A study of existing disciplines in an organization Essay

There exists a situation that is a bit difficult to understand that is usually faced by information system management professionals. Since they are always specialized in the areas their clients seek professional advice, it becomes difficult for them to design prescriptions unlike some other professionals like doctors. Another major reason for difficulties experienced is that professionals fail to distinguish the actual needs of users from their wishes and desires. Therefore these professionals have to get prepared such that they create confidence in users in relationship to their capabilities. There is high need that there is achieved success during the period of investigating information needs. And therefore the person assigned the duties of a system identifier must be acceptable at all levels of users. They are also required to have credibility. An information system identifier has to adopt a procedural guideline for identification of needs. (Malcolm Pettu. Information resources management, 1989, Blackwell NCC) A study of existing disciplines in an organization. It is the duty of information needs identifier to find out the various departments in an organization and establish a relationship with the users. He is eligible to identify the major supporting areas within an organization’s handbook will be the output of this study that will offer guidance to further works of identifying the information needs. (E. Joel Ross. management by information system, 1970, Prentice hall. ) A study of the organization and its environment. After this exercise the identifier should be able to prepare a profile for the organization. He should be able to identify of what type the organization is in order to identify the different forms of management system and decision making processes that pose a bearing on the information needs. There is also need to analyze the environment in which the organization works. A study of the environment of the user. It is vital to identify in an orderly manner, the category of users and their respective information needs. The work of the identifier is to get a wide study of the users department before engaging in any interviews with the users. This helps him/her easily identify the needs. Several sources that need to be studied in the users department include; annual reports on the departments and their respective functions, Minutes of meetings, project reports, progress reports, and investigative reports est. It is necessary that the information identifier fully acquaints him/her of the full working of the department. This will make him fully understand the situations in which the user operates in. True needs however are identified from wide understanding of the user since they tend to place their wants and needs in fragments. Users are individuals, so the identifier should try as much as possible to address holistically perceive these needs. A user however might be playing a different role in an organization. An example is a wide variety of roles assumed by managers. It may include being. †¢ A disseminator spokesman †¢ A team leader †¢ A liaison †¢ A controller †¢ A decision maker. Resource allocator Broadly a user may form a node that pertains the following three different perspective of information flow in an organization: Communicating in a bird’s eye view perspective: †¢ Includes giving job instructions and directives to specific tasks. †¢ The basis information of the job information designated for production of good understanding of relative tasks in an organization. †¢ Organizational practices and procedures providing timely feedbacks about performance to the subordinate. †¢ Communicating upwardly: †¢ People will talk about; †¢ Their problems and their performance. †¢ Their organizational policies and practices. †¢ Others and their problems. †¢ The needs to be done. Communicating in a horizontal manner with colleagues in the same level of hierarchy. A user may interact with: his culture which sets for him policies and other influences and attitude, formal organizations such as employing organization invisible colleges, gate keepers etc, his work team which is a distinguished subsystem in an organization because of interpersonal characteristics. Users caught up in complex situations need to be studied from two different perspectives: Including direct methods which include Direct methods of user study include: A close observation of the users during discussions with their colleagues. Engagement in a dialogue with the user when offering information services to them performing a detailed survey by use of questionnaires. Visiting the various departments where the users work and observing them. Some of the indirect methods are listed below: †¢ Studying the events maintained by users which are included in diaries. †¢ Having a thorough analysis of the reference queries received from users. †¢ Analyzing responses from users after rendering services to them. †¢ Taking users designs and analyzing them. †¢ Studying the user’s job description. †¢ Taking the publications of users and studying them. †¢ Studying the documents used by users. †¢ Scanning reports and correspondences received and prepared by users. An advantage of the direct observation is that there is personal contact of the identifier with the users. This provides an excellent opportunity for observation of users in their normal environment. A downfall of the method of direct observation is that there is overdependence on the observers’ capability. It is necessary to note that there may result incidence of subjective element of the observer as a result of the observations made. The records of users’ are adequate in providing a reliable indication of the users subjects of interest. It is them subjected to extrapolation to a dynamic changing situation. Since users are developing human beings, and work in a system that is also subjected to constant change, it calls for keen study of the users. Some of the few methods of studying users are as below: Studying the work diary of users; In an organization users are always encouraged to maintain work related diaries. Recorded in the diary includes critical events and incidents, filed license applications, comments in regards to how improvement could be achieved in an organization, meetings and discussions held and their solutions etc. the consultants/ consultancy organizations preferred To some organizations it is a must for its employees to keep and maintain such diaries. It is also necessary for them to record the events in their order of occurrence such that it may act as a vital source of information to address the specific needs of the users. Sometimes it may give information about who associates with them both inside and outside the organization. Surveying the information sources used The objective here is to bring frequency and relevance of the different types of sources, their availability and accessibility and the different priorities assigned to them. There is emphasis on keeping records for respective departments. Formal interview The information need identifier after carefully analyzing the above steps should be able to design questions, set up the clarifications to be made and similar points for discussion with the users. He is to design this depending on the user’s environment, category, and specific roles he plays in performing his responsibilities among other things. An information need identifier has to design a specific document for each user before carrying out a formal interview. The document should have. Available sources and services that are not in use Required types of information and services. Present sources of information and services in the organization. A draft estimate of needs anticipated by users. The intention of the gathered information is of a greater bearing on the real information required. And therefore the information need identifier is supposed to find out by appropriate questioning the following aspects: What information is needed, in what form, for what need, when needed and to perform which role. In what digestible form, table, original document, and executive summary etc. In what media print visual presentation or audio? The kind of information facts, is it technical detailed, opinions? To what coverage extent, is it exhaustive or selective? The identifier should be able to identify favorable products of information services to the users to enable them extensively express their needs. He/she should have the capability of identifying true needs. In relation to specific functions the user should identify specific functions related to the value needs. A need has values attached to act as determinants of priorities to be assigned. For satisfaction of the need, its information cost could be correlated to its consequences Also it maybe a necessity to attend meetings in areas under areas where the functions and responsibilities of users are addressed. Occasionally it is good to invite users for group discussions to shade light on future changes and even the changes that are taking place. This ensures free exchange of ideas within a system and therefore is preferred that there is an arrangement to having appointments with the users at those times they are free from important work. When conducting interviews it is important to ensure efficiency by: providing several examples with relevant information services and aided in how he can meet his information needs. The examples should be relevant in the sense that they must be from the subject field of the user. It includes using the following criteria; By presenting the actual problems that are likely to be faced by users in their daily activities. Providing appropriate communication language that can be easily understood by users so that they will express their needs unambiguously. Help the users pinpoint his subjects precisely by using the subject profile of the organization that has been prepared by the information need identifier. Illustration of a few services that the user has already contemplated and seeking their own ideas as to which services they prefer. A show off of the different information so as to gather more sources and identify new users. Acquainting the users of present communication channels used in the organization. Refining the information needs It is an important idea of an information need identifier to periodically invite small groups of persons of the same composition e. g. all technicians for discussions. End users are also members of the information system therefore they should be asked to mention their current activities and whatever problems they are facing. They should be able to talk about the information interests of their likes. They should talk of how the current system may be improved to match their respective information needs. It may occur that if the discussion is properly done then some details from the survey could be combined. This will help in updating and modification of information needs that are of best use to the members and end users Conclusion To identify a thing is one thing and to satisfy it is another. It is my hope that the above study will be easily translated into practice. It implies that identification of information needs in this way will render the best services that will be able to satisfy the users’ needs. In the end the, users will be able to have a better outlook of the company. The creation of an information and communication technology within an organization will not only be an effective tool for communication but also ensures that an organization realizes higher productivity with low input costs. If a company is undergoing re-engineering process then it may need to employ a systems manager to work with the changed management. It calls for a well picture of the constraints and capabilities of technology. (P. R Sundarray, Joseph Sams. Implementation management of an E-commerce enabled enterprise information, 2002. ) .

Freneau and Wheatly

Philip Freneau was brought forth in New York of Huguenot ancestry in 1752, and died near Freehold, New Jersey, in 1832. Freneau became the unrivaled â€Å"poet of the Revolution† and regarded as the â€Å"Father of American Literature†. Romantic is defined as marked by the imaginative or emotional appeal of what is heroic, adventurous, remote, mysterious, or idealized. In my opinion, Freneau’s poems make him a romantic writer because of the following reasons: First, his poems demonstrate the love of nature. In here the emotions and instinct came to be more important than reason.There was an adoration of â€Å"The Natural Man†, the â€Å"noble savage,† and the primitive and untutored individuality. The thought that the simple and unsophisticated life was best, also grew popular implies primitivism. These perceptions led to curiosity in old civilizations, glorification of Greek society and a search in archeology nurtured as a science. Another thing wa s that his poems show heroism. The overcoming of our natural fears and limitations to achieve great things is heroism. The way he wrote those predicaments, he was not afraid to tell what’s inside his heart and the actions he would do to be able to help those who are in need.He is romantic because his poems represent the love of the common man. He gave ideas about the social and economic classes as they were denigrated or put down. An era of revolutions opened when the governments were overthrown, due to the fact that it often seemed to constrain elimination of social classes. He also imparted a way to satisfy a cultural need for wisdom, or a mythology suitable to a new nation. He also shared that life was like a flower. It bloomed and died because of its short life. In my opinion, he wanted us to enjoy life and made it worth living because life is too short to be wasted for nothing.Freneau explained about the strange and far-away places. This feature relates to the love of ex otic locations around the world and in time and space. This could comprise the past or the future as well as strange places or situations in the present. He also emphasized the love and respect to the dead people that they must be treated right despite of their condition. Finally, as a whole, Freneau’s poem make him a romantic writer because he stressed deeply the exact meaning of love in all his poem. Phillis Wheatley was born around 1753 in Gambia, Africa and died on December 5, 1784 while still struggling with poverty.The salvation of Christianity evident in her three poems namely: To the University of Cambridge in New England, On being brought from Africa to America, and On the Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield 1770. Salvation is the deliverance from the power and effects of sin and the realization of the supremacy of infinite Mind over all bringing with it the destruction of the illusion of sin, sickness, and death. The message of the poem entitled â€Å"To the Un iversity of Cambridge in New England† wanted to interest us on how Jesus had redeemed us for our sins and gave us another chance to enjoy the privilege of being with him.We cannot measure the goodness and passion of the Lord for us because even though we are sinners, he decided to reach us by allowing his only begotten son, Jesus to die and redeemed us and be with him someday. We should be thankful about it. While in the poem, On being brought from Africa to America it implies that there is no discrimination in the sight of God when it comes to salvation. The race or the color of the eyes is not matter in front of God. Even though, we belong to the clan of the sinners, we can be purified by the love of God if we are also willing in return and become a member of His kingdom.On the third poem, it dwells on the good motives of our God. I believe that no parents, who love their children, desire evil things for their siblings but of course the favorable and best things. Just like o ur Lord and Savior, he is inviting us to accept Him, whoever you are, whatever your condition is and what race you belong, he never chose whom He will love and save. In the sight of God everybody is fair because He is a just God, no favoritism and is loved without hesitatio

Is Booking Travel over the Internet Causing the Decline of High Street Travel Agents? Essay

