The Internal and External business environment of BBA Aviation plc

This report is about BBA Aviation plc. The report will identify the company’s goals and objectives but will particularly focus its attention on the Challenges the company face both in its Internal and External Business Environment. The report will also cover both PEST and SWOT analysis to determine threats, opportunities and weaknesses and the role of the company’s Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) will also be examined. Factors such as the Porters five forces and the Dimension of Complexity will also be examined to better identify this Challenges faced by the company whilst the Dimension of Complexity will give a clearer nature regarding the Complexity of the company’s Environment at which it operates.Haven discovered these challenges the Mckinsey’s7S framework will monitor if there are any changes within the organisation that will require a change in its operations. BBA Aviation is a Global company which operates in 220 locations worldwide but only i ts operations in the UK will be examined in this report. However, haven said so; there are other factors such as the International and European Law that governs its operations. These also includes; The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). There are also National restrictions and legislation from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Department for transport. IntroductionBBA Aviation plc is an aviation services company that offers aftermarket services, flight support and system activities to the commercial and business aviation markets. Also, it offers the services to regional airline,  military and commercial aviation operators, including fixed based operator (FBO) services, such as; grand handling, fuelling, turbine engine repair, aviation component and overhaul, hydraulic system and landing gear. (The times 2006) The company’s operations are segmented into two business operation namely; Flight support and Af termarket services and systems. The flight support segment of the company engages in ground handling, offering refuelling, crew, passenger amenities, office rentals and hanger. (BBA Aviation, 2012)After services and systems business segments of the company engages in manufactures and supports engines and aerospace component, sub-systems and systems. The segment also comprises of engine repair and overhaul, legacy support and AP Precision hydraulics (APPH). The Engine repair and Overhaul segment is the Leading independent Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), the Signature Flight Support segment is the world’s largest and market-leading fixed based operator (FBO) network. The company’s Aircraft Service International Group (ASIG) is the world’s leading independent refueller. (BBA Aviation, 2012) BBAAviation is headquartered in London. The company employees are estimated at over 12,000 at over 220 locations on 5 continents where its operations are performed. The c ompany operates in twelve locations â€Å"airports† in the UK, Seven in England, four in Scotland and one in wales (BBA Aviation, 2012) Porter's five competitive forces model:Threat of New Entrants: (Low)BBA Aviation plc operates in market segments that have relatively high barriers to entry in the fixed based operator (FBO) business. However, it is possible to have more than one fixed based operator (FBO) operator at major business aviation airports, the airport landlord will still be cautious of issuing too many leases for fear of diluting its own returns from selling the leases. (Westhouse, 2010) Another aspect of the barrier to enter is the Non-financial considerations which also have an influence. Signature’s brand strength and quality service reputation make it much more difficult for price-driven competitors to enter and build repeatable volumes/market share.If end users were truly price-sensitive, they would not be using private aviation in the first place, thi s is to say end users do not switch to a cheaper alternative as the market itself is capital intensive and has no  room for cheaper alternatives. Also, tight credit markets reduce the risk of new entrants being successful at present, hence the smaller companies are falling plus they struggle with the fund needed to create any threat in the market. (Westhouse, 2010)Another deterrent to entry is the strong emphasis on safety and aircraft to remain legally airworthy in the aviation industry set by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for transport. The restrictions from this organisations acts as a barrier to entry by new companies without established track records. (Westhouse, 2010) Bargaining power of suppliers: (High)Signature’s Flight Support main operating cost is aviation fuel, which it sells on to its private jet operator customers with a mark-up. Although, Signa ture’s Flight Support has little bargaining power, the cost is a pass through. Whereas, on the Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) side of the business, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) do wield significant power in terms of their ability to dictate who can acquire licences to conduct maintenance work on their engines, given the strict safety and airworthiness regulations. (Westhouse, 2010)Given the analysis on the porter’s five, it is clear that threat of substitute is low. Also, the aviation market has a high level of barrier to entry and it’s also a high capital intensive market. The main challenge for Managers and leaders given the analysis overhead would be to main an already gained market share and provide a positive employee engagement by a way of specific and relevant job-related training and personal support. (BBA Aviation 2012) PESTEL Analysis:Political and regulatory factors (Law) – (Threats)Safe and dependable transport is essentia l to the UK society and the economy. (Department for Transport, 2012) Haven to meet the standard set by the aviation regulations, BBA Aviation ensures the company’s operations, meets and exceeds the regulations facing its Customers, these customers includes; regional airlines, business aviation, military and commercial aviation operators. (Relevant, 2012) The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) uses a mix of Domestic, European and international legislation to protect consumers.These  legislations ranges from the minimum safety standards set by the International Civil aviation organisation (ICAO), to EC legislation protecting passenger’s rights, also including the European legislation on safety and the domestic regulation on the use of airspace. (CAA, 2012) The legislations are not limited but also, include the safety of Customers, Aircrafts and its Airworthiness, Airlines and its flight standards, Airport and Airspace. (EASA, 2008) Overall, this is a threat to the company and they could lose their operating license should they fail to meet these regulations, hence employee’s needs to be better informed and trained in their individual roles. Economic factors (Weaknesses)The great challenge managers/leaders face in this context is the ability not to have the power to control or manipulate the economic factor such as the Interest rate and exchange rate. Exchange rate volatility is likely to continue to lead to some volatility in sterling profits, with most of the BBA Aviation earnings (and costs) in US dollars. (Westhouse, 2010)Foreign Exchange Risk:BBA Group has significant overseas businesses whose revenues, assets, cash flows and liabilities are mainly denominated in the currency in which the operations are located. BBA Aviation Group’s policy in relation to foreign exchange translation risk is not to hedge the income statement since such hedges only have a short effect. In relation to the balance sheet, the BBA Group seeks to denomina te the currency of its borrowings in US dollars in order to match the currency of its earnings, cash flows and assets which are principally denominated in US dollars. (BBA Aviation, 2012)Financial Risk Factors:The Groups activities expose them to a variety of financial risks: market risk (including interest rate and currency risk), liquidity risk and credit risk. Overall the Group risk management policies and procedures focus on the uncertainty of financial markets and seek to minimise and manage potential financial risks through the use of derivative financial instruments. BBA Aviation does not undertake speculative transactions for which there is no underlying financial exposure. (BBA Aviation, 2012)Under policies approved by the Board of Directors of BBA Aviation plc, risk management is carried out by a central treasury department. This department identifies, evaluates and hedges financial risks in close co-operation with the Group’s subsidiaries. The treasury policies cov er specific areas such as; interest rate risk, credit risk, foreign exchange risk, use of derivative financial instruments and the investment of excess liquidity. (BBA Aviation, 2012)Social and Environmental factor (Opportunity)BBA Group has benefited from the growing population (demography) trend in the United Kingdom, increased holiday makers and Migration into the country has also increased its Group’s revenue (Mark Easton, BBC NEWS, 2010) In light of this growth, the demand for aviation services thus increase, which makes BBA Group to expand in its operations. The expansion brings about employee information and training to accommodate these changes, it also enables its customers to respond effectively and efficiently to meet the new aviation demand.(Source: BBC NEWS, 2010)Current migration figures shows a surprising and high increase in the number of people from different nationals, ethnics, gender and age migrating to Britain, not only by foreign workers or family reunio n cases, but also by a big rise in the number of students coming to the United Kingdom. (Easton, M. BBC NEWS, 2010) Other reasons for migration to the United Kingdom includes; Business, Tourist, Holiday makers and also Political. Hence, the demand for inflow and outflow on aviation services in the United Kingdom seats on a rising trend. (Mark Easton, BBC NEWS, 2010)The more flying hours generated by its customers; the commercial, business, military and regional airlines the more beneficial this is to BBA Aviation. Haven said so, when a lower fuel price was taken into account in 2009, signature flight support revenue dropped 26%. (BBC NEWS, 2010) (Mark Easton, BBC NEWS, 2010)Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)BBA Aviation focuses on delivering a long-term and sustainable value that integrates a continuous improvement and reliability, thus, embedding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in its vision. Health and Safety, Employee, Environment and Community are BBA Aviation plcâ€⠄¢s four key area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). (BBA Aviation, 2012)Technological factors (Strength)Considering the strict safety restriction in the aviation industry Technological innovation is at its highest level with zero tolerance for error. BBA Aviation brandished its strength with the launch of the First support centre. BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaul (ERO) unveiled its First Support global technical operations centre. The centre utilizes integrated satellite based tracking to deliver ultra-fast and efficient response to Aircraft on Ground (AOG). (Aviationpros, 2010) BBA Aviation believes this is a game changer for the engine support industry; First Support utilizes a highly integrated real-time system that can identify locations of field service technicians, mobile response vehicles, rental engines, and tooling at any given moment, any time of the day, around the United Kingdom and anywhere in the world. (Flightglobal, 2010)The support centre has the abil ity to track the precise status of every field service job as well as the availability of the company’s assets and personnel. It can also monitor air and land based traffic as well as the impact of airport delays and weather. Given an example; when a customer calls with an Aircraft on Ground (AOG) issue, the company can rapidly deploy solutions via the most efficient routes and means. BBA Aviation industry leading services enables them to deliver a step-function improvement over existing engine support services. (Flightglobal, 2010)The centre is staffed by highly skilled field service technical managers who are expert on all engine product lines serviced by. Staffing also includes; quality assurance, engineering, and logistics personnel. (Flightglobal, 2010) The Group also introduce the Aqua-save system that helps reduce the litres of waste water generated, this waste water are converted to new coolant or water that can be use for floor cleaning operations, whilst reducing op erational cost and improve  environmental performance. (MWP Advanced Manufacturing, 2010) Dimension of complexity:1. The environment at which the organisation operates is very complex. There are heavy penalty that could affect the organisation should they under perform in their operations. These regulations are set nationally by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Other complexity includes; the unpredictable changing demand in the Aviation industry, critical government policies, laws, regulations, taxes, interest. (Wensveen, J 2010) 2. BBA Group operations are Routine and Non-Routine. This also depends on the sector. Operation that requires baggage handling and de-icing are Routine, whilst the operation that providing landing gear, engine maintenance, supply’s of engine parts are non-routine. 