Monday, December 30, 2019

Science of Database Implementation - 516 Words

Science of Database Implementation Databases have long been known around the office water cooler as costly, important, difficult, and multifaceted. Looking at many history timelines and the patterns of computer information technology companies; the database is getting frowned upon. The Database implementation is getting old and showing wear and tear. Every company has data, whether its how many hot dogs they are buying and whom is purchasing to what speed internet should be available in which areas. It just depends on the company’s profit and goals. Since, data is so important how is it stored and kept. Companies are using databases to store their important information that they will later make use of. There are now structuring and hosting options, hosted warehouse environments, semantic data sores, and the increasingly popular cloud or virtualization. Structured hosting would be DataWiki, WordPress Data, and many others. Some of the top picks for hosted warehouse incl ude Amazon redshift and new push. The Amazon website pushes business owners to their data storing product with this explanation, â€Å"Amazon Redshift is a fast, fully managed, petabyte-scale data warehouse service that makes it simple and cost-effective to efficiently analyze all your data using your existing business intelligence tools. You can start small for just $0.25 per hour with no commitments or upfront costs and scale to a petabyte or more for $1,000 per terabyte per year, less than a tenth ofShow MoreRelatedHealthcare Is Evolving And Applying New Innovations Into Its Field1417 Words   |  6 Pagesbecause it is a disciplinary field that involves both science/ health and technology (Hoyt, 2010). Bioinformatics is a field that combines, â€Å"computer science with biological and biomedical sciences such as chemistry, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, genomics, and physiology† (Moore, 2007). It began with the development of DNA and protein sequencing, along with the increasing expansion of digital computers and biological databases (Hagen, 2000). One of the main goals of bioinformaticsRead MoreBecoming A Nurse Practitioner Program1253 Words   |  6 Pagesfriend informed me about American Sentinel University (ASU) MSN program which I decided to pursue because of their affordable tuition and outstanding nursing program. The international Medical informatics Association (IMIA) defines nursing as the science and practice (that) integrates nursing, its information and knowledge, with management of information and communication technologies to promote the health of people, families, and communities worldwide. The application of nursing informatics knowledgeRead MoreA Summary On Qualifications Essay837 Words   |  4 PagesMost solutions implemented require very minimum subsequent updates and patches. ï‚ § Design, code and deliver user friendly multi-tier business intelligence solutions that utilize data warehouse/data mining technologies to consume data across various database platforms and data stores. ï‚ § Highly effective technical resource who is specialized in understanding and researching complex concepts quickly and able to design and architect saleable solutions for technical teams to implement. CORE TECHNICAL SKILLSRead MoreData Warehousing Fundamentals For It Professionals1580 Words   |  7 PagesComputer Science, Engineering, and Physics University of Michigan-Flint SUMMARY Below is a summary of the book â€Å"Data Warehousing Fundamentals for IT Professionals†, written by Paulraj Ponniah. Data Warehousing Fundamentals was written in June, 2010 containing 544 pages in its first edition, published by Wiley India Pvt Ltd and the edition type of this book is student. The author has above thirty years of experience in the field of IT and he has command over the design and implementations of databaseRead MoreA Summary On Business Intelligence884 Words   |  4 PagesMost solutions implemented require very minimum subsequent updates and patches. ï‚ § Design, code and deliver user friendly multi-tier business intelligence solutions that utilize data warehouse/data mining technologies to consume data across various database platforms and data stores. ï‚ § Highly effective technical resource who specializes in understanding and researching complex concepts quickly and able to design and architect scalable solutions for technical teams to implement. CORE TECHNICAL SKILLSRead MoreDesign And Delivery Of Highly Scalable And Stable Systems Essay871 Words   |  4 PagesMost solutions implemented require very minimum subsequence updates and patches. ï‚ § Design, code and deliver user friendly multi-tier business intelligence solutions that utilize data warehouse/data mining technologies to consume data across various database platforms and data stores. ï‚ § Highly effective technical resource who specializes in understanding and researching complex concepts quickly and able to design and architect saleable solutions for technical teams to implement. CORE TECHNICAL SKILLSRead MoreMicrosoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server871 Words   |  4 Pagesto design and architect scalable solutions for technical teams to implement. CORE TECHNICAL SKILLS PROGRAMMING †¢ Visual Basic, .NET C# †¢ PowerShell, Bash Python †¢ SQL, SSIS, SSRS ETL †¢ XML, HTML CSS DATABASE †¢ Microsoft SQL †¢ Microsoft Access †¢ Oracle SQL database †¢ Hadoop †¢ Erwin DEVELOPMENT TOOLS †¢ Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server †¢ Microsoft Business Intelligent †¢ IBM Document Imaging, Workflow Record Management SDK †¢ Business Objects Crystal Report †¢ AmazonRead MoreDatabase Analysis : Database Management System1137 Words   |  5 Pages Summary: Database Management System in easy terms we can say that set of data organized in a relative way. It allows data for various entries, storage and retrieval of large quantity of information and provides ways to manage how the information is stored. There is big number of database providers and each different database has its own strength so while choosing a particular database we need to understand what the business requirement is and match them with what DBMS can provide us to make ourRead MoreMicrosoft Visual Studio / Team Foundation Server952 Words   |  4 PagesMost solutions implemented require very minimum subsequent updates and patches. ï‚ § Design, code and deliver user friendly multi-tier business intelligence solutions that utilize data warehouse/data mining technologies to consume data across various database platforms and data stores. ï‚ § Highly effective technical resource who specializes in understanding and researching complex concepts quickly and able to design and architect saleable solutions for technical teams to implement. CORE TECHNICAL SKILLSRead MoreNo Pains No Gains : Distributed Database Solutions1737 Words   |  7 PagesGAINS: DISTRIBUTED DATABASE SOLUTIONS CSC 633 RAJEEV SAGAR REDDY MERUGU. INTRODUCTION: Database management has undergone more than four decades of evolution producing vast range of research and extensive array of technology solutions. The database research community and software industry has responded to numerous challenges resulting from changes in user requirements and opportunities presented by hardware advances. The relational database approach as represented by SQL databases has been particularly

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Mythology And Christianity Mythology - 948 Words

Mythology and Christianity Mythology is known for its artistic values of cultures well before the world we live in today. The stories that derive from these great folk tales set a scene in lives of people who worshipped their God’s and the items that they praised them for. Depending on the geographic location and the time of the myth, or at least what it could be traced to, the people would praise and worship different God’s for different reasons. Just like in our modern system of religion in this day and age, different groups have formed different religions and praise a different God for different reasons. With all the stories that come from mythology, how the folktale of Jesus Christ become truth in did today’s religious practices when there are comparisons throughout history that show him to be a myth like the legendary Zeus. Creation of life as we know it is debatable by those that believe God created life and those that argue for science or evolution. Referring to the creation under the principles of the Bible/ God, then one must understand the creations of the almighty such as Greek God/Goddess or the God of Christianity. The fables written describing the lives of the rulers in Greek mythology are traced back hundreds of years to different writers of different time periods. Whereas the bible, it can be said that,† Many people contributed to the writing of the Bible. In fact, the Bible is a diverse collection of writings from about 40 main contributors—30 in the OldShow MoreRelatedEssay on Christianity vs. Greek Mythology1309 Words   |  6 Pagesthat have been compared often and I have chosen to discuss the similarities and differences of Christianity and ancient Greek mythology. Christianity is a monotheistic religion, or belief in only one God, and spiritual practices are based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as written in the New Testament of the Bible, with the role of Jesus as savior and the Son of God. Greek mythology is a polytheistic religion, which is the belief in and worship of multiple deities, called godsRead MoreOn What Occasions Does Norse Mythology Play an Important Role in Beowulf?964 Words   |  4 PagesOn what occasions does Norse Mythology play an important role in Beowulf? Throughout the story of Beowulf, Norse Mythology has been an important factor of the story’s continuation. While they both have interactions with Christianity, they are both very important. Norse Mythology has existed as early as the 10th century. Just like how Beowulf, and many other epics have been told, Norse mythology was preserved through the tradition of oral preservation. Norse Mythology It is said that there areRead MoreMythology and How It Affects Society Essay1218 Words   |  5 PagesMythology has been used in a multitude of ways since the beginnings of civilization as it provided mankind explanation for natural occurrences: harvest time and the changing of the seasons, natural disasters: earthquakes and storms, and life events: birth and death, but was also used to simply provide entertainment. Another huge role that mythology played a part in was the explanation of how the earth and all its people were created and why. This formed the structure for many societies as they couldRead MoreWhat If Paul Had Never Converted From Christianity?854 Words   |  4 PagesWhat If Paul Had Never Converted to Christianity? If Paul had never converted to Christianity things would be very different. Paul played a pivotal role in spreading Christianity. Without Paul s influence the Roman Empire might still believe in Roman Mythology. Paul heavily influenced Christianity through traveling and teaching. Without Paul s existence things would be very different. Paul s original name was Saul. Saul started out hating and persecuting Christians. Saul had a big conversionRead MoreGreek Mythology Throughout The Ages916 Words   |  4 PagesGreek Mythology throughout the Ages Greek mythology is the culmination of myths and teaching that began in Ancient Greek. These myths are diverse in the stories that they tell ranging from their gods, their heroes and the nature of the world. They also reveal much about their religious beliefs and practices during Ancient Greece. Today modern scholars study these myths in an attempt to better understand the religious and political practices of Ancient Greece and its civilization of way back whenRead MoreCeltic Mythology and Folklore1235 Words   |  5 PagesCeltic mythology. Celtic mythology was an integral part of ancient history throughout the British Isles especially Ireland. Authors of this magnificent form of literature have created stories that were based on the events of that time period and their works have transcended to future generations up until today. Overall, Celtic mythology and folklore has had a magnanimous impact on the world in lending itself for priceless amusable, educational, and historical exce llence. Celtic mythology is theRead MoreGod s Special Act Of Revelation784 Words   |  4 PagesWhat makes Schelling set Christianity apart from other traditions is precisely its character of being a revealed religion. Mythology is a natural process like healing, and thus, argues Schelling, â€Å"[mythology] is a religion where no productive role is given to the deity as such.† Christianity, however, is another story. Thanks to God’s special act of revelation, Christianity is based on the full awareness of God according to his spirituality, and bears what mythologies lack. In other words, allRead MoreZeus Of Greek And Indra Of Vedic1601 Words   |  7 Pagesand Indra of Vedic Mythology can be traced to many different ethnic groups because many values such rich oral and written traditions. There are many ways of telling stories, and through myths, many powerful thoughts and emotions, as well as wisdom, and culture are all folded into one outlet. The comparisons of mythology across different cultures is an attempt to identify shared themes and motifs in the myths themselves. In comparative mythology, the Hindu and Greek mythologies share fascinating similaritiesRead MoreThe Devil At The Dawn Of Christianity904 Words   |  4 PagesThe devil at the dawn of Christianity bore little resemblance to the ruler of hell, the antichrist and agent of evil that he is known as in present day. Satan makes few overt or implied appearances in the Old Testament. For the important role of God’s greatest adversary, early Christians had to flesh out great parts of Satan’s story in order to develop him into his present, fearsome persona. The Christian story of t he Devil is heavily influenced by earlier Greek mythology, and early Christian writingsRead MoreMany Beliefs Influence Our Lives Today1413 Words   |  6 Pagescalled Norse Mythology. That movie series is Lord of the Rings! Many of the main characters and items come from Norse mythology. Such as, the elves, the enchanted rings, the dwarves, and other realms. Most people only know one or two deities from Norse Mythology, like Thor and Loki. While most people in the world are more familiar with the beliefs of the Ancient Greeks, Norse Mythology is one of the most overlooked, interesting, and diverse forms of mythology in the world. Norse Mythology was started

