for the route between St. Louis to Chicago. In nineteen twenty-nine he married Anne Morrow. The daughter of the United States ambassador to Mexico, Dwight Morrow. Some of Charles Lindbergh's achievements are the following. His most famous achievement was in nineteen twenty-seven, when he made the worlds first nonstop, solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. One of his other famous achievements was in nineteen twenty-seven when he made an unprecedented nonstop solo flight from Washington D.C. to Mexico City. He is also famous for being a great pilot. The main reason that I picked Charles Lindbergh to do my biography on is because I was goofing around on the biography web site and I typed in my birthday and apparently Charles Lindbergh has the same birthday as me. Another reason that I picked Charles Lindbergh is because I like airplanes and since Charles Lindbergh was the most famous pilot of all time, I decided, ah what the heck.

After School Programs Essay -- Education, Constructivism

This chapter provides a review of the literature related to after school programs. The literature review is organized into the following categories: History of After School Programs, Need for After School Programs, Effectiveness of After School Programs, Frequency and Duration, and Middle School After School Programs. This section also reviews the theoretical framework for this research. Theoretical Framework Constructivism is a philosophy of learning founded on the premise that, by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own knowledge of the world we live in (Au & Carrol, 1996). Learning is simply the process of adjusting what we already know to accommodate new experiences. Constructivism can be traced to the eighteenth century and the work of Giambattista (Bhattacharya & Han, 2001). Bhattacharya and Han maintained that humans are able to understand only what they themselves have constructed. Many philosophers and educators have worked with these ideas, but the first to develop a clear idea of what constructivism consists of were Jean Piaget and John Dewey. Von Glaserfield (1990) acknowledged that constructivism means â€Å"knowledge is not passively received.† Piaget (1973) stated that students are not just â€Å"empty heads† that can be filled with facts from packaged curriculum that is given out my teachers. Constructivism does not depend on a standardized curriculum. Instead, it promotes using curriculum customized to the students’ prior knowledge. Also, it emphasizes real world problem solving, experiments, reasoning and communication (Au & Carrol , 1997). Constructivism gives students the power to make connections, reformulate ideas, and reach conclusions (Brewer & Daane, 2002). After school programs often focus on teac... ...ved in 21st Century Community Learning Centers. The evaluation revealed that programs had difficulty recruiting and retaining young teens, and those that did participate attended inconsistently. The middle school students were less likely to participate in academic classes and more likely to be involved in recreation activities. Beth Miller (2003) stated that after school programs serving middle school children, must keep students engaged in the program by a variety of popular and engaging activities. She further noted that after-school programs are successful when participants have motivation to achieve academically. In summary, middle school learners benefit from frequent participation in quality after school programs that increase engagement in learning, provide a variety of recreational activities, and build key skills necessary for academic success.

