Minimum Wage The Questionable Policy Essays - Economy, Business

Minimum Wage: The Questionable Policy As early as 6.00 am in a dark and cold morning of Midwest winter, a few people walking on an icy sidewalk. Under chilling wind, those people walk to a large, old building. Inside the building, the people work for repetitive, backbreaking low waged jobs. In the same day, late at night, you can see similar scene: some people walking out of the building under heavy snowstorm. Being one of those people, I know the feeling of a minimum waged worker. Like all of those workers, I feel exhausted after finishing my job. Everyday, I wait with impatience to hear my supervisor say That is it, turn off the belt. After put off my safety gloves and sweep my sweat, I can only think to return to my room and sleep. I lost most of my time and energy just for a few dollars. There are a lot of people that work harder and earn less than me. The poor, especially less-skilled workers, has access only to bad jobs at bad wages (Blank 64). Those workers always face bad situation. They are poor. They are struggling to sustain the life of their families. On the contrary, the owners of the company where they work have a high standard of living. Bad wage is advantageous for the group of people known as traditional elites who own labor-intensive firms because it lowers production cost, thus increase the competitiveness of the product. For that reason, it is natural for the traditional elites to keep wage as low as possible. This action creates what Karl Marx wrote in The Communist Manifesto as naked, shameless, direct, brutal exploitation (82). The minimum wage seems to be an appealing solution against these abusive exploitations. Applying a minimum wage law, government can force a wealth distribution among the owners and their lowest level workers. On Saturday, June 25, 1938, The U.S. Congress first instituted a minimum wage with the Fair Labor Standard Act. The minimum wage was set at 25 cents per working hour (US Department of Labor). The federal minimum wage is increase overtime, adjusted for higher living cost due to accumulated inflation. The minimum wage level is currently set at $5.15 per working hour (2001). An increase in minimum wage can help the poor by substantial amount. A 75-cent per hour increase in the minimum wage means an additional $1,500 for a minimum wage earner who works full-time, year round as much as the average family spends on groceries in 6 months (Bureau of Labor Statistics). For a minimum wage worker, this fund injection is greatly helpful. Minimum wage increase is undoubtedly favorable for low waged earners, even if their current wage is well above the minimum wage. A theory known as the ripple effects (Welch 26) said that an imposed minimum wage increase all wages, and lowest wages are affected most. There is at least another advantage of imposing higher minimum wage. According to Gregory Mankiw, one of the ten principles of microeconomics is people respond to incentives (7). Higher wages give stronger incentive to the labors, and as a result, a stronger effort to work. In other words, higher wages can generate higher profit. This opinion sounds too good to be true, but when Henry Ford open his famous car factory, the theory is proofed. With a very generous wage in his time, Ford recorded one of the greatest successes in the history. As popularly believed, minimum wage provides a win-win situation to deprive poverty. If it is so advantageous then we should raise the minimum wage with a substantial ammount. The vast majority of Americans will agree to raise the minimum wage to $5 per hour or more. How many will agree to increase minimum wage to $100 per hour? I am sure that most well educated person will not agree to such an extreme increase. According to the law of supply, a high price level will raise the quantity demanded. With a very few exception, this law prevail for all kinds of market, including the market of labor. Thus, an upsurge in the minimum wage will promote the number of people interested to join the labor force. The new labor emerge from

Global Flooding essays

Global Flooding essays With greenhouse gas emissions and unsustainable human lifestyles raging out of control, there poses the major problem of global warming. Although some people believe this theory to be false, new research may change some minds as to the validity of this phenomenon. Research on Antarcticas glacial movement is raising some eyebrows to whether a warming trend is upon us. If global warming is an actuality, then the human race may face its biggest quandary ever. Global warming would pose many important problems, but the most eminent is not of increased air temperatures, but rather increased oceanic temperatures. Global warming affecting the state of our polar ice caps is a huge concern. Global warming is caused by the emission of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gasses are gasses that increase the ability of our atmosphere to hold in heat. Detailed records of greenhouse gas levels have been analyzed through ice core samples. Inside these core samples, tiny bubbles contain the mixture of gasses that the atmosphere had millions of years ago. Phillip Pan, contributor to The Washington Post, explains that scientists have been able to determine that the levels of carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, have increased by 31 percent from 250 years ago. This data is alarming when you consider the other greenhouse gasses, such as methane and nitrous oxide, which are also accumulating in the atmosphere (Pan). Now that the average global temperature is increasing, this jeopardizes the glaciers that make up the earths polar ice caps. There is a fixed amount of water on the earth. The sea level of the earth is then determined by how much of the water is in a liquid form. This is a delicate balance that must remain somewhat static to keep a persistent sea level. If temperature increases, then this would yield more liquid water and less frozen water. A threat in the polar ice cap in Antarctica has drawn quite a lot o...