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Problem of Induction An Analysis of the Validity of the Humean Problem of Induction Free Essays

Induction refers to â€Å"a method of reasoning by which a general law or principle is inferred from observed particular instances† (Flew, 1986, p. 171). The method of inductive inference, in this sense, may be considered as the primary means through which justifications are formulated to show the relationship of evidence towards particular assumptions (Goodman, 1983, p. We will write a custom essay sample on Problem of Induction: An Analysis of the Validity of the Humean Problem of Induction or any similar topic only for you Order Now 13). The process of induction, thereby, may be seen as arising whenever we note that evidence lends support to a hypothesis while in the process failing to establish its deductive certainty. In relation to the aforementioned method, Hume argued that since no necessary connections exists between empirical phenomena, it is always possible that a future observation will prove our inferences wrong no matter how appealing it may have been or how richly supported by past observations. This problem has been referred to as the problem of the uniformity principle [in this sense the lack of such uniformity]. According to the argument, nature has no uniformity. If such is the case, it thereby follows that there is no voucher that ensures the consistency of man’s most refined predictions. Consider for example, the statement â€Å"Whenever I drop a piece of chalk it will fall†. Two claims may be inferred from such a statement: (1) Dropping a piece of chalk causes it to fall and (2) Dropping a piece of chalk tomorrow will thereby cause it to fall. According to Hume, such claims assume the uniformity of nature. The problem however is evident if one considers that if all knowledge of causation is based on experience and all knowledge of experience is based on the faculties of cognition, in order for knowledge of causation to be valid [at all times] it is necessary that the faculties of cognition are infallible. However, such is not the case since conditions for the attainment of understanding are based upon fallible faculties. If such is the case, it follows that man’s understanding of the empirical world is obscure thereby providing no solid grounds for the formation of inferences that determine the uniformity of nature from which man derives his causal laws regarding the workings of nature. At this point, it is worthwhile to consider that the aforementioned problem [commonly referred to as Hume’s problem of induction] stems from Hume’s critique of the Cartesian claims regarding the powers of reason. According to Descartes, man is in possession of an infallible faculty of clear and distinct perception which if properly exercised is able to grasp various general causal principles a priori. In addition to this, Descartes claims that possession of such faculties enables man to establish the essence of the mind [which is thinking] and the body [which is extension] through the use of pure intellectual insight. If such is the case, man is thereby privy to the acquisition of a priori knowledge regarding the behavior of minds and of things. If such is the case, it follows that man is also privy to the knowledge of the workings of the external world [external to the mind and hence the physical realm]. As was noted at the onset of this paper, Hume’s critique of Descartes’ conception of the powers of reason has thereby resulted to the critique of the process of induction and hence the critique of the assumption regarding the uniformity of nature. It is important to note that Hume’s claim [as an opposition to Descartes’ aforementioned claim] may be understood in two ways. In the first case, Hume’s claim may be understood as setting the limits of man’s intellectual capacities [which is evident in his emphasis on the fallibility of our faculties for cognition]. In another sense, one may understand Hume’s claim as enabling a naturalistic conception of knowledge acquisition thereby enabling the dissolution of Descartes’ dualism [evident in Descartes’ distinction of the mind from the body]. The importance of such lies in its emphasis on the necessity to set solid foundations for the acquisition of belief. Within these grounds, it is thereby possible to understand Hume’s subtitle to A Treatise of Human Nature, which states, â€Å"Being an Attempt to Introduce the Experimental Method of Reasoning into Moral Subjects†. Hume’s naturalized epistemology may thereby be seen as an attempt to enable the provision of valid and indubitable grounds for the formation of beliefs within both the empirical and moral realms of human existence. How to cite Problem of Induction: An Analysis of the Validity of the Humean Problem of Induction, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Study case free essay sample

Do you think that the international community is being too lax about the abuse of intellectual property rights? Are international companies simply afraid to speak out for fear of jeopardizing access to attractive market? I strongly believe that the international community is doing their best to fight counterfeiting, but it is really to put everyone on the same page. For instance, because of corruption in developing countries, it is hard to fully implementing policies in counterfeiting. And when you look at countries like china that is a communist country, and where the government is not so much cooperating, companies just rather get their businesses instead of losing them because it is such big market. Further, India also fall in the same pattern. 2- Increased in digital communication may pose a threat to intellectual property because technology allows people to create perfect clones of original works. How do you think the internet is affecting intellectual property laws? I think the internet has made a lot easier because these counterfeiters can pretty sell anything they like over the internet without being caught. We will write a custom essay sample on Study case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is definitely hard to implement these laws over the net because majority of these people do not even operates in most developed countries. It is affecting the software and the clothing industries a lot more than any other industry out there in opinion. the best way to fight this burden, is to educate the population and also bring the prices because these companies really charges a lot which forces people to look at other alternatives. 3- Locate information on the tiffany versus eBay lawsuit mentioned in the case. Identify the arguments of the plaintiff and the defendant and who prevailed. What are the implications of that lawsuit for the sale of counterfeits in online auctions? I have located the article on Bloomberg BusinessWeek and apparently Tiffany had sued eBay for not doing better job to make that the product sold on the website are not counterfeited. But eBay actually spend millions of dollars to fight this problem and it is very hard because there are thousands of individuals that selling products on the website and eBay makes a percentage on every sell made. Therefore, the judge ruled in favor of eBay because they showed that they fighting this burden even after multiple appeal by Tiffany. However, there was another lawsuit in France against eBay regarding this manner from another companies and it lost the case paying more $60 million. In my point of view, I argued with the ruling in the United states because if Tiffany had won the lawsuit, other companies would have brought lawsuits against eBay and they would have been bankrupt by now and I don’t that would stop or reduce counterfeiting in any case.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

An Officer and a Gentleman essays

An Officer and a Gentleman essays An Officer and a Gentleman was made in 1982. It stars Richard Gere as Zack Mayo, Debra Winger as Paula Pokrifki, and Louis Gossett, Jr. as Sgt. Emil Foley. I think that the cast is amazing. Louis Gosset, Jr. won best supporting actor for his role, and Debra Winger was nominated for best supporting actress for hers. I think that this movie was a good jumping off point for Richard Gere, his work in this movie was great. I think that it was a great movie for its time. It definitely couldnt be done now because we are too caught up with special effects. I am a hopeless romantic, so for me this movie stands out for its romantic qualities more than anything else. I think that the reason An Officer and a Gentleman will be one of those movies that will last forever is because a good story will last forever and as long as there are hopeless romantics in the world, these types of stories will last for all time. Zack Mayo is the unwanted son of a sailor father (also an alcoholic and womanizer). Mayo has had it less than fair; his mother killed herself when he was just a boy. He was then sent to live with his father in the Philippine Islands on top of a brothel. After graduating from college Mayo decides to join the Naval Officer Candidate School (despite his fathers mockery) to be a jet pilot. When he joins he is a loner; he cares only about himself. He has no friends, no girlfriend and feels that he can do everything by himself. His drill instructor Sgt. Emil Foley shows him that he lacks character. Through a couple of their encounters Mayo realizes that Sgt. Foley is right and begins to change himself. It is not only Sgt. Foley that helps him discover himself. Throughout the thirteen-week training he becomes good friends with his bunkmate, Sid (David Keith), and falls in love with a local girl, Paula. Sid and Paula also have valuable life lessons to teach Mayo. He and Sgt. Foley have a moment at the en...

