Natural Resources And The Politics Of Middle East Essay

Oil production in the Middle East has not only been a subject of geology or exploiting the lowest-cost field. Where exploration is performed and what fields are developed has been influenced as much by political as by economic factors. Until the late 1960s oil production and exports from the region significantly reflected the major western oil companies’ need to cope with the demands of the different governments in the Middle East, all of whom wanted to see more oil produced in their territories in order that they could get more revenue. The oil companies were as well concerned with the political stability of the regimes in the oil-exporting countries, the dependability of supply, the likelihood of the nationalisation of oil company facilities, demands over royalty levels and pressures to make use of and train local nationals. In view of the fact that then, what gets produced where and exported has depended on political and economic muscle within OPEC which efficiently determines country quotas. Iran was the first country in the Middle East in which oil was exploited with test production starting in 1903 and a key discovery in 1908. Under Reza Shah the country was politically stable, and the oil concession agreement which was signed with D’Arcy in 1901 on very positive terms was to run until 1994. The Anglo-Persian Oil Company, which afterwards turns into British Petroleum, was founded in 1909. Oil was not discovered in Iraq until 1927, however by that time Persian production was well established, plus a slow growth of demand, reflecting the fragile state of the international economy at the time, intended Iraqi oil exploitation was restricted in these early years. (Mohamed Rabie, 1992). Which oil fields were developed as well reflected rivalries in Middle Eastern interests between the major western powers. Britain, through the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, had a virtual monopoly of exploration in Iran, consequently the United States had little choice however to look to Saudi Arabia on the other side of the Gulf, the one area that had not come under European imperial influences. In the 1930s the oil fields of the eastern province were opened up, plus the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO) was formed by a consortium of leading United States oil companies. It was ARAMCO that developed the Ghawar and Safaniya fields in the Dhahran area which were to prove to be the largest and most dynamic in the entire world. ARAMCO carries on to account for most Saudi Arabian oil production and exports, although it was nationalised in the 1970s and the role of the American associate companies is now restricted to specialist support and marketing. There was huge resistance to attempts to take over the oil concessions awarded to western multinational oil companies. Conflicts between the oil companies and host-country governments over revenues date back to the 1920s and 1930s when oil started to be exploited in noteworthy quantities, however it was the Iranian government which was the first to demand control of production. After Dr Musaddiq consolidated his power as prime minister in 1952 he set up the National Iran Oil Company, a state-owned entity, to take over Iran’s oil from the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. This aggravated a two-year boycott of purchases of Iranian oil by the major western oil companies. Purchases were merely started again when Musaddiq was overthrown and terms were agreed which were satisfactory from the viewpoint of the oil companies. (John Page, 1999). In the meantime the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company had changed its name to British Petroleum. It was to focus on developing the oil fields of the Emirates on the Arab side of the Gulf, where the rulers were much more co-operative. It was this new orientation and the co-operation with Shell, the Anglo-Dutch company, which were to consequence in the major developments in Kuwait, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and ultimately Oman. The increasing importance of the Arab Emirates as oil suppliers was not so much a reflection of the quality of their oil or relative cost factors, to a certain extent what mattered was the political environment and the security of oil supplies. Iran, and subsequently Iraq, had their exploration and production curtailed on account of their political intransigence. The beneficiaries were the Arabian Peninsula states that had their oil fields developed and exploited to a greater extent than might otherwise have been the case on the basis of geological decisions alone. (Nora Bensahel, Daniel L. Byman, 2003).

Indonesia Essay

In the past, people in the Indonesia used to eat healthy and freshly prepared food with their families in their home. However, many people, particularly young people, prefer to eat fast food such as hamburgers, fried chicken, and pizza because it is really tasty. There are several causes and effects of consuming fast food, and this change has occurred such as change in lifestyle, influence in advertising, impact on health, loss of the family tradition of eating together, and impact on the economy. First, there are several causes for the popularity of fast food. A first reason is the change in lifestyle. Many people in the Indonesia are working long hours, shifts, or extended school days. They do not have time to find ingredients or prepare good food. A second reason is advertising. The Indonesia is a modern with all forms of media such as the Internet and satellite television, and people like to try new products and different kinds of fast food. However, this change can have some serious effects. One effect is on health. Many people in the Indonesia  are becoming obese. These people will be less productive and have conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Another result of fast food culture is the loss of the family tradition of eating together. Children and adults rarely eat together now, and thus get less opportunity to talk. A further effect is on the economy. Although fast food is not very expensive, it is more expensive than cooking properly for yourselves. Many of the fast-food companies are franchisees of foreign corporations, so profits leave the country. In conclusion, fast food, although it is convenient and delicious, it can have serious health and social effects. People should learn to choose fast food carefully and remember the pleasure of eating good food in good company.

Advantages Of CLassical Music

Throughout history there have been several genres of music. It is an important aspect of every culture, helping to define and shape it across the globe. Varieties range from Hip-Hop to RB, Country, Gospel, and several others. One type of music that has produced countless numbers of classics is, Classical music. Classical music is a great choice for anyone who enjoys a mellower, relaxed sound. It has been known to soothe the soul, help concentration, and give a pleasant feeling to its listeners.The belief that classical music soothes the soul can be proven true through overall instances. The first is, unlike Rock or Rap music which are both theoretically a somewhat harsher sound, Classical music produces a relaxing melody. It also has a harmony that is unguarded of in contemporary Rock music, not to mention other genres. Another circumstance in which Classical music is used to soothe the soul is on the phone lines. When a company places one on hold, the music being played on the other end of the line is more than likely Classical.This is not a coincidence. The music choice is made due to the fact hat it relaxes the listener, creating a greater chance that he will remain on the line. Another belief is that Classical music aids in concentration. I have had several teachers throughout my life who strongly believe that listening to Classical music while studying greatly improves their odds of retaining knowledge. The harmony and soft sound that are produced through Classical music help null all outside noises and distractions, allowing one to concentrate more on the task at hand.It is also a given that it is easier to focus when listening to a after, mellower sound than a loud sharp noise which is often related to genres like Rap or Rock. The last belief is that Classical music is pleasant to listen to. The previous two beliefs alone should prove that it is pleasant to the mind. If that is not enough there are, indeed, several more examples of how classical music is pleasant to listen to. Classical music is strictly instrumental and lacks any vocals whatsoever. Much remains to be interpreted. This leaves a great amount of meaning to be found in the imagination of the listener.The music can mean anything to anyone and something completely different to the person in the next seat. That is the beauty of Classical music and one of the reasons it is so pleasant to the mind. Despite all the positives of Classical music, its popularity has oddly enough decreased in the past few decades. The emergence of Rock and Roll and more recently Rap music has left it on the back burner. Classical music will always remain a large part of musics past and hopefully present and future. It is an enjoyable, relaxing, and soothing genre that should be praised for generations.

Determining Your Perfect Position Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Determining Your Perfect Position - Essay Example It is natural for every business student to aspire to be a successful businessperson at a reputable organization. These positions could be of an entrepreneur, the chief-executive office, the departmental heads - marketing, sales, production, and finance or even the president and chief supervisor. Everybody has a different perfect position in mind; a different dream; I aspire to be an entrepreneur and start up a business of designer personal computers. The reason that I believe that the position of an entrepreneur and then the CEO of the organization once it is in existence is perfect for me is due to my personality and passion put together. The enthusiasm that I hold for designer personal computers is extraordinary; I want to pass on this fervor to other people too by opening up my own venture. An entrepreneur is somebody who takes major risks; he employs all the money that he has towards his business plan in the hope of earning profit. However, this profit could very well be major losses as well; the entrepreneur might be left with no capital by the end of the project. However, I am a very adventurous person by nature - risk taking and gambling is a part of everyone's life; taking risks for something one really desires is a positive risk. Also, I possess a high energy level, self-confidence and an awareness of passing time. I tend to make the best use of time that I have along with a managed awareness of my surroundings. These a re all the qualities that an entrepreneur should possess ideally, and with these qualities and commitment, I believe I can reach new heights as an entrepreneur myself. Leadership: The second prerequisite of a running an organization successfully at a certain position is 'leadership'; a leader is somebody who manages the entire organization and its operations, controls all activities, monitors each act and most importantly, motivates other employees to work for the progression of the organization. Employees tend to slack off and become uninterested in their job; it is the task of this leader to exhibit his leadership skills and talk these employees into working hard and become motivated. One of the most important jobs of the leader, who mostly is the manager, is to plan out a mission and then guiding and directing it to success (Thompson, Strickland, Gamble; 2008). Leadership Styles: The way a person plans to lead his organization of his subordinates depends on basically two things; firstly, his nature and personality attributes and secondly, the circumstances at hand and the type of organization he is running. There are several types of leadership styles - authoritative, participative, delegative, autocratic, charismatic, democratic, people oriented, task oriented etc (Glanz, 2002). However, the three main categories are 'authoritative/autocratic', 'participative/democratic' and 'delegative/free reign'. A leader can only be successful if he knows which side of this leadership to apply in which situations. 'Participative/democratic' is a style that focuses more on team work and building great interpersonal relationships with one's colleagues. Such a leader does not believe in ordering or bossing around his/her subordinates; this also gives birth to a level of respect among the team members. This strengthens the ease and comfort of sharing ideas and innovation techniques and negates the idea of suppressing one's suggestion in fear