The roles of courts, tribunals and statutory agencies in regulating Essay

The roles of courts, tribunals and statutory agencies in regulating the employment relationship - Essay Example The relevant legislations and acts regarding employment law are also looked at. This then proceeds to the statutory agencies, specifically on Acas, its roles and mandates. This shows the outline of the government policies over the years and in different reigns, an analysis of the recent issues in employment, the reforms at Employment Tribunal and the Beechcroft Report. This concludes by giving the recommendations and views of the balance that has been stricken between employers and employees. It seems that the legal tide in some perspectives is turning in favour of the United Kingdom’s employers. For instance, the move to introduce fees for taking a case to employment tribunals, reduction of the cap on compensation pay-outs for claims dismissed unfairly and making it easy for judges to terminate weak claims by workers are just some examples. These changes seem to represent a ‘real shift in the balance of power between employee and employer’ (Beechcroft Report 2011 ) Check references The business community, especially the employers’ have been very vocal in its criticism of excessive red tape. Furthermore, the British Chambers of Commerce argues that businesses have had to cope with relentless flow of regulation for the past few years at a cost of billions of pounds (British Chambers of Commerce Annual Review 2011). ... The qualifying period for employees’ unfair dismissal rights was increased to two years up from one year. There was also the launch of Employers’ Charter. Despite the deregulatory tone of the agenda, the government has set out policy decisions on employment law that counter business opinions. Ministers have also been in consultation on proposals to lengthen right to request flexible working to employees to change existing rights to maternity leave all in favour of introduction of a more appropriate ‘parental leave’. An appropriate parental leave means that both parents are taken care of. As opposed to granting mothers permissions, a parental leave looks at all the dimensions. Here employees are given more protections such as if an employee works 3 days a week, one ‘week’ of parental leave equals 3 days. Likewise, if an employee works irregular weeks the number of days in a ‘week’ is the total number of days they work a year divided by 52. (Gov.UK, 2012). Court and tribunals serve as important forums where any employment disputes are settled. It is also vital to understand the sources of the employment law and the role of the relevant institutions that oversee the operation of that law. For example, a distressed union, employee or employer initially brings a claim in the County Court, High Court or Employment Tribunal. Whether an aggrieved party submits his claims in a tribunal or court all depends on the nature of the dispute. Claims concerning breach of contract, application for injunctions, wrongful dismissal are usually brought in the courts. Claims that involve discrimination, unfair dismissal, redundancy, equal pay, maternity rights and deduction of wages, are heard in the Employment Tribunal (Taylor & Emir 2006, p. 39). Initially this

Comparison between Electoral Systems and Movement Organising Essay

Comparison between Electoral Systems and Movement Organising - Essay Example This essay discusses that  using people’s power has positive aspects such as the appeal of having the masses in support of the change they need. When the masses are in solidarity in demanding for a particular action from the government, there is much more international attention focussed on the situation that forces the concerned parties in authority to take appropriate actions to correct the situation. Moreover, when the people act in solidarity to demand change, they have much more strength and motivation to see it done.This paper declares that the negative aspects of peoples’ power are that it can lead to violence resulting in injuries or even loss of lives. In some cases, it leads to a prolonged instability in the region or country affected. An example of the case where the peoples’ power took control was in the Arab revolution in Egypt when the Egyptians rose against the then regime of President Hosni Mubarak. The Egyptian protests mainly concerned politic al issues and legal issues that they claimed to treat them poorly. After they had succeeded to over through President Hosni, there were political reforms, even though instability remains a big challenge to date.  The number of registered voters who vote usually reduces under any normal circumstance. Movement building can be used to improve on the voter turnout more conveniently than the electoral system. Usually when the masses participate in demonstrations such as the peoples’ power, the struggling communities take a large part in the participation.