Monday, November 25, 2019

Ethics and Deception in Psychological Research Essays

Ethics and Deception in Psychological Research Essays Ethics and Deception in Psychological Research Paper Ethics and Deception in Psychological Research Paper When conducting research studies many code of ethics come into play. A researcher has an obligation to follow the code of ethics. Many ethical standards must be followed when dealing with research. When conducting research as well as gathering data there are several ways to do so. Depending on whom you ask some ways are considered ethical and appropriate and some are unethical and inappropriate. Using deception to obtain information is a debatable issue on whether it is ethical or unethical by obtaining data in such a manner. The following paper will define what ethics is along with, discussing the concept of risk/benefit ratio, describing exactly what deception in research is, as well as evaluating the impact deception in research has on psychological research. Deception occurs whenever participants are not completely informed of procedures and goals of the research. According to Wikipedia, ethics is a branch of philosophy which seeks to address questions about mortality, how moral values should be determined, how a moral outcome can be achieved in a specific situation, how moral capacity or a moral agency develops and what its nature is, and what moral values people actually abide by (Wikipedia). Ethics deals greatly with morals. What is considered to be morally wrong depends on the individual you are speaking with. Morals describe how individuals should act and the principles that reflect what is good for individuals. Another factor that is used to determine ethical standards is the risk/benefit ratio. The risk/benefit ratio is a subjective evaluation of the risk to a research participant relative to the benefit both individual and the society of the results of the proposed research. (Shaghnessy, Zechmeister, Zechmeister, 2009) The Institutional Review Boards (IRB) reviews all psychological research in order to protect the rights and welfare of the individuals participating in the research studies (Shaughnessy, Zechmeister, Zechmeister, 2009). In order for research to be approved benefits must outweigh the risks. The IRB will not approve research where the risks outweigh the benefits. There are several potential risks that one may run across in psychological research and these risks need to be observed to find out whether or not it will harm the participants of the study. Each individual will not be the same, what may be a risk for one participant may not be a risk for the other participants. The types of injuries may vary from those that are physical, social, or mental (Shaughnessy, Zechmeister, Zechmeister, 2009). No matter how small a risk may be, researchers should try to minimize the risks and protect each individual. When there happens to be a potential risk, researchers need to use informed consent procedures for all participants involved (Shaughnessy, Zechmeister, Zechmeister, 2009). Informed consent is a legal condition whereby a person can be said to have given consent based upon a clear appreciation and understanding of the facts, implications and future consequences of an action. In order to give informed consent, the individual concerned must have adequate reasoning faculties and be in possession of all relevant facts at the time consent is given. Impairments to reasoning and judgment which would make it impossible for someone to give informed consent include such factors as severe mental retardation, severe mental illness, intoxication, severe sleep deprivation, Alzheimers disease, or being in a coma. (http://psychology. wikia. com/wiki/Informed_consent). Researchers are ethically obligated to describe the research procedures clearly, identify any potential risks that might influence individuals willingness to participate, and answer any questions participants have regarding the research (Shaughnessy, Zechmeister, Zechmeister, 2009). There are several ways to gather data and information on a research or study. One way is to use deception or misrepresent oneself in research. In a classic study known as the Miligram Obedience Study of 1961, Stanley Miligram recruited 40men using a newspaper ad. In exchange for their participation, each person was paid $4. 50. Milgram developed an intimidating shock generator, with shock levels starting at 30 volts and increasing in 15-volt increments all the way up to 450 volts. The many switches were labeled with terms including slight shock, moderate shock and danger: severe shock. The final two switches were labeled simply with an ominous XXX. Each participant took the role of a teacher who would then deliver a shock to the student every time an incorrect answer was produced. While the participant believed that he was delivering real shocks to the student, the student was actually a confederate in the experiment who was simply pretending to be shocked. As the experiment progressed, the participant would hear the learner plead to be released or even complain about a heart condition. Once the 300-volt level had been reached, the learner banged on the wall and demanded to be released. Beyond this point, the learner became completely silent and refused to answer any more questions. The experimenter then instructed the participant to treat this silence as an incorrect response and deliver a further shock. ( http:// psychology. about. com/od/history of psychology/a/milligram. htm). Miligram wouldnt have come to the conclusions he did if he didnt misrepresent himself to the participants. If Miligram told the 40 men what he was doing the participants probably would not have cooperated with him. Deception and misrepresenting oneself for psychological research is very controversial and has a huge impact on research today. Deception has caused a great deal of harm to subjects all around the world, due to this informed consent has been put into place. The subjects are not aware of the real reasons of the study due to misrepresentation. When its all said and done, ethics is a big issue in conducting studies and research. Researchers are held accountable while conducting these studies and the have an obligation to follow the code of ethics during them. I personally feel that any type of deception should be labeled as unethical and should not be used. Furthermore, there are individuals that feel it is okay to use deception as long as it doesnt cause any harm to the individuals. Ethics is a large part of conducting research and every researcher needs to conduct himself in an ethical manner.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Social Security College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Social Security College - Essay Example Economic Security in America, para. 2). One of the first Americans to propose a system of economic security for U.S citizens was Thomas Payne in his 1795 writing titled "Agrarian Justice". It provided sums for citizens reaching the age of 21 and then a yearly payment to those reaching 50. Payne's idea was to pay for it by means of a property inheritance tax. In 1862, a Civil War pension program was enacted. "Following the Civil War, there were hundreds of thousands of widows and orphans, and hundreds of thousands of disabled veterans. In fact, immediately following the Civil War a much higher proportion of the population was disabled or survivors of deceased breadwinners than at any time in America's history. This led to the development of a generous pension program, with interesting similarities to later developments in Social Security" (DeWitt, sect. Civil War Pensions, para. 1). The program evolved, starting with benefits only to those disabled in combat or to their surviving families. As time passed, veterans disabled for any reason could receive payments. After that, aged veterans were added. Later, disability and old age benefits were extended to include family members. Former Confederate soldiers were not allowed any benefits. The last payments to surviving widows of Civil War veterans were made in 1999. With the advent of the Industrial Age a... State Old-Age Pensions, para.1). Prior to the passage of the original Social Security Act in 1935, thirty states had adopted some form of old-age pension plan. Only about 3% of the elderly were actually collecting benefits under the state plans. There was lack of implementation of the laws. The plans allowed insufficient funds. The elderly faced restrictive plan entry rules. The receipt of benefits was stigmatized as "welfare". Throughout the early 1930's and spurred by the Great Depression, movements arose that advocated a federal old-age pension system. Huey Long, Governor of Louisiana, proposed the "Share Our Wealth" plan in which the rich would pay for the poor and the aged. Francis Townsend devised the "Townsend Old-Age Revolving Pension Plan". It proposed that all upstanding citizens over 60 receive a monthly benefit that must be spent within the U.S. and within 30 days. There were numerous plans proposed from every direction during those years, some of them of questionable economic merit like Robert Noble's "Ham & Eggs" plan. It suggested that states should issue a currency to be called "scrip" to the unemployed and aged. The validity of the currency and by what economic backing it would be issued were very hazy indeed. Still, it was part of the social movement demanding the creation of a form of economic security for the masses. Most of the plans had benefits that were based on economic need. When Franklin Roosevelt became President in 1932, he changed the face of the economic security discussion from welfare to social insurance. He proposed "a work-related, contributory system in which workers would provide for their own future economic security through taxes paid while

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Ned Kelly Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ned Kelly Business Plan - Essay Example Budgeting in business is beneficial not only because it enables projecting the yearly expenses to be incurred while following a certain plan, but it also allows to determine how costs will incur and how can they be controlled resulting in efficient operations (Dury, 2008; Albrecht et al., 2008). As for instance, without doing any budgeting of the business activities, an entrepreneur may only be able to visualize to a certain extent that what expenses will be incurred and how they will be financed and what revenues would be required to keep the business profitable. But, on the other hand, with budgeting the entrepreneur is in fact able to foresee that what expenses will be incurred and how much revenues will be required to cover those expenses and at the end make profits. This in turn allows not only setting up targets for revenue generation, but also allows ascertainment of cost controlling techniques (Jiambalvo, 2010; Horngren & Harrison, 2009). In this regard, cash budgeting is con sidered as one of the most beneficial and important procedure to forecast the results of a certain business approach or plan on monthly basis (Horngren & Harrison, 2009). ... Keeping in view these benefits, cash budget can also be prepared for taxi business and revenues and expenses can be forecasted, which can be then used to ascertain the required working capital to be raised. Apart from this, as it has been noted that the owner of the taxi business requires the amount of money required to be taken from bank to be ascertained prior to starting the business. In this regard, it is pertinent to ascertain the cash inflows and outflows expected from a year’s operations and the net profit or loss which will be earned by the business. Having taken into consideration the information provided for the case, income statement and cash budget has been prepared and presented as follows for the business to be started by Ned Kelly. Income Statement The income statement forecasted for Ned Kelly’s business has been presented as follows: Forecasted Income Statement Amount Sales ? 417,312.00 Less: Â   Diesel (15 % of Total Sales Revenue) - ? 59,875.20 Mainte nance Costs (? 120 per taxi per month) - ? 4,320.00 Annual Road Tax and Licence Fee (3 x ? 600) - ? 1,800.00 Drivers' Salaries per Month (9 x ? 24,000 / 12) - ? 216,000.00 Drivers' Social Security (10 % of Gross Annual Salary) - ? 21,600.00 Cost of Sales - ? 303,595.20 Gross Profit ? 113,716.80 Depreciation - ? 12,000.00 Office Staff's Salaries per Month (4 x ? 16,000 / 12) - ? 64,000.00 Office Staffs' Social Security (10 % of Gross Annual Salary) - ? 6,400.00 Utility Costs - ? 6,000.00 Rent - ? 18,000.00 Local Property Tax Charges - ? 5,000.00 Drawings - ? 30,000.00 Advertisement - ? 6,000.00 Net Profit - ? 33,683.20 Sources: (Albrecht et al., 2008; Dury, 2008; Horngren & Harrison, 2009; Jiambalvo, 2010) It can be observed

Monday, November 18, 2019

Modern Ethical Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Modern Ethical Theories - Essay Example It suggests that all our acts are motivated by our self interest. People act selfishly to promote happiness and foster their self interest. Thomas Hobbes, a believer of psychological egoism, emphasized that people are selfish unconsciously. They do things for their own interest or for their own survival. With this statement, it cancels its real essence if we talk about doing things for others. If we do things for other people, does it always means that we did it for our own interest That's the big argument now. According to Hinman, there are two interpretations about psychological egoism, it's either people act for selfishness or they act for their own interest. It may sound the same but between these two interpretations, there is a difference. It actually depends upon one's motive or the consequence the person gets doing things for other people. If we intend to do something good for other people, we did it because it satisfies us inside. It rarely happens for a person to act genuinely for it self. They even sometimes hide what's the real them. Instead, people act apparently in their self-interest. What is more vocal of a person is when it acts for a certain motive. The essence of psychological egoism cancels out when intentions comes in. It falsifies its real meaning if we consciously do something or intend something. If there are two interpretations of psychological egoism there are also two versions of ethi... l to promote one's good, it is essentially never moral not to do so-that is, there may be conditions in which the avoidance of personal interest may be a moral action. There are personal, individual, and universal ethical egoism. The first implies that a person does only his self interest and disregards the other person's behavior. The individual ethical egoism states that all people should serve my own interest and universal ethical egoism means that all persons should act exclusively for their self-interest. Among the three, the personal ethical egoism is the weakest. This kind of ethical egoism is not recommendable to others for what is important is your own interest. The strongest among the three is the universal ethical egoism. This states that you should only pursue your self-interest exclusively. Psychological egoism and ethical egoism is two different things. Psychological egoism emphasizes that human beings are selfish in nature. They don't notice it because it is subconscious. In contrast to this, ethical egoism is a kind of egoism which states that a person's action is done by the person's best self-interest. It may harm or benefit others. Ethical egoism is defined by an inherent desire to perform altruistic acts while psychological egoism is defined by inbuilt selfishness of all acts. Ethical egoism doctrines states that all persons must act to their own interest while the doctrines in psychological egoism stresses that a human's motivation of every voluntary action is a need for humans own happiness. The difference is between fact for psychological egoism and value for ethical egoism. With the two kinds of egoism we have there is a thin line between what is selfish and what self-interest is. We can say that humans are being selfish because we claim for

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Personal Reflection on a Film: Awakenings

