Tri-Cities Community Bank Case Study

Tri-Cities Bank MEMORANDUM TO: Tri-Cities Bank; Board of Directors FROM: Chris Billings; SD President DATE: April 11, 2013 SUBJECT: BSC Performance Measurement I have proposed a plan to get what’s best out of our wonderful employees and make Tri-Cities Bank the most desirable bank to host customer’s deposits. It will increase financial performance from the bottom, up. The program is called the Balanced Scorecard (BSC). It works by using four business perspectives and lead/lag indicators and has several performance measures that fall into one of the four business perspectives.Below is a table that labels which measures I believe would fall into which perspectives for Tri-Cities Bank. FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE| CUTOMER PERSPECTIVE| INTERNAL BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE| LEARNING & GROWTH PERSPECTIVE| Outstanding loan balances| Customer satisfaction| Customer retention| Employee training hours| Deposit balances| Thank-you calls/cards| New Products introduced| Employee retention| Non-I nterest Income| | Referrals| New loans created| | | Cross-sales| Employee turnover| | | Number of products per customer| | | Sales calls to potential customers| | | | Number of new customers| | | | New accounts| | Why each measure placed in its particular perspective? Here is some criteria: Financial Perspective includes the financial objectives of the company Customer Perspective includes ways customers view the company Internal Business Perspective includes actions that must be improved or implemented to improve bothe financial and customer perspective. Learning and Growth Perspective includes ways to craft employees and internal structure to create a better business environment.CAUSE & EFFECT CHAINS LEARNING & GROWTH INTERNAL BUSINESS CUSTOMER FINANCIAL Employee Training Hours Sales to customers Customer Satisfaction Decreased outstanding loans Employee Happiness Number of new customers LEARNING & GROWTH INTERNAL BUSINESS CUSTOMER FINANCIAL Employee Retention Referrals, Cross-sal es Customer retention rate Increase deposit balances New accountsThe cause and effect chains show that begging with â€Å"learning and growth† and â€Å"internal business† comes customer satisfaction and retention and leads to better financial standing for the Bank. Better trained employees make more sales to customers which leads to satisfaction in those customers. Also, the same employees for long periods makes a home feel and will create referrals from existing customers and will create new accounts. The customers will stay and deposit balances will increase. Analysis of BSC in branches Branch A: moderately effective B: effective C: effectiveD: moderately effective E: ineffective Report to the Board of Directors In each branch A-D, the BSC program was implemented as a trail run. Branch A shows to have moderately improve performance as the system was effective. Customer service rep Mary Richards says, â€Å"The BSC helps clarify our strategy. † Branch B also s hows to have had a positive effect using the new system. They use it there as a motivational tool to get better at each task. â€Å"I think the BSC is being used to encourage us to do better. We are rewarded when we improve† says Glenda Smalley –Teller.Branch C’s implementation of the BSC showed to be effective. They saw it as a way to clarify the goals of the branch and how to get the most out of the entire branch. â€Å"The scorecard taught us how everyone has a part in achieving branch goals by selling, cross-selling, serving as a communication port, and making customers feel welcome† says Mortgage Loan Organizer Debbie Henson. Branch D had a moderately effective result from the trail of the BSC. They saw it as a way of charting growth within the branch. Individual incentives were awarded for better performance.Customer Service rep Al Taylor stated, â€Å"For example, we can earn $50 each month if we meet our individual BSC goals. Our branch president is always looking for better ways to reward us for good BSC performance† Branch E was the only branch that didn’t seem to get a good grasp on what the BSC has to offer. Participation in developing the scorecards wasn’t offered. They didn’t see it as â€Å"a big deal† and that tangible rewards aren’t associated with doing well on the BSC. Loan representative Tim Vines exclaims, â€Å"It’s difficult to get an idea of our strategy from management.Maybe what I do helps (or does not help) us achieve our strategic goals. † Recommendations Branch E may not have implemented the BSC properly which could have made the program ineffective for them. To avoid this problem again, each branch needs to clearly state the objective of the program. Each employee must be able to participate in developing the scorecard. Each goal must be reasonable but also challenging. All of this is up to the branch manager and their job of adding the BSC to his/ her branch.

Economics and Lead Time

CASE ANALYSIS FOLDRITE FURNITURE CO. : PLANNING TO MEET A SURGE IN DEMAND Submitted to: Submitted by: Dr. P. K. Dash Abhinav  Anand Operations Management PGDM-BHU010 Case facts about FoldeRite Furniture:- * Established in 1987 * Throughout 1990s company grew organically. * 1999-2006 annual growth rate 3. 5%. (More than market growth rate) but one competitor grew by 6% annually. * In 2006 company’s performance was very bad due to following concluded reasons- * Loss of productivity and yields caused by high labor turnover. Cost of raw materials was increasing * Increasing proportion of unskilled labor. * Continuous acquisition of small firms which distracted management from their main issues. * This thing also generated liquidity shortage * These things resulted in reduced margins as well as increased lead time from 4 to 6-8 weeks. Major policies that company adopted after change in management:- * New CEO marshal Epstein from a major consumer goods company was appointed. * Man ufacturing VP Jose Ramose was hired. Together they decided 4 major goals:- * Continued innovation in both products and processes, * Customer responsiveness: producing high quality products that fulfilled market needs, and providing quick service, * Lean manufacturing, and * Retention of a well-trained, stable, and productive workforce, with reduced turnover. * Reduced no of products to provide high quality products. Consequences:- * All these helped in reduction of lead time. * They had a $60M revenues and profitable despite recession Ques-(01) what are the Manufacturing Options available with Mr. Martin Kelsey? Ans. The objective of the aggregate plan was to demonstrate cost-effective ways to meet the demand while maintaining productivity, quality, reliability and providing on-time delivery at effective yields. The following are the manufacturing options with Mr. Martin Kelsey: 1. The first option available was to ask the staff to work an extra shift. 2. Increase the staff temporarily to take advantage of idle production capacity. 3. Changing the designs of the cloud chair slightly to require one minute less in assembly 4. To increase the amount of inventory using a constant level of production. 5. The last option available with Kelsey was subcontracting part of work, such as the manufacture of seats for stackable chairs. Q2. What are the financial implications of the three options? How does it impacts the lead time? Wages of the Skilled workers is = 19 + 33% of 19 = 25. 27 Wages of the Unskilled workers is = 9 + 10% of 9=9. 9 Change Strategy In alstrong, the hiring cost would be zero for skilled and $2593. 5 for unskilled labors. The layoff cost would be $327288 for skilled $349752 for unskilled labours In case of cloud chairs, the hiring cost would be zero for skilled and $633. 6 for unskilled labours. The layoff cost would be $264342 for skilled $533520 for unskilled labours In case of green comfort, the hiring cost would be zero for skilled and $1662. 5 for unskilled labours. The layoff cost would be $214058 for skilled $231270 for unskilled labors Subcontracting Strategy In case of cloud chairs, units subcontracted cost would be $720355. 32. In case of alstrong, units subcontracted cost would be $46959. 28. In case of green comfort, units subcontracted cost would be zero. The lead time will reduce in all the 3 cases. Ques (03) what are the risks? How does each of the options accommodate changes in economy and environment? Ans. The risk associate with it are: Financial Risk:- * According to their CFO Yung credit situation is tight. * They have to generate cash from costly resources as expensive as 12% p. . Human resources Risk:- * Hiring a skilled worker would cost $1500 * Supervisor cost for these workers $25 per hour + 33% for benefits * Training of unskilled worker takes 4 weeks during which full wages are paid. Changes in economy and environment are as follows: 1. If staff would be doing overtime than it would increase the productivity in short run but at the same time this would have lead to fatigue and boredom among the staff leading to decrease in efficiency. 2. Hiring staff temporarily would automatically increase the cost of training and would also require management and supervision resources. 3. If the demand did not materialize than laying of the workers would demoralize the remaining workforce and cost the company in adding unemployment. 4. Another major concern was the cost of carrying inventory beyond two weeks. Ques-(4) Weighing options in term of non-financial implications Ans. The non-financial implications are: 1. Overtime work done by Employees: This will affect the profitability in short term in a positive manner but in long term as the workers do have chance of getting fatigue it might lead to decrease in quality of product which in turn decrease the profitability. The overtime formula will not affect the relationship among employees but the competitiveness will affect if the efficiency decreases in long run. 2. Increasing the staff This will lead to increase in profitability in short term as well as in long term if company does not lay off workers. The sales will increase if the efficiency of work increases as a result of increase in workers. . Changing the Design In short term there will be a decrease in profitability as the company would have to pay a onetime charge of $15000 but in long term as because of innovation the profitability will increase. Dut to innovation the company will have a competitive and also the sales will increase as it’s a new designed product. 4. Sub contracting The company will focus in th e core area which will lead to profitability in short term and long term both. This will further lead to increase in sales as a result of efficient production. The employee morale will also be boosted because of increase in sales.