Newspaper Industry Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Newspaper Industry Analysis - Essay Example However, the effects of the internet are variant and do not affect the Indian newspaper industry and other developing economies. Table of Contents Introduction 5 Findings 6 Description and Benefits of PEST Analysis 6 PEST Analysis for the Newspaper Industry in the Developed Economies 7 Political Factors 7 Economic Factors 7 Social  Factors 8 Technological Factors 9 The Meaning of the PEST Analysis for the Newspaper Industry 9 SWOT Analysis of the Guardian 10 Strengths 10 Weaknesses 10 Opportunities 11 Threats 11 Describe Lewin’s Field Force Analysis 11 Field Force Analysis for the newspaper industry in the developed world concerning the use of the internet 12 Driving Forces 12 Restraining Forces 12 Recommendations to Reduce the Strength of the Obstacles 12 The Indian Newspaper Industry 13 Conclusion 13 References 15 Introduction In the developed economies, the newspaper industry is going through a period of change. Yet whilst the industry is going through a period of change in the developed economies, in other economies such as India the story is different. The modern newspaper industry is facing structural challenges and fundamental transformations where they experience a long-term decline in circulation volume in paid titles as advertisers move to modern means of advertising. As such, newspaper publishers across the globe are facing a decline in: Newsprint prices Advertising revenues Titles Circulation Notably, the innovation and adoption of the internet derive the greatest losses to the newspapers where in developed economies circulation has been falling for a long term (PricewaterhouseCoopers 2009, p. 9). However, in other countries like India, newspaper sales are rising (Mallet 2013, p. 1). Notably, most young people are spending most of their time in the internet where they get the news online instead of reading newspapers (The Economist Newspaper Limited 2006, p. 1). Although, newspapers are yet to shut down in large numbers, we can expect that in the near future, most of the largest newspapers will close business especially in America. Nevertheless, the newspaper publishers are still trying to remain afloat and reduce operational costs by: Spending less on journalism Investing in free daily papers Trying to attract younger readers Trying to create new businesses on- and offline Raising the price of their subscriptions and news-stand copies The Guardian is a British national daily newspaper, which started publishing in 1821. The Guardian has grown to a national paper that deals with a complex organisational structure and international multimedia and web presence (Guardian News and Media Limited 2013, p. 1). Indeed, it is one of the world's best-selling international weekly newspapers, which provides relevant and updated information on international news, politics, entertainment, culture, and comment (Guardian News and Media Limited 2013, p. 1). More than 200,000 people in over 100 countries read the Guardian Weekly (Guardi an News and Media Limited 2013, p. 1). To analyze the position of the newspaper industry in the current scenario, I will use the PEST analysis and Lewin’s Field Force Analysis. I will also use the SWOT analysis to analyze the British newspaper The Guardian. Findings Description and Benefits of PEST Analysis The PEST analysis will refer to the analysis of macro-environmental factors that influence the newspaper industry which include: Political Economic Social Technological analysis The PEST

Discuss the role of technology in translation and its effect on the Essay

Discuss the role of technology in translation and its effect on the translation process - Essay Example Early researchers (Weaver 1949; Booth 1953; Dostert in IBM 1954) were excited about MT for its technological potential. They marveled at the prospect of one day automating translation thereby providing an alternative to human translation. Translators, on the other hand, felt their craft was being undervalued and depreciated. They retaliated with feelings of fear and anxiety. As it became evident that machines would not soon take the place of human translators, attention shifted to forms of computer-assisted translation (CAT) technology. Kay (1980) and Belby (1982) in particular motivated research for computer aids to assist the translator. Books by Bowker (1998) and Somers (2003) contain articles about many aspects of computer technology for translation while Astemuhl (2001) and Bowker (2002), as well as parts of Sofer (2004), target the professional translator interested in acquiring the necessary technological skills. In addition to an increased focus on computer assistance for translators, the rise of globalization further increased the need for efficient computer support in view of making translation quicker and more cost efficient. One the best examples is Sprung (2000). The change in focus from replacing to assisting translators marked the beginning of a shift from technology-centered to human-centered applications in the translation industry. Whi le a theoretical framework has been well been documented by psychologist Donald A. Norman (1998), truly human-centered technology has yet to come. Considering the changes the translation industry has experienced over the past 50 years, the objective of this paper is to asses the role of the technology in translation and its effect on translation process. In this context I will start by defining machine translation (MT) and computer-assisted translation (CAT), evaluate their impact on translation process and finally will discuss Toredo as a means to complete my translation project that I recently done. Computer-based translation technology roughly falls into two categories, Machine Translation (MT) and Computer Assisted Translation (CAT). Broadly speaking, MT is "the application of computers to the task of translation texts from one natural language to another". MT is mostly associated with stand-alone systems that seek to automate the entire translation process. CAT, on the other hand, are software programs designed to assist or aid the human translator by automating certain translation sub-processes such as terminology search and the reuse of previous translations. MT and CAT have no clear-cut boundary but rather belong to a continuum with varying levels of computer automation and human involvement. This process has been illustrated in the figure 1 below. Toady a translator working with word processing software and assessing various electronic resources such as online dictionaries may still be considered to producing 100% human translation. The key criterion is whether any part of the target text is automatically generated. There are many computer tools available to translators and almost as many ways to classifying them. Some tools consist of generic applications that have been adopted in many areas including the translation industry. Others focus specifically on the needs of translators and offer ways to run the business and support the

Information Handling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Information Handling - Essay Example The source where accuracy posed the greatest problem was the marketing database.So I think usefulness informations need have accuracy and reliability, accuracy and reliability determine the quality of information."Information that is timely is available when it is needed for managerial action, not after the decision has been made" (Gareth, 2000,P614) In today's speedily changing world and technology 's developing, lead to information changing frequently. Real-time Information is reflecting current conditions. (Gareth, 2000,P614) For example, productions' price changing frequently in marketing because manager wants to make profit in competition's marketing. So manager should be pay attention to information's changing. Catch Real-time information is very importance. Look at timeliness in accounting"Timeliness: accounting information should be made available to external decision-makers before it loses its capacity to influence decisions." (Dyckman, 1992, P44) Like the news of the world, old financial information never carries the same impact fresh information carries. Otherwise lack of timeliness reduces relevance."Information that is complete gives managers all the information they need to exercise control, achieve coordination, or make an effective decision." (Gareth, 2000,P615) information's completive will provided good help to manager to decision. When you set up a new business, look at complete information is importance. Such as, how is this productions sold, how long can make profit.

Site Survey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Site Survey - Essay Example However, a huge task lies ahead in identifying and locating suitable buildings where these training centers will be set up. A lot has to be considered in identifying this structure because they have to be already in existence and not newly constructed for this purpose (Parkinson, 2001). Therefore, one has to take into consideration the building’s location, volume; distance from major traffic routes and also the effect on the community regarding the structure development in usage (Fowler, 2002). Three potential sites were chosen for an adult education and community centre in this subject. The first site is The Hillingdon House. This building sits at the heart of the St. Andrew’s Park, London. It is a grade II listed three story building built in the 1717 and was used as a hunting lodge, a residence, a training centre for members of the RAF in the 1918 during the war among others, and now the building is currently vacant containing office accommodations used by previous o wners (ASLIB, 2002). The second site is The Stratford High Street Property. This potential space is available at 252 Stratford High Street, Stratford London. It is spacious and can accommodate a good number of people. It is at the heart of M25, at the junction with Rick Robert’s way (Dobson, 2002). ... Plus features and drawbacks for the potential sites Plus points for The Hillingdon House are centered mainly on its location and atmosphere. The atmosphere surrounding the building is serene which makes it a suitable place for a training center. The building is located among some residential area so people can walk there without the need of transportation. The building has a parking space, and there are other parking spaces within walking distance to the building which makes it even more perfect. The building is also located within walking distance from many transport links. The only disadvantage of the structure is that it is not located in a significant market centre; where it would have been accessible to people living in other towns as well other than Holborn town. The advantage of The Stratford High Street is; it is within walking distance for residents in the city. Transportation is excellent with several bus routes and Stratford High street (DLR line) station being located app roximately 300 meters form the premises. This makes it very easy to access it. The building’s position could also be a disadvantage because it is right in the middle of traffic; which means that there could be a lot of noise and other distractions which are not suitable for a training center. The plus point of the Dreams Curtains Designs is; it has the ability to hold a large number of individuals. This structure can be accessed on foot. There is a large parking space that can accommodate over 90 vehicles. The significant disadvantage of the site is; the presence of another adult learning center. Chosen potential site I will base my research on the third building, the Dreams Curtains Designs.