Is booking travel over the internet causing the decline of high street travel agents? During the decade leading up to 2007, ways of buying tourism products as changed a lot. Ten years ago people choosing a holiday more often than not a package holiday, by going to the travel agent and choosing one from a number of brochures and after chatting with the travel agent. Many people still chose this method but a lot more people are buying packing holidays, more people now buy online, or over the telephone, through teletext. People tended to find it cheaper to and more flexible to buy their flights from one internet site, their accommodation from another and book a hire car with another site, rather than buying a package holiday out of a tour operator’s brochure. They are not always financially, protected when booking travel separately. Holidaymakers are â€Å"turning their backs on the traditional high-street travel agent in favour of booking trips online†, reports sundayherald. com. Between 2000 and 2004 there was an 11% drop in the number of bookings made at travel agents, with only 47% of overseas holidays now being reserved through a high street travel agency, according to figures from market researchers Mintel. Many people book breaks by phone, and just 31% of overseas trips were booked in person in 2004,† says the report. â€Å"The research shows that traditional sun, sand and sangria package holidays are the main type of trip booked on the high street, with just one in five d omestic trips booked at travel agencies. Richard Cope, international travel analyst at Mintel, reportedly said consumer confidence in the internet was driving people away from booking in person. â€Å"Mintel’s research shows that almost one in five UK holidays are now booked online, with consumers becoming increasingly confident about making their own travel arrangements. † Mintel figures also indicated that, overall, more holidays are being taken. In 2004 65% of British people went on holiday, compared to 62% in 2000. Some 44% of holidaymakers now take more than one holiday a year, up 14% since 2000. Altogether, Britons took 43 million holidays abroad in 2004. http://www. m-travel. com/news/2005/10/number_of_booki. html Technological changes within tourism surround several different factors from medical advances to the innovative space tourism. Similar to tourism, technology is an ever changing and sometimes unstable business. Better communication, transport and safety have encouraged new consumers to the industry. Improvements in water supply, medicine and knowledge have meant areas are opened up which were not possible before technological advances. In today’s society in which a consumer wants easier, quicker and cheaper service only technology has helped tourism fulfil the customers demand. Another massive effect on tourism is the rapid increase in online booking that has given consumers more opportunity to make a holiday. Through technological advances, online booking has been one of the biggest factors in affecting tourism, leisure and recreation in today’s world. There were 37,600,000 Internet users in the United Kingdom (representing 62. % of the population) in March 2007, according to Internet World Stats. This was up by 144. 2% compared to 2000. (Internet World Stats, March 2007) and a new Google Survey has shown that surfing the web has topped watching television as Britain’s favourite past time. On average residents in the UK spend 164 minutes online every day compared to 148 minutes watching television (Daily Mail, Friday 10th March 2006). This shows how much the internet is now an integral part of life and has had an effect on other aspects influencing the tourism business. More and more people are now booking their holiday on the internet, as many people are looking for a better priced deal than they’re being offered by their travel agent. Both holiday and airline bookings have not dramatically rose in sales from the travel slump of 2001-02 due to the massive consequences of September 11th and the threat of terrorism which has increased (it saw similar slumps although smaller after the Madrid bombings and 7/7 terrorist attacks). The Iraq war, the SARS/bird flu epidemics and very consistent hot European summers have persuaded the usual long haul travellers to stay at home. This has seen a loss in sales and therefore profits causing one of the hardest aviation crises of the industry. The number of job cuts that were announced in 2003/04 was well over 100,000 according to BBC News, November 2005. Routes had been slashed and several European carriers were barely clinging to life. The turmoil in the industry went from Aer Lingus to XL Airways, but times were changing and the industry needed something new. Survival tactics started to emerge and online travel started to show evidence of bucking this gloomy trend. The Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), as cited in a May 21, 2002, Financial Times article had cited for many years that online spending was increasing and predicted it to triple at the end of the decade. Looking at e-commerce data overall, the firm counted travel as the biggest online sector, followed by electronic products and apparel. IMRG also said British shoppers were buying larger and more expensive goods online, such as furniture and kitchen appliances. This showed a large gap in the sub-market that needed to be exploited. Online Travel Spend ($bn) Europe N. AmericaU. K 20002. 4 6. 4 0. 20015. 8 11. 00 1. 8 200212. 7 18. 7 3. 7 Source: Datamonitor At the start of the boom these were seen as survival tactics by the airlines and the government also pushed for more progress in online booking to make the travel industry more prosperous. The economic realities forced travel companies to be more efficient in running their business. Websites, for example were able to promote the latest ticket prices, particularly at a time when they were being slashed on a day-to-day basis which was used to tempt travelers back into the air. Similarly travel sites e-mailed a wide ustomer base with relative ease to promote special deals. It is seen as the cheapest method of booking a holiday, the LogicaCMG (a marketing body) has said that phone bookings typically cost about ? 30 to service. By contrast net bookings cost around 75p. One of the biggest online travel sites Expedia, took an initial knock from 11 September, but then saw its transaction volumes recover by 80-85% during October. â€Å"Like every travel company, we experienced a downturn, but we then recovered a lot more quickly than the traditional industry† said James Vaile, managing director of Expedia in the UK. Online travel sites are also well positioned to exploit the recent procrastination by consumers in booking holidays. People are booking later than usual in recent years and the internet is seen as the obvious and natural place to hunt down last-minute bargains. As this bar chart shows travel sales online rose rapidly from 2006-2007 and it is expected to continue to rise to over $30 billion. The consumers weren’t only using the internet to book their holidays but also to research and gain knowledge of the destinations they wanted to go to. The search engines were flooded with searches over cheap flights, accommodation and new destinations (as shown in the rankings). From the bar chart below it shows that web-search is the preferred method of obtaining travel information with it being preferred nearly twice as much as personal recommendation, the second most preferred method. This is then followed by TV programmes, but the travel agents became the fourth option of consumers to collect travel information. Web-searches are high due to people liking to make their own decisions at their own pace and this can’t be done in travel agents where they are pushed, poked and pressured. This is unpleasant for the consumer and has changed the trend in which consumers went to travel agents for advice, whereas now they would rather use the internet. As this pie chart to the left shows the internet has had a huge impact on the booking of a holiday, with 79% of all booked holidays using the internet in the process. Also, the internet has seen a large increase in the number of â€Å"last minute† business as many tourists feel it is better-placed and they can search for the best priced, most suitable holidays or excursions. Furthermore, since the growth of the internet, online advertising has been used as a huge marketing tool, where holiday and travel providers can target large quantities of potential customers and keep advertising costs low. This has also been used to great effect as they appear to be a successful method and an efficient way of gaining business from the wallet-conscious consumers, whereas high street advertising receives less notice. Moreover, the internet has caused the high street travel agencies to close, therefore creating job losses within the businesses. This is mainly due to the fact that more people are booking direct with the holiday providers, thus cutting out the middle man and saving money by doing the research and booking themselves. This is usually done by using the internet or telephone booking where the overhead costs are much lower as an outlet has to be staffed and incur running costs such as electricity bills and also because of the larger volumes of people that are able to access the service. A recent example of this is was in 2001, when Airtours, the UK’s largest tour operator had to cut one-in-seven of its high street branches in an effort to return to profitability. According to finance director David Jardine, around 120 shops going under the name â€Å"Going Places† were closed as the business stated that they were finding there was an â€Å"increasing trend in customers wishing to book direct†. On the other hand, online companies such as Expedia. com have seen their profits on the rise over the past few years as would be expected, although they had not anticipated such a large growth. For the last three months of 2001, Expedia saw its net income surge to $19m according to BBC News, compared with a loss of $2. 6m in the same quarter of 2000 and also the firms evenues were in excess of $80 million for 2001, over double that for 2000, showing how quickly it has established itself as an efficient internet booking service. So in conclusion online booking for travel has dramatically changed tourism in the world. It has provided a less time consuming, cost effective and an overall efficient/productive method in organising tourism which has seen triggered a rapid rise in sales. Airlines are now recovering after effects that were unforeseen. BAA Limited, formerly the British Airport Association said seven UK Airports handled a total of 11. m passengers in August 2006 making it a record summer with the highest number of passengers ever recorded over a two month period. BAA also revealed here was a 6. 8% increase in passenger traffic for the 12 months to August 31st 2006. Bigger discounts and better security could tempt more people to book holidays online, a LogicaCMG survey (http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/technology/3939035. stm) found. However, the future of online booking although seen as prosperous can also turn, but due to the recovery in airline business they are starting to hit back. Prices are starting to rise and now you must book early to get the best price. The same survey revealed that online discounts were still not high enough to tempt potential customers onto travel websites and that the process was still too complicated for some consumers. A serious issue with online booking is the fear of fraud. Consumers are not convinced that any personal and financial information they hand over would be kept secure by online travel shops and this is slowing the potential growth that could occur otherwise. The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) sees the online travel market having a long way to go before it replaces high street travel agents. ABTA estimates that by the end of 2007 online travel will be 17% of the UK’s ? 28bn travel market but this growth will only occur if trends continue as it relies on steadily growing numbers of people happy to book holidays online and as well as improvements in technology and the creation of better websites by travel firms. Issues over security, faults and complications need to be solved if this method of booking is to prosper. The travel industry although brash will always be around due to the need and want of consumers to travel. â€Å"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.

Proposed marketing research for a specified company (REPORT) Term Paper

Proposed marketing research for a specified company (REPORT) - Term Paper Example People are working in different shifts round the clock and the companies usually provide pick-up and drop facilities to their employees. However, food is a source of concern because, availability of quality food at odd times in hygienic condition at a convenient place is a problem faced by the people working in these companies. This situation presents an opportunity to a growing business in this area for round the clock food supply through a fleet of pick-up vans at different locations at different times where these people can come and collect food on their way to the working places or homes after work or during their lunch breaks. The idea is to avoid setting up of a permanent shop with all the facilities for a business of few hours in a day, and thereby saving costs. In this manner, more number of customers could be serviced at different places by a ‘food van’ and fleet consists of about 6 vans could cover an entire region. This will result into economies of scale in t he business, and cost-efficient and latest technology could be adopted in the production processes. The food vans can also sell bottled drinking water and outsourced snacks as an additional business. Introduction The niche areas in food business offer immense scope for specialization, growth and development to the small and medium sized businesses. The competition in the niche areas is very limited due to localized demand, personalized service required and small investment outlay in project which is not compatible with the growth strategy of big corporate companies. In the current business proposal, the insignificant level of competition, requirement of limited investment and labor, scope for personalized service, specialist experience in the food supply and favorable policies prevailing in respect of financing to SMEs are the attractive features. The profile of the restaurant industry in general and its growth in the recent years could be inferred from the Appendix – I: Rest aurant Performance Index. Background The small and medium enterprises’ role in the economic development of a country on account of its employment generation is very significant. For an economic growth to be sustainable in the long run, it is very important to evaluate the pros and cons of the business opportunity by making marketing survey to ensure sure footing into the business. In the present proposal, three important criteria are involved, apart from identifying the cluster of organizations which are operating in a particular region so that the delivery point for supply of food could be finalized. Firstly, it is important to fix up an appropriate time which coincides with the increased peoples’ movement in the area due to timing of the shifts, shopping malls, market places and the government offices. The second important criteria is to fix up the length of time, the food van has to be stationed in the location to service the maximum number of clients. The third and the most important aspect is the information directly related to the business, such as the age group of the

Agency perspective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Agency perspective - Essay Example All the members of the Very Bad Bike Club (VBBC) are dangerous because they engage in a number of criminal activities ranging from drug trafficking to participation in a criminal enterprise. Major Allen Irongate has his job well defined as the Security Chief of the state correctional facility. Since the member of Very Bad Bike Club (VBBC) roam Virtual, they are in constant battles with the police who are diligent to make Virtual a safe city. In this regard, a number of criminals find themselves at the correctional facility after facing prosecution from the Chief Prosecutor. The Security Chief of the state correctional facility oversees the welfare of prisoners under his docket to ensure that none of them escapes. In addition, Major Allen Irongate, who holds the docket, is responsible for the intake and release of prisoners, most of who belong to VBBC. He also has a duty to keep the records of all inmates and those released on parole. Although Major Allen Irongate has tried her best to manage the correctional facility, constant release and sentencing of same criminals have thwarted his efforts (Ferdico, Fradella, & Totten, 2013).   The perspective of the Security Chief of the state correctional facility, Major Allen Irongate is quite strange in the sense that she has her personal issues with Very Bad Bike Club (VBBC). She holds the strong opinion that the imprisonment of the majority of the VBBC members has relieved the city of Virtual of the unrest it had experienced hitherto. In fact, she feels that the correctional facility is doing its job diligently because of the marked reduction in criminal cases within the locality. It means that correctional facilities are not places where criminals face harsh disciplinary measures, but rehabilitation centers (McCullough, 2006).   Instead of reforming and becoming better citizens as Major Irongate

Ethics Case Study Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethics Case Study - Term Paper Example According to Statement of Ethical Professional Practice issued by the Institute of Management Accountants’ (IMA), all members of the accounting profession have the responsibility to mitigate conflicts of interest and communicate regularly with associates in the field to nullify apparent conflicts of interest (Longstaff, 2010). The scenario presents an ethical issue. There is a conflict of interest between the right things the accountant should do against what the CEO wants him to do. Ethical dilemma sets in as the accountant has a hard time discerning and refraining from engaging in conducts that prejudice conducting his duties with the best of interest of all. If I were in the position of the accountant in the case study, I would strive to detach myself from any activities that may discredit the profession of accountancy. Even though my personal interests of retaining my job and paying mortgage are factors that would influence continuity of the company, I would not doctor fiscal records of the company to get a bank loan. I would advise the company CEO to look for more ethical ways to restore financial performance of the