How to enhance expatriate motivation and effectiveness within a Term Paper

How to enhance expatriate motivation and effectiveness within a cross-cultural organization - Term Paper Example ................. 4 1.4 Structure ...................................................................................................................5 2. Theory Review.......................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Work motivation ...................................................................................................... 5 2.1.1 Definition of motivation ........................................................................................ 6 2.1.2 Motivation theories............................................................................................... 6 2.3.1 Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..6 2.3.1 Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ..8 2.3.3 Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension Model†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..10 2.1.4 Limitation of motivation theory ........................................................................... 12 3. Case Analysis: Nokia in China †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 13 4. Discussion and Recommendation.......................................................................... 13 5. Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 14 References........................................ ... In the modern world, it is common to find people from different countries and cultures working in the same environment. It is important for these organisations to improve effectiveness so as to better their competitive advantage so as to cope with the mounting competition in the global market. Employees are always willing to realise their goals in the work place. Thereby motivation factors are a concern of the employees and the human resource management. This boils down to the questions on whether employees from different cultural organisations are motivated in different ways and how management can improve overall effectiveness in cross- cultural organisations (Becker, 2000:33). In point of fact, there could be many problems arising in these organisations such as communication difficulties and cultural differences which might negatively impact on the efficiency and cause major problems for the HR department. It is therefore important for the HR department to maintain a motivated work force. Even though, firms face related HRM problems, the duty for culturally diverse organisations is far more intricate than that of their single- culture equals. In order cross- cultural companies to develop a motivate work force it is important for organisations to have a developed understanding of motivation factors (Becker, 2000:35). It is of great importance for companies to find out how employees from different cultural settings react to similar motivating factors, as culture has been found to have a an intense impact on human behaviour (Matic, 2008:94). Recent studies have revealed that people want more than money from work. There are five important issues including the link between work and life, relationship between

