The Security Threats And Security Architecture Design

ABSTRACT Among civilian communication systems, vehicular communications emerge as one of the most convincing effort made to enhance safety and improve the efficiency of transportation systems, to meet ever-increasing traffic demands. Security is one of the critical factors that need to be addressed towards the deployment of vehicular communication systems. The efficiency of the transportation systems, as well as the physical safety of vehicles, drivers, and passengers depend on the security factor. Vehicular communications has to pass through the analysis of potential security threats and the design of a robust security architecture able to cope with these threats. In this paper we deal with the security threats and security architecture design. INTRODUCTION: Vehicular communications (VC) will play a vital role in enabling safer, smarter and greener transportation, with envisioned applications providing, for example, warnings on environmental hazards (e.g., ice on the pavement), traffic and road conditions (e.g., emergency braking, congestion, or construction sites), and local (e.g., tourist) information. To empower such applications, vehicles and road-side infrastructure units (RSUs), namely network nodes, will be furnished with on-board processing and wireless communication modules, to communicate with each other over single or multiple hops. Then, communication between vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) (bi-directional) will be possible directlyShow MoreRelatedThe Health Information Portability And Accountability Act Of 1996943 Words   |  4 PagesHealth Insurance Reform: Security Standards of 2003, part of the overall Security Rule contained in the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Although the federal rules detail the need for the protection of health information, Professor Fue and Professor Blum in 2013 extended the need to ensure that security is built into other systems that affect individual’s health (Fue Blum, 2013). Although there is no explicit requirement for architecture called out in Fue Blum’sRe ad MoreA Security Expert For A Large Insurance Company1423 Words   |  6 Pagesconfidentiality, privacy, threats and increased use of information system have prompted organizations to start protecting their systems to ensure electronic, physical and network information security. To ensure information security for this organization, a review of the company’s network, information systems and security policies must be conducted. In this report, I will be a security expert for a large insurance company. My job here is to assess the company, revise and reproduce the security policies, identifyRead MoreManaging Information Security Risks: The Octave Approach1635 Words   |  6 PagesAlberts, C. Dorofee, A.(2003) Managing Information Security Risks: The OCTAVE Approach. New York: Addison Wesley. This work is a descriptive and yet process-oriented book on the concept of security risk assessment with a specific focus on new risk evaluation methodology, OCTAVE. The term OCTAVE is used to denote f Operationally Critical Threat, Asset, and Vulnerability Evaluation SM.It is important that organizations conduct a security risk evaluation in order for them to effectively evaluateRead MoreSecureTek Security Design1243 Words   |  5 PagesSecureTek Security Design Security architecture is a major component and part of a system’s architecture and is usually designed to provide important guidance during the development of the system. It usually outlines the assurance level required and in the process outlines the possible impacts that this level of security might have on the development process of the actual system. Since security is a major component for the success of any given business unit, it is necessary to have a fully functionalRead MoreNetwork Analysis : The Core Layer1277 Words   |  6 Pagescore is primarily responsible for transmitting data, processing instructions, and managing the network as a whole. The network architecture used for the GFI network allows for interconnection and communication between all devices on the network. The only evidence of network segmentation is the access layer 2 VLAN switch connected to the finance department. This flat design allowed GFI to reduce cost and save on network maintenance and administration. However, as the company has grown beyond a smallRead MoreInternal Threats From Hackers And Malicious Software853 Words   |  4 Pagesincreasing number of threats, privacy issues, etc. information security is now a necessity for all organizations. This has alerted businesses globally to take steps in ensuring the security of their information and other assets. While most security measures focus on the external threats from hackers and malicious software, internal threats account for twice the impact of loss as external threats. These internal threats could be Intentional or accidental. But mostly internal threats are caused by poorRead MoreTraining For Building Secure Software Security Activities853 Words   |  4 Pagescarry out software security activities throughout your organization (2015). The collection of security knowledge included in the intelligence domain are policy, standards, design and attack patterns in reference to a secure architecture and secure development framework within the SSF (McGraw, 2006). This domain provides the essential resources to equip the staff with the necessary training for development and delivery. McGraw (2006) traced that the topics included are security knowledge and assuranceRead MoreSection{Secure Cloud Computation: Threats, Requirements905 Words   |  4 Pagessection{Secure Cloud Computation: Threats, Requirements and Efficiency} In this section, one common system architecture of outsourcing computation is firstly proposed. Then, we demonstrate typical security threats and corresponding security requirements. After that, some functionally work related to secure outsourcing are discussed. The concept of the balance between security and efficiency is briefly talked at the end of the section. subsection{System Architectures for Outsourcing Computation } ARead MorePreventing Attacks on New Network-Based Systems862 Words   |  3 Pagessystem also comes with a host of new threats and challenges, both internal and externally based. There are a number of external threats that now put the organization in danger based on its new IT structure. For one, introduction of viruses, spyware, and malware can now be much easily spread throughout the organization at a much faster speed (Cisco 2012). Network-based structures increase the autonomic nature of much of the security involved; when the security is not good enough to recognize hiddenRead MoreImplementing Enterprise Architecture For A Private Bank917 Words   |  4 PagesProject Environment: This paper presents a project on implementing Enterprise Architecture for a Private bank to introduce a Mobile Application. The idea of creating an application is taken from United State banks and their applications which helps their customers to access their accounts on their mobile devices and manage their accounts, activity on it. This project deals with bank’s IT department and management to implement this idea of creating an application. This bank has been selected on the

Nietzsche And Mill s Ideas Of Freedom - 1243 Words

Free to Disagree A primary objective of identifying common ground between Nietzsche and Mill’s ideas of freedom is to define freedom adequately so that it can be used as a basis for comparison. Each theorist’s opinion on what freedom is, however, appears to be fairly distinct. Mill might describe freedom as the absence of constraints to original, individual thought, whereas Nietzsche conceptualizes freedom as continual self-overcoming to evolve a more actualized self. Freedom for Nietzsche is overcoming wrong beliefs and creating one’s own values, whereas for Mill, freedom is having the leeway to discover one’s own values. In effect, Mill focuses on the structural protections or necessities that allow creativity to flourish, and Nietzsche wants to deconstruct those structures that impede that flourishing. Mill emphasizes optimizing the political and social realms, which in theory then provide a safe haven for Nietzsche’s intrapsychic or spiritual struggle. Thus, Mil l s definition could be described as political whereas Nietzsche s could be understood as transformational. Both strive toward achieving the highest level of individual potential, and both want to support discovery of one’s most individualized beliefs. Given that each theorist has such distinct views on the definition itself, however, one needs to extrapolate the essence of what each would consider freedom to be. So for the purposes of describing how Mill and Nietzsche intersect, this approximation of aShow MoreRelatedBoth Mill And Nietzsche Would Argue That The Singularity1342 Words   |  6 PagesBoth Mill and Nietzsche would argue that the singularity of values, or preconceived, undivided ideas of truth, is an impediment to freedom. Nietzsche’s perspective further details how utility theory, as a method to determine freedom, inhibits freedom, as it appears to support the singularity of values. He would argue that prescribing a moral good of utility and saying that it is good for society as a whole, is promoting cultural specificity in that it assumes that one idea is good for everyone. NietzscheRead MoreNietzsche And Mill s Theory Of Morality Essay1505 Words   |  7 Pages Nietzsche and Mill have explored the theory of ‘morality’ from different perspectives. The two philosophers appear to get along that the notion ‘morality’ has been exploited to a great extent, though a little certainty has been provided on the issue. The two philosophers agree on the complexity of the issue. Mill’s theory of ethics is based on the concept of ‘utility. The philosopher provides the meaning of the idea as it has been largely perverted. Nietzsche stipulates that ‘morality’ is notRead MoreThe Universal Declaration Of Human Rights3323 Words   |  14 Pagessocially constructed. This then further constructs the concept of man . The universal man in the declaration is constructed on a particular man; the man envisaged by that particular society, at that particular time. This largely corresponded to the idea of the self-made, bourgeois man, who was asserting his humanity against his feudal overlords. This implied the ex clusion of members of the lower classes of society, under the guise of ‘universal’ rights – a critique first forcefully made by Karl MarxRead MoreExistentialism vs Essentialism23287 Words   |  94 Pagescreate the meaning and essence of their lives. Existentialism asserts that â€Å"existence precedes essence,† which is in opposition to the classical doctrine that â€Å"essence precedes existence.† The claim â€Å"existence precedes essence† is a rejection of the idea that human nature has an end or goal. 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Levinas expresses this idea most explicitly in his essay Temps et IAutre. Is there not a case in which otherness, alterity [altà ©rità ©], unquestionably marks the nature of a being, as its essence, an instance of otherness not consisting purely and simply in the opposition ofRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 PagesChallenges and Perspectives John McAuley, Joanne Duberley and Phil Johnson . This book is, to my knowledge, the most comprehensive and reliable guide to organisational theory currently available. What is needed is a text that will give a good idea of the breadth and complexity of this important subject, and this is precisely what McAuley, Duberley and Johnson have provided. They have done some sterling service in bringing together the very diverse strands of work that today qualify as constituting