3. BBA Group is diversified following its operations. The group is segmented into; Aftermarket services and systems:Legacy Support: Leading supplier of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) licensed legacy products. AP Precision hydraulics (APPH): Niche landing gear and associated hydraulic equipment provider. Providing integrated logistics support for landing gear and hydraulic systems Engine Repair & Overhaul: Leading independent Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) authorised engine Repair Company. (BBA Aviation, 2013)Flight Support: Aircraft Service International Group (ASIG): The leading independent refueller Signature flight support: Largest leading fixed base operation (FBO) i.e. Ground handling. (BBA Aviation, 2013)4. BBA Aviation group generates more revenue by the more flying time clocked by its customers. (BBC NEWS, 2010) The operating environment has made its operation hostile by refusing the government to expand airports in the United Kingdom, the nation’s economy will benefits from these expansions in the long-run if plans are passed for approval. But there have been challenges from the environmental advocates and public resistance which has objected to the expansion plans and the creation of new run -ways. (The Guardian, 2013)Chairman of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign  Brendon Sewill said: â€Å"When people begin to realise what is likely to hit them, there will be a tidal wave of public resistance.† He said there was no need for any new runway in the South East; Stansted Airport was less than half full, new larger aircraft were coming into use and there was sufficient airport capacity to last until 2050. (BBC NEWS, 2013) BAA Aviation proposed a short a second runway at Gatwick, extra runway at Heathrow, and two extra runways at Stansted.It said the first runway should be built as soon as possible, with land â€Å"safeguarded† at two other sites for future development. But it said the option of a  £9bn new airport at Cliffe in north Kent should be excluded from the government's final expansion scheme. While local residents and green groups will welcome the possible scrapping of the Cliffe pla n, campaigners in Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick reacted with â€Å"dismay† to BAA's statement. (The Guardian, 2013)Given the analysis above, there are little challenges from competitors as the barrier to entry is high. However, there are Environmental Challenges, Social challenges, Community Challenges and Political Challenges. But the Group’s biggest challenge is its Operational Improvement. BBA Aviation Chairman announced that the Group continue to invest in its employees and their development and made some changes to their organisational management structure at the beginning of 2013 to accelerate its growth and operational improvement programme. (BBA Aviation, 2013)The Group believes that with high operational improvement it can strive to reduce environmental impact through the more efficient use of resources, encourage innovative developments in technologies that support its business objectives and can offer environmental, community and social benefits. (BBA Aviat ion, 2013)McKinsey’s 7S’ frame-work Structure:BBA Aviation is divided into Two major Group namely; Flight Support and Aftermarket services and system. There are also further division into the major groups. This idea is to decentralise the Groups operations to the appropriate organisation with relevant skills needed to carry out each and every specific task. All of these groups work under the umbrella of BBA Aviation plc. The creation of these groups divides task and further provide coordination. It decentralises to focus on its individual area of specialisation and centralise to achieve the Group’s sole aims, goals and objectives.Strategy: BAA Aviation divided its strategy into four sections; Vision, Goal, Value and Key performance indicator. Vision:BBA Aviation’s vision and overriding objective of growing exceptional long-term sustainable value for all stakeholders is shared by all Group’ operations which are individually and collectively focused on; continuously improving market-leading and innovative businesses, working together for greater gain through improved co-ordination and co-operation and being an employer of choice for empowered individuals in a safe and sustainable environment. (BBA Aviation, 2013) Values:BBA Aviation plc employees are also unified around a common set of values; these values are a vital and integral part of the way the Group do business. (BBA Aviation, 2013) Goals:Each year BBA Group’s Executive Management Committee sets a series of short and medium-term specific and measurable goals. These goals are then cascaded throughout the Group. Each Group’s business has actions aligned to the achievement of each of the short and medium-term goals and the execution of those actions is actively monitored by Group’s management. (BBA Aviation, 2013) Key Performance Indicators:The successful execution of BBA Aviation’s strategy is expected to be value creative for shareholders. Key Performance Indicators (KPI) is used to monitor progress and any challenges faced within the Group. (BBA Aviation, 2013)Systems: The Group decentralizes its operational system, given the decentralize nature of its business. Given this approach the procedure are different group differs, hence introducing the system of internal control that helps to identify risks and challenges faced by leaders and management.BBA Aviation  internal control is essentially an ongoing process embedded in the Group’s businesses for identifying, evaluating and managing the significant risks faced by the Group, including; social, ethical and environmental risk. The Group considers that it has adequate information to identify and assess significant risks and opportunities affecting its long and short term value. The Group’s system is designed to manage rather than eliminate the risk of failure to achieve its business objectives. The internal control system can provide reasonable but not abso lute assurance against material misstatement or loss; to the extent that is appropriate, taking account of costs and benefits. (BBA Aviation, 2013)Style:Business operations within the Group are routine and non-routine. Certain elements of the business are designed to accommodate the routine aspect of the group. The style here can be said to be flexible as there are specific way of carrying out its operations, changes in style would be said to be low. However, the style at the non-routine aspect of the Group’s operation will change from time to time given the uncertainty in the operations of its business. As the operation at the non-routine level can sometimes not be determined this will mean the style will always have a shift to accommodate any present situation.Staff:BBA Aviation is committed to investing in and empowering its staff through training and education and to providing them with opportunities for rewarding careers. The Group provide each of its employees with spec ific and relevant job-related training and personal support while, at Group level, BBA Aviation develop programmes for example; leadership and general skills training that can be implemented across all sites.The Company provides employees with various opportunities to obtain information on matters of concern to them and to improve their awareness of the financial and economic factors that affect the performance of the Company. These include â€Å"all hands briefings†, staff forums and meetings with trade unions that take place throughout the year. In 2012 a number of communication initiatives have been launched to foster effective two-way communication  around the organisation. (BBA Aviation, 2013)Skill: BBA Aviation is highly skilled in all area of it operations. The Group’s strategy is to acquire a company that specialises in a given area of the Aviation business rather than founding a total new company for that specific area. The level of its operational skill is identified below; Flight Support:Aircraft Service International Group (ASIG): Is the leading independent refueller. Signature flight support: Is the largest leading fixed base operation (FBO) for example; Ground handling. (BBA Aviation, 2013)Aftermarket services and systems: Legacy Support: Is the leading supplier of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) licensed legacy products. Engine Repair & Overhaul: Is the leading independent Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) authorised engine Repair Company. (BBA Aviation, 2013)Super-ordinate Goals:BBA Aviation uses a range of key performance indicators (KPI), allied to the BBA Aviation vision and mission, to monitor the Group’s progress against the goals set to support the delivery of our overarching objective to grow exceptional, long-term, sustainable value for all stakeholders. To acquire the Groups super-ordinate goals, BBA Aviation set up a remuneration policy. This policy is intended to ensure that the remuneration of execut ive directors and other senior executives properly reflects their duties and responsibilities and is sufficient to attract, retain and motivate high calibre senior management capable collectively of delivering the goals of the Company. (BBA Aviation, 2013)Haven critically gone through the company’s PEST Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Porter’s five forces, Complexity of Dimension, Corporate Social Responsibility and Mckensies 7S’ frame work. It is clear that the BBA Aviation is at a stable cruising leading point in the Aviation industry and their biggest challenge is the Operational Improvement to sustain this leadership position. For this to be achieved the employees need to undergo training events to understand the company’s vision, goals, aims, objectives and also to understand the internal and external challenges, hence empowering them with the understand of what is expected of them both as an individual or a group of teams.The Harrison’s learning whe el (eight-stage process) will be a better tool for employees to understand the company’s vision and challenges. The step-by-step process will equip the employees to a better understanding on how to achieve the skills and experience needed in other to be a partaker of the vision and to combat these challenges faced by the company.Training refers to the acquisition of specific skills and knowledge that will enable an employee to perform their job effectively. Relatively, staff development concerns activities that are directed to the future needs of the employee, which may themselves be derived from the future needs of the organisation. (Palmer, A & Hartley, B)Harrison’s learning wheel (The eight-stage process): Establish needs:This is to ascertain the individual, team, group or even management that needs training to better enhance them with the training needed to understand the company’s vision and challenges. Agree on purpose and objectives for the learning event :Having to understand the employee that needs the training process, it will be important for these employees to know the purpose and objective of the training. The training is usually based on the employee to understand the immediate challenges faced by the company. Identify profile of intended population:It is vital that the pedigree of the employee has to be established. The intrinsic and extrinsic profile of the employee has to be understood and a motivational reward to be put in place to incentivise the employee. Agree on strategy and the delivery of the learning event:A strategy on how to deliver the learning event should be made flexible. Planning and control process have to be monitored in the event where funding may have come from other group of the company. Select learner cohort and produce detailed specification for the learning event: At the point leaders and manager would select employee that they think is deemed necessary to attend the learning event given the challenge s faced in their department. Finalise strategy and design the learning event:Ones these employees have been selected a proper strategy on how the learning will be passed on will then be drawn. After this process, a transformation will then be expected of these employees after haven to complete the training process. The finalisation of the training process will then hand the employee the skills and knowledge to better performance hence reducing the challenges faced by the company. Monitor and evaluate the change:The evaluation process is a tool for leaders and managers to ascertain what has worked and what has not worked after the learning process. The evaluation process helps leaders and managers to tackle the remains of the challenges. Evaluation technique that will assist leaders and managers to acquire the learning outcome will range from interviews, questionnaires, briefings, practical test, written test and even the observation of behaviour will confirm an employee engagement. Haven gone through these techniques it will be clear to leaders and managers where lapses can be foreseen and a possible remedy to tackle the remains of the challenges uncovered after the evaluation technique process.Conclusion:The operations of BBA Aviation plc are complex at the industry at which it operates. Given this complexity, their main challenge is Operational Improvement. The company in its response created specific job related training for staff at different level. The training focuses more on staff training and staff development. The Group involve their employees personally in these efforts and invest in new technologies, equipment and training and development programmes where the Group believe they can make a difference.  The Group businesses have much in common and plenty to learn from each other and the Group encourage working together, sharing ideas and good practices.BBA Aviation plc is the leading aviation service provider in the United Kingdom compared to its co mpetitors namely; Goodrich Corporation, Mercury Air Group, Inc. and TIMCO Aviation Services Inc. BAA Aviation doesn't make the planes, but it does keep them flying. (BBA Aviation, 2013)