The Culture of Gift and Bribe in Business Research Paper - 1

The Culture of Gift and Bribe in Business - Research Paper Example There has been increasing calls for managers to ensure that they keep to the code of ethics in their work. As the leader of the organizations, managers are given special duty of looking at the needs of the organization in the sense that they have to take care of all the activities of the organization. Therefore they are expected to lead by example and show others where they are supposed to take the organization. The duties of a manager have been increasing in the recent past to include the factor of ensuring that there is fairness in business practice. One of the most recent ethical controversies that have engulfed the business world has been the issue of culture giving of gift and bribes. It has been shown that the culture of giving bribes and gifts has become one of the most commonly practiced business practice. The debate on whether gifts and bribes in business are justified or not is been centered on several issues. This has been dictated by the cultural practices of different communities in the world. Let us look closely at the concept of giving of bribes and gifts in business. (Iniobong 2007, p. 4) In the operation of the business, a manager is likely to come into contact with many people. These people are of diverse cultural practice and have different values that are attached to the cultural practices. This has become a dilemma in the modern market which has been dictated by the increasing rate of globalization which has been marked by the increased movement of people and increased interaction as well. The culture of gifts and bribes is taken differently according to a different society. For example, the culture of giving gifts is very common in China and from time to time people will give different gifts in different occasion. This is also extended to the business world and is not limited to the social life of the people. Reeling from a socialist economy, Chinese have not been fully embraced by the capitalist world and there is still a sense of community or togetherness that usually characterizes these regimes. On the other hand the culture of giving gifts in America is very rare. In the western world gift are only given in special occasion. Therefore they are limited to the social life of the people and in the business world they are only limited to the end year party and usually meant to raise the morale of the employees. Therefore when the Chinese businesses come to America, they come with their gift-giving culture. On the other hand when the American business goes to China they take with them limited gift-giving culture. This has been a source of conflict for a long time now for businesses operating under the above mentioned condition. (Scott 2005, p.2) But in the business world it is the intention of giving that gift that matter. Though you may give someone a gift with good intention they may receive the gift with another intention rather than that one that you meant. Therefore there has been a notion that these gifts are meant to bribe the one receiving them in order to grant some favor. In the business context, this has become a major issue that has brought about a ranging debate. It has been seen that there has been increased gift giving especially between the public official who is in power and the business manager who seek to have favor in the business process.  

The Nature of God Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Nature of God - Essay Example Therefore, people that find it in their hearts to follow the nature of God will have progress in their lives. Hitler states that a person discovered that the nature of God is a wonderful notion. According to the nature of God, there are several laws that have been put in place. If a man wants to understand the nature of God, he must try to understand that the nature of God has various laws. The almighty has laws which should be fully obeyed to the latter (Hitler, Trevor-Roper and Weinberg, 234). Obeying these laws is a form of understanding the nature of God without questioning why the laws were instated. This will lead mankind into getting a better understanding the ways of almighty in all aspects. In essence, a man should strive to worship these laws as instated by the almighty. Apparently, Hitler states that these laws are revitalized by priests and leaders who exploit the feeling in people. Since a human has the notion that the laws should be observed, priests ensure the laws are followed to the latter. This is instigated by the fact that priests and the leaders threaten punishments on human beings for not observing these laws. Consequentially, a man is threatened by punishments, especially when the punishment is coming from the almighty. Therefore, men will strive to observe the laws that are stated by the nature of God. The nature of God can be understood by the fact that it offers refuge to all that seek refuge in the almighty. Hitler states that all people need refuge and protection. This is a strong statement that needs artistic evaluation on the type of refuge that a man seeks. A person does not have refuge in other men or any other place in the world. This leaves a single option in the world, which is the almighty. Therefore, the nature of the Lord is to offer refuge to the people that seek refuge (Hitler, Trevor-Roper and Weinberg 237). The nature of God, as stated by Hitler will offer consolation and help humans in time of unhappiness. Therefore, p eople that seek consolation should find it in the almighty as the nature of God states that God is the ultimate consolation. Nevertheless, Hitler shows contradiction as he states that Russians do not have God but they are not prevented from facing death. According to Hitler, the nature of God does not allow religion and socialism to exist as one. Therefore, they can never exist together. In the light of this statement, it is explicitly stated that religion will have to exist on its own. Apparently, it is openly seen that religion should not be mixed with other aspects in the world. This can be explained from the ancient prophets that were instated to explain the nature of God. The nature of God does not allow mixing religion with other aspects of the world as they are likely to affect religion. As such, religion should be left to exist on its own (Hitler, Trevor-Roper and Weinberg 245). This will enhance the growth of religion, which will bring better understanding in concerns to th e nature of God. Hitler continues to state that in the long run, the two will never exist at the same time. National Socialism is a different aspect that will never exist in religion. Therefore, there should be a discrepancy between the two as there will be no time in the world where the two will be mixed and exist as a single entity. This is not particularly the nature of God to bring together two entities that are insoluble. Therefore, a man must strive to observe this particular issue in the world. Though this seems like war, Hitler