Medicaid Fraud Free Essays

Medicaid Fraud HCS/545 July 9, 2012 Medicaid fraud comes in many forms. A provider who bills Medicaid for services that he or she does not provide is committing fraud. Overstating the level of care provided to patients and altering patient records to conceal the deception is fraud. We will write a custom essay sample on Medicaid Fraud or any similar topic only for you Order Now Recipients also commit fraud by failing to report or misrepresenting income, household members, residence, or private health insurance. Facilities have also been known to commit Medicaid fraud through false billing. The Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse statute provides that an individual who knowingly and willfully offers, pays, solicits, or receives any remuneration in exchange for referring an individual for the furnishing of any item or service (or for the purchasing, leasing, ordering, or recommending of any good, facility, item, or service) paid for in whole or in part by Medicare or a state health care program (i. e. , Medicaid) shall be guilty of a felony; this is known as the â€Å"anti-kickback† statute (Mackelvie, 2004). Medicaid fraud affects taxpayers, recipients, and health care organizations. Measures to reduce Medicaid fraud are necessary. Individuals, facilities, and providers commit Medicaid fraud in several ways. One of the most common ways providers commit fraud is billing for services never provided. For instance, a physician may bill Medicaid for x-rays or lab work that the patient never received. Another way is double billing. Double billing occurs when both Medicaid and a private health insurance are billed for the same services. Medicaid is secondary health insurance to private health insurance and should be billed only for the charges that the primary health insurance does not pay. A third way providers commit Medicaid fraud is billing for phantom visits; charging Medicaid for seeing a patient who has not been seen. Providers have committed Medicaid fraud by billing for unnecessary tests and billing for more expensive procedures when a limited or less comprehensive procedure was performed. Facilities such as pharmacies commit fraud by substituting brand name drugs for generic drugs and billing Medicaid for the brand name drug. Still other facilities receive kickbacks and file false cost reports. Kickbacks involve receiving payments or services for referral of patients to other facilities or providers where the patient will receive unnecessary services to generate additional income. False cost reports are seen in nursing home cases of fraud and involve owners filing charges for their own personal expenses. Individuals enrolled in Medicaid programs commit fraud by hiding resources, assets, and income. They also commit fraud by denying spouses live in their households or failing to report marriage to continue receiving Medicaid benefits. Individuals with private health insurance who fail to report this insurance and continue using Medicaid benefits are committing fraud. It is an abuse of the Medicaid program when individuals who could obtain coverage on their own instead enroll in Medicaid to cover their medical expenses. Also the federal government stipulates that an individual cannot receive Medicaid in more than one state at the same time. Often, individuals move to another state and fail to report or close their Medicaid benefits with the state in which they were residing. Some individuals want to maintain coverage in more than one state because benefits differ from state to state and some individuals will travel between neighboring states using their Medicaid benefits. This constitutes Medicaid fraud. A program to fight Medicaid fraud has cost the United States at least $102 million in auditing fees since 2008 while identifying less than $20 million in overpayments, investigators found (Wayne, 2012). According to the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units (2012), Medicaid provider fraud costs American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars annually and hinders the very integrity of the Medicaid program. Medicaid fraud affects recipients, providers, health care facilities, and taxpayers. Fraud increases the costs of providing benefits to Medicaid recipients. To compensate for such fraud, states must either raise taxes or decrease services in other areas. Those who most need Medicaid services may not be able to obtain benefits because resources are not available. For patients, Medicaid fraud could mean tampering with their medical records, which could put their health at risk. People can get hurt when doctors or other providers give less or more care than needed just to make more money. Also the public is more skeptical about social service programs as more incidents of Medicaid fraud occur every day. Providers and facilities who commit Medicaid fraud can face penalties from state and federal governments. Federal or state authorities may investigate allegations of fraud depending on where the fraud was reported, the laws broken, and the amount of money involved. The strictness of penalties levied by state governments varies from state to state. Federal laws such as The False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, and Social Security Act are laws that address fraud and abuse. Title XI of the Social Security Act contains Medicaid program-related anti-fraud provisions, which impose civil penalties, criminal penalties, and exclusions from federal health care programs on persons who engage in certain types of misconduct (Staman, 2010). Under federal regulations, providers convicted of fraud are excluded for a minimum of five years from receiving funds from any federally funded health care program, either as a health care provider or employee (National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units, 2012). The False Claims Act imposes penalties on anyone who knowingly submits false claims for payment through a governmental program. Penalty for conviction under this Act is a fine not exceeding $10,000 or an imprisonment of up to five years, or a combination of the two (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, 2011). The Anti-Kickback Statute makes it a criminal offense to knowingly and willfully offer, pay, solicit, or receive any remuneration to induce or reward referrals of items or services reimbursable by a Federal health care program (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, 2011). Violations of this law are punishable by up to five years in prison, criminal fines up to $25,000, administrative civil money penalties up to $50,000, and exclusion from participation in federal health care programs (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, 2011). There are other federal laws to address fraud and abuse of government programs such as Medicaid. These penalties are a reactive measure to control abuse of Medicaid, but proactive measurements are needed to discourage providers, individuals, and facilities from committing fraud. On October 27, 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed the legislation that provided each state with the opportunity and resources to establish a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) to investigate and prosecute provider fraud (National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units, 2012). The MFCU investigates Medicaid provider fraud and misuse of Medicaid recipients’ funds. The jurisdiction of the Medicaid Fraud Control Units is limited to investigating and prosecuting Medicaid provider fraud, MFCU’s do not investigate recipient fraud. States must also take initiatives to curtail fraud. Many states are looking to use new technology as a means to prevent fraud. One such technology is biometrics. Biometric technology compares a user’s feature such as a fingerprint. This technology has the potential to prevent recipient fraud by eliminating card sharing as well as preventing provider fraud by reducing phantom billing and other forms of fraud. New York, for example, has integrated targeted data mining and risk analysis into its fraud-fighting tool box. In Texas, a few simple process changes and new pattern analysis and recognition efforts moved the state closer to ‘real–time analysis’ and significantly increased the amount of fraud identified (National Conference of State Legislators, 2012). States must develop continually ways to prevent Medicaid fraud and protect the resources provided for recipients. Controlling Medicaid fraud will be a continual task. The burden falls not on just the federal government, but also state governments, facilities, providers, recipients, and citizens. States should fully commit to working with federal policymakers and agencies to improve the integrity of the Medicaid program. Clarity is needed to define federal and state government roles in maintaining integrity of the Medicaid program. Collaboration and communication between Medicaid and Medicare is needed to reduce fraud. States should evaluate the utility of existing tools used to fight Medicaid fraud. Incentives for providers, recipients, and citizens to report suspected fraud must be made available. Abuse of Medicaid affects everyone and costs will continue to rise if measures are not taken to use better the resources available in the Medicaid program. References National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units. (2012). What is Medicaid Fraud?. Retrieved from http://www. namfcu. net/about-us/what-is-medicaid-fraud Mackelvie, C. F. (2004). â€Å"The impact of fraud and abuse regulations – Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse statutes. Retrieved from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m3257/is_n10_v46/ai_13413481/pg_6/? tag=content;col1 Wayne, A. (2012). Medicaid Fraud Audits Cost Five Times Amount U. S. Found. Retrieved from How to cite Medicaid Fraud, Essay examples

Avon Products free essay sample

After five straights years of ten percent plus growth and twenty-five percent operating profit growth under CEO Andrea Jung, the company suddenly began losing profits. One of the main reasons of this lost was the fast growth of Avon that couldn’t be supported by its employees. As with many growing organizations the structure, people and processes that were right for a $5 billion company were not necessarily a good fit for a ten billion dollar company (Goldsmith Carter, 2010, p. 2). There were weaknesses that hurt the effectiveness of the employees at the talent management practices. Decisions on talent movement, promotions, and other key talent activities were often influenced as much by individual knowledge and emotion as by objective facts. Neither managers nor Associates have any idea about how the talent practices work. Even the HR department wasn’t sufficient to answer basic questions that might be asked by managers like â€Å"What will happen to me if I don’t do this? † (Goldsmith Carter, 2010). Thus, changing at the talent management practices was a necessity for the company in order to increase the operation profits. The change theory typified in Avon Products case study is the 360 degree assessment process along with performance management and succession planning this would deliver the expected results if they were consistently and flawlessly executed. They used this method to build talent practices that were easy to implement. The proposed talent management model was integrated business and human resources strategy, talent management processes, organizational culture, provides a systemic approach, and results in having talented leaders and individuals available to accomplish the mission of the organization. One of the most simple and powerful changes was to bring transparency to every talent practice. Avon’s 360 degree assessment process was hardly a model of transparency when the turnaround began. The new team leader requested copies of each VP’s 360 degree assessment due to understand common behavioral strengths and weaknesses. A new, much simpler 360 was designed and implemented that explicitly stated that proper managerial and leadership behaviors were critical for a leader’s success at Avon. Helping to make the transition to transparency easier, the new 360 assessments and report differed from typical tools that rate the participants on proficiency in various areas. The type of evaluation information that was collected was from complex to simple, from egalitarian to differentiated, from episodic to disciplined, from meaningless to consequential, from opaque to transparent, from emotional to factual and from meaningless to consequential. Leaders know what is required to be successful, how to measure the situation, how HR and management can assist them, and the consequences of higher and lower performance. They know their performance rating, their potential ratings and how they can change each of those. They actively differentiated levels of Avon talent and provided each level with the appropriate experience. Their highest potential leaders understand how management feels about them, and they see a commensurate investment. Their lower performing leaders get the attention they need (Silzer Dowell, 2010). Managers do the right thing for their associates both because the barriers have been lower than what they previously built and because management helped them with value added tools and information. Processes began to happen on schedule and consistently around the world. Talent decisions are made with an additional layer of qualitative and quantitative information drawn from across many different leader experiences. Leaders know that they must build talent the Avon way for both their short and long term success. When the turnaround began, no global process for understanding or acting on associate engagement issues existed. Select regions or department made efforts of varying effectiveness, but there was no integrated focus on consistent measurement and improvement of engagement (Silzer Dowell 2010). In designing the engagement process, management applied the same three questions: the business benefit, the simple path, to adding additional value. Management accepted the substantial research that showed a correlation, and some causation between increasing engagement and increasing various business metrics. There were two goals established around simplicity. One goal was to understand as much of what drove engagement as possible, while asking the least number of questions. The second goals were to write the questions as simple as possible, so that if managers needed to improve the score on a question, their options for action would be relatively obvious. Management was confident that if managers took the right actions to improve their engagement results, not only would the next year’s scores increase, but the business would benefit from the incremental improvement. The challenge was to determine and imply communicate to the managers what the right actions were. Management with the assistance of a research team developed a statistical equation model that would become the engine to produce the answers. The statistical equation model allowed them to understand the power of each engagement dimension, for example, immediate manager, empowerment, senior management, to increase engagement, and to express that power in an easy to understand statement (Goldsmith Carter, 2010). Avon’s mission is focused on six core aspirations the company continually strives to achieve. They are leader in global beauty, building a unique portfolio of beauty and related brands, striving to surpass competitors in quality, innovation, and value, and elevating Avon’s image to become the world’s trusted beauty company. Empower their employees to achieve economic independence by offering a superior earning opportunity as well as recognition, service and support, making it easy and rewarding to be affiliated with Avon. Deliver superior returns to shareholders by pursuing new growth opportunities while maintaining a commitment to be a responsible, ethical company and a global corporate citizen that is held as a model of success (Avon Products Inc. , 2012). Avon Products Inc. is the world largest direct seller right now. The changes in 2006 set the stage for renewed growth by enabling them to be faster and nimbler, but since then the business has grown significantly and become increasingly complex.

