Friday, August 28, 2020

Significant Life Events - Solution is Just a Click Away

Questions: 1.1 Explain the effect of huge life occasions on people? 1.2 Analyze conceivable gathering reactions to noteworthy life occasions that happen to one of its individuals? 1.3 Analyze the effect for others in wellbeing and social consideration when an individual encounters critical life occasion? 2.1 Evaluate the adequacy of authoritative strategies and techniques in supporting indviduals and their interpersonal organizations influenced by critical life occasions? 2.2 Explain how others in informal organizations may offer help to people experienceing noteworthy life occasions? Does The Intricacy of The Topic Intimidate You? Tame Your Fear with Unmatched Assignment Help Services from Professional Writers. 2.3 Evaluate the reasonableness of outer wellsprings of help for those influenced by critical life occasions? 3.1 Analyze conceivable authoritative reactions to the need to help people encountering a noteworthy life occasion? 3.2 Reflect on own commitments to the help of people experienceing critical life occasions? 3.3 Make proposals for improving tge bolster accessible in a wellbeing and social consideration association for people and their interpersonal organizations when influenced by noteworthy life occasions? Answers: 1.1: Impact of Significant Life occasions on people Life occasions can be considered as changes that happen in the life of a person in an unexpected and now and again in a sudden way for which the individual might not have been prepared and therefore may set aside some effort to manage it(Cook, 2006). In any case, it isn't obligatory that an actual existence occasion must be terrible and hence effectsly affect a specific person. A noteworthy life occasion can be a positive one too where the person in whos life the specific occasion happens might be emphatically impacted by the occasion by and large. Along these lines in this setting some life occasions can be attractive while others may not be alluring. Thusly, various occasions can have distinctive sort of effect on the individual and can be comprehended and clarified in different manners. The grouping of life occasions are done based on making a decision about precisely how much upsetting they are to one. This technique had been endeavored by Holmes and Rahe in the year 1967. Based on this model or kind of grouping, the existence occasions can be characterized or sorted into 40 unique classes. For instance, the dying of a friend or family member is entirely bothersome and can wind up having an awful effect in a people life. This is a sort of negative life occasion and it has the capability of making a ton of stress or pressure in ones life(Eldredge, 1998). Another case of this sort can be getting terminated from the expert field and along these lines turning out to be jobless which would bring about a lot of pressure in ones life. Yet, then again, the existence occasions like that of getting hitched, or being advanced, or having a child is very attractive and may affect ones life. In this manner the general effect of a real existence occasion on a particular individual is a lot of reliant on the kind of life occasion mulled over and hence may change from one to the next (Burton, Forsyth and Obel, 1989). 1.2: Analysis of Group Responses to Significant Life Events If there should arise an occurrence of a gathering reacting to a real existence occasion that has occurred in the life of one of its individuals, there are various reactions to various life occasions (Buto, 2004). In any case, it is nevertheless a typical piece of the conduct and reaction of the gathering, that the gathering consistently attempts to help its part and attempts to make the circumstance as ordinary as feasible for the person in question. If there should arise an occurrence of the bothersome life occasions, the gathering attempts to feel for the part is straightforwardly influenced by this life occasion and the manners by which diverse unfortunate occasions are dealt with is to be noted. For instance, the gathering may direct various meetings to improve the psychological or mental condition of the concerned individual who is influenced by it(Redfield, 2013). For instance, if on the off chance that an individual has lost a friend or family member that individual may feel desolate and empty for the event of such an actual existence occasion and this opening is should have been filled by the gathering. Besides, they have to draw in the influenced individual in various exercises, so he might be diverted for some time and with time consequently can come back to the ordinary method of life at the earliest opportunity. It is possible that at least one side interests of the influenced individual is energized or the gathering in itself starts some gathering exercises which will help the influenced individual in one manner or the other. One strategy or way that is received by the various gatherings is that of singing together. Since music as of now has a quieting impact on the psyche of an individual, so along these lines is very useful for the individuals who need to come out of an extremely distressing period in their life(Podany, 2003). And yet there are numerous other various ways which can be taken up by the gathering so as to help or help one of its in dividuals who is by and large adversely influenced by the existence occasion to come out of it in a smooth and simple manner. Then again, if there should arise an occurrence of the attractive life occasions, the gathering reacts in an extremely positive way and energizes and compliments its part for going into this much alluring period of their life.Getting wedded and having a child are the existence occasions which will fall in this specific class. 