China Communist Party

Communist Victory The victory of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over the Nationalist faction in the Chinese Civil War was a direct result of numerous influences, both internal and external. However, three important reasons for the CCP’s victory can be attributed to the Japanese attack and occupation of China during World War II, the CCP’s treatment of the Chinese people, and the political failures of the nationalist forces. The combination of these historical events provided a situation that allowed the CCP to defy the odds and take over China.The Japanese invasion of China in 1937 was the setup for the eventual success of the CCP. Although it cost the CCP manpower and resources, the Japanese attack allowed for the formation of a political environment that favored the spread of the communist party. The Japanese help legitimize the CCP by singling it out as a special enemy and instructing the Japanese supported puppet government in the job of exterminating the communi sts in their jurisdictions. The phrase, â€Å"the enemy of my enemy is my friend† applies in this situation.After the mistreatment the Chinese population endured under Japanese occupation, it is easy to comprehend why the Chinese people would gravitate towards a group that was so despised by their main tormenter. The added attention that the CCP received from the Japanese occupiers showed the Chinese people that the CCP was a force to be reckoned with, and a possible threat to Japanese interests in China. This publicity put the CCP’s in the minds of the people as a counter to the Japanese. The Japanese invasion left a power vacuum for the CCP to fill.As the Japanese forces advanced, â€Å"the traditional ruling elite evacuated†¦ and left peasants to defend for themselves during the eight years of occupation. † This allowed for the CCP to move in to the areas without leadership and gave the CCP the opportunity to win over public support. The Japanese militar y expansion into the region forced the KMT forces out of the area, but as Japanese units left the area, the CCP moved in, taking the place of the KMT government. The invasion of China also changed how the peasants viewed China as a whole.Before the invasion, the people â€Å"were a passive element in politics†¦absorbed in local matters and only had the dimmest sense of ‘China’. † However, the Japanese invasion changed how many peasants saw their role in greater population, and focused more on issues like â€Å"national defense, citizenship, treason, legitimacy of government, and the long-range betterment of the Chinese state. † The Japanese attacks on the Chinese people motivated them into shifting their thinking. They now had to think about who was going to protect their lives and property.With both nationalist and communist factions fighting the Japanese army, the interactions of the people and anti-Japanese forces would influence on what side the p eople agreed. In Edgar Snow’s Red Star Over China, Snow shares his account of what he witnessed during his time in China reporting on the actions of the communist party. Snow noticed, â€Å"most of the peasants†¦seemed to support the communists and the Red Army†¦and when asked whether they preferred it to the old days, the answer was nearly always an emphatic ‘yes. † Snow provides detail about the policies that allowed the peasants to favor the new communist rule in their region, writing that, â€Å"the Reds gave land to the land-hungry peasants, †took land and livestock from the wealthy classes and redistributed them among the poor. † The CCP polices also allowed for upper classes to not lose everything but rather †both the landlord and the rich peasant were allowed as much land as they could till with their own labor. † Although some may question the total accuracy of Snow’s work, it cannot be disputed that the policies Snow refers to did indeed influence the people into supporting the communists.Another key point on how the CCP won over the peoples’ support is the rules and policies to which Mao’s followers were forced to adhere. Simple orders like do not steal, return what your borrow, replace what you break, and be courteous allowed the CCP to earn the loyalty of the Chinese people. The communists showed special effort in appealing to women, as they hoped to win over a group of people who were traditionally an oppressed class. Instead of using only force, this respectful behavior towards the people wooed them into the supporting the CCP. The CCP actively took the communist message to the people.The communist way was presented as an ideal society for the Chinese to thrive under, and offered hope to the masses. The CCP sent out propagandists and troupes of actors teaching and entertaining the people the new superior communist way. Nationalist feelings were also stirred by the CCP in the war against the Japanese, aiding in uniting the people under the organized communist resistance. The KMT also played a vital role in the eventual communist victory in main land China. Before the second Sino-Japanese War began in 1937, the KMT focused not on the growing Japanese threat, but instead the communist faction in China.The communist forces retreated, but were not entirely eliminated. This move left open the opportunity for the CCP to grow, adapt and eventually take on the nationalist forces again at a later time. The war with Japan highlighted the failures of the nationalist regime. Hsi Chi in his work Nationalist China at War states that the abuse of the people at the hands of the nationalists â€Å"made the government appear in the people’s eyes as symbol of oppression and exploitation, and provoked widespread disillusionment and alienation among the people.This attitude in relation to the government allowed for the CCP to have a better chance at persuading t he people to join the communist movement. This failure to gain the support of the people is seconded by a soldier in the nationalist army in a letter to America. The soldier, Rau Huang, writes, â€Å"In the early stages of our war against the communists, our government was negligent in not seeking the support of the masses†¦the communists did not neglect this opportunity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The communist victory in the Chinese Civil War was a major moment in the 20th century.The communist had the fortune to have an environment that allowed their efforts to carry on despite being targeted by two other factions. A prolonged Japanese invasion permitted the CCP to move into regions and garner support from the people that may not have been available otherwise. Without a Japanese attack, a sense of nationalism may have been harder to produce from the populace. The party’s organization and methods to gain the support of the masses would prove vital in the victory as well, showing th e people a new future that could be achieved.The nationalist forces were defeated in part because they didn’t eliminate all the communists before the war with Japan, and their own disorganization and inability to gain support from the people proved to be too much to overcome. Certainly, these are not the only reasons why the CCP succeeded in taking control of China, but these elements each played their part in the puzzle that led to final victory of the Chinese Communist Party. Works Cited Babb, Geoff, â€Å"The Chinese Civil War† (presentation, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, October 29, 2012). Chi, Hsi. Nationalist China at War: Military Defeats and Political Collapse, 1937-45.Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1982. Huang , Ray. â€Å"Letter From Nanking. † Military Review, December 1948. Johnson, Chalmers. Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power, etc. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1966. Snow, Edgar. Red Star over China. New York: Grove Press , 1968. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Johnson, Chalmers. Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power, etc. (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1966), 32. [ 2 ]. Johnson, Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power, 70. [ 3 ]. Johnson, Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power, 69. [ 4 ].Johnson, Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power, 69. [ 5 ]. Snow, Edgar. Red Star Over China. (New York: Grove Press, 1968), 222. [ 6 ]. Snow, Red Star Over China, 222. [ 7 ]. Snow, Red Star Over China, 222. [ 8 ]. Babb, Geoff, â€Å"The Chinese Civil War† (presentation, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, October 29, 2012). [ 9 ]. Babb, â€Å"The Chinese Civil War†. [ 10 ]. Babb, â€Å"The Chinese Civil War†. [ 11 ]. Chi, Hsi. Nationalist China at war: military defeats and political collapse, 1937-45. (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1982), 190. [ 12 ]. Huang , Ray. â€Å"Letter From Nanking. † Military Review, December 1948.

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AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE - Essay Example Thinking of the possible strategies and reforms to mitigate the problem, I came up with the accurate suggestions and critical thoughts on Medicare, which I would share within the following reflection. As it has been mentioned in the case, the Rosalyns preexisting condition of ulcer restrained her from receiving due to the few compounding circumstances: first, she was divorced, second, her annual salary at the gift-wrapping company of $19,000 was insufficient to cover medical care and the employee did not provided any sort of medical coverage for her, the last, but not the least, a â€Å"relatively innocent† disorder, an ulcer, made so far expensive medical insurance to cost like a sort of luxury. Obviously, if Rosalyn was not rejected at first, her cancer would not metastasized into womans hips and she would not break her fragile hip bone. The woman died a decade after her surgeries. In the aftermath of Rosalyns case, it may seem that costly medical advantages seem to be a kind of unattainable service even for those, who are, like, Rosalyn, in desperate need for emergent medical assistance. It is impossibly cruel to make someone suffer, witness how their health state progressively deteriorate. What make things feel even worse, is that getting sick for average middle-aged employed American citizen is a sort of fatal disaster. Rosalyns case seems to be outrageous, if observed through the lens of distributive justice theory. That concept is related to the fair distribution of existent resources amidst diverse members of the society. That justice is grounded on the total amount of goods to be allocated, the procedure and distributive pattern. In the health care settings, like in any other field, distributive justice is expected to work for the good of patients. Allocation of medical services, thereof, should be based on the criteria of need, equity and equality. Currently, the United States of America maintains a patchwork system of five