Information Security Policy Essay Example for Free

Information Security Policy Essay 1. Executive Summary Due in Week Nine: Write 3 to 4 paragraphs giving a bottom-line summary of the specific measureable goals and objectives of the security plan, which can be implemented to define optimal security architecture for the selected business scenario. The goal of this security policy is to lay out a basic plan for a secure information system to be used by Bloom Design Group. This policy will protect the company’s systems from threats that can come from humans and from natural disasters as well. The policy will also put into consideration the privacy, reputation, intellectual property and productivity of the Bloom Design Group. The continued operation of this company depends on being able to access and use resources within the organization and being able to remote access with security. Each persons role in the company will be considered and appropriate access will be given to ensure the efficient operation of the business, while not giving access to those who are not authorized. This policy will also help in the company’s adherence to any governmental regulations. Any disruptions of service or security related issues will be dealt with immediately by means of system software that is automated to handle certain threats. More serious issues will be dealt with by the IT staff whose responsibility it is to oversee the everyday operation of the information system. 2. Introduction Due in Week One: Give an overview of the company and the security goals to be achieved. 2.1. Company overview The Bloom Design Group is a company that offers interior design services to businesses and individuals around the world. There corporate office is located in New York with a secondary office in Los Angeles for handling operations on the West coast. They have a web site that offers their customers the ability to work up their designs online and then purchase them through a electronic order processing system. Also, the designers use secure logins and passwords to access the web site. A large number of the workforce work remotely possibly using tablets or ipads connected to secure VPNs or Virtual Private Networks. 2.2. Security policy overview Bloom Design group already provides secure logins and networks to their employees so they already have some type of system setup already. However, this does not mean it is a system that works efficiently. I think the appropriate security policy to implement for this project would be system specific. 2.3. Security policy goals As applies to your selected scenario, explain how the confidentiality, integrity, and availability principles of information security will be addressed by the information security policy. 2.3.1. Confidentiality The policy I plan to implement will help to protect information by reviewing how the company stores sensitive information such as employee and client records, trade secrets, and other sensitive data. 2.3.2. Integrity Since the company will be using passwords and secure logins the system will not be accessible to the public. So the primary focus should be on the employees. Authentication and verification can be done using a data log to keep records of employees activity while on the company’s VPN. Also, the use of a firewall will help with integrity as it will prevent employees from unknowingly accessing damaging websites. 2.3.3. Availability The policy I plan to use will help with back-up and recovery by the possible use of cloud storage or a central data storage center. Although they are already using secure logins for access control the whole system needs to be reviewed. This is to make sure only authorized personnel have access to sensitive areas. 3. Disaster Recovery Plan Due in Week Three: For your selected scenario, describe the key elements of the Disaster Recovery Plan to be used in case of a disaster and the plan for testing the DRP. 3.1. Risk Assessment 3.1.1. Critical business processes The mission-critical business systems and services that must be protected by this DRP are: Payroll, Human Resource Data, POS backup media, and Web Servers and their services. 3.1.2. Internal, external, and environmental risks Examples of internal risks that may affect business are unauthorized access  by individuals who are employed by the company, and those who aren’t employed by the company but still have access to individual store’s computer systems, applications, or areas where the servers and backup media are located. Other external and environmental risks include fire, floods, power outages, hardware failure, software glitches and failure, storms, and other acts of nature. 3.2. Disaster Recovery Strategy Most cases, having an alternative site (a hot site, or cold site depending on the disaster) would be the correct way of dealing with most disasters. With Bloom design group I think having a warm site facility would be the best option. Warm sites are cheaper than hot sites but require more effort. On the other hand, they are more expensive than cold-site facilities but less labor intensive and more likely to be effective in a disaster. Also, having a backup and retention site to work from, and recover from for the main servers and web services is a good idea. 3.3. Disaster Recovery Test Plan For each testing method listed, briefly describe each method and your rationale for why it will or will not be included in your DRP test plan. 3.3.1. Walk-throughs This test plan would be a great way for the key personnel to come together and formulate a plan of action in the event of an emergency. Due to Bloom Design group being spread across a large area it might require some video conferencing and traveling on the part of some employees. 3.3.2. Simulations I think this test plan is the most effective when compared to the others. Simulating an actual emergency is a great way for people to get used to operating in a critical time under pressure. This will show you where your people have their strengths and weaknesses when trying to recover from a disaster. 3.3.3. Checklists This passive type of testing would be a good system to implement on a weekly or monthly basis depending on the needs of the company. This will help in detecting problems before they become a major issue. 3.3.4. Parallel testing Since Bloom Design group is updating their security parameters and do not have an equal type of system already implemented parallel testing would not be appropriate for this security policy. 3.3.5. Full interruption I think this is another very effective way to test the system in the event of an emergency. However, to minimize inconveniences to the customers it would have to be done during off hours. 4. Physical Security Policy Due in Week Five: Outline the Physical Security Policy. Merkow and Breithaupt (2006) state, â€Å"an often overlooked connection between physical systems (computer hardware) and logical systems (the software that runs on it) is that, in order to protect logical systems, the hardware running them must be physically secure† (p.165). Describe the policies for securing the facilities and the policies of securing the information systems. Outline the controls needed for each category as relates to your selected scenario. These controls may include the following: Physical controls (such as perimeter security controls, badges, keys and combination locks, cameras, barricades, fencing, security dogs, lighting, and separating the workplace into functional areas) Technical controls (such as smart cards, audit trails or access logs, intrusion detection, alarm systems, and biometrics) Environmental or life-safety controls (such as power, fire detection and suppression, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) 4.1. Security of the building facilities 4.1.1. Physical entry controls At the two office locations (Los Angeles, New York) for Bloom Design Group I would use employee badges that double as an electronic key to access the building and other sensitive locations. This will work in conjunction with  an access control system that limits entrance/exit to the offices through one main entrance. There will be an employee entrance as well also to be accessed by an electronic badge. 4.1.2. Security offices, rooms and facilities For the security offices I would implement biometric scanners due to the sensitive equipment inside. Other rooms and facilities of a sensitive nature will utilize electronic badges with a photo and name of the employee. 4.1.3. Isolated delivery and loading areas For these areas I would implement electronic key card access with the use of a CCTV system recording to a DVR. With a CCTV camera located on the driver door in the loading area the person responsible for deliveries will know when a delivery is being made and can observe he outside environment before opening the door. 4.2. Security of the information systems 4.2.1. Workplace protection For this part of the security policy I would utilize pre-employment screening and mandatory vacation time. This prevents people from hiding illegal activities while performing their duties. Also, I would setup privileged entity controls so operators and system administrators have special access to computing resources. 4.2.2. Unused ports and cabling For unused ports I would use a piece of security equipment that can be plugged into the unused port and can only be removed by someone with a special key. This will help prevent unauthorized access into the network. For unused cabling I would secure it in a secure storage room which can only be accessed by authorized personnel. If the above mentioned equipment isn’t available then the port should be removed. 4.2.3. Network/server equipment Being that this is some of the most critical equipment for business operations I would use biometric locks and scanners on any room that  contains this equipment. Also these rooms will be environmentally controlled with air conditioners and dehumidifiers to allow the equipment to operate at peak efficiency. 4.2.4. Equipment maintenance Since a lot of the equipment is spread across a large region I would utilize remote communication connections to troubleshoot issues. If the maintenance need is more severe than I would have a small centrally located facility that specializes in assessing and repairing malfunctioning equipment. 4.2.5. Security of laptops/roaming equipment For laptops and roaming equipment I would install all devices with a GPS tracker and encryption software to protect against unauthorized access. The equipment itself would be stored in a secure storage room with access being tightly controlled. 5. Access Control Policy Due in Week Seven: Outline the Access Control Policy. Describe how access control methodologies work to secure information systems 5.1. Authentication Authentication credentials permit the system to verify one’s identification credential. Authenticating yourself to a system tells it the information you have established to prove that you are who you say you are. Most often, this is a simple password that you set up when you receive the privilege to access a system. You may receive an assigned password initially with the requirement that you must reset it to something more personal—something that only you can remember. However, passwords are the easiest type of authentication to beat. Free and widely available programs are available on the Internet to break the security afforded by passwords on most of the commonly used systems. With two or three factors to authenticate, an information owner can gain confidence that users who access their systems are indeed authorized to access their systems. This is accomplished by adding more controls and/or devices to the password authentication process. Biometric scanning uses unique human characteristics to identify whether the person trying to gain access is authorized to enter or not. One common  approach to managing IDs and passwords is to create a password or PIN vault. These programs use secure methods to locally store IDs and passwords that are protected by a master password that unlocks the vault when it’s needed. 5.2. Access control strategy 5.2.1. Discretionary access control The discretionary access control system will be used for Bloom Design Group because this is the favored approach in the corporate environment and due to the wide area of operations this will allow several authorized users to have access to the system at any given time. The principle of least privilege is the predominant strategy to assure confidentiality. The objective is to give people the least amount of access to a system that is needed to perform the job they’re doing. The need-to-know dictates the privilege (authority) to perform a transaction or access a resource (system, data, and so forth). An information owner is one who maintains overall responsibility for the information within an information system. For the Bloom Design Group the information owner is going to be the corporate head of IT operations. 5.2.2. Mandatory access control In a system that uses mandatory access control (MAC; also called nondiscretionary access control), the system decides who gains access to information based on the concepts of subjects, objects, and labels, as defined below. Since the Bloom Design Group is spread out over such a large area I do not think this is the best choice for this scenario. MAC is better suited for military or governmental systems. 5.2.3. Role-based access control Role-based access control (RBAC) group’s users with a common access need. You can assign a role for a group of users who perform the same job functions and require similar access to resources. This would also be appropriate for this scenario because it will allow the information owner to easily assign access to certain groups such as designers, office personnel, customer service associates and so forth. 5.3. Remote access Remote Access Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) is a client/server protocol and software that enables remote access users to communicate with a central  server to authenticate dial-in users and authorize their access to the requested system or service. RADIUS allows a company to set up a policy that can be applied at a single administered network point. Having a central service also means that it’s easier to track usage for billing and for keeping network statistics. A virtual private network (VPN) is another common means for remote users to access corporate networks. With a VPN, a user connects to the Internet via his or her ISP and initiates a connection to the protected network (often using a RADIUS server), creating a private tunnel between the end points that prevents eavesdropping or data modification. 6. Network Security Policy Due in Week Nine: Outline the Network Security Policy. As each link in the chain of network protocols can be attacked, describe the policies covering security services for network access and network security control devices. 6.1. Data network overview Due to the large geographic distances between Bloom Design Group offices a WAN is going to be utilized. WAN covers a larger geographic area than a LAN (technically, a network that covers an area larger than a single building). A WAN can span the entire nation or even the globe using satellites. 6.2. Network security services 6.2.1. Authentication Access to documents can be restricted in one of two ways: by asking for a username and password or by the hostname of the browser being used. For Bloom Design Group employees will need to enter a user ID and password to access restricted documents and sites. 6.2.2. Access control Unlike authentication, which is security-based on the user’s identity, restricting access based on something other than identity is called â€Å"access control.† For Bloom Design group access control to physical locations will be done by controlled by electronic badges. More sensitive areas such as the server rooms will utilize biometric scanners. 6.2.3. Data confidentiality This service protects data against unauthorized disclosure and has two components: content confidentiality and message flow confidentiality. For Bloom Design group all messages transmitted and received through company offices will be encrypted to prevent the unauthorized viewing of sensitive company documents. 6.2.4. Data integrity The goal is to protect data from accidental or malicious modification whether during data transfer, data storage, or from an operation performed on it, and to preserve it for its intended use. For Bloom Design Group the only people who will be authorized to make changes or modifications will be the Head of the IT department and anyone else they deem necessary. 6.2.5. Nonrepudiation A service guaranteeing that the sender of a message cannot deny having sent the message and the receiver cannot deny having received the message. I do not think this will be necessary for Bloom Design group. However, if it does then the proper modifications can always be made. 6.2.6. Logging and monitoring These services allow IS specialists to observe system activity during and after the fact by using monitoring and logging tools. These include operating system logs, server records, application log errors, warnings, and observation of network, switch and router traffic between network segments. I do not think this will be necessary for Bloom Design Group as a whole. However, it will be utilized for any programs having to do with the servers due to its sensitive business content. 6.3. Firewall system Outline the roles of the following network security control devices and how these basic security infrastructures are used to protect the company’s network against malicious activity. Provide a description of each type of firewall system and how it is used to protect the network. Include how the firewall system is or is not applicable to the company’s network configuration in your selected scenario. 6.3.1. Packet-filtering router firewall system The most common Internet firewall system consists of nothing more than a packet-filtering router deployed between the private network and the Internet. A packet-filtering router performs the typical routing functions of forwarding traffic between networks as well as using packet-filtering rules to permit or deny traffic. 6.3.2. Screened host firewall system The second firewall example employs both a packet-filtering router and a bastion host. This firewall system provides higher levels of security than the previous example because it implements both Network-Layer security (packet-filtering) and Application-Layer security (proxy services). Also, an intruder has to penetrate two separate systems before the security of the private network can be compromised. This will be the option chosen for Bloom Design Group based on needs and cost. Since Bloom Design group is not a governmental or military related company then it doesn’t require the most elaborate form of firewall protection. 6.3.3. Screened-Subnet firewall system The final firewall example employs two packet-filtering routers and a bastion host. This firewall system creates the most secure firewall system, as it supports both Network-Layer and Application-Layer security while defining a â€Å"demilitarized zone† (DMZ) network. 7. References Cite all your references by adding the pertinent information to this section by following this example. American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Information Security: Principles and Practices, by Mark S. Merkow, CISSP, CISM and Jim Breithaupt.