1.3: Impact on Others in Health and Social Care The effect on the others present in the Health and Social Care association can be unique in relation to each other based on the kind of the existence occasion that one is experiencing (Erratum: Can Adolescents Predict Significant Life Events?, 2008). Be that as it may, the laborers being of dependable in nature will in general offer significance to such factors and in this manner help out the other individual in every single manner that they can. In such an association, different individuals attempt to discover manners by which they can assist a person as the necessities and prerequisites of one individual varies from the other(Coty, 2011). In this manner the primary factor really lies in understanding a person. Just if an individual can comprehend the other individual in a legitimate manner, the person will have the option to help and help the other person who is experiencing a noteworthy life occasion. 3.1: Analysis of Organizational Responses to the need to Support Individuals Various associations where a specific individual confronting a critical life occasion should be progressively worried about supporting the person under every single circumstance (Golemon, 2006). A general mindfulness should be made with respect to the need of supporting the people in an association who are experiencing some life occasions throughout their life. Since an individual has the propensity of missing out on the typical parity in their lives, in this manner it is required for the individuals around him to help him in the manner that is required by him. This will help the individual in returning to his typical life and hence he can work in a superior manner too(Cranwell-Ward Abbey, 2005). For instance, if an individual is enduring a result of the event of a completely unfortunate beneficial experience, at that point he should be worried and would not have the psychological solidarity to adapt up to his enthusiastic breakdown and the weight of his expert field at the equivalen t time(Norgaard, 2011). Hence because of it, the presentation and the efficiency of the individual will continue detoriating and this will in the long run be reflected in an intermittent manner in his own work. The individual won't have the option to work in a legitimate manner as long as he isn't back in his ordinary life where he can adjust everything. This is the thing that the association needs to comprehend and along these lines bolster the person in the required way (Tidd and Hull, 2003). In instances of attractive life occasions as well, the individual needs the help of his association. For instance, if a woman is pregnant this is a truly alluring occasion however the association needs to help her by giving the necessary leaves so she can accomplish her work in a superior manner with no physical distress or different interruptions (Kronenfeld, 2010). 3.2: Reflection on Personal Contribution For my situation, I have consistently attempted to be there in a legitimate manner next to the individuals who are encountering any sort of critical life occasion in their life. One of my exceptionally dear companions had experienced an awful stage in his life after he lost his mom in a fender bender (McIntosh, 2007). He was near his mom and in this way her dying in such an unexpected and heartbreaking way had shaken him up in an awful manner. He had felt lost and there was a state of time when he would not like to proceed with his own life. This is the point at which I realized that he must be made to come out of this downturn that he had gone into. So I attempted to perk him up and energize him in taking a gander at life from an alternate point of view by and large (Starr, 1982). I would take him out to a great deal of workshops on otherworldliness and arousing of the spirit so he could feel somewhat less appended to anything natural and hence discover a feeling of fleeciness insid e himself(Ainsworth, 2000). Since he was a fanatic of music I would tune in to different kinds of melodies and stay with him as much as Possible. This had a constructive outcome in his life yet he was still somewhat standoffish from everyone and that is the way he prefers it. At that point I took him to an outing of trekking as he had for a long while been itching to go. All these in the end helped him to come out of his profound wretchedness and subsequently move on in the long run. The loss of his mom may never be satisfied yet he realized that how will generally be solid and proceed onward (McVea, Gow and Lowe, 2011). This has been a learning experience for me as well and I have a superior comprehension of how to manage myself just as some other person who is experiencing a critical occasion in his own life. 3.3: Recommendations More than any specialized preparing or other comparative learning experience, what is truly required is a feeling of mankind and an individual inclination for the individuals around. Thi