Personal Reflection on a Film: Awakenings Allison Bartha Writing Assignment #1: Awakening The film Awakening relates to the study of medical humanities we have learned about and provides numerous examples of how emerging different actives into the patients lives to benefit the patient, family and Doctor. Therapeutic actives demonstrated in the film allows for reaction and response from the patients that is clear to the audience watching. I think this film can be beneficial to anyone who wants to learn more about medical humanities and the purpose behind the treatment. In out text Health Humanities Readers we read about the different types of therapy such as art, music and literature. We see the use of intersection approach throughout the film in relation to the patients health and health care as discussed in the first module of this course. Awakening shows through medical humanities the ability to communicate between non-responsive patients and the provider. Thoughout the film we see the social interaction between the Doctor and his patients. We see the importance of a go od professional patient and provider relationship. When the patients family and the patient trust the Doctor, it allows for tests and different treatment plans to take place in the best interest of the patient. Using medical humanities allows for better care from the provider in result to a purpose for the patients. In this case, catatonic patients are benefiting from humanities. This film was released in 1990 starring Robin Williams as Dr. Malcolm Sayer. Dr. Sayer discovers certain stimuli reactions beyond the catatonic states they appear to be in. Activities such as catching a ball and music start to reveal the patient response. One patient Leonard Lowe learns to communicate through the Ouija board with Dr. Sayer. Dr. Sayer learns about the drug for Parkinsons disease called L-Dopa and believe there could be a breakthrough for his patients. He believed there could be a breakthrough for his patients to be recovered from their disease. Lowe is first in the trail run for this theory, which completely awakens him from his catatonic state. This inspired Dr. Sayer to seek out founding to help his other patients experience awakenings back to reality. The founding went through and soon all the catatonic patients woke up to a new reality. Lowe was the first to be on the drug, though the film we see him adjust to is new lifestyle. After being on the drug for a while side effects start to occur facial and body tics that are hard for him to control, shortly after the side effects occur Lowe returns to his catatonic state. Patients start to fear the side effects as they watch Lowe return to his disease. Shortly after all the patients start to go back to their original states regardless the increased dosages of L-Dopa. Although the awakening did not last there was an appreciation of the value of life. Dr. Sayer went right back to the Ouija board in communicating with Lowe. The movie Awakenings shows a very committed, patient, caring bedside manor by Dr. Sayer. Dr. Sayer is very persistent and courageous, despite his criticism and put down he never gives up on his hypothesis. I think this is something we look past in todays culture. We live now in very fast past society where medical providers seem to be busy, moving from one patient to next. Working at a Doctors office, I schedule patients, I see first-hand the intensity and fast pace our providers go through in order to meet their quote of patients for the day. Someone like Dr. Sayer would be hard to come across in todays reality. Dr. Sayer never gives up on his patients and he fights for them when other Doctors disagree with his theory. His motivation is the success of treating his patients, not the social recognition. Dr. Sayer learned about his patients and their conditions before treating them. Human touched is so important throughout this film. This movie shows views a glimpse of mental health il lness and inspirational insights on the human behavior. We see change in the behavior of the employees before the awakening happens and their behavior after. Prior to the awakening, the workers were just going through their everyday motions without any emotions. However after it is clear they connect with the patients and are joyful. Awakenings is a life-affirming movie that provokes deep thought into the value of our lives. This movie made me think about the important things I have in my life, my family, a good job and being able to attend college. Without a good health body, I would not be able to maintain a job or even be successful in school. Seeing in this film the patients in catatonic state of mind, they have restrictions like going on outside, even a set eating time. They will never be able to interact in a way that we can. Watching this movie really made me appreciate more my health and family. This movie has set me back to be more grateful for what I have and to appreciate the simple things like, work, my job and life. I notice today people do not know how to live and they struggle with appreciating the simple things. This movie was heart breaking when the side effects came Lowe returned to his catatonic state. We need to be grateful. I found the part of film when Lowe tries to gain his freedom to inspi ring. Lowe explains his feeling about the simple things in life like going for a walk most of us take for granted. Time is limited but we are infinite. Everything we do leads to our life we choose to live, and it is our choice to make our life meaningful. Awakening was a great refresher to its audience that we are often too much caught up with negatives aspects in our life. We forget and take for granted the things we do have. Something as simple as brushing my hair, I am capable of doing, yet someone with catatonic or other unfortunates are struggling to just hold a brush. Things we consider normal like reading the newspaper, going for walks, even access to social media sites that we are bless with, some people see those as a struggle. Watching this film, I can express my feelings of gratitude of just being thankful I am happy, healthy and alive. This film reminded me of the little things I need to stop and appreciate more often. I watched this film with my little brother and it was interesting to see his reactions throughout. My little brother is 13 and can be found on his phone most of the time. By the end of this film, he was struggling to stay awake as it was a school night but asked me if I could leave it there so he could finish it the next day. He ended up staying up to watch it before going to bed and we talked about it the next day. I am glad I watched it with him to hear his in take on the film giving me someone else to talk to about their reactions. I was honestly shocked as to how much information he picked up. He understood the different things the Doctor was doing to get a reaction from the patients like with the ball and music. I was surprise he noticed the clip where Dr. Sayer made the dose stronger as he kept upping and upping it. This was the first time my younger brother has been expose to someone with such disability so he was asking my dad many questions. Questions like, how does someone get like that, are they born that way, do they have to stay in that hospital forever, can they understand people just not respond? Hearing the thoughts of a 13 year old throughout the movie I feel made it a better watch. Watching this movie could not have come at a better time, and it is funny how I happened to choose this film over the other ones. I walked into the video store with the list and told the worker I need one of these films for a class, I dont care which one. Awakening caught his eye, as he knew they had it, so that is what I rented. This week was a rough week at work. Typically, boss issues and schedule not working out for fall class was having me stressed. I was struggling with the idea that my work may not work around classes and I could potentially lose my job. I kept thinking life is just not fair and that I do not have a backup plan I need to just figure it out. After watching Awakening I take back everything I said about my struggles. This movie made me take a step back and look at my life in a completely new perspective. I should grateful for things I have and not take for granted my job. I am finding it so hard to explain this in this paper the importance it is to just be gratef ul for things we have, because some people are just struggling to make it to tomorrow. This movie has such a powerful impact on the appreciation of life and the value of meaning and purpose. When I was watching this film, I looked it up to read some information on it and found it to also be a novel. I do intend to purchase the novel and do some summer reading. I also learned that this movie is based on a true story! When I think of watching a film or a class this is not what I had in mind. I will forever remember this movie and its impact it has left on me. When am struggling and having a bad day, I will appreciate what I have.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Divorce in America Essay -- Divorcing Research Paper Effect Cause Essa

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Divorce rates in the United States have increased dramatically in the past 25 years. Over 40 percent of the marriages among young Americans will end in divorce. There is a lot of stress on all the people involved. The man has to deal with, usually, not seeing his children, being alone, and the responsibility that is accompanied with much of the legal process. The wife has to go through, maybe, entering the work force for the first time. Children are often viewed as a back burner issue but more often than none they are the center piece of discussion. The children may begin feeling inadequate around their friends and even in personal esteem. Feeling like it is their fault they might get depressed or perhaps even rebellious. Regardless, divorce is an activity that has become common place in today's family structure, behavior, and morality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When two people meet and decide their love is strong enough to carry them to the next level marriage is usually the out come. Sometimes they decide to have children and sometimes they don't, but when they do, it usually brings them closer together. All parents have desires and hopes for their children. The way in which parents achieve these ends can differ. Researchers do not agree on which of the child-raising practices is best. But it is known that parents provide role models for their children and that children rely on their parents to teach them about the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When a culture's values and traditions undergo a rapid change it becomes difficult to decide which attitudes and beliefs children should be taught. As one researcher has stated, ?today's children are the first generation to be raised amid doubt about the role prescriptions that have long gone unchallenged. This makes their socialization especially difficult. Traditionally, socialization was a process of raising the young to fill major roles in society when the present incumbents vacated them. Yet today we do not know what type of society our children will inherit, nor the roles for which they should be prepared. ?(pp.34) Divorce along married couples is the most well-documented and studied of the various ways relationships end. According to Dworetzky:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Divorce rates in the United States have increased dramatically in the past 25   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  years. According to current assessments, over 40 percent of marriages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ... ...ability to function as parents diminishes. ?Although children may fare well in single-parent families, the chances increase that they will face problems. There are many stresses associated with divorce. These include the disruption of bedtimes and eating schedules, the effects of the parents emotional state, and the lessening of adult contact. Also, the level of income in the household usually decreases, and this may produce more stress. Less income may require the parent to move, which in turn may cause the child to behave to change of schools or move to a poorer neighborhood with a higher rate of crime and delinquency.?(pp. 170-174)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Divorce is happening every day to couples in the United States. The only problem, is that the couple thinks they are the only ones going through it when almost twenty-two percent of adult America is also. When parents get divorced the children get divorced too. Children and adolescents face a lot of stress during their lives, but divorce is very confusing, speaking from personal experience. It can be too much stress to peoples' lives but they also present opportunities to form new relationships and to strengthen existing ones.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Reducing Electrovision’s Travel and Entertainment Costs Essay