-361950-57185800 Essays - Employment, Termination Of Employment

-361950-57185800 Procedure Name : Exit Interview - Field Staff Purpose: To ensure that exit interviews are completed in a timely fashion in order to gather information to improve company processes, procedures and ultimately employee retention. Category: Human Resource Management States: IA, IL, MN, ND Service Line: ARMHS, CTSS, Day Treatment, Home Health, Home Nursing, PCA, Waiver Responsible Employees: H uman Resources Representative Human Resources Assistant Staffing Coordinator Office Manger Definition: Related Documents: Personnel File Termination Checklist Involuntary Termination Process Exit Interview form : https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BF922PY Termination Notice form Procedure : Staffing Coordinator or Office Manager will notify HR Representative and Payroll of an employee's termination via email. Included in the email: Employee name Employee position Employee termination date Average hours worked per week Eligible for rehire Pay out PTO? Yes or No A copy of the termination documentation (resignation letter or termination notice) Staffing Coordinator or Office M anager will note reason for termination in the Nobility journal. HR Assistant will term the employee in Nobility by going under the payroll tab and complete the following: Change status to terminated Select voluntary or involuntary status change reason Enter termination date under status change date HR Assistant will add employee's name to the 401k termination spreadsheet. HR Representative will update the Benefits spreadsheet if applicable. HR Representative, with assistance from HR Assistant, will complete the employee termination checklist. HR Assistant will contact all voluntary terminated staff member s via email within 48hrs of the initial termination notice email requesting completion of the exit interview. Email will read: " Please take a moment to click on the link below and complete a short exit survey to let us know about your experience while working with Accurate Home Care" The link to be used: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BF922PY Human Resources Manager will review survey results on a monthly basis to determine areas for organizational improvement and employee development opportunities. References:

Airborne Express 6 Essays

Airborne Express 6 Essays Airborne Express 6 Essay Airborne Express 6 Essay To: Robert Brazier Senior Management Team of Airborne Express From: Strategic Analyst Re: Recommendations and Implementations for recent issues in Airborne Express Executive Summary: Airborne Express has many options available for sustainable growth and success in the coming years. After the recent 29% increase in revenue over the past year, there are opportunities to take into consideration that will boost this growth for the fourth quarter. This company should join the â€Å"industry trend† of distance-based pricing. This will result in higher revenues, and will give Airborne Express a more substantial budget to merge with Roadway Package System in order to create a more technologically advanced tracking system. This will not only increase revenues, but will also gain customer support by offering a new service. Although the express-delivery industry is extremely difficult to differentiate, it is necessary for Airborne express to keep up with Federal Express and United Parcel Service to ensure they maintain a competitive advantage in the industry. While UPS is experiencing a strike, Airborne Express should take advantage of the distance-based pricing and possibly gain customers of UPS who saw RPS as a luxury service. Mission of Airborne Express: After the recent UPS strike, Airborne Express has experienced substantial financial results of a revenue increase of 29% over the previous year. The main concern for Airborne Express now is to recognize how secure their position currently is held in the industry. There are several ways to measure the success of this company, and I have found it most useful to use Porter’s Five Forces Model to analyze the options. I have focused mainly on whether or not Airborne Express should follow the path of their major competitors, UPS and Federal Express, and move toward distance-based pricing. Also, the approach that Airborne Express takes with the international market needs to be taken into consideration with a â€Å"variable-cost approach†. The Roadway Package System (RPS) partnership should be further analyzed and possibly made into a more concrete operation. Marketing, technology, and employee satisfaction should also be considered for the future success of this company. By focusing on distance-based pricing, maintaining international operations at a variable-cost approach, and forming more of an existent relationship with RPS, it will lead to a definitive strategy to sustain the competitive advantage of Airborne Express. Environmental Scanning of Airborne Express: Rivalry: This industry consists of 3 major companies, including Airborne Express, Federal Express, and UPS. The prices between UPS and Federal Express cause severe competition between these companies. Revenue growth has been unstable within each company due to decreasing prices in order to reach the top of the competition. Innovations in this industry remain minimal, and they are easily copied by other players in the industry. This makes differentiating a difficult task, especially for Airborne Express. By using the competitors as guinea pigs, it will make it almost impossible to ever overcome it’s key competitors. Because the products are priced extremely low in this industry, producing return is based merely on a high volume of sales. It seems as if since 1990, when UPS and Federal Express began â€Å"price wars†, the attractiveness to this industry has declined. Supplier Power: Lower industry attraction has also been a result of the main suppliers of this industry, the employees. The recent strike at UPS was caused by the employees demanding higher wages and benefits. The next most important supplier in this industry is airports, followed by fuel. These both are factors that this industry has little to no control over. Clearly, technology and other equipment supply a great deal to the express mail industry, and these factors are capable of being negotiated. Threat of Substitutes: When dealing with this industry, there are minimal substitutes at stake. Fortunately, people will continue to demand express deliveries. E-mailing could possibly have a small effect on this industry, but this is not an option for most deliverable items, as well as legal documents. Depending on the urgency of a package being delivered, regular mailing systems propose a small threat on this industry. It obviously costs less, but it doesn’t compare at all to the convenience of express delivery services. Buyer Power: The major consumers in this industry are basically anyone who intends on sending a package or letter to someone urgently or with the most convenience. It seems as if businesses use this industry the most, considering the importance of delivering and receiving products and other necessities to keep a company stable and on top of their game. Because there is barely any differentiation in this industry, it allows customers to easily shop around for the best prices. This raises price sensitivity and gives the consumer more customer power. Barriers to Entry: The threat of new entries in this industry is equally low as the threat of substitutes. There are few major players involved here, and it shows that for a new one to even exist they would need to have the capability of covering a large amount of cities in the United States. In order to have a main convenient center of business, as well as aircraft and an extensive amount of vehicles calls for a high capital investment. This would be extremely difficult for any new entries to be accountable for and would take years of hard work and sustainability to achieve economies of scale in this industry. Strategy Formulation: Given the information from the environmental scan, I find that it is most beneficial to begin following UPS and Federal Express with a distance-based pricing method. This will unfortunately increase prices, but it can be made up for with decreasing costs to the company by increasing the relationship with Roadway Package System. Airborne Express can set prices so that their margins will increase. To decrease costs for the company, a long-term relationship can be formed with RPS. By merging with this company, Airborne Express can create a much more convenient tracking system for the customers. RPS can give Airborne Express a competitive advantage by allowing them to establish more efficient pricing methods. I feel as if Airborne Express should continue the variable-cost approach with international shipments, and I agree with the senior officers that â€Å"there are no significant service advantages which would justify the operation of [our] own aircraft on international routes. A possibility for growth in Airborne Express would be to boost their technologies, such as updating the Internet site. Currently it does not offer as many functions as those of UPS and Federal Express, and I feel as if the use of the internet to schedule pickups and/or create shipping paperwork will be in demand in the coming years with advancing technologies. Considering Airborne employees described t he company as â€Å"strait-laced†, â€Å"frugal†, and â€Å"very conservative†, it would be beneficial to ensure that the middle-management is offered proper compensation to increase employee turnover in the future. Strategy Implementation: In order to maintain a competitive advantage in Airborne Express, following the distance-based pricing method will include increasing prices for longer distance deliveries and decreasing them for shorter distances. This will not only give Airborne Express a great opportunity to increase their margins, but they will not lose many customers in the process. This new form of pricing is considered an industry trend to consumers. Federal Express and UPS both have been successful with this method, and as mentioned earlier there is not much differentiation between these competitors. Even by implementing this method, Airborne Express can still maintain the lowest costs in their industry. By increasing prices at one end more than decreasing prices at another end, some amount of margin growth will occur. The fact that Airborne Express is a â€Å"low-cost strategy† company does show that they simply charge lower prices, but they have not developed a lower cost structure because it has extremely low margins. Although they hold a specific reputation with lower prices than their competitors, the distance-based pricing method also could lead to higher revenues that they seem to be missing out on. The company would be able to produce a higher profit from longer-distance deliveries. By forming a more concrete relationship with RPS, I feel that Airborne Express will be capable of offering their customers superior information and tracking systems. If they plan on increasing prices, it is necessary to offer customers some form of incentive or â€Å"willingness to pay†. Higher revenues will be expected if a relationship is built with RPS, considering a higher quality service will be provided. This could possibly take away market share from UPS. Because of the large amount of ground shipments made with Airborne Express, RPS can attract more customers and boost the margins for the company over the coming years. Airborne Express will not be able to differentiate itself in this industry, but I feel that if it is unable to do so, the only other option would be to keep up with it’s competitors as much as possible. In doing so, they should begin by re-formatting the company website and upgrading it to allow customers to perform the same tasks as those on the sites of UPS and Federal Express. Technology will only continue to enhance in the future, and people will begin demanding these kinds of advancements. It is also necessary that advertising in the mass media should be taken into consideration in the near future. Although Airborne Express was the first company in the industry to accommodate early deliveries, now each of its competitors is capable of an 8 A. M. delivery. Customer needs are important to maintaining a competitive advantage in this industry, so I feel as if Airborne Express should expand their marketing. Before anything I find it most necessary to move on to distance-based pricing and forming a more concrete relationship with RPS. With the new tracking system, middle-management will need to be trained properly to work with the computers and new technology. Offering middle-management, those who are not part of a union, enhanced pay rates will hopefully give Airborne a better reputation with their employees and they will feel properly compensated for their new tasks. Evaluation and Control: For the upcoming fourth quarter, Airborne Express should join the industry with distance-based pricing; they will produce even higher revenues than those of the third quarter. The attached graph I have compiled is based on the latest revenue per shipment given at $8. 25 in 2006. At first, without this current flat-rate price system, it looks as if revenues will be under $8. 25 if the distance is less than 150 miles. I have shown that with distance less than 150 miles, revenue will be about $2. 00 less. This doesn’t ean the company is losing revenue, because when the distance exceeds 150 miles the revenue begins to increase heavily. The slight loss with shipments of less distance will easily be made up for and revenues will almost double with shipments with a longer distance. I also found that it would be beneficial to add an extra rate for â€Å"Remote Locations†. These locations can be Airborne’s decision, and could consist of particular locations that propose d ifficulty shipping to. For example, a small city which does not have a major shipping hub could be considered a Remote Location. The rate can range anywhere from $20 to $30. This rate would clearly increase revenue, and would offer customers the advantage of shipping their package to any location in the country. This would be appealing to consumers, because they would still use Airborne Express for their local shipments, and it would save them money in the end. Building a more concrete relationship with RPS will enable Airborne Express to have a more convenient tracking system for the customers. The RPS partnership is crucial to the future of this company. The cost to build on a tracking system will be minimal, and will only consist of a small portion of the extra revenue created by the new distance-based pricing system and â€Å"Remote Location† rate. This new system will allow Airborne Express to take advantage of the current main concern for their company, which I consider the tracking system. Having extra funds to merge with RPS will place Airborne Express in a concrete position with the technological future. In order to run the new tracking system properly it will be necessary to employ people who are capable of using these technologies. This could possibly require higher pay rates to middle management. These pay rates will also be reflected on the implementation of the distance-based pricing system revenues. In the end, the loss with giving higher compensations will be beneficial for the future success of the company. With these recommendations and implementations, Airborne Express will have no problem keeping up with the two â€Å"900-pound gorillas† in the industry and will maintain sustainable growth in the future. Bibliography â€Å"Airborne Express. † Rivkin, Jan W. Case No. 9-798-070. Published 02/05/1998, Revised 5/23/2007. Harvard Business School Publishing, (23 pages). [pic]