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Bryan Velazquez Essays (522 words) - Politics, Political Corruption

Bryan Velazquez Rathbone Introduction to Public Admin 22 September 2017 Theme Report 1 The period I have decided to expound on is the start, all things considered, and how the investigation of open organization was acquainted with the United States. This all started with an exposition composed by a man named Woodrow Wilson in 1887 and in that paper he tended to the issues inside the legislature and how degenerate it has been during those time and how it ought to be fixed. He had an inquiry that numerous individuals in the United States have today about the legislature and that is, how accomplishes the administration work and work? Wilson accepted that the administration should have been changed so as to make it increasingly proficient and he accepted that open organization would fix and help this issue of wastefulness and defilement. The effect this had on the field of open organization is that it presented the Idea of discovering precisely what the administration does and how it works and understanding that it isn't productive and is degenerate and expecting to fix th at. The general population was acquainted with this and followed the thought and Wilson had numerous individuals who comprehended his article and who concurred with his concept of open organization. Without that article in 1887, the entire thought of the investigation of open organization could've been nonexistent and we would at present be managing wastefulness and debasement in our administration which we really are as yet managing this today yet it isn't as terrible as before somewhat. This article was clearly a positive change since it breathed life into the investigation of open organization and opened the publics eyes to this. So Wilson commitment to open organization has been greater than some other individual on this planet and that is something astounding. His thought despite everything has far to go in light of the fact that even today the administration is wasteful and particularly so degenerate and that was the principle motivation behind why he composed that article, to end defilement and to fix the legislature yet to likewise make sense of how it works and that is practically understood on the grounds that generally we know how the administration functions yet we don't have a lot of state regarding what they do with the force that they have. Open organization is as yet a theme that on the off chance that you ask numerous individuals what it implies and what the motivation behind it is they won't know and that is a significant issue that we have in this day and age since it is indispensable to think pretty much all the open associations in our nation and how they work. There truly isn't substantially more to it than that, he is viewed as the man who started the investigation of open organization and improved the point and made it standard to the general population. References Adah, Ogabo . The commitment of Woodrow Wilson to the field of Public Administration by Ogabo Adah. Academia.edu, www.academia.edu/7987979/the_contribution_of_Woodrow_Wilson_to_the_field_of_Public_Administration_by_Ogabo_Adah. Gotten to 20 Sept. 2017. Wilson's View on Politics and Administration. ILLUMINATION IAS , 30 July 2010, blessan.wordpress.com/2010/07/31/wilson%E2%80%99s-see on-governmental issues and-organization/. Gotten to 20 Sept. 2017.

Friday, August 21, 2020

Bounty Scandal Essay -- Case Review

When does a physical game become a wrongdoing? That is the issue that each National Football League (NFL) fan has solicited themselves in light from the previous Saints guarded organizer (DC) Gregg Williams’ â€Å"bounty program.† No one individual has grappled with this inquiry more than the NFL chief Rodger Goodell. Goodell was confronted with a moral choice that will shape his residency as the NFL’s official; his choice will become priority for some chiefs after him. Utilizing the RESOLVEDD system of dynamic created by Raymond Pfeiffer and Ralph Forsberg (2005), this paper will inspect the embarrassment, examine the choices made, and decide whether the NLF chief made the right move for the group. The initial step of the RESOLVEDD procedure, spoke to by â€Å"R,† is â€Å"review the case† (Pfeiffer and Forsberg, 2005). The NFL started examining the New Orleans Saints after their Super Bowl win in 2009, when allegations emerged that the association had composed a money payout reward program for harming players. The extra payouts are against alliance rules, precluding non-contract rewards. Furthermore, these rewards didn't pay for execution; at the same time, explicitly truck offs, blackouts, and thump outs. The entireties of these payouts came to up to $50,000 during the 2009 end of the season games. Early examinations ceased to exist when security faculty talked with players and mentors; they all denied that such a program at any point existed (National Football League, 2012). The association around then couldn't demonstrate the claims, however Goodell needed to guarantee that the group comprehended this sort of program would not go on without serious consequence s. The class would convey semiannual letters to all groups, helping them that out-to remember contract rewards are unlawful... ...imes.com/2012/03/22/sports/football/nfl-conveys cruel discipline to-holy people over-abundance program.html?pagewanted=all Cherry, E., Sealey, D., and Mangialardi, L. (1991). Understanding the dangers. Diary of Sport Management, 5(2), 198. Kahn, L. (2009). Sports, antitrust authorization and aggregate bartering. Antitrust Bulletin, 54(4), 857-881. Recovered April 24, 2012, from the EBSCO Host database. National Football League. (2012). Full NFL explanation into 'abundance' program run by New Orleans Saints. nola.com. Recovered May 1, 2012, from www.nola.com/holy people/index.ssf/2012/03/full_nfl_statement_into_bounty.html O'Rourke, M. (2011). Hazard on the field and in the features. Hazard Management, 58(3), 37. Recovered April 24, 2012, from the EBSCO Host database. Pfeiffer, R., and Forsberg, R. (2005). Morals at work: cases and systems (third ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Best Term Papers For Any School Year