Government Regulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Government Regulation - Essay Example For example, the constitution allows a person the freedom of speech or expression yet in the case of media houses and broadcasting stations the government comes in the regulate the news content permissible for them to air in their radio or TV stations, or to post in their websites (Rasmussen 47). Operation Regulation Regulations tend to develop at numerous levels of government as time passes by and commissions end up gaining greater power with respect to the operations of regulations. It is now so involving for government departments and agencies to take part in the design and final implementation of regulations. It is noteworthy that government agencies constituted by either the executive or the legislative branches are highly responsible for actual implementation of various regulations issued by the government department in charge. For instance, in the United States, the Food and Drug Association (FDA) and Environment Protection Agency (EPA) are responsible promoting laws that ensu re safe food and drug products are in the market while as well as laws that cut down on pollution effect in the country respectively (Rasmussen 47). Government agencies have become powerful institutions over the recent past owing to the delegate roles they extended by the government. For instance, the legislative arm of the government may formulate or enact laws and establish guiding principles and agencies leave to make follow-ups and final implementation. The operations of these agencies are highly influenced by their independence and as such, there are certain agencies that free from the control of the executive and other department of the government. The government department as well as agencies do not... Government Regulation The activities usually regulated by the government or such legal statutes of law include behaviours of people, actions of a person or groups of people, authority of office holders, and the rights upheld by the constitution to individual citizens. It the role of all branches of the government, i.e. the judiciary, the legislative and the executive to make and implement policies and rules that help in maintenance of law and order throughout the country. The deliberate attempt by governments to set up legal barriers to control and restrict certain activities by individuals and corporate entities in the society is government regulation. This is not a contemporary issue but began several centuries ago where community elders and leaders engaged in attempts that would advance their interests. Consequently, governments make use of regulations as a way of protecting and controlling important matters of the government and the civilians. Poor information is another reason for market failure. Market failure often arise when business enterprises fail to supply sufficient information to consumers and other parties such as creditors or workers to allow them make informed choices. For this reasons government regulations come in handy to correct this market failure. A clear example is the disclosure requirement by pharmaceutical companies as well as lending institutions, as they are required advice their clients on the possible side effects of the drug and interest rates respectively

Locke on the state Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Locke on the state - Essay Example In order to understand a normative account of government, it is useful to understand the descriptive. By examining theories regarding the human state of nature, it is possible to set forth standards and norms by which people ought to live, including those relating to who should rule. This essay will analyze Locke's account of the origins and purpose of governance, with the aim of understanding how supporting the conflicting ideals of autonomy and authority might be remedied. Locke's state of nature comprises three elements; a state of perfect freedom, a state of equality and a state of natural law, which commands "no-one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions" (9). Accepting these elements is of fundamental importance in understanding the origins and role of government, but there are problems to be overcome. The natural law immediately limits the scope of the first, in that we do not have a perfect freedom to jeopardize another person's safety or invade their property. Secondly, if every person is equal, there is no natural claim to authority, which seems to conflict with the notion of obeying the law as set down by a government. The inclusion of the moral law in Locke's state of nature helps us to understand the motivations behind an argument for setting up a political governing body. We may all be equal on Earth, but the existence of a natural law which states we are duty bound not to harm others implies the existence of an objective morality as created by some other superior being, i.e. God. This theological aspect of Locke's account is important. It means that every individual is at liberty to behave in a way which fits within the parameters of a natural moral duty. Furthermore, as the law is created by a superior being, there must be some reason to accept that the law should be upheld. Although it might seem absurd, in this day and age to accept an appeal to God as a reason to accept an argument, Locke also appeals to an idea of natural reason which is inherent in all of us. Co-operation with the natural law ensures our survival, and so it is unreasonable to think anyone would object to it. Hence, each person is not only equally bound to abide by the natural law, but each person is also equally bound to ensure that others abide by it. "In transgressing the law of nature, the offender declares himself to live by another rule other than that of reason" (Locke 10), and so offers himself up to be punished by those who have not. The equality of every man within a state of n ature also means that each individual who has not broken the natural law has the right to punish the offender. The severity of that punishment should be adequate not only to ensure the perpetrator does not commit the same act again, but also act as a deterrent for other would-be criminals to do something similar. From this reasoning, it is believed that mankind will be preserved and live in a state of relative security. By Locke's own admission, this right to punish, may seem like "a very strange doctrine" (10), but without it, the law of the land would only apply to those who are naturally resident within it. Foreigners who have not consented to domestic legal policy would be free to act under their own standards and so the freedoms and safety of native habitants would be in doubt. It must then be a natural law that governs all mankind, regardless of cultural

Stress Management in Organisation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stress Management in Organisation - Assignment Example The relationship between marketing and information technology, in this case, is vital because both coexist to improve the other. For instance, information technology plays a role as a management tool in a business organization e.g. decision making and strategic management. To illustrate this, we can say for instance that organizations do produce goods and services at a given level of production that meet the demand on a daily basis. Not every day does a business enjoy boom sales and so decisions related to output will be based on the information management has in order to meet the demand of the market. In strategic management, the company will be able to enjoy a competitive advantage (Kotler, pg 22). This is developed through distinguishing a company in an extraordinary business in contrast with other players in the consumer’s opinion. This can only be achieved through information technology. Implementing this strategy will lead to an improvement in the efficiency and effectiv eness of the organization. Competitive advantage has an important role in the success of a business and in accomplishing this; the organization will need a Marketing structure that will help to realize their objective (Mohr, pg 23). Information technology plays an important role in improving the value of products. This can be taken from the perspective of quality of goods and services produced. The technology gives a systematic test in making sure that goods produced are of the right quality thereby adding value. One way of ensuring that quality is achieved is through the marketing followed by accounting from the customer and finally testing of products which involve effective and efficient procedures of information technology. The high-quality goods that have been produced will be taken to the market and marketing will aid in making them public (Nambisan, pg 7).  Ã‚     

International Business Ethics Essay Example for Free

International Business Ethics Essay A business colleague once recalled a situation in which a former employer had to decide whether gift-giving or bribery was ethically acceptable. In an international business situation, bribery is often a way of cutting through bureaucratic red tape and expediting deals. American companies consider bribery unethical because the American way considers bribery an unfair advantage and does not condone the practice. On an international level, bribery is often an accepted part of local culture and not seen as unethical, but as a way to achieve a quick win-win deal for all parties involved. American business has long been accused of cultural imperialism, the practice of promoting the culture of one nation into another nation by force (wikipedia, 2007). American businesses feel that the American way of doing business is the only way all international businesses should operate, regardless of a locally accepted practices or culture. American companies that are not willing to accept that bribery is an ethical and integral part of performing business on international soil are severely short selling business opportunities. While bribery has resulted in unethical practices on American soil, the same is not true in many international settings. Extra payment for services is seen as good business and often the only way to get any business completed in a timely fashion. While some companies may use bribery on international soil to a disadvantage, most local business cultures simply will not do business without the bribery payments. Globalization has increased the pressure on international business members to regulate many business practices such as bribery. American businesses need to be cognizant of international cultures and take into consideration that accepted practices in a global setting may not be the same as on American soil. Global regulation should strive to be free of American cultural imperialism to be accepted and respected on an international level. Reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_imperialism

Organisation of the Retail Sector

Organisation of the Retail Sector For the purpose of this assignment, I shall start off the assignment by defining the term retailing. I shall then describe how the retail industry is organised include many ways and places in which retail is conducted and finally I shall describe the changes that are taking place in the industry structure. Retailing is to provide services and products and at a profit. Retailing consists of the sale of goods for personal or household consumption operating from an appropriate location offering wide range of access to its target audience. For example, Retail Park in (Lakeside) ensuring adequate stock is available to meet customer demand as well as offering attractive and distinctive products. Ways and places in which retail is conducted There are immense ways and places in which retail may be conducting in current environment, however the aim of all types of retails is to engage with customer effectively and achieve the organisation aims and objectives through the various strategies that may suit them. Some of the ways and places are mentioned in detail as following. Classification of types of store There are several classifications of types of retail store as shown in the table below. Type of retailer Example Independent Corner shop such as Multiple chains Pharmacy, Department stores John Lewis, Selfridge, Tesco Metro Supermarkets Iceland, Morrison, Mark Spencer, Tesco Catalogue stores Argos, Empire direct, kays Discount stores Pc World, Maplin, Currys, Comet, Superdrug Emerging store types There are number of new store formats have appeared recently as mentioned below Shopping village Outlet Stores, Factory Shops, Factory Outlets, there are many names but only one concept, and that is to bring you designer products at discount prices. For example, shopping village in Oxford provides designer cloths at discount prices through website. Factory shops The factory shop is attached to a factory. A factory shop normally sell imperfect produced in the adjacent factory. In other words goods that may not be satisfactory produced in nearby factory. For example, The original factory shop offering a wide range of merchandise Ladieswear, Menswear, Kidswear, Sportswear, Football, Electricals, Housewares, Toys and Gifts, Beauty and Fragrance all discounted. Much of what they sell is either branded or is originally made for other high street stores and supermarkets. Television sales channels In recent years cable or satellite channels companies have dedicated shopping channels such as QVC and Express Shop to allow the consumer to order online instantly through remote control. E -Retailing The internet has tremendous change on the shopping habit of consumers and selling and buying products over the internet continues to gain popularity. This is because the internet has tree main advantages such as Convince shopping over internet allows consumer to shop online without having to leave their house Choices this is seen as the biggest advantages as the internet allows access to wide range of products from across the world for example EBay, this gives advantage to internet over shopping centre. Cost in general, goods sold online are much cheaper than those sold in shops and the expenses to run the website is relatively less than running physical shops. Online and physical stores The combination of technology and physical appearance of store is combined together, for example an electric store Pc World attempts to combine both an online web store and a physical store as it allows customer to surfer to order online and pick up from the store as well as delivering at their doorsteps. Service versus product retailing Organisation providing high proportion of services emphasis on providing effective marketing mix, such organisation includes banks, estate agents, cafes e.t.c. however product retailer emphasis not as much as service providing organisation. It is because service can exists within customer and organisation for long time such as Tenants and agents and therefore the agents has to provide effective service to convey customer and not loss it, on the other hand retailer selling cable electrical products, if once sold to customer then it will be used as long as the fault becomes. Therefore the service can exist for a long time where as providing products can be flexible and quick. Classification of retailers Retailers can be classified from variety of viewpoints, for example higher number of employees and sales turnover is indication of a tall structured organisation. There are other factors as well such as the size and product strategy, for example very large stores such as ASDA and Morisons selling a full range of food and non food products. In the UK 11% of all enterprises are retailers operating from around 280,000 retail outlets. Location The places of shopping have become more diverse, todays there are local, city centre and out of town retail parks, plus regional shopping developments. Local Local shops are located and serve suburban areas or smaller towns. They generally consisted of significant number of stores. The aim of such stores is to provide flexible shopping for consumers in a given locality enabling them to shop close by where they live rather than having to travel far away. In town stores and shopping centres It is commonly known as typical high street which is consisted of Department stores (such as Mark Spencer) Multiples (such as new Look) Service retailer (such as building societies and banks) The aim of such town stores and shipping centres is to provide large coverage and access to all possible products and services that is commonly used by consumers such as cloths, food and non food products, banking e.t.c. it is to maximising the efficiency of providing everything at located places. Out of town retail parks and regional centres There are huge regional shopping complexes located in several out of town sites in the UK. They have more attraction than shopping mall on large scale, these provides wide range of facilities such as restaurants, cinema, cash points as well as train stations and motorway access. Other out of town includes stores such as Comet, Dixons, Pc World, MF and BQ. The reason for such stores is that it is easy to park, prices are competitive and the size of these stores is huge means a great variety of goods is on sale. Ownership The ownership of retail stores reflects the diverse nature of the industry. Independent retailers are organisation with fewer then ten branches. Independent retailers tend to offer specialist range of products for example medicines, they also sell a range of products including groceries household goods, wine and spirits. Multiple retailers are organisation with more than ten branches. Some multiples are classified as specialist such as Burtons for clothing. Multiple variety stores like Boot s and Mark Spencer offer wide range of food. These stores tend to be in busy shopping areas and the prices tend to be relatively low. Voluntary chain retailers choose to buy most of the stock from the certain wholesalers whose price tends to be relatively low due to their buying power such as SPAR. Franchised retailers are granted the rights in a geographical area. In simple words, it is legal right given to a person who wishes to run the branch of established business or organisation an example would be Mc Donald or KFC. The franchisee pays a fee based sales or even agrees to buy supplies from the franchisor. Structured of the retail industry The structured of the retail industry has become more diverse due to expansions of brands in different type of location. The structure of retail can be noticed from number of perspectives such as the size and profitability, Trends in sale and other aspects. Size The size of UK retail industry continues to grow but not as rapid as it was from year 2000 to 2007. This is due to competitive market and economic turmoil in the current environment which is forcing industry size to be limited or even reduce it as the sales begin to slump. Trends in sales Form the past two year the retail sales have fallen dramatically due to the affect of recession on their sales, some retailers have reported of 10% sales being fallen. This has reduced the growth rates of the UK retailers. UK retail sales values fell 0.1% on a like-for-like basis from August 2008, however Retail sales in central London in November were 13.3% higher on a like-for-like basis than a year ago, when sales had fallen 0.4%, as financial turmoil hit consumer confidence especially in the City. This shows the glowing picture of sales. Profitability The formula for better profit is high sales and similarly low sale contributes to low profit. The retailers from across the country have reported improved sales from the last three years this means presumably healthy profit. however it cant be neglected that the uncertainty still remain in the British economy. But for the mean time the retailer are enjoying the volume of profit. Store size and location Some of the retailers such as Tesco have expanded in terms of the size and location. The management have made changes into physical structure enlarging it even further in some of the stores. Tesco have also begun to deploy stores in community such as Tesco Express in local community where the local shops are also operating. In general, it is noticed that retailer are committed expand the physical size as well as location such as retail park to provide maximum access to consumers. Not-for-profit and public place retailers There has been a growth in not for profit retailers such as Oxfam, Cancer research. They sell goods brought in by donors and use voluntary staff. The growth can be as people are becoming aware of their aims and objectives and thus feel compassionate towards their cause. Public retailers also have common variety of diverse venues, for example there has been noticeable rise in the products available from vending machines as it provide more services such as hot drinks. Similarly, there has been increased in retailers in main rail station for example, WHSmith is a common sight at many UK rail stations. Employment characteristic The retail industry employee approximately 3 million people, over the last five years employment in retailing has grown by 141,000. However, from the last year there has been decline in retail employment due to economic turmoil and the demand of employment has reduced significantly. Conclusion In this assignment, I have defined the term retailing described how the retail industry is organised through many ways and places in which retail is conducted and I have described the changes that are taking place in the industry structure