Approaches to Teaching Listening Skills

Approaches to Teaching Listening Skills Among the other four skills, listening is the one that has been most forgotten and neglected in second language classrooms. So teachers don’t pay much attention to this skill and teach it carelessly. In the field of language teaching and learning proficiency has tended to be viewed as the ability of speaking and writing in language in question. Listening and reading skills are in the second position. One reason for this situation might be the demanding characteristic of the listening skill. Listening has gained a new importance in language classrooms after spreading IT technology based information in society in Iran. Moreover it should be mentioned that most of the students’ class time is devoted to the listening. Despite this, we often take importance of listening for granted, and it is the most overlooked skill among other skills. In natural order of learning any language, listening stands at first rank. Without any reception one can not produce anything. Though, if a teacher wants to have fluent and productive students, he/she should pay much and necessary attention to teaching listening skill. Listening Some of the teachers believe that speaking should be actively discouraged. One of the reasons of emphasizing listening and delaying speaking is based on an opinion. Those who give importance to speaking view the language as a product and think that language is a behavior and speaking is the manifestation of this learning or happening. On the contrary, there are approaches that gave more importance to listening Nation, Newton (2009). in this approach of language learning , listening is at the center. All of the information necessary for building up the knowledge for using language comes from receptive skills: listening, and reading. When the knowledge of language in this regard is built the learner can write and speak. In other words, with out any input, the outcome or output should be nothing. Gray and Gray (1981) described the benefits of del aying speaking and concentrating on listening. These benefits include the following: † 1. The learner is not overloaded by having to focus on two or more skills at the same time-a cognitive benefit. 2. Speed of coverage -receptive knowledge grows faster than productive knowledge. 3. It is easy to move very quickly to realistic communicative listening activities. 4. L earners will not feel shy or worried about their language classes. Having to speak a foreign language, particularly when you know very little, can be a frightening experience. 5. Listening activities are well studied to independent learning through listening to readings.† Critics believe that producing a language is not sufficient for learning. In language learning substantial quantities of receptive activity should be included in the mind for future use. To speak communicatively and to convey and understand the meaning, one should have a previous language knowledge and information in his/her mind. Models of listening Traditionally listening was viewed as a passive skill through which the listener or hearer received information sent by message senders. More recently listening is viewed as an active and interpretive process by which the message is not fixed but is made or created by participants. (Newton,Nation.2009)

The Growth of Technology and Humanity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Growth of Technology and Humanity - Essay Example For instance, when placed in juxtaposition with Ong’s consideration of writing as technology (p. 21), it could be considered in a sense that indeed, technology exceeds our humanity. Printed materials portray differing ideas of educated people which would be much appreciated have they been healthy but the sad thing is, papers also serve as battle fields. Words are exchanged in papers that infuriate authors, pens are used to destroy other people and make libelous claims. Television is also used as a means for this purpose where lawyers talk against their fellow lawyers, for instance if only to show who is more intelligent, politicians destroy each other with their words over radios, TV and the internet and the desire for fame and glory overthrows one’s education and sensibility. Speaking of arguments in written form, sometimes they are unintentional and are not directly written to be argumentative rather informative however would present problems to the reader when the su bject matter portray conflicting accounts as was encountered by Tompkins. In her search for the history of Indian Americans, she read different authors which consequently placed her in a quandary. This is usually what happens to audiences of what was mentioned earlier, in the case of arguments presented in the media whether written or through television or internet. On the other side, technology also informs and encourages people to be observant, critical and ever watchful. In the case of the aforementioned writer, her quandary brought her to an in-depth study of the written words of the authors she read which eventually gave her a deeper understanding of their narrations and the differences in their accounts which allowed her to be more open minded. This could prove Ong’s philosophy that technologies are not mere exterior aids but also interior where there is a transformation of consciousness that occurs (25). In a person’s search for truth with the various informatio n that technology brings, when one is vigilant enough to use technology to his advantage, as it may be separate from a person, yet one cannot deny the fact that it affects one’s decisions and reactions. Had Tompkins simply choose to believe the author of her preference, the one whose views was to her liking, there would not have been a growing experience that she encountered in the process. An illumination about a problem occurred, about a problem which she thought was solved long ago but without the reading materials, without technology, she would have never discovered that her problems were not answered after all but were simply hidden. Technology has always been a part of human beings and it probably will increase in its use as people depend on it more and more. This brings the fear that whatever humaneness was left during the time of Einstein might be lost forever with the rapid improvements made on technologies. If televisions were appreciated only when one got home to s it in the living room to enjoy it, now, one could watch movies anywhere and anytime. Laptops and notebooks now come handy and they bring more than what the television offers so that more time is spent on it as compared to the time spent in front of the television. Cellphones are now affordable that even children have access to such machines, engaging them with activities that add to the information they learn in school. However, when one looks around, could there be any

What are the main motives for US involvement in the region after 1945 Essay

What are the main motives for US involvement in the region after 1945 - Essay Example The most important of them is access to oil and gas deposits. Obviously, the desire of American capital to acquire control over the production, processing and marketing of Arab oil has been the main motive for economic expansion of the U.S. in the Arab countries. Still, Americans’ intervention has begun under the guise of their off-board assistance to the countries in their economic recovery, since â€Å"†¦states all across the Middle East soon proved incapable of properly managing the economy† (Khater, 197). There is another motive: â€Å"†¦the United States declares its goal in the region to be the spread of democracy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Gelvin, 5). Surely, there have been particular benefits for the Middle East nations, but â€Å"†¦ many in the region have paid a high price for America’s support of every kind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Gelvin, 5). As for America’s benefits resulting from its interference in the Middle East with its oil deposits, it has gained a great success in oil possession, while the same cannot be said for the fate of Arab people living in the region. In conclusion, America’s participation in domestic affairs of different countries of the idle East region after the end of World War II has its certain motives resulted from its desire to assume the regional oil deposits as well as to intensify the spread of democracy within Arab

Economics, Consumerism and the Environment Essay

Economics, Consumerism and the Environment - Essay Example It is typically measured in tons of CO2 equivalent. (Kyoto Protocol) Many companies can create the carbon offset by introducing the renewable energy such as installation of solar energy system, small hydroelectric projects, geothermal and biomass energies etc. Moreover there are carbon sequestration projects that destroy the carbon dioxide. (David Suzuki Foundation) Especially for large corporations promoting consumerism like Wal-Mart, Kyoto protocol can be an effective scanner to check their accomplishment of their responsibilities towards safe guarding the environment. In this age of consumerism the conservation of energy through efficient usage and the minimization of energy wastage can be most influential measures to ensure sustainable development. The Wal-Mart Supermarkets, Stores, SAM CLUBS and Neighborhood Markets have set example of utilization of daylight through skylights to restrict energy consumption that saves 250 million kilowatt of energy every day. Besides that Wal-Mart system has adopted other measures such as the efficient process of heating and cooling, the white roof system of interior lighting and retrofit program to prove how the energy can be efficiently utilized to restrict energy-demand. (Wal-Mart) However the management of Wal-Mart should keep it in mind that a long way has to be still made to provide a perfect eco friendly operational environment. Efficient energy use, on one hand saves energy and on the other protects the environment. CFL consumes less energy than conventional tube, while providing per unit more luminance; Wal-Mart might reorient the internal lighting system through CFL. Furthermore Air conditioner and refrigerators emits harmful Chlorofluorocarbon, so it might try to ration their use. (New York State: Department of Environmental Conservation) Keeping, the air condition’s temperature at a moderate level results in less consumption of energy and less emission of CFC. Wal-Mart might

Democratic Socialism and Comparative Advantage Research Paper

Democratic Socialism and Comparative Advantage - Research Paper Example Democracy focuses on the political aspect. It entails political sameness, the rights of all people to participate in the governance of which they are subject (Busky 312). Conversely, socialism highlights material fairness. It is not stern parity, but an end to the enormous discrepancies of earnings and affluence noticeable to the imbalances of rights of ways of production. Democratic socialists’ opinionated that both the economy and community should be ruled democratically to satisfy public needs and not fulfill wishes of a few (Busky 310). To acquire a more fair society, many compositions of governments and economies must be fundamentally changed through immense profitable and social equality so as the common persons can equally partake in making decisions that affect their lives. Socialism was first used in publications devoted to organizations in Great Britain. It was used to refer to a culture in which citizens’ work collectively for the benefit of everyone. Sociali sts have always believed that people are equal by natural rights and this was considered their highest value of people. Socialists hold democracy in high esteem. People in an independent socialist society have the right to express themselves and given due consideration. In a socialist society, people vote in the government. The government is formulated through legitimate, fair and free elections. However, sometimes democratic socialists are mistaken with governments that are dictatorial and authoritarian. True socialism lives in a democratic society. Democratic socialism is based on humanistic ideals with the eventual objective of allowing each person the prospect and way for their personal development and satisfaction. This is made possible in a society where self-realization turns into a reality in a supportive, non-competitive social situation. Several countries in the world employ this form of governance. They Include China, the second prevalent economy in the world after the U. S and Russia a superpower as well as Scandinavian countries and France. Other third world countries embracing the concept involve Venezuela and Bolivia. They also include Burma, Vietnam, Cuba and North Korea. For instance, preceding the Russian Revolution in the 1920s there were existences of socialist countries anywhere as well as fully grown democracies. During those times, women rights were still curtailed, and women were barred from voting. The prevailing capitalist states supervised in undemocratically customs over their colonial domains. The Russian revolution changed this equation significantly. As many people engaged in questioning the link between socialism and democracy, the existing socialism turned out to be anything but democratic. Socialism obliges an entity according to (Harrington 288), into societal collectives contrasting capitalism, which promotes individualism. People are deemed as social animals that reside in a society that has regulations to guide it. These ru les demand a lot from an individual but as well gives the individual self-government, total control of their work freedom from poverty and freedom to pursue a better life. This contrasts the capitalist American concept that promotes separation from family and community as well as subjects an individual to high stress. The supposedly free individual in the concept is instead conformist and conventional.