Reducing Electrovision’s Travel and Entertainment Costs Here is the report you requested January 30 on Electrovision’s travel and entertainment costs. Your suspicion was right. We are spending far too much on business travel. Our unwritten policy has been â€Å"anything goes,† leaving us with no real control over T&E expenses. Although this hands-off approach may have been understandable when Electrovision’s profits were high, we can no longer afford the luxury of going first class. The solutions to the problem seem rather clear. We need to have someone with centralized responsibility for travel and entertainment costs, a clear statement of policy, an effective control system, and a business-oriented travel service that can optimize our travel arrangements. We should also investigate alternatives to travel, such as videoconferencing. Perhaps more important, we need to change our attitude. Instead of viewing travel funds as a bottomless supply of money, all traveling employees need to act as though they were paying the bills themselves. Getting people to economize is not going to be easy. In the course of researching this issue, I’ve found that our employees are exceedingly attached to their first-class travel privileges. I think they would almost prefer a cut in pay to a loss in travel moderation. One thing is clear: People will be very bitter if we create a two-class system in which top executives get special privileges while the rest of the employees make the sacrifices. I’m grateful to Mary Lehman and Connie McIlvain for their help in collecting and sorting through five years’ worth of expense reports. Their efforts were truly Herculean. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to work on this assignment. It’s been a real education. If you have any questions about the report, please give me a call. This report analyzes Electrovision’s travel and entertainment (T&E) costs and presents recommendations for reducing those costs. Travel and Entertainment Costs Are Too High Travel and Entertainment is a large and growing expense category for Electrovision. The company spends over $16 million per year on business travel, and these costs have been increasing by 12 percent annually. Company employees make roughly 3,390 trips each year at an average cost per trip of $4,720. Airfares are the biggest expense, followed by hotels, meals, and rental cars. The nature of Electrovision’s business does require extensive travel, but the company’s costs appear to be excessive. Every year Electrovision employees spend more than twice as much on T&E as the average business traveler. Although the location of the company’s facilities may partly explain this discrepancy, the main reason for Electrovision’s high costs is the firm’s philosophy and managerial style. Electrovision’s tradition and its hands-off style almost invite employees to go first class and pay relatively little attention to travel costs. Cuts Are Essential Although Electrovision has traditionally been casual about travel and entertainment expenses, management now recognizes the need to gain more control over this element of costs. The company is currently entering a period of declining profits, prompting management to look for every opportunity to reduce spending. At the same time, rising airfares and hotel rates are making travel and entertainment expenses more important to the bottom line. Electrovision Can Save $6 Million per Year  Fortunately, Electrovision has a number of excellent opportunities for reducing its travel and entertainment costs. Savings of up to $6 million should be achievable, judging by the experience of other companies. American Express suggests that a sensible travel-management program can save companies as much as 35 percent a year (Gilligan 39-40). Given that we purchase many more first-class tickets than the average company, we should be able to achieve even greater savings. The first priority should be to hire a director of travel and entertainment to assume overall responsibility for T&E spending. This individual should establish a written travel and entertainment policy and create a budget and a cost-control system. The director should also retain a nationwide travel agency to handle our reservations and should lead an investigation into electronic alternatives to travel. At the same time, Electrovision should make employees aware of the need for moderation in travel and entertainment spending. People should be encouraged to forgo any unnecessary travel and to economize on airline tickets, hotels, meals, rental cars, and other expenses. In addition to economizing on an individual basis, Electrovision should look for ways to reduce costs by negotiating preferential rates with travel providers. Once retained, a travel agency should be able to accomplish this. Finally, we should look into the alternatives to travel. Although we may have to invest money in videoconferencing systems or other equipment, we may be able to recover these costs through decreased travel expenses. I recommend that the new travel director undertake this investigation to make sure it is well integrated with the rest of the travel program. These changes, although necessary, are likely to hurt morale, at least in the short term. Management will need to make a determined effort to explain the rationale for reduced spending. By exercising moderation in their own travel arrangements, Electrovision executives can set a good example and help other employees accept the changes. On the plus side, cutting back on travel with videoconferencing or other alternatives will reduce the travel burden on many employees and help them balance their business and personal lives much better. Electrovision has always encouraged a significant amount of business travel, believing that it is an effective way of operating. To compensate employees for the inconvenience and stress of frequent trips, management has authorized generous travel and entertainment (T&E) allowances. This philosophy has been good for morale, but the company has paid a price. Last year Electrovision spent $16 million on T&E–$7 million more than it spent on research and development. This year the cost of travel and entertainment will have a bigger impact on profits, owing to changes in airfares and hotel rates. The timing of these changes is unfortunate because the company anticipates that profits will be relatively weak for a variety of other reasons. In light of these profit pressures, Dennis McWilliams, Vice President of Operations, has asked the accounting department to take a closer look at the T&E budget. Purpose, Scope, and Limitations The purpose of this report is to analyze the T&E budget, evaluate the impact of recent changes in airfares and hotel costs, and suggest ways to tighten management’s control over T&E expenses. Although the report outlines a number of steps that could reduce Electrovision’s expenses, the precise financial impact of these measures is difficult to project. The estimates presented in the report provide a â€Å"best guess† view of what Electrovision can expect to save. Until the company actually implements these steps, however, we won’t know exactly how much the travel and entertainment budget can be reduced. Sources and Methods In preparing this report, the accounting department analyzed internal expense reports for the past five years to determine how much Electrovision spends on travel and entertainment. These figures were then compared with average statistics compiled by Dow Jones (publisher of The Wall Street Journal) and presented as the Dow Jones Travel Index. We also analyzed trends and suggestions published in a variety of business journal articles to see how other companies are coping with the high cost of business travel. Report Organization This report reviews the size and composition of Electrovision’s travel and entertainment expenses, analyzes trends in travel costs, and recommends steps for reducing the T&E budget. Although many companies view travel and entertainment as an â€Å"incidental† cost of doing business, the dollars add up. At Electrovision the bill for airfares, hotels, rental cars, meals, and entertainment totaled $16 million last year. Our T&E budget has increased by 12 percent per year for the past five years. Compared with the average U.S. Business’s travel expenditures, Electrovision’s expenditures are high, largely because of management’s generous policy on travel benefits. $16 Million per Year Spent on Travel and Entertainment Electrovision’s annual budget for travel and entertainment is only 8 percent of sales. Because this is a relatively small expense category compared with such things as salaries and commissions, it is tempting to dismiss T&E costs as insignificant. However, T&E is Electrovision’s third-largest controllable expense, directly behind salaries and information systems. Last year Electrovision personnel made about 3,390 trips at an average cost per trip of $4,720. The typical trip involved a round-trip flight of 3,000 miles, meals and hotel accommodations for two or three days, and a rental car. Roughly 80 percent of the trips were made by 20 percent of the staff–top management and sales personnel traveled most, averaging 18 trips per year. Figure 1 illustrates how the travel and entertainment budget is spent. The largest categories are airfares and lodging, which together account for $7 out of every $10 that employees spend on travel and entertainment. This spending breakdown has been relatively steady for the past five years and is consistent with the distribution of expenses experienced by other companies. Figure 1 Airfares and Lodging Account for Over Two-Thirds of Electrovision’s Travel and Entertainment Budget Although the composition of the T&E budget has been consistent, its size has not. As mentioned earlier, these expenditures have increased by about 12 percent per year for the past five years, roughly twice the rate of the company’s growth in sales (see Figure 2). This rate of growth makes T&E Electrovision’s fastest-growing expense item. Figure 2 Travel and Entertainment Expenses Exceed National Averages Electrovision’s Travel Expenses Exceed National Averages Much of our travel budget is justified. Two major factors contribute to Electrovision’s high travel and entertainment budget: †¢With our headquarters on the West Coast and our major customer on the East Coast, we naturally spend a lot on cross-country flights. †¢A great deal of travel takes place between our headquarters here on the West Coast and the manufacturing operations in Detroit, Boston, and Dallas. Corporate managers and division personnel make frequent trips to coordinate these disparate operations. However, even though a good portion of Electrovision’s travel budget is justifiable, our travelers spend considerable more on travel and entertainment than the average business traveler (see Figure 3). Figure 3 Electrovision People Spend Over The Dow Jones Travel Index calculates the average cost per day of business travel in the United States, based on average airfare, hotel rates, and rental car rates. The average fluctuates weekly as travel companies change their rates, but it has been running about $1,000 per day for the last year or so. In contrast, Electrovision’s average daily expense over the past year has been $2,250—125 percent higher than average. This figure is based on the average trip cost of $4,720 listed earlier and an average trip length of 2.1 days. Spending Has Been Encouraged Although a variety of factors may contribute to this differential, Electrovision’s relatively high T&E costs are at least partially attributable to the company’s philosophy and management style. Because many employees do not enjoy business travel, management has tried to make the trips more pleasant by authorizing first-class airfare, luxury hotel accommodations, and full-size rental cars. The sales staff is encouraged to entertain clients at top restaurants and to invite them to cultural and sporting events. The cost of these privileges is easy to overlook, given the weakness of Electrovision’s system for keeping track of T&E expenses: †¢The monthly financial records provided to management do not contain a separate category for travel and entertainment; the information is buried under Cost of Goods Sold and under Selling, General, and Administration Expenses. †¢Each department head is given authority to approve any expense report, regardless of how large it may be. †¢Receipts are not required for expenditures of less than $100. †¢Individuals are allowed to make their own travel arrangements. †¢No one is charged with the responsibility for controlling the company’s total spending on travel and entertainment. During the past three years, the company’s healthy profits have resulted in relatively little pressure to push for tighter controls overall aspects of the business. However, as we all know, the situation is changing. We’re projecting flat to declining profits for the next two years, a situation that has prompted all of us to search for ways to cut costs. At the same time, rising airfares and hotel rates have increased the impact of T&E expenses on the company’s financial results. Lower Profits Underscore the Need for Change The next two years promise to be difficult for Electrovision. After several years of steady increases in spending, the Postal Service is tightening procurement policies for automated mail-handling equipment. Funding for the A-12 optical character reader has been canceled. As a consequence, the marketing department expects sales to drop by 15 percent. Although Electrovision is negotiating several promising R&D contracts with nongovernmental clients, the marketing department does not foresee any major procurements for the next two to three years. At the same time, Electrovision is facing costs increases on several fronts. As we’ve known for several months, the new production facility now under construction in Salt Lake City, Utah, is behind schedule and over budget. labor contracts in Boston and Dallas expire within the next six months, and plant managers there anticipate that significant salary and benefits concessions may be necessary to avoid strikes. Moreover, marketing and advertising costs are expected to increase as we attempt to strengthen these activities to better cope with competitive pressures. Given the expected decline in revenues and increase in costs, the Executive committee’s prediction that profits will fall by 12 percent in the coming fiscal year does not seem overly pessimistic. Airfares and Hotel Rates Are Rising Business travelers have grown accustomed to frequent fare wars and discounting in the travel industry in recent years. Excess capacity and aggressive price competition, particularly in the airline business, made travel a relative bargain. However, that situation has changed, as weaker competitors have been forced out and the remaining players have grown stronger and smarter. Airlines and hotels are better at managing inventory and keeping occupancy rates high, and high occupancy translates into higher prices because suppliers have les reason to compete on price. Last year saw some of the steepest rate hikes in years. Business airfares (tickets most likely to be purchased by business travelers) jumped over 40 percent in many markets. The trend is expected to continue, with rates increasing another 5 to 10 percent overall (Phillips 331; â€Å"Travel Costs Under Pressure† 30; Dahl B6). Given the fact that airfare and hotel costs account for 70 percent of Electrovision’s T& E budget, the trend toward higher prices in these two categories will have serious consequences on the company’s expenses unless management takes action to control these costs. By implementing a number of reforms, management can expect to reduce Electrovision’s T&E budget by as much as 40 percent. This estimate is based on the general assessment made by American Express (Gilligan 130-140) and the fact that we have an opportunity to significantly reduce air travel costs by reducing or eliminating first-class travel. However, these measures are likely to be unpopular with employees. To gain acceptance for such changes, management will need to sell employees on the need for moderation in travel and entertainment allowances. Four Ways to Trim Expenses By researching what other companies are doing to curb travel and entertainment expenses, the accounting department has identified four prominent opportunities that should enable Electrovision to save about $6 million annually in travel-related costs.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Isabella of Gloucester