The Law Of Evidence

The Law Of Evidence Smooth muscle is one of three muscle fiber types found in animals. Unlike skeletal and cardiac muscle cells, smooth muscle cells are not striated, and have single nuclei. Smooth muscles are typically under control of the autonomic nervous system, and do not contract voluntarily. Smooth muscle contracts slowly, and does not exhibit the characteristic twitch seen in skeletal muscle. In addition, smooth muscle is not prone to muscle fatigue, making it an ideal component of sphincter muscles. Smooth muscle is found in the gastrointestinal tract of many animals, and is responsible for peristaltic movements. Smooth muscle contractions are affected by calcium and potassium ions. Calcium ion influx into the smooth muscle cell initiates a contraction. Potassium ion concentration in the extra cellular medium affects the resting membrane potential of the cell, bringing it closer to or farther away from its threshold voltage. Neurotransmitters affect different types of smooth muscle differently, depending on the association of the smooth muscle with excitable cells. In general, acetylcholine increases the muscle cells permeability to calcium, while epinephrine decreases the cells permeability to calcium. Introduction and aim of the experiment The following report was to test a smooth muscle which was collected from the intestine of a rabbit. The main of this experiment was to see how the surrounding environment of the muscle could affect how muscle contracted. The experiment consisted of different environments and the muscle was monitored and results were recorded of the amplitude and the frequency of the wavelengths. The levels of muscle contractions and relaxations were measured using a transducer, a D.C amplifier, and a laboratory computer. Overview of experiment The smooth muscle was a small part of the intestine which was prepared correctly by trimming off the attached mesentery and fat. This experiment only required one piece of this smooth muscle and this was then placed into a beaker which was aerated and fed Ringer-Locke solution this is an aqueous solution containing the chlorides of sodium and potassium and calcium that is isotonic to animal tissues. The experiment only required one piece of small intestine, which had the length of 2-3 cm long. The intestine was held in place with a tissue holder, and was attached to the transducer via a piece of string. The transducer detected contractions and relaxation of the muscle, and via the D.C amplifier showed on the computer the frequency and strength of the contractions and relaxations. The solution that the muscle was placed in was kept at the temperature of 37 Celsius apart from when the environment condition changed was the temperature. This type of setup is known as in vivo preparation. This preparation of the smooth intestine allows a precise control of the environmental conditions. Brief description of test carried out The test which was carried out had six parts to it. The first part of the experiment was to gain initial control of the muscle this was done by having optimum conditions for the smooth muscle so it could achieve a steady rate of contraction and relaxation. This was achieved by adding Ringer-Locke solution and keeping it aerated. By having this set up it allowed the muscle environment to be very closely met to the ideal body environment where the muscle would have a good contraction and relaxation rate. The muscle was left in this preparation until the readings on the computer were constant (about 4 minutes) the initial control was labelled using the comment bar. The next environment was non-aerated this meant to turn the air supply off which was coming to the bath where the muscle was held. Then the Ringer-Locke solution was removed from the bath and fresh Ringer-Locke solution was then placed into the bath. The reason for removing the old solution was to prevent any inaccurate readings as the solution could still have contained oxygen which would have affected the results. This part of the test was recorded after every 5, 10, 15 minutes and the results where inserted into a table. The main purpose of using this environment was to see what the muscle contractions and relaxations are when there is a lack of oxygen. This part of the experiment was again labelled on the comment bar. The next part of the experiment was to remove the Ringer-Locke solution and replace it with 50ml of glucose free solution and again results were recorded after every 5 ,10, 15 minutes and recorded into a table. The fourth different environment was change in temperature. The Ringer-Locke solution of 37 Celsius was replaced with a Ringer-Locke solution that was cooled to 4 Celsius. The purpose of this environment was to test the muscle activity in a cold environment and to analyse the effects. The fifth environment involved the use of calcium free solution this replaced the Ringer-Locke solution. This was analysed for 5 minutes to see how the muscle activity was affected. The final environment was to do with changes in the pH. The pH was changed from pH7 which is neutral to a different pH. The solution with different pH was prepared before hand and the purpose of this environment was to see what effect a pH change would have on the muscle activity. After each part of the experiment initial control was established before moving on to the next part the reason for this being to keep the muscle running properly before each part of the experiment and to cause less damage to the smooth muscle. Also each part of the experiment was labelled on the comment bar this was done to show each different part clearly so it was not confused. (Clear methods are shown in the printouts) Results table for my experiment Firstly the results achieved ere done by looking at the different graphs and to work out the amplitude for the graph the following was done: Example (Graph not related to report) To work out the amplitude of the graph recording two figures were recorded one being the peak of the wave and the other being the lowest part of the wave To work out the frequency for each part of the experiment the amount of waves were recorded in a minute time period. The frequency in this case was how many times the muscles contracted and relaxed in a minutes. The amplitude was the strength of each contraction and relaxing of the muscle. The maximum and minimum amplitudes were collected for each environment and recorded; the amplitude chosen was picked at random as well as the minute where the frequency of waves was calculated. These are results are shown in the table below: Environments Frequency per Minute (min-1) Amplitude 1 Amplitude 2 Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Initial control 15 2.10 0.78 1.96 0.65 Non aerated 5 Mins 13 1.94 0.47 1.89 0.38 Non aerated 10 Mins 17 1.53 0.36 1.51 0.38 Non aerated 15 Mins 16 1.58 0.38 1.54 0.36 Lack of glucose 5 mins 17 1.34 0.47 1.49 0.41 Lack of glucose 10 mins 17 1.51 0.43 1.52 0.45 Lack of glucose 15 mins 17 1.37 0.45 1.43 0.46 Cold ringer solution 5 Mins 14 1.76 0.44 1.73 0.51 Calcium Lack 5 Mins 12 1.15 0.63 .95 0.47 Change of pH Flat No waves Discussion of results Firstly a diagram of the intestine is needed to show how it works and what different types of cells it contains. This is needed as it will help to understand why the muscle behaved differently when tested with six different environments. A diagram of the small intestine is shown below; The small intestine contains the 4 basic layers which are serosa, muscularis, submucosa, and mucosa. Small intestine wall is composed of the same four layers that make up most of the gastrointestinal tract: serosa, muscularis, submucosa, and mucosa. The mucosa is composed of a layer of epithelium, lamina propria, and muscularis mucosae. The epithelial layer of the small intestinal musoca consists of simple columnar epithelium that contains many types of cells. Some of these are the following: Enetrocytes these help with the transport of substances from lumen of the intestine to the circulatory system, synthesis of the glycoprotein enzymes needed for terminal digestion and absorption. Goblet cells these are unicellular mucin also known as secreting glands. Paneth cells these are located at the bottom of the intestinal glands. Their main function is their secretion of granules which contain lysozyme this enzyme helps breakdown bacteria also known as phagocytosis. Paneth cells may have a role in regulating the microbial population in the small intestine. Enteroendocrine cells these are mostly found again in the lower parts of the intestinal gland known as the crypt. The main function of these cells is to release several hormones. The main one beings cholecystokinin, secretin and gastric inhibitory peptide these help increase pancreatic and gallbladder activity. Intermediate cells these are young enterocytes and goblet cell which are able to withstand cell division. Apart from the smooth muscle many other cells and vessels make up the intestine. The small intestine also contains submucosal artery and vein, lymphatic vessel, submucosal plexus, circular layer of smooth muscle, and myenteric plexus. All these tissues, cells, and vessel combine to make the small intestine wall. The smooth muscle in the control environment was able to obtain a steady frequency through out its 4 minute period with 15 waves per minute. The waves which were seen were the smooth muscle contracting and relaxing. The amplitude levels of the waves were both quite high showing strong contractions rate the reason for this was that the environment set was to ideal conditions where the muscle could perform its best. It had a max amplitude of 2.10 and min amplitude of 0.78 which shows that having ideal conditions the muscle is able to behave normally without any problems. The effect of oxygen lack of the smooth muscle cause the small intestine to increase the frequency, at 5 minutes no aerated the frequency had first dropped to 13 and after 15 minutes the frequency of contraction and relaxations had increased to 17 the reason or this being without oxygen the smooth muscles started to have spasms as it was unable to contract properly without the oxygen supply needed. Also the amplitude levels decreased quite quickly from 1.94 (max) and 0.47(min) at 5 minutes to 1.58(max) and 0.38 (min) at 15 minutes. The reason for this was that without oxygen the muscle was unable to make the energy needed for strong contractions as the peak is lowered as can be seen on the traces. This was detected by the pull on the string that was attached to the transducer; the pull was not as strong so this was recorded on the traces. So without oxygen the muscle cells are still able to make ATP but a small amount. Only about 2 ATP are produced per molecule of glucose in glycolys is. If there is no oxygen present, the Pyruvate produced in glycolysis undergoes fermentation to regenerate the NAD+ used in glycolysis. This is known as anaerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration generates only two ATPs, and lactic acid is produced. Most lactic acid diffuses out of the cell and into the bloodstream and is subsequently absorbed by the liver. Some of the lactic acid remains in the muscle fibers, where it contributes to muscle fatigue. Because both the liver and muscle fibers must convert the lactic acid back to pyruvic acid when oxygen becomes available, anaerobic respiration is said to produce oxygen debt The next part of the experiment was to test how the muscle activity differed when placed in glucose free solution. From this part of the test the frequency of muscle activity stayed consistent throughout the 15 minutes. The traces show consistent movement and also the amplitudes levels differed as at 5 minutes (1.34) the maximum amplitude was low then at 10 minutes (1.51) it wet higher and at 15 minutes (1.37) it decreased again to a similar figure which was at 5 minutes. By looking at this result the results are not as accurate as they should have been, meaning they may have been some kind of inaccuracy when following the method as without glucose, ATP can not be made and the amplitude of the waves should have been lower. ATP can be made from glucose which is stored in the carbohydrate glycogen. Through the metabolic process of glycogenolysis, glycogen is broken down to release glucose. ATP is then generated from glucose by cellular respiration. Also ATP can be produced from glucose and fatty acids obtained from the bloodstream. When energy requirements are high, glucose from glycogen stored in the liver and fatty acids from fat stored in adipose cells and the liver are released into the bloodstream. Glucose and fatty acids are then absorbed from the bloodstream by muscle cells. ATP is then generated from these energy-rich molecules by cellular respiration. Without glucose the frequecny should hve increased but the amplitudes levels should have decreased as there was not a sufficient energy source which could supply the muscle so it could contract and relax. The next part of the experiment consisted of placing the smooth muscle into a cooled solution of 4 Celsius from a change of 37 Celsius. There was not much change to the frequency but it did drop a little bit due to the muscle not being used to these environmental conditions. The amplitude differed from the control readings as they had decreased but were still quite high as they had the nutrients in the solutions which helped them to contract. If this experiment was left to carry on then there would be further change as the solution would gradually heat up to room temperature and this would mean that the smooth muscle activity would increase. Calcium plays a big part in all muscle contraction as well as smooth muscle contraction which is different as it does not contain troponin. In smooth muscles calcium ions enter from outside the cell. They then bind to an enzyme complex on myosin; this then breaks up ATP into ADP and then transfers the Pi directly into myosin. By doing this it allows the myosin to activate and from cross ridges with actin. When the calcium is pumped out of the cell, the Pi gets removed from myosin by an enzyme this allows the myosin to become inactive and the smooth muscle is able to relax. This process is also known as myosin regulated contraction. In the experiment where calcium free solution was added it affected the smooth muscle immensely as the frequency of contracting and relaxing dropped to 12. Also the amplitude levels came down as the contractions and relaxations levels were not strong the max being 0.95 and the minimum being 0.47 if this was left for a longer period of time the frequency levels may have dropped more. Without calcium entering the cell the smooth muscle is unable to do the process which is described above. While making the Ringer-Locke solution it is not only the calcium ions which are important to the smooth muscles. Some others are potassium chloride and sodium chloride, the reason these ions are needed because it helps to portray an environment such as the body with ideal conditions. If only distilled water was used it would mean the cells in the muscles would up take the water and blow up. So these ions are used so they are able to keep a concentration gradient and allow everything to work correctly as it would in the smooth muscles natural environment. The final environment was the change in pH levels. The results showed that the muscle had stopped functioning and there was no reading on the traces. This meant that there was no muscle contraction or relaxing. The reason for this was the muscle had broken down the reason for this muscle fatigue was that the low pH had affected the smooth muscle as it was unable to perform in this type of environment. Also as the low pH solution was there for a certain period of time the muscle was unable to remove it and therefore caused the muscle to breakdown. The low pH may have affected the sarcoplasmic reticulum which may lead to the interfere of the intercellular calcium concentrations, this can lead to long term physical muscle damage as muscle fibers are affected. While preparing the isolated smooth muscle many precautions are taken so the muscle can avoid excessive pH changes. One of these precautions which are taken is to make sure that before inserting the small intestine into the bath. The solution will need to be tested with pH indicator test strips which will give a fairly accurate reading of the solution which the smooth muscle will be placed. This is very important as if the pH is incorrect it will mean that the smooth muscle will not perform to its full potential meaning the results achieved will be inaccurate. To gain accurate results all solutions which are used will need to be checked to see if they are the correct pH by using the ph indicating strips. After this test the smooth muscle was unable to reach the control again as the muscle had broken down. If this experiment was done again at room temperature the results would differ as the performance of the muscle would decrease. This is because the optimum temperature inside the body is around 37 Celsius and this temperature allows the muscle to work at an optimum rate. The lower temperature will mean that muscle contraction will be slower as there will be an effect on enzyme reactions as the more heat there is the more kinetic energy there is this will mean that the muscle activity will be good. If acetylcholine was added to the solution bath of the smooth muscle the membrane potential would decrease and the frequency of waves would increase. The muscle will become more active, with an increase in tonic tension and the number of rhythmic contractions. The effect is mediated by enzymes which increases the intracellular Calcium concentration. Another substance which could have been added was adrenaline. Adrenaline allows blood to flow more easily to your muscles. This means that more oxygen is carried to your muscles by the extra blood, which allows your muscles to function at elevated levels. Adrenaline also facilitates the conversion of the bodys fuel source (glycogen) into its fuel (glucose). This carbohydrate gives energy to muscles, and a sudden burst of glucose also allows muscles to strengthen further. Skeletal and smooth muscle muscles differences in structure and function There are many differences between the two types of muscles the differences are stated below: Snmooth muscles Skeletal muscle A smooth muscle fiber has no T tubules, and the sarcoplasmic reticulum forms a loose network throughout the sarcoplasm. Are long cyrindrical cells that contain many nuclei Smooth muscle tissue has no myofibrils or sarcomeres They are striated this shows their precise alignments of their myofilaments. This tissue also has no striations and is called nonstriated muscle. Thick filaments consist of myosin as thin filaments consist mostly of actin. Thick filaments are scattered throughout the sarcoplasm of a smooth muscle cell Each independent cell is stimulated by a motor neurone. Adjacent smooth muscle cells are bound together at dense bodies, transmitting the contractile forces from cell to cell throughout the tissue. Connective endomysium seprates cell Function Differences Smooth muscles cells are an involuntary action and can work slower so they do not have muscle fatigue. Skeletal Muscle contains both Fast Slow Twitch muscle fibers, that allow for a faster reaction where needed, and the opposite is true for the Slow as well Smooth muscle lines your arteries and airways and serves to contract or relax to help control blood pressure. skeletal muscles function almost continuously to maintain your posture making one tiny adjustment after another to keep your body upright They are also present in the iris of the eye to control the size of the pupil in response to light. By the use of the radial and circular muscle. Skeletal muscle is also important for holding your bones in the correct position and prevents your joints from dislocating. Some skeletal muscles in your face are directly attached to your skin They line the GI tract to move foodthrough the intestines. This is done by peristalsis. Skeletal muscle generates heat as a by-product of muscle activity. This heat is vital for maintaining your normal body temperature.