HRM and educational progress Essay

ABSTRACT The Human Resources Department of any organization present in any industry is one of the most important aspects of organizational progress. IT is through this department that the human resources of the company would have the motivation that they needed to be able to perform well for the betterment of the entire organization’s future. It is undeniable that through this department, everyone else in any organization is empowered to arrive at a certain level of determination to do something good not only for their own welfare but for the welfare of others as well. Within the paper that follows, the industry of education and its progressive advancement shall be observed and noted as the role of human resources management department is also being outlined along the way. This study is proceeded to at least clarify the issues proving that human resource management is a vital part of any organization’s system of operation. English as a Second Language or ESL programs are considered one of the most important courses offered by learning institutions today whether on personal basis or through on-line teaching. In this manner, institutions are also encouraged handle ESL programs to be able to meet the needs of a growing market of people who are expected to speak professional English. Hence, even business administrations are being invigorated to host an ESL program even for their own employees alone. Many business administrators believe that this step of improvement would naturally bring their company great rewards especially with regards to being globally competitive. However, when it comes to the part of the learning institutions, taking this big step of adjustments towards providing adult students with professional business English basics may not be that easy to imply. Certainly, a certain level of motivation is needed to be able to meet this requirement of the growing market of people who are able to speak English as their second language. The utilization of the right motivation procedure is indeed the key to this factor of needed adjustments especially for the educators. ESL students come from all ages and all races as well. This is the reason why teaching the said clients of education would not only require professional application of the standard teaching procedures, it also adds up the fact that there is a need for the educators to adjust with the people they are supposed to deal with during the class. They must be bale to recognize the existence of cultural diversity in the class. Thus, this means that the teachers should at least cater to the individual differences of the students as well. What motivation could be applied? Is there any way by which the educators could be moved to get along with the adjustments that are needed for the program? In this regard, the ESL programs hosted in Toronto shall be examined in this paper. This is especially focused on how the educators were mainly encouraged to adjust themselves with the program and how the said motivations gave fine results for the educating processes of the said state. Problem Statement It has been mentioned earlier that there is a dire need of producing or formulating programs that suits the need of adults and young students as well to learn business English for them to be prepared in facing the real business world later on. Hence, the problem that is to be discussed in this paper is much related on the way that the educators were motivated to make the necessary adjustment for the said program applications. The following are among the questions to be answered: †¢ How could the educators be moved to take advantage of the current need of ‘producing’ students who are able to speak English as their Second Language, thus giving the business industries higher competencies in the future? †¢ How should the educators feel about the progressive teaching strategies that the program requires of them? †¢ Would there be progress in applying the necessary points of consideration in the said program, especially with regards to teaching strategies? These questions shall serve as guidelines for the author of this paper in completing the required data for this assignment. Purpose of the Study The main reason why this study has been commenced is to be able to show the important factors that motivational procedures contribute to the success of different educational programs offered specifically in Toronto. These programs involve different adjustments especially with regards to cultural diversity as well as age gaps among students. Hence, the purpose of this study is to show that success is possible especially when it comes to programs such as ESL provisions when the procedures are based upon fine motivational idealisms of the administrators. This paper is also supposed to show the effect of the motivational procedures not only for the educators but for the students as well. Hence, this study is mostly inclined on the cost and effect processes of both teaching and learning as well. Scope and Limitation of the Study Among the measure of the scope of this study includes the motivational programs used among the ESL educators in Toronto and how far has these motivational procedures contributed to the success of the ESL programs offered in the said state. On the other hand, this study could be limited on the basis of its lack of access to actual interviews which could contribute to further practical presentation of the matter being discussed. Hence, the author is simply basing this study on journals and professional forms and books that caters to the needs of the said topic. The sources though are examined to have specific authentication of being published for reading to ensure the accuracy of the reports. The said sources of the study shall be discussed and reviewed in the chapter to follow.

Trifles Symbolism

For centuries people have been writing dramas, but witnessing the drama of a story is a different kind of experience. There are many elements that make up dramas, including sets/setting, plot, conflict, symbolism, point of view, irony etc. Symbolism is something that can be hard to look for in a drama. A symbol is something that represents more than itself. In a drama props, clothing, or sets could all be used as symbols. When symbolism is added to a play it becomes more sophisticated. A symbol can put a play on a whole new level and get an audience to think of the play in a whole new way. Symbols are often hard to find and many times you have to re read work to find them. In an article by Hickett she helps readers understand ways to find symbols â€Å"There are several ways to recognize symbolism in literature. One is the frequency an object or character is mentioned in a piece of literature–if it is mentioned often, it is probably important. Another way to find a symbol is to look at how much detail is used in describing an object† (1). Susan Glaspell uses many symbols in her play Trifles. Glaspell uses symbols such as a canary, quilt, birdcage, rocking chair, cherry preserves all have symbolism given to them by Glaspell in the play. She uses her props very well to give them dual meanings that could easily pass ones eye. Each thing has a meaning to help solve the case, and even show who Mrs. Wright really is. One of the main symbols in the story was the canary. The dead canary shows that Mrs. Wright is capable of murder. Since the bird had a broken neck it shows that it did not die of natural causes. This means that the birds death could also symbolize Mr. Wright’s death. It is up to a reader to determine if Mr. Wright killed the bird so Mrs. Wright killed him, or if Mrs. Wright were to kill both. The Canary could also symbolize the life and happiness Mrs. Wright once experienced but how it was killed by Mr. Wright. Another key symbol in this story was the bird cage. It symbolizes a guard. Mrs. Wright had a guard up of how her life really was and the way Mr. Wright treated her. She could not show what she was actually going through. It shows how after marriage her life became secluded, like a bird in the cage would be. The next symbol found in Trifles is the rocking chair. The chair symbolizes calmness. It shows throughout everything that Mrs. Wright is going through and how nervous she may be, while Hale is questioning her she can still remain calm. It shows that the chair was a place of tranquility, somewhere she could spend her time and be in peace.