The New York Stock Exchange Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The New York Stock Exchange - Essay Example The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is a non profit organization whose ownership is composed of 1300 members or â€Å"seats†. Richard Grasso was the Chairman of NYSE for several years during the first decade of the 21st century. He did a good job of as chairman of the NYSE increasing the productivity of the stock exchange. Some of his major accomplishments included tripling seat prices, investing $2 billion in information technology upgrades, and achieved record volume of business in a bad economy and tough competitive environment. The problem with his tenured as chairman is that he took advantage of his position to benefit economically beyond what he deserved. He also colluded with the board of directors creating agency issues that help him inflate his total compensation. For instance the Board of Directors was handpicked by Mr. Grasso. They were his puppets and would approve without debating the outrageous bonuses Richard Grasso paid himself. In 2003 when they scandal was rev ealed Richard Grasso received $2.3 million dollars in salary. The previous four years his total compensation ranged between $9.9 million and $24.2 million. Grasso was a greedy executive that acted in an unethical manner. Upon his resignation due to public pressures Grasso received a lump sum payout which included liquidation of pension plan of $140 million. The NYSE is most powerful and influential stock exchange in the world.

Please write a response on two episodes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Please write a response on two episodes - Essay Example He is undeniably intrigued by a scientific approach taken to food and he very subtly also inculcates this interest in the viewers also. It is normally thought that when it comes to food, one cannot reinvent the wheel. However, Ferran Adria is one man who experiments with his food in a laboratory which suggests that the wheel is in fact reinvented. Bourdain certainly has a very distinct food philosophy which he seems to energetically defend in this video, Decoding Ferran Adria. The bedrock of this food philosophy is formed by the idea that the most riveting and soulful kind of food cannot be produced under laboratory conditions. Such kind of food is mostly found in the most chaotic kind of kitchens where sweating chefs struggle to keep up with the customers’ orders. However, the revolutionary approach taken to food by Adria appears to have mesmerized Bourdain because it somehow turns out to be

German and german class paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

German and german class - Term Paper Example German health care system is considered one of the finest not only in Europe but also around the world. Hospitals in Germany continue to lead the industry where patients from Eastern Europe, Gulf and Arab nations seek medical care from this country. Germany’s hospitals became the primary choice in health travel because of high level of medical care and technical advances (www.health-tourism.com, Medical Tourism to Germany). Hospitals in Germany by law need to undergo surveillance programs under government supervision. Certifications and accreditations such from DIN or Deutsches Institut fr Normung, TEMOS or Telemedicine for the Mobile Society, and KTQ-GmBH or Cooperation for Quality and Transparency in Health Care must be complied (www.health-tourism.com, Medical Tourism to Germany). Aside from acquiring accreditations and certificates from German Institute for Standardization, physicians undergo strict and thorough training before they can practice. Even when they were still medical students, they underwent basic preliminary scientific study and hands-on clinical study. It will take 5 to 7 years for them to finish their desired specialization which is followed by another examination before they can practice. However, even with this intensive study, Germany still has higher average number of physician than USA and Canada with an average of 368 physicians per 100,000 residents (www.health-tourism.com, Medical Tourism to Germany). Saudi Arabia is also noted for having excellent medical facilities. One of the largest hospitals in Middle East is King Fahd Medical City. This hospital is known to have fine obstetric gynaecological and paediatric departments. When it comes to eye hospitals, one of the best in the world is the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital (www.expatfocus.com, Saudi Arabia-Health Care and Medical Treatment). Saudi Arabia committed to improving medical health treatment for