SWOT Analysis of Patient Services in a Hospital

SWOT Analysis of Patient Services in a Hospital SWOT ANALYSIS PATIENT AFFAIRS OFFICE/ CUSTOMER SERVICES: Patient affairs office provides service to patients. Its job is to assist customers regarding anything they need to make sure that they are satisfied with the service they are provided. The staff of customer services in a hospital should be polite and friendly to the patients and must be provided adequate training as customer service depicts the culture of any organization/hospital. Strengths: In my time working at the hospital, I found that the patient’s affair office had a few employees who had very good communication skills. Due to which they were able to talk to patients and solve their problems and concerns effectively. They dealt with patients of different moods and were able to help them in one way or another. All the employees in customer services had the capability and temperament of working in a team to solve various problems of patients. They were able to communicate well with other employees of the same department as well as of other departments which enabled in building an environment that was healthy. Weaknesses: Although some employees in customer services had good communication skills, but I also saw those employees who were not able to deal with customers and whenever a patient made complaint, they had to look at their colleagues for answers. Due to this, patients had to wait which increased their bad experience of any type with the hospital. There was also a lack of decision making in the patient affairs office. Whenever a situation was raised where patients asked for favors or discounts, customer services representatives had to keep them on hold to ask other senior employees which again kept patients waiting. A lack of following up on the problem was another weakness that I found. When a representative solved a patient’s problem, he/she never attempts to get feedback from the patient. Opportunities: Hospital must provide adequate training to the employees of patient affairs office to enhance their communication skills and for polishing all the other required skills for this job. They can even hire new employees who fulfill their requirement. Threats: Many new hospitals are built now which are giving tough competition to attract more patients by asking patients for feedback from time to time and are actually using that feedback for improving themselves. The best patient affair representative is getting job offers from various other hospitals which is a major threat as he is very skilled and is able to tackle with customers easily without disappointing them. Conclusion: Hospital has various strengths in the patients affair office, all it needs is to hire good trainers for the representatives over there and polish their skills to deal with customers in a better way which will reduce the weakness of the hospital. At the same time, they need to capitalize on the opportunity available and remove the threats they are facing. Hospital must take feedback from patients from time to time and bring required improvements and also they need to provide their employees in the customer services good incentives and reward to retain them with the hospital. EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT: It is a department in the hospital who provides treatments and facilities to patients who are in critical condition or who require immediate assistance. The nature of emergency department is so unplanned that it must be prepared at all times along with specialized doctors in all fields to deal with injuries ranging from basic ones to severe ones. Emergency departments operate 24 hours in a day. Strengths: The hospital had all type of machines and equipments available for dealing with patients in the emergency department. Weaknesses: There was often a shortage of staff in the emergency after 12 a.m. which caused problems for patients. There is also a problem of slow service. Another weakness is that sometimes the emergency room is not clean and smells bad. Apart from this, although the hospital has all the required equipments available but most of them are outdated and are not kept in an order. Due to which it often happened that at the time of emergency, it was difficult to find the required machine. Opportunities: Hospital can do partnership with the best medical school as after that students will assist the hospital and will be available for patients 24 hours specially at times when other staff is not available, which will be beneficial for both patient and student. There are grants of government available for the hospital, it can take them and utilize them for the benefit of the emergency room by improving the condition of it. grants will help in solving financial problems and will enable the hospital to buy and keep latest machines to better assist patients in case of emergency. Threats: Hospital is losing doctors because of retirement due to which there is a shortage of doctors in the emergency department. This has caused various problems and thus hospital is losing patients especially in the emergency department to other hospitals with excellent emergency departments. Conclusion: Hospital must reduce its weaknesses as other hospitals are taking advantage of that by providing patients with better service in the emergency department. It must hire more staff in the emergency department for keeping it clean or if it cannot hire then it must raise the salary of existing staff so they perform their duties efficiently. It must also capitalize on the opportunity available to it by doing partnership with medical school and also by accepting the grants by government, which will help the hospital in investing more in the emergency department. It must also place advertisements for doctors to reduce the problem of less doctors in the hospital as this way there will doctors available in the emergency department as well. Complaints Office Is an office which deals with complains of patients and is responsible for getting their feedback. They are responsible for keeping patients in the hospital satisfied by solving their problems and thus not giving them a chance to complain. The duties of this office are critical as form time to time they have to deal with customers with bad moods; they have to tolerate them at their worst which requires a lot of patience. Its necessary for the complaints office to have solution for all the patients or else they will just lose patients. They also need to report complains of patients to senior managers to keep them updated on the condition of the hospital. This way senior manager will be able to take actions that are beyond the complaints office to keep their patients satisfied with the service they are getting. Strengths: The employees in the complaints office are available to patients at all times and solve their queries as much as they can. The complaints office of the hospital has an excellent system of recording all complains of patients on a computer which is available for all the staff of hospital to view. This keeps everyone informed about the issues that should be solved. Weaknesses: The employees at the complaints office lack patience and they often are unable to solve their issues. Sometimes when a patient makes a complaint they listen to them but never takes any action which increases the level of dissatisfaction of patients with the hospital. Opportunities: Hospital can hire a specialist for giving training to its employees as to how to deal with patients with bad moods. They can even hire employees who are specialists in human behavior so they know the required solution depending on the mood of patients. Threats: Other hospitals have more specialized complaints offices due to which they dint give a chance to their patients of complains. So patients prefer other hospitals compared to this which is significantly affecting the growth. Competition is a major threat that the hospital is facing in almost all its departments. Conclusion: Hospital needs to hire good employees and experts of human resources in the complaints office to deal with patients more effectively. They also need to polish the skills of existing employees in the complaints office. Hospital needs to overcome its weaknesses in the complaints office as it is in direct contact with patients at all times and is responsible for solving their problems. Although employees here have got free right to make any necessary decision depending on the situation but since most of them lack patience, they are unable to talk to customers politely. Referrals Office Referrals basically help keeping doctors track of the care that their patients are getting ti make sure that provided care is right for that particular patient. Request for a referral is usually made by the primary clinician when he/she comes to the conclusion that services that a patient requires are not available at the hospital. So referrals office processes these appointments with specialists for the clinicians. The responsibilities of a referral office are to service the appointment with specialists and to keep the clinician updated about the dates and time of appointment. Strengths: The referrals office at the hospital is highly trained and has contacts with many specialists in various fields which enable them to be of service to patients of ant type of problems ranging from small to big ones. Weaknesses: The number of people in the referrals office is less compared to require as there are sometimes delay in making appointments to the specialists which annoys patients as no one likes to wait. Secondly, the appointments that patients get are late and they often have to wait for a month or two to visit the specialist which is not acceptable in situations or cases that require immediate attention. Opportunities: There are various referrals programs available to improve the existing referrals in the hospital so it can take one of them to reduce the inefficiencies. The steps for making a referral program include: First, make a timeline for the program of referral and record the changes it bring to the referrals office to be better aware of the benefits of the program and also to make sure that it’s actually working. Second, keep getting feedback of referrals from the patient to make a list of specialists who actually helped the patients to recommend such specialists further. Also. This will help referrals office in knowing that with which specialist they need to build a better relation. Offer your gratitude to specialists that you are referring to your patients so that they are satisfied with the hospital and are willing to accept future patients. Threats: The threats faced by the referrals office include the referrals office of other hospitals who try giving better service to the specialists that they refer to their patients on behalf of clinicians. Some of these hospitals are old and some are new which are giving intense competition to this hospital. Conclusion: the referrals office should use its strength to get the best specialists appointment for their patients to make sure that they get the best service. They must try to reduce their weakness by hiring more employees in the referrals office and also by trying to get the appointment as quickly as possible especially in cases where the illness is severe. they must capitalize on the opportunity available to them by introducing a referrals program to better train themselves for this job which will help in retaining patients as they will be satisfied by the service provided to them by the referrals office. They must try to come up with strategies and ways of dealing with the competition that they are facing from other hospitals. Ward Administrative Ward: it is the ward that is responsible for administrating the wards in the hospital. Every hospital has various wards and thus the responsibilities of a ward administrative are huge. Employees in the ward administrative units need to coordinate and mange the wards and they also need to supervise it from time to time to make sure that they are up to the mark. Other responsibilities of a ward administrative ward includes establishing policies and plans to be followed, making sure that the best service is being provided, maintaining the infrastructure to make sure that all the facilities are provided to the public and getting feedback from patients to bring improvement if there is a lacking. Strengths: Employees at the ward administrative office of the hospital are providing a good service to the hospital. The wards of the hospital are neat and clean at all times and almost everyone is trained and knows his/her duties. Weaknesses: The employees at the ward administrative ward never come up with plans or ideas for providing even better service than they are providing now. Although they are providing a good service but they lack a need of making policies which everyone could follow. And also the infrastructure available at the hospital is old and need to be replaced. The wards of the hospital are old fashioned and they need to have some work done. Opportunities: Hospital can hire a good architect for solving the issue with the wards and giving it a design that is attractive for patients. The infrastructure of a hospital matters a lot and an attractive hospital attracts more patients. Threats: The threat is same as for other departments, competition. Many new hospitals have been formed with attractive designs and extraordinary architect that attracts the patients. Although the purpose of a hospital is to solve the problems of patients but building and other infrastructure also matters. Conclusion: the ward administrative ward is fulfilling its duties effectively but there are a few lackings here that need to be focused. Firstly, they need to make sure that all wards have latest infrastructure and are presentable to the patients because as discussed earlier, it matter a lot for patients to go in hospitals that provide good services in all ways.