A Brand Plan report for Cadbury Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

A Brand Plan report for Cadbury - Essay Example In the year 1969, Cadbury merged with Schweppes and it was named as Cadbury Schweppes PLC. In February 2010, Kraft Foods took over the company and Cadbury PLC is now its subsidiary which is an international organization; it is commonly referred to as Cadbury in the market (Kraft Foods, 2011). Currently, it has its presence in more than sixty countries and has a workforce of more than fifty thousand people (Wallace, 2010). Strategically, the company has been positioned in the market as the leading supplier of chocolate and sugar confectionary worldwide. Since 1905, ‘Dairy Milk’ is the most successful product of the company that has given it a top ranking in the confectionary industry (Burns, 2008). In terms of revenue, Dairy Milk has grown to become a famous and highly accredited moulded chocolate bar in UK and worldwide. The basis foundation of the strategic success of Cadbury comprises of its three strong core pillars i.e. premium quality, value for money and sound advertising (Infor, 2010). The mission statement of Cadbury is â€Å"to be the best and biggest confectionary company across the globe while delivering a superior shareholder return through an efficient process that fosters growth of the company and ensures complete capitalization of the company’s core capabilities.† (Shelley, 2009) ... In terms of revenue, Dairy Milk has grown to become a famous and highly accredited moulded chocolate bar in UK and worldwide. The basis foundation of the strategic success of Cadbury comprises of its three strong core pillars i.e. premium quality, value for money and sound advertising (Infor, 2010). 2.0 Mission Statement of Cadbury The mission statement of Cadbury is â€Å"to be the best and biggest confectionary company across the globe while delivering a superior shareholder return through an efficient process that fosters growth of the company and ensures complete capitalization of the company’s core capabilities.† (Shelley, 2009) 3.0 Situation Review 3.1 PEST Analysis Since the business environment is changing at a fast pace, it has become vital for every organisation to ensure that it monitors the happenings that are taking place in its surrounding so that it can manage its operations effectively and alter the business plans and strategies accordingly (Kepferer, 20 05; Kotler & Keller, 2005). The PEST analysis of confectionary industry of UK is discussed below: 1. Political – There are various policies and legal requirements that Cadbury will have to comply with to ensure that it conducts its business operations within legal and ethical business operation boundaries such as Weight and Measures Act, Minimum Wages Act, Equal Employment Opportunity Act, Trade Description Act and many more. 2. Economic – An increase in per capita income means that the people will have more money to spend, even better penetration opportunities in developing countries that can increase the revenue amount and increase in demand is expected as there is an increase in the urban population. 3.

A CRITICAL INCIDENT REPORT Lab Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A CRITICAL INCIDENT - Lab Report Example Therefore, giving dehydrated patients enough water serves to increase the ability of the patient to fight other illnesses, hence promoting their safety (â€Å"National Patient Safety Agency†, 2007). Consequent to this, the following discussion highlights one of the incidences that involved failure of a nurse to give water to a dehydrated patient. The error worsened the condition of the patient, increasing harm to the patient. I once observed an incidence that occurred in the surgical ward involving an elderly man, who was admitted with critical limb ischaemia. His right leg was greatly affected, thus causing him a lot of pain. The patient was also frail and was diagnosed with dehydration on admission, which characterizes many elderly patients (Scales, 2011). Therefore, an overnight plan was laid out to help him rehydrate his body. The plan consisted of close monitoring of the patient’s fluid balance as he was to be given plenty of water for the night. More to this, his urine measurements were to be taken on an hourly basis. However, the nurse on duty did not follow the plan as expected. The nurse seemed a bit tired on this particular night, thus spent little time with the patients. The patient received 1000ml of water in 12 hours, as the nurse did not take heed to the doctor’s instructions to monitor the patient closely. Additionally, the patient received only four urine measurements as opp osed to the hourly measurements. The patient’s output remained dangerously low during the entire period, but no action was taken to try and seek a solution for the patient. This made the condition of the patient worse as he was still dry, and made little urine in the morning. More to this, the leg of the patient had worsened, and the chances of salvaging the leg were quite low. This situation compromised the safety of the patient as water plays a critical role in a patient’s body. Therefore, denying this patient the water required by his body made his condition