Isabella of Gloucester Isabella of Gloucester Facts Known for:  married to the future King John of England, but put aside before or as soon as he became king, never considered a queen consortTitles: suo jure Countess of Gloucester (in her own right)  Dates:  about 1160? 1173? – October 14, 1217 (sources differ widely on her age and birth year)Also known as: Variations on her name include Isabel, Hadwise, Hawise, Hadwisa, Joan, Eleanor, Avisa. Background, Family: Mother: Hawise de Beaumont, daughter of Amica de Gael and Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of LeicesterFather: William FitzRobert, son of Mabel FitzRobert and Robert FitzRoy, an illegitimate son of Henry I of England, who had been a strong supporter of his half-sister, Matilda, in her claim to the throneSiblings: Robert FitzWilliam, who died at 15; Mabel FitzWilliam, who married Amaury V de Montfort; and Amice FitzWilliam, who married Richard de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford.   Robert died before his father did, and the estates and titles fell to the three sisters as co-heirs. The title of Gloucester eventually passed to Amice’s descendants. Marriage, Children: Husband: John, son of Henry II: betrothed 1176, married 1189, annulled 1199; John was also called John Lackland and was the fifth and youngest son of Henry IIHusband: Geoffrey FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex: married 1214; he died 1216Husband: Hubert de Burgh, later Earl of Kent: married 1217; Isabella died a month later; he had already been married twice and would remarry again after Isabella’s deathChildren: Isabella had no children Isabella of Gloucester Biography: Isabella’s paternal grandfather was an illegitimate son of Henry I, made 1st Earl of Gloucester. Her father, the 2nd Earl of Gloucester, arranged for his daughter, Isabella, to marry the youngest son of Henry II, John Lackland.   Betrothal They were betrothed on September 11, 1176, when Isabella was between three and 16 years old and John was ten.   It was soon after his brothers had combined to rebel against their father, so John was at the time his father’s favorite.   She was a wealthy heiress, her only brother having already died, and the marriage would make John wealthy when, as the youngest son of many, he might not inherit much from his father.   The agreement for the marriage excluded Isabella’s two sisters who were already married from inheriting the title and estates.   As was the custom for couples where one or both was so young, they waited some years before the formal marriage.   Her father died in 1183, and king Henry II became her guardian, taking the income from her estates. John’s three oldest brothers pre-deceased their father, and his brother Richard succeeded as king in July of 1189 when Henry II died. Marriage to John The official marriage of John and Isabella took place on August 29, 1189, at Marlborough Castle.   He was given the title and estate of Gloucester in her right.   John and Isabella were half-second cousins (Henry I was great-grandfather of both), and at  first the church declared their marriage null, then the pope, probably as a favor to Richard, gave them permission to marry but not to have marital relations. At some point the two traveled together to Normandy.   In 1193, John was arranging to marry Alice, the half-sister of the French king, as part of a conspiracy against his brother, Richard, then held in captivity. In April of 1199, the 32-year-old John succeeded Richard as king of England when Richard died in Aquitaine, his mother’s duchy he had also inherited.   John very quickly moved to get his marriage to Isabella annulled – he had probably already fallen in love with Isabella, heiress to Angoulà ªme, and married her in 1200, when she was between 12 and 14 years old. John kept Isabella of Gloucester’s lands, though he granted the title of Earl to Isabella’s nephew.   It reverted to Isabella at her nephew’s death in 1213. He took Isabella under his guardianship. Second and Third Marriages In 1214, John sold the right to marry Isabella of Gloucester to the Earl of Essex. Such right to sell remarriages was limited by the Magna Carta, signed in 1215.   Isabella and her husband were among those who rebelled against John and forced him to sign the document. The Earl died in 1216, from wounds sustained fighting in a tournament.   King John died the same year, and Isabella enjoyed some freedom as a widow.   The next year, Isabella married for the third time, to Hubert de Burgh, who had been John’s chamberlain and became Chief Justiciar in 1215, and was a regent for the young Henry III.   He had been loyal to King John during the rebellion, but had urged the king to sign the Magna Carta. Isabella died a month after her third marriage.   She was at Keynsham Abbey which had been founded by her father. She was buried at Canterbury.   The Gloucester title went to her sister Amicia’s son Gilbert de Clare.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Meaning of Mutually Exclusive in Statistics

The Meaning of Mutually Exclusive in Statistics In probability two events are said to be mutually exclusive if and only if the events have no shared outcomes. If we consider the events as sets, then we would say that two events are mutually exclusive when their intersection is the empty set. We could denote that events A and B are mutually exclusive by the formula A ∠© B Ø. As with many concepts from probability, some examples will help to make sense of this definition. Rolling Dice Suppose that we roll two six-sided dice and add the number of dots showing on top of the dice. The event consisting of the sum is even is mutually exclusive from the event the sum is odd.  The reason for this is because there is no way possible for a number to be even and odd. Now we will conduct the same probability experiment of rolling two dice and adding the numbers shown together. This time we will consider the event consisting of having an odd sum and the event consisting of having a sum greater than nine. These two events are not mutually exclusive. The reason why is evident when we examine the outcomes of the events. The first event has outcomes of 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. The second event has outcomes of 10, 11 and 12. Since 11 is in both of these, the events are not mutually exclusive. Drawing Cards We illustrate further with another example. Suppose we draw a card from a standard deck of 52 cards. Drawing a heart is not mutually exclusive to the event of drawing a king. This is because there is a card (the king of hearts) that shows up in both of these events. Why Does It Matter There are times when it is very important to determine if two events are mutually exclusive or not. Knowing whether two events are mutually exclusive influences the calculation of the probability that one or the other occurs. Go back to the card example. If we draw one card from a standard 52 card deck, what is the probability that we have drawn a heart or a king? First, break this into individual events. To find the probability that we have drawn a heart, we first count the number of hearts in the deck as 13 and then divide by the total number of cards. This means that the probability of a heart is 13/52. To find the probability that we have drawn a king we start by counting the total number of kings, resulting in four, and next divide by the total number of cards, which is 52. The probability that we have drawn a king is 4/52. The problem is now to find the probability of drawing either a king or a heart. Here’s where we must be careful. It is very tempting to simply add the probabilities of 13/52 and 4/52 together. This would not be correct because the two events are not mutually exclusive. The king of hearts has been counted twice in these probabilities. To counteract the double counting, we must subtract the probability of drawing a king and a heart, which is 1/52. Therefore the probability that we have drawn either a king or a heart is 16/52. Other Uses of Mutually Exclusive A formula known as the addition rule gives an alternate way to solve a problem such as the one above. The addition rule actually refers to a couple of formulas that are closely related to one another. We must know if our events are mutually exclusive in order to know which addition formula is appropriate to use.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Epidemiology Hepatitis B in Philadelphia, PA Essay

Epidemiology Hepatitis B in Philadelphia, PA - Essay Example Still there are chances that she had ovarian cancer. This implies that acolposcopy tests needs to be administered. According to Omansky (2010), this test is preferred for in abdominal Pap smear. Notwithstanding the cancer history and that of other family, the two tests administered, BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, are sufficient since she comes from a family where there are high chances of contracting breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Neil (2011) is of the opinion that a large number of women-more than 1%-are at a higher risk of developing either breast cancer or ovarian cancer. These statistics further shows that 39% of those who inherit the harmful BRCA 1 gene and 17% who inherit the BRCA 2 mutation will develop ovarian cancer at some point. This means that if Shelby takes the, BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, her vulnerability of developing either breast or ovarian cancer will be mitigated. It is also notable that Shelby’s uncle died of a proven case of pancreatic cancer. As such, Shelby could also be at risk of developing similar complications. For this case, I would recommend the normal screening to be conducted on the patient. Darity (2008) recommends that when analyzing cases of patients with predispositions of a particular cancer, the case should be taken as a matter of a confirmed case so as to take serious preventive measures. KANDIKO, and BLACKMORE (2012) supports this sentiment by declaring that diabetic patients and healthy individuals with first-degree pancreas cancer relatives are at a higher risk of developing pancreatic

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Fetal Heart Monitoring during labor Research Paper

Fetal Heart Monitoring during labor - Research Paper Example Similarly, the paper will discuss the aspects of intermittent fetal heart monitoring and the negative and positive aspects that are included. Additionally, the paper will describe the interview performed on doctors working in Labor and Delivery at the local hospital; their views and opinions will be noted. Last will be a determination of potential problems that could arise without the use of fetal monitoring and provide evidence of the possibility of them occurring. The fetal heart monitoring is the standard method and the most preferred technique to determine the heart rate of the fetus during labor. Determination of the fetal heart rate is vital because it enables the prevention of the fetal distress and fetal death as well as prevention of fetal seizures. Although this procedure is vital for the health of the mother and of the fetus, doctors’ delay in acting when fetal distress detection is shown on the electronic monitor can lead to death of the mother and fetus (Elimian, Lawlor, Figueroa, Wiencek, Garry, & Quirk, 2003). The continuous use of the fetal monitoring electronically has shown a positive impact on the fetal development. The process further reduces the chances of incidences like the fetal failure and eventually fetal death. The continuous fetal heart monitoring is famous in the United States but it has fewer benefits for the pregnant woman or the fetus. Continuous fetal heart monitoring (CEFM) has a negative effect on the labor process in pregnant women. This process can also affect the satisfaction of the maternal delivery by decreasing the maternal mobility, physical contact of the pregnant mother with the partner, and the time period with the nurse or the doctor in comparison to the intermittent auscultation procedure (Bailey, 2009). The intermittent auscultation procedure is known to increase the rate of medical risks. This is chiefly because of the

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Exam questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Exam questions - Essay Example Each division in the larger firm is responsible for the maximisation of its profits and production. The central office overlooks the other divisions with the primary responsibility for formulating the overall strategy for the entire business but not directly controlling the operations at the divisional levels. Large firms have adopted the M-form as opposed to the traditional Unitary structure (U-form) in which the operations of the business are centrally managed with no independence given to any sub-division. While Chandler’s multidivisional form advocates for growth through diversification across industries, markets and products, Williamson’s M-form does not make any reference to diversification. The multidivisional form explained by Chandler supports the delegation of complete power and authority to the divisions while that of Williamson is for the retention of control by the management at the major company. The advantage of the M-form over other divisional structures is based on its ability to combine the economies of scale and different brand benefits of a large collection while maintaining the operational flexibility. It provides the central optimisation level within a company (Besanko, 2010). Unlike other divisional structures, the M-form solves the dilemma of the differences observable in profit maximisation strategies, business needs, and output across the divisions when organisations grow to be too large. Each group, with its independence and flexibility, can be kept in the centralised profit maximisation expectation. Williamson proposes a perfect coordination between the general direction of the business and the daily operations of the divisions under the M-form structure. However, there lies a limitation on the wide adoption of the M-form that arises from Williamson’s requirements for this divisional structure. The largest

