Summary on Your Trusted Friedns by Eric Schlosser free essay sample

: Summary to miour Trusted Friends by Eric Schlosser. Eric Schlosser, an investigative Journalist best known for his book Fast Food Nation from where the piece miour trusted friends is taken describes few types of marketing strategies implemented by Walt Disney and Mc Donalds corporations. Throughout the text Schlosser is drawing parallels between Walt Disneys and Ray A. Krocs business practices. What they both had in common, as being friends and children of the same generation, they used in their business approach. One of the strategies adopted from his riend Walt Disney was synergy, which is the way of selling things by making licensing agreements with other companies for using their brand name. .. Another strategy was called cradle-to-grave(p. 190), where marketing campaigns targeted people of different age groups in their advertising. According to Schlosser, Krok believed that childhood memories of a brand will lead toa lifetime of purchases. He truly believed that the way the food is sold is as important as it tastes. We will write a custom essay sample on Summary on Your Trusted Friedns by Eric Schlosser or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One of the most important comparisons the author of the book is stating between Walt Disney and Ray Kroc is that they both mastered their art of selling things to young children. The idea of borrowed from Walt Disney, resulted in creating the characters further utilized in advertising the Mac Donalds foods to children. Mac Donald used a thoughtful way to get kids to eat there by collaborating with other companies via selling their toys with happy meals and by making a mascot that would catch a childs eye. Fast-food companies went even further, creating the play lands, where smiling and funny Ronald Mac Donald was probably more appealing to the ids than the food itself at times. And it served its purpose of attracting huge numbers of children to Mac Donalds restaurants. Schlosser asserts that the idea of using characters in advertising of fast food companies is used to manipulate the children and make them like eating at their restaurants. A great deal of physiological research from marketing companies hired by businesses lies beneath every campaign. According to the author they analyze childrens artwork, hire children to run focus group, stage slumber parties and then question children into the night (p. 190). Internet became another important way of collecting valuable information about children. And if not the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act effective 2000, internet would be still used to collect the data for further marketing approaches. advertising. Despite all efforts to protect children and ban the kids commercials, the congress made a decision to continue them. Creating videos featuring Mac Donald characters and selling them to kids, sponsoring sports and advertising their products 2417 on family channels all these steps strengthen the connections between fast-food industry and Hollywood.