Job Analysis and Job Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job Analysis and Job Design - Essay Example It states the duties and responsibilities of various people in a particular job. The statement of work is a document that defines and captures the work activities, timelines, and deliverables that vendors must execute in their performance of a particular job. In the HR management, job analysis is valuable since it aids in the preparation of sound human resource policies and practices. That is because job analysis provides a deeper comprehension of the behavioral requirements of a particular job thus playing a significant role in the defense of HR employment practices. Besides, job analysis improves the management of a company since it helps in human resource planning. The process also provides information on methods of recruiting and selecting employees who can best fit the job requirements. Moreover, the process is essential in HR management since it guides the compensation and performance appraisal of the employees. The reason is that it provides clear-cut principles of performance for each job that can be used to determine pay surveys and appraising workers that perform their duties and responsibilities appropriately. Job design refers to the specification of content, structure, methods, relationship and configuration of the jobs to satisfy both the organizational, technological, social and personal requirements of a jobholder. Job design involves putting together different elements to form a job while considering the organizational, health, safety, and the individual worker requirements. The process involves integrating all the job responsibilities and specific qualifications that are needed to perform the same (Shantz, Alfes, Truss & Soane, 2013). In the human resource management, job design is essential since it improves the management of an organization thus enabling it to perform its activities in an efficient and effective manner. That is because it provides

CROWN BRIEF SYNOPSIS police foundations program english Essay

CROWN BRIEF SYNOPSIS police foundations program english - Essay Example It is imperative to notice that a broken beer bottle was found near the foot of the third injured male. As an investigative measure, the statements of four witnesses were taken. The four witnesses did show some variance in terms of their eye-witness accounts. The first witness said that the first male victim had been assaulted by the latter two, when he tried to assault them by using weapon, which was a small knife. The second witness sided the first one, almost echoing the same version. He also added that the first victim had provoked the other two victims who were drinking beer. The third witness said that he had seen t he first victim using his knife and cutting the knuckles of the latter two, while one of the other victims had broken the beer bottle on his head. The last witness, however, changed the story and said that he had not seen the first victim carrying any weapon or provoking the other victims. By assessing the common witness statements given, one can conclude that the first victim had indeed provoked the other two, who had, in a bid to safeguard their lives, assaulted the first victim.

Class race gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Class race gender - Essay Example In this book, Wilson is applying an exciting new reasoned framework to three politically filled social problems. Wilson makes it very clear that the causes of poverty are structural in nature. He argues that structural forces, which he defines as the behavior shared by people who are in the same circumstances. He discusses that the black community unemployment, poverty, and teenage mothers are â€Å"cultural† because they follow from the individual’s perception of how the society looks. In other words, the black communities grow up with a mentality that whatever they are going through is the way of life (Martinez 59). Wilson states that structural causes â€Å"should be given more weight†. There seems to be a fundamental message in the book that claims that the poor blacks are not responsible nor can they fix anything that is structural until the barriers are removed either by the governing or by the racial discriminators themselves (Martinez 45). Wilson also feels that the social scientist are wasting time studying the structural causes rather than proposing methods that can be used to remove these barriers. The removal of these structural barriers will free the black community from racism bondage like illiteracy, employment, and social class. Therefore, Wilson emphasizes on change, no matter how long it might take. Further, he believes that this change ought to happen because it is the only barrier hindering the black community from prosperity. This change can begin by implementing neutral social policies and that those in power should address domestic poverty and establish vocational training and offer jobs for the blacks in ghetto. This will reduce unemployment and improve the class of the black community (Chin 87). However, Wilsons mind was changed by Barack Obama’s famous campaign speech on race, and how blacks and whites hailed at the speech. Wilson believes that Obama will eventually address racism and bring Am erica to