Pest Analysis Macro Environment Marketing Essay

Pest Analysis Macro Environment Marketing Essay The purpose of this report is to analyse the food retail industry in the United Kingdom. The reasons of the industry selection can be concentrated to the broad range of provided products and services, the financial activity of the industry, the influence in the peoples life and the various external factors that affect the sector. The analysis will begin with a presentation of the food retail industry and a highlight of its significant features. Furthermore, to assess the remote environment of the industry a PEST analysis will be conducted, analysing the political, economical, social and technological factors that affect the industry. Furthermore, a Porters 5 forces analysis will be used to evaluate the operating environment and the nature of competition. Moreover the major competitors and their competition strategies will be identified. Additionally, the effect of the remote and operating environment on the players of the industry will be highlighted. Also, a critical analysis of the industrys strength and its future will be presented. Finally, a critical evaluation on the used business analysis techniques will be illustrated. The UK food retail industry is an established sector of the UK economy. During the last thirty years the food retail corporations expanded their activities to serve various consumer needs. The products that are provided to the public include food and its sub-products, but also alcohol, tobacco, health and beauty products, clothing, electrical products, homeware, fuel and financial services. However, according to the Mintel report 2009, more than half of the total sales in 2008 were assigned to food. Furthermore, concerning the size of the industry an increasing trend of sales can be observed of about 4% per year from 2004 to 2008 and a total amount of 108.1 billion pounds in 2008 (National Statistics Mintel report 2009). The food retail industry is mainly controlled by large supermarket chains that possess the overwhelming majority of the industrys market share, as it will be analysed further in the report. Concerning the size diversification of the retail stores, the majority are large units like hypermarkets, supermarkets and discounters with a percentage of 62% of the total number of stores. Furthermore, small units as convenience stores and gas stations represent the 21.2% and food and drink specialists the 11.3%. The minority are drug stores, warehouses and cash and carry stores (Datamonitor 2009). 3. PEST analysis Macro-environment To analyse the macro-environment or otherwise known remote environment of the food retail industry, a PEST analysis will be used to specify how Political and legal, Economical, Social and Technological issues affect the industry. 3.1 Political There are many political and legal factors that affect the food retail industry. Future political decisions concerning taxation or the retail industry legislation will definitely have an impact in the industry competitors policies and strategies. The current legislation and regulation concern competition, employment, environmental, food and grocery safety, financial services and health issues. Specifically, the UK food retailers are obliged to follow food hygiene legislation set by the Food Standards Agency and the equivalent European Union regulation such as the General Food Law Regulation. In the UK the food safety act of 1990 was enacted to set the food safety requirements for food intended for human consumption. The Food Standards Agency was created in 2000 after the food standards act of 1999, which was enacted to further secure the public health related to food safety (Office of Public Sector Information, 1999). The UK food retailers are obliged to follow the above regulations in conjunction with the General Food Regulations 2004 that set the rules about the transportation, distribution, quality, hygiene, maintenance, advertising and selling of food and its substances. Especially for the food hygiene and maintenance the rules and requirements of the Food Hygiene Regulations of 2006 and the internationally recognised Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) must be followed (Food Standards Agency, 2010). Therefore, possible disobedience of the above regulations by the supermarkets will cause legal problems and the enforcement of fines, harming their budget and social image. The competition in the UK is observed and controlled by two government bodies, the Competition Commission and the Office of Fair Trading. The two government bodies ensure that the companies in the UK comply with the competition law and practices. Therefore, they observe and interface the market to avoid monopoly, oligopoly and cartel phenomena. Their role beyond the control of competition between the competitors within the industry is to ensure the fair trade between the supermarkets and their supplies. According to recent press publications the fair trade is currently the most important issue (Haurant S., 2009). In 2001 the Office of Fair Trading enacted the Supermarkets Code of Practice to regulate and assure the trade between supermarkets and suppliers, who include amongst others, farmers and breeders (Office of Fair Trading, 2001). Additionally, the major supermarket chains had been often accused for anticompetitive, unfair practices and failure to meet the necessary requirements . For example, in April 2010 the Office of Fair Trading fined nine retailers for anticompetitive practices at their tobacco pricing between 2001 and 2003 (Mintel report, 2009). For this reason the Competition Commission planned to change the existing Supermarkets Code of Practice to a new Grocery Supply Code of Practice (Haurant S., 2009). The new code of practice added intensive pressure to the Grocery retailers because they were forced to comply with stricter regulation and to cover the costs of the observation body. This new regulation led to greater competition which toughed the operations of the supermarkets but reduced slightly the prices to benefit the consumers. Another important group of regulations are those concerning the planning and environmental law. The grocery retail companies need to comply with the planning law to be able to expand their activities in new places. During the past years, the grocery retailers tended to expand their stores in places away from town centres. The reason was primary the reduced property prices and the ability to construct large supermarket units, maximising their profits. However this trend provoked a series of issues such as the increased pollution from the consumers transportation leading the government to change the legislation, demanding the presence of town centre stores at first. Therefore, the reaction of the supermarket chains was to increase the number of mid-size and small stores who complied with legislation and increased the supermarkets points of presence (Tescopoly; Butler S., 2006). Furthermore, the grocery retail corporations need to comply with environmental law and regulations concerning goods transportation pollution, aesthetics, proper disposal and recycling. For example the supermarkets were forced by new legislation to charge their customers a certain cost for each provided plastic bag (Brogan B., 2008). There is a significant percentage of the workforce that is employed in the food retail industry. Therefore, the food retail companies are obliged to comply with the UK and EU employment legislation exactly as the rest of the employers. Labour law such as the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Employment Act 2002 specify the workers rights including wages, working conditions, work hours and job security Also, during the past thirty years, a series of anti-discrimination laws were enacted to establish equality and diversity in the workforce (Businesspme.com, 2008; direct.gov.uk, 2010). Also, the food retail corporations are obliged to comply with health and safety standards in the workplace in operations like the use of machinery, electrical equipment, transportation of goods, violence etc (Shropshire, 2010). These regulations are mainly set by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Workplace regulations of 1992. Therefore, any political decision leading to more complex employm ent legislation can increase the labour costs in the industry and reduce the profitability. Additionally, non compliance with the labour regulations can lead to long term litigations with former or employees or the government. During the last years the large supermarket chains expanded their activities to provide financial services such as credit cards, loans and deposits. Therefore the supermarkets are obliged to comply with the legislation and regulations enacted by the Financial Services Authority (Financial Services Authority, 2010). Therefore, a possible change in financial services taxation or regulation will affect their profitability. Furthermore, the supermarkets are obliged to pay the equivalent corporate tax at the HM Revenue and Customs. 3.2 Economical The economic factors, incidents and situations that affect the food retail industry can be concentrated in the following categories: Consumer spending and disposable income, inflation, taxation, interest rates, unemployment, monetary issues, and the recent financial crisis. The recent financial crisis has definitely brought many important changes in the food retail sector as well as to the majority of the industries. However, the effect of the financial crisis did not affect negatively the consumer demand. On the contrary the consumer spending in the food retail industry increased from 2007 to 2008 especially in the food products and continues to increase at an approximately rate of 5% (National Statistics; Mintel report, 2009). The main implication for this trend was that because of the recession, the consumers cut their eating out expenses and started to consume food at home as it is much cheaper. Furthermore the sales of organic food, specialised products such as television and sound systems and expensive products declined (Mintel report, 2009).On the contrary, the sales of own brand products and hard discounters chains increased indicating the consumers turn in low cost products. The price competition and the importance of food increased the consumer demand and expenditure; however it is doubtful if it will continue to rise mainly because of the general economic uncertainty and the higher upcoming personal income taxation. In macroeconomic terms, the GDP after a massive decline in its change rate started to increase after the mid 2009 to reach a positive 0.5% in early 2010. Also, the inflation after a decline during the recession increased in late 2009 which probably led to an increasing trend at groceries prices (National Statistics, 2010). However, the Bank of England continues to maintain the interest rates at a low level (0.5%), to protect the fragile economy (BBC, 2010). This low interest rate will lead to increased consumption because consumers will favour to spend than to save their funds and the food retailers will be able to borrow funds at a low costs to cover their liabilities. This fact will act as compensation to the increased inflation and will probably maintain the prices. Concerning the monetary issues, during the last three years the sterling faced a significant decline of approximately (-26%) towards the euro and approximately (-25%) towards the dollar which increased the cost of imported goods in the UK (Yahoo Finance, 2010). Therefore, this situation might force the UK food retailers to construct food manufacturing plants in the United Kingdom and prefer UK suppliers. Thus, the grocery retailers will be able to have a stable pricing policy and larger price margins. From 2009 to 2010 the exchange rates fluctuated causing uncertainty and maintaining the food prices high One of the most important parts of the economic factors that affect the food retail industry is taxation. This is divided to personal income tax for the consumers and to corporation tax for the supermarkets. After May 2010 elections a coalition government between the Conservatives party and the Liberal Democrats party formed and changes are expected in taxation. Concerning income tax an increase in tax contributions is expected in 2010/2011 which will lead to a decline in consumption possibly affecting the more expensive goods and food retailers. On the other hand the corporate tax will be probably reduced during 2010 to boost economy and development. (Vincent, 2010) Therefore, the food retail corporations will be able to afford larger margins to price competition. The above facts will possibly lead the supermarkets to a trend of decreasing prices in basic goods and making offers to maintain consumer spending levels. For example there is a trend at supermarkets to offer products in r ounded prices ( £1,  £2) creating an offer impression (Felsted A., 2010). 3.3 Social The next sector of the PEST analysis is consisted by the social factors that affect the industry such as the demographics, lifestyle, culture and population trends. It is well known that Europes population is getting older and as years are passing this phenomenon will be more intense. In the United Kingdom (Mintel report, 2009) the average age and the percentage of retired people are rising. This trend has many implications to the food retail industry. First of all, elder people tend to consume less than younger people. This happens because their income which mainly comes from pensions is lower. Secondly, elder people tend to shop from the cheaper discounter retailers. Therefore, the market share of the discounter chains will increase against the rest of the competitors in the industry (Mintel oxygen, 2009). Also, the additional needs of this age group leads to an increasing trend of online and distance shopping which increase the home grocery deliveries. Thus, the operational costs of the supermarkets increase due to increased expenses for vehicles and personnel. Another implication coming from the ageing population will be the need for new product lines designed for people with various chronic ailments which are common amongst elder people. An important issue that concerns the society is obesity. According to the Health Survey for England, there is an increasing trend of obesity especially in children (NHS, 2009). The health problems and their consequences led the government and various organisations to promote a healthier lifestyle in Britain. Therefore, the consumers health awareness increased and they turned their interest to healthier foods and to more fruit and vegetables. Thus, it can be supposed that the food retail corporations will continue to adapt to the consumers demand enhancing their existing product lines with new healthier products such as organic foods, low fat and low sugar products and healthy food campaigns. Also, it will be possible to appear products for specific social groups such as people suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and allergies. Therefore, by targeting these consumer groups the food retail corporations will increase their income and improve their corporate social image. Furthermore, the increasing trend of more women entering the workforce, led to the need for ready meals at the supermarkets because women had less time to prepare food after work (International Labour Organisation, 2008). As this trend continues the supermarkets will expand their ready meals variety and create new categories depending into cost, calories and taste covering different needs. Also, the presence of different people from different background and culture in the UK changed the structure of the society. According to the UK National Statistics approximately the 10% of the UK population is non-British (UK National Statistics, 2001). Different cultures mean different habits and different food preferences. Therefore, the food retailers often provide goods from all over the world to serve those needs. 