Fuel Hedging a Strategy for Air Carriers to Combat Fuel Hike Essays

Fuel Hedging a Strategy for Air Carriers to Combat Fuel Hike Essays Fuel Hedging a Strategy for Air Carriers to Combat Fuel Hike Essay Fuel Hedging a Strategy for Air Carriers to Combat Fuel Hike Essay Fuel Hedging A Strategy for Air Carriers to Combat Fuel Hike Index Jet Fuel – The Nemesis of Airlines In the year 2008, the growth of global aviation industry received a major bolt from the fear of global economic slowdown and the rise in crude oil prices. Though the global economic uncertainties impacted the business of airlines, but the steep surge in crude prices has changed the financial equations of the airline across the world, with India being no exception. In fact over the previous ten months crude prices have increased over 80 percent, from nearly $80 per barrel in October, 2007 to $147 per barrel in June, 2008. A similar increase was seen in the case of Arabian Gulf Jet prices. As per the figures released by IATA (International Air Transport Association), fig. 1, the price of Jet Fuel, as on 1st Aug’07, has increased by 314. 5% since 2000, and almost 70% since August last year. IATA has forecast the loss in aviation sector to be nearly USD 2. 3 billion (more than 9500 crores) in 2008. |1-Aug-08 | Fig. 1 Aviation Turbine Fuel more popularly known as ATF or Jet Fuel, continues to be the single largest cost factor for airlines constituting nearly 40 per cent of the total operating costs. Hence as ATF prices start to increase, airlines typically respond by raising fuel surcharges. Only Rs. 225 of the surcharge is payable to AAI (Airports Authority of India); the balance goes to the airlines. In the past six months alone, fuel surcharge has increased from nearly Rs 950 to Rs 2,350. That’s nearly an increase of 150%. Considering a basic fare of Rs 1,000(say) and other charges being constant, cost of flying has nearly doubled. : That is deterring the low and middle income group travelers who were beginning to switch to air travel mode from traveling by railways. The rise in crude prices is hurting both high end carriers and low cost carriers as the decline in the number of passengers has affected the load factor. The load factor for Indian carriers has come down during June-July period. Further increase in ticket prices, which is inevitable if the fuel prices rise further, can devastate the future plans of airlines. Reasons for Rise in Fuel Prices Demand Outstrips Supply According to the experts, the demand for crude oil is directly related to the world GDP growth. During the last few years, the developing countries like India and China have seen tremendous growth, and hence accelerated the demand for crude oil. Though the developed countries have also seen growth, but the increase in the buying power of people is higher in developing countries. Although the demand has surged but the supply side has not seen much change. The oil reserves are more or less same and producing same amount of oil. This mismatch in demand and supply has been the most prominent factor behind the crude prices rally. OPEC Control The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an organization of eleven developing countries that are the major exporter of crude oil across the globe. OPEC controls almost 40% of the world’s crude oil. It accounts for almost 75% of the world proven oil reserves. OPEC yields power to disturb the supply-demand equation by squeezing the supply side, and it has even been observed in the past that OPEC countries have reduced the supply of oil to increase the prices. Speculative Buying and Selling A lot has been debated over the trading of oil futures in the commodity exchanges around the world. The OPEC countries, to shift the blame, criticize that speculation causes the prices of commodities like fuel to rise beyond expectation. Cartelization and hoarding of oil are said to be responsible for such irrational increase in the crude prices. Possible Measures The factors that control the prices of crude oil are all external to aviation industry. The airlines can’t just wait and watch their profits dwindling. They need to pull out some strategy to safeguard itself against the nemesis. Globally the strategists in aviation are evaluating two options: Alternate Fuel – With the surge in fuel prices, the demand for an alternate fuel is all time high. Airlines and aero plane manufactures like Boeing and Airbus are spending millions on the research of technologies and alternatives to jet fuel. Recently Virgin Atlantic’s Richard Branson has allocated 3 Billion dollars to Virgin Green Fund to be spent on alternative fuel and solar technologies over the next decade. In the recent past several test flights have been made using the alternatives like bio fuel. Virgin Atlantic flew an experimental flight on a Boeing 747 using a blend babassu palm oil and coconut oil. The thrust is on the research of fuel which is environmentally safe and can be produced without putting stress on arable land. The aircraft manufactures are promoting research on fuel which can be drop-in replacement which should not require change in air frame, air engine as very expensive investment would be required then. Fuel Hedging Fuel hedging is the practice, often employed by airline companies, of making advance purchases of fuel at a fixed price for future delivery to protect against the shock of anticipated rises in price. Fuel hedging is a risk mitigating strategy. It doesn’t add to the profits but protects against any future losses due to rise in fuel prices beyond the expectations. Hedging is a popular tool used by the airlines globally to insure themselves during the fuel crisis situations. Fuel hedging is done in the commodities market either directly using the ATF/Jet Fuel futures or by surrogate means using crude oil futures or heating oil futures due to a very high degree of correlation between the prices of ATF and crude/heating oil. Since fuel has become the major component of expenses of airlines, many airlines like Lufthansa have created a separate department to devise strategies on oil. It has been observed that the strategies of such airlines have been predominated by fuel hedging. Hedging- A Lone Rescuer With relentless oil price fluctuations, and uncertainty of the results of bio fuel, the only answer for Indian Airline companies is to take a leaf out of the book of their global counterparts and incorporate a sustained hedging programme to maintain fuel cost as a percentage of total expenditure. Fuel Hedging and Global Carriers Fuel hedging is best exemplified by Southwest Airlines, a low cost American carrier, whose hedging against rising fuel costs has helped the discount carrier soar high above its competitors. Southwest treasurer Scott Topping mentioned in an interview that with their hedging advantage, they have enjoyed more flexibility in managing revenues. Southwest locked in oil at $51 a barrel prior to crudes yearlong run-up in the year 2007. For the first nine months of 07, the Dallas-based carrier realized gains of $427 million. Those hedging profits, a result of a shrewd call by Southwest CEO Gary Kelly, have kept costs down. To have a better understanding of the standing of airlines in term of hedging, let’s look at the Air Fuel Expense and hedging Summary for major airlines of US for the year 2003-04. Fig. 3 summarizes the fuel expense and hedging strategies for the 13 US airlines included in this analysis. [pic] Fig. 3 It can be seen in the figure the low cost carriers like Southwest and JetBlue are the major hedging airlines. Because of its hedging strategy, Southwest Airlines is termed as a hedging firm instead of an airline. However, the financial results of these airlines show that hedging has helped them to sail across in trouble water. Further, In addition to the obvious importance of controlling such a significant operating expense for an airline, numerous academic studies have demonstrated that measurable fuel hedging can increase the value of the firm. While there are a number of factors that influence an airlines valuation, the valuations of the airlines (as measured by the firm’s price to revenue ratio) do have a positive correlation coefficient with the airlines level of fuel hedging, as shown in Fig. 4. Price/revenue ratio is presented rather than price to earnings because many of the airlines have negative earnings. [pic]LUV – Southwest, JBLU- JetBlue, AMR- American, AAI – Airtran Holdings, FRNT – Frontier, MEH – Midwest Air, NWAC – Northwest, CAL – Continental, DAL – Delta, UALAQ- United, ATAH – ATA, UAIR – US Airways Fig. 4 Fig. 4 clearly shows that Southwest Airlines, and JetBlue, the airlines which hedge most, are valued proportionately higher than other airlines. The confidence of investors is higher in these airlines because their hedging strategies cover them against any fluctuation in fuel prices. Hedging is not only common among US carriers, the European carriers like Lufthansa and Air France-KLM have also shielded themselves from fuel fluctuations by locking into fuel hedging. Lufthansa hedge almost 85% of its fuel consumption and has increased its operating profit by 63% for fiscal year 2007-08. Airlines from Asia Pacific region such as Malaysian Airlines and Singapore Airlines have also used hedging during the fuel fluctuation. Fuel Hedging and Indian Carriers While aviation firms around the world have taken to hedging to insulate themselves from the high oil prices, Indian