Julius Caesar Biography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Julius Caesar Biography - Essay Example Whatever he achieved in his life were rightly deserved. Amidst all this, it can be safely said, that geniuses at times have a flaw in them, which leads to their downfall and doom. Julius Caesar lived to this category and matched it to perfection. During his life, he managed to attain those heights which many others together could not manage doing so. His life was full of events. He made his way out of trouble and tough times and earned himself the name of being one of the best rulers of his time. Marcus Tullius Cicero the great orator who lived in the same era quite rightly defined Julius Caesar â€Å"A realist by his fingertips, not led astray by ideals or ideologies. He was not afraid to temporarily grovel†. (BookRags). ... 360) Julius Caesar was born in a family representing a humble background .His childhood days were mostly spent in the neighborhood of Rome .It would not be wrong to say that the political events of unrest taking place in the background of his childhood, left an impact on his mind and guided him taking an inspiration from the unrest and followed the ways in same manner later in his life .Childhood was spent in rough pattern and the entire family found it difficult making both ends meet. This was brought up by various reasons, one of them being the civil war in those days that was going on in the surroundings. Teenage life was one of the toughest times in his life where he was totally broke. While he was still in his teen age, things took turn for the better when he joined the Army and spent some time there. He started showing his abilities soon after and in the battle against Rome he performed above his abilities and saved number of his companions in the battle field. From here on, hi s life kept taking turns and events kept occurring during his life. In 80 B.C he earned himself the civil crown during the capture of Mytilene (Caesar and Kennedy) .Later on he went on to achieve the distinction of becoming the military tribune. The journey of success continued in various forms of promotion through the ranks till he became the all superior and top ranked. His personal life was never stable and from the beginning kept shifting between dark and light color. Got married at early age yet things were not smooth on this front .The wife was from a rich background and she by chance happened to belong to the family that was in opposition to the then rules, hence his personal peace and marriage landed in the hands of political intrigues and personal enmities and he had to take

Traditional Preoperative Fasting And ASA Preoperative Fasting Research Proposal

Traditional Preoperative Fasting And ASA Preoperative Fasting - Research Proposal Example In addition, the study also aims to identify if there is a significant difference between shorter-duration fasting and longer-duration fasting in prevention of the risk for aspiration. The study would intend to benefit the patients as discomforts experienced during fasting such as thirst, hunger, pain, nausea, vomiting, and anxiety (Brady, Kinn & Stuart, 2003, n.p.) will be addressed in the study. Theoretical Framework No appropriate theoretical frameworks were identified. Instead, illustrate the anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal system during fasting prior to a preoperative procedure. Discuss complications such as aspiration and how does and when will it possibly occur in most instances (Soreide, Eriksson, Hirlekar, Eriksson, Henneberg, Sandin, & Raeder, 2005, 1041). Literature Review – how extensive, steps, evidence of nursing practice Extensive review of literatures is necessary in order to support the hypothesis and justify the findings of the study. Steps nec essary are identification of the key concepts/phrases to search such as â€Å"fasting in the preoperative period† and â€Å"ASA guidelines in preoperative period.† After the right key search, proper search strategy of related literatures will be made in electronic databases, conference proceedings, and reference lists from relevant articles in the preoperative fasting. Literatures must include findings during medical practice in the 90’s and year 2000 and up to determine advances made in the practice of perioperative fasting and to analyze the outcome of both traditional and ASA preoperative fasting guidelines. Google scholar, PubMed, Medline, and Wiley Online Library contain electronic sources with an array of related journals, studies, and literatures that can... No appropriate theoretical frameworks were identified. Instead, illustrate the anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal system during fasting prior to a preoperative procedure. Discuss complications such as aspiration and how do and when will it possibly occur in most instances (Hirlekar, Eriksson, Henneberg, Sandin, & Raeder, 2005, 1041).Literature Review – how extensive, steps, evidence of nursing practiceAn extensive review of literature is necessary in order to support the hypothesis and justify the findings of the study. Steps necessary are the identification of the key concepts/phrases to search such as "fasting in the preoperative period" and "ASA guidelines in the preoperative period." After the right key search, proper search strategy of related literature will be made in electronic databases, conference proceedings, and reference lists from relevant articles in the preoperative fasting. Literature must include findings during medical practice in the 90’s and year 2000 and up to determine advances made in the practice of perioperative fasting and to analyze the outcome of both traditional and ASA preoperative fasting guidelines. Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, and Wiley Online Library contain electronic sources with an array of related journals, studies, and literature that can support the study also with evidence-based nursing practice. Sample Characteristics/ Sampling MethodA randomized controlled trial or sampling method will be used in the pursuit of the study.

Correlation Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Correlation Discussion - Essay Example Fisher’s z-Transformation (Zr) is another method which enables a skewed sampling distribution to be transformed into a normal distribution scheme. In particular, this may be applied when the value of r (Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient) deviates from zero, in which case, the sampling distribution becomes skewed progressively and Fisher’s z-transformation may resolve to normalize this condition. Though the mean and variance do not follow a common transformation, functions pertaining to cumulative distribution and probability density can still be determined statistically via such method. The following graph demonstrates how ‘zr’ varies with ‘r’.Evaluation of Pearson ‘r’, on the other hand, may indicate the correlation between two variables based on tests to figure whether the ‘r' varies from -1 to +1, with 0 in reference to the absence of relationship and 1 for the perfect relationship. Test reports with this method incorporate critical one-tailed and two-tailed ‘r’, Fisher z-transformation, t-statistic, and population correlation figures.Calculating Spearman’s rank-order correlation non-parametric coefficient ‘Ï Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, likewise, formulates a nearly similar output as does measuring the Pearson’s ‘r’. It takes two numeric variables to carry out the method through which each variable is converted to ranks.  