Mathew and his Amazing Journey to Break my Heart :: essays papers

Mathew and his Amazing Journey to Break my Heart â€Å"Look at how his hair curls down on his forehead! Isn’t that so cute?† I whispered to my best friend Jenny who was seated next to me. Jenny and I have known each other since we were in diapers with teething rings. I could predict what she would do or say; it was even found that I could tell what she would be wearing that day, without her even telling me. We were both exactly alike also; in love with Mathew Jackson, in love with NSYNC, in love with the color pink, and the list went on. I still have memories of the pink hats we had that matched our pink dresses that we wore on Easter. And the Barbies we played with in Jenny’s pink dollhouse. Even the coloring books we colored completely pink. I also still have trillions of best friend necklaces Jenny and I bought and trillions of letters that spell out JENNY AND VALERIE ARE BEST FRIENDS FOREVER. So this is why I could tell you that Jenny would agree with my comment about Mathew’s hair. â€Å"Yes it is!† she whispered. We were still astounded to be in the same room as Mathew Jackson, the most handsome 8th grade boy; I take that back, the most handsome middle-school boy we both had ever seen. He was an accomplished student and athlete. He had everything and anything a guy would ever want, definitely a perfect 10. He was the president of Green Valley Middle School. Which explains what we were doing in the same room with him. He was going over some of the fundraisers we could do to raise money for our trip to Washington D.C. in April. When Jenny and I found out that Mathew was going to be present on the trip, we knew we had to be there. The calendar on the wall told the month to be February, and if we skipped a few pages to April, â€Å"D.C. TRIP!† was marked in red and yellow, our school colors. We were going to be riding on a train all the way from Tennessee to Washington D.C. I wanted to raise a lot of money to help my parents out as much as possible, not to mention get noticed by Mathew, who was at the top of the fundraising committee, for raising the most money.

Strange Fits of Passion Essay -- Literary Analysis, Shakespeare

The lunatic, the lover, and the poet, are of imagination all compact. ~William Shakespeare, Mid-Summer Night's Dream, 1595, this quote by Shakespeare is a definitive illustration of Wordsworth’s persona in his poem Strange Fits of Passion I have known. In the poem the speaker embarks on a moonlight horse ride to his lover lucy’s cottage; it is during his ride there that the speaker engages in â€Å"lunatic† thoughts imagining lucy being dead when he arrives to see her. The poem is uniquely characterized by the adverse effects of love on a person, as well as how nature has an effect on human emotion; the latter being a staple theme in many of Wordsworth’s literary pieces. In the first stanza the speaker begins to vocalize the thought he had experienced while travelling to his lover’s cottage. Strange fits of passion have I known: And I will dare to tell, But in the Lover’s ear alone, What once to me befell. The speaker describes his sudden outburst of emotion as â€Å"strange† as he is keenly aware that his thoughts of lucy being dead are peculiar. It is common that when in love a person may pay heed to their imagination moreso than reality ; The line â€Å"But in the Lover’s ear aloneâ€Å"(Line three) is the speaker saying that he will share his â€Å"strange† thoughts but only to those who, like him, are in the throes of passion for they would understand the affects love can have on a person Wordsworth is known for his references to nature in many of his poems , the second stanza in this poem doesn’t stray from that commonality. When she I loved looked every day Fresh as a rose in June, I to her cottage bent my way, ... ...n his chest. The final stanza at last reveals the speaker’s thoughts that have been accumulating throughout the poem. What fond and wayward thoughts will slide Into a Lover’s head! â€Å"O mercy!† to myself I cried, â€Å"If Lucy should be dead!† Appalled at this final revelation it is apparent that the speaker has experienced similar thoughts and that sometimes despite great efforts your imagination can steer your thoughts to the contrary of rational thinking â€Å"What fond and wayward thoughts will slide ( Line 25) Into a Lover’s head! â€Å"(Line 26). Strange fits of passion is another poem by Wordsworth that uses nature as a medium when conveying human emotion but provides a unique portrayal of the absurdities of emotional experience that can evolve from passionate love.

Individual Critical Thinking and Society Exercise Essay

Describe a situation in which critical and creative thought could have been used for a better outcome. Describe why it is important to think critically and creatively in similar situations. Define free will, truth, knowledge, and opinion. Explain how we use them to form thoughts. Identify three hindrances to the critical thinking process. Determine methods for overcoming these hindrances. Identify a time in which you experienced a hindrance in critical thinking. Describe a method you could use to overcome the hindrances. Identify a message in advertising. Describe how you perceive the message of the advertisement. Try to determine the reality of the advertisement. Distinguish between your perception and the reality of the message. General Questions – General General Questions Write 150- to 200 words on each of the following topics: Describe a situation in which critical and creative thought could have been used for a better outcome. Describe why it is important to think critically and creatively in similar situations. Define free will, truth, knowledge, and opinion. Explain how we use them to form thoughts. Identify three hindrances to the critical thinking process. Determine methods for overcoming these hindrances. Identify a time in which you experienced a hindrance in critical thinking. Describe a method you could use to overcome the hindrances. Identify a message in advertising. Describe how you perceive the message of the advertisement. Try to determine the reality of the advertisement. Distinguish between your perception and the reality of the message. Avoid using your financial aid funds to go on a shopping spree at your cam†¦ To get this material Click this link – https://bitly.com/12CdK9X Avoid using your financial aid funds to go on a shopping spree at your campus bookstore. This is common, especially among first-year students. When you learn that you have financial aid credit at the bookstore, it is tempting to buy things you don’t really need. Avoid this impulse and your pocketbook will thank you later. General Questions – General General Questions Write 150- to 200 words on each of the following topics: Describe a situation in which critical and creative thought could have been used for a better outcome. Describe why it is important to think critically and creatively in similar situations. Define free will, truth, knowledge, and opinion. Explain how we use them to form thoughts. Identify three hindrances to the critical thinking process. Determine methods for overcoming these hindrances. Identify a time in which you experienced a hindrance in critical thinking. Describe a method you could use to overcome the hindrances. Identify a message in advertising. Describe how you perceive the message of the advertisement. Try to determine the reality of the advertisement.