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Cola Wars Essay Example for Free

The Cola Wars Essay There are a few reasons why the soft drink industry has been historically profitable for so long. One such reason is that soft drinks have been seen as a great and delicious alternative to drinking just water. Though water is essential to life and its even a main ingredient in soft drinks, its naturally very bland in taste and unexciting to the consumer. Soft drinks however are funs, flavorful, and delicious to drink so they give the consumer something else to desire and are bought to break up the monotony of drinking just plain water. A second reason that the soft drink industry has been historically profitable would be because of the fact that soft drinks have been a cheap buy for the consumer in comparison to anything else on the market. Soft drinks have been sold for as little as a nickel per a drink for varying sizes and quantities of the beverage, while other non soft drink beverages have gone for rate that are much higher than this. Even in todays market a consumer can go out to a store and buy any kind of soft drink product off the shelf and it would cost the a great deal less than it would for a bottle of juice or even a case of the healthy option, water. With a low purchase cost they have been able to entice consumer to continue to buy their products. A third reason that soft drink industry has been has a strong history of being profitable would be that they have always had strong marketing campaigns that appeal to their consumer base and audience. With campaigns such as the Pepsi Generation which lasted for more than a decade to help them set target those who were young, or at least young at heart, and even had the catch phrase â€Å"For those who think young† at one point helped them capture and steal away from Cokes large market share, and even brought them to within a 2-1 sales gap, while Coca-Cola used it’s a Coca-Cola lifestyle to market its soft drinks, even going as far as being a sponsor of the U. S. armed services and offering soldiers a flat rate for their products during WWI. Marketing campaigns such as these help boost sales of soft drinks over several decades and gained them loyal customers who have stuck by and continued to purchase the product that they like to drink. This way of marketing has help create a type of lifestyle for the consumer, which can have a strong benefit for them in the next generation, because if the parent of children have a certain kind of drink that they get their children on, then they are helping create the next generation of consumers for a product.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Situation Analysis for Revive! UK