carriers have generally shied away from it. In 2007 when the government allowed hedging, Air India was the first airline in the county to hedge but soon backed out after it saw losses. Air India did hedging of 10% of its fuel consumption on NYMEX. A senior Air India executive told that the airline initially made money through hedging. But after a round of losses when oil came below the hedged prices, it discontinued the practice as no one wanted to take the risk. Unfortunately, such past experiences are still discouraging airlines from adopting a hedging strategy. Hedging is also considered to be a specialist domain which has resulted in some airlines staying away from it. A Raghunathan, CFO, Kingfisher Airlines, in his interview to DNA Money said, Because it was not allowed in India earlier, the expertise required for it is not available. However, airlines are waking up to the profits of hedging. â€Å"Hedging has not been traditionally done in India. In hindsight, it sounds wise today to have done that,† GoAir spokesperson Neeraj Kapoor quoted in a DNA Money. The company is evaluating the process of hedging. Fuel hedging is only allowed in India in 2007 by RBI. Earlier if an airline wanted to mitigate the risk of fuel prices; it could only hedge in foreign markets. This has also discouraged carriers as trading in foreign markets expose them to the problem of currency fluctuation. It’s like evading one problem to accept other. As an effect of RBI orders, MCX (Multi-Commodity Exchange of India Limited) has introduced ATF futures and crude oil futures. Fuel Hedging – Available Hedging Options in India ATF Futures Airlines in India can do hedging in both domestic and international markets. MCX has been given nod by the Forward Market Commission, the commodity markets regulator, in April to offer ATF futures. ATF futures are now available in futures market for trading. Appendix 1 details the different ATF futures contracts available for trading on MCX. Appendix 2 shows the month wise turnover for ATF futures as compared to other commodities futures on MCX. Since the trading of ATF futures has only started in July, figures are only available for the month of July. ATF futures can also be traded on JPTC. Airlines are a little suspicious of the hedging of ATF futures because the volume available for hedging is small and lack of availability of past trends. Crude Oil Futures ATF is only traded on only two commodity exchanges around the world – MCX and JPTC. So, airlines around the world, especially American and European carriers use surrogate hedging which basically means use of alternate commodity which has a high degree of price correlation with the original commodity. In the case of ATF, Crude oil and heating oil are the alternatives for ATF. As can be seen the figure below, there is a high degree of correlation between the price of Brent crude oil and Jet fuel. In the surrogate trading the actual transfer of commodity doesn’t take place. If the prices go up then profit earned in futures market can be used to buy Jet fuel in the spot market. [pic] Same holds true for heating oil (refer figure below) which is the main commodity of hedging by the airlines. In the US primarily airlines prefer heating oil for hedging. The number of contracts purchased depends on the correlation between the prices of the commodities. pic] Preferred Option in India – Brent Crude Oil Hedging For the quarter ending June’08, ATF futures were not available for trading. First future contract on MCX has expiry of July’08. So, Brent Crude oil (BRCRUDEOIL) futures traded over MCX are preferred to construct the model. Moreover, the ATF futures contracts volume is low which is deterring investors from investing. It has also be en noticed that ATF futures are 6 months contracts while the Brent Crude oil contracts are 3 months contract, so in the scenario like present days the short duration derivatives are preferred. In addition, the movement of the prices of both commodities is similar (refer Appendix 3). Hedging for Jet Airways Jet Airways along with Jet Lite is the largest carrier in India. It has the fleet of more than 100 aircrafts used for both domestic and international operations. For the two consecutive years, it has generated significant operating profit, but for the quarter ending June’08, it suffered an operational loss of Rs. 3950 millions (refer Appendix 4). The Fuel expenses, which used to constitute 25-30% of total expenses, were Rs. 3040 millions; approximately 40% of Jet Airways’ total expenses (refer Appendix 4) because of soaring Jet fuel prices. Jet Airways had hedged once on foreign bourses when fuel hedging was not allowed in India. However, due to the impact of currency fluctuation on the returns from hedging, the experience wasn’t satisfactory. Based on this experience, it didn’t opt for hedging during the recent times. But, according to Jet Ai rways’ Saroj Dutta, Jet Airways is now contemplating to enter into hedging and is evaluating various options. It would be prudent to use Jet Airways example to understand the intricacies of Fuel hedging. The analysis of the quarterly results, for the quarter ending June’08, shows that the operating losses that Jet Airways incur were almost 30% of the total fuel expenses. If we assume that the quantity of fuel required for the entire quarter was constant, then the 30% reduction in fuel expenses can flatten the operating losses to zero. Let’s use hedging to analyze the scenario. The prices of crude oil have seen unexpected surge in the first of quarter of the year2008-09, so the importance of hedging can be best demonstrated for the data pertaining to this quarter. Since surrogate hedging is done, Jet Airways will take only position, and will not take actual delivery of the Brent Crude. The futures contracts available on MCX have a period of 3 months. To hedge for the month of April, the airline can start hedging in Jan. It is assumed Recommendations The analysis of the contemporary position of airlines with respect to surge in fuel prices suggests fuel hedging is the call of the situation and air carriers should start evaluating it as a potential strategy against the fuel spikes. Hedging can help airlines generate stable cash flows. In an uncertain environment hedging airlines are able to predict future cash flows and earnings and make investment during the high stages of the price cycle; such a strategy is valued higher by the investors. Secondly, hedging allows airlines to take advantage of investment opportunities in times of high commodity prices. It is more likely that airlines will go bankrupt when fuel prices are very high, and in such cases they are often forced to sell planes and other assets at substantially below-market prices. Airlines that are hedged against higher prices will have more resources available to invest and are therefore the only ones able to purchase these discounted assets, thus strengthening their competitive position and growing value. Hedging is not believed to be a long term solution to the fear of fuel hike. It flattens the spikes for a small duration. The airlines should really start looking for alternate fuel for sustainability in the future. A few millions spend now on technology upgradation and on research of alternatives can earn billions for the industry in the future. The aircraft manufactures should be encouraged to innovate to decrease the dependency on the nemesis. Airlines also need to evaluate other options to reduce the expenses. The complete operational model should be reviewed to take care of different scenarios. Airlines should look for lighter aircrafts as the fuel consumption is directly proportional to the weight of an aircraft. Other methods like revision of wage structure, scrutinization of non-profitable routes and optimum utilization of aircrafts should be incorporated by carriers. Hedging, however, comes with a word of precaution. Airlines in the wake of saving themselves from future crisis after seeing the sudden surge of crude in the recent past, should not indulge themselves in over-hedging, hedging more than expected to be consumed. Fuel hedging can also result in losses if the prediction goes wrong and prices come down. If, for example, an airline forecasts that it will burn 100,000 gallons of jet fuel in a given month, hedges 100% of this usage, and then uses only 80,000 gallons, it calls into question the company’s ability to hedge. Therefore, it should be a common practice for firms to hedge up to the level they are certain to use, and remain unhedged for any additional consumption. Airlines should always devise a strategy by understanding the recent trends how much short and how much long it should go. Hedging with an Example Over hedging should be avoided Other alternatives should be analyzed at regular interval Other startegies like reduction in the weight of an aircraft Wage structure should be revised Portfolio should be preapred for hedging pic] Source: www. iata. org Fig. 2 What is more disturbing to the airlines than the rise in fuel prices is the drop in Consumer Confidence Index as can be seen in, Fig. 2 which is released IATA in financial forecast statement, June’08. The figure is depiction of Confidence Index of US consumers. The 2. 5x rise in fuel prices from 2003 to 2007 was survived by the industry because during that same period consumer confidence rose, the world economy experienced exce ptionally strong growth, and airline revenues boomed.