Best Term Papers For Any School YearWhen it comes to the perfect term papers for any prospective student, you have to ensure that the quality is at the highest level in order to be able to stand out from the crowd. There are many things that can affect the level of the papers that you will have to write, so it is important that you know how to choose the best ones.It is important to note that there are various levels of term papers that you may have to write. When you are looking for the best papers for your future school term, you have to be sure that you are able to select the best one. Read on to find out about the process of picking the best term papers for any school year.The first thing that you need to know when it comes to the selection of the best term papers for any school year is the deadline. This should not be too difficult for you to find. The deadlines for your chosen papers will be mentioned on the right hand side of the document that you are going to be writing.The d eadline for the term papers should be the one that you have to finish before your school year ends. It is therefore important to pick the deadline that is going to be a bit harder for you to achieve. It is advisable that you choose the deadline that is going to allow you to tackle each and every term paper to the best possible level. You have to be able to work on these papers at a slower pace.There are different types of papers that you are going to be required to write. There are, for example, essay papers, report papers, and the personal essays. You should be able to pick the best type of papers that you need to write. You can compare these papers so that you can be sure that the type of papers that you are going to have to write are exactly what you need to do. It is important that you do not write too many essays or report papers at the same time.As you go through the process of picking the best term papers for your school year, you will need to know about the different styles of papers that you are going to have to write. You can read about these different styles in the syllabus of the school where you will be writing for. This will be important for you to know when you are going to be choosing the best term papers for your school year. The syllabus of the school where you are going to be writing for will also tell you which styles of term papers you are required to write for any particular period of time.When you are going to be selecting the best term papers for your school year, you should always check the student handbook. It is always good to be aware of the kind of paper that you are going to be required to write. It will be necessary for you to know if you are going to be required to write a particular style of paper.