Race Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Race - Essay Example The physical features of race are the first differentiating factor any race. The mixing of races blurs this difference. The melding of the Angles and Saxons many centuries ago to make up the Anglo-Saxons makes for clear understanding of this. The Anglo-Saxons can be said to be made up of any distinct set of physical features, as there is varied nature of the physical features among the Anglo-Saxons. Yet genetically they are the same, even though physically there are many differences. Steve Olson uses Hawaii as the example of mixing of races to portend the future of a race of human race devoid of ethnicity, because of the mixing of different races that have occurred in the country. It is this very mixing of races that gives us insight into the retention of ethnic divides, when biology has ceased to be of relevance. Hawaii is a mix of people that can trace their roots to Japan, China, New England, Portugal, the Philippines and the native Polynesians. Social class in the land is based o n this tracing of ancestral ties. Those with ancestral ties to Japan, China, and New England occupy the higher classes of society, while those with ancestral ties to the Philippines and Portugal occupy the next bracket of social class. The native Polynesians find themselves right at the bottom of the social class system, which is reflected in their resolve for an independent nation, much like the aspirations of the Native American Indians. This ethnical divide persists even though there has been much biological mixing through interracial marriages. This experience of Hawaii provides support for the argument that with mixing of races, new sets of races are created socially that do not have biological relevance and lead to the persistence of racial divides of society. Olson provides a clear example of the fading of the biological basis of racial divide on Hawaii through the example of a man with ancestors, whose roots

IT and Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

IT and Entrepreneurship - Essay Example The Nielson Norman Group undertakes its programs and processes in line with computerized user interfaces. Such programs enable the company to bear the ability to provide consultation to clients from the firm. The Group’s success is evident since the company has built an overwhelming range of clientele in the global market since its foundation back in 1998. The following discussion seeks to highlight the prospective of intranets with various evaluation approaches to assert the fact that the programs do not necessarily provoke learning and inspirations (Collins, 2010, p, 130). Discussion of the features to build in an organization’s intranet the different intranet services seem to comprise of different features depending on the main purposes of their improvising. Each of the learning intranets was purported by its innovators as a certain approach to solving learning and problems. Distinctively, global enterprises realize that the social media is part of the community and may not fade out despite the pre-existing challenges Green, et al 2011, p, 90). Technical surveys implore organizations to abide in the use of social media holding that it is the most appropriate method from restructuring organization’s performances and building effective teams through the imposition of knowledge of the personnel and management. Experts have the notion that collaborative communication through the internet is certainly a useful course in all enterprises operating on a global platform. The effective nature of intranets is viewed as implicit to the gradual changes that are presumed to exist in organizations. This change is certain since there is enough and unprecedented evidence that functionality will shift gradually from the current prospects for the organizations’ advantages. The fact that intranets exist in different versions, the enterprise community of the society has a significant range to choose the intranet approach in accordance to the performan ce portfolio. Ideally, I-Space intranet provides learners with provident knowledge for use in ensuring organizational development and prowess in performances. Mainly, the I-Space intranet service provides various knowledgeable aspects ranging from the provision of public knowledge to the ideology of enhancing common sense (Collins, 2010, p, 133). A detailed survey undertaken by the Norman Group asserts that the intranet survey phenomenon comprises of the aspects of codification and diffusion of reading materials, a factor that is defined as the public knowledge approach. On the second account, the intranet approach ascertains to its users that they will accrue proprietary knowledge through its intriguing provision of patented entities, official secrets, and other critical information sources. The intranet approach asserts that users seeking proprietary knowledge shall find that its lack of diffusion despite the codification as an ethical barrier to provision of security on the perti nent materials. Lastly, the account provides employees and other concerned stakeholders seeking information with personal knowledge whereby codification and diffusion equally lack thus; guaranteeing users to sort out for any information related to their needs. I-Space accounting approaches assert knowledge on common sense, the type of information that all people have knowledge about their existence. However, the service is extremely diffused and without codifications thus enabling any

Technology Forecast Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Technology Forecast - Assignment Example This paper discusses the forecasted development of information technology industry through the year of 2013. Industry Overview Davis (1989) defines information technology as the use of telecommunication equipment and computers to keep, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data mostly in the field of a business or any other activity. Davis (1989) adds that this term is mostly used as a replacement for computers and everything that has to do with them, including other information delivery technologies, such as television and telephones. In the business setting, Information Technology Association of America defined information technology as the studying, scheming, developing, instigating, applying technical support, as well as handling computer-based information systems. People who work in this field are responsible for network administration, installing and developing software and even planning and managing an organization’s life cycle, under which software and hardware is upheld, upgraded or exchanged. It is through such processes the information technology is being developed in such a way that it enhances productivity and efficiency of employees and organizations. Indisputably, introduction of information technology within the contemporary business environment has had great impact on human daily routine. Chesbrough and Spohrer (2006) assert that information technology demand is driven by the high rate of rapid technology improvements. The profit of a modern company heavily depends on technical know-how, innovative services as well as real advertising by means of hi-tech. Chesbrough and Spohrer (2006) add that large companies have advantages over small companies in that they have broad global reach as compared to small companies that may choose to compete by specializing in market niche. The small companies may as well choose to partner with the big ones to enable their services are being rendered at a more productive rate. The business worth of information technology depends on the mechanization of business procedures, providing information in making decision, linking the businesses with customers and providing other productive tools to increase efficiency. Organizations, businesses, and individuals continue to employ information technology features and systems within the operations with the main aim of increasing efficiency and effectiveness. There is no doubt that since the coming of information technology many business operations, processes, and activities have considerably changed. The world continues to spend a lot of money to adopt and implement information technology in daily life at all levels. Amongst the aspects that the world spends so much money on in respect to information technologies there are devices, data system centers, enterprise software, information technology services, and telecom services, as illustrated in the following chart. The following charts show how global information technology has spread over the last two years. World spending in the year 2012 was found to amount at $3

The wizard of Oz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The wizard of Oz - Essay Example Particularly, the paper will analyze the scene in which the Wicked Witch, the stories main antagonist, was killed through her own machinations in the famous â€Å"I’m melting† scene. The sepia-toned setting of the Kansas prologue in the Wizard of Oz is famously contrasted with the splash of full color that the movie introduced as we enter Dorothy’s dream. The world of the dream is meant, we are supposed to believe, to represent an alternative universe. Yet director Fleming draws from the real world political and economic landscape of the late 1930s in building this supposed alternate world. Particularly, he establishes two worlds – one with a kind of goodness and innocence that, though it has its own brand of hypocrisy and silliness, is presumed superior to the second, a dark and scary world of evil that lurks about the film’s edges in the person of the Wicked Witch and the setting associated with her. As the film progresses we see that even the sce nes in which a kind of injustice can be discerned in the sleek modern City of Oz -- through, for example, the Wizard making promises he has no intention of keeping – are carried out in a golden bathing light of modernity and technological wonder. This is strongly contrasted with the Witch’s castle which, with its gothic arches and ancient, minimalist architecture seems to be inspired by old world, specifically German, influences. The suggestion is the American world is preferable to the European even in its failings. In building the mise-en-scene for the two contrasting worlds, Fleming utilized a full range of color and light in the City of Oz scenes, as well as for the march along the beautiful if sometimes difficult travel on the yellow brick road. However, in the scenes that are associated with the witch, -- such as the forest scene and castle scene – the color palette is darkened and limited. The black of the witch’s cloak is contrasted with the blue of Dorothy’s dress and bright red of the coveted shoes in many shots in these settings. The uniforms of the zombie-like soldiers that serve the witch resemble Nazi officers’ uniforms. The green-faced witch herself, in the make-up choices made, suggests a kind of sickness and moral decrepitude, contrasted against Dorothy’s fresh innocence. Nathanson (1991) contrasts the two worlds of the City of Oz and Witch’s Castle in excellent summary form. After, describing Oz as an American â€Å"future anticipated in the present† he describes the setting of the witch’s castle as follows: Technology here is primitive. Candles and torches are used instead of electric lights, spears instead of guns, and an hourglass instead of a clock. Surfaces, moreover, are coarse and unpolished. Architecturally, the Castle is a maze of twisting staircases and crooked passages. Here, then the mise-en-scene is alien. It is remote in both time and space. (p. 39) Here the s etting of the action is made to resonate with the world of the late 1930s in which the world was moving steadily to war – with the American promise of technology being questioned and challenged (potentially) by the reactionary and agrarian aggressiveness of Hitler’s Nazi Party. While such a comparison is not made explicit in the film, it is almost inescapable when looking back on the film as a piece of cultural history.

Beuys Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Beuys - Essay Example In actuality it went underground, emerging again, in entirely new guises, only toward the end of the 1970s. In 1967 Joseph Beuys, a professor of sculpture at the prestigious Dsseldorf Academy of Art, founded the politically dissident German Student Party and in the following year aligned himself with the rioting students, who strongly influenced his attitudes to art and politics. Beuys was born in 1921 at Kleve in the Lower Rhineland, served with the Luftwaffe in the War, enrolled as a student at the Dsseldorf Academy in 1947, and was Professor of Monumental Sculpture there from 1961 until he was dismissed in 1972. Beuys, who remained committed to social change to the end of his life, founded (among other organizations) the Organization of Non-Voters/Free Referendum Information Point in 1970 and the Organization for Direct Democracy through Referendum in 1971. He also waged war against hidebound art education. Beuys summed up his countercultural stance in 1979: "Young people -- the hippies in the '60s, the punks today -- are struggling to find new ways of defining the culture they live in . They, not money, are the capital of society" (Adriani, Konnertz, & Thomas, 1979). More than any of his contemporaries, Beuys sought to confront the social situation of a physically and psychologically devastated Germany and, by extension, Europe. Facing up to German history and culture -the Nazi period and its antecedents -- he said that he would assume the shamanistic role of exorcising past horrors, indicating the traumas of a time and initiating a healing process." He also believed that the imaginative powers of art could change life and bring about a personal and national rebirth. His ideas appealed to the European art world, because they seemed peculiarly European and -- equally important -- because they were expressed in an advanced visual language. Beuys achieved widespread recognition in 1968 and, in the 1970s, became the most important and influential artist in Europe. Beuys proposed his art as an alternative to contemporary American art -- which to him meant pop art, exemplified by Warhol, and minimalism. He overlooked the fact that many American post minimalists were also reacting against pop art and minimalism and were, like him, moving into performance and installation art. And they were as affected by the Vietnam War and America's social evils as he had been by the Nazi horror, the Holocaust, the student uprisings of 1968 -- and Vietnam. (But he convinced a significant number of European artists and art professionals that his misreading of American and European art was the correct interpretation, in large measure because they wanted to believe it.) Beuys's artistic roots were in Dada-inspired fluxus, which had been at the center of the German avant-garde in the early 1960s. Attracted by its use of performance to break down barriers between art and life, he joined the group. In February 1963 he hosted an international fluxus festival, Festum Fluxorum Fluxus at the Dsseldorf Academy. On that occasion he performed the first of his "actions," as he called his theatrical pieces, titled Siberian Symphony. Fluxus artists, who generally favored simple, short, often outrageous and funny sound-producing events, found Beuys's performance too complex and metaphorical for their taste. But much as he