Impact Of Crime On Jamaicas Economy

Impact Of Crime On Jamaicas Economy An economic problem that Jamaica faces as a country is Crime. Crime may be defined as an intentional act or omission in violation of criminal law. For many decades Jamaica has been plagued with crime and violence. This has been a major concern of the nation and the Government since the mid -1970s. In January of 2012, Jamaicas murder rate was over 20% higher than in the same period of 2011. The Government has made numerous attempts to decrease the rate of crime but these measures have been short term. The Governments ultimate plan was to increase Police mobility and firepower but this has proven futile as Police are understaffed, corrupt, and ineffective and the cost is unsustainable. Jamaicas population is estimated at approximately 2.7 million people. The number of murders and other violence causes Jamaica to have one of the highest crime rates in the world. Police statistics in Jamaica has shown that since the year 1999 Jamaicas crime rate has steadily risen. In 2005, according to International statistics, Jamaica was the Murder capital of the World. There has been tremendous increase in the rate of homicides and shootings, illegal drugs, arms and ammunition, rape and carnal abuse which continues to negatively impact the countrys social and economic growth. Crime can be attributed to several factors namely: weak family structure, poverty, income inequality, unemployment and lack of opportunity. According to Lewis (2010), Jamaica is experiencing a G-culture challenge which is characterized by a hazardous combination of guns, gangs, grand money and girls to which Jamaican men gravitate. Bunting stated, The estimated cost of crime has been 67 to 90 per cent of Jamaicas gross domestic product over the last 40 years (jamaicaobserver.com, Business Reduced crime leads to better economy, Bunting June 17, 2012). The purpose of this research is to investigate the causes and effects of crime and recommend economic concepts that could be employed to correct this problem in Jamaica. A Review of Literature Types of Crime Violent Crime Violent crimes may be defined as offenses that involve the use of force or injury to the body of another person. The seriousness of a violent crime is usually determined by the degree of physical harm caused to the victim (LaMance, 2011). Jamaica has an above average violent crime rate in the world. From the period 1989 to 2009 Jamaica saw a rise in organized crime and a subculture of violence. Since the arrest and extradition of Christopher Dudus Coke in June 2010 there has been a significant decrease in the murder rate and other crimes across the country. Recent crime statistics have shown that Jamaicas crime rate has decreased by 80 percent. However, crime is still an issue as the country continues to be affected by it. Jamaica is plagued with robbery, gang violence, domestic violence, rape and carnal abuse. Rape and carnal abuse is rapidly increasing. Mostly females are the victims. There has been a recent incident in Montego Bay, St. James where five women including three girls below 18 were brutally raped. Police statistics have shown a 100 percent increase in the number of rapes reported in Clarendon, 58 percent increase in St. Catherine, 43 percent in Manchester, 40 percent in Trelawny and 33 percent in other communities across Jamaica. According to statistics for the period January to September 2012, a total of 626 rape cases were reported while for that same period 2011, 595 cases were reports, this depicts a 5 percent increase. REPORTED CHILD ABUSE CASES JAN JUN 2012 Sexual abuse 1402 Physical abuse 1201 Trafficking 2 Of the sexual abuse cases mentioned above 92.9 per cent of the victims were girls. The above data is from the Office of the Childrens Registry (OCR). Types of Crime Nonviolent Crime Non-violent crimes may be defined as crimes that do not involve the use of any force or injury to another person. The seriousness of a non-violent crime is usually measured in terms of economic damage or loss to the victim (LaMance, 2011). Common non-violent crimes affecting Jamaicas economy are: theft, bribery, drug related crimes, corruption and fraud more so the infamous Lottery Scam. The lottery scam is smearing the countrys reputation internationally. It deters foreign investors Lottery scam inflows may be Jamaicas third largest foreign exchange earner. Income from defrauding persons overseas only follows remittances and tourism earnings, if estimates of US$300 million a year are true. The fraudulent activity was listed among the highest threats to Jamaica in the national security policy published by the Cabinet for public comment last Friday. Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/The-high-cost-of-crime_12370259#ixzz2DS3ouLjm Nonviolent crimes have a greater impact on the countrys international reputation. Crime Factors Weak Family Structures In Jamaica there is a vast amount of children with absent fathers. Growing up without a father or male figure as a role model is very difficult for children, especially boys. There are too many neglected, unloved and uncared for children especially in the inner cities, many of which can be seen wandering on the streets and left to the mercy of perpetrators. Mothers are left to raise their children by themselves, the fathers are never around. Often times these mothers are teenage girls or under twenty five (25) years of age who lack experience and need guidance themselves. Boyne stated, A recent study of Caribbean youth found that only 9 per cent grew up with a father, and when step-fathers were factored in, the percentage grew to only 13 per cent. So a large percentage of Jamaican youth are growing up without their fathers. This has grave economic and social consequences for society, Boyne, I. (2005, November 20). Closing Jamaicas crime factories. Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved November 01, 2012, from http:www.jamaica-gleaner.com. In Jamaica society, fatherless children are at a disadvantage as they face more struggles to achieve success in their lives both personally and academically. They lack the sense of the most basic social norms and behaviours. These children become the raw materials of crime in Jamaica as they usually form gangs and engage in criminal acts due to lack of proper guidance and stability. Children from broken homes are far more likely to commit crimes than those from stable families. Many research studies support the theory that weak family structure correlates with delinquency. The family is the foundation of human society. Crime Factors Poverty There is a direct link between poverty and crime as they usually go hand in hand. Crime exists everywhere in Jamaica and among all people. However, where there are high poverty levels the rate of crime is significantly high. Poverty causes hunger, when impoverished people are hungry they engage in acts of stealing or robbery to acquire what they need as they lack legitimate means to attain them. The lack of independence which comes with economic hardship makes the poor more likely to commit crime (Harriot, 2001). Young people especially in the inner cities are more likely to get involved in drug dealing and gangs as they feel there is no other way out of their impoverished state. Jamaicas poverty level is unacceptably high. According to CIA World Fact book, 16.5% of the countrys population is living below the poverty line (2010 est.); this would be equivalent to approximately 462,000 people who are unable to meet their basic needs. In addition, the IMF report states that 1.1 million Jamaicans are living in poverty and earning less than US$2.50 per day. A combination of Poverty and crime equals: people benefiting from criminally generated income. People in poverty are more likely to get arrested. Crime Factors Income Inequality Income inequality makes it difficult for the poor to survive and on a wider scale it lowers the economic growth of Jamaica. When income inequalities are high, crime is equally high as it is a major determinant of crime. When the poor feel inferior to the rich it causes serious social tensions to increase hence decreasing the opportunity cost of crime. Consequently, as the income distribution gets more unequal, the gap between the benefits and costs of crime widens and thus the incentive for crime becomes higher (Becker, 1968). Three major ecological theories that fit to the conception that inequality increases crime rates are: Beckers economic theory of crime, Mertons strain theory and Shaw MacKays social disorganization theory. According to Beckers framework, areas of high inequality, i.e. those areas where very poor and very rich coexist; the rational criminals motivation is stimulated by the inequality. Mertons theory argues that when faced with the relative success of others around them, unsuccessful individuals feel frustration at their situation. The greater the inequality is, the greater the inducement for low status individuals to commit crime. The motivation to commit crime is not solely drawn from the expected economic benefits, but from social disgruntlement and dissatisfaction (Kelly, 2000). Crime Factors Unemployment Lack of Opportunity Jamaica faces great challenges with high rate of unemployment and underemployment. Unemployment creates an environment where parents cannot provide a good education, a comfortable home and healthy meals for their children. These children become economically and socially lacking. On a broader scale this also increases the countrys illiteracy rate due to high percentage of uneducated children. More than likely they will become criminals as they see no other option for future fulfilment. Youth going to work or school tends to reduce the probability of being involved in criminal activities (Tauchen and Witte, 1994). When people are unemployed they tend to be more hostile, angry and jealous this creates social dismantling and crime. It can be concluded that unemployment and crime are closely related. According to CIA World Factbook, Jamaicas unemployment rate was 12.7% in 2011 and 12.4% in 2010. This reflects an increase by .3%. In comparison to other countries Jamaica is presently ranked at sixty nine (69) with an unemployment rate of 12.7%. The unemployment rate in Jamaica is approximately 14.3% with youth unemployment significantly high (World Bank, 2012). Lack of Opportunity Job opportunities in Jamaica are limited. Too many persons have spent enormous amount of money to send themselves to Colleges and Universities and are unemployed or underemployed due to the lack of job opportunities. There are too many children graduating from High School without a skill or qualification. They end up at a dead zone because the society lacks the appropriate training facilities. Cost of crime on the Jamaican economy Crime has a negative impact on Jamaicas economic growth. The cost of crime is very high and the effects are both monetary and non monetary. At present, Jamaicas debt is estimated at 139.7% of GDP (World Bank, 2012) which is equivalent to a current debt stock of J$1.7 trillion (Global Competitiveness Report, 2011-2012). Crime affects: economy, tourism, cost of doing business and foreign investment. The non monetary effects of crime are: trauma, emotional and social break down, suffering and death. A study of the effects of crime carried out in Jamaican neighborhoods found out that resident of inner-city neighborhoods suffer from what is called area stigma. Based on where they live, these persons are stereotyped to be associated with criminals this makes it difficult for them to find employment. The study also made emphasis on the intangible effects of violence on a person socially, indicating that violence destroys social relationships increasing levels of tension. Due to the high rate of crime and violence in inner-city areas of Jamaica, residents are afraid to leave their homes and socialize less often with friends and family who live elsewhere (Moser and Holland 1997). Economy Crime slows the growth of the economy and decreases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. According to CIA World Factbook, since the year 2008 Jamaica has not seen any marginal growth; 2008 showed a decrease by -0.6%, -3.1% in 2009, -1.4% in 2010 and 1.5% increase in 2011. Jamaica, in comparison to other countries is ranked at one hundred and seventy (170) out of countries with a GDP rate of 1.5%. A report by the World Bank (2008) indicated that a reduction in Jamaicas crime rate would increase the GDP growth by 5.4% yearly. Based on a study by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2012) confirmed that Jamaica has the highest number of youths convicted of crime in the Caribbean. Every year Jamaica spends more than US$529 million to fight youth crime, which includes public and private cost. The report also states that crime in Jamaica by youth is costing the country approximately 3.21 % of GDP. According to the World Bank, crime costs the medical sector approximately US$29.5 million per year. Tourism Most of Jamaicas revenue comes from tourism which accounts for 10% of the countrys GDP. High crime rates negatively impacts the arrival of tourists in Jamaica. As a result, tourists are reluctant to visit Jamaica and therefore choose other destinations as they are concerned about their safety. This dampens the sectors economic growth which inevitably affects Jamaica on a macroeconomic level. In 2004, the tourism minister of Jamaica said that, the countrys unprecedented crime rate was threatening to hamper the tourism industry by scaring away visitors and hurting investment (Associated Press, 2004). A study by Dunn argued that, of popular perceptions of those working in the tourism industry found that crime and violence were perceived as the main problem afflicting the tourism industry (Dunn and Dunn, 2002). In another theory, tourists that visit Jamaica are unwilling to leave the confinements of their Hotels as they fear being harassed, robbed, or even kidnapped. This impacts the tourist experience, Jamaicas paradise image and hurt local businesses (especially craft vendors). Harriot (2000) argued that: Crime control has become a central development issue and an important public policy concern in most Caribbean territories. These tourism dependent economies have become more vulnerable to violent crime, yet more crimogenic. In the case of Jamaica (which is perhaps the most problematic), the high rates of violent crime and insecurity among all segments of the population are matched by declining public confidence in the criminal justice system and growing cynicism among its functionaries. Cost of doing business in Jamaica According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013, Jamaicas competitive rating was ranked at 141 out of 144 countries which measures 12 criteria, and Jamaica performed the worst in the category of macroeconomic performance and business cost of crime and violence. High crime rate results in: An increase in security costs because of the need to acquire more security personnel and systems. Loss of business due to theft and extortion, etc. Discouraging investors from investing or developing a business. Reduction in productivity and thus revenue due to early business closure or shortened hours of operation in crime prone areas. Reduction in output from the labour force due to injury or worst death of a worker. Permanent closure or relocation of a business to an area that is less prone to crime. Loss of Foreign Investment Investment is a major contributing factor to GDP because it aids in increasing production in an economy. Crime discourages investors both local and foreign. A decline in the level of investment decreases the GDP of the country and thus its economic growth. Jamaicas crime level has dampened investors confidence in investing in the country. According to the National Security Policy for Jamaica published by the Government of Jamaica, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is affected as a result of the increased cost of security, insurance, capital, and recurrent costs in addition to other costs that may be specific to each business. Recommendation In an effort to fight and possibly correct Jamaicas crime problem, the following recommendations are proposed: It commended the Jamaican Government for the programmes implemented to provide inner-city community infrastructure and services for the poor, including measures to promote short-term conflict mitigation and resolution, as well as medium-term social prevention and capacity enhancement interventions. The Government should build legitimate institutions that can provide a sustained level of citizen security, justice and jobs.

Free Essays - Writing Style of A Farewell to Arms :: Farewell Arms Essays

The Writing Style of A Farewell to Arms Hemingway became a newspaper writer in Kansas City as a young man and, in 1918, he joined the Red Cross to become an ambulance driver just like the character, Frederick Henry. This partially autobiographical novel is a combination of Hemingway's personal experiences in war and writing. Hemingway's life gave him the refinement that he needed for the inspirational language of the novel. He inspires us with his journalistic directness, sensory detail and his different writing styles that reflect the moods of the characters. Critics usually describe Hemingway's style as simple, spare, and journalistic. These are all good words; they all apply. Perhaps because of his training as a newspaperman, Hemingway is a master of the declarative, subject-verb-object sentence. His writing has been likened to a boxer's punches--combinations of lefts and rights coming at us without pause. Take the following passage: "We were all cooked. The thing was not to recognize it. The last country to realize they were cooked would win the war. We had another drink. Was I on somebody's staff? No. He was. It was all balls" (Hemingway PAGE #). The style gains power because it is so full of sensory detail. There was an inn in the trees at the Bains de l'Allaiz where the woodcutters stopped to drink, and we sat inside warmed by the stove and drank hot red wine with spices and lemon in it. They called it gluhwein and it was a good thing to warm you and to celebrate with. The inn was dark and smoky inside and afterward when you went out the cold air came sharply into your lungs and numbed the edge of your nose as you inhaled (Hemingway PAGE #). The simplicity and the sensory richness flow directly from Hemingway's and his characters'--beliefs. The punchy, vivid language has the immediacy of a news bulletin: these are facts, Hemingway is telling us, and they can't be ignored. And just as Frederic Henry comes to distrust abstractions like "patriotism," so does Hemingway distrust them. Instead he seeks the concrete, the tangible: "hot red wine with spices, cold air that numbs your nose." A simple "good" becomes higher praise than another writer's string of decorative adjectives. Though Hemingway is best known for the tough simplicity of style as seen in the first passage cited above, if we take a close look at A