Friday, May 15, 2020

Steve Jobs Has Made A Huge Impact On Technology - 897 Words

Steve Jobs has made a huge impact on technology, but people as well. Steve Job’s life and career exemplifies creativity. Starting out Jobs had many dreams and aspirations, similar to the way that many people do. However, Jobs differs from others in that he uses creative solutions to fix drastic problems. When we think of Apple as a company, most people think of Steve Jobs. While we know that many people are part of the team of Apple, we tend to overlook that aspect. Jobs did something to technology that can never be compared to, or replaced. He taught many people many things on his journey as he made his stamp on the world. Job’s career in Apple is creative. It required Steve Jobs to do something that many people were not able to do. He made the Macintosh computer stand out among all other computers. Jobs did not invent the computer he invented the Macintosh, which is just another computer. It is very important to note that even though it was just another computer that was being sold to our society, Job’s advertised in a creative way. He did not want people to just think of the Macintosh as any other computer, but the only computer that a person should want and use. The creative aspect of Job’s career exists through his success, but most importantly his failures. The Macintosh computer was not always a hit, the first time that Jobs attempted to sell the idea it was a complete disappointment. Everything that Jobs worked for to build up and sell the idea of the Macintosh wasShow MoreRelatedSteve Jobs: Innovative Genius Essay1218 Words   |  5 PagesSteve Jobs was an innovative mastermind with visions that helped change the world. He co-founded Apple inc. which is a well-known billion dollar company, and also invented products so popular, almost anyone you ask owns a product of his. 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Since we know what baby boomers are, they are a very huge impact on todays society. To give example, they make impacts economically, Socially, and also Psychologically. There are many different reasons for this, and they are easy to understand exactly the impact they make on our daily lives. One of the biggest Baby Boomers out there is Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs has impacted us in many ways, but one of the things that he has impacted is economics and society. He was one of the biggestRead MorePublic Speaking Outline - Steve Jobs1336 Words   |  6 Pagesman’s vision and innovation gave us all devices that have made the world today more connected than it’s ever been? Devices we NOW can’t imagine leaving behind when we walk out the front door in the morning. Whether it’s listening to music in your bedroom, reading the news on the train ride to work, checking your email at home or even sitting in a waiting room watching Netflix. It’s hard to deny the influence and impact that Steve Jobs has had on modern culture. B. Reason to Listen: My name is EduardoRead MoreZen And The Art Of Computing1283 Words   |  6 Pagesdeveloped. This source began with Jobs idea of apple from the beginning from when he was in school and enjoyed technology. It stated how it all started in the garage of his parents home. - â€Å" The Entrepreneur of the Decade.† Inc.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2014 This source helped me because it demonstrates how Jobs was a very successful entrepreneur that he was chosen to be the entrepreneur of the decade. Within this source, there was also a interview/ conversation between Jobs and Inc. This source was veryRead MoreApple Leadership Style Essay1654 Words   |  7 Pagesmultinational technology corporation headquartered In Cupertino, California. The company is best known for manufacturing, designing personal computers, consumer software products, and electronics. The company currently employs approximately 110,000 employees worldwide (Fiegerman,2016). The company was established by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in 1976. In 2007, the name changed from Apple Computer Company to Apple Inc. co-founder, Steve Jobs as the CEO. Under the leadership of Steve Jobs, AppleRead MoreSteve Jobs as a Transformational leader1561 Words   |  7 Pagesleader would be Steve Jobs, the current CEO/co-founder of Apple Inc. Jobs is considered a lead ing figurehead in both the entertainment and computer industry. Steve Jobs is listed as Fortune Magazines most powerful businessman of 2007 out of twenty-five other top businessmen (Wikipedia). Steve Jobs has made a large impact on our contemporary society due to his contributions, accomplishments he brought forth into the business world, and his tough managerial style. First of all, Steve Jobs is known forRead MoreBill Gates Wanted to Change the World and He Did Essay1214 Words   |  5 Pagesmove the world, society would never progress. As Steve Jobs once said, â€Å"I have a great respect for incremental improvement, and Ive done that sort of thing in my life, but Ive always been attracted to the more revolutionary changes. I dont know why. Because theyre harder. Theyre much more stressful emotionally. And you usually go through a period where everybody tells you that youve completely failed† (brainyquotes.com). Bill Gates, like Steve Jobs, wanted to change the world forever, which heRead MoreThe Work Of Steve Jobs1631 Words   |  7 Pages Steve Jobs, though mostly known for being the co-founder and CEO of Apple, was also the founder of another computer software company called NeXT, as well as the man who brought Pixar, a computer based production company, into light. Mainly through Apple, Steve revolutionized the way society manipulate s technology. If you have seen Pixar produced films, such as â€Å"Toy Story† or â€Å"Monsters, Inc.†, Jobs had a direct impact on those films. Steven Paul Jobs was undoubtedly the most significant person inRead MoreBusiness Their Ownership, Purpose Between Apple Inc And British Red Cross A Non For Profit Business1551 Words   |  7 Pagesmultinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services. Its best-known hardware products are the Mac personal computers, the iPod portable media player, the iPhone smartphone, the iPad tablet computer. Apple has around 437 stories around the world and around 100,000 staff (around 200 staff per storie) apple was first started in 1976 by founder Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne, Steve Wozniak. Apple