Fracking Essay Example for Free

Fracking Essay â€Å"Fracking,† or hydraulic fracturing, is a controversial technology that was originally developed over 60 years ago. It allows us to obtain oil and hydrocarbons from otherwise inaccessible underground locations by drilling thousands of feet into the Earth and intentionally fracturing the shale. The oils and hydrocarbons are collected and then refined into pipeline quality natural gas. Natural gas is cleaner, more reliable, and more abundant than other fossil fuels. In recent years, people in America have become more concerned with the environment, and fracking has been a topic of frequent debate. We have seen firsthand what a boost these natural gas extraction facilities can give the economy, there are thousands of jobs being created and increasing amounts of refined natural gas being sold. New steel factories are being constructed to produce the materials required for the natural gas well casings. We don’t have to do a lot of dealing with trading or transport of natural gas, because most of the natural gas we use in America is extracted from our own soil. For this reason, many people are concerned with the impact fracking is having on our health and our environment. One major issue with the process is the risk of contaminating the ground and drinking water near the fracking wells. The wells are filled with high pressure fracking fluid, which contains chemicals and metals that are harmful to humans and our soil. Another possible problem or danger is gas migration, where drilling activity can cause methane build up in nearby wells of drinking water, contaminating the air and water supply with the dangerous gas. The natural gas industry accounts for forty percent of methane gas emitted in America. Breathing in and drinking or eating these harmful pollutants is not only directly harmful to those in the area either, as the livestock and crop can become contaminated before being distributed for sale to unknowing customers. Effects of these pollutants vary, but most of them are hazardous to human health, and can include cancer, respiratory or cardiovascular failure, and developmental damage. Fracking certainly has the potential to decrease our foreign oil dependency by tapping into our abundance of shale gas. It would definitely be best to redesign our process first, before irreversible damage is done to our environment.