Van Helsing

The style Stoker uses to write the novel Dracula, in a series of diary/journal entries, newspaper clippings, letters, and other documents, makes the story more horrifying and suspenseful. This is because as written this way, the story becomes personal. The reader gets the feeling that the story he/she is reading is true. The novel takes on the persona of a case file, which makes the story stand out as a true account of actual events. It makes the reader feel that these terrifying events could actually happen. This style of writing contributes to character development because the characters' personalities are unveiled through the writing.For example, when Dr. Seward describes Renfield, one gets a closer look into the psyche of Dr. Seward. In this excerpt, even though the reader receives a description of Renfield, the description is only what Dr. Seward sees and feels. It is a first-hand account of what a character thinks and feels through his own writing. The reader does not learn abo ut Renfield in this excerpt, but learns about Dr. Seward. This is so because Dr. Seward makes certain conclusions about Renfield, which may or may not be true. Dr. Seward states what he sees, perhaps not what Renfield is actually like.Renfield is a patient at Dr. Seward's insane asylum. Renfield is described as a refined gentleman who eats live creatures such as insects and birds. He believes that eating these living things gives him their life-force. Renfield fed the flies to the spiders, then fed the spiders to the birds, stockpiling their life-force. When he was denied a cat to which to feed the birds, Renfield at the birds himself. Renfield was used by Stoker to drive the plot. It was through Renfield that the reader first learned about Count Dracula as a vampire and Count Dracula's dark world.Renfield helped Count Dracula at first, but betrayed him because he was in love with Mina. Renfield protected her, and it cost him his life. Renfield is also an image of the theme of relig ion and eternal life. Renfield ate living creatures in an attempt to reach eternal life. He thought he would live forever if he could steal others' life-force. This is the goal of the Christian faith, to achieve eternal life. However, Renfield wanted to physically live, while Christians look forward to their souls having eternal life. Renfield contributed to the conflict because he helped all of the characters in some way.For instance, Renfield helped Dr. Seward and Van Helsing realize what Count Dracula was. Renfield also helped Count Dracula lure Mina and Lucy to him. He also helped Mina to escape Count Dracula. Without Renfield, their would not be a story. Renfield contributed to the conflict most when he helped Count Dracula in his evil plans. Renfield came under Count Dracula's control when Count Dracula made an offer to give Renfield an unlimited supply of food if Renfield helped him. When confronted by Mina, Count Dracula's obsession, Renfield tells her to run away.Count Drac ula finds out about this and is so angry that he enters Renfield's cell and breaks his neck. Without Renfield, Count Dracula probably would not have been able to do most of the things he did. Religion, as a major theme of the novel, plays a large role. Many items and people are deemed either â€Å"holy† or â€Å"unholy. † For instance, Van Helsing could be considered â€Å"holy† and Dracula could be considered â€Å"unholy. † Van Helsing likens his mission of chasing Count Dracula to one of â€Å"the old knights of the Cross. † (pg. 508) Therefore, Van Helsing could be understood as a righteous man, doing the will of God to rid the world of a monster.Count Dracula is considered a satanic figure and Van Helsing suggests that Christian icons, such as a crucifix, are the most effective weapons against evil. Stoker uses religious symbolism because he intended Dracula to be a cautionary tale, such as an urban legend. Dracula was written at a time when s cientific and social advancements, such as Darwin's theory of evolution and women gaining more liberties, posed a threat to the traditional, religious way of life. Stoker decided to personify this threat in Dracula. In another passage, Van Helsing criticizes Dr.Seward for relying too heavily on reason. It could be argued that Van Helsing is the protector of tradition while Dr. Seward is a man of science. Van Helsing goes so far as to actually blame science for Dr. Seward's logic thinking. Van Helsing believes that one should rely heavily on faith, not science. This might connect to the novel's central theme of the consequences of modernity because science is a threat to religion like Count Dracula is a threat to the other characters in the story. – Stoker, Bram. Dracula. United Kingdom: Archibald Constable and Company. 1897.

Adjectives and Word Order in Spanish

Adjectives and Word Order in Spanish It is often said that adjectives come after nouns in Spanish. But this isnt entirely true - some types of adjectives frequently or always come before the nouns they modify, and some can be placed either before or after nouns. Often, the determining factor in an adjectives placement is its purpose in the sentence. Beginners usually dont have much difficulty with the placement of numbers, indefinite adjectives (words like /each and algunos/some) and adjectives of quantity (such as mucho/much and pocos/few), which precede nouns in both languages. The main difficulty facing beginners is with descriptive adjectives. Students often learn that they are placed after the noun (which they usually are), but then they are surprised to find when theyre reading real Spanish outside their textbooks that adjectives are often used before the nouns they modify. Tip for beginners: Most of the material in this lesson is more appropriate for intermediate students than for beginners. If youre new to learning Spanish, it isnt important at this point to memorize the rules. What is important to remember is that while descriptive adjectives usually follow the nouns they modify, if one appears before the noun in something written or said by a native speaker its probably not a mistake, and there is probably a reason why the adjective is where it is. Most of the words we think of as adjectives are descriptive adjectives, words that impart a quality of some sort to the noun. Most of them can appear either before or after a noun, and here is the general rule for where: After the noun: If an adjective classifies a noun, that is, if it is used to distinguish that particular person or object from others that could be represented by the same noun, it is placed after the noun. Adjectives of color, nationality, and affiliation (such as of religion or political party) usually fit in this category, as do many others. A grammarian might say in these cases that the adjective restricts the noun. Before the noun: If the main purpose of the adjective is to reinforce the meaning of the noun, to impart emotional effect on the noun, or to convey appreciation of some sort for the noun, then the adjective often is placed before the noun. A grammarian might say these are adjectives used nonrestrictively. Another way of looking at it is that placement before the noun often indicates a subjective quality (one dependent on the view of the person speaking) rather than an objective (demonstrable) one. Keep in mind that this is a general rule only, and sometimes there is no discernible reason for a speakers choice of word order. But you can see some of the common differences in usage in the following examples: la luz fluorescente (the fluorescent light) - Fluorescente is a category or classification of light, so it follows luz. un hombre mexicano (a Mexican man) - Mexicano serves to classify un hombre, in this case by nationality. La blanca nieve estaba por todas partes. (The white snow was everywhere.) - Blanca (white) reinforces the meaning of nieve (snow) and could also impart an emotional effect. Es ladrà ³n condenado. (He is a convicted thief.) - Condenado (convicted) distinguishes the ladrà ³n (thief) from others and is an objective quality.  ¡Condenada computadora! (Blasted computer!) - Condenada is used for emotional effect, making it emphatically subjective. For this reason, most vulgar adjectives of disparagement precede the nouns they describe. To see how word order could make a difference, examine the following two sentences: Me gusta tener un cà ©sped verde. (I like having a green lawn.) Me gusta tener un verde cà ©sped. (I like having a green lawn.) The difference between these two sentences is subtle and not readily translated. Depending on the context, the first might be translated as I like having a green lawn (as opposed to a brown one), while the second might be translated as I like having a green lawn (as opposed to not having a lawn) or I like having a beautiful lawn. In the first sentence, the placement of verde (green) after cà ©sped (lawn) indicates a classification. In the second sentence verde, by being placed first, reinforces the meaning of cà ©sped and indicates some aesthetic appreciation. The effects of word order indicate why some adjectives are translated into English differently depending on their location. For example, un amigo viejo usually is translated as a friend who is old, while un viejo amigo is usually translated as a longtime friend, indicating some emotional appreciation. Similarly, un hombre grande is usually translated as a big man, while un gran hombre is a great man, indicating a subjective quality rather than an objective one. (Grande, when it precedes a singular noun, is shorted to gran.) As you continue your studies, you will come across about another dozen adjectives that are similar. Final note: If an adjective is modified by an adverb, it follows the noun. Compro un coche muy caro.  (I am buying a very expensive car.)

From Mozart to the second school of Vienna essays

From Mozart to the second school of Vienna essays At Dimitris Mitropoulos hall on the 3rd of February took place a part of the sere From Mozart to the second school of Vienna. Wolfang Amadeus Mozarts piano, violin, viola and violoncello quartet num.2 in E-major, K.493 and Arnold Schoenbergs Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte, Op. 41 for string, piano and voice quartet and after the break, Wolfang Amadeus Mozarts piano, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon quintet in E-major, K-452. The quartets and the quintet were played as written above. Firstly, K.493 which wasAccording to Mozart's own catalogue, the second quartet in E-flat major was completed on June 3, 1786, less than nine months after the letter to Hoffmeister about the advance. This time, Mozart had the piece printed by the rival publisher Artaria and that edition is the earliest version we possess. With the exception of a few drafts from the Finale, which are in the British Museum, no autograph score remains. Even if one feels the work to be a relief after its uncompromising counterpart in G minor, the later quartet cannot really be seen as an easier alternative. It is too elaborate for that. This time Mozart sets the piano against the string trio more, but this is not done purely for convenience. The strong polarity of tonic and subdominant in the first two movements creates a somber undercurrent which is emphasized by the instrumentation. The second theme of the first movement (a softer version of the pent-up energy of the beginning, introduced by the violin) is preceded by a contracted motif of two descending sixths which then persists throughout the whole movement as a kind "idee fixe". There are no less than 31 reputations of it in the development, where it serves as a harmonic "pivot" for a very bold series of modulations. The slow movement exudes warmth and thoughtfulness, twinned with chromatic "moments of doubt". Harmonically expansive answering phrases in ...

Assigm 6 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assigm 6 - Assignment Example The Bill of Rights entails fundamental viewpoints  as  an interior attitude alteration.  The attitudes entailed in this mode of Bill of Rights outline our daily resolutions hence ruling our individuality and clarifying our rights as admirable, decorous values, hence in the process getting rid of imprecise viewpoints.  However, the model should be modified to entail occurrences that happen due to various changes generally. Worker’s Bill of Rights comprises the diverse aspects that make sure that employees are treated in the right way. The entire regulations alienated in this module ensure that employees are not exploited or unfairly treated in their duties to execute work. Universally, employers should respect every worker – basic rights as a human being take precedence. In this regard, all the labor policies that aim to develop the relationship between an employer and the workforce ought to be implemented for the long-term goal. Equal treatment, fair working conditions, sensible salary and remuneration scales, as well as considerate process form the core upon which workers in the entire world ought to be treated through (Lahey 71). Despite these aspects being universally accepted, other elements are not recognized by some entities. For instance, some cultures would not accept the input of diverse genders in certain fields, while others would dispute the duration of work and the input of certain racial orientations. This heavily impinges on the collective operations as regards workers. The two settings – work and family, ought to be factored in when coming up with any model for both given that they are intertwined for the better good of the society. However, the two entities seem to be far apart as the variation between both as regard Bill of Rights is visible. Most families face a deficit of time and cash for care,