The Making of Modern Russia Essay Example for Free

The Making of Modern Russia Essay b) How far do you agree that the economic position of the peasantry in Russia was stronger in the period between the Emancipation and the Revolution than it was under Lenin and Stalin? Agricultural policy in Russia throughout Russia between 1856 and 1964 has always been characterised by a hidden agenda. The Tsars used agricultural policy to obstruct a revolution, while Stalin used agricultural policy to facilitate industrialisation. The peasantry were limited in reaping the benefits from agricultural policies introduced by either regime. However, while both governments used agricultural policies to sustain their power, the Communist regime under Lenin and Stalin was significantly more ruthless than the former. The Tsarist regime needed the peasants on side in order to block latent revolutionary threat. Therefore, it can be said the peasants were in a better economic position under the Tsars than the Communist regime. Additionally after the emancipation, the peasantry no longer existed because of egalitarianism. In 1861 Tsar Alexander II introduced the first economic policy intended to benefit the peasantry. The Emancipation Edict was a mechanism implemented to free all serfs, who made up more than one third of the total population. The Emancipation edict abolished all personal serfdom, and the peasants were to receive land from the landlords and pay them for it. This gave the peasantry the opportunity to achieve limited economic success. However in reality, the peasants were effectively transferred from one owner to another. The state advanced the money to the landlords and recovered it from the peasants in 49 annual sums known as redemption payments. That initial stage dragged on for nearly 20 years in some regions. In many areas the peasants had to pay more than the land was worth. While in other areas they were given small plots, and many chose to accept beggarly allotments. The peasants landholdings were controlled by the mir, or village commune. The mir was responsible for redemption payments and periodically redistributed the land to meet the changing needs of the various households. This system meant that peasants could not leave their villages, and actually lost rights to the use of some land. (WHICH?) This policy aimed to circumvent revolution and hence actually worsened the economic plight of the peasantry. The emancipation was a failure in terms of the economic success. What is more, the provisions concerning land redistribution produced the peasant discontent that eventually helped the Russian Revolution to succeed, despite the later land reforms of Stolypin after the 1905 revolution. These plans involved allowing peasants to own their own land, removing the system in which peasants only farmed strips of land and allowing peasants to trade land freely. These proposals would have warranted more economic security for the peasantry if there wasnt a lack of enthusiasm to adopt them. Having enjoyed a sense of collective security at the time, the Bedniaks were unwilling to run the risk of setting up farms individually. For this reason, Stolypins reforms were fruitless. By and large, the same problems created after emancipation was still present in 1914. However, many historians have argued that if given more time Stolypin may have been able to implement them successfully. Overall, the main agricultural policies implemented to improve the economic success of the peasants at the time were aimed at trying to keep the Tsarist regime in power. This is why both the emancipation edict and Stolypins reforms failed. M. Lynch states that in a country as relatively backward as Russia, reforms would take even longer to be effective this refers to Stolypins gamble on the strong. This suggests that Stolypins reforms may have worked if given time, but the peasants were still in a backward agricultural economy and were averse to risk. This is the reason for the failure of both the emancipation and Stolypins reforms. Both policies failed to provide an incentive to the peasantry, to leave what they had and create a richer peasantry would reject any socialist ideals. Instead these policies were aimed at stabilising Tsardom. When the Communist regime seized power in 1917, the peasants encountered the same problems faced in the Tsarist regime. Peasants had not benefited during the Tsarist regime due to the fact that all policies were aimed at maintaining its hold on power. In doing so, some consideration had to be given to the peasants when these policies were implemented. In addition, the Communist regime was different to that of the Tsars; in that it did not depend on the support of the peasants and therefore any policies introduced for agriculture simply relied on the repression of peasants. All policies were aimed at industrialising Russia, and it did not matter if peasants suffered because of this. Any agricultural policy was simply to help feed the towns or to provide grain to export to pay for industrialization. The Communist regime implemented a policy of war communism during the civil war. The sole aim of this policy was to keep the Bolsheviks in power and to win the civil war. As a result, peasants were viewed as disposable. Even during the vast famine of 1922, the Government took all surplus agricultural produce given to the towns to help supply the army with food. The peasants stopped producing more than they needed for themselves. The result was famine aggravated by drought; no measures were taken to help them. In addition, Russia continued to export large amounts of grain to fund the war in spite of the substantial famine in Russia itself. This left many peasants in extremely poor economic positions, definitely in a worse position than during the Tsarist regime. In 1921, the New Economic Policy (NEP) was introduced. It was intended to rectify this position and stabilise the economy. As a result of the NEP, production revived quickly, industrial production reaching the pre-war level by 1926, and although more slowly, agricultural production grew. Moreover, peasants were even allowed to sell some surplus and pay tax; some peasants became rich such as the Kulaks as a result of the removal of state requisitioning. As a result, this policy restored some prosperity and improved the economic position of the peasants by encouraging new small businesses. Experts were brought in to increase production in nationalised industries (coal, iron, steel railways). However, although this policy was aimed at providing more grain to feed the towns, it did improve the economic position of the peasants by giving the people the chance to make money. However it is debateable as to whether it was only intended as a temporary measure to repair a severely damaged economy. There were problems that prevented the peasantry to benefit economically from the policy. The first problem was that the surplus grain produced by peasants couldnt be traded for industrial goods easily as industry did not grow as rapidly as agriculture had. This meant the peasants did not benefit as much as they could have with their increased supply of grain. Furthermore, the high turnover meant the value of grain plummeted between 1922 and 1923. To make matters worse, the lack of industrial goods available at the time meant industrial prices kept rising. The peasantry were forced to grow more grain than before in order to buy the goods they needed. The newly denationalized industry was producing again, but its costs were much higher than pre-war levels and thus the prices of manufactured goods were high. As the marketing of agricultural produce was resumed, the greater supply drove grain prices down. The terms of trade this moved against the countryside. Whereas the average peasant had formerly been able to get a shirt for thirty-odd pounds of rye or the equivalent, by 1923 he needed two hundred and fifty pounds. The result was the scissors crisis so called from a diagram Trotsky used in a speech, which showed the intersection of a falling rural price curve and a rising urban price curve. The curves intersected, said Trotsky in September 1922. The Lag factor undermined the new economic position of the peasants. Moreover, the introduction of higher taxation also further reduced the economic position of the peasants, meaning more of their grain was used to pay taxes rather than for trading. Overall, the economic potential of the NEP was cancelled out by several factors: high taxes, lack of trading opportunities. The economic position of the peasantry had seen some improvement with the abandonment of state requisitioning, but even this development was minor. The peasants were almost in the same economic position as they had been during war communism. The NEP was at least a feasible attempt to improve the state of agriculture, and did give peasants some economic freedom. But, this economic freedom was taken away from the peasantry under Stalin with his policy of collectivisation. This policy forced peasants to live on collective farms, with most the grain being produced being given to towns, over the peasants. This had a severely effect on the peasantry, who started hoarding grain as a reaction against the preferential treatment towards the towns. They refused to produce grain that would not be theirs and successful held the state for ransom. This only dragged the country into a deeper famine. NEP could have helped the peasants economically if it was run properly. This was not the case. Problems such as the machines not being available to cultivate the crops when needed meant more peasants had less grain for themselves. The grain that was produced was not split fairly and left many peasants with insufficient grain to feed their families. NEP also meant the recreation of class distinction, however the policy continued despite its shortcomings until . All the economic freedom achieved since the emancipation were stripped from the peasants, leaving them in a worse position than they were eighty years before. The final problem with collectivisation was Dekulakisation; the class of wealthier independent peasants. In smashing the Kulak class, the peasants were losing the most efficient farmers, thus reducing the amount of grain being produced by the peasants still further. The liquidation of the Kulak class left collectivised farms with the task of improving the peasants economic position. Something it was unable to achieve. Collectivisation undermined any economic freedoms that the peasants had gained. They now had no land, no freedom to trade, and in many cases, not even enough grain to feed their families. Entirely, due to the badly run collectivised farms and the destruction of the class enemy: the kulaks. Overall, agriculture was completely neglected throughout the Tsarist and Communist regimes. Agricultural policies were simply used to either keep the current government in power or to help achieve ideals the regime had, such as industrialisation. In many ways, both regimes were equally incompetent and negligent. Both were authoritarian and dictatorial and all policies passed on agriculture had a vested interest. However, during the Tsarist regime, at least some (albeit not all) peasants had their own land that they could live on. During the communist regime, many peasants were forced into poverty by the policies of war communism and collectivisation. At the end of 1950 peasants did not have their own land, and were working for little reward, as the productivity was worse than in 1917. If the evidence is weighed up on the scales: the peasants economic position stayed much on the same level as before emancipation. However paradoxically, they received more benefits economically by the Tsarist regime than the Communist regime. The Tsarist regime needed the peasants subside revolutionary sentiment and sustain power. Collectivisation under the communist regime destroyed all economic gains the peasants had achieved throughout both regimes. Why was NEP abandoned? http://www.marx2mao.org//Stalin/Index.html For similarities you could consider some of the following points: 1. the central control by the Tsars and by Stalin 2. the secret police under both regimes 3. terror 4. total control of the government over the economy 5. total control of the government over education 6. the adoration of the leaders by the people, giving them a godlike status 7. Both regimes relied on a large number of supporters in order to carry out the work of the leader. For differences, you might consider some of the following points: 1. different political doctrines 2. the way in which they achieved power 3. attempts by the two last Tsars to give the people some democracy was not matched by Stalin 4. the Tsarist regimes knew that they would have to move on if they were to keep people happy. Stalin was not interested in the peoples happiness. He just wanted the power. 5. Industrialisation 6. Class structure 7. Different types of people in power. Not just the Tsars and Stalin but all the other people that helped maintain the regimes. For each of the points you wish to write about you need to make your comparison and then support it with some factual evidence. . Some historians argue that Stolypin and his wager on the strong was the last chance the Tsar had to help Russia develop into a democratic society, and to keep his throne.