Reliance Steel Aluminum Co

Reliance Steel Aluminum Co Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. is one of the largest metals service center companies in the United States. Through a network of more than 180 locations in 37 states, Belgium, Canada, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom, the Company provides value-added metals processing services and distributes a full line of more than 100,000 metal products. These products include galvanized, hot-rolled and cold-finished steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium and alloy steel sold to more than 125,000 customers in a broad range of industries. Some of these metals service centers provide processing services for specialty metals only. The Companys primary business strategy is to enhance its operating results through strategic acquisitions and expansion of its existing operations. This strategy is driven in part by the continued growth and consolidation of the metals service center industry. The Company seeks businesses that are strategically positioned to diversify or enhance its customer base, product breadth and geographic coverage. The Company has successfully completed over 40 acquisitions since its 1994 IPO. Reliance is also expanding its facilities and product offerings in several of its existing geographic locations while penetrating new markets for its products. Corporate History: Reliance was founded in 1939 in Los Angeles, California and began as a fabricator of steel reinforcing bar. In subsequent years, the Company developed into a full-line distributor of steel and aluminum operating through a single metals service center located in Los Angeles. Through the 1960s, the Company expanded its operations via several acquisitions and the establishment of additional service centers. In the mid-1970s, the Company began to establish specialty metals centers stocked with inventories of selected metals such as aluminum, stainless steel, brass and copper, and equipped with automated materials handling and precision cutting equipment. Beginning in the early 1990s, owners of successful service center companies started to sell these companies as they were reaching retirement age. Reliance saw this as an opportunity to expand nationally in a more profitable manner than by expanding with Greenfield operations. This led Reliance to complete an IPO in 1994 to raise the funds to allow for that growth. Reliance has grown significantly through such acquisitions. The Company has completed more than 40 acquisitions since Reliances initial public offering in 1994 and will continue to be an aggressive acquirer of companies. Vision Mission: Reliance serves mission is to provide its customers primarily by providing quick delivery, metals processing and inventory management services. The Company purchases large quantities of metals from primary producers and sells these inventories in smaller quantities. The Companys primary business strategy is to enhance its operating results through strategic acquisitions and expansion of its existing operations. This strategy is driven in part by the continued growth and consolidation of the metals service center industry. The Company seeks businesses that are strategically positioned to diversify or enhance its customer base, product breadth and geographic coverage. Forbes Rankings: Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. 237th on the Forbes Executive Pay in 2008 Reliance Steel Forbes 400 Best Big Companies in 2008 Reliance Steel 13rd on the The 100 Best Mid-Caps in America in 2008 Reliance Steel 1,463rd on the Forbes Global 2000 in 2008 Reliance Steel 1,555th on the Forbes Global 2000 in 2007 Strategy: To become globally competitive: Reduce costs improve operational efficiency. Create economies of scale. Leverage existing assets for future growth: Concentrate on value added differentiated products especially cold rolled segment. Optimize financial structure through debt restructuring including reduction. Diversify market mix through exports to countries like China, Hong Kong and Eastern Europe. Corporate Office: 350, South Grand Avenue, Suite 5100, Los Angeles, California 90071 Phone (213)687-7700 Fax (213)687-8792 Areas of Working: The Company provides value-added metals processing services and distributes a full line of more than 100,000 metal products. These products include galvanized, hot-rolled and cold-finished steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium and alloy steel sold to more than 125,000 customers in a broad range of industries. Some of these metals service centers provide processing services for specialty metals only. Major products are: Carbon steel plate, Carbon steel bar, Carbon steel tubing, Carbon steel structural, Galvanized steel sheet coil, Hot rolled steel sheet coil, Cold rolled steel sheet coil, Aluminum bar tube,ÂÂ   Heat treated aluminum plate, Common alloy aluminum sheet coil, Common alloy aluminum plate, Heat treated aluminum sheet coil, Stainless steel bar tube, Stainless steel sheet coil, Stainless steel plate,ÂÂ   Electro polished stainless steel tubing fittings, Alloy bar, rod tube, Alloy, plate sheet coil, Miscellaneous, including brass, copper titanium Toll processing of aluminum, carbon and stainless steel Executive Management: 56 Years Old David H. Hannah, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Effective October 17, 2007, David H. Hannah, currently Chief Executive Officer was elected to the additional role of Chairman of the Board. Mr. Hannah, 56, became Chief Executive Officer of Reliance in January 1999. He served as President from November 1995 to January 2002. Prior to that, he was appointed a Director in 1992 and had served as an Executive Vice President and as Chief Financial Officer since he joined Reliance in May 1981. David H. Hannah, Chief Executive Officer, relinquished the title of President in January 2002. He became Chief Executive Officer of the Company in January 1999, in addition to being named President of the Company in November 1995. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1992 to 1995, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1990 to 1992 and Vice President and Division Manager of the Los Angeles Reliance Steel Company division of the Company from July 1, 1989 to June 30, 1990. From January 1, 1987 to July 1, 1989, Mr. Hannah was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, and from 1981 to 1987, was Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Hannah became a director of the Company in 1992. For eight years before joining the Company in 1981, Mr. Hannah, a certified public accountant, was employed by Ernst Whinney in various professional staff positions. Directors: Gregg J. Mollins, President Chief Operating Officer Thomas W. Gimbel Douglas M. Hayes Franklin R. Johnson, Former partner Mark V. Kaminski, Former Chief Executive Officer Andrew G. Sharkey, President and Former Chief Executive Officer Richard J. Slater, Chairman Leslie A. Waite, Managing Director Impact of Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. on Indian Industry With the governments focus on the infrastructure and electrical sector along with Indias growing importance as a global manufacturing hub for automobiles, infrastructure steel aluminum domestic consumption is expected to grow by 9-10% in 2009-2010. With 10% of the worlds total Steel Aluminum resources India is self sufficient in steel aluminum, combined with low power costs it has a competitive export market. So, till today Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. have not much scope in Indian market because of robust growth in the Asian region, led by China has continued to drive the demand for steel aluminum from Indian market. Demand from East Europe, South Asia and Africa has also contributed to a significant growth in demand of 7%. Growth in power, construction, automotive and telecommunication sectors is expected to increase demand for steel aluminum by 4-5% over the next couple of years. With low demand and high power costs in South America and Europe, copper miners are looking at India. The proximity to a high demand region and the low smelting costs has made India and other South East Asian counties increasingly attractive locations. With its primary use in the galvanizing of steel, the major users of zinc are the automobile and construction industries. India is presently a minor exporter of Steel Aluminum, but with the expansion of new production capacity India is well on its way in becoming self sufficient and will take a much larger role in international markets. Indias have potential in the global base Steel Aluminum market and also its growing appeal to international investors. Often compared to the dynamic growth rates in China, India has promised but failed to deliver the same. This conference will critically examine if Indias recent developments will finally allow that promise to be successfully met. So, it is cleared from the above mentioned facts that till today, India is self sufficient in steel Aluminum, combined with low power costs it has a competitive export market Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. have not much scope in Indian market because of robust growth in Indian Steel Aluminum market, but it have opportunities in future because of continuity in demand for steel aluminum, because of robust growth in power, construction, automotive and telecommunication sectors in India. SWOT Analysis: SWOT Analysis, is a strategic planning tool used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective. The aim of any SWOT analysis is to identify the key internal and external factors that are important to achieving the objective. SWOT analysis groups key pieces of information into two main categories: Internal factors The strengths and weaknesses internal to the organization External factors The opportunities and threats presented by the external environment The internal factors may be viewed as strengths or weaknesses depending upon their impact on the organizations objectives. What may represent strengths with respect to one objective may be weaknesses for another objective. SWOT Analysis of Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. Strengths to Build Upon Largest Integrated Aluminum Stainless Steel player in US Cost Efficiencies arising out of : Captive power generation. In house manufacture of HCFC. Economies of scale due to melting capacity. Capacity of 250,000 tones. v Restructuring would enable focus on core strengths / core competencies. v The Company has a very diligent and disciplined acquisition strategy (growth segment) v Has cold rolling capacities which result in : Value added products. Production of international grade Stainless Steel facilitating exports Has diversified into many different areas of the Steel Aluminum industry and has many strong brands under its main umbrella group. Specialized equipment used to process the metals requires high-volume production to be cost effective. Reliance expects to continue to be at the forefront of consolidation in the large and still fragmented Steel Aluminum service center industry, even during poor economic periods when local or regional metals service centers may lack the access to capital required to compete effectively. Weaknesses to Overcome Inappropriate handling of the environmental interest groups is a very big weakness of the organization and can be detrimental to it in the future. High Gearing Capital blocked in group company investments. Opportunities to Exploit Opportunity In the developing Indian market, which is one of the largest consumer of Steel Aluminum. Operations and could greatly enhance its suite. Value added products. Present import duty structure allows protection. Growth opportunities in domestic as well as world market. Leaves scope for volume growth. Export substitution for wide width thin gauge. Cold Roll Stainless Steel (CRSS). Threats to Overcome Entry by global players and dumping by Asian countries. Operations sensitive to global prices of Nickel and stainless steel. Change in govt. policy on duty protection for. CRSS will have adverse impact on pricing. Reasons for Growth of Reliance Steel Aluminum Co.: Diverse, talented and dedicated workforce High degree of stock integration Low-cost producer in many operations Leadership positions in process and product technology Organization structure geared to effective global management Mix of businesses capable of delivering superior financial performance over the business cycle Balanced geographic spread with major investments underway in growth regions. Favorable effect for Reliance Steel Aluminum Co.: The organization has a global presence and thus has access to a wider customer base and a larger market than other Steel Aluminum companies. Reliance expects to continue to be at the forefront of consolidation in the large and still fragmented metals service center industry, even during poor economic periods when local or regional metals service centers may lack the access to capital required to compete effectively. Network of more than 180 locations in 37 states, Belgium, Canada, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom, the Company provides value-added metals processing services and distributes a full line of more than 100,000 metal products. Reliance is also expanding its facilities and product offerings in several of its existing geographic locations while penetrating new markets for its products. Harm full effect for Reliance Steel Aluminum Co.: Investors hammered Steel and Aluminum stocks on renewed fears a global recession would further slash demand for commodities. India is self sufficient in aluminum; combined with low power costs it has a competitive export market. Conclusion: Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. is one of the largest metals service center companies in the United States. Through a network of more than 180 locations in 37 states and Belgium, Canada, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom, the Company provides value-added metals processing services and distributes a full line of over 100,000 metal products. The Company has a very diligent and disciplined acquisition strategy seeking immediately accretive acquisitions with a minimum return on investment, but if Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. wants to operate in India, it has to compete with local robust players, which are not only fulfilling local Steel Aluminum needs but also have potential to set them in Global Steel Aluminum market with their techniques cost efficiencies. Bibliography: www.rsac.com www.magnesium.com www.google.com/finance www.world-aluminium-market.com Reliance Steel Aluminum