Approaches to Adult Learning

Approaches to Adult Learning Annotated Overview The focus of this writing will be on the themes of the assigned chapter readings for Week 6. These chapter reading from Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide was in the following chapters: 8, 9, and 10. This paper will also include additional learning resources (media video and instructor’s notes) and will outline points of interests gained from their viewing and reading. Week 5 Annotated Chapter Assignment This week’s study involved our reading of three chapters, viewing two media videos and article reading. This paper will touch on the points of interest that resonated with me in my reading as well as thoughts that I explored from the supportive learning resources (media video and instructor’s notes). The paper will conclude with a summary/discussion of what was gained through this learning experience and discuss ways this learning can be implemented. Understanding and Facilitating Adult Learning: A Comprehensive Approach Chapter 8 Theme The overall theme of this chapter highlighted an integrated approach to learning which shows the synergistic connection and combination of the mind, body, and spirit in learning called embodied learning. It also discussed the significance of learning through storytelling and heightened learning outcomes of narrative teaching. This section will address the points of interests that inspired to onto further study. Narrative Learning There are events that happen in our life which are unique. Some are uniquely dull and some can be uniquely exciting. However, the case each has a unique storyline that when told can help others to better understand and know something of the storyteller’s world that may lead to a significant discovery in their own. The writer points out that â€Å"Narrative knowing are not so much driven to find out more about the tangible outcomes of an event: its facts, logic and such, than they are about discovering meaning, and gaining under standing of the same event (Merriam, Baumgartner, the implications in the statement of one being personally involved in learning was spoken loud and clear throughout week six chapters. In reflecting on the theories and principles of transformative learning I can say that one of the enlightenments that I take away is through the means that transformative learning, one’s internal and external awareness is enhanced within that transformative learning experience. What I mean by that is, I learned that learning is more than just sitting in a room assimilating data. Cohen points out, that when one embodies the learning the learning experience, there is an opportunity created where any portion of the information being received can connect with meaning that initiates one’s conscious awareness that brings about a reflective moment which ushers in a revelation of one’s higher self. Transparently speaking, this reading brought up some thoughts that I had not previously co nsidered. Consequently, these three eye-opening chapters demand a deeper review and reflection on my part, if for nothing else than for the sake of growth through perspective changing and social enlightenment, which is the message I felt the writer was conveying within these three chapters. Incorporating Media and Instructor Notes The video, â€Å"New Approach to Learning† was an expose on the creator of Khan Academy. He is a former Hedge Fund analysis who started a free on line e-learning you tube website. This is a unique approach to sharing information with others that assister the self-directed learner supporting their ongoing learning settings. The presenter points out that his approach is simple and effective and attracts the attention of youth and adult learners around the world. The benefit of this approach to learning is that the learner can have ready access for a variety of learning event while learning at their pace. Mr. Khan points out that according to resea rch information the length of the content is at the right amount that facilities learning. The presenter also brought in a interviewee who expressed how this type of learning is a valuable asset to locations around the world that may not have access to any formal or informal means of education (Vantage Siam Co., 2011). The video, â€Å"Gen Y & New Approaches to Learning & Training† was interview centered on Generation Y and their approach to learning. The interviewee pointed out the demographic range of this new type of learner and the desires of the Gen Y group of learners to be taught in accordance to the technological society we live in. They want to be free in their ability to use the knowledge with the technology they have grown up with as compared to previous generations who did not have similar types of access. Both the interviewer and interviewee agreed that the responsibility of the teacher is to move away from former methods to incorporate this new desire for lear ning by making it easy for student involvement and encourages participation. This move will not only affect the present generation but it will prepare them for the upcoming one – Gen Z.(Award1956’s channel, 2010). The video, â€Å"Koren Alberich on New Approaches to Learning† was interview on three examples of learning using alternate reality games and virtual worlds. The interviewee explained how the games and worlds can be made to adapt to any environment and setting. Each can be structured to simulate desired learning outcomes. Two salient outcomes of these new approaches are: 1) the scalability. The environments and settings can meet any size of learning audience, 2) as for the use of virtual worlds they can be create real-time global location via internet that can bring global locations into one location (Clarey, 2011) Conclusion The overall thought of this week’s lesson has been an approach to learning that has helped me in synthesizing my lif e to what has been presented within these three chapters, as well to the previous lessons. Subjects like the principles of embodied learning with its lesson on spiritual and narrative learning are very insightful. I am a Pastor of a small congregation and I teach using the preaching method of expository preaching. After reading about narrative learning I have added storytelling as an element of preaching to help the listener gain a richer understanding of the content of my message. This is one example of how I have applied what I am learning. I believe that knowing and not applying what one knows means that knowledge remains as theoretical information. However, when that same knowledge is put into action then it takes on another essence, by becoming reality in the life of the one that has applied it. As I further reflect on what take away from the chapter dealing with Learning and knowing I now look at with I know and have learned through new lenses. Taking others perspectives, espe cially other cultures, will be hard to do. That is if one is not willing to, at the least, empathetically look at life from someone else’s perspective. I agree with the chapter writer concerning our western egotism when it comes to learning that inders us in that aspect. Our pride should not be the thing that keeps us from learning and knowing from other cultures. The truth is, in many cases other cultures have truly learned and know more than our does. Any barrier to intellectual growth must be overcome if we as a whole – world round – if we are to grow together. And as barriers, such as cultural pride and others come down that gives way to areas of growth in realms such as meaningful dialog brought about by the ethos of critical theory, as well as acceptance of ideals founded in postmodern and feminist perspectives. When approached with a mindset of open-mindedness, these theories and concepts are enlightening and the means of growth. Light makes things grow. Needless to say, I feel I have grown to have a deeper appreciation for what I have experienced thus far and look forward to what more is to come. References Award1956’s channel (Producer), & Award1956’s channel (Director). (2010, December 8,). Gen Y & new approaches to learning & training. [Video/DVD] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-SXIdXMqeA Bohman, J., & Rehg, W. (2014). Jà ¼rgen habermas. Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/habermas/#HabDisThe Clarey, J. (Producer), & Clarey, J. (Director). (2011, April 22,). Koreen olbrish on new approaches to learning. [Video/DVD] Foote, L. S. (2015). Re-storying life as a means of critical reflection: The power of narrative learning. Christian Higher Education, 14 (3), 116-126. doi:10.1080/15363759.2015.1028580 Merriam, S. B., Baumgartner, L., & Caffarella, R. S. (2007). Learning in adulthood (3. ed. ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Nemec, P. B. (2012). Transformative le arning. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 35 (6), 478-479. doi:10.1037/h0094585 Paul, & Pedersen. (1980). The cultural boundaries of education and non-eastern alternatives. 1 Retrieved from http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/014303438000100507 Qiufang Fu, Zoltan Dienes, Junchen Shang, & Xiaolan Fu. (2013). Who learns more? cultural differences in implicit sequence learning. PLoS One, 8 (8) doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0071625 Vantage Siam Co., L. (Producer), & Vantage Siam Co., L. (Director). (2011, 15 July). New approaches to learning. [Video/DVD]

Unemployment and the economy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Unemployment and the economy - Coursework Example This has been shown to be as a result of three major reasons which are, the aging population, cyclical decline as a result of historical patterns in the past recession and other factors including the consequences of the Great Recession. In the run-up to 2008, it was discovered that the participation rate decline was conditional on age. However, the decline rate for prime-age men and women was offset by the increase in the participation rate for older workers. According to discoveries, there have been disruptions in the labor market due to the impacts of the 2007-2009 recession. Population growth has slowed coupled with declines in the labor force participation rates. It has been projected that the decade, that follows, will bring forth an aging workforce that grows slowly and declining overall labor force participation. After the decline in the 2001 recession, the Labor has maintained a steady rate of 66.0 percent from 2004-2008. As a result of shifts in the labor due to the baby balloon generation, it is seen that these shifts do not have an injurious influence on the unemployment rates. Labor force participation rate is a measure of the proportion of non-institutional civilian population either employment or looking for employment. By the year 2011, 85.2 percent of college graduates participated in the labor force which exceeded the previous year by 1.9%. The participation rate of those with advanced degrees by that time was measured to be at 91.0 percent. This rate was found to be the same for both women and men, disregarding the types of degrees received (Anderson et al., 2009). Since the year 2005, US population and labor force trends have shown that out of the total population estimates, half of it has always been an active labor force. The rapid growth in the labor force in the US over the past decades has been attributed to the growth in the size of population as well as the increased rates of participation of women in the labor force

Characteristics of strategic decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Characteristics of strategic decision - Essay Example Purchasing an automobile involves a reallocation of resources and the investment is irreversible. The decision could be controversial and may have consequences if the purchase is not made. When purchasing a vehicle, the strategic decision had to be made whether to purchase an older model or a newer model. An older model vehicle could be purchased sooner because it would require a lower down payment and the monthly payments would be lower. A newer model automobile would require a bigger initial investment and the monthly payments would be higher. The long term consequences of purchasing an older model vehicle could result in constant repair bills. A newer automobile may not need the repairs. In either case, the strategic decision would involve and irreversible decision. The vehicle purchase would require a reallocation of funds from a bank account for the initial down payment. There is opportunity costs involved when making a strategic decision to purchase the vehicle. The decision in volves using the available to capital to purchase an older model sooner or continue to save for a larger down payment for a newer model vehicle. In either scenario resources will need to be reallocated. Purchasing the vehicle caused disagreement because the funds that were reallocated could have been used for educational expenses.