Features And Characteristics Of Dbms Products Computer Science Essay

Features And Characteristics Of Dbms Products Computer Science Essay A Database Management System is system software that enables users to define, create, update, organize, manage and maintain databases. DBMS also controls access to data in the database. It allocates organizations to set control of organization-wide database growth in the hands of database administrators (DBAs) and other experts. 1A DBMS is a system software package that assists the use of integrated collection of data records and files recognized as databases. It allows dissimilar user application programs to simply access the same database. DBMSs might use any of a diversity of database models, for instance the network model or relational model. There are 4 major components of DBMS such as Data model, Data Definition Language (DDL), Data Manipulation Language (DML) and Data dictionary. Data model defines the way data is arranged as an example hierarchy, network, relational, object-oriented, hypermedia, and object-relational multidimensional. Data definition language (DDL) defines the type of data stored in the database and how it is stored. DDL is used to define the scheme. Scheme is a description of the content database and a list of items and their relationship. Data Manipulation Language (DML) is used with third-generation language, fourth-and object-oriented language to achieve the content database so that it can be added, modified and deleted. Structured Query Language (SQL) DML is one of the most popular. Example commands: SELECT, INSERT, DELETE, and UPDATE. Data Dictionary stores definition data elements and characteristics. Elements represent a data field for example, individuals, businesses, programs, reports, etc. DBMS products including are SQL, Oracle, dBase, Paradox, Ingres, Foxpro, and Microsoft Access etc. The Features and Characteristics of DBMS Products Microsoft Access 2Microsoft Office Access, formerly known as Microsoft Access, is a relational database management system from Microsoft that merges the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and software development tools. Access stores data in its own format based on the Access Jet Database Engine. It capable also import or connect directly to data stored in other Access databases, SharePoint lists, XML, Excel, text, HTML, Outlook, dBase, Lotus 1-2-3, Paradox, or any ODBC-compliant data container as well as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL and PostgreSQL. Software developers and data architects know how to use it to develop application software and non-programmer power users can use it to build simple applications. 3Visual Basic for Applications supported Office applications Access like other and it is an object-oriented programming language that can reference a variety of objects, including the DAO (Data Access Objects) and ActiveX Data Objects, and many other ActiveX components created by Microsoft or by third parties. Visual objects applied in forms and reports interpretation their properties and methods kindly in the VBA programming environment and a big selection of Windows operating system functions can be stated and called from VBA code modules, making Access a rich programming environment. Users are able to produce tables, queries, forms and reports, and link them jointly with macros. VBA can use by advanced that able to write rich solutions with advanced data manipulation and user control. 4The original concept of Access was for end users to be able to access data from any source. Other uses include: the import and export of data to many formats including Excel, Outlook, ASCII, dBase, Paradox, FoxPro, SQL Server, Oracle, ODBC, etc. It also has the ability to link to data in its existing location and use it for viewing, querying, editing, and reporting. This allows the existing data to change and the Access platform to always use the latest data. It can perform heterogeneous joins between data sets stored across different platforms. Access is often used by people downloading data from enterprise level databases for manipulation, analysis, and reporting locally. There is also the Jet Database format (MDB or ACCDB in Access 2007) which can include the application and data in one file. This creates it very suitable to allocate the whole application to another user, who can run it in disconnected environments. The benefits of Access from a programmers viewpoint is its relation compatibility with SQL (structured query language) queries can be viewed graphically or edited as SQL statements, and SQL statements can be used straightforwardly in Macros and VBA Modules to manipulate Access tables. Users can merge and apply both VBA and Macros for programming forms and logic and proposes object-oriented potential. VBA can also be integrated in queries. Microsoft Access suggests parameterized queries. Other programs like VB6 and .NET through DAO or ADO can be referenced for these queries and Access tables. From Microsoft Access, VBA can reference parameterized stored procedures via ADO. 5The desktop editions of Microsoft SQL Server can be used with Access as an alternative to the Jet Database Engine. This support started with MSDE (Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine), a scaled down version of Microsoft SQL Server 2000, and continues with the SQL Server Express versions of SQL Server 2005 and 2008. 6Microsoft Access is a file server-based database. Unlike client-server relational database management systems (RDBMS), Microsoft Access does not implement database triggers, stored procedures, or transaction logging. Access 2010 (not released) does have table level triggers and stored procedures built into the ACE data engine. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Microsoft produced Microsoft SQL Server that is a relational model database server. Its main query languages are ANSI SQL and T-SQL. 7The recent version of SQL Server, SQL Server 2008, (code-named Katmai) was released on August 6, 2008 and aims to make data management self-tuning, self organizing, and self maintaining with the development of SQL Server Always On technologies, to provide near-zero downtime. SQL Server 2008 also includes support for structured and semi-structured data, including digital media formats for pictures, audio, video and other multimedia data. In current versions, such multimedia data can be stored as BLOBs (binary large objects), but they are generic bitstreams. Inherent awareness of multimedia data will allow focused functions to be presented on them. According to Paul Flessner, senior Vice President, Server Applications, Microsoft Corp., SQL Server 2008 can be a data storage backend for different varieties of data: XML, email, time/calendar, file, document, spatial, etc as well as perform search, query, analysis, sharing, and synchronization across all data types. 