Company Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Company Research - Essay Example These programs work fairly well. An important aspect and thread that runs through all of them, however, is management culture. How successful a human resources department is is often a reflection of the management culture towards employees. In this overview all of these things will be discussed. Microsoft uses a number of different methods to hire employees from both outside and inside the company. Advertisements are placed on websites and local media and some are displayed through a company intranet. One of the best things about their policy is that they try to hire from within the company. That means that employees are familiar with the operations and the culture. However, generally speaking, if a company becomes too reliant on this method of hiring they will find that they rarely have new blood or ideas. It is important not to over-prioritize internal hiring as it can lead to redundant thinking and tiredness. Microsoft’s training program is substantial. One of the best things about it is the 60-day buddy period which allows new employees to be supervised and gently acculturated to the company. However, 60 days is a long time to have a buddy and surely that â€Å"buddy’s† productivity will be reduced if he spends all his time with the new employee. If too many employees are hired at once, too many buddies will be spending all their time training. It’s important to keep this in mind. A thread that runs through all these aspects of Microsoft’s human resource management is a culture of respect for the employees. Management is a complex art. It involves a lot of angles relating to competition, performance and commitment. It also has a lot to do with competition. Microsoft is hardly the only software company in town and they must constantly be monitoring their competition to see how they are performing. Their prices and services change depending on the successes and failures of the competition. Training and recruitment practices change depending on how

Towards of Theory of Balanced Purges in Post-Conflict Reconstruction Essay

Towards of Theory of Balanced Purges in Post-Conflict Reconstruction Efforts - Essay Example In Iraq, by contrast, Paul Bremer engaged in a much more systemic and pervasive program of purges. In addition, purges were in many ways based on ethnic and political affiliations. The consequences of these two purges, at least in the short run, could not be more different. Japan stabilized quickly, pursued post-conflict reconstruction in an orderly manner, and exists today as an economic powerhouse. The outlook for Iraq is far less hopeful. Stabilization has not only not occurred, but would seem to be impossible under current conditions. The nature of the purges in each case, and the conditions related to the purges, go a long way towards explaining success in Japan and failure in Iraq. This essay will assert that deep purges of government, administrative, and military structures, if executed in accord with local conditions, can lead to stabilization in the short-run and prepare the country for an effective and an enduring reconstruction effort. To this end, this essay will discuss the risks and the rewards of the deep purge philosophy. Then more specifically, this essay will present a comparative analysis of deep purge strategies in Japan, Iraq, and Italy. As a preliminary matter, there are a number of perceived rewards associated with the purging of officials and institutions in enemy combatant states. The first reward, and one which is perhaps more psychological than practical in the short term, is a sense of retribution and punishment. There is a need for ultimate accountability and the purging of top leaders symbolizes victory. Both Saddam Hussein and Mussolini were paraded before the world as obstacles to peaceful reconstruction in their respective countries. The Emperor of Japan, for reasons to be discussed below, escaped the retribution and punishment reward. In his place, MacArthur chose General Tojo. An additional reward is the opportunity to pursue a reconstruction model which is closely aligned with the governing philosophies of the victorious country or countries. From an administrative and a political point of view, in each of the three cases involved here, this involved the transformation of authoritarian regimes into de mocratically-oriented regimes. Human rights were emphasized, constitutions drafted and implemented, and administrative mechanisms established to grant access and influence to the victors. Finally, and significantly, there were economic rewards associated with deep purges. The old economic elite were pushed aside, stripped of their wealth, and reconstruction contracts allocated to business organizations of the victorious countries. In short, the perceived benefits of a deep purge were associated with the sweeping away of both real and perceived opposition to the pervasive post-conflict reconstruction of the defeated country in the image of the victorious countries. There are, however, grave risks associated with the deep purging of a country's governing elite. Retribution for example, must be seen as balanced and just. MacArthur allowed Emperor Hirohito to preserve his dignity and thereby avoided potential uprisings against his administration of Japan. Paul Bremer's treatment of Saddam Hussein, on the other hand, was much less delicate. The deposed Iraqi leader was reported to have been hiding in a dirty hole in his underwear when captured. This public humiliation might certainly be

A monopoly from start to finish Essay Example for Free

A monopoly from start to finish Essay During out studies this term we have learned a lot about a Monopolistic way a company is able to maneuver in the business market and I would like to refresh your mind by offering a clear definition. A Monopoly is a situation in which an entity, either an individual or an industry or organization, is the sole supplier of a particular good or service. As such, this supplier has no competition from other suppliers and is able to control the market value of the commodity. Some monopolies are government-enforced or controlled, while others form naturally or through company merger. According to our focus of this paper, we are asking about the long-run competitive equilibrium of the Wonks Company that was earning a normal rate of return and were competing in a monopolistically competitive market structure. One of the questions we must answer regarding this change in business structure is how the company’s shift to a monopoly will benefit the stakeholders involved. One of the stakeholders who may be involved is the government. Monopolies sanctioned by the government are called legal monopolies. These are considered coercive monopolies, meaning that other companies are forbidden by law to compete against them. Governments also maintain some control over monopolies through competition laws, which prevent monopolies from engaging in unscrupulous or anti-competitive practices (http://www. reference. com/motif/Society/advantages-disadvantages-of-monopolies). The second question is how a Monopoly will affect other businesses and after research it is quite obvious from the definition of a monopoly that other companies do not have to worry about competition from other companies in the same market. Consumers are affected by this change because they must either purchase the product or service from the monopoly or do without it. When a company transitions from a monopolistically competitive firm to a monopoly, there will be changes with regard to prices and output from both of these market structures. So, let’s take a closer look at how prices are affected when a firm becomes a monopoly. A common practice among some monopolies is price discrimination, in which the monopolist charges some segments of the population more than others for the same product or service, based on a higher need or a wealthier consumer base. This would usually be called price fixing which is an agreement between participants on the same side in a market to buy or sell a product, service, or commodity only at a fixed price, or maintain the market conditions such that the price is maintained at a given level by controlling supply and demand. When the monopoly is able to prevent buyers from reselling their product, they may be able to price discriminate to accentuate the effects of monopoly power. In my opinion the most important group that is affected by a Monopoly are the consumers. Monopolies can impact consumer prices in two obviously different ways, they can cause prices to drop so low that it forces companies out of business or it an cause prices to skyrocket making it difficult for consumers to purchase a product, neither being a good option for the consumer. If one business is the only provider of a product or service, the consumer is forced to pay whatever the price they demand. This can also lead to the company providing a low quality product or service without fear of losing business (Home, 2009). Since monopolies are the only provider, they can set pretty much any price they choose, regardless of demand, because they know the consumer has no choice. Is this sort of thing fair to consumers? Of course not, but it is how big business is able to stay on top of the market. For example, most people find that Apple products have an outrageous price tag, but I have come to learn that the quality of their products is outstanding and I estimate that Apple will continue to rise in popularity for years to come. It has also come to my attention that because Monopolies try to monitor the price of products they may resort to price discrimination. Price discrimination is sometimes defined as the practice of a firm selling a homogeneous commodity at the same time to different purchasers at different prices . Of course, I believe it is important to understand what and how price discrimination occurs. â€Å"Price discrimination exists when two similar products which have the same marginal cost to produce are sold by a firm at different prices. This sort of practice is highly controversial in terms of its impact on both consumers and rivals† (Price Discrimination, 2006, p. 1). There are many ways to accomplish these sort of conditions because the transactions surely need not be simultaneous; indeed, there is temporal discrimination, such as between Sunday rates and week, day rates, matinee and evening prices, peak rates and off-peak rates, season and off-season prices. To sell different qualities or products with different marginal cost at the same price, or to buy different qualities or factors of different efficiency at the same price, is also discriminatory. Based on all of this useful information we must also answer the question regarding which market structure is more beneficial for Wonks to operate in and will this market structure benefit consumers? In my opinion it is based on the level of quality and service of the products and how much consumers are willing to pay for the products they want to purchase. In a monopolistic competitive market the consumer may choose to purchase a substitute product for a lower price, but only if the consumer values price over value. Of course with a monopoly there may be only a few companies offering a substitute product. If one company’s product becomes too high in price, the consumer will eventually look for another brand that offers similar use. According to economist, the monopolistic competitor’s demand curve is less elastic than a pure competitor and more elastic than a pure monopolist. Monopolistic competitors have excess capacity which means that fewer companies operating at capacity could supply the industry output. It is my opinion that Wonks might operate more beneficially as a Monopoly than at a Monopolistic Competitive firm because they will not have as much competition to deal with and they can corner the market with value and price. Resources: 1. McChesney, F. S. , Shughart II, W. F. , Haddock, D. D. (2004). ON THE INTERNAL CONTRADICTIONS OF THE LAW OF ONE PRICE. Economic Inquiry, 42(4), 706-716. doi:10. 1093/ei/cbh091 2. Mainwaring, L. L. (1977). MONOPOLY POWER, INCOME DISTRIBUTION AND PRICE DETERMINATION. Kyklos, 30(4), 674. 3. https://www. fcsknowledgecenter. com/uploads/2011_Row_Crops_Industry_Perspective. pdf 4. http://academic. udayton. edu/lawrenceulrich/Stakeholder%20Theory. pdf 5. http://www. answers. com/topic/mergers-and-acquisitions 6. http://www. helium. com/items/1405663-what-is-a-monopoly-what-do-monopolies-do-how-is-the-economy-affected-by-monopolies 7. Case, K. E. , Fair, R. C. , and Oster, S. E. (2009) Principles of Microeconomics (9th ed). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Preparation of Identification by Ir and Nmr Spectroscopy Essay Example for Free