Women and Politics Essay Example for Free

Women and Politics Essay There is no doubt that over the years, men have been dominating politics of most countries in the world. But it doesn’t mean they did splendid job in what they are suppose to do? Politics has never been an easy place for any man who supposedly can’t even handle political landscape at home. Family of course. Today, most countries in the world face problems of democracy, justice, equality, social problems arising from bad governance of those in corridor of power who are mostly men. Having failed to provide good governance, when come to think of it, there is nothing wrong if women who are noted to be caring, concern, and responsible are given more chances in government for possible change in the ‘status quo. Should a woman involve in politics have always been subject of controversy over the years. But among other political posts today few women are already presidents of countries and senators, assembly members, and councilors . Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (Argentina), Dilma Rousseff (Brazil) and Joyce Banda (Malawi)- presidents of representative countries have proven that woman can own a place on the top of political settings. Woman have been viewed weak and are less interested or less knowledgeable about politics than men. Perhaps this is why women feel removed from the current political process. If women see that politics remains a men-only club then they are far less likely to participate and to put themselves forward. If they see a women leader in the political settings, it encourages them to vote, to campaign and to engage in politics. Many women cannot participate in politics because they are held back by factors such as violence, poverty, lack of access to quality education and health care, the double burden of paid and unpaid work. And because of these obstacles, we are losing a lot of good women leaders and countries and people are suffering from their absence. This is why it is so important to actively promote women’s political participation, including through affirmative measures, as appropriatee. Women’s participation is fundamental to democracy and essential to the achievement of sustainable development and peace. To show that countries with women’s leadership in the corporate sector results in improved business performance. And we know that countries with more women in parliament tend to have more equitable laws and social programmes and budgets that benefit women and children and families. In 1911, women were allowed to vote in just two countries in the world. Today, a century later, that right is virtually universal. All over the world, the cries for democracy are being amplified through new technology. With mobile phones, thanks to companies like Nokia and others, and twitter and facebook, women are making their voices heard, and there can be no real democracy without women’s full and equal participation. In every country and in every region, women want their voices to be heard. Given the challenges that we face today, we need the best leaders we can find, and many of these leaders are women. Women bring their own insights and perspectives, and diversity improves decision-making. Women tend not to be so concerned by institutional arrangements and big numbers, and focus instead on particular issues and how they affect their families. But one thing politicians know for certain is that we can only win elections if we win the support of female voters. If we look at the policy changes in paid maternity leave and family-friendly working hours, the huge increases in spending on health care and education, and the minimum wage, we can see radical change benefiting women.

National Science Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellowship Essay -- Medical E

National Science Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellowship Biotin is an essential vitamin for humans; it must be included in infant formulas and in fluids for intravenous nutrition. Even though it is a necessary component of our diet, we do not yet know the mechanism by which biotin, also known as vitamin H, is synthesized in the body from dethiobiotin. The enzyme that accomplishes this conversion has been termed biotin synthase. This enzyme catalyzes the insertion of sulfur at nonactivated positions of dethiobiotin, between carbons C1 and C4, to generate biotin. This mechanism is of interest because it appears to involve uncommon chemistry and because of the commercial value of the product. Biotin is sold as a pharmaceutical and as a food and cosmetic additive. This water soluble vitamin is essential for the growth and well-being of animals and humans, and it is used in the formation of fats the utilization of carbon dioxide. Prof. Richard H. Holm's bioinorganic chemistry class sparked my interest in the understanding of enzyme mechanisms as model systems for the design of more selective drugs and better synthetic catalysts that allow us to run reactions with good yield, little waste, and inexpensively. Having worked for two years with Prof. JoAnne Stubbe on the mechanism of nucleotide reduction in E. coli by ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, I have come to appreciate the positive effects of an understanding of this mechanism in the synthesis of more efficient drugs for the treatment of cancer and viral diseases. Increased knowledge of the biotin biosynthase mechanism should allow us to produce biotin more efficiently, and the knowledge gained from this mechanism could be applied to similar enzymes. Despite recent advan... ...should aid me in designing more successful experiments. Works Cited 1. Sanyal, I., G. Cohen, and D.H. Flint. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 3625-3631. 2. Birch, O.M., M. Fuhrmann, and N.M. Shaw. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 19158-19165. 3. Sanyal, I., K.J. Gibson, and D.H. Flint. (1996) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 326, 48-56. 4. MÃ ©jean, A., B. Tse Sum Bui, D. Florentin, O. Ploux, Y. Izumi, and A. Marquet. (1995) Eur. J. Biochem. 217, 1231-1237. 5. Frappier, F., M. Jouany, A. Marquet, A. Olesker, and J.C. Tabet. (1982) J. Org. Chem. 1982, 2257-2261. 6. Parry, R.J. (1983) Tetrahedron 39, 1215-1238. 7. Parry, R.J. and M.G. Kunitani. (1979) Methods Enzymol. 62, 353-370. 8. Trainor, D.A., R.J. Parry, and A. Gitterman. (1980) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 102, 1467-1468. 9. Baldet, P., H. Gerbling, S. Axiotis, and R. Douce. (1993) Eur. J. Biochem. 217, 479-485.