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

My Personal Reaction On Hotel Rwanda Essay - 933 Words

Hotel Rwanda Introduction In this essay I will write of my personal reaction on the movie Hotel Rwanda. This movie left me with a plethora of mixed emotions. Yet, it taught me many lessons on life and the world. From its historical background to its most recent movie filmed in 2004. Background Information Mille Collines was the main setting of this movie. It was a four-star hotel located in Kigali, Rwanda where Americans, French, and many more tourists would go for a calm oasis. Kigali was the capital city of Rwanda and was left behind to the Hutu by the Belgian. After the owner of the hotel left to Belgium he left the manager Paul (Don Cheadle) in charge. In the film, Paul was living in a place where corruption, bribery, and fear controlled everything. In the movie, it was up to him to help hundreds of refugees. There were two types of Africans in Rwanda, Hutu, and Tutsi. The Belgians were the ones who created the division. The Hutu were short and stocky while the Tutsi were tall, thin and favored. They carried identification cards on them at all times that said what they were. 85% of the population were Hutu and the other 15% were Tutsi. Hutu were the majority, but the Tutsi minority were the favored ones. The Belgians used the Tutsi to run the country, then when the Belgians left, they left the power to the Hutu and of course, the Hutu took revenge on the Tutsi for the years of repression. The President named Juvenal Gabayarimana was a Hutu and was ready toShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of Conflict Management on Employee’s Performance10925 Words   |  44 PagesDECLARATION This research project is my original work and has never been presented to any other university or institution of learning for award of a degree, diploma or certificate. Ng’ang’a Nancy Wangari Signature†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Date†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The research paper has been submitted with the approval from my supervisor. Mr. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Signature†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Date†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ DEDICATION To my loving parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ng’ang’a, and my lovely siblings because of theirRead Moreeffect of workforce diversity on employee performance in anorganization6665 Words   |  27 Pagesresearch project proposal is my original work and has not been presented to any other examination body. No part of this research should be reproduced without my consent or that of the Kenya Methodist University Name: SALAHDIN ALINOOR SHABURE Signature†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Date†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Declaration by the supervisor This research project proposal has been submitted with my approval Name: CAROLINE NTARA Signature†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..Date†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... â€Æ' DEDICATION I dedicate this project to my entire family, for theRead MoreRole of Media in Tourism9761 Words   |  40 PagesTourism  (IIPT)  African  Conference  on  Peace  through  Tourism  at   Educators’  Forum,  Uganda  (Kampala).                        Organized  by  the  International  Institute  for  Peace  through  Tourism   (IIPT),  United  States  of  America  (USA),  Held  At  Serena  International   Hotel  and  Conference  Centre,  Kampala,  Uganda,  May  19†22,  2007            Abstract   The  objectives  are  :(1)  to  highlight  the  theoretical  or  conceptual  implications  of:  the  new   media   communication   technologies,   globalisation,   and   cultural   contestations  Read MoreEssay on Fall of Asclepius95354 Words   |  382 Pageshumanity. If you said to me a year before the outbreak that this would happen, I would send you to a mental asylum. I guess the joke is on me, so to speak. I wasnt, what some would say, a confident person. I would just follow others and just do my job. The outbreak changed all that. It changed everyone, especially me. Some people got stronger due to the outbreak. Some became weaker. Being leader of the survivors? This idea would be absurd to me before the outbreak. I never wanted to be a leaderRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesoverpopulated cities for better opportunities abroad. Lachrymose visions of global migration, however, are not new and, as in the past, they may prove to be overly pessimistic. Indeed, the gap between the discursive association of migration with personal poverty and national failure and a reality of dynamism and social mobility has remained quite unchanged over time. Then and now, long-distance migration originated mainly in the most dynamic and connected regions of the world and among their better-offRead MoreBhopal Gas Disaster84210 Words   |  337 Pagesgas victims are on the fifth day of the hungerstrike, and the Prime Minis ter has found no time to meet us, despite getting two months notice.† All three sons of 50-yearold Shahida Bee are suffering from physical disorders. My first son fell ill when he was eight years old. My second son was born dead and with a half-formed skull. All the kids in our family are physically retarded,† said Shahida, a resident of Blue Moon colony in Bhopal. Explaining that they are forced to use the contaminated tubewell

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Financial Statement Analysis of Barratt Developments Plc. Sample