At Castle Boterel Response Essay

In the first five lines the writer is driving away from a remembered scene. The mention of the junction of lane and highway suggests a meeting of two paths, possibly two completely different characters. It is rainy, wet, and gray. The sombre, rainy mood hangs like a fog over the entire poem, preparing one for what will happen at the end. The writer gazes at the faraway slope, which is fading away. Yet, like all important memories, he remembers it â€Å"distinctly yet.† The rhyme scheme is a mixture of soft (highway, byway) melancholy tones and sharp, harsh (waggonette, wet, yet), exuding a mixture of reminiscences and regret. Line six through ten. The writer along with a â€Å"girlish form† is climbing the slope. Climbing may represent some difficulty in their relationship. â€Å"Dry March weather† supports this assumption. The word ‘benighted’ in line six could mean either taken over by night, or unenlightened. Or, in this case, both. The couple had no idea of life, or of how short it could prove to be. These lines are dark and heavy. The sturdy pony is an image of his former happiness, which would soon sigh and slow. Lines eleven to fifteen introduce us to the word death. The writer says that what they talked of was of no great importance, which shows his realization of the shortness and immateriality of life. In life death cannot be avoided. In his case, it would seem, there would be more than one sort of death. One would die physically, the other emotionally. The next five lines show how small a difference every life makes in the greater scheme of things. The hill, portraying the earth, is climbed by thousands. Yet, to the individual (him) the ‘minute’ of a single life is of immeasurable importance. ‘Foot-swift, foot-sore’ symbolizes the haste in living, and also the pain. People strive to get to the top, ruin their lives to get there, possibly, but upon arriving see there is nothing. The following five lines are lighter than any have been before; yet they are filled with irony. The primaeval rocks (the world, history) have been shaped and given â€Å"colour† by many, many passers-by. The writer, however, illustrates individual selfishness by saying that it was him and his lover or wife that gave the shape and colour to those rocks. He is looking back in irony, seeing now, perhaps, how his views have been changed. Lines twenty-six to thirty are a sad depiction of reality. The writer states that Time is severe and harsh, that it has dealt with him mechanically, without any thought given to his emotions and feelings. The substance now, as he calls himself, is only one phantom figure. By calling himself a substance he could be comparing himself to a substance used in scientific experimentation. He has, he feels, been used. Now he is merely a phantom. All life has been taken from him, and all that remains is his physical form. He says that he remains on the slope, meaning that he has not moved on, or that he cannot move on. The loss of another has left him immobile, lost, or simply without direction. The last five lines shows a picture of the writer driving away from himself. Rain is mentioned again, like tears falling. The person on the hillside is a vision of the man he used to be. That man is â€Å"shrinking and shrinking† and the writer is moving on, changing. The drizzle of the first five lines has turned into full-on rain, and this makes the person even more dim in the writers memory. The ground he thought was solid is sinking away (â€Å"for my sand is sinking†), and he comes to the realization that he will never be able to go there again. He calls the â€Å"there† old loves domain, which means that he is moving on, perhaps to new love. The final line is abrupt, the shortest in the entire poem. This shows how quickly everything happened to him; without warning, all was gone.