Sigmund Freud and the Psychodynamic Perspective

Sigmund Freud and the Psychodynamic Perspective Introduction The origins of The Psychodynamic Perspective can be traced to the early work of Sigmund Freud. Using sub headings this essay will identify the main tenets of Freud’s approach to the understanding of human behaviour: his views on determinism; his use of hypnosis as therapy; his belief that human behaviour is controlled by separate yet interlinked layers of the mind (conscious and unconscious); his views on sex and aggression; and the importance he placed on unresolved and unseen conflict involving the ‘ego’, the ‘id’, and the ‘superego’ (Cave: 1999, p.31/2). The work will then explore how the perspective might be used in a healthcare setting, and will assess inherent strengths and weaknesses. Determinism Determinism, the belief that ‘every state of affairs, including every human event, act, and decision is the inevitable consequence of antecedent states of affairs’ (GuruNet: for details see References) greatly influenced Freud who sought to identify hidden causes for human behaviours. His theory is a dynamic process from the early years of a human’s life where the first interactions with others affect the development of the personality, through to the adult years where the person learns and adopts social values. Hypnosis During his time in France, Freud observed the work of Jean Charcot whose use  of hypnosis led to his ‘inducing and curing hysterical paralyses by means of direct  hypnotic suggestion.’ (Gay: 1998, p.49). Later work with Josef Breuer involved hypnosis where patients recalled traumatic experiences and expressed their emotions as a way to release the conflict within; this was the cathartic method. Freud began to develop his idea that emotionally disturbed patients had problems that were sexually orientated, and, as a development on his work in hypnosis he worked on the idea of ‘free association.’ (Nye: 1975, p.11). Instead of sending patients into a trance using his voice, Freud altered the technique of hypnosis so that the patient independently drew forth words and feelings which might be analysed or explained by the analyst. Unconscious and Conscious activity ‘Freud himself regarded the concept of the unconscious as fundamental to psychoanalysis. It is what makes the psychoanalytic approach distinctive; it is the defining characteristic of the Freudian perspective towards human action.’ (Bocock: 2002, P.32) One of the fundamental beliefs behind Freud’s work was indeed his distinction  between the unconscious, preconscious, and conscious areas of the human mind. He stipulated that the unconscious was the governing force where dreams, habits, thoughts and feelings originate from. In order to investigate these phenomenon he used psychoanalysis; as Nye phrases it in The Three Psychologies ‘it is the role of psychoanalysis to unravel the mystery by seeking the sources of thoughts, feelings, and actions in hidden drives and conflicts.’ (1975, p.10). Through using this technique Freud aimed to identify the nature of crucial communications occurring in early childhood which would affect adult behaviour. Dream interpretation is another of Freud’s infamous techniques; occurring when a person is asleep and unguarded he claimed that this was an opportunity for  unconscious drives and desires to manifest themselves through symbolic images. The  waking human mind however is conscious, meaning that it is aware of what is  immediate to it, and the preconscious is the level between. As Nye summarises it: ‘the unconscious consists of all aspects of our personalities of which we are unaware. The preconscious consists of that which is not immediately at the level of awareness  but is fairly accessible.’ (1975, p.13). The id As part of his understanding of human behaviour Freud identified the human personality as constituting three different structures: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is what the human child is born with instinct which contains base biological drives; the id seeks immediate satisfaction of primitive impulses, and operates on the ‘pleasure principle’ (Freud: 1927, p.30), seeking to avoid pain and maximise gratification. The instincts that a person is born with remain with them for life: life energy and death energy, which exist side by side, respectively concern the drive to survive (eat, drink, reproduce), and the primitive tendency to return to the ‘inanimate state’ (Nye: 1975, p.14) which has its origins in the prehistory of the world where life forms were unstable. Sex and Aggression ‘In proposing two psychological entities: our animal selves, in the form of the id, and our social selves, the ego and super-ego, (Freud) directly addressed the relationship between biology and socialisation, and the dynamic between them. For Freud, being human was individual peoples endless negotiation between the two.’ (Bland: 2003). It is precisely such negotiation that causes the varieties and extremes of behaviour seen in human beings. As well as the life and death instincts, humans are driven by their sexual drive and their aggressive drive; these being underlying causes of human behaviour. Freud made no distinction between what people might class as ‘everyday’ feelings and sexual feelings. Because humans are animals they are driven to  experience primal urges and desires but simultaneously live in a society where  standards contain and condition human behaviour. Thus, this is where the conflict arises between the drives of the id and the learnt morality of the superego so that anxiety, fear, and neuroses can all be traced to a basic incompatibility of the human  instinct with the socialised world which has evolved around it. The nature of Freud’s concept of aggression is that it is innate and thus a natural state. As one of the most powerful energies within the human mind aggression can cause serious damage mental and physical if it is not released in some way. Freud’s claims that some of the innate destructive energy is never released and so a person harbours the death instinct which eventually overcomes the other drives resulting in death. (Nye: 1975). Ultimately, the emotional life of a human being is destined to be a turbulent one: powerful energies conflict and override each other, and it is the role of psychodynamic therapy to uncover and understand the layers and symbolism within the psyche. A further understanding of these complex processes may be achieved through examining Freud’s concept of the ego and the nature of its functions. The Ego Freud suggested that the ego is a form of mediation between the urges of the id and the learnt morality in the super-ego, evolving as a person grows older in order to help them cope with the world. As the ego develops so does the person’s perception of reality, and a wider view is attained than simply the pleasures of subjective gratification. Freud’s pleasure principle thus becomes replaced by the ’reality principle’ (Stoodley: 1959, p.169). The desires of the id cannot always be realised, so the ego causes humans to convert them into other modes of behaviour;  not only in cathartic sport activities but also in people’s careers. Understanding the work environment in the context of the Psychodynamic Perspective will be discussed later. Freud likens the ego to a ‘a man on horseback, who has to hold in check the superior strength of the horse; with this difference, that the rider seeks to do so with  his own strength while the ego uses borrowed forces. () Often a rider, if he is not to be parted from his horse, is obliged to guide it where it wants to go; so in the same  way the ego constantly carries into action the wishes of the id as if they were its own.’ (Freud: 1927, p.30). Freud’s approach was radical for his time because he saw psychology very much through the same eyes as he saw evolution; as a process involving accumulative and transferable energy. Freud suggested that the energy levels in a person originating from the id and controlled, to an extent, by the ego (depending on circumstances) were affected by restrictions placed on that person by those around them. If these energies were not allowed to have an outlet then the person might suffer from anxiety. A strong ego will therefore develop as the person’s circumstances allow them to adjust to the real world while also going part of the way to satisfying the demands of the id. The Superego The superego incorporates the values and morals of society which are learnt from a person’s parents and other influential figures, and develops as a result of rewards and punishments as the individual grows up. The superego provides the personality with a conscience; a form of overview concerning right and wrong actions, which can cause a person to feel guilty. Freud termed the superego’s internal standard of what a person should be as the ‘ego-ideal’. (Nye: 1975, p.20). The superego is responsible for extremes of behaviour such as introvert behaviour, where  it will concern the person with too many of society’s rules, inhibiting the id and ’immobilizing the ego’s attempts to achieve satisfaction in the real world (Nye: 1975, p.20). On the other hand it can also cause extrovert behaviour where the individual abandons the expected standards of society. Anxiety and defence mechanisms When anxieties develop they can often be explained through the processes which  Freud termed ‘anxiety or defence mechanisms.’ The problem is to do with the  desires of the id they can be controlled by the superego and directed by the ego, but they still remain as very strong inclinations within the psyche. A desire of the id to act in a particular way may be thought of as wrong or punishable and thus creates guilt and tension anxiety within the person. The impulse might be expressed in a disguised form that society does approve of for example becoming a racing car driver or boxer as an outlet for aggression. Other ways of coping with the presence of inner energies are: Repression This is the phenomenon of forcing the uncomfortable desires, painful feelings and memories into the unconscious, only for them to affect our behaviour and mental states on a subliminal level, maybe emerging as Freudian slips or as symbolic imagery in nightmares. It is the job of the ego to try and prevent the ‘forgotten’ thoughts from returning to the conscious mind. Projection This occurs when someone assigns their own negative thoughts to another in order to  absolve themselves of the feeling. Denial Negative aspects of a situation may be avoided if the ego simply does not  acknowledge that they are there; this may be conscious or unconscious. Sublimation When forbidden impulses are channelled into socially acceptable behaviour or a socially beneficial situation for example, an aggressive man might choose to become  a martial arts teacher or a soldier. Alternatively, when a substitute action or transfer  of energy replaces the reaction to the person or object that originally caused the upset it is called displacement. The Psychodynamic Perspective in a healthcare setting Freud’s work has been influential not just in the field of psychology but also in conjunction with the sphere of mental health and social care. His group dynamics where he suggests that a group of people admit the same person a leader into their superego and identify with each other (Cave: 1999, p.57) can help individuals to understand the sometimes complex relations between work colleagues. For example, when a new worker joins a team it takes time to become integrated: Freud would say that this was due to the ‘personal space’ barrier (Cave: 1999, p.58) not yet being broken. Once the person is accepted then the group directs hostility to others outside of it, the barrier changing to a ‘group space’ barrier. More importantly an awareness of group processes can help ‘inform, promote insight, change behaviour or alleviate suffering.’(Cave: 1999, p.50). Understanding the relationships between individuals within a group is crucial for healthcare professionals who work in hospitals and care homes. For example, it could be beneficial to understand what facilitates group cohesion when working with discussion/therapy groups. Alternatively, a patient who is afraid of group work may  be best understood in isolation Freud’s psychoanalytic approach is commonly used in counselling and therapy for drug users, those who have been/are abused, and can be  beneficial to those suffering from obsessions and neurotic disorders. It is vital to have a good rapport and understanding between healthcare workers and patients to provide the best professional environment for recovery. Difficult situations often arise which require tact and discretion such as bereavement and can be understood in terms of Freud’s distinctions between the ego and the id and the conscious and unconscious mind. For example, an unusual pattern of behaviour (possibly anger or guilt) seen in a bereaved person might be attributed to a  defence mechanism which is masking the hidden conflict or upset associated with the death. Critical evaluation of the Psychodynamic Perspective Like all psychological theories, Freud’s is susceptible to heavy criticism because it is one of many perspectives all of which are formed by people trying to study other people making it difficult to attain complete objectivity. Skinner’s behaviourist theory criticises Freud for his belief that many guilt and anxiety complexes are sexually orientated (Nye: 1975, p.52), and there is also conflict between Freudian theorists and those psychologists who view behaviour as controlled by external factors: an example being the issue of suggestion in psychoanalysis and hypnosis. Take for instance, the case study of ‘Dora’ (Cave: 1975, p.37) whose abuse was suggested by Freud to be imagined, the consequence being that after counselling sessions with Freud she showed no signs of improvement. There is discrepancy about the meaning of dream symbols, and the outcome of hypnosis and psychoanalysis is often ambiguous and unreliable. Further problems occur when using hypnosis as therapy because the patient might not be properly under, and, as Freud himself found, they may even fall asleep. Nye notes that Freud used a restricted sample while developing his theory so  that it was not fully representative, and therefore his ideas only have limited applicability. (1975, p.146). Freud’s studies might also have been selectively chosen  to represent his ideas considering the complex nature of concepts such as the Oedipus complex it is unlikely that his findings were reliably consistent. As Webster says in criticism of Freud: (He) made no substantial intellectual discoveries. He was the creator of a complex pseudo-science which should be recognized as one of the great follies of Western civilization. In creating his particular pseudo-science, Freud developed an autocratic, anti-empirical intellectual style which has contributed immeasurably to the intellectual ills of our own era. (Webster: 1995, p.438) A large amount of Freudian theory is indeed based around hypothetical concepts such as the id and the ego, and is restricting in the sense that all behaviour can be traced back to some hidden primal source. Yet it is necessary to bear in mind that much of Freud’s theory has found its way into everyday language such as the ‘unconscious’ and ‘conscious mind‘, the ‘ego‘, etc, and this in itself suggests that the theory makes adequate sense to the human mind. Thus, we are left with a theory that is at the very least plausible but left very much open to interpretation: like many opposing theories evidence can be found for and against it, and it is left to the individual to determine whether or not the theory is acceptable to them. References Bland. J., 2003, About Gender: Freud, the Father of Psychoanalysis. Available from URL (http://www.gender.org.uk/about/01psanal/11_freud.htm). Bocock, R., 2002, Sigmund Freud. London: Routledge. Cave, S., 1999, Therapeutic Approaches in Psychology. London: Routledge. Gay, P., 1998. Freud: A Life for Our Time. New York: Norton. GuruNet, online dictionary, available from URL (www.questia.com). Freud, S., 1927. The Ego and the Id. Contributors: Joan Riviere transltr. London: Hogarth press, and the Institute of psycho-analysis. Messer, D., and Meldrum, 1995, Psychology for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals. Prentice Hall: London. Nye, R., 1975, The Three Psychologies, 3rd Ed. California: Brooks. Stoodley, B., H., 1959, The Concepts of Sigmund Freud. Glencoe: Free Press Webster, R., 1995, Available from URL (JavaScript:parent.bookWindow(../books/bookstz.html l WebsterR_1995) Background Reading Fine, R., D., 1962, Freud: A Critical Re-Evaluation of His Theories. New York: David Mckay. Jones, E., 1953, The Life and Work of Sigmund Freud: The Formative Years and the Great Discoveries, 1856-1900. Volume: 1. New York: Basic Books. Levine, M., P., 2000, The Analytic Freud: Philosophy and Psychoanalysis. London: Routledge. Mansfield, N., 2000, Theories of the Self from Freud to Haraway. St. Leonards, N.S.W: Allen Unwin.