Images of the Art and Science of Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Images of the Art and Science of Nursing - Essay Example 1). Nursing as a science involves the scientific and theoretical explanation of certain phenomena. It observes, identifies, describes, and experiments on issues affecting the delivery of health. On the other hand, nursing as an art is the humanistic and creative application of the result of science. Basavanthappa (2004) identified that the art of clinical nursing is directed into four main goals: (1) understanding the patient’s condition, situation, or need, (2) enhancement of patient’s capability, (3) improvement of patient’s condition following a medical plan, and (4) prevention of remission and exacerbations which may cause anxiety, disability, or stress (p. 1). Contemporary nursing has evolved to a learned discipline and profession that combines the science and art of caring. Nursing combines scientific body of knowledge derived from primitive beliefs to high technology era and humanistic caring. Nursing focuses on the client’s response to illness, pro motes health, and assists clients to move to a higher level of wellness. Nursing also provide care and assistance during a terminal illness by providing comfort and preserving dignity during the end-phase of life (White, 2005, p. 41). The development of nursing as a science and an art is traced through its rich history, array of visual images, and influence of social factors. Image Selection To further describe the art and science of nursing, six images were selected which depicted the historical and modern concept of the art and science of nursing. Among the images chosen are of Florence Nightingale, patient settings during Crimean War, nurse-patient ratio during early times, contemporary nurse-patient interaction, operating room scenario, and health informatics in nursing. The images are described below: A. Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) pioneered the concept of modern nursing. She was also credited for uplifting the standards of nursing and developing nursi ng as a science and an art. Nightingale persistently advocated cleanliness, good nutrition, and fresh air as well as the reform in health care (White, 2005, p. 44). During this time, nurses, care for the wounded around the clock with the oil lamps along them to light their way in the darkness. Similarly, this oil lamp represents Nightingale for she was able to give light to the darkness of caring and implemented scientific and artistic caring. Through Florence Nightingale’s principles, nursing practice and environmental modifications resulted in reduced morbidity and mortality rates during the war. (White, 2005, p. 44) She also worked to gain the public’s approval in producing well-educated nurses and for the concepts that were still used today such as a systematic method of assessing clients, individualized care based on the client’s need and preferences, and confidentiality (White, 2005, p. 45). Nightingale is one of the most outstanding figures that truly ill ustrated the foundation of scientific and artistic nursing. (Image retrieved from http://i.acdn.us/image/A6732/67325/300_67325.jpg) B. The Crimean War The outbreak of war in the Crimea, a peninsula on the north shore of the Black Sea from 1854 to 1856 marked the historical evolution of nursing practice and the birth of scientific and artistic nursing. War casualties outrageously increase and the British government became the consistent subject of national criticism. In light

Financial Reporting & Analysis Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Reporting & Analysis - Coursework Example The researcher of this coursework describes the subject of the conceptual framework in financial accounting as well as on an evaluation of whether the criticism, that is leveled on the conceptual framework for failing to fulfill its main objective depends on outlining the main objectives of conceptual framework and comparison with what is undertaken in the field by the practice. The analysis depends on actualizing that the conceptual framework financial accounting concurrently reflects, represents, mirrors, or measures the normal feature of the pre-existent economic reality. The conceptual framework can further be analyzed in terms of the evaluating the accounting principles, inherent concepts and enhanced or entailed focus of general function financial reporting elaborated in the Conceptual framework. The main idea behind the introduction and development of the conceptual framework lies in the provision of the structure for creating accounting standards that act as the main or sole center for resolving emergent accounting disputes. In conclusion, the researcher sums up his study and opinions and states that the criticism of a conceptual framework for being a failure and not satisfying its purposeful roles is hence notable and real. Lack of certain rules in the frameworks denies the essential regards desired for control of the professional. The framework, hence requires a streamlined approach aimed to mend the framework that would create a real economic approach that is healthy for the accounting profession in entirety

Billing system Essay Example for Free

Billing system Essay The Information Flow Model (IFM) is used to understand the sources and destination of information flow, which is required to execute the business process as shown in Figure 3.5. In IFM, information or data generators and processors are brought together to explain the flow. This could be documents, e-mail, or voicemail. The contents of the flow could be text, images, or diagrams. The purpose of the flow is to take the process further to its logical conclusion. For example, a customer order is to be processed for delivery or to be rejected, and necessary data or information input has to be provided progressively in the process. IFM is generally a high-level model showing main flows, internal flows of information from sources, such as product catalogs, and manufacturing schedules. Customer profiles and accounting information are not shown. These are presumed to be present. In an information flow model, each processing stage is described as one of the following stage classes: 1. Data Supply Ââ€" where data suppliers forward information into the system. 2. Data Acquisition Ââ€" the stage that accepts data from external suppliers and injects it into the system. 3. Data Creation Ââ€" internal to the system, data may be generated and then forwarded to another processing stage. 4. Data Processing Ââ€" any stage that accepts input and generates output (as well as generating side effects). 5. Data Packaging Ââ€" any point at which information is collated, aggregated and summarized for reporting purposes. 6. Decision Making Ââ€" the point where human interaction is required. 7. Decision Implementation Ââ€" the stage where the decision made at a decision-making stage is executed, which may affect other processing stages or a data delivery stage. 8. Data Delivery Ââ€" the point where packaged information is delivered to a known data consumer. 9. Data Consumption Ââ€" as the data consumer is the ultimate user of processed information, the consumption stage is the exit stage of the system. Data moves between stages through directed information channels Ââ€" pipelines indicating the flow of information from one processing stage to another and the direction in which data flows. An information flow model is represented by the combination of the processing stages connected by directed information channels. Once the flow model has been constructed, names are assigned to each of the stages and channels. An information flow model can be used to identify the source of a data quality problem. The effects of a data quality problem might manifest themselves at different stages within an information flow, perhaps at different data consumption stages. However, what may appear to be multiple problems may all be related to a single point of failure that takes place earlier in the processing. By identifying a set of data-quality expectations and creating validation rules that can be imposed at the entry and exit of each processing stage, we can trace through the information flow model to the stage at which the data quality problem occurred. Fixing the problem at the source will have a beneficial effect across the board, as all subsequent manifestations should be eliminated!