Organizing relationships traditional and emerging perspectives on workplace relationships Essay

Business ethics Introduction                   One of the issues that have raised concerns in business nowadays is the relationship between senior employees, and the junior employees of the opposite sex. For years, senior employees such as managers and directors have been accused of sexually or emotionally abusing the junior employees working under them. Some are even accused of threatening to dismiss the employees who decline their request for sexual favors from them. Though this may be seen as sexual harassment, the case might be something different from that. Simply because the relationship is between senior and a junior employee, it may not be right to rush to a conclusion that the boss is sexually or emotionally exploiting their subject. It may be a relationship that has developed naturally due to the level of intimacy of the two employees of the opposite gender.                   The controversial nature of this issue is clearly portrayed in the mail online article of November 13th, 2013. The article explains that the report of a study carried out by business week has shown that most of these relationships between employees have nothing to do with harassment. During the survey, it was found out that most of the people working in the offices would be up to a sexual relationship with someone from their office if they got the chance. Of the 2500 respondents interviewed during the survey, 85 percent said it was right for employees within the company to be allowed to have sexual relationships. Some even confessed of sexually admiring their coworkers. After all this, why does the Human Resource department discourage intimate relationships between their employees of opposite gender? The answer is that they conclude that one of the parties in the relationship is sexually harassed, especially if one of the parties is the boss of the other .                   Some people may accuse me of supporting the behavior of the bosses to engage in sexual relationships with their colleagues. But if we consider some working conditions in some organizations, we see that the relations originate absolutely from intimacy and not harassment. Consider the case of a male manager, who works with a lady as the personal secretary. It is very possible for the two to engage in an affair due to the intimacy created by the working conditions. The two attend meetings together, go for lunch together, spend time together in the office, sometimes they go together to attend meetings far from their place of work, and many other closely spent times. From all these close relation, is it not against the laws of nature for something more than boss-secretary relationship to happen? Ironically, when a relationship develops between the manager and his secretary, the manager will be accused of sexually harassing the secretary! In my opinion, the bo ss would be emotionally harassing the secretary if he chose to ignore the feelings that develop after been together almost all the time.                   It may also be arguable that boss-subject relationships may adversely affect the performance of the employees. Employees may be reluctant in their work simply because the boss, who is supposed to supervise their work, can not condemn them because of the existing bond. This may be the idea behind the fight by the human resource department against sexual relationships at the workplace. However, this may not always be the case. This relationship may boost the performance of an employee who will always be trying to be the best to impress the boss. The article workplace relationships on Wikipedia explain of a theory, Workplace Relationship Quality and information Experiences, which originated from a study conducted by Patricia Sias. The theory states the most productive employees are the ones with high access to information about their workplace. It is obvious that the employees with a relationship more than the ordinary workplace relationship have a higher a ccess to business information. I may, therefore, be right to say that the boss-subject relationships can play an important part in boosting the productivity of the employees. The article further describes relationships at the workplace as â€Å"workplace romance†. It explains that though these relationships may not make the workplace so comfortable for other employees; it plays a very important part in the working of the parties involved in the affair. It increases performance due to high motivation and overall job satisfaction.                   Even though some senior employees in some business organization sexually exploit their junior colleagues, let us not mistake every relationship for sexual exploitation or harassment. It is good to appreciate that these bosses and their subjects are just ordinary people and what makes their difference is only the working position and titles. When there is a relationship between two junior employees of opposite gender, this is taken to be an ordinary love relationship. Why then do we have to treat the seniors differently? Aren’t they the same as the juniors? What marks the difference is only job level. It is, therefore, necessary to analyze the situation before concluding that a boss is sexually harassing a junior workmate. References Sias, P. M. (2009). Organizing relationships traditional and emerging perspectives on workplace relationships. Los Angeles: SAGE. (https://www.goodreads.com/user/new?remember=true) Sias, P. M. (2008). Organizing Relationships Traditional and Emerging Perspectives on Workplace Relationships.. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. (http://www.amazon.com/Organizing-Relationships-Traditional-Perspectives-Workplace/dp/1412957974) Source document