Financial Analysis And Report Of Dominos Pizza Finance Essay

Financial Analysis And Report Of Dominos Pizza Finance Essay This report is commissioned to analyse the current and previous Short-Term Liquidity, Capital Structure and Solvency, Operating Efficiency and Profitability of Dominos Pizza Group Limited. The method used in analysing includes, current ratios, liquidity ratios, profit margin, gross margin, return on capital employed, gearing ratio, interest cover, stock turnover, debtor days and creditor days. The results of the analysis depicts that Dominos Pizza Group limited is operating well with consistent growth in turnover, profit margin but with a very high gearing ratio. The major areas of concern are the stock turnover, debtor days and creditor days which need effective and efficient management. Therefore it is recommended that the collection period for debtors and the payment period for creditors and the stock turnover should be monitored and improved. The analysis also has its own limitations which includes the unavailability of comparative information from the mirror company, SHS pizza Limited. Analysis Short-Term Liquidity Current Ratio(x) Company 2009 2008 2007 Dominos Pizza 0.69 1.01 0.92 SHS Pizza Ltd 0.18 0.22 1.29 This provides the portion of the current liability of Dominos Pizza Group which can be settled with its current assets earnings. This shows the ability of Dominos to meet its short-term debt contracts with the available current liability as the fall due. From the above table, Dominos Pizza Group had a current ratio of 0.69 in 2009 as compared to the 1.01 and 0.92 in years 2008 and 2007 respectively. The 0.69 in year 2009 shows that Dominos is not liquid enough to meet its short term debt obligations as at 2009 despite it being better than the SHS Pizza Ltd at 0.18 times in the same year. With its brilliant performance in year 2008 at 1.01times, in 2007 it went slightly below its ability to cover the current liability with its current assets at 0.97 times unlike the SHS Pizza ltd which had a better performance in ratio of 1.29 times in 2007. (Tracy J,  2008 P287). Liquidity Ratio Company 2009 2008 2007 Dominos Pizza 0.64 0.97 0.85 SHS Pizza Ltd 0.12 0.16 1.17 The ability for Dominos Group to repay short-term creditors out of its available total cash is less than the general threshold of 1.00. In 2007, Dominos had a liquidity ratio of 0.85 and increased to 0.97 in 2008 but fell drastically in 2009. Comparatively, its mirror company, the SHS Pizza limited performed better being able to cover its short term liabilities fully by 1.17x in 2007. However, SHS Pizza ltd also had a drastic fall from 1.17x in 2007 to 0.16x and 0.12x in 2008 and 2009 respectively. (www.advfn.com) Capital Structure and Solvency Gearing (%) Company 2009 2008 2007 Dominos Pizza 413.87 321.59 435.34 SHS Pizza Ltd 988.47 665.44 175.68 From the balance sheet of Dominos plc, it can be seen that it had a long term debt of 18million in 2007 which reduced further to 9million in 2007 and was eventually cleared in 2009. On measuring the amount of capital that is borrowed, the gearing ratio for Dominos Pizza as at 2007 was 435.34% falling slightly to 321.59% and 413.87% in 2008 and 2009 respectively. With this high gearing, it indicates that the proportion of Dominos group borrowed capital is high. However its mirror company, the SHS Pizza ltd had a reasonably lower gearing ratio of 175.68% in 2007 increasing significantly to 988.47% in 2009. These figures show how prone both Dominos Group and SHS pizza ltd is to financial distress. Borrowing is a risk to Dominos because of the associated high interest payables and therefore Dominos will be in a dangerous position if the interest rate increases. (www.bized.co.uk). Interest Cover Company 2009 2008 2007 Dominos Pizza 62.00 30.25 41.72 SHS Pizza Ltd n/a n/a n/a Talking of interest, the interests cover for the Dominos group has improved significantly over the last three years. In 2007 it had 41.72x but dropped to 30.25x in 2008, it later got better in 2009 with a 62x cover. This is a good indicator that Dominos group is able to pay its interest with its available operating profit. This significant improvement could be as a result of effective control of Dominos expenses and the consistent increase in turnover of 92,018 in 2007 to 128,076 in 2009. (www.bized.co.uk). Operating Efficiency Stock Turnover Company 2009 2008 2007 Dominos Pizza 54.99 52.07 44.67 SHS Pizza Ltd n/a n/a n/a As at 2007, Dominos Pizza plc had a stock turnover of 44.67days. It began to increase to 52.07 days in 2008 and again increased further to 54.99 days in 2009. This means that it is holding stock for longer than the previous years and could consequently increase the cost for holding these stocks. It is therefore important that the Dominos Pizza Group improves on its stockholding period so as to reduce its associated costs. All other things being equal, as Dominos products is food and can easily spoil, it is necessary that the stockholding period be reduced to avoid bulk waste of products and as a result material costs. Debtor Collection (days) Company 2009 2008 2007 Dominos Pizza 7.34 11.11 14.71 SHS Pizza Ltd n/a n/a n/a Dominos Pizza was able to get cash from its debtors within 14.71 days in 2007, in 2008 it was able to retrieve 11.11days whereas in 2009 was 7.34 days. From the above table, Dominos Group has been able to maintain a healthy improvement in its debtors collection days from 14.71days in 2007 to 7days in 2009. It is therefore important that customers of Dominos Pizza pay earlier so that this can be used to pay-off it trade creditors on time as well. Creditors Payment (days) Company 2009 2008 2007 Dominos Pizza 23.84 21.54 21.40 SHS Pizza Ltd n/a n/a n/a Dominos Pizza Group has been able to maintain a longer period in paying of its creditors. In 2007, it took about 21.40 days for Dominos Group to pay of its creditors. This further increased to 23.84 days in year 2009. If Dominos is able to get more credit period, it will be able to use the available funds to maintain growth until the payment period is dew. Despite it being a good business practice for Dominos Group to get longer payment period in settling its debt, it is also ethical that it pays it debt on or before time. Profitability Turnover The Dominos Pizza has sustained turnover growth for the past three years rising from 92,018 in 2007 to 128,076 in 2009. The turnover is entirely the sale made from the United Kingdom with a zero sales from oversees for the whole three years. The increase in sales was basically due to a higher demand of Dominos Pizza in the UK whereas the Zero sales in the overseas is as a result of unawareness of the Dominos Pizza in the oversees. Profit Margin (%) Company 2009 2008 2007 Dominos Pizza 24.05 18.43 18.32 SHS Pizza Ltd n/a n/a n/a www.fame.bvdep.com From the table above, the Dominos Pizza has been able to maintain a profit margin of 18.32% in 2007 and growing further to 24.05% in 2009. This is as a result of the efficient control of the cost of sales and other expenses like the administration expenses for the past three years plus an outstanding increase in revenue from 92,018 in 2007 to 128,076 in 2009. (Kimmel PD, etal (2008) Accounting p243). Gross Margin (%) Company 2009 2008 2007 Dominos Pizza 41.05 39.74 39.94 SHS Pizza Ltd n/a n/a n/a Similarly, changes in the gross margin will be as a result of changes in the Dominos Pizza group turnover and cost of goods sold. From the above table and diagram, we can see that the year 2007 had a gross margin percentage of 39.94% slightly dropped to 39.74% in 2008 and later rose to 41.05% in 2009. The cost of sale comprised of 60.6% in sale as at 2007 and a 59% in 2009. In the same period there was no information disclosed for public use for its mirror company, the SHS Pizza. Return on Capital Employed (%) Company 2009 2008 2007 Dominos Pizza 112.58 149.71 418.60 SHS Pizza Ltd n/a n/a n/a In 2007, Dominos Group had a good return on capital employed of around 418.60%. Despite the slight reduction, it continued to maintain a higher than 100% ROCE in the years 2008 and 2009 with 149.71% and 112.58% respectively. However using the ratio pyramid, the product of net assets turnover and the profit margin will give us the Return on Capital Employed. This is depicted in the table below; Calculation of the Return on capital employed 2009 2008 2007 Net Assets Turnover 4.68 8.12 22.85 Profit Margin 24.05 18.43 18.32 Return on Capital Employed 112.55 149.65 418.61 Here, any change on the return on capital employed comes as a result of change in either the net assets turnover or the profit margin. From the above, it is the constant fall in the net assets turnover from the 22.85 in 2007 to 4.68 in 2009 which contributed to the fall in the ROCE from 418.6% in 2007 to 112.5% in 2009. On the other side, the profit margin continued to maintain improvement. The averagely high performance in ROCE indicates that, Dominos make good use of its assets well in profit creation. (Bedward and Strdwick 2004 p53)

Information Technology Outsourcing :: Globalization, Business Management

Information Technology Outsourcing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "Information Technology outsourcing is the contracting out of part or all of an organization's IT activities." New trends have included operations, programming, and technology planning. The main reason for information technology outsourcing is to gain immediate economic gains for the company, usually through savings. Financial motivations aren't first on businesses minds though; other strategic objectives are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Outsourcing can make it easier to downsize. Because you are bringing in outside help, and can cut back on fixed salaries, the company becomes more variable. Outsourcing leads to tighter linking of strategy and IT. Knowledge which usually flows slowly can flow freely, and a company has more access to outside technology. Plus businesses receive information faster than other types of hierarchical communication, and the resources are endless. Outsourcing can unlock organizational structures. "The unlocked IT organization can provide a better mechanism for costing user requests, prioritizing technology initiatives and controlling expenditures." It offers the benefits of both systems involved. Another important goal that IT outsourcing takes on, is reducing technological risk. By outsourcing your needs you know that that the employee know what they are doing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some of the problems IT outsourcing may encounter are, loss of strategic control, risk of technological obsolescence, limiting of long-term flexibility, difficulty in benchmarking initial contract, hostage to additional charges, high exit or switching costs, limited choice of vendors, the fixed nature of legal contracts, legal exposure, from dissatisfied former employees, and cultural conflicts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The people doing the outsourcing for the companies are sometimes the life's-blood of that company. If the outsourcers want more money, then they are almost obligated to give that money. This is usually the case when the contractors are bringing new technology into the system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  High exit or switching costs entail the switch-over costs the company must shoulder if they decide to end the outsourcing and hire full time employees. It is important not to put too many resources at the hands of the contractors. Limiting this will ease the switch-over costs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Legal issues also creep into the picture when a company chooses to outsource. Some companies have problems with employees that are not happy with their current arrangement or are mistreated.