Nicotine as a Means for Weight Control Essay -- Smoking Tobacco Diet P

Nicotine as a Means for Weight Control: Tobacco drieth the brain, dimmeth the sight, vitiateth the smell, hurteth the stomach, destroyeth the concoction, disturbeth the humours and spirits, corrupteth the breath, induceth a trembling of the limbs, exsiccateth the windpipe, lungs, and liver, annoyeth the milt, scorcheth the heart, and causeth the blood to be adjusted." Tobias Venner Via pecta ad vitam Longam, 1693 (Fielding, 1992) Introduction: Since around the 1950's-60's, smoking has been a target of attack for the scientific community and rightly so. Smoking, as well as other forms of tobacco use, has been proven to be linked with serious health problems and diseases such as lung cancer and emphysema. Research has become so extensive that actual causal and not simply correlational relationships have been proven. Yet, smoking remains the number one preventable cause of premature death and disability in theunited States (390,000 death per year.) (gopher:flminerva.acc.Virginia:70/00/p ... ubstancetfacts/substance/drucl/tobacco.txt.) So after all the negative evidence of smoking and other uses of tobacco products, why do people insist on continuing? The presence of a substance called nicotine partly answers this question, Nicotine effects in tobacco products are associated with addiction, tolerance, and motivation reasons for use. One motivation less focused on but none the less very important is the use of nicotine as an ap petite suppressant. Many people, especially young women, associate nicotine with weight loss and dietary control. Two questions arise: Is the claim that nicotine as a means to control weight grounded in factual evidence, or rather the product of an image portrayed by the tobacco industry?... ...nce Abuse, 5, 391-400. Richmond RL- Kehoe L-, & Webster IW. Weight change after smoking cessation in general practice. Medical Journal of Australia, 158, 821-2. Schwid SR., Hirvonen MD., & Keesey 13E. (1992). Nicotine effects on body weight a regulatory perspective. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 55, 878-84. Seah Mi., Raygada M., & Grunberg NE. (1994). Effects of nicotine on body weight and plasma insulin in female and male rats. Life Sciences. 55, 925-31. Winders SE., Dykstra T., Coday MC., Amos JC., Wilson MR>, & Wilkins DR. Use of phenylpropanolamine to reduce nicotine cessation induced weight gain in rats. Psychopharmacology, 108, 501-6. Winders SE., Wilkins DR. 2d, Rushing PA., & Dean JE. (1993) Effects of nicotine cycling on weight loss and regain in male rats. Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior, 46, 209-13.