Preparation of Identification by Ir and Nmr Spectroscopy Essay The reactive acid chloride can then be treated with a primary or secondary amine to give the amide along with HCl, which reacts with the excess amine to give an alkylammonium chloride salt. The mechanism of this process is shown on the following page in Scheme 22: [pic] Scheme 2 To carry out this reaction, the apparatus shown in Figure 1 will be assembled. The apparatus must be dry, since thionyl chloride will react with water to give sulfur dioxide and hydrogen chloride. The acid chloride will then be cooled to room temperature and dissolved in anhydrous ether. Ice-cold diethylamine will be added as a solution in anhydrous ether to form the amide. The resulting ether mixture will washed with aqueous sodium hydroxide (to remove any excess acid chloride), then washed with hydrochloric acid (to remove any excess diethylamine). The resulting ether solution of DEET will be dried and evaporated to yield the crude product, which will then be purified by column chromatography to afford pure DEET. The percent yield from m-toluic acid will be determined and the product will be analyzed by transmission infrared spectroscopy (IR) as a neat sample using NaCl plates5 to confirm its structure by (1) looking at the major absorptions and comparing them to a correlation table6 and (2) by comparing the spectrum to that of an authentic sample. Thionyl chloride is toxic and corrosive! Do not breath the vapors! Use in a hood! When heating a reaction apparatus, be sure that it is open to the air so that pressure build up and subsequent rupture of the apparatus does not occur. When heating liquids, make sure the liquid is stirred (or a boiling chip is added) to prevent â€Å"bumping†. When performing an extraction, make sure to vent the separatory funnel often to prevent pressure build-up. The apparatus shown in Figure 1 was assembled. The 10-mL reaction flask was charged with 0. 275 g of m-toluic acid (0. 0020 mol) and 0. 30 mL of thionyl chloride (0. 492 g, 0. 0041 mol). The condenser water was started, and the mixture was gently heated with stirring on an aluminum block (block temp ~ 90 oC) until boiling started. The reaction mixture was then gently boiled for about 15 minutes. After the boiling period was finished, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature. 4. 0 mL of anhydrous ether were added, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature until a homogeneous mixture was obtained. To this solution was added (dropwise over a 15 minute period) a solution of 0. 6 mL of cold (0 oC) diethylamine (0. 462 g, 0. 0063 mol) in 1. 33 mL of anhydrous ether. During the addition, a thick white cloud of diethylamine hydrochloride was formed. After complete addition, the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for about 10 minutes. 10% aqueous sodium hydroxide (2 mL) was then added, and the reaction mixture was stirred for an additional 15 minutes at room temperature, then poured into a separatory funnel and allowed to separate. The aqueous layer was discarded, and the organic layer was washed with an additional portion of 10% aqueous sodium hydroxide (2 mL), followed by a portion of 10% hydrochloric acid (2 mL). The organic layer was washed with water (2 mL), dried (Na2SO4) and evaporated to yield crude N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide as dark brown liquid. The crude product was filtered through a short alumina column using hexane as the eluent (~ 5 mL). The hexane solution was evaporated to give 0. 340 g of pure N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide as a yellow liquid. Reaction of m-toluic acid with thionyl chloride, followed by diethylamine produced 0. 340 g of a yellow liquid the IR spectrum of which unequivocally showed the presence of the amide carbonyl functional group at 1633 cm-1. In addition, absorptions due to aliphatic C-H (2980 – 2880 cm-1), and aromatic C=C (at 1585 cm-1). The IR spectrum is attached to this report. These data are consistent with the structure of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), shown in Figure 2 below: [pic] Figure 2: N,N-Diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) In addition, the IR of the product closely corresponds with that of an authentic sample of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) shown in the lab text. 9 Also, the 1H-NMR shows the presence of four (4) aromatic protons in the region 7. 3 – 7. 1 ppm, as well as a three (3) proton singlet at 2. 35 ppm, which corresponds to the benzylic methyl group. The presence of two ethyl groups is clearly shown by the presence of two quartets which integrate to 2 protons each at 3. 53 and 3. 24 ppm, and two triplets which integrate to 3 protons each at 1. 23 and 1. 09 ppm.