Technology and HRM- A Better way of Managing your HR

Introductionâ€Å"Human† is the most essential and integral part of a society. The society comprises of all sorts of aspects related to life. These different aspects may include business, social work, entertainment, cultural traditions, family life and many more. These aspects are linked together in a connected system and they revolve around the main subject of all these aspects i.e. human.Business is the most important aspect of the system as the economy of the system is dependant on it. For businesses, human is the biggest asset of all and therefore it needs to be managed. Businesses at either private or public level have requirement of managing there human resources which comes under the vast field of Human Resource Management (HRM).The concept of HRM goes long way back in the 19th century. It has undergone various transitional phases since then and has improved. The birth of innovative technological methods and tools has given a spark to HRM by facilitating it and taking i t to an entirely different and better level then it was 100 years back.The implementation of the technology has improved the standards of businesses and its different sectors. It has enabled managers for better supervision of the employees, has raised performance and has inculcated elements of scrutiny, supervision, administration and better management all over.Hence, technology has become part and parcel of HRM. The maximum utilization and application of technology in HRM have yielded better results. As there is further advancement every now and then in technology, it can be assured that the future holds positive scope for HRM.This paper would highlight how HRM and technology are interlinked with each other. Apart from that it would show how technology has proved effective in various sectors specifically public sector and what upcoming there are in future.HRM As established before, humans are the greatest asset of an organization. These individuals contribute towards the accomplish ment of organizational goals and therefore they need to be planned, controlled, hired, fired, performance monitored and many other functions. All of these functions are performed for the achievement of organizational goals.The various functions that need to be covered under HRM include:Identification of staffing needs and methods i.e. whether to go for subcontracting or hiring of employees. This would give a layout as to what type and number of employees are required†¢ Recruitment, selection and training of the employees who undergo the screening process to be part of organization. The pool of skill is attracted, selected and polished to gain better performance.†¢ Compensation and benefits to employees in exchange of their services to organization†¢ Performance management which should highlight performance standards, ensure that these standards are met and if not then resolution of performance issues†¢ Ensuring that employees activities conform with organizationa l regulations and policies†¢ Maintaining employee records and policiesThese are the main activities that come under HRM department. In a nutshell, HRM department has to conduct job analysis which would further include Human Resource Planning as to what type and how many employees are required, then on this basis recruitment and selection would be conducted to get the best employees, these employees would be polished by training and would be compensated by salary and benefits, maintaining performance standards, ensuring that employees meet the various organizational regulations and health safety standards.Role of Technology in HRMThe summarized explanation of HRM and its purposes and functions reveal that there is lot of activities that needs to be performed by this department. The effective and efficient HRM has reached to complex stages. Question now arises is that how does technology helps in accomplishments of these purposes and performance of these functions?Technology has not only brought revolution but technology itself has revolutionized and improved then what it used to be at its initiation. Technology has proved an effective blessing in the managerial setup as it has come up with tools that have changed the working of employees, the roles undertaken by them and how they get their work done. Similarly, HRM is facilitated as the HR manager has found tons of utilization of technology for performance of HRM functions.Technology and HRM together combine to form processes and systems that are termed as HR Technology or Human Resource Management System. The combination deals as to merge HR activities and functions with technology tools in form of different data processing and software.The main software in this case is Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software which is standardized software. Through this software a database is established with integration of various kinds of information. This database has Human Resource Module which has given an edge t o HRM.HRM requires keeping of records of employees. This has been enabled by HRM system as it has provided with different databases and system through which all past record, activity of employee, his skills, performances and all other relevant information can be stored and accessed to easily.Technology has enabled high automation of the processes and data. This has been achieved by use of mainframe computers and client servers. All this technology is capital sensitive and requires high amount of investment but as the technology improved and there came client servers and Application Service Provider which have given businesses an ease.There are various applications of HRM systems in relevance to HRM functions. There is a payroll module which as an automated payroll system. It supervises the employee’s monthly record, his attendance, taxes, deductions and all other payroll activities. All this is automated and after all the rapid calculations the final amount of pay is deduced. Apart from that there is work time system which facilitates to establish standard work time, gather work time information of every employee and his efforts. There is also benefits administration module which checks the degree of employee performance has contribution and accordingly decides on compensation, insurances, allowances and other benefits.There is an HRM module which covers various activities and aspect of the human resource management cycle from its initial level of applying of an employee to his retirement. This module keeps records of applicants, capabilities and skills, then the selection, training and compensation management.Apart from that most famous application of technology for HRM is the online recruitment system. Through this organizations advertise their vacancies and requirements to attract potential candidates to apply. There is also a Learning Management Software which comes under the training module which is used to cater to the training of employees to see how they improve and develop more towards organizational goals (HR Management, 2010).The above are some of the main applications of technology in the field of HRM. There are many other applications as well which have helped organizations to standardize and improve their HRM departments. Businesses from all the different sectors have utilized the technological aids for their assistance and have yielded more effective and efficient results. Technology and HRM are therefore part and parcel and it is necessary for any organization to adopt innovative technological measures and methods to reap good fruit for its HRM as HRM is the main heart core function of the entire organization.HR Technology in different sectors HRM and Technology, or HR Technology is utilized in different sectors across the globe. Though it has different scope and dimensions which vary from country to country but nevertheless we see HR technology being used in one way or another in different components of these secto rs.The main two sectors classified are known as private and public sectors. In simple terms private sector includes business operated by an individual without the state interference and control for profit. In contrast public sector is controlled by the government state and includes services for the citizens. In both sectors we see that HR technology has its dynamics and applications. A special emphasis would be laid on public sector.Private Sector In private sectors there come many educational institutes, health centers, services industry, businesses and many others that are run for profit as well as the well being of the citizens. We see that in all these components of private sectors there is a need to supply of human resources and also important is that these human resources should be managed in form of proper training and other managerial activities. In all of these components, HR technology is witnessed.The first requirement for them is human resource. For this they advertise f or recruitment of the potential candidates through online recruitment methods. After this the CVs and resumes of the applicants are gathered online and scrutinized. HR technology helps feeding in the criteria for hiring online and then these CVs are arranged according to this criterion in chronological order. This facilitates selection stage. The mails are generated through this system automatically to the selected candidates. Then these candidates undergo training modules through different learning software which they apply. The record of their compensation and benefits is maintained in form of payroll modules. An entire HRM module is also there which covers all the activities from step 1 to last step.Public Sector As discussed earlier, public sector involves government i.e. it is services provided by the government. Public sector has varying components from nation to nation. Commonly, every state includes military, police, education, healthcare, society services, public education and public roads and transits.In all these components of the public sector there is a need of proper human resources to run these areas and these human resources need to be managed. HRM is seen in the form of government plans for proper execution and setup of HR plans. The most important of these components undoubtedly is health sector which requires highest expenditure on human resources.The human resource in health sector is in the form of administrative and managerial staff, doctors, specialists and lower medical staff. There is software available for health sector. This software performs various HR activities. The software provide various HR solutions in the form of user defined answers to the medical problems as well as it provides integration of the entire HRM system in form of HR solutions, Staff Scheduling, Payroll and covers the entire stages from hire to retire.There are many different examples that can be quoted here such as SAP Environment, Health and Safety Management. This ensures that the Environment, Health and Safety standards are followed properly by the HR and that they comply with it. There are other examples such as Quadrant HR which is also a tool with integrated HR solutions for health care.The use of this HR technology has improved the health sector and has eased the managerial problems. Through this, the chances of errors in staffing and payroll have decreased and also it has reduced operational expenditure for governments.There are other examples as well which show how HR technology has helped the Public Sector. There are public sector organizations on various levels such as provincial, national or international levels that require HRM systems. They require some regulatory standards and develop systems and processes through which these standards can be followed. Apart from that there is need of all the HR activities of managing records of employees, payroll, scheduling, benefit administration and all other related HR work.For this pur pose a company PeopleSoft has an HRMS for public sector. This HRMS has enabled the compliance with the regulatory standards and has also fulfilled all other requirements in form of Human Resources, Benefits Administration FSA System, Payroll, Payroll Interface applications and Human Resource Budgeting. Apart from that, their latest release includes a more advanced Web Client and an integrated Online Analytical Processing (The Free Library, 1997).These are few examples which show that how effective the use of technology can prove if the technology is used effectively. HRM and technology work together and together they create a positive impact that is not only flourishing the public sector but all other sectors where there is always application of HR technology.These facts show that the future holds prosperous prospects for HR technology in all the fields of a nation as there will always be a need of human resources and their effective management. The next section of the paper will sh ed some more light on the future prospects of HR technology.Future of HR TechnologyThe future of HR technology can without doubt be said is good because the conditions around the globe are changing rapidly. The companies must have flexible operating tools at hand to cope up with these changes.Technology offers the element of flexibility and change to the HRM in form of technologically capable adaptive tools and HRM systems. These systems not only offer effective results but also capability to take on these changes and challenges. But there is always a room of improvement which can be made in HR technology as well.Improvements can be brought in the form of implementation of better technology by the time. Whenever there is launch of a new technological package which can be helpful to the companies, they must explore it and try to implement it in a way that would facilitate the HR activities.There can be launch of further tools such as Talent Management tools, Strategic HR planning too ls, outsourcing components, better payroll systems, online recruitment system, HRM systems, HR modules and overall an entire HR package.The future of HR technology would have to come up with tools that entail the entire business strategy and accordingly formulate an HR strategy so that it is made sure that organizational goals and HR activities are aligned. This can be possible by developing HRM systems whose processes are not only measurable but they also take it to the entirely different and better level of sophistication.The future of HR technology focuses on bringing together business and believes in the formation of more integrated functionality. There are components like portals, business intelligence (BI) and talent. These components would solely not be very effective, but if they are integrated, their combined effect would yield good results. There must be specific attention towards talent management along with portals and business intelligence which would enhance the future scope of HR technology for the globe (Systematic HR, 2006).There are future projects on hand which incorporate the use of technology to enhance the HRM. The effective implementation of these projects would guarantee success of HR technology in future.Conclusion Human is the basic element of the universe and it is around him that the Earth revolves. Human is a part of society which is part of economy which further is part of the country. Business is the most important aspect of the system as the economy of the system is dependant on it. Hence human is the main resource through which businesses operate, societies flourish, economies prosper and countries improve.Therefore there is requirement of managing the human resources which comes under the vast field of Human Resource Management (HRM). The infusion of HRM with technology has improved the standards of businesses and its different sectors. It has enabled managers for better supervision of the employees, has raised performance and has inculcated elements of scrutiny, supervision, administration and better management all over.There are many HR activities which start from advertising online for recruitment, selection, training, compensation, benefits and many more. Technology has facilitated in the form of many different technological tools such as online recruitment, payroll module, training module, benefit administration, HRM system, HR module and many more.There are many other applications as well which have helped organizations to standardize and improve their HRM departments. Businesses from all the different sectors have utilized the technological aids for their assistance and have yielded more effective and efficient results. Technology and HRM are therefore part and parcel and it is necessary for any organization to adopt innovative technological measures and methods to reap good fruit for its HRM as HRM is the main heart core function of the entire organization. The application of these technological aids has not only facilitated HR activities but has also yielded effective and efficient results.HRM and Technology, or HR Technology is utilized in different sectors across the globe. The main two sectors are public and private. In components such as military, police, education, healthcare, society services, public education and public roads and transits there is wide range of technological application and aids that we witness for facilitation of HR activities.These facts show that the future holds prosperous prospects for HR technology in all the fields of a nation as there will always be a need of human resources and their effective management. The improved and new technological aids in future can even further widen the horizon of HR technology in the form of innovative tools such as talent management, business intelligence and many others.ReferencesHR Management. (July, 2010). Technology Aids the Human Touch.   Retrieved on July 22, 2010, from, http://www.hrmreport.com/article /Technology-aids-the-human-touch/Systematic HR. (June, 2006). The future of HR Technology. Retrieved on July 22, 2010, from, http://systematichr.com/?p=439The Free Library. (1997). PeopleSoft Delivers HRMS for Public Sector Release 7.   Retrieved on July 22, 2010, from, http://www.thefreelibrary.com/PeopleSoft+Delivers+HRMS+for+Public+Sector+Release+7-a020064725