3.4 Technological The final element of the PEST analysis concerns the technological factors that are related to the food retail industry. The technological development affected and changed the industry in different categories including consumers, environment, cost, distribution, and logistics. During the last decade, the supermarkets in the United Kingdom took advantage of the internet and they are offering online shopping to the consumers. Through this innovative feature the supermarkets offer their entire catalogue of products to the consumers and the ability to compare prices, search for a product, pay and order for their groceries. Therefore, the food retailers reduce their personnel costs while they are able to advertise almost free and make consumers aware of their offers. Also it is not unusual that many products cannot be found inside the stores and are available only through e-commerce (Tesco annual report 2009). This is another example of minimising operating costs while increasing sales. Furthermore, the food retail corporations used the information technology to organise their operations and maximise the organisations efficiency and profitability. Specifically, the management of each organisations functions is assigned to specialised software and digitalisation of processes. Through the use of innovative technology the cost and the paperwork is reduced and time is saved. Also, the logistics department increases its efficiency because the supply chain is more efficient controlled and the stock management provides a real and immediate view (Sainsburys annual report 2009). The implementation of technology can be beneficial for both retailer and consumer. The self-checkout machines reduce the labour costs of the company because they usually require one person per five machines to observe. Also, in that way the consumers save time and control their groceries shopping. The introduction of point earning cards offers discounts and rewards to the consumer while it provides valuable information to the supermarket company about the preferences and habits of each individual. The analysis of this information assists to the companys advertising planning and strategy while it offers the ability of targeted marketing (Moody, 1997). The effective application of technology in the distribution and transportation process through energy efficient vehicles protects the environment as it reduces the vehicles carbon emissions. Furthermore, the food retail company improves its corporate social responsibility and reduces the goods transportation cost. Finally, the Universal Product Code or in other words bar-code was an innovation that brought a revolution in the industry. Each product could have its specific bar-code, simplifying the pricing and check-out while saving time and establishing accuracy. Also, the use of wireless technology and the attachment of electronic chips on the products can prevent theft and measure the product availability on shelves. Therefore, the inventory is the supply process becomes faster and the food retail corporations avoid unexpected losses that due to their volume can have a significant cost for the organisation (Food Marketing Institute, 2010). 4. Porters five forces analysis Operating Environment To analyse the operating environment of the food retail industry and evaluate its competitive nature, a Porters Five Forces Analysis, created by E.M Porter professor at Harvard University Business School, will be used. According to Porter the five forces are: the industry competitors rivalry, the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers and the threat of substitutes products or services (Porter, 2004). 4.1 The industry competitors rivalry. The competition in the food retail industry is intense. The named big4 supermarkets which are: Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons own the 73.3% market share, fact that makes the industry an oligopoly (Mintel report 2009). Below are the identified the major competitors in the industry and their competitive strategies. 4.1.1 Tesco Tesco is the market leader with a market share of 31%, and a total number of outlets 2,282, is traded in the London Stock Exchange and had  £41,520m sales and  £2,381m profit in 2009. Beyond food products it sells electrical equipment, health products, petrol, clothing, homeware, telecommunications through a joint venture with O2, and financial services through Tesco Bank (Datamonitor, 2009). Also, Tesco is expanding to land telecommunications, construction and youth clothing (Parker; Felsted; Poulter; Minton, 2010) Tescos expansion plans target to the development of the small Tesco Express who satisfy the legal size requirement of Sunday trading act to operate on Sunday (DEFRA, 2006). The objectives of Tescos strategy are concentrated in five areas: to be a successful international retailer, to grow the core UK business, to be as strong in non-food as in food, to develop retailing services such as Tesco Personal Finance, Telecoms and tesco.com and to put community at the heart of what we do (Tesco Annual report 2009). 4.1.2 Sainsburys Sainsburys is a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom with a market share of 15.4%, and a total number of outlets 792, is traded in the London Stock Exchange and had sales  £18,911m and  £466m profit in 2009. Sainsburys sells food products, home and garden products, electrical appliances, clothing, health products, sports and leisure products, petrol and offers financial and insurance services. Also, Sainsburys is expanding to Electricity and Gas, broadband and digital TV. Furthermore, Sainsburys collaborates with convenience store chains Bells Stores, Jacksons Stores, and JB Beaumont Stores in a strategic alliance move to increase its market share in the convenience stores battle. Sainsburys concentrate its corporate objectives in five areas: Great food at fair prices, Expansion in non-food products and services, Reaching more consumers through alternative distribution channels (online shopping), growing supermarket space and active property management of existing stores (Datamonitor, 2009; Rigby and Killgren, 2008; Sainsburys annual report, 2009). 4.1.3. Asda Asda is a supermarket chain owned by Walmart a United States of America supermarket corporation. Asda operates in the United Kingdom with a market share of 15.1% and a total number of outlets 356 and had sales  £18,573m and  £520m profit in 2009. Asda sells food products, health and beauty products, household products and petrol. Also it offers telecommunication services through its own mobile network Asda mobile and clothing through the George stores. Asdas competitive strategy is to differentiate from the competition emphasises in the fresh food, including bakers and butchers in its stores. Also, Asda operates a discount store Asda Essentials with own brand products competing directly with the discounters Lidl and Aldi. In a generic view, Asda targets in price competition boasting better prices and offers. (Datamonitor 2009; Corporatewatch.org.uk, 2004) 4.1.4. Morrisons Wm Morrison supermarkets or otherwise Morrisons is the fourth supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. Morrisons have a market share of 11.8% and a total number of outlets 420. Morrisons sells groceries, household products, petrol and dry cleaning and photo services. Morrisons operates through its own stores and its subsidiaries with Safeway among others. Morrisons target is to become the Food Specialist for Everyone as it owns 13 manufacturing plants and a fresh food factory. Morrisons concentrates its strategy around three brand values: Fresh, Value and Service. This means that Morrisons targets to offer fresh food in competitive prices in a premium consumer service. Generally, Morrisons is an emerging power in the industry and tries to gain competitive advantage by connecting the gap between value and high quality products. (Datamonitor, 2009; Wm Morrison annual report, 2009) Examining the nature of competition and the competitive rivalry it can be observed that the market share of mid-size and local grocery retailers is too small and the increasing appearance of big4 convenience stores and the large fixed costs. This leads to the implication that the competition in the industry is mainly concentrated among the major competitors. The major competitors are operating in a mature market, which pushes them to fiercely compete for market share through price, range and service (DEFRA 2006). In a mature market with a stable population like in the UK the consumption cannot be increased significantly. Thus, the main objective is to acquire a bigger percentage of the market share pie. Therefore, this situation has driven the grocery retailers to compete in a price war to maintain their customers and if possible to attract more to increase their revenues (Felsted, 2010). For this reason the grocery retailers aim to innovate and minimise the cost to be able to allow larger price margins. Also, taking into account the recent financial crisis and the recession it can be observed that the consumers were cutting their expenses and turned to hard discounters chains such as Lidl and Aldi. (Mintel report, 2009) This situation strengthens the price competition from sophisticated to basic products such as milk, poultry and bread. Also, the major competitors adopted aggressive advertising policy comparing often their prices with competition (Leroux, 2009). Furthermore, to increase their competitiveness supermarkets expand their activities and increase their product range. For example they offer in their stores non-food products like electrical equipment, homeware, pharmacy, financial services etc. This action widened their competitive arena, as they compete with a large portion of the retail sector such as electrical equipment, clothing, DoItYourself, furniture and health and beauty stores. The existence of petrol stations at the supermarkets competes directly with the petroleum providers e.g. BP and SHELL. Also, the supermarkets expansion to financial services e.g. Tesco Bank, place supermarkets to compete with retail banks. It can be suggested that the supermarkets because of the mature food market aim to provide a total package of products and services to their customers covering all their consuming needs; thus increasing the food retail industrys sales and profits. 4.2 The threat of new entrants. The entrance of new competitors in the food retail industry faces several difficulties. The creation of a new supermarket chain requires large capital investment, funds for corporate planning, advertising and trading capital. Furthermore, the majority of the industrys market share is acquired by the established big4 chain supermarkets and the margins for expansion are very limited. Also, the acquisitions are very difficult to realise because of the high value of the existing chains. However possible mergers or strategic alliances might take place. Other barriers to entry in the industry are the large fixed costs and the developed supply chains. Also, the existing dominants of the market benefit from the economies of scale which gives them the ability to adopt an aggressive pricing strategy. Therefore, it is very hard for the smaller retailers to compete and survive in that environment. According to the Competition Commission (2008) there are three different factors that lift entry barriers to the industry: a) cost advantages that large grocery retailers have b) the planning regime for grocery retailing and c) the control of land of large grocery retailers. The Competition Commission report divides the large grocery retailers cost advantages in two categories: distribution costs and purchasing costs. The large grocery retailers gain benefits from reduced distributions costs occurring by economies of scale and economies of density. The economies of density benefit the supermarkets because they operate satellite distribution centres that serve groups of stores. This process reduces the distribution costs because the distribution centres supply only the short and medium distance branches saving time distance and transportation costs. The economy of scale impact is that the supermarket chains use technology to control the products availability, to maintain the sensitive groceries such as meat and vegetables. Also, the supermarket maximise the efficiency of the distribution from and to suppliers, supermarket stores and consumers. Therefore this acts as another barrier to entry because the large supermarket chains have established channels of distribution and a cost effective distribution network supported by their own distribution fleet which covers the majority of the British territory (Competition Commission, 2008). The purchasing costs act as a barrier to entry to the food retail industry. The large supermarket chains because of their high volume purchases are able to deal better prices with their suppliers. Therefore, they are able to offer their products at a lower price in contrast with the smaller retailers who are obliged to purchase at a higher price (Competition Commission, 2008). Also, the big4 chains have already a competitive advantage because they possess knowledge and information about the suppliers. The volume of their sales gives them the ability to make large orders of supplies in lower prices. Another barrier to entry in the industry is the current planning regime for grocery retailing. The planning regulation sets limitations to the ability of new and existing competitors to open new stores in the positions they want. The reasons for this include environmental, competition and town planning issues. Also, the continuous development of supermarket outside towns led the UK government to demand the town centre development since 1996 (Competition Commission, 2008). Additionally the large supermarket chains already control the suitable land and the best locations, which make the rest of the sites expensive and difficult to find. All the barriers to entry in the industry are beneficial to the oligopolistic big4 supermarket chains and allow them to increase their profitability through the reduced costs and by controlling the goods prices. 4.3 The bargaining power of suppliers. According to the Datamonitor report (2009) the suppliers in the grocery retail industry include: food manufacturers, food processors, farmers, and agricultural co-operatives. The most powerful suppliers are the food manufacturers and the food processors because their number is smaller and in some cases they are irreplaceable. The bargaining power of the suppliers is high when they supply the supermarkets with branded goods that are highly demanded by the consumers. The supermarkets cannot apply big pressure to secure low prices and the suppliers can negotiate better prices. Therefore the supermarket chains make long term contracts with certain suppliers while maintaining their deals with a variety of suppliers to keep the switching costs low. Furthermore, the presence of the supermarkets own brands weakens the position of the suppliers and reduces their bargaining power. For example the supermarket chain Sainsburys includes in their product line their own branded Sainsburys ham and the Danepak ham and the consumers prefer them because they are usually sold at lower prices (Ali, 2009). The implication is that the supermarkets gain bargaining power because they are able to change suppliers or to make big orders. However when the food retailers choose to cooperate with only a few suppliers they give bargaining power to suppliers. For example big food manufacturer like Nestle have loyal consumers who give high value to the brand. Therefore, the supermar