Debriefing importance

Debriefing particularly focusing on â€Å"the role of debriefing In simulation based learning'. Quickly before I begin, could you raise your hand if you have taken part in a debrief post simulation,†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. L know for at least the past two years I personally have taken part in debriefing, after every scenario completed in class, being from Sonny's cardiology course to Brains trauma subject. Alright lets begin Slide 2.What we cover In this presentation we will cover â€Å"What debriefing Is† We will talk about aspects of briefing as well as defining the term†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ We will cover examples of debriefing in the workplace as well as deliberate what happened in those examples. And finally we will discuss the positives that can be taken from a well structured debriefing session. Slide 3. Defining In this context, debriefing Is a part of the reflection process that follows a simulation experience led by a facilitator.Feedback is provided on the simulations participants performance while positive aspects of the completed simulation are discussed with reflective thinking encouraged. Debriefing Encourages reflective learning, which allows the participants to link theory to practice and research, think critically, and discuss how to intervene professionally in complex situations Slide 4. Simulation Learning Simulation learning is an activity that mimics reality. It is designed to emulate real life problems in which the patient may be presenting with.Simulation learning has been used for a long time in the health care field as it helps consolidate and enhance clinical skills, critical thinking, problem solving and decision making. Simulation learning provides a safe environment for learning and for the further development of kills. Slide 6. How to debrief So how do you debrief Well there are several strategies that exist such as the GAS model and the Tanners Clinical Judgment Model. These strategies are designed so that the student can reflect in a gr oup on what happened, why it happened and what they would do If placed In a similar situation.For debriefing to be successful It needs to be focused on outcomes and objectives so that the simulation Is controlled and has meaning to the participants. Slide 7. Facilitators Role The Facilitator Role is to control and mediate the discussion. They need to provide sociological safety by being trustworthy, respectful, and confidential. Facilitators need to provide honest feedback to the students and develop debriefing skills to Slide 8. Debriefing Environment The debriefing environment needs to be Positive, non-threatening, respectful and confidential.A good way to perform a debrief is with all participants and facilitators at the same eye level. In the subject CLICKS videotaping was used as part of the debriefing process, as the participants could analyses and critique how they performed. The facilitator should encourage the participants to talk and discuss linings, events and transfer of knowledge between participants and the rest of the group. It is also recommended that the debriefing takes place in a different location to the simulation as the participants need to distance themselves from the role they played in the simulation.Slide 9. Timing of Debriefing Debriefing should be conducted straight after simulation, so participants thoughts and emotions are present. Debriefing is crucial for development with the debriefing often lasting longer then the simulation. The majority of the debrief should be used or discussion and analysis of events as this is where the majority of learning comes from. Initially you should explore feelings and reactions to what occurred during the simulation followed by the transfer of why the events happened and reflection.Following a debriefing model such as GAS or Tanners Critical Judgment Model allows both the facilitator and students to Justify and elaborate on their treatment plan while also reflecting on what could be performed nex t time. Having effective debriefs post simulation can be effective to everybody involved as it provides insight into the students clinical decision making skills and provides them with feedback of positives as well as things they need to improve on.