8Other new data types include specialized date and time types and a spatial data type for location-dependent data.[7] Better support for unstructured and semi-structured data is provided using the new FILESTREAM data type, which can be used to reference any file stored on the file system. Structured data and metadata about the file is stored in SQL Server database, whereas the unstructured component is stored in the file system. Such files can be accessed both via Win32 file handling APIs as well as via SQL Server using T-SQL; doing the latter accesses the file data as a BLOB. Backing up and restoring the database backs up or restores the referenced files as well. SQL Server 2008 also natively supports hierarchical data, and includes T-SQL constructs to directly deal with them, without using recursive queries. SQL Server contains better compression features, which also assists in improving scalability. It also contains Resource Governor that allows preserving resources for certain users or workflows. It also contains potentiality for transparent encryption of data as well as compression of backups. SQL Server 2008 maintains the ADO.NET Entity Framework and the reporting tools, replication, and data definition will be built around the Entity Data Model. SQL Server Reporting Services will get charting capabilities from the integration of the data visualization products from Dundas Data Visualization Inc., which was acquired by Microsoft. 9On the management side, SQL Server 2008 includes the Declarative Management Framework which allows configuring policies and constraints, on the entire database or certain tables, declaratively. The version of SQL Server Management Studio included with SQL Server 2008 supports IntelliSense for SQL queries against a SQL Server 2008 Database Engine. SQL Server 2008 also makes the databases available via Windows PowerShell providers and management functionality available as Cmdlets, so that the server and all the running instances can be managed from Windows PowerShell. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express SQL Server Express supports most of the features and functions of SQL Server. SQL Server 2008 Express is based on SQL Server, which fully supports the features of the Database Engine products. 10The following table lists a few of the major features and components that are supported. Stored Procedures SQL Server Configuration Manager Views Replication (as a subscriber only) Triggers Advanced Query Optimizer Cursors SMO/RMO sqlcmd and osql utilities Integration with Visual Studio 2005 Snapshot Isolation Levels Service Broker (as a client only) ¹ Native XML support, including XQuery and XML Schemas SQL CLR Transact-SQL language support Multiple Active Result Sets (MARS) Dedicated Administrator Connection ² Import/Export Wizard SQL Server Express supports Service Broker, but direct communication between two SQL Server Express servers is not supported. The Dedicated Administrator Connection feature for SQL Server Express is supported with the trace flag 7806. Oracle Database 11g 11Oracle Database is the only database designed for grid computing. With the release of Oracle Database 11g, Oracle is making the management of enterprise information easier than ever; enabling customers to know more about their business and innovate more quickly. Oracle Database 11g delivers superior performance, scalability, availability, security and ease of management on a low-cost grid of industry standard storage and servers. Oracle Database 11g is designed to be effectively deployed on everything from small blade servers to the biggest SMP servers and clusters of all sizes. Herein combination series, study how significant latest features such as Flashback Data, Archive Database Replay, and SecureFiles work through easy, actionable how-tos and taster code. It features computerized management abilities for simple, cost-effective operation. Oracle Database 11gs unique ability to run all data from conventional business information to XML and 3D spatial information makes it the perfect choice to power transaction processing, data warehousing, and content management applications. Replay database tools, such as allows capturing the production workload and repeating the test database or stilling the same database to assess the effects of modifies. As a whole, Oracle Database 11g builds database infrastructure distance further capable, flexible, and convenient. For instance, the compelling new features in the area of partitioning ease the design and management of partitioned tables hugely. MySQL 5.1 MySQL 5.1 is the newest of the MySQL releaseswith 5.1.7, the most recent it has just progressed from alpha to beta status.  [12]  The following features have been included to MySQL 5.1. Partitioning.   This capability enables distributing portions of individual tables across a file system, according to rules which can be set when the table is created. In effect, different portions of a table are stored as separate tables in different locations, but from the user point of view, the partitioned table is still a single table. Row-based replication.   Replication capabilities in MySQL originally were based on propagation of SQL statements from master to slave. This is called statement-based replication. Plugin API.   MySQL 5.1 adds support for a very flexible plug-in API that enables loading and unloading of various components at runtime, without restarting the server. Although the work on this is not finished yet, plug-in full-text parsers are a first step in this direction. This allows users to implement their own input filter on the indexed text, enabling full-text search capability on arbitrary data such as PDF files or other document formats. Event scheduler.   