MIND Charity Analysis Expansion Plan

MIND Charity Analysis Expansion Plan Evaluation of MINDs Internal and External Environment in  Light of Its Expansion Plans The aim of this report was to analyze the internal and external environments of MIND in relationship to its expansion plan. MIND is one of the leading mental health care providers around the UK and wanted to provide special services to domestic violence victims from the London Borough of Camden. There are various internal factors that determine the success of the organization. These factors include the management, the employees and the investors while the external factors include the government regulations and natural causes. Others include political, economic, ecological, socio-cultural and technological issues. MIND could proceed with its expansion plan but it needed to establish networks on the ground beforehand, carry out more extensive research and legally prepare itself for the launch in the area. Introduction In this report, the first part present the internal environment of the MIND containing the corporate governance, mission and vision statement , stakeholders and analysis organizational structure of MIND . The second part describe evaluation and analyses of the external environment of MIND followed by conclusion and recommendations on how the MIND should manage its enlargement to succeed a professional service in the London borough of Camden . MIND is a mental health charity in the United Kingdom that provides counsel and support to empower mental health patients by carrying out campaigns on service improvement, creation of awareness and promotion of understanding of the mental health issues in the UK.       An organizations corporate governance, mission, stakeholders and vision are the most important aspects of the organization. They are the ones that provide the management with the direction and guidance with respect to what to do when, where and how in order to maintain the public image and performance of the organization (Bartkus Glassman, 2008, p.207). MIND is alive to this facts and that is why it has these important organizational fabrics in place. These form the internal environment of the organization. Stakeholders of MIND Stakeholder refers to an individual or a group of individuals that have justifiable interest in an organization and can either be affected or affect the organization. Stakeholders can be classified as either primary or secondary (Menassa Baer, 2014, p.207). Primary stakeholders refer to individuals or groups that are directly affected by the decisions of the organization and they include investors, strategic customers and employees. Secondary stakeholders on the other hand are those with indirect interests in the organization and they include associations, the media, competition, government and customers (Menassa Baer, 2014, p.208). Stakeholders can also be classified as either internal or external. Internal stakeholders are those within the organization including managers, board of trustees, employees and investors while external stakeholders include individuals or groups that are not within the organization itself but affect or are affected by the operations and performance of th e organization and they include suppliers, regulators, consumers and investors (Menassa Baer, 2014, p.210). The internal stakeholders of MIND include the donors, the Council of Management, Trustees, employees and other investors. On the other hand, the external stakeholders include the suppliers, people with mental health problems and their close families for instance their spouses, government regulators like the Charity Commission, competitors such as SANE and donors. Corporate Governance of the MIND Youssef (2010, p.1) defines corporate governance as a system of practises, processes and rules on which a companys management bases their management functions of planning, controlling, directing and coordinating. It encompasses the process of striking a balance between the interests of the various stakeholders which include the management, the shareholders, the suppliers, the customers, the government, financiers as well as the community. It addresses the issues that emanate from the separation of ownership and control while establishing a distinct relationship between the managers and shareholders of any organisation. Harford, et al., (2012, p.108) state that corporate governance provides a scaffold for achieving the objectives of the company thus comprising every sphere of management including action plans, internal controls, corporate disclosure and measures of performance. The corporate governance framework for MIND is founded on the Board of Trustees which is referred to as the Council of Management and aims at ethical management and transparent use of donations as the MIND is a charity organization that relies on donations for its activities. The MIND President is in charge of the day-to-day running of the organisation and reports to the Council of Management (MIND, 2017b). The president is regarded as the organisations figurehead and primary emissary in charge of promoting the organisations courses. The MINDs president is the embodiment of the organisations credibility, values, authority and trustworthiness (MIND, 2017b). Mission Statement of MIND A Mission Statement is a written statement of declaration that describes an organizations central function, markets and competitive advantage with an unchanging focus over time (Cady, et al., 2011, p.63). Mission statements serve to sieve what is important to the organization and what is not while clearly stating the organizations target markets and how they will be served while communicating a clear sense of direction to the organization (Cady, et al., 2011, p.63). MINDs mission is providing advice and support while empowering individuals with mental health problems (MIND, 2017). Additionally, the organization pushes for service improvement, creation of awareness and promotion of understanding. Vision Statement of the MIND According to Cady, Wheeler, DeWolf and Brodke (2011, p.63), a vision statement refers to a description of what a firm yearns to achieve in its mid- and long-term future in the form of mid-term and long-term goals. Vision statements act as comprehensible guide to selecting current and prospective courses of action. The vision statement of MIND is that the organization wont give up until everyone with mental health problems is accorded support and respect (MIND, 2017). Organizational Structure of MIND The system with which an organization uses to establish a form of structure and hierarchy within its management is referred to as an organizational structure (Dees, 2012, p.232). An organizational structure has clear-cut and definite job descriptions within the company and where each of the job levels are supposed to report. This structure is created to determine the way in which the firm operates and helps in the attainment of the organizational goals for purposes of future growth. The structure is often exemplified by an organizational chart. There are different classifications of organizational structures with each classification depending on the classifiers school of thought (Dees, 2012, p.233). The most common organizational structures include the functional, divisional, traditional hierarchy and matrix organizational structure. The organizational structure at MIND is divisional. In a divisional organizational structure, the leadership of the organization is structured according to the various projects, geographical territories, products, or a combination of several of these. This structure is synonymous with large organizations that either operates in a large geographic area or has several separate smaller firms operating semi-autonomously under the umbrella group to cover different market segments, product ranges or service types (MIND, (2017c). At the peak of MINDs management structure is the Council of Management whose functions include acting as trustees to the charity and directors of the company. However, the organization also has a subsidiary called the MINDs Matter Limited which deals in the organizations trading activities. Additionally, the charity has other connected trustees including the Elliott Charity and the Mary Hemingway Rees Memorial Fund (MIND, 2016, p.23). At the very bottom level of th e management structure is the MIND Network which is made up of local MIND Associations operating as separate entities complete with individual financial activities and related estimates. Advantages of Divisional Organizational Structure There are a number of advantages associated with the divisional organizational structure. First, due to its foundation on a massive delegation of power and authority, the performance of individual sections and divisions within the organization can directly be measured (Bao Wang, 2011, p.81). This is because each of the divisions executes their activities independently. Consequently, unprofitable divisions can be done away with while measures can be taken to provide the necessary support for the profitable divisions. Secondly, the development of division heads ensures that each of the managers takes care of all the functions that are related to the products under their division. Consequently, there is increased accountability for sales and profits for each division. This helps in the skills development among the division heads while enhancing their performance and employee morale for each of the divisions (Bao Wang, 2011, p.81). With autonomous local MIND Associations and the variou s charities within the MIND Management structure, the charity is able to meet its performance goals and objectives as employees are motivated and there is increased accountability among the autonomous structures (MIND, 2017c). Thirdly, a divisional structure shortens the decision-making process as every division within the organization is independent ((Bao Wang, 2011, p.82). Consequently, it is easy to change the size of the business by simply adding or removing divisions as the division heads can execute any decision that affects their division without necessarily consulting with other heads of other divisions. Furthermore, there is more efficient and effective ability with respect to the various coordinating activities between and among the various divisions within the organization as there is role distinction between them. There is equally enhanced flexibility when it comes to responding to alterations and modifications in the local market. Lastly, divisional organizational structure leads to more specialization of divisional expertise among employees. With specific skills being brought on board within the management structure of the MIND, the organization ensures that there is specialization of expert ise which enhances the performance of the MIND. Disadvantages of Divisional Organizational Structure In spite of its numerous advantages that the divisional organizational structure presents to MIND, there a several disadvantages that the structure has that may be detrimental to the organization. First, there is a likelihood of experiencing conflicts between divisional heads as everyone would want to establish their supremacy within the organization by demanding maximum resources for their divisions to gratify their own ego (Bao Wang, 2011, p.84). Secondly, there is a high likelihood of duplication of functions among the various divisions within the organization. For instance, some of the roles undertaken by the MINDs Matter subsidiary could be done by Local MIND Associations. This role duplication leads to misuse of resources within the organization and the cost of operation eventually increases gratuitously. There is equally a reasonable likelihood of the various divisional heads having a selfish attitude as they try to exhibit their better performance even at the expense of other divisions within the organization (Bao Wang, 2011, p.83). When this selfish interest spreads across the organization, it becomes a concern for the various stakeholders within the organization. Office politics are a common phenomenon in firms that practice divisional organizational structure (Bao Wang, 2011, p.86). This may lead to wastage of important time and other resources that would have been used in the strategic thinking that is beneficial to the organization. Additionally, divisions within the organization lead to compartmentalization which in the end results in incompatibilities among company products and services (Bao Wang, 2011, p.87). Since when it was founded in 1946, MINDs organizational structure has proved to be beneficial to the organization. Therefore, it is an effective structure owing to t he numerous advantages that it presents to the organization. An organizations external environment comprises of all the outside that elements and factors that impact the organizations operations (Al-Debei Avison, 2010, p.359). In order for the organization to survive, it must act or react upon these factors. The external environment is subdivided into micro and macro environment with the micro environment being made up of all the elements that directly affect the operations of the firm and the macro environment being made up of all the factors that the firm typically has no control over (Al-Debei Avison, 2010, p.359). The triumph of the firm depends on how quickly it adapts to these factors within the external environment. MIND is set to undertake an expansion exercise aimed at providing specialized services in the area of London borough of Lewisham. The London borough of Camden is one of the 32 local authority districts found within the Greater London administrative area. This London borough is found towards the north-west of London with its principal settlement being Camden. The borough is administered by the Camden London Borough Council. Geographically, the London Borough of Camden is located to the northern of London city stretching from Bloomsbury and Holborn towards the south to Hampstead Heath towards the north. The borough borders the City of Westminster and the City of London on its southern side, Barnet and Haringey towards its north and Brent and Islington to the west and east respectively. External Environmental Analysis using PEST According to Blery, Katseli and Tsara (2010, p.58), PEST analysis refers to one of the concepts in marketing principles that is used as a tool by organizations to keep an eye on the environment in which they are transacting their day to day operations or in which they are planning to launch a new product, service or project. PEST is in fact an acronym standing for political, economic, social and technological. These are the external factors that often influence the various activities the organization undertakes. The tool was created in 1967 by a Francis Aguilar and can work alone or be used in combination with other tools to help organizations and companies to enhance their decision making process and timing (Blery, et al., 2010, p.59). POLITICAL Camden community law centre Squatting law SOCIO-CULTURAL High male and female life expectancy (above 80) High Children conception rate of between 17% 24% High rates of worthlessness among the population High prevalence of childhood obesity of between 19% 22% High rates of children being looked after ECONOMIC Very low economic growth Low number of jobs per resident of working age Business survival rates are satisfactorily over 70% Poor employment rates of below 18% High rates of education levels TECHNOLOGICAL Division of Information Technology Use of technology in policing efforts City-wide IT utilization efforts Political Environment for Camden The political environment for Camden refers to factors such as the trends in government policies and the various relationships between government agencies and the business community. These factors affect the legal framework that MIND will adopt when launching its operations in Camden. Additionally, these factors affect the specific market conditions that affect the behavior of the consumers of the services offered by MIND and the amount of assistance the charity stands to obtain from the area government. With the Labour party having the most representation in the local council followed by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats respectively, there is optimism for favorable political environment for the operations of the Charity in Camden. The security status in the area is guaranteed and therefore, the organization can feel safe while undertaking its operations in the region. Additionally, there have been a number of legislations that are aimed at providing the best environment f or the charity (Blery, et al., 2010, p.59). Economic Factors The two year business survival rate in Camden is rated at over 70% but the economic growth rate in the area is very low. The population is highly educated with a sizeable number of people having attained higher education with degrees. The number of jobs available for each resident of the borough of working age is very low leading to high unemployment rates in the area. The London Community foundation has a number of funding opportunities for the Camden region that are aimed at transforming the living conditions of the region. In 2016, the borough received $13.2 from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The grant was meant for the replacement of the substandard housing that was widespread in the region with mixed-income housing. Apart from these grants, there are several other grants that have given out in Camden to support victims of domestic violence. For instance the Camden/Wollondilly Domestic Violence Committee received a $1,000 grant from the NSW government to support the committees projects that aim at creating awareness on domestic violence as well as family violence (Patterson, 2016). Before this, there was the Verizon Foundation grant of $7,500 that was awarded to the Centre for Family Services that is based in Camden and provides human services (Rutolo, 2011). This grant was directed to the establishments domestic violence solution that involved the creation of a teen dating violence awareness video. These therefore provide precedence for what MIND expects to get when it launches its operations in the region with regards to the economic factors of the region. Socio-cultural Environment Aspects of the socio-cultural environment include the lifestyles of the population, the sex distribution, social classes, minorities, emphasis on safety, population growth rate, age distribution and life expectancy. Others include the size and structure of the families, their attitude towards career, work, leisure and retirement among others. The London borough of Camden has high life expectancy for both men and female at 80 years but the children conception rate of 17% 22% is very high for such a region with most of this happening in the rural. More adults feel worthless as attributed to the high rates of unemployment which leads to high dependency ratios. According to Hopscotch Asian Womens Centre, 80% of Asian women in Camden experience sexual abuse, over 60% undergo financial abuse while 50% experienced physical and emotional abuse from their family members (Hotscotch, 2012, p.5). This information presents a dire need for domestic abuse services for people in this area. This the refore presents an opportunity for MIND to launch their product in the area. Technological Environment There has been a lot of technological developments that have happened and these affects the way in which businesses carry out their operations. These technological influences include product and process innovations that affect the way in which businesses transact their businesses. They present opportunities and threats to organizational operations that are important for gaining competitive advantage and are important drivers of organizational expansion. The London borough of Camden has witnessed the double edge of technology. Technology has played an important role in the reporting of domestic violence cases as well as collection of evidence from scenes such as screenshots, recordings and printing abusive emails. However, abusers have equally exploited technology to cover their tracks and commit criminal acts. According to Cogno (2016), there has been a rise in the number of domestic violence crimes in Camden prompting the establishment of a victims centre that is technologically enh anced to help victims recover as well as address other domestic violence related cases. This centre is enhanced by technology. Recommendations for Managing Expansion MIND can expand its operations to cover Camden because the area is in need of domestic violence counseling and assistance from a charity organization of MINDs magnitude. However, there are several recommendations that I believe if the organization needs to succeed in the provision of services in the area, it must consider them. First, there is need for the organization to carry out an extensive background research of the area from time to time to ensure that it sets achievable goals in its operations in the area. Secondly, there is need to align the charity with the regulations and registration requirement for the London borough of Camden in order to avoid litigations that could drain its resources or even stop its provision of services in the area. Thirdly, there is need for the organization to find ways of providing funding for their operations. Charity organizations rely on donor funding and volunteerism to carry out their operations in regions they operate. Additionally, there will be need for the charity to capitalize on the available resources and build networks around the Camden area in order for the organization to establish itself around the borough. Since there are organizations that are already working to address the problem in the area, MIND will be better placed if it sought for partnership opportunities with these organizations. MINDs response toward the internal and external environments is responsible for its success over the years. With its planned expansion to the London Borough of Camden, it is noteworthy that the area really needs the special services that MIND plans to offer to the populations. However, before venturing out, it is important for the organization to ready itself as this expansion will take a toll on its resources. The recommendations outlined in this report will keep MIND on a success path even as it launches operations to support victims of domestic violence in Camden. Al-Debei, M.M. and Avison, D., 2010. Developing a unified framework of the business model concept. European Journal of Information Systems, 19(3), pp.359-376. Bao, T. and Wang, Y. (2011). Incomplete contract, bargaining and optimal divisional structure. Journal of Economics, 107(1), pp.81-96. Bartkus, B.R. and Glassman, M., 2008. Do firms practice what they preach? The relationship between mission statements and stakeholder management. Journal of business ethics, 83(2), pp.207-216. Blery, E.K., Katseli, E. and Tsara, N., 2010. 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