The Event of the Century DDay essays

The Event of the Century DDay essays In every nation of the world, an event takes place that could change the course of history in that country. This event could change the history for better or for worse. For the United States, D-Day is one such transpiration. After this one specific invasion on June 6, 1944, everyone involved knew that it would change the course of history for the United States and the rest of the world. The invasion, known also by the code name Operation Overlord, did not, however, only consist of one day's events. These complicated one day's events did make up D-Day but the months of planning for the invasion and the changes in World War II and the rest of history also make up the structure of D-Day. To understand D-Day, a person must first understand the years of events that preceded the invasion. The story of D-Day began when World War II began in Europe. The cause of the war started with the alliance of Germany, under the control of the Nazi party, and Italy, which was under the control of the fascist regime.1 The leader of Germany at this time was Adolf Hitler, while Benito Mussolini led Italy. Before the beginning of the war, Germany and Italy, also self-proclaimed as the Axis powers, invaded a section of Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland. France, England, and the United States were not happy with this but were willing to hold off on going to war to stop the Axis Powers. At this time, the leaders of the main countries outside of the Axis Powers were Franklin Roosevelt, Edouard Daladier, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill, for the United States, France, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom, respectively.2 These four countries, however, would not silently watch the Axis Powers invade all of Europe. France and England made an agreement with Poland that stated that if Germany or Italy should invade Poland, both France and England would enter the war in defense of Poland. Although Hitler and Mussolini both knew of the agr...

Technology Prioritization Proposal

Technology Prioritization Proposal IT systems have become indispensable in the management of healthcare. It is clear that modern healthcare systems cannot operate without IT systems. However, the cost of IT infrastructure can be prohibitive. In this regard, every healthcare provider must find a way of prioritizing its IT budgets to achieve the most value from its investments. This paper proposes a method of prioritizing IT spending with the goal of maximizing the value of investments in IT infrastructure.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Technology Prioritization Proposal specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Proposed Prioritization Process The nature of IT infrastructure makes prioritization of IT spending very complex. It is very difficult to quantify the benefits associated with an IT program. This is because IT mainly plays a facilitative role. In this regard, IT spending decisions require an understanding of the value chain of a business. The model proposed for the prioritization of IT decisions in a healthcare setting is as follows. Development of an Information Flow Model for the Facility The first step in the prioritization of IT spending is to develop an information flow model for the healthcare institution. This model should capture all IT-based services in the organization and the information they carry. The model should also identify the people involved in the management of the information. The third aspect of the model is the identification of internal and external stakeholders of the organization. The objective of the information flow model is to develop a full view of the information ecosystem of the healthcare organization. This model will make it easy to analyze the impact of every proposal sent by individual departments. Devolve Spending to Ensure all Departments Maintain Adequate IT Capabilities The second element of this model is to devolve spending to the departments. The council should assign some resources to every department to ensure that they can address their local IT priorities. The council should prioritize projects that promote interconnectivity and the sharing of resources. For instance, if a department requests for a server that can help to manage information from other departments, such a request should receive more attention. The need to devolve a fraction of the spending is that each department has its priorities. Some of the priorities are unique. In this regard, centralized control of IT services can lead to a reduction in the benefits associated with specific IT investments. Identify the Needs of the Organization Thirdly, the healthcare organization should use the priorities identified by the departments to identify common problems and similar infrastructure needs. The list of projects that arise from this exercise will give the organization a picture of its strategic needs.Advertising Looking for proposal on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More If the IT-Council can identify common IT problems that require similar solutions, then it can find out whether it can develop a centralized response to these problems. To use the earlier example, if the healthcare institutions find out that many departments are looking for storage space, a centralized storage facility may be the answer. This will enable the IT-Council to save on the decentralized expenses. Develop a Needs-Based Criterion for Making Funding Decisions The fourth element of the proposed model is to develop a common criterion for funding IT projects. It’s very important to involve all stakeholders in this decision. This is because of the need to create a sense of ownership for all IT projects. Failure to win the support of all departments in this exercise may work against the organization. If some departments fail to appreciate why the IT–Council made a decision to adopt a particular project over others, then they ma y resist its implementation. This will lead to a loss of value. The proposed criteria for the funding of IT projects include the following guidelines. First, the project must support interconnectivity among business systems. Any high level project funded directly by the IT-Council should fit into the information ecosystem of the health care facility. Secondly, the IT-Council should support projects that encourage the sharing of IT resources. This means that the council should only fund projects that can support the largest number of users in the healthcare facility. This will eliminate investment in unwanted spare capacity and will help to maximize the value that the organization derives from its IT infrastructure. Thirdly, IT projects funded by the IT-Council should be scalable. The IT needs of many organizations grow and evolve with time. Scalability can help save money because there will be no need to invest afresh in bigger systems as the needs of the organization grow. The comp any will only need to increase the capacity of existing systems. Establishment of a Permanent IT-Council to Monitor IT Projects The final element of the proposed model is the tasking of the IT-Council with the responsibility of monitoring the IT budget on an on-going basis. It is possible for the organization to establish an ad-hoc IT-Council just in time for its annual budgeting activities. However, an IT-Council that sits throughout the year will ensure that the company gets the highest returns from its spending on IT infrastructure. In addition, the council can act as the custodian of the company’s IT infrastructure development projects.