MySQL Events are tasks that run according to a schedule. When you create an event, you are creating a named database object containing one or more SQL statements to be executed at one or more regular intervals, beginning and ending at a specific date and time. Server log tables.   Before MySQL 5.1, the server writes general query log and slow query log entries to log files. As of MySQL 5.1, the servers logging capabilities for these logs are more flexible. Log entries can be written to log files (as before) or to the general log and slow log tables in the mysql database. If logging is enabled, either or both destinations can be selected. The log-output option controls the destination or destinations of log output. Upgrade program.   The mysql_upgrade program (available as of MySQL 5.1.7) checks all existing tables for incompatibilities with the current version of MySQL Server and repairs them if necessary. This program should be run for each MySQL upgrade. MySQL Cluster.   MySQL Cluster is now released as a separate product, based on MySQL 5.1 but with the addition of the NDBCLUSTER storage engine. Some of the changes in MySQL Cluster since MySQL 5.0 are listed here: MySQL Cluster replication.   MySQL Cluster disk data storage.   Improved backups for MySQL Cluster. IBM DB2 DB2 is regard as by many to have been the earliest database product to use SQL (as well build up by IBM) while Oracle released a commercial SQL database product rather before than IBM did. 13IBMs DB2 database software is a leader in database scalability, reliability, multimedia extensibility, and Web enablement needed for the most demanding e-business applications, said Boris Nalbach, CTO (Chief Technical Officer) The executive responsible for the technical direction of an organization. DB2(R) move towards with a diversity of features that run on the server that can apply to increase or extend the applications. While use DB2 features, no need to write our own code to perform the same tasks. DB2 also allows storing some parts of our code at the server as an alternative of keeping all of it in the client application. This can have performance and maintenance benefits. Here are features to protect data and to identify relationships between data. Additionally, here are object-relational features to build flexible, advanced applications. Some features can use in more than one way. For example, limitations enable to protect data and to identify relationships between data values.  [14]  There are several key DB2 features: Constraints User-defined types (UDTs) and large objects (LOBs) User-defined functions (UDFs) Triggers Stored procedures 15To choose whether or not to apply DB2 features, consider the following points: Application independence Can make application independent of the data it processes. Using DB2 features that run at the database enables to maintain and change the logic surrounding the data without affecting the application. If, need to make a transform to that logic, require only to change it in one place at the server, and not in every application that accesses the data. Performance Make the application perform more quickly by storing and running parts of the application on the server. This modifies some processing to normally more powerful server machines, and can decrease network traffic between client application and the server. Application requirements Application might have unique logic that other applications dont have. For example, if application processes data entry errors in a particular order that would be unsuitable for other applications; this might want to write our own code to handle this situation. Some cases, that may to decide using DB2 features to run on the server since they can be used by several applications. Others decide to keep logic in the application as it is used by your application only. Comparison of the Features and Characteristics of DBMS Products Developers and database administrators recognize significant differences in the database tools they are presently using. Oracle and IBM DB2 are considered considerably better than Microsoft Access, even though considerably more people use Microsoft Access. 16Information about what fundamental RDBMS features are implemented natively.   Features ACID  Ã‚   Referential integrity  Ã‚   Transactions  Ã‚   Unicode  Ã‚   Interface  Ã‚   DB2 Yes Yes Yes Yes GUI SQL Microsoft Access No Yes Yes Yes GUI SQL Microsoft SQL Server Yes Yes Yes Yes GUI SQL MySQL Yes   Yes   Yes   partial SQL Oracle Yes Yes Yes Yes GUI SQL Oracle Rdb Yes Yes Yes Yes SQL Most of the features and functionality of SQL Server that supported by SQL Server Express. 17Table lists of some features and components that are supported as given below. Stored Procedures SQL Server Configuration Manager Views Replication (as a subscriber only) Triggers Advanced Query Optimizer Cursors SMO/RMO sqlcmd and osql utilities Integration with Visual Studio 2005 Snapshot Isolation Levels Service Broker (as a client only) ¹ Native XML support, including XQuery and XML Schemas SQL CLR Transact-SQL language support Multiple Active Result Sets (MARS) Dedicated Administrator Connection ² Import/Export Wizard SQL Server Express supports Service Broker, but direct communication between two SQL Server Express servers is not supported. The following list highlights the major SQL Server components that are not supported in SQL Server Express: Reporting Services Notification Services Integration Services Analysis Services Full text search OLAP Services / Data Mining Conclusion 18Different DBMS package has different features and capabilities. Most likely the most significant general features to consider in the DBMS chase are security-related. Reflect on whether the DBMS supports access by numerous users at once (multi-user support), which is a significant feature in many situations. If using RDBMS, be sure it features broad support for SQL. If going to be bound by the rigor of the relational model, should be at least be capable to take benefit of the entire area of its features. If using an object-oriented DBMS, support for the Object Database Management Groups (ODMGs) standards offers improved hope of porting code to other DBMS products. Apart from of the chosen model, language or platform, investigate what open standards there are for DBMS and look for these in the products under consideration.