The Political Economy of International Trade

The Political Economy of International Trade Chapter Outline OPENING CASE: Why Are Global Food Prices Soaring? INTRODUCTION INSTRUMENTS OF TRADE POLICY Tariffs Subsides Country Focus: Subsidized Wheat Production in Japan Import Quotas and Voluntary Export Restraints Local Content Requirements Administrative Polices Antidumping Policies Management Focus: U. S. Magnesium Seeks Protection THE CASE FOR GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION Political Arguments for Intervention Country Focus: Trade in Hormone-Treated Beef Economic Arguments for Intervention THE REVISED CASE FOR FREE TRADE Retaliation and Trade War Domestic Politics DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORLD TRADING SYSTEM From Smith to the Great Depression 1947-1979: GATT, Trade Liberalization, and Economic Growth 1980-1993: Protectionist Trends The Uruguay Round and the World Trade Organization WTO: Experience to Date The Future of the WTO: Unresolved Issues and the Doha Round Country Focus: Estimating the Gains from Trade for America FOCUS ON MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS Trade Barriers and Firm Strategy Policy Implications SUMMARY CRITICAL THINKING AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS CLOSING CASE: Agricultural Subsidies Learning Objectives 1. Describe the policy instruments used by governments to influence international trade flows. 2. Understand why governments sometimes intervene in international trade. 3. Articulate the arguments against strategic trade policy. 4. Describe the development of the world trading system and the current trade issues. 5. Explain the implications for managers of developments in the world trading system. Chapter Summary This chapter begins with a discussion of the six main instruments of trade policy, including tariffs, subsidies, import quotas, voluntary export estraints, local content requirements, and administrative policies. This section is followed by a discussion of the merits of government intervention into international trade. The author provides a balanced view of this difficult issue. The second half of the chapter focuses on the development of the global trading system. A historical context is provided, along with a view of the global trading system as it exis ts today. The author acquaints the reader with the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) and the World Trade Organization. Opening Case: Why Are Global Food Prices Soaring? Summary The opening case examines why global food prices are rising significantly. For more than two decades, improvements in agricultural productivity and output have contributed to lower food prices, but in 2007, the price of wheat was double its price of just a few months earlier, and the price of corn had risen some 60 percent. Two explanations for the phenomenon are increased demand, and the effects of tariffs and subsidies for bio-fuels. Discussion of the case can revolve around the following questions: QUESTION 1: Food prices have risen dramatically since 2007. Reflect on the reasons for the price increase, and discuss the implications of higher prices for consumers in developed and developing countries. ANSWER 1: For decades, consumers have enjoyed the benefits of increased productivity and output in the global food industry. In 2007, however, everything changed. The price of wheat reached its highest point ever, and the price of corn rose 60 percent over its 2006 price. Two factors contributed to this situation. The first was the increased demand for food from China and India. The second factor involved tariffs and subsidies for bio-fuels. Farmers in the European Union and in the United States are currently the recipients of subsidies for the production of crops used in bio-fuels. As a result, land that might be used for growing food is being converted to bio-fuel crops, pushing up prices on food. While some experts believe that sugar cane may be a better product for bio-fuel production than corn, tariffs on imported sugar cane effectively are keeping the crop out of the market. While all consumers are feeling the pain of higher food prices, the situation is especially dire for consumers in poor countries where calorie intake could be reduced by as much as -8 percent by 2020. QUESTION 2: How has demand for bio-fuels affected the price of food? What are the implications of this trend? Reflect on the role of government in pushing prices up. What role do tariffs and subsidies play in the situation? In your opinion, should the governments of the United States and the European Union bear any responsibility for bringing food prices back down? ANSWER 2: In an effort to slow global warming, both the European Union and the United States have adopted policies designed to increase the production of ethanol and bio-diesel. The policies involve providing subsidies to farmers. The net effect of the subsidies is to encourage farmers to produce less food, and more crops that can be used in bio-fuel production. The situation is exacerbated by high tariffs on alternative products that can be used for bio-fuel production – particularly sugar cane. Most students will recognize that the combined effect of the subsidies and tariffs are creating a difficult situation for consumers, while at the same time protecting producers. Some students may note the irony of the situation. Consumers, hit by higher prices at the pump are putting more pressure on companies to develop cheaper and more environmentally friendly sources of energy, but in doing so are actually contributing to higher prices at the grocery store. Some students may wonder whether it makes more sense to consider non-food related sources of energy. Honda Motors is currently developing a car that runs on Teaching Tip: To expand this discussion, consider {http://www. businessweek. com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/may2008/db20080513_317940. htm? chan=search}, {http://www. usinessweek. com/globalbiz/content/may2008/gb20080520_439607. htm? chan=search}, and {http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/08_19/b4083026413508. htm? chan=search}. Video Note: There are two iGlobes directly related to this case. The first is Supply, Price of Food Increase Hardship for World’s Poor, and the second is Agricultural Problems Lead to Farmer Suicides in India. Chapter Outline with Lecture Notes, Video Notes, a nd Teaching Tips INTRODUCTION A) This chapter explores the political reality of international trade. Free trade refers to a situation where a government does not attempt to restrict what its citizens can buy from another country or what they can sell to another country. While many nations are nominally committed to free trade, they tend to intervene in international trade to protect the interests of politically important groups. B) The major objective of this chapter is to describe how political realities have shaped, and continue to shape, the international trading system. INSTRUMENTS OF TRADE POLICY A) In this section, the text reviews seven main instruments of trade policy. These are: tariffs, subsidies, import quotas, voluntary export restraints, local content requirements, antidumping policies and administrative policies. Tariffs B) A tariff is a tax levied on imports (or exports) that effectively raises the cost of imported (or exported) products relative to domestic products. Specific tariffs are levied as a fixed charge for each unit of a good imported, while ad valorem tariffs are levied as a proportion of the value of the imported good. The important thing to understand about a tariff is who suffers and who gains. The government gains, because the tariff ncreases government revenues. Domestic producers gain, because the tariff affords them some protection against foreign competitors by increasing the cost of imported foreign goods. Consumers lose since they must pay more for certain imports. C) Thus, tariffs are unambiguously pro-producer and anti-consumer, and tariffs reduce the overall efficiency of the world economy. Subsidies D) A subsidy is a government payment to a domestic producer. By lowering costs, subsidies help domestic producers in two ways: they help producers compete against low-cost foreign imports and they help producers gain export markets. However, many subsidies are not that successful at increasing the international competitiveness of domestic producers. Moreover, consumers typically absorb the costs of subsidies. Country Focus: Subsidized Wheat Production in Japan Summary This feature explores the subsidies Japan continues to pay its wheat farmers. Tens of thousands of Japanese farmers continue to grow wheat despite the fact that the wheat grown in North America, Argentina, and Australia is far cheaper and of superior quality. The Japanese farmers stay in business thanks to the hefty subsidies paid by the Japanese government. As a result, wheat prices in Japan are substantially higher than they would be if a free market were allowed to operate. Suggested Discussion Questions 1. Who are the winners and who are the losers from Japanese wheat subsidies? Discussion Points: Students will probably recognize that, as is usually the case with protectionist measures, the subsidies Japan pays its wheat farmers benefit the farmers, but cost the average consumer in the form of higher wheat prices. In fact, in 2004, Japanese consumers covered $700 million in subsidies! The subsidies also limit imports of wheat, which negatively affects foreign wheat farmers. 2. Why does Japan continue to subsidize its wheat farmers when cheaper wheat is readily available in international markets? Discussion Points: Thanks to subsidies, wheat prices in Japan are between 80 and 120 percent higher than they are in world markets. In fact, if the subsidies were eliminated, Japanese wheat production would cease entirely. However, at least for now, because politicians count on the votes of the wheat farmers, there appears to be no plan to end the subsidies. Teaching Tip: To extend this discussion, consider discussing Japan’s role in the production of rice. For more on this, go to {http://www. businessweek. com/globalbiz/content/may2008/gb20080522_132137. htm? chan=search}, and {http://www. businessweek. com/globalbiz/content/may2008/gb20080522_132137_page_2. htm}. Import Quotas and Voluntary Export Restraints E) An import quota is a direct restriction on the quantity of some good that may be imported into a country. A tariff rate quota is a hybrid of a quota and a tariff where a lower tariff is applied to imports within the quota than to those over the quota. A voluntary export restraint is a quota on trade imposed by the exporting country, typically at the request of the importing country’s government. F) While import quotas and voluntary export restraints benefit domestic producers by limiting import competition, they raise the prices of imported goods. The extra profit that producers make when supply is artificially limited by an import quota is referred to as a quota rent. Local Content Requirements G) A local content requirement demands that some specific fraction of a good be produced domestically. As with import quotas, local content requirements benefit domestic producers, but consumer face higher prices. Administrative Policies H) Administrative trade polices are bureaucratic rules that are designed to make it difficult for imports to enter a country. The effect of these polices is to hurt consumers by denying access to possibly superior foreign products. Antidumping Policies I) Dumping is variously defined as selling goods in a foreign market below their costs of production, or as selling goods in a foreign market at below their â€Å"fair† market value. Dumping is viewed as a method by which firms unload excess production in foreign markets. Alternatively, some dumping may be the result of predatory behavior, with producers using substantial profits from their home markets to subsidize prices in a foreign market with a view to driving indigenous competitors out of that market. Once this has been achieved the predatory firm can raise prices and earn substantial profits. J) Antidumping polices (also known as countervailing duties) are policies designed to punish foreign firms that engage in dumping. The ultimate objective is to protect domestic producers from â€Å"unfair† foreign competition. Management Focus: U. S. Magnesium Seeks Protection Summary This feature explores the dumping charged levied by U. S. Magnesium against Chinese and Russian producers. According to U. S. Magnesium, the sole American producer of magnesium, Russian and Chinese producers were selling magnesium significantly below market value in an effort to drive U. S. Magnesium out of business. The company failed a complaint with the International Trade Commission (ITC) which ultimately ruled in favor of U. S. Magnesium. Suggested Discussion Questions 1. What is dumping? Were Chinese and Russian producers guilty of dumping? How did U. S. Magnesium justify its claims against Russian and Chinese producers? Discussion Points: Dumping is defined as selling goods in a foreign market below the cost of production, or below fair market value. In 2004, U. S. Magnesium claimed that China and Russia had been dumping magnesium in the United States. The company noted that in 2002 and 2003, magnesium imports rose, and prices fell. While the ITC ruled in favor of the American company, some students might question whether the fact that the Chinese could sell their product at low prices might simply reflect the country’s significantly lower wage rates. . What does the ITC’s ruling mean for American consumers of magnesium? In your opinion, was the ruling fair? Discussion Points: The ITC ruled in favor of U. S. Magnesium finding that indeed China and Russia had been dumping their product in the United States. Fines ranging from 50 to 140 percent on imports were imposed against China, and 19 to 22 percent on Russian com panies. Most students will note that while the ITC’s decision is a good one for U. S. Magnesium and its employees. for consumers, the ruling means magnesium prices that are significantly higher than those in world markets. Students will probably argue that this result is unfair, and should be revisited. Teaching Tip: U. S. Magnesium’s web site is available at {http://www. usmagnesium. com/}. THE CASE FOR GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION A) In general, there are two types of arguments for government intervention, political and economic. Political arguments for intervention are concerned with protecting the interests of certain groups within a nation (normally producers), often at the expense of other groups (normally consumers). Economic arguments for intervention are typically concerned with boosting the overall wealth of a nation (to the benefit of all, both producers and consumers). Political Arguments for Intervention B) Political arguments for government intervention cover a range of issues including protecting jobs, protecting industries deemed important for national security, retaliating against unfair foreign competition, protecting consumers from â€Å"dangerous† products, furthering the goals of foreign policy, and protecting the human rights of individuals in exporting countries. Protecting Jobs and Industries C) The most common political reason for trade restrictions is â€Å"protecting jobs and industries. † Usually this results from political pressures by unions or industries that are threatened by more efficient foreign producers, and have more political clout than the consumers who will eventually pay the costs. National Security D) Protecting industries because they are important for national security is another argument for trade restrictions. The U. S. overnment protects industries like steel, aerospace, and electronics, on the basis of this argument, and has made special arrangements to protect the semiconductor industry. Lecture Note: In the United States, the Bureau of Export Administration enhances the nation's security and its economic prosperity by controlling exports for national security, foreign security, foreign policy, and short supply reasons. To learn more, go to {http://www. bis. doc. gov/about/index. htm}, click on Policies and R egulations and then on Export Administration Regulations. . Retaliation E) Government intervention in trade can be used as part of a â€Å"get tough† policy to open foreign markets. By taking, or threatening to take, specific actions, other countries may remove trade barriers. But when threatened governments do not back down, tensions can escalate and new trade barriers may be enacted. Lecture Note: The trading relationship between China and the United States is an ongoing topic of discussion for many. To expand the discussion on the role of government and retaliatory trade measures, consider {http://www. businessweek. om/globalbiz/content/may2008/gb20080528_845850. htm? chan=search} Protecting Consumers F) Consumer protection can also be an argument for restricting imports. The Country Focus below suggests that the European Union’s concern over beef was, in part, due to an interest in protecting consumers. Since different countries do have different health and safety standards, what may be acceptable in one country may be unacc eptable in others. Furthering Foreign Policy Objectives G) On occasion, governments will use trade policy to support their foreign policy objectives. One aspect of this is to grant preferential trade terms to countries that a government wants to build strong relations with. Trade policy has also been used several times as an instrument for pressuring punishing â€Å"rogue states† that do not abide by international laws or norms. In recent years the United States has imposed trade restrictions against Libya, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Cuba, and other countries where governments were pursuing policies that were not viewed favorably by the U. S. government. A serious problem with using trade as an instrument of foreign policy is that other countries can undermine any unilateral trade sanctions. The U. S. Congress has passed two acts, the Helms-Burton Act and the D’Amato Act, in an effort to protect American companies from such actions. Protecting Human Rights H) Concern over human rights in other countries plays an important role in foreign policy. Governments sometimes use trade policy to improve the human rights policies of trading partners. Governments also use trade policies to put pressure on governments to make other changes. Unless a large number of countries choose to take such action, however, it is unlikely to prove successful. Some critics have argued that the best way to change the internal human rights of a country is to engage it in international trade. The decision to grant China most favored nation status was based on this philosophy. Country Focus: Trade in Hormone-Treated Beef Summary This feature describes the trade battle between the United States and the European Union over beef from cattle that have been given growth hormones. It outlines the basic issues that led to the dispute, and shows how the World Trade Organization has treated the case. Suggested Discussion Questions 1. Why is the European Union so concerned about beef from cattle that have been given growth hormones? Discussion Points: Some students may argue that the European Union’s ban on growth hormones in cattle was little more than a thinly veiled form of protectionism. Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, which also use the hormones in their cattle industry, were also affected by the ban. The European Union claimed that it was merely protecting the health of its citizens, however studies showed that the hormones posed no health issues for people. 2. Why did the WTO rule against the European Union? Discussion Points: The World Trade Organization ruled against the European Union stating that the European Union’s ban on imported hormone treated beef had no scientific justification. Even so, the European Union refused to lift the ban, which had strong public support, and in the end, the European Union was assessed punitive tariffs. The European Union held on to its principles though, and as of 2008, continued to maintain its restrictions on hormone treated beef despite the resulting punitive tariffs. Teaching Tip: The WTO maintains a site for students. Go to {www. wto. org} and click on the students icon to search the site, research countries, and even see a list of internships that are available at the WTO. Economic Arguments for Intervention I) Economic arguments for intervention include the infant industry argument and strategic trade policy. The Infant Industry Argument J) The infant industry argument suggests that an industry should be protected until it can develop and be viable and competitive internationally. Unless an industry is allowed to develop and achieve minimal economies of scale, foreign competitors may undercut prices and prevent a domestic industry from developing. The infant industry argument has been accepted as a justification for temporary trade restrictions under the WTO. K) A problem with the infant industry argument is determining when an industry â€Å"grows up. † Some industries that are just plain inefficient and uncompetitive have argued they are still infants after 50 years. The other problem is that given the existence of global capital markets, if the country has the potential to develop a viable competitive position its firms should be capable of raising the necessary funds without additional support from the government. Strategic Trade Policy L) Strategic trade policy suggests that in cases where there may be important first mover advantages, governments can help firms from their countries attain these advantages. Strategic trade policy also suggests that governments can help firms overcome barriers to entry into industries where foreign firms have an initial advantage. THE REVISED CASE FOR FREE TRADE A) While strategic trade policy identifies conditions where restrictions on trade may provide economic benefits, there are two problems that may make restrictions inappropriate: retaliation and politics. Retaliation and Trade War B) Krugman argues that strategic trade policies aimed at establishing domestic firms in a dominant position in a global industry are beggar-thy-neighbor policies that boost national income at the expense of other countries. A country that attempts to use such policies will probably provoke retaliation. Domestic Politics C) Governments do not always act in the national interest when they intervene in the economy. Instead special interest groups may influence governments. Thus, a further reason for not embracing strategic trade policy, according to Krugman, is that such a policy is almost certain to be captured by special interest groups within an economy, who will distort it to their own ends. DEVELOPMENT OF THE GLOBAL TRADING SYSTEM A) Many governments recognize the value of unrestricted free trade, but are hesitant to unilaterally lower their trade barriers in case other countries do not follow suit. Since World War II, and international trading framework has evolved that enables governments to negotiate a set of rules to govern cross-border trade and lower trade barriers. For the first 50 years, the framework was known as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). More recently, it has been known as the World Trade Organization (WTO). From Smith to the Great Depression B) Up until the Great Depression of the 1930s, most countries had some degree of protectionism. Great Britain, as a major trading nation, was one of the strongest supporters of free trade. C) Although the world was already in a depression, in 1930 the United States enacted the Smoot-Hawley Act, which created significant import tariffs on foreign goods. As other nations took similar steps and the depression deepened, world trade fell further. 