Essay --

Scotland is a country famous all over the world for its culture and warmth, In political terms Scotland isn't really on the map, however next year marks a huge event for Scotland as the people of Scotland are going to be put to the polls to decide if Scotland will become an independent country or stay within the UK. Scottish independence has been a topic for many years however now it may be a reality which would appease many people but also anger others. Scotland joined in a Union with England in 1707 after it essentially went bankrupt by attempting to colonize a part of Panama and name it 'Caledonia', it was unsuccessful due to poor planning and also weak leadership, this was a huge contributing factor towards Scotlands financial mess. Scotlands export was nothing compared to Englands at the time and was generally over shadowed by its powerful neighbour (Baynes, Thomas Spencer 1888). The two countries prior shared a monarch for over 100 years when King James VI of Scotland also became the King of England. They were numerous attempts prior to 1707 to join Scotland and England together, however in 1707 both countries appointed 31 commisioners to conduct the negotiations. Most of the Scottish commisioners favoured the union and similar with the English commisioners, however it is important to note that the tories were against it. Many people in Scotland felt betrayed at the time, and many also do today, they think that our dignity and nationality was wiped off us in exchange for money. Famous poet Robbie Burns was quoted saying 'We're bought and sold for English Gold, Such a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation'. With contrast to the above the English wanted a union with Scotland to ensure that Scotland would not choose a monarch differen... ... religion, however Marxists defend the right of 'oppressed' nations to self-determination, up to and including independence. On the question of Scottish independence, the Left in Scotland is similarly caught on two minds. There are those in the Labour Party and the Communist Party of Britain (CPB) who maintain that independence would disunite the British working class and only go to serve the interests of the bourgeoisie. However, others on the Left, most notably in the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) and the Communist Party of Scotland (CPS), believe that the breakup of the British state is a precondition for securing progressive, socialist change for the peoples these islands since it would open up opportunities for the Left, both in Scotland and south of the Border, to promote a radical political agenda that otherwise would remain excluded from mainstream politics.

Learning Disabilities Essays -- Special Education

â€Æ' Case Study on Learning Disabilities Learning about learning disabilities has been an eye opening experience. I have worked with children who had home life issues that they struggled with at school. But to see and realize that these children cannot change how their brain operates is difficult to watch. My case study is a typical young boy who really doesn’t want to be in school. He would rather be with his dad hunting with guns in the woods. I know now that he probably dislikes school because he struggles with completing the tasks and assignments given to him. Hopefully, this study will provide me with more insight into ways that I could help him and others like him once I become a certified teacher. A Look at the Classroom TC (a pseudonym) is a young third grader at a local elementary school. The school looks and feels like any typical elementary school anywhere in North Carolina. However, when you walk down the hall to the EC class is located, you see a room that has little light on inside. Occasionally there will be lights on but for the most part they are not. Once you quietly enter the room, one notices a whiteboard on the immediate right with a small group of 10-12 desks side by side in a â€Å"U† shape facing the board. The remainder of the room is divided into three sections. Each section has a â€Å"C† shaped table for the special needs teacher and the teacher assistant. In the last section closest to the wall, there is a metal swing hanging from a metal stand. There are several computers in the two outer divided sections but only the three computers by the teacher’s area are active. These appear to be where extra time is rewarded on these computers to play educat ional games. Because of the way the room is des... ...lout in a separate room with a small group away from the general education class. His general education classes/events include Science/Social Studies, Recess, Lunch, Field Trips and Assemblies, Art/Media/PE/Technology. Within his IEP is noted the justification for special needs services. TC needs services due to his weakness in working memory and nonverbal reasoning. He needs a small group setting with direct explicit, systematic and multi-modal instruction. He also needs repetition with his instruction and practice with the material learned. It is my hope that TC will continue to improve in his work, if he can maintain enough interest in school. Hopefully someone can provide the extra encouragement he needs to move through the difficult years of school. If he doesn’t have an attitude change about school, he will probably be one of those that dropout.