The Reader Essay -- essays research papers

Memory is a powerful concept. Often when an individual undergoes a traumatic situation, the ramifications of these actions seep into an individual?fs psyche unknowingly. In effect this passes through memory and becomes sub-consciously buried within a person?fs behavioural patterns generally. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink explores the concept of a young mans subconscious desire for a woman whom he ?gcan?ft remember to forget?h (1Memento) as she is so deeply inlaid within his soul. Critically acclaimed as ?gA formally beautiful, disturbing, and finally morally devastating novel. From the first page?c [it] ensnares both heart and mind?h ( Los Angeles Times), the novel tells the story of a young boy, 15, Michael Berg, through his own interior narration. He finds himself emotionally and sexually attached to a woman of over twice his age, Hanna Schmitz. She then breaks his heart by deserting him. Michael is emotionally torn by this incident and consequently develops a subconscious obsession with her. Years after the mysterious disappearance of Hanna, Michael marries a woman named Gertrude. ?gGertrude was smart, efficient, and loyal?h (3p 171) yet she never fulfilled Michael in the same way as Hanna had previously. Unknowingly he drove her away through his constant comparisons and dissatisfaction that Gertrude could not be the woman he wanted. ?gI could never stop comparing the way it was with Gertrude and the way it had been with Hanna; again and again, Gertrude and I would hol...

The Use of Intensity and Passion as Resources for Social Transformation

Baldwin saw his race lynched, beaten, and emotionally tormented, alongside white America’s indifference towards this social problem. He witnessed firsthand the shortcomings of his country. Meanwhile, his father obfuscated this intense reality, which likely paralleled a similarly hidden reality of white people his age whose parents repeatedly eluded such inequalities because it was easier than facing them head-on. For Baldwin, trouncing social injustice requires the white man’s knowledge of how to love the Negro, to love one must suffer reality by facing their fears of experiencing the wicked and unknown. Ironically, the only wicked and unknown is that of the white man’s private fears and longings projected onto the Negro, fear of the burdensome reality that life is tragic and death is inevitable. The Negro more or less accepts his eventual death, since throughout American history he was raped, tortured, humiliated, and experienced a loss of human identity and human authority from confronting the twisted beauty of suffering (Baldwin, 98-99). The Negro was forced to face sensuality, that which Anglo-Teutonic, anti-sexual Whites have not (Baldwin, 43 & 30). â€Å"The [white] person who distrusts himself has no touchstone for reality—for this touchstone can be only oneself† (Baldwin, 43). It is for this reason that the Negro must rise-up, assuming that any potential for social justice rests in his hands. The few relatively conscious whites and relatively conscious blacks must, â€Å"like lovers, insist on, or create, the consciousness of others† (Baldwin, 105). Up to this point in American History, blacks and whites have instead experienced universal joylessness (Baldwin, 43). To the white man’s benefit, love for the Negro absolves his ... ...rm their own lives, at the same time the members desire to learn from the students and from inspired self-reflection about how they can transform their own lives. On the other end of the spectrum, extremist examples of passion and intensity used as resources for transformation include groups like Wikileaks.org, Al-Qaida, and the Dove Community Outreach Center. Such resources may invoke the spirit of war, rebellion, and deceit, detract from societal progress and antagonize tensions already rooted in sensitive geopolitical relationships. However, we must recognize that outside the western world, many people see these resources as positive for social and personal transformation. Ascertainable from these diverse resources is that passion and intensity may be leveraged regardless of geographical, political, or social divides, to effect diverse social and personal change.