Features of Effective Communication in Healthcare

Features of Effective Communication in Healthcare Laura Abayomi This essay shall discuss the act of communication as it relates to the health care industry. Communication is described as the act of sending and receiving information and this could either be verbal, non verbal or written. Communication in the Health care industry is very vital for effective health care delivery. This need cannot be over emphasized in that it is the only means by which appraisal can be made to determine the level of performance and success of both the health professional and the establishment. There are different methods of communication suitable for different range of situations for example, under verbal, in order to effectively communicate with the blind and partially sighted patients, there is the need to use large print fonts size to enable them read without further strain to the eye Information that is being communicated via the written format should be legible and accurate especially for people with sight difficulty. The use of Braille, audiotapes, electronic text can be very helpful. Health care organisations such as NHS also make use of telephone and voice mail when booking and confirming appointments in order to effectively communicate with this and other group of people. Patients with hearing difficulties can be assisted by making available written material that convey information and also the use of BSI and text phone could be very helpful. Signs, symbols, gestures and body language can also be used in this situation. Communicating with individuals with impaired speech could pose some form of challenge however; technological aid such as a special computer in which the patient can type in their thoughts or feelings and this message will then be spoken out loud can be used. Patients with learning disability can be supported through their care givers and also by using illustrations, videos and audio tape and pictured pamphlets. People whose first language is not English could find it difficult communicating in a care setting. For this set of individuals, language translator and the use of audio and videotapes that addresses that individuals need can be of immense help. Communication is considered as the act of transferring information between two or more individuals. It is like two way traffic. For communication to be said to have taken place, information must have been exchanged that is, the sender and the receiver must have benefited mutually. There are many factors that constitute a barrier to communication, among these are; Language: This could be a serious barrier to communication. There is the need for both the sender and the receiver to understand each other in order for communication to be effective and to avoid misunderstanding. Environment: The environment in which communication takes place matters a lot and determines how effective the communication will be for example, carrying out conversation or trying to pass on information in a crowded and noisy ward could be quite distracting and this could act as a barrier. The use of Jargons is another factor that constitutes a barrier to communication for example, when professionals use technical jargons or unfamiliar and overcomplicated terminologies when dealing with patients. Experience has revealed that when health practitioners use medical terminologies that the patient is not used to, communication will not be effective and this could even lead to confusion and misunderstanding Culture is another aspect that could be a form of barrier to communication for example, in some culture it is deemed as inappropriate for a male health practitioner to relate in any capacity with a female patient and this could be a barrier. Also, some matters are considered taboos in some cultures therefore communicating such matters could be difficult to the person concerned Emotional factors such as anger, stress or even ill health could act as a barrier to communication for example, the emotional state of mind of the receiver at the time the information is being relayed will determine if the massage is understood or accepted. Also excessive shyness could act as barrier to communication because this could prevent the patient from expressing him or herself clearly. Barriers to communication can be overcome by addressing each barrier as it relates to the situation and environment one is dealing with which in this case is the health sector. Language as a communication barrier is prevalent among individuals from the ethnic minority whose first language is not English. This group of people may find it difficult to communicate and express themselve adequately. To overcome this barrier, it is best to get a language interpreter and translator. Also leaflets and picture pamphlets can be used. Overcoming environmental barrier to communication can be achieved through creating an atmosphere that is free of external distractions such as noise; when this cannot be effectively controlled, Individuals and organisations can adopt the use of earplugs and earphones in order to cut out outside noise. Health practitioners should avoid the use of difficult terminologies and medical jargons when dealing with patients to avoid misunderstanding and confusion. Speaking in simple English or the agreed mode of communication will help eradicate communication barrier. Inability to read could be a barrier to communication and this may be due to poor sight or too small letters (fonts) or illegibility of printed materials. To overcome this barrier, audio and video tapes as well as vocal interpretation can be used. Printed materials with large fonts will help alleviate the difficulty and promote good communication Hearing Difficulties: This form of challenge can be taken care of by using of BSL and text phones. Learning disability could be a barrier to communication. To overcome this, illustrations, videos and audio tapes can be used to simplify and make communication better. From the tone of the first response, one can sense cheerfulness because of the sing song tone of the voice. The message that comes across to the listener is that of a satisfied patient. The second voice sounds angry. This deduction is due to the sharp and abrupt tone of response to the greeting. The signal that comes across is that of a dissatisfied and angry patient. This anger could be the result of lack of adequate care given. The third tone evidenced an emotional tone. It reveals that of a person with a broken spirit which may be due to a loss or having received bad news concerning a diagnosis such as Cancer. Having considered the different tone of voice, it can be concluded that words as a medium of communication is the outward or verbal expression of what a person is actually thinking or feeling and this feeling can be interpreted in different ways judging from the tone of voice and response to even simple greetings. â€Å"Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (The Bible,NKJV). The health professional’s approach to these different responses will differ. While the individual with the angry tone will be approach with caution, the other two tones are more welcoming however; they all need our understanding, re-assurance and empathy. The Oxford dictionary defines empathy as â€Å"the ability to understand and share the feelings of another† (oxford dictionary 2015). This definition of empathy is very important in the health care sector because it truly mirrors how the health practitioner’s role should be seen and carried out. The ability to feel another person’s pain as if it is yours is a virtue that is essential in efficiently carrying out ones role as a health practitioner. The patient or family member that comes to the hospital is in most cases at a very vulnerable state and needs all the support and understanding they can receive at this time. The ability to do this can only happen if the practitioner can understand and puts himself in the place of the patient. Evidence has shown instances where care practitioners have failed in doing this for example, the Winterbourne case where â€Å"vulnerable people were mocked and even tortured by the very staff that should have been supporting them†. (BBC news) At the end, eleven workers from the care home were convicted and six were sent to prison Another example that made headlines was the Stafford Hospital case in which it was revealed through the help of hidden cameras how patients were rough handled, treated without dignity and left unattended to for hours and some were â€Å"left sitting on their own urine†( the guardian 2015) The failure to listen empathically by people from whom this virtue is expected can be ascribed to several reasons. Firstly, it is best to understand that the ability to empathise can come naturally as an instinct or could also be learnt as a skill and through life experiences. While some people find it easy to show empathy, others find it a struggle and a challenge. Though this is a skill that is required in this sector, some practitioners lack it both as a skill and as an instinct. Empathy emanates from truly listening to and giving of one’s time but when the professional is constrained for time, he or she may be distracted and thus be able to understand the patient’s pain. The inability or failure to listen to others empathically could be the result of the individual’s upbringing such as growing up in a home devoid of outward show of emotions or empathy or may be due to some psychological disorder such as â€Å"antisocial personality disorder† or ASPD (psych central 2015) Confidentiality is an essential part of the act of communication. In large establishments such as NHS, there are sets of rules or policy put in place to protect the privacy of patients. The health care sector as a people centered organisation is built on trust therefore, there is the need for the patient to know for certain that every information that he or she has divulged in moments of vulnerability is handled with utmost care and used solely for the purpose for which it was given. It is therefore the responsibility of the health care practitioner to safeguard information that is given. Personal medical records are of enormous importance and should be so treated; however; statistics has revealed breeches in NHS data record. According to big brother watch; â€Å"between 2011 to 2014, there have been at least 7,255 breaches†. (Big Brother watch 2015) The list of breeches includes: â€Å"At least 103 instances of data loss or theft. At least 206 instances of data being shared inappropriately via e-mail, letter or fax. At least 251 instances of data being inappropriately shared with a third party† (Big brother watch 2015) The breech of a patient’s confidentiality could lead to lack of trust in the system. The consequence of broken confidentiality can be far reaching in that it affects not just the patient, but the institution and the individual through which the breech was committed. It will cause the patient to lose faith in the system and may want to press charges and take legal proceedings against the health organisation and this could be costly and will affect the public image of the health organisation. Also, records have revealed that disciplinary actions have been taken against the individuals that have been found guilty of breeching confidentiality laws and some have been sacked from their jobs and some of them prosecuted. (Big brother watch 2015) There are instances where it is permissible to break confidentiality. In situations where the person divulging the information is perceived by the health practitioner as a possible threat either to himself or to someone else for example, if the person is suicidal or has revealed that a crime has been committed or there is the intention of committing one it is therefore the responsibility if the practitioner to break confidentiality and report the matter to the appropriate authority. (Answers.com 2015) Besides the need for privacy and confidentiality, the need for a thorough record keeping in the health care setting is crucial for several reasons; 1. Records serve as Proof and evidence of medical procedure and medication that has been carried out on a patient. It helps to further Continuity: In a hospital setting were drugs are administered, proper record should be kept so that the next practitioner that takes over will know what sort of medication had been administered to a patient. Record keeping also helps scientists in their medical research to evaluating precedence in patient treatment and their reaction to drug and medication. In conclusion, man as a social being had learnt to rely on each other through the ages and to do this; there is the need to communicate. The desire to meet this need has evolved from sheer words of mouth to include more sophisticated means and channels of transferring and receiving information thanks to modern technological advancement which has helped in no small measure in reducing the barriers which had hindered communication in the past. Communication as one of the underlying aspect of human existence can be said to be dynamic and forward looking in its evolution and now includes other aspects such as record keeping for the sake of posterity, confidentiality and empathy. In the health care sector, these aspects of communication are paramount in effectively carrying out ones role as a professional. References: Bbc.co.uk, (2015). [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-2277304 [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Answers.com, (2015).When can confidentiality be broken. [online] Available at: http://www.answers.com/Q/When_can_confidentiality_be_broken [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Belsten, L. (2015).Can Empathy Be Learned?. [online] The-iseiblog.com. Available at: http://the-iseiblog.com/communication-skills/can-empathy-be-learned/ [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Bigbrotherwatch.org.uk, (2014).New Report: Patient confidentiality broken 6 times a day | Big Brother Watch. [online] Available at: http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/home/2014/11/new-report-patient-confidentiality-broken-6-times-day.html [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Nugent, H. (2012).Care home worker jailed for abuse of 89-year-old caught on hidden camera. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/aug/29/care-home-worker-hidden-camera [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Oxforddictionaries.com, (2015).Oxford Dictionaries. [online] Available at: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/ [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Matthew 12:34 The Holy Bible, The new king James version. Psych Central.com, (2015).Antisocial Personality Disorder Symptoms. [online] Available at: http://psychcentral.com/disorders/antisocial-personality-disorder-symptoms/ [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015].

Robert Wrights Article the Evolution Of Despair :: essays research papers fc

Robert Wright's Article "The Evolution of Despair" Robert Wright is the science writer for Time Magazine. Because he writes for this popular magazine, he enjoys the attention of many readers who look to him to provide them with the latest news from the scientific community. After reading The Evolution of Despair, an article written by Wright, I came under the impression that he is both reporter and commentator, but not explicitly so. Wright utilizes a variety of rhetorical tools to establish trust and confidence in his readers, thereupon interjecting his own opinions without arousing suspicion. The article's first paragraph is a perfect example of how a writer can establish intimacy with his reader. The following example demonstrates Wright's use of first person and emotional appeal: "Whether burdened by an overwhelming flurry of daily commitments or stifled by a sense of social isolation; whether mired for hours in a sense of life's pointlessness or beset for days by unresolved anxiety; whether deprived by long workweeks from quality time with offspring or drowning in quantity time with them – whatever the source of stress, we at times get the feeling that modern life isn't what we were designed for" (1). Everyone, at some point, has experienced the feelings that Wright describes. And with the pronoun ‘we' Wright tells his readers, ‘Yes, I have been through the same things.' This sort of statement is like a token of good will. The readers feel that Wright understands their plight and thus are more likely to listen to what he has to say. With this trust established, Wright moves on to the task of building confidence in his readers. He lives up to his title of science writer by providing various statistics ("As of 1993, 37% of Americans felt they could trust most people, down from 58% in 1960" (4).) and reporting the findings of numerous professors and scientists ("The anthropo-logist Phillip Walker has studied the bones of more than 5,000 children from hundreds of preindustrial cultures, dating back to 4,000 B.C." (2).). This serves a three-fold purpose: 1) to give credibility to the article, 2) to provide subject matter on which Wright can comment, and 3) to indirectly establish the moral character of Wright. On this last point, explicit endorsement of Wright by these respected authorities is absent and unnecessary. The mere appearance of support from these sources is sufficient enough to suggest the validity of his views. Wright's persuasive approach is a method that an aspiring orator might adopt. Instead of the written word, this article might be presented orally. It is no difficult task to imagine Wright standing before a podium, addressing a

Who’s Hungry? :: Argumentative Persuasive College Essays

Who’s Hungry? It’s almost 7:30 and the sun is just beginning to set for the night. I rush out of the shower and throw on whatever I have in my locker to wear. Dashing out of the locker room I try to avoid eye contact as I scurry out the door. If I stop to talk to a friend or check my mail I could miss my meal for the night. For at 7:30, the main dining facility and more than half the other on-campus will lock their doors until the next day. The inadequate dining hours at James Madison University have left students all over campus rushing out of various activities, classes and sports practices to try to get some much needed food and drink. Due to these extremely stringent dining hours, students are not performing as well and the university is missing out on a very profitable resource. Out of the thirteen dining facilities at James Madison University, only one is open past 8:00 PM throughout the entire week. This sole dining location is PC Dukes located on the ground floor of the Phillips Center (JMU Dining Services). Although it does provide quality food, the quantity you can get here for a punch is minuscule compared to Gibbons Dining Hall. A punch, as referred to by the students, is an equivalent of four dollars. At PC Dukes, this usually means a sandwich and a drink, while at Gibbons Dining Hall food is unlimited. Dining facilities, especially the main on-campus food facility, Gibbons Dining Hall, need to remain open later to accommodate everyone. By giving students more time to eat, more students would opt for the more costly meal plans and not have to load up on snacks and other items from off campus stores such as Wal-mart. The less students go off campus, the more likely their revenue is to stay in the university. The addition of dining hours would certainly benefit everyone involved in the university. Some dining locations are open past 8:00 PM several nights of the week on-campus. However, many of these eating facilities are relatively unknown to a large portion of the underclassmen. Most are located under dorms and hidden from the student’s eyes. They are also incapable of holding a large amount of students simply because they don’t have the room.