Dinosaurs and Man May Have Co-Existed

Dinosaurs and Man may have Co-existed It has been a constant debate between creationists and evolutionists on how old the world is. Evolutionists believe that earth was created over 4. 5 billion years ago while, creationists believe in a young earth created only about 6,000 years old. With that debate is the argument on when the dinosaurs walked the earth. Evolutionism teaches that humans and dinosaurs lived millions of years apart from each other.What many people are not aware of is that there exists a considerable body of evidence that supports the Biblical account of humans and dinosaurs living at the same time and even interacting with each other. Some of this evidence suggests that this may still be happening today in certain parts of the world like the African Congo. (1) Dinosaurs are often portrayed as having lived in a time before man. However, the available evidence shows that man and dinosaur coexisted. Legends of dragons are found among most people groups.For example, ther e are the stories of Bel and the dragon, the Kulta of Australian aborigines, St. George and the dragon, and of course many Chinese legends. Often, the anatomical descriptions given are consistent, even though they come from separate continents and various times. (2) These depictions match what we know from the fossil evidence of certain dinosaurs. Thus, dinosaurs are known directly from their fossils, and indirectly from cave drawings, tapestries, textiles, figurines, carvings, bas reliefs, and many oral and written eyewitness accounts, most of which are quite old. 2) Pick up just about any book on dinosaurs, and it will say that dinosaurs lived from 230 million to 65 million years ago. That’s always stated as a fact, but how do they know? The ages of dinosaur fossils are determined by the layer of rock in which they are found. How do they know how old the rock layer is? It is usually the case that when layers of rock are piled up upon each other, the bottom one is the oldest , and the top one is the youngest, because the bottom one had to be there before the other ones formed on top of it.So, one can make a cross-sectional cut through a rock formation, examine the layers, and be reasonably confident that the lower layers formed before the upper layers (3). The questions are, â€Å"How long did it take for each layer to form? † and, â€Å"How much time elapsed between layers? † Traditionally, geologists have used the â€Å"geologic column† to answer these questions. Although the rapid formation of rock layers is an obvious fact, it makes evolutionists uncomfortable because it isn’t compatible with a neat uniformitarian explanation.If rock layers form rapidly in short periods of time, separated by longer time intervals of undetermined length, which makes it impossible to tell how long ago the rock layers were formed. Geologists are coming to the consensus that fossil-bearing rock layers were produced rapidly, and that there wer e unknown periods of time between the rock layers (3). Therefore, most of â€Å"geologic time† is represented by the rocks that aren’t there. Geologists have given traditional dates to sedimentary rock layers.They do that based upon the kind of fossils found in the rocks, and the evolutionary assumptions of the stages through which life evolved, and how long it took to evolve through each stage. The fossils in a sedimentary rock layer tell you what kinds of critters were living in that area at the time they were buried by a flood, landslide, or sandstorm (3). The dating and correlation of the geologic column is based on the assumption that all the wildlife living all over the world is the same at any given time.Therefore, floods, landslides, and sandstorms that occur in North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, will all bury the same kind of critter in any given year. (3) Believe it or not, dinosaur footprints, and the footprints of man, are found in the same strata, in the very same formation, in some cases only 18 inches apart, at a geological dig in Glen Rose, Texas, called the Paluxy River Bed. The ancient footprints of â€Å"man† at the site are found to be evenly spaced, and go under overhanging shale formations, continuing under the formations, and have been excavated. 4) Dinosaurs were said to have lived 250 million to 65 million years ago because their bones are found in rocks that are said to be Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous. Rocks are classified as Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous because they contain fossils that evolutionists presume were alive all over the Earth only during those periods of time. If you found a rock with a dinosaur bone in it, you would not be able to convince an evolutionary geologist that it was anything other than a Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous rock.If radioisotope dating indicated the rock was less than 65 million years old, or more than 250 million year old, the evolutionist would flatly reject the radioisotope date. It is a fundamental article of faith that dinosaurs lived 250 to 65 million years ago. (3) New evidence from the Paluxy river bed in Glen Rose, Texas, as well as from South America, Mexico, and California, demonstrates beyond any doubt that dinosaurs and mankind co-existed, and walked the planet earth at the very same time — during the age of man.Believe it or not, dinosaur footprints, and the footprints of man, are found in the same strata, in the very same formation, in some cases only 18 inches apart, at a geological dig in Glen Rose, Texas, called the Paluxy River Bed. The ancient footprints of â€Å"man† at the site are found to be evenly spaced, and go under overhanging shale formations, continuing under the formations, and have been excavated (4). How is it possible that human footprints found in Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Illinois, New Mexico, Kentucky, and other states, are in rocks supposedly 250,000,000 years old† (4) Winkie Pratney in  Creation or Evolution?Part III, the Fossil Record: discusses the mysterious dinosaur tracks and human footprints found close together at the Paluxy River Bed: â€Å"Though the dino tracks (in the Paluxy River Bed in Glen Rose, Texas, for instance) are real, perhaps the human prints were later ‘clever carvings' by Indians. Recent research, however, has shown that they continue under shale bulldozed away, and paleontologists like Dr. Camp of the University of California and Dr. G. Wescott of Ypsilanti, Michigan, have pronounced them genuine.Scores of other similar finds have come in: human skulls in the Pliocene strata; pollen and anthropods in Pre-Cambrian layers; even pictographs of a dinosaur among other animals on ancient canyon walls, which would knock some 70 million years out of the geologic column† (Acts, p. 15, June 1996). (4) Since dinosaurs supposedly died out 65 million years ago, it is not possible that anyone in historic times has ever seen a living dinosaur. But what if people have seen living dinosaurs? Wouldn’t that completely refute the assumptions upon which the dating of the geologic column rests?For that reason, it is worth evaluating the evidence that man and dinosaurs might have lived together. If dinosaurs and man lived together, don’t you think they would be mentioned in ancient books? Certainly they would. They would not be called â€Å"dinosaurs† because that word wasn’t coined until 1841. If they were mentioned, you would expect them to be called something else, but would expect their descriptions to match dinosaurs (3). You would expect to read things like this, written by Philostratus (200 – 230 AD) wrote in the  Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Northern â€Å"India is girt with dragons of enormous size; not only are the arshes full of them but the mountains as well and not a single ridge is without one. †¦ The dragons of the foothills have crests, of moderate height when young but they grow with them and extend to a great height when they reach full size. † The bodies of the plains dragons are sometimes found with elephants, a great reward for hunters. Their tusks resemble those of swine, but more twisted and sharp. â€Å"They say that in the skulls of the mountain dragons are stored stones of flowery colors that flash out all kinds of hues. † They tell us that â€Å"a great many dragons' skulls are enshrined† in the center of the great city of Paraka (Peshawar? close by the mountain. (3)For over 2 hundred years there have been reports of a living dinosaur in Africa. This creature, which the natives call â€Å"Mokele-Mbembe† is believed to be a sauropod type of dinosaur (5). Sauropod means â€Å"Lizard-Footed† dinosaur. Sauropods are four-legged, herbivorous dinosaurs. These incidents were reported long before the word â€Å"dinosaur† was coined, and long before anyone (in this century) knew they existed. If Mokele-Mbembe is a living dinosaur, then it makes the claim of total dinosaur extinction unfounded.The Congolese people are very familiar with the aquatic dinosaur living in the Likoula swamp region. They call this Apatosaurus-like creature â€Å"Mokele-Mbembe† which means:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"one who stops the flow of rivers† (5). From the size of this awesome beast this name is sure fitting! They believe this animal  (which they greatly fear)  is sacred. This belief is due to the illness and death of many in the pygmy tribe after one was killed with a spear and eaten by the people. Of course, the deaths and illness were probably more likely due to spoilage of its meat.An animal this large could have been eaten for several weeks. (5) â€Å"Persistent reports of strange creatures in remote, swampy jungles of western Africa have led two scientists to believe that dinosaurs still may walk the Earth. Both historical reports from Westerners and firsthand accounts fr om natives indicate dinosaur-like creatures may exist today in a virtually unexplored jungle in the People’s Republic of the Congo, the researchers said yesterday. Dr. Roy Mackal, a research associate at the University of Chicago, said he believes the animals may be elephant-sized dinosaurs (5). In an article in Science magazine, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the researchers say natives call the creature ‘Mokele-Mbembe. ‘ â€Å"The researchers say they believe it actually may be a dinosaur that looks like a smaller version of the brontosaurus, a giant plant-eater that died out 70 million years ago. Natives shown pictures of many kinds of animals picked illustrations of the brontosaurus as most closely resembling the creatures they say they saw, Mackal said. †Ã‚   Source: Warren E. Leary â€Å"Dinosaurs May Inhabit Remote Jungle. † San Diego Union Tribune, Oct 18, 1980 (Washington date Line). as quoted in  "That their words may be used against them† by Henry Morris, pg. 258) Roy Mackal, an American Biochemist (and evolutionist) has headed several expeditions since 1980 to the Likouala swamp. Mackal has collected numerous eyewitness accounts from the Congo natives. Many live in different locations, yet their descriptions of the creature are the same despite lack of communication with each other. Descriptions of the dinosaurs physical appearance and behavioral traits are consistent with each other. (5)| â€Å"I am not at all convinced it has been proven that the dinosaurs became extinct prior to the advent of man.I believe there is much evidence, ancient and modern, to indicate that dinosaurs and human kind existed on earth contemporaneously, and that human beings, while they probably lived in different regions than dinosaurs for the most part, did on many occasions encounter the sometimes huge and fearsome creatures. The memories of these encounters were so vivid and deep that t hey were passed down in a multitude of cultures as legends, painted on cave walls, represented in pottery, and written of in literature† (Quote from Francis Schaeffer (a well known Christian Historian) .Though most are now gone, I believe that some small species of dinosaurs may still alive today in remote parts of the world. | Works cited page 1. Swift, Dennis. â€Å"More Evidence That Dinosaurs and Man Co-existed ! †Ã‚  Angelfire: Welcome to Angelfire. 2011. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. . 2. â€Å"Men and Dinosaurs Coexisted. †Ã‚  Www. icr. org. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. . 3. Jones, Do-While. â€Å"The Age of Dinosaurs. †Ã‚  Ridgecrest, California – Your Community Portal. June 2004. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. lt;http://www. ridgecrest. ca. us/~do_while/sage/v8i9f. htm>. 4. Keyser, John D. â€Å"Dinosaurs and Man? †Ã‚  Hope of Israel Ministries. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. . 5. â€Å"Mokele-Mbembe Search Living Dinosaurs Dinosaur Embryos Uncovered. †Ã‚  Angelfire: Wel come to Angelfire. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. . 6. Warren E. Leary â€Å"Dinosaurs May Inhabit Remote Jungle. † San Diego Union Tribune, Oct 18, 1980 (Washington date Line) Griffin Bearicks Spring semester 2011 April 13, 2011 Geology 1304 Roger Sigler

Globalization Case paper-marketing Essay

There are new technologies that are emerging in the market and this ahs led to advancements in communication and transport. Every marketer in the world wants his/her products marketed by use of the new technology. The recent developments in technology have resulted in the emergence of standardized consumer products that are marketed in the global market. Consumer preferences that were regional or country based have ceased globally and the needs and desires of people have been homogenized. This has resulted in failure of most of the multinational corporations while the global corporations are thriving in business. Homogenization in the global market can be seen in the case of Coca-cola and Pepsi-cola, these two producers sell their globally standardized products around the world which is filled with people with different tastes and preferences but they make good sales. Unlike before when companies perceived that overseas prices were higher, now companies are using a common method to distribute finance and price their products internationally. The markets that used to be small and nation based have expanded to market their products globally; this has been necessitated by the competition that exists leading to increased efficiency in the production, management, marketing and distribution of products. Customers tend to prefer products from companies that have forced the costs and prices down while on the other hand increasing the quality and reliability of their products. Large companies that operate in a single country are very much unlikely to standardize their products internationally. Companies that lack clarified global focus and are not attentive to the economies of simplicity and standardization are faced with a lot of problems in their marketing lines. The multinational corporation knows a lot about very many countries while the global corporation understands the need to be competitive on a global scale as well as on a national scale and is always aimed at reducing its prices by standardizing its products and operations. Due to the current global markets there has been a great deal of division of labor and specialization. Large scale production of standardized items has been seen to be cheaper within a wide range of volume than small scale production (Theodore, 1984). Implications for a global marketer Global marketers need to come up with ways that will increase their competitive advantage globally and these would help them survive in the global market. Use of the current technology can increase the global marketers’ area of business. The global marketers also need to standardize their products so as to make sure that they are fit for the international market. For a global marketer to thrive in business he has to change the mentality that marketing is giving the customers what they need and look at marketing as trying to understand what exactly the customer would like. Global marketers should not therefore persist with costly, customized multinational products and services but they should aim and press for global standardization. The global marketer also needs to note the barriers to globalization that exist in the market; these barriers are normally experienced in the Middle East countries and also the transfer of data and technology across the boundaries of the European market countries is hindered by financial and legal impediments that exist. Another barrier that may affect the global marketer is the resistance to radio and television interference that exists in some neighboring European countries. Before any marketer thinks of exporting their domestic products there is need to assess how the products need to be changed to fit in the international market. Most customers always need a product that meet their needs and so they need certain features in the products but research has shown that they can take other features if the promotion and the price was right and therefore global marketers should come up with practices that are aimed at reducing their prices. The wider the marketer’s global reach, the greater the number of national preferences encountered in the promotion and distribution of the products and therefore the global marketer should accommodate differences at some times. Companies should also note that it is not automatic that there exists a market of their products in a region where a similar company flourished in business. Recommendations and additional thoughts Companies that wholly capitalize on economic convergence can still make adjustments and distinctions in different markets. For any company to go global it has to undergo the following stages; stage one is when the company focuses only on the domestic market, stage two is when the company still has a home focus but it has exports, stage three is when the company realizes that it has to focus more on the multinational than the domestic market and in stage four the company has global organizations that aim at marketing the company’s products globally. During this time when the company is moves through the four stages its marketing is affected by the effect on products, promotion, placement and the price of the products. As many companies try to become global there is need to look at the demerits that are associated with the practice, they include; difference in business laws, different distribution channels, differences in the administration procedures and the differences that exist in the consumer response, needs and usage pattern of the products (Helsen and Kotabe, 2004). WORD COUNT 882 WORDS REFERENCE LIST Helsen, K, and Kotabe, M (2004), Global Marketing Management – 3rd Edition, San Francisco John Wiley & Sons, Inc – Publishers. Pp. 10-12 Theodore Levitt, (1984), the globalization of markets, The Mc Kinsey Quarterly. Pp. 2-19