Retail industry of UK has been one of the most growing industries over Dissertation

Retail industry of UK has been one of the most growing industries over the years - Dissertation Example Introduction: 17 3.2. Research Purpose: 17 3.3. Research Strategy and Method: 18 3.4. Research Design: 19 3.5. Data Collection: 19 3.6. Methods and Tools used for Collecting Data: 20 3.7. Analysis Techniques: 20 3.8. Validity and Reliability of the Research: 25 3.9. Ethical Considerations: 26 3.10. Summary: 26 4. ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS 27 4.1. Introduction 27 4.2. Financial ratios 27 4.2.1. Profitability Ratios 28 4.2.2. Liquidity Ratios 39 4.2.3. Activity Ratios or Efficiency Ratios 47 4.2.4. Leverage Ratios 51 4.2.5. Market Ratios 57 5. CONCLUSION 63 5.1. Summary of the findings 63 5.2. Recommendations 65 5.3. Lessons learnt from the study 66 5.4. Limitations 67 5.5. Further research 67 1. introduction 1.1. Background Of The Study Retail industry of UK has been one of the most growing industries over the years, specifically the food retail industry. Because of recession, the overall world economy was not growing despite of that, food retail industry has been one of the industries wh ich reported considerable amount of growth. The food retail industry of UK has a long and solid history. During the fifties and sixties the concept of supermarkets and self service shops became popular; this has been marked as the starting of retail industry in the United Kingdom (Hamlett, Alexander, Bailey, & Shaw, 2008). Despite of the fact that the UK economy was going through recession, the overall sales of the industry had increased in 2009 as it reached a figure of over ?285billion. It has been estimated that this figure will further increase in the years to come. Also with the world economy and UK economy recovers itself from recession, retail industry would be one of the most beneficial industries as this would further increase the total revenue of the firms in the industry (The Scottish Government, 2010). By the end of 2010, the total retail units in the kingdom were approximately 286,000 (Arch, 2010). The food retail industry is an important industry for the UK economy as over the years it has been able to contribute a lot to GDP of the country. In addition to this, food retail industry is a significant one for United Kingdom economy as it has been able to consume considerable portion of the employment. According to a report, there are more than half a million people working in the industry representing almost 13% of the total workforce of United Kingdom. Food retail industry consumed more than 12,750 permanent jobs throughout 2010 which represents an annual growth of 2.1% in the jobs of food retail industry from the year 2009 (The Scottish Government, 2010). There has been an increasing trend of online shopping for people in the UK and this has attracted more people to start online businesses. There are more than 150,000 online retail businesses in United Kingdom and more than 600,000 people are employed because of e-retail industry either directly or indirectly. At present, the online retail business contributes only 7% of the total retail industry revenues (Experian Hitwise, 2008), however it has been predicted that the contribution from online business would further improve with the passage of time. The total sales of online retail industry equalled ?2.8 billion from December, 2009 to December, 2010 i.e. in a year the total sales of the industry was equal to ?2.8 billion (Internet Retailer, 2011). Tesco is the market leader in the UK food retail industry for years and it has been dominating the market with market share of almost 31% (Tesco, 2011). Tesco is

Black water private military company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Black water private military company - Essay Example Such private military firms refer to their line of business as The Circuit or private military industry in an effort of avoiding the stigma of being associated with mercenaries often. In the armed conflict history, hiring of mercenaries to carry out some military operations has been a common practice. The expertise and services offered by the PMCs are basically similar to the ones of police forces or governmental military, but most often occurs on smaller scale. While the PMCs often offer services to supplement and train official armed forces in governmental services, they can also be utilized in provision of bodyguards by the private firms for key staff or even protection of the premises of companies, particularly in hostile prone areas. However, the contractors who employ offensive mode of force in war zones could be viewed as unlawful or illegal combatants, with reference to a Geneva Conventions’ concept outline as well as explicitly specified by US Military Commissions Act (Barnes 32-35). Nation-states are hiring the private military firms in increasing rates to act in areas marred by armed conflicts. The predominant feeling within international community is that regulation of such companies is quite imperative. The present Congress has grappled with a variety of issues concerning the utilization of the private contractors in provision of security for individuals as well as property in Iraq and other conflict prone areas. This has seen the US gradually increasing the kinds of roles and tasks contracted to the private firms in military operations. Generally, the US Congress has accepted the use of the unarmed private contractors’ concept to conduct support functions in the military operations like provision of laundry and food services. However, this has posed a different challenge concerning the contracts’ costs and the alleged cases of favoritism in the issuance of these services (Elsea, Schwartz & Nakamura 5). Some of the emergent armed non-state