1947-1979: GATT, Trade Liberalization, and Economic Growth D) After WWII, the U. S. and other nations realized the value of freer trade, and established the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). E) The approach of GATT (a multilateral agreement to liberalize trade) was to gradually eliminate barriers to trade. Over 100 countries became members of GATT, and worked together to further liberalize trade. Teaching Tip: A full review of GATT, containing an actual copy of the agreement, is available at {http://www. ciesin. org/TG/PI/TRADE/gatt. html}. 1980-1993: Protectionist Trends F) During the 1980s and early 1990s the world trading system as â€Å"managed† by GATT came under strain. First, Japan’s economic strength and huge trade surplus stressed what had been more equal trading patterns, and Japan’s perceived protectionist (neo-mercantilist) policies created intense political pressures in other countries. Second, persistent trade deficits by the United States, the world’s largest economy, caused significant economic problems for some industries and political problems for the government. Third, many countries found that although limited by GATT from utilizing tariffs, there were many other more subtle forms of intervention that had the same effects and did not technically violate GATT (e. g. VERs). The Uruguay Round and the World Trade Organization G) Against the background of rising protectionist pressures, in 1986 GATT members embarked on their eighth round of negotiations to reduce tariffs (called the Uruguay Round). This was the most ambitious round to date. Services and Intellectual Property H) One goal was to expand beyond the regulation of manufactured goods and address trade issues related to services and intellectual property, and agriculture. The World Trade Organization Lecture Note: To see current issues at the WTO, go to {http://www. wto. org/} and click on â€Å"News. † I) When the WTO was established, its creators hoped the WTO’s enforcement mechanisms would make it a more effective policeman of the global trade rules than the GATT had been. The WTO encompassed GATT along with two sister organizations, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). WTO: Experience to Date J) At the time of its establishment, the great hope was that the WTO might emerge as an effective advocate and facilitator of future trade deals, particularly in such areas as services. In general, the experience so far has been encouraging. WTO as Global Police K) So far, the WTO’s policing and enforcement mechanisms are having a positive effect. In general, countries have adopted WTO recommendations for trade disputes. Expanding Trade Agreements L) In 1997, 68 countries that account for more than 90 percent of world telecommunications revenues pledged to open their markets to foreign competition and to abide by common rules for fair competition in telecommunications. Similarly, 102 countries pledged to open to varying degrees their banking, securities, and insurance sectors to foreign competition. Like the telecommunications deal, the agreement covers not just cross-border trade, but also foreign direct investment. The WTO in Seattle: A Watershed? M) The 1999 meeting of the WTO in Seattle was important not only for what happened between the member countries, but also for what occurred outside the building. Inside, members failed to agree on how to work toward the reduction of barriers to cross-border trade in agricultural products and cross-border trade and investment in services. Outside, the WTO became a magnet for various groups protesting free trade. The Future: Unresolved Issues and the Doha Round N) Substantial work still remains to be done on the international trade front. Four issues on the current agenda of the WTO are the rise of anti-dumping policies, the high level of protectionism in agriculture, the lack of strong protection for intellectual property rights in many nations, and continued high tariffs on nonagricultural goods and services in many nations. Lecture Note: The European Union’s trade commissioner is urging nations to complete Doha round negotiations prior to the beginning of a new administration in the United States. Further details can be found at {http://www. businessweek. com/globalbiz/content/jan2008/gb20080128_519854. htm? chan=search}. Anti-Dumping Actions O) There has been a proliferation of antidumping actions in recent years, perhaps because of the rather vague definition of what constitutes dumping. The WTO is encouraging members to strengthen the regulations governing the imposition of antidumping duties. Protectionism in Agriculture P) The WTO is concerned with the high level of tariffs and subsidies in the agricultural sector of many economies. However, the advanced countries of the world defend the current system because they want to protect their producers from lower-cost producers from developing nations. Protecting Intellectual Property Q) The agreement to protect intellectual property (TRIPS) obliges WTO members to grant and enforce patents lasting at least 20 years and copyrights lasting 50 years. The basis for this agreement was a strong belief among signatory nations that the protection of intellectual property rights is an essential element of the international trading system. Market Access for Nonagricultural Goods and Services R) The WTO would like to bring down tariff rates on nonagricultural goods and services, and reduce the scope for the selective use of high tariff rates. The hope is that at some point, rates would move to zero. Country Focus: Estimating the Gains from Trade for America Summary This feature explores the results of a study by the Institute for International Economics. The study, which estimated the gains to the U. S. economy from free trade, found that the United States’ GDP was more than 7 percent higher as a result of reductions in trade barriers than it would have been if the barriers remained. The study also estimated that if tariffs were reduced to zero, significant gains would still result. Suggested Discussion Questions 1. What does the Institute for International Economics suggest about the benefits of free trade? Discussion Points: The Institute for International Economics found that thanks to reductions in trade restrictions, the United States’ GDP was up. The Institute also estimated that even greater gains in the country’s GDP would occur if protectionism was eliminated all together. Students should recognize that these findings follow the principles of Adam Smith and David Ricardo and suggest that free trade is beneficial. 2. According to the Institute for International Economics study, a move oward free trade would cause disruption in employment. Is it still worth pursuing free trade if it means that some people lose their jobs? Discussion Points: This question should prompt a strong debate among students. Some students will probably suggest that the costs in terms of lost wages and benefits associated with free trade outweigh the benefits that would be gained. Other students howev er, will probably argue that since protectionism typically benefits only a few at the expense of others, while free trade generates greater economic growth and higher wages, a free trade policy should be followed. Teaching Tip: The Web site for Institute for International Economics is available at {http://www. iie. com/}. A New Round of Talks: Doha R) In late 2001, the WTO launched a new round of talks at Doha, Qatar. The agenda includes cutting tariffs on industrial goods and services, phasing out subsidies to agricultural producers, reducing barriers to cross-border investment, and limiting the use of anti-dumping laws. FOCUS ON MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS A) What does all of this mean for business? Managers need to consider how trade barriers impact firm strategy, and what role they can play in promoting free trade or trade barriers. Trade Barriers and Firm Strategy B) Trade barriers are a constraint upon a firm’s ability to disperse its productive activities. First, trade barriers raise the cost of exporting products to a country. Second, voluntary export restraints (VERs) may limit a firm’s ability to serve a country from locations outside that country. Third, to conform to local content requirements, a firm may have to locate more production activities in a given market than it would otherwise. All f the above effects are likely to raise the firm’s costs above the level that could be achieved in a world without trade barriers. In addition, the threat of antidumping action could limit the ability of a firm to use aggressive pricing as a way to gain market share. Policy Implications C) In general, international firms have an incentive to lobby for free tra de, and keep protectionist pressures from causing them to have to change strategies. While there may be short-term benefits to having governmental protection in some situations, in the long run these can backfire and other governments can retaliate. Critical Thinking and Discussion Questions 1. Do you think the U. S. government should consider human rights when granting preferential trading rights to countries? What are the arguments for and against taking such a position? Answer: China is frequently cited as a violator of human rights, and can form the basis for a discussion of this question. While the answer to the first question clearly is a matter of personal opinion, in stating their opinions, students should consider the following points. Trade with the U. S. is very important to China, as China views the U. S. as an important market. The U. S. is also an important source of certain products. Thus, the U. S. has some leverage with trade when trying to influence China’s human rights policies. For this policy to have much effect, however, other nations important to China must adopt similar policies. Otherwise China will simply choose to work with other countries, and U. S. consumers and producers may be more negatively impact than the Chinese. Another concern with tying MFN status to human rights is that denying MFN may make the human rights situation worse rather than better. By engaging in trade, the income levels in China will increase, and with greater wealth the people will be able to demand and receive better treatment. 2. Whose interests should be the paramount concern of government trade policy – the interests of producers (businesses and their employees) or those of consumers? Answer: The long run interests of consumers should be the primary concern of governments. Unfortunately consumers, each of whom may be negatively impacted by only a few dollars, are less motivated and effective lobbyists than a few producers that have a great deal at stake. While in some instances it could be argued that domestic consumers will be better off if world-class domestic producers are nurtured and allowed to gain first mover advantages in international markets, it is doubtful that the government will be better than international capital markets at â€Å"picking winners†, and will more likely pick the firms with the greatest political clout. While employees may well lose jobs if there are more efficient foreign competitors, some would argue that this is just the nature of competition, and that the role of government should be to help these employees get jobs where they can be efficiently employed rather than to protect them from reality in inefficient firms. 3. Given the arguments relating to the new trade theory and strategic trade policy, what kind of trade policy should business be pressuring government to adopt? Answer: According to the textbook, businesses should urge governments to target technologies that may be important in the future and use subsidies to support development work aimed at commercializing those technologies. Government should provide export subsidies until the domestic firms have established first mover advantages in the world market. Government support may also be justified if it can help domestic firms overcome the first-mover advantages enjoyed by foreign competitors and emerge as viable competitors in the world market. In this case, a combination of home market protection and export-promoting subsidies may be called for. . You are an employee of an U. S. firm that produces personal computers in Thailand and then exports them to the U. S. and other countries for sale. The personal computers were originally produced in Thailand to take advantage of relatively low labor costs and a skilled workforce. Other possible locations considered at that time were Malaysia and Hong Kong. The U. S. government decides to impose punitive 100 percent ad valorem tariffs on imports of computers from Thailand to punish the country for administrative trade barriers that restrict U. S. exports to Thailand. How should your firm respond? What does this tell you about the use of targeted trade barriers? Answer: As long as the manufacturing requirements haven't changed significantly, looking at Malaysia or Hong Kong again for production would appear obvious. By the U. S. government introducing a specific ad valorem tariff on Thai computer imports, it would be easy to get around these by looking at other locations. Hence such targeted trade barriers can often be easily circumvented without having to locate production facilities in an expensive country like the U. S. 5. Reread the Management Focus feature on U. S. Magnesium Seeks Protection. Who gains most from the anti-dumping duties levied by the United States on imports of magnesium from China and Russia? Who are the losers? Are these duties in the best national interests of the United States? Answer: Most students will probably recognize that U. S. producers and their employees are the primary beneficiaries of the anti-dumping duties levied by the United States on Chinese and Russian magnesium imports. As a result of the duties, consumers in the United States will pay higher prices for magnesium-based products. Some students may suggest that by imposing the duties, the United States runs the risk of retaliatory measures from both China and Russia. Closing Case: Agricultural Subsidies Summary The closing case examines the effects of subsidies paid to U. S. cotton farmers. The United States currently pays about $5 billion to cotton farmers for a crop that is worth just $4 billion. The lower prices resulting from the subsides and the excess production they encourage, have had particularly devastating effects on cotton farmers in poor countries. Some estimates show, for example, that the subsidies and excess production in the United States has cost the African country of Benin more economically than it receives in aid from the United States. Discussion of this case can revolve around the following questions: QUESTION 1: Why do you think that the U. S. government pays subsidies to farmers? ANSWER 1: The United States initially began paying subsidies to farmers in the middle of the Great Depression. Many students will probably suggest that the subsidies are still being paid simply because they have been in place for so long. Other students however, may note the power of agricultural lobbyists and the fact that without the subsidies, U. S. farmers could not compete in world markets. This suggests that the government has some incentive to continue with its current policies. QUESTION 2: What is the impact of farm subsidies on the price of agricultural products in the United States, and on prices elsewhere? ANSWER 2: The subsidies paid to U. S. farmers currently run around $29 billion annually. They encourage farmers to produce more products than are needed, and in doing so depress global prices. Cotton subsidies for example, pushed the price of cotton to just $0. 5 in 2006, about half the 1995 price. For farmers in poor countries, the drop in prices has pushed income levels down over 20 percent. QUESTION 3: Who benefits from U. S. farm subsidies, who are the losers? ANSWER 3: Most students will recognize that the primary beneficiaries of the subsidies are farmers. As a result of the subsidies, consumers mus t pay more, and producers in other countries are faced with falling prices, and ultimately lower incomes. QUESTION 4: What would happen if the United States (and other countries) stopped paying subsidies to farmers to grow certain crops? Who would benefit, who would lose? ANSWER 4: If the United States stopped paying subsidies to farmers, consumers would initially see prices fall. Later however, as some farmers, without the support of the subsidies, went out of business, consumers would probably see prices rise to some degree as supply and demand moved together. Producers in other countries like Benin would benefit from increased demand and higher prices. Video Note: The iGlobe Agricultural Problems Lead to Farmer Suicides in India explores the effects of cotton subsidies on farmers in India. The iGlobe is a good complement to the Closing Case. Continuous Case Concept As automakers establish production operations in multiple countries around the world, and rely on suppliers from numerous countries, the question of tariffs and quotas becomes more important. In this chapter’s Continuous Case Concept, explore what happens if a country places a tariff or other trade barrier on imported cars. †¢ Ask students to consider, for example, how consumers would react if the U. S. charged a tariff on every car that is imported from Japan. What would be the likely reaction of Japanese automakers? What would American producers do? †¢ Next, ask students to consider whether such as tariff is â€Å"fair. Who really pays the tariff? Who benefits from the tariff? Who would benefit from free trade in automobiles and car parts? †¢ Finally, explore how efforts by both the United States and the European Union to increase the production of ethanol and bio-diesel (see Opening Case) could impact the auto industry. Honda is currently a market leader in the hybrid vehicle market, but is hampered by the lack of infrastructure to fully support the industry. In 2008, Toyota established a goal to sell 500,000 hybrid vehicles. This exercise works well after the notion of trade barriers has been introduced. It can also be used in a summary discussion of the chapter’s material or in conjunction with the Opening Case. globalEDGE Exercises Use the globalEDGE Resource Desk {http://globalEDGE. msu. edu/ResourceDesk/} to complete the following exercises. Exercise 1 Your company is considering exporting its pharmaceutical products to Japan, but management’s current knowledge of the country’s trade policies and barriers for this sector is limited. Conduct the appropriate level of research in a trade barriers database to identify any information on Japan’s current standards and technical requirements for pharmaceutical products. Prepare an executive summary of your findings. Answer: The quickest way to reach this information would be to search globalEDGE using the phrase â€Å"trade barriers database† at http://globaledge. msu. edu/ResourceDesk/. Once at the Market Access Database website, select â€Å"Trade Barriers Database. † On the search option â€Å"Select Country,† choose â€Å"Japan,† and on the search option â€Å"Select Sector,† choose â€Å"Pharmaceuticals. † A series of reports are listed from which those with more general titles will provide adequate insight for the exercise. Search Phrase: â€Å"Trade Barriers Database† Resource Name: Market Access Database Website: http://mkaccdb. eu. int/ globalEDGE Category: â€Å"Research: Multi-Country† Exercise 2 You work for a national chain of clothing stores that is considering importing textiles from India into the U. S. You want to determine whether the goods are subject to import quotas. Using information provided by the U. S. Customs and Border Protections, prepare a report highlighting the elements that determine whether a shipment is subject to this type of trade restriction. Answer: The U. S. Customs and Border Protections website hosted by the U. S. government offers considerable information on the details of importing or exporting into or out of the U. S. The information for the exercise can be reached by searching for the phrase â€Å"U. S. Customs and Border Protections† at http://globaledge. msu. edu/ResourceDesk/. This resource can also be found under the globalEDGE category â€Å"Research: Government Resources. † Once on the website, click on â€Å"Trade† and select â€Å"Textiles and Quotas† under â€Å"Trade Program Areas. The report, â€Å"Are my Goods Subject to Quotas? ,† is readily available. Search Phrase: â€Å"U. S. Customs and Border Protections† Resource Name: United States: U. S. Customs and Border Protections Website: http://www. cbp. gov/ globalEDGE Category: â€Å"Research: Government Resources† Additional Readings and Sources of Information Economists Rethink Free Trade http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/08_06/b4070032762393. htm? chan=search Brazil Urges EU to Scrap Biofuel Tariffs http://www. businessweek. com/globalbiz/content/jul2007/gb2007076_483689. htm? chan=search