Situation Analysis for Revive! UK SITUATION ANALYSIS Situation analysis is the first step on a marketing communication plan. It is necessary step for a company to recognize the key markets issues and understand communication drivers (Fill, 2009). The goal of current assessment is Revive! Company to follow the above glidepath and in the end of the situation analysis there should be key issues that will drive the campaign objectives and communication plan of the company. 1.1 Organisational Analysis Revive! UK operates in the automotive repair sector since 2004 but its history goes back to 1994 as a franchise of Colourworks. The central offices of the company are located is in Rugby with 58 UK franchisees and 135 technicians in total. Their main services include Small and Medium Area Repair Technique such as: Bumper scuffs or scrapes Alloy wheels damage Paint or bodywork scratches Blending repairs to wheel arches Vandal scratches Cosmetic repairs Minor paint repair to trim Body panels Besides providing the above services, Revive! UK is strongly focused on franchising sales as a key mean of growth and market expansion. This fact is also supported from their decision to poach one of the top industry experts on franchising as a franchise director. In the franchise sales sector Revive! UK offers to the clients: Training Branding Minimum personal investment  £10,000 Accreditation systems The company had a 20% increase in sales on year with over 45% of all franchisees running multi van businesses (Revive! Auto innovations (UK) Ltd Bfa, 2017). Their cash in hand was increased from 2014 and according to companys latest financial data for 2015 their Net Work was increased 39,35% from 2014. Revive! UK performs in business to business environment and at the same time directly with the general public. They work closely with dealership groups, fleet and insurance companies and one example of their partners is National Tyres and Autocare (Revive! Auto innovations (UK) Ltd Bfa, 2017, Endole.co.uk, 2017). Key issues: Main focus of the company in franchising sales Very good latest financial data (Their cash in hand was increased from 2014 and according to companys latest financial data for 2015 their Net Work was increased 39,35% from 2014). Possible action: from marketing aspect the company should make more visible their actions in order to be easier approachable for the costumers. During this assignment it was very hard and à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± to find details for the company. It is vital for their franchising sales to give as more details as possible to the costumer to make their first step, to make a call into the company. Communication strategy The main communication strategy of the company is based on three basics elements: the convenience, the quality and the low cost of their services. There is no specific campaign for franchise sales besides the information on the website or the public relations stories on websites for the franchising industry. The first impression of a potential costumer with the company comes through the companys website. In order to convince a customer to go through the whole website, get informed about the services and make contact with the company, the website should be visually appealing, should give a general customer relationship management, personalisation and privacy (Mà ¶ller, Brezing, and Unz, 2012; Solutions, 2012). In case of Revive! UK it is found that the website is appealing, well designed, professional and easy to use. It has relevant service information and a standalone section dedicated to public relation stories, while communication contacts are easy to spot on main page. Franchisi ng is also easy to spot with most relevant information. Revive! UK has also a Facebook page with 2,442 followers and they have posts 2-3 times a week. The reviews from clients on the Facebook page are positive. There is no interaction among the company and the Facebook page visitors-followers. It is important to mention that besides Facebook page, the company does not have any other social media tool. Also, according to the companys website, Revive! UK does social responsibility actions for charity organization and community support which are not communicated through other channels beside their website and Facebook page. Another factor that was detected through this assignment is the poor optimization that the company has done for search engines. During the search for the company on Google with different words like: care repair UK, SMART repair services, minor car damage reaper UK, the position of Revive! UK website was not among the first results of the research (appentises a,..). In order to be noticed, the company should improve SEO as a digital marketing practice which will focuses on optimizing the website to increase the number of visitors the site receives from search engines. Key issue: Low Search Engine optimization Many activities with social impact but without being well communicated No interactive social media Possible Action: The company need to examine again the keywords and contents that they are using for the SEO. They should find the correct keywords to connect with words that clients use. But this is not the only solution. Because in some cases according to Ledford (2008) having optimized the correct keywords it is not enough. Factors such as advertising campaigns and update frequencies also affect SEO (Ledford, 2008, pg 14). So, a better strategy on the search engine optimization, without forgetting the optimization for mobile users The company should promote through different channels their social activities. For example, the latest action that they organized Andrew Jordan Goes Calendar Girls for Charity was only promoted from their website. Searching for articles or stories on Google there were no result for this action. In this case, a better PR strategy on this sector of the company would increase their communication strategy. The only social media that the company is using is Facebook. The use of Facebook, although, is limited on posting only news for the company. There is no feedback on the clients comments, even the fact that the comments are good. First of all, as many social media channels the company uses there is a good possibility to increase the SEO. The use of social media should give the opportunity to the company to communicate with its clients. A contest for a free service which would be only through social media, asking followers their opinion for something new that company did, engaging the franchisors in the social media game, these could be some steps to be more involved with their clients/followers/visitors etc. 1.2 Market Analysis 1.2.1 PEST Analysis for Revive! Company PEST analysis is a managerial tool used to analyze and measure market potentials and stands for political, Economic, Social and Technological issues. Political Potential changes on the franchise regulations because of Brexit. EU competition rules will continue to apply to franchising post-Brexit although the Commission will have reduced powers, and block exemption measures at UK level will be needed. (International Franchise Association, 2016) Potential increase in taxes. According to the Bank of England taxes are expected to increase in the following years (Inman, 2017). First of all this means that will affect Revive! UK services and products. With potential increase in taxes Revive! UK will have to increase their prices. That probably will make them to lose one of the current advantages that they have; which is cheap prices. As for the customers a potential increase in taxes will reduce their buying power. Potential risks on franchising outside UK. Due to a potential Brexit. It is unclear which will be the legislature of EU and company should re-examine it is franchise strategy (International Franchise Association, 2016). Import/Export tax duties applied for leaving common market. Changes on agreements would mean potential increase custom duties that will lead to more expensive row material, paint tooling, machines etc import. Export goods might lose pricing competitive advantage and become more expensive to EU market (Whos Who Legal, 2017). Economic Decrease of car sales on 2016. According to articles there are possibilities of a decrease on car sailings. This means that costumers will try to keep their old cars and fixing them if it is necessary (Sharpe, 2016). Worries for new trade deals with EU because of Brexit. According to articles because of Brexit Uk will give up full access to the single market along EU. In a soft Brexit trading would be on a tarrif-free basis (Sharpe, 2016; Bennett, 2016). These factors may make the company more cautious on investments or franchising outside UK. Potential interest rate increase (Moneywise, 2013). Increase of GDP and average salary for 2016(Statistics, 2017) Current improve export rate due to currency exchange Euro VS GP These facts show that costumers will have a good average of salary and this means that they will be more elastic on spending. According to the above information, because of the ongoing Brexit situation, franchising in another European country at this moment would be a risk for the company. The only countries that Revive! UK can approach are Ireland and Scotland. Since they already have tried to franchise in these countries years before without succeeding, probably now with the knowledge and the expertise they have would be easier. Social Current low unemployment rate with uncertain future projection (Statistics, 2017). There is a decrease of the number of the unemployment in the last 2 years (Appendixes). Need for vehicles and repairs expected to have a growth trend. Customer perception trend swift from car being a status symbol to fuel efficiency and low emissions. Customer buying pattern expected to change to short term investing into repairing existing cars for as long as possible before switching to new eco friendly vehicles. New legislation for low fuel cell cars, eco- friendly cars, paint and waste disposal. This factor should make the company examine the products that use in order to be eco- friendly. Technological Catch up changing technology on new cars that will be battery cars etc. This factor means that the company should gain knowledge and skills in new products for these new cars. Improvements in technology for client services. New technology in order to improve client services. Since the companys advantage is the direct answer to the client there should be some improvements from technological aspect. There should be more use of social media and more interactive relation with the costumers. 1.3 Competitor analysis General information Services History Franchise Investment location Clients Minimum investment Support for the franchisees Perfect Detail Smart Repair Mobile minor damage Paint Vinyl Windscreen Bodywork alloy wheels Online shop 150 years Yes UK General public Main dealers Brands (McLaren, Jaguar and Rover) Retailers groups  £10,000 Training Equipment selection Van installation Branding Website and social media support Chips away Brand Leader Automotive paint repair system Car body repairs Bumper scuffs Paintwork scratches Minor dents kerbed alloy wheels 23 years Yes Over 220 units UK General public Main dealers Retailers groups  £15,000 Branding Training Ongoing support Exclusive territory National advertising Expansion opportunities Dentwizart/ Flying colors services Smart repairs Cosmetic damage Scratches Scrapes Bumper scuffs Vandal damage and chips away Yes UK, Europe, North America General public Main dealers Retailers groups  £22,950 Personalised website Training Credit control management services Exclusive geographic territories Low frontend fees SprintFinish Scratches Bumper Scuffs Damaged Interior Trim Damaged Alloy Wheels Repairs to: tears holes cigarette burn in seats and carpets 20 years Yes UK General public Main dealers Retailers groups Charges on different services (more details on appendix 12) Ongoing training defined territory branding UK Final touch Car paint work Smart repairs 24 years New Zealand 4 years in UK Yes UK, Ireland, Europe  £29,995 Exclusive geographic territories Training Machinery, paint, supplies and stock items Marketing material Business and accounting reviews Car Medic SMART repairs Alloy wheel refurbishment Car interior repairs Car seat repairs Car upholstery and car interior plastics 20 years / New in franchising No data Comprehensive Skills, HS and Commercial Training Quality Branded Tools Consumables. Competitive Package including all you need to run your own business Low franchise management fees Key points: Relatively with the most of their competitors Revive! UK has less main services (no inside repairs, no online shop etc.). As most of their competitors the company is operating in England ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¡ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ÃŽÂ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ franchise According to google search some of the competitors have better SEO strategy (appendix.) Relatively young company with low market and reputation in comparison to their main competitors. 1.4 Consumer Analysis Revive! UK company started their economic activity as a company that provides smart car repair services. Their customers are general public, dealership groups, fleet and insurance companies (Revive! Auto innovations (UK) Ltd Bfa, 2017). Clients in the general public group, according to the data and information that have been collected for this coursework, could be people from 17 years old to 25 years old that are more possible to have small damages in their cars and costumers from 45 to 60 that are also prone to small damages. These consumers in the ACORN classification may be from the category- Financially Stretched 38: Semi-skilled workers in traditional neighborhoods and from the category Comfortable Communities 25: larger family homes, multi-ethnic areas but also from the category 15 younger professional in smaller flats (ACORN/CACI, 2013). Another category that possibly buy Revive! UK services belong to the category 49: Young families in low cost private flats. (Appentixà ¢Ã¢ ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦) The gender that is more interested in the products and the services are male. Also, according to a Mintel research from 2015 shows that 31% of adults drive a car under 3 years old and a 50% of the drivers have cars over 3 years up to 10 years old (Mintel, 2015). This research may reinforce the fact that costumers use smart repair car services. For the franchise sales the costumers are from different categories. According to statistics on business start-ups the characteristics of majority of entrepreneurs are white males in their forties. Specifically: 25% of employer owners are between 35 to 44 years old, 31% are 45 to 54 years old 26% are 55 to 64 years old 29.4% of owner managers tend to be A Level or equivalent 21.8% followed by a degree or equivalent 11% has no educational qualifications. Two-thirds of entrepreneurs had no prior experience of owning or managing a business, Half of active entrepreneurs have previously worked in the sector they start a business in. (Startup Team, 2004) In agreement with the above information the costumers on the franchising sales of the company may be in the type 28: Owner occupied terraces, average income (ACORN/CACI, 2013). In this category there are people with income around or above national average, moreover their educational status are in national average and finally in a combination of characteristics such as average age and savings it is shown that this category are in the middle of the average age (ACORN/CACI, 2013), (Appendix ..) 1.5 SWOT Analysis/ Key issues Strengths Revive! Operating nationwide with 58 franchisees with 135 vans Increase of cash in hand and bank in 2014 to 2015 Increase on current Liabilities 2014 to 2015 Increase of total assets Recognized and specialist employees 20% increase in sales on year with over 45% of all franchisees running multi van business Achieved Internationally recognized Investors in people status Investment in systems and technology to reduce franchise admin time and improve Updated website B2B and B2C services Mainly focused in franchise Weaknesses Decrease on Net Worth Potential loss of sales in customers that require other features (tyre ..) Mainly focused in franchise The company operate only in England Relatively young company with low market and reputation No interactive social media Many activities with social impact but without being well communicated Low Search Engine optimization Not enough promotion Revive! UK has less main services (no inside repairs, no online shop etc.). Opportunities Decrease of car sales on 2016 (Sharpe, 2016) Increase of GDP and average salary for 2016 Current improve export rate due to currency exchange Euro VS GP Unknown agreements among UK and EU for franchising sector exporting of goods due to currency Euro vs GP Change on customer buying pattern into being more in repairing their cars than buying new ones Threats Potential changes on the franchise regulations because of Brexit (Mark, 2013) Potential interest rate increase (Moneywise, 2013) Unknown agreements among UK and EU for franchising sector importing of goods: Changes on agreements would mean potential increase custom duties that will lead to more expensive row material, paint tooling, machines etc. Potential increase in taxes (Inman, 2017) Low unemployment rate with uncertain future projection (Statistics, 2017b ). 1.6 Key Issues From the above SWOT analysis the key issues that should the company consider in a new communication campaign are: Recognized and specialist employees Achieved internationally recognized Investors in people status Investment in systems and technology to reduce franchise admin time and improve Mainly focused in franchise Only in England No interactive social media Many activities with social impact but without being well communicated Low Search Engine optimization Not enough promotion 2. MARKETING COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES Make your Smart move with Revive Reflecting on the above key issues, the companys next communication campaign should be focused on: Raising awareness to specific target group in order to increase their publicity through online marketing tools such as website and social media. Making franchise sales in another market beside England. Since the company in the past have tried to distribute their franchise product in the N. Ireland and Scotland market and there were no results (based on the information that we gathered for this assignment) it is time to make efforts again but only in one of the two countries. It is suggested here Scotland. The campaigns name would be the same but other distribution channels. To get involved in a new market, the communication and marketing steps should be more focused. The main marketing communication objectives of the campaign are: 1. Increase awareness with 20% among adults 25-35 years old, of category 2 Rising Prosperty: 2.15 younger professional in smaller flats (ACORN/ CACI, 2013) in the area of West Midlands for Make your smart move with Revive! campaign starting from March 2017 September 2017. 2. Increase awareness with 10% among adults 30 to 45 years old, of category 2 Rising Prosperty: 2.18 career driven young families (ACORN/CACI, 2013) in the area of Edinburgh for Make your Smart move with Revive! campaign starting from March 2017 September 2017. APPENDICES REFERENCES Fill, Chris. Marketing communications: Interactivity, Communities and Content Chris Fill, 5th edn. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. Westwood, John. How to Write a Marketing Plan, edited by John Westwood, Kogan Page, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/coventry/detail.action?docID=1135738. Jobber, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2012) Principles and practice of Marketin+. 7th edn. London: McGraw Hill Higher Education. Halik, J. (2012). The application of PEST analysis based on EBRD and IBRD methodology. Central European Business Review, 1(3), 14-21. Thomas, H. (2007). An analysis of the environment and competitive dynamics of management education. Journal of Management Development, 26(1), 9-21. Whos Who Legal, 2017 What does Brexit mean for Franchisors around the world? the latest legal features, research and legal profiles whos who legal. Available at: http://whoswholegal.com/news/features/article/33494/what-does-brexit-mean-franchisors-around-world/ (Accessed: 15 February 2017). Inman, P. (2017) UK tax burden will soar to highest level for 30 years, warns IFS. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/feb/07/ifs-warns-steep-cuts-tax-rises-40bn-black-hole-uk (Accessed: 14 February 2017). Copyright (2016) International How does Brexit impact international Franchisors with franchisees in the EU? Available at: http://www.franchise.org/how-does-brexit-impact-international-franchisors-with-franchisees-in-the-eu (Accessed: 14 February 2017). Shoosmiths (2017) What does Brexit mean for UK franchising? part one. Available at: http://www.shoosmiths.co.uk/client-resources/legal-updates/what-does-brexit-mean-for-uk-franchising-part-one-12369.aspx (Accessed: 14 February 2017) Goodchild, R. (2017) Does your vehicle have minor damage? Dont worry we can repair it! Available at: https://revive-uk.com/ (Accessed: 14 February 2017). Revive! Auto innovations (UK) Ltd Bfa (2017) Available at: https://www.thebfa.org/members/revive-auto-innovations-uk-ltd (Accessed: 14 February 2017). Endole.co.uk, 2017 Revive! Auto innovations (UK) limited company information. Available at: https://www.endole.co.uk/company/05115063/revive-auto-innovations-uk-limited (Accessed: 14 February 2017) Sharpe, T. (2016) Misfiring UK car market could see 9% decline in 2017. Available at: http://www.am-online.com/news/market-insight/2016/10/07/misfiring-uk-automotive-retail-market-could-see-9-decline-in-2017 (Accessed: 15 February 2017). Bennett, J. (2016) Hard Brexit will leave UK car industry hanging by a thread. Available at: http://www.am-online.com/news/market-insight/2016/10/11/hard-brexit-will-leave-uk-car-industry-hanging-by-a-thread (Accessed: 15 February 2017). Moneywise (2013) When will UK interest rates rise? Available at: http://www.moneywise.co.uk/news/2017-01-23/when-will-uk-interest-rates-rise (Accessed: 15 February 2017). Statistics, O.F.N. (2017) Gross domestic product, preliminary estimate: Oct to Dec 2016. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/bulletins/grossdomesticproductpreliminaryestimate/octtodec2016 (Accessed: 15 February 2017). Statistics, O.F.N. (2017) Unemployment rate (aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted). Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/unemployment/timeseries/mgsx/lms (Accessed: 15 February 2017). ACORN/ CACI 2013 Available at: http://acorn.caci.co.uk/data/#t38_p1 (Accessed: 15 February 2017). Sharpe, T. (2016) Misfiring UK car market could see 9% decline in 2017. Available at: http://www.am-online.com/news/market-insight/2016/10/07/misfiring-uk-automotive-retail-market-could-see-9-decline-in-2017 (Accessed: 15 February 2017). Mà ¶ller, B., Brezing, C. and Unz, D. (2012) What should a corporate website look like? The influence of Gestalt principles and visualisation in website design on the degree of acceptance and recommendation, Behaviour Information Technology, 31(7), pp. 739-751. doi: 10.1080/0144929x.2011.642893. Solutions, S.W. (2012) Articles. Available at: https://www.spritzweb.com/resources/good-website-characteristics.html (Accessed: 18 February 2017). Ledford, Jerri L.. SEO: Search Engine Optimization Bible, edited by Jerri L. Ledford, Wiley, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/coventry/detail.action?docID=331516. StartUp Team, (2004) The average entrepreneur | page 2 of 2 | startups.Co.Uk: Starting a business advice and business ideas. Available at: http://startups.co.uk/the-average-entrepreneur/2/ (Accessed: 18 February 2017).