Aids and Society essays

Aids and Society essays The number of newborns infected by vertical transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus is increasing as the prevalence of HIV-positive women increase within the United States. It is estimated that while seven thousand HIV-positive women become pregnant each year, between one thousand and two thousand of their newborns will be HIV-positive. This research paper will concentrate on the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus from mother to child, the benefits of drugs intervention, and whether or not the HIV-screening process of pregnant women should remain voluntary or become mandatory. The HIV-virus has proven that it is not a disease to be taken lightly or ignored. I chose this topic because I want to be informed about the virus and its rate of vertical transmission so that I will be able to inform others about such ethical topics: Does the baby have rights and should a pregnant women be denied her right to privacy with respect to HIV? Data shows that AIDS is now increasing faster among females than males, with women accounting for seven percent of cases in 1985 and nineteen percent in 1995. The incidences of HIV-positive heterosexual women have risen dramatically over the past decade, and AIDS is now the third leading cause of death among women ages twenty-five to forty-four. The one thing that all of these women have in common is that they all are of child bearing age. Consequently, the incidences of HIV-positive newborns have also increased. As mentioned previously, about seven thousand HIV-infected women give birth each year, and about twenty-five percent of their babies are HIV-positive. Maternal transmission accounted for ninety-two percent of all new AIDS cases reported in children in 1994(Davis15). A major breakthrough in drug intervention began in February 1993. The AIDS Clinical Trials Group administered a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study of zi...

What is happiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is happiness - Essay Example Hence we should not just end up at being happy after living our lives. We should not â€Å"at last† reach happiness after our grim years and lifelong struggles. This feeling is best described as â€Å"Happiness is not a brilliant climax to years of grim struggle and anxiety. It is a long succession of little decisions simply to be happy in the moment†, as penned down by J. Donald Walters (QuotationsBook.com, n.d, p.g 57). Happiness is not what we want but it is what we need. It is food for soul. To be happy in life, we need to take advantage of opportunities and to follow our dreams. Happiness slaps us in the face when we are down. Happiness takes us out of our deepest sorrows. Happiness is like a light that guides us through the path of our life. Happiness is not unattainable or difficult. Happiness is an emotion that drives and guides us. Happiness sows in us a seed of hope. Hope that we should live by. Hope that should make us strive, hope that makes us struggle. Happiness is to smile, feel and see. A lot of questions can be asked about happiness. Most of these questions are exaggerated questions as everyone’s happiness is variable. There is no right answer to what happiness is. The human heart is the main sensor for happiness. It feels and craves deeply. The heart is like an ocean. The heart is like the sky. The heart is vast in its likings. It feels happiness very momentarily and rather than living in the moment it tends to look for other things. Unhappiness is also an emotion felt by the heart. Unhappiness is dominant over happiness as it has the capability to cling to our souls and hearts. Happiness is a symbol or a metaphor whereas unhappiness is a story. This story can make or break our lives. Hence it is important to engrave happiness in our souls. It is also must for a person to ask themselves where their happiness lies and with who

Ethics of Public Health Policies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethics of Public Health Policies - Essay Example According Resnik (2015), ethical principles include but are not limited to the following: human subjects protection, integrity, fairness, non discrimination as well as honesty among others. Thus a public health policy should be designed to fulfill the abovementioned ethical principles. A public health policy should be non discriminatory so that it can fulfill the needs of all employees in particular regardless of their race, color or creed. In public health policies, efforts should be made to ensure that least harm is caused to other people. The deontology theory states that people should adhere to their obligations and duties when analyzing dilemma (Rainbow, 2002). In as far as public health policy is concerned, it can be seen that the state should adhere to its duties and obligations to ensure that the employees are not harmed at work. This theory also proposes that measures should be implemented in order to minimize the chances of incidents at workplaces. On the other hand, the utilitarian theory posits to the effect that â€Å"the choice that yields the greatest benefit to the most people is the choice that is ethically correct,† (Rainbow, 2002). In this particular case, it seems that the promulgation of a public health policy will benefit the majority of the people hence it is ethically correct to implement it within the workplace. The other theory that is applicable to the above mentioned case is the rights theory. According to Rainbow (2002), the rights set by a society are protected and given priority and this is considered ethically correct with regard to implementation of a public health policy since it is every person’s health to be protected within the workplace. By using both ethical principles and theories, it can be seen that one is in a better position to analyse the situation so as to be able to reach the most correct ethical decision. The decisions