Morals And Psychological Aspects in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre :: Jane Eyre Essays

Morals And Psychological Aspects in Jane Eyre Jane Eyre takes the idea of a fairy tale a step further by adding psychological aspects to the story. Jane did the right thing in regards to marrying Mr. Rochester because "what is [considered] morally wrong cannot be psychologically right." In other words, Jane's moral values told her what Mr. Rochester had done wrong. Because of this she cannot "psychologically" go along with it as if nothing was wrong. Psyche and morals both are products of the mind. The mind may consider both options, but it ultimately will choose the option which adheres to its moral foundation. Jane's morals include honesty, justice, and friendship. Her past experiences strongly support this moral foundation. As a child she was constantly accused of being dishonest. Mrs. Reed even informed Mr. Brocklehurst that she was deceitful when she met with him before sending her off to school. She tells him that he should "keep a strict eye on her, and, above all, guard against her worst fault, a tendency to deceit." This both infuriated and crushed Jane. She through experiences such as these came to hate the idea of deceit along with anyone who practiced it. In addition, Jane never saw justice. No matter how obvious it was that John or one of his sisters were at fault Jane was always blamed. By looking at Jane's moral values it becomes apparent what Rochester has, in Jane's eyes, done wrong. He was deceitful in many ways. For one, he didn't tell Jane that he was already married when he asked her to marry him. Big mistake! He also pretended that he was in love with and going to marry Blanche Ingram so that he could make Jane jealous. Even though Jane loves Mr.

International Monetary Fund Essay

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a central organization in the world whose mandate of establishment in 1945 revolves around world economic and monetary cooperation (imf. org, 2006). By following microeconomic policies of the member countries, this intergovernmental organization manages or oversees the global financial system. In this organization, almost all the countries in the world work together in cooperation for the common good. The primary purpose of IMF is to propagate and stabilize international monetary system which is key in ensuring and maintaining stable international payments and exchange rates that are critical in promoting trade between countries. In its efforts to ensure stability of the international monetary system, IMF has the responsibility of reviewing the financial developments in the national, regional, and global arena. The major purpose for which International Monetary Fund was established can be explained in three points. First is to promote stable exchange rates while at the same time ensuring that order is maintained in the exchange arrangements between its member countries and to prevent competitive exchange from depreciating. Secondly, IMF was established to enhance the expansion of international trade in a balanced manner so that all the member countries can benefit from increased levels of employment and real income in addition to better development and utilization of economic resources of these member countries. Thirdly, IMF has the mandate to contribute in the establishment of a new system of payment which is multilateral in nature and which functions to eliminate the many restrictions imposed by foreign exchange and which impedes the blossoming of world trade (munfw. org, n. d). The 184 member countries are required to adopt policies which protect them from financial and economic crises, promote economic stability and policies which have the capacity to raise the living standards of the citizens (imf. rg, 2006). In any given organization, the mission and the set goals are very important since they form the basis for the strategies and management of different affairs in the organization including the critical area of decision making which determines whether the goals will be achieved or not. It is therefore the objective of this paper to describe the mission and the goals of International Monetary Fund and also analyse the process of decision making in the orgaization so as to achieve these goals. One of the mission of IMF is to offer financial assistance to various countries which have faced crises of balance-of-payments as a result of domestic policies. The governments of such countries do not have a choice other than to borrow from the IMF so as to propagate various economic activities in their countries. On the part of IMF, it has to safeguard the interest of the shareholders and therefore it requires that the countries borrowing the funds put in place stringent policy adjustments which will facilitate repayment. Another mission of the IMF is to function as a reserve pool for global economies. This is in light of the fact that various countries especially in the developed world have accumulated colosal amounts of resources and money which act to insure them against shocks. On the other hand, many countries especially in the developing world lack the capacity to accumulate resources for insurance purposes but rather would use them for consumption and investments. The IMF therefore in this case acts as reserve pool which can manage these reserves so that even poor countries can access financial assistance in times of economic crises (Eichengreen, 2009). The third mission of the IMF is to act as a supervisor with regard to macroeconomic activities and trends. This means that it has to be very prudent in keeping an eye on the prevaling financial conditions or trends in the whole globe and in case of any signs of financial instability, provide warnings on the same so that appropriate actions can be taken. However, it has only played a supporting role since most of these activities have been undertaken by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) following the suggestions by the G-20. The goals of the International Monetary Fund are in line with the goals set by the international community in 2000 popularly known as the UN Millennium Development Goals. These goals focus on fundamental aspects of human existence and are geared toward ensuring improved living standards by curbing poverty and improving the health of world populations. The time frame for the achievement of these goals is set to be by the year 2015 and therefore decision making and actions taken are done systematically and resources managed carefully to meet the set deadline. The areas of focus of the first seven goals are on eradication of extreme hunger and poverty, ensuring that primary education is accessible by all children, empowerment of women and promotion of gender equality, improvement of maternal health and reduction of child mortality. The sixth goal is with regard to HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases which have been wrecking havoc in many developing countries. The seventh goal focus on issues of environment in that IMF intends to achieve environmental sustainability by the year 2015 (imf. org, 2010). The last goal requires that a global partnership for development be formed to address issues of debt relief, aid and trade. Decisions made by the IMF are meant to ensure that the resources available are managed carefully so that the organization can meet its goals without having problems caused by lack good management of available resources in many organizations. From the goals described, it is clear that IMF targets to offer assistance to poor countries in order to overcome some of the most common challenges facing them such as disease, poverty and illiteracy. However, the organization is not a development institution like the World Bank and regional development banks. This implies that it has no mandate to provide funds for building physical infrastructure in the poor countries rather it only offers loans to the low-income countries on concessional terms in an effort to ease the pain which these countries have to endure when making critical adjustments in terms of their spending (imf. org, 2006). The purpose for making these adjustments is to bring the levels of spending to the right levels which are commensurate with their income. Consequently, this promotes important reforms which enhance much stronger and sustainable economic growth which results in poverty eradication in the affected. In addition, following streamlining of a country’s economic policies, the IMF loan given to a particular country may attract other donors who are encouraged to provide more financial support. Therefore, this organization has well elucidated approaches which are used to fight poverty and achieve the rest of the goals which it has set to accomplish by the year 2015. Decision making at the IMF revolves around two major aspects one of them being on membership of countries which may want to join the organization and on the other hand on the internal operations of the organization. Both of these areas are quite important in ensuring the sustainability of the operations within IMF. For instance, bearing in mind that the major source of money of the organization is the quotas which are contributed by different countries upon joining the organization, decision making at this stage is critical since it impacts directly on the financial stability of this organization. Quotas are basically a reflection of the size of the economies of the member countries so that a country with a broad economy in terms of variability of trade, national income, monetary reserves and output is required to deposit more into the IMF kit than a country whose size of the economy is small and whose trade variability is not great. The decisions made on the amount of quota a particular country is required to deposit also affect the voting power of that country as a member of the IMF. This means that, the larger the quota of a member country, the more decision making power or voting power it possesses. For instance, the US contributes the largest quota into the IMF kit and therefore has the highest decision-making power at nearly 18%. On the other hand the whole African continent due to its small quota in the IMF possesses only a 5% decision-making power (munfw. org, n. d). The Board of Governors can review these quotas periodically and increase them when deemed necessary. The IMF staff and management comprise of different bodies which govern and manage the affairs of the organization to facilitate the realization of the laid down goals by 2015. These include the Board of Governors, International monetary and financial committee, the Executive board, and the standing committees. However, the important decisions are made by the Board of governors. The whole IMF staff and the management are accountable to the managing director of this organization who is appointed by the executive board to whom he is also accountable. The supreme decision-making body of the IMF is the Board of governors which is made of one governor and one alternate governor from each member country who is appointed to represent the interests of the country at the organization. The alternate governor of each member country is usually the governor of the central bank or the minister of finance. The board of governors is bestowed with the responsibility of making decisions concerning membership and also internal operational activities of the organization such as changes that might be required to the Fund’s structure. Decision making process requires ample time and therefore the Board of governors usually meets twice every year to deliberate on critical issues. The Executive board has the responsibility of carrying out the day-to-day activities of the organization. The board is chaired by the managing director who is assisted by three deputy managing directors. The member countries or groups of countries elect or appoint 24 executive directors make the bulk of the board. To ease the decision making process at the board level, most member countries are grouped into constituencies but the largest shareholders that is US, Germany, Japan, UK, France are not grouped but instead each has one chair. The decision making with regard to appointment of executive directors is in some countries based on the number of votes that a particular country has so that a country with the highest number of votes appoints the executive director. Good decision making process is characterized by consensus and this is adequately embraced in the organization whereby the board relies on consensus in making decisions. The nature of this consensus is determined by the number of executive directors who agree or disagree with a certain issue. In the light of the principle that a good decision making process gives room for opinions and views from all members involved, IMF is keen to allow for a voting exercise to take place in case different opinions crop up in the initial stages of the decision making process. In this voting approach, a needed majority is established in order to give a direction on decision making. However, the percentage majority required will be determined by the nature of the decision which is being made so that a 51%, 66% or 85% majority may be required (brettonwoodsproject. rg, 2005). During this process, the managing director of the IMF who chairs the executive board is required to advice the board to consider matters arising and be patient until that time when a broad majority has made a clear decision on the issue under discussion. Decision making process is characterized by the presence of options or alternatives so that if one fails, the other alternative can be employed to see whether the anticipated results will be achieved. This is exactly what happens at IMF when the majority still fails to precipitate consensus. The alternative is to go by the simple majority of the voting power in which a decision can be quickly made through a collective agreement involving G-7 chairs and a few directors (brettonwoodsproject. org, 2005). The IMF as a firmly rooted organization is therefore a good example of an organization whose excellent management strategy is reflected by its ability to facilitate many poor countries especially in Africa overcome common challenges such as poverty and disease. The mission and the goals set by this organization go hand in hand with the Millennium Development Goals and therefore consistent management of all the resources available to the organization is critical to meet the 2015 time target. The decision making process employed by the IMF also points to one of the key reasons for successful operations since it offers alternatives, democracy and dialogue in addition to the well organized management staff.