Question: Required to produce a financial analysis report for the business managers and owners (investors). The report should examine the financial health of the business and evaluate the business performance by summarising the financial performance and applying financial ratios to further analyse the business financial health. Your report will provide recommendations to the business managers and investors. Answer: Introduction Barratt Development Plc is a leading house builder in Britain. The company carries out its operations through four brands namely Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes, Barratt London and Wilson Bowden Developments. Three of them are house building brands and the last one is a commercial developments brand. The company employs 5971 employees as on 2015 and has delivered a total of 16447 homes as of 2015. The company has the capability to deliver housing developments ranging from standard houses to highly complex housing schemes. The purpose of this report is to analyse the financial information of Barratt Development provided in the financial statements for the year ending June 2015. The financial position of the company is determined on the basis of the above reports and is further analysed with the help of ratios calculated from the above information. This analysis can be used by the managers to the performance of the company and by the investors to decide whether to buy or sell the shares of Barratt Developments. Financial Statements Year 2015 has been a very good year for the company in terms of profits and the company has also been able to maintain a strong balance sheet. A summary of the change in major items of the profit and loss account, balance sheet and the cash flow statement in the year 2015 as compared to 2014 is shown below: Particulars 2014 2015 % change Revenue 3157 3760 19.10% Cost of sales 2628 3045 15.87% Gross Profit 529 714 34.97% Profit from Operations 410 577 40.73% Net Profit 305 449 47.21% Current Assets 3896 4703 20.71% Non - current Assets 1248 1208 -3.21% Total Assets 5144 5911 14.91% Current Liabilities 1160 1412 21.72% Non - current liabilities 638 796 24.76% Equity 3346 3702 10.64% Net Cash flow from Operations 242 184 -23.97% Net Cash flow from investing activities -36 42 -216.67% Net Cash flow from financing activities -226 -140 -38.05% Net change in cash during the period -20 86 -530.00% From the above table, we see that the net profit has improved remarkably by 47%. This is due to an increase in the revenue accelerated by the growing demand for housing in Britain. Recently, Britain is recovering from an economic slowdown which has led to an increase in demand for houses so much so that supply is falling short of demand. Also there is easy availability of low interest mortgage finance which has led to an increase in the prices of the houses, thus increasing the revenue for the company. Even the operating costs have reduced owning to efforts made by the company to reduce the cost of raw materials procured and improving the overall operational excellence. The selling and administrative expense shave also reduced couples with a fall in the interest expense, thus increasing the net profits. The balance sheet has been strong in 2015. The cash and cash equivalents have increase by 30% leading to an increase in current assets by 21%. Other items which led to an increase in current assets are inventories and receivables. The current liabilities have increased in proportion to the current assets i.e. by 22% mainly due to trade payables, deferred taxes, and payable taxes. The company has decreased its short term debt by repaying a part of it. The non- current assets have not changed much, there is only a marginal fall by 3.2%. The non current liabilities have increased by 25% due to an increase in long term debt by 1 million. The share capital also increased by 1 million, thus increasing the equity by 10.5%. The position of cash balance has improved in 2015 with an increase of whopping 216% in cash flow from investing activities. This is on account of increase in the investments accounted for using the equity method. These investments were reduced by 59 million in2014 and as such 2015 shows an increase in value. Cash flow from financing though being a negative figure but is still better than what it was in 2014. The inflow from financing activities is in the form of share capital valuing 1 million and outflow includes payment of dividends and repayment of loan. Cash flow from operating activities has reduced by 58% in 2015 on account of an increase in inventory and taxed paid. The net cash has however increased by 500% amounting to a cash balance of 86 million, thus making Barratt Developments a cash rich company. Looking at the above analysis, we can therefore say that Barratt Developments has had an improved Profit and Loss Statement and Cash flow Statement and a more or less stable balance sheet. Financial Ratios Profitability Ratios Profitability Ratios 2014 2015 Gross Profit Margin 16.8% 19.0% Operating Margin 13.0% 15.3% Return on Equity 9.1% 12.1% Return on capital employed 10.3% 12.8% From the above table, we see that all the profitability ratios have improved in 2015. The gross profit margin has increased due to an increase in revenue and a less than proportionate increase in cost of sales. The operating margin has increased due to a fall in operating expenses in the form of marketing and distribution expenses and also a fall in interest expense as the company has repaid all of its short term loans. Return on equity has also improved due to an increase in the profits belonging to the equity shareholders. Though the equity has also increased by 1 million, but the net profits have increased by 47%, thus improving the return on equity. The companys return on capital employed has also increased mainly due to an increase in the companys EBIT by 41%. The total capital employed has reduced in 2015 due to a decrease in the capital in the form of loan. The company has repaid loans amounting to 24 million whereas it has issued share capital amounting to 1 million. Even wit h a reduced capital employed, the company has managed to improve its return on capital employed which is remarkable. The highest ever profit before tax has been achieved by the company in the year 2015 thus making it a highly profitable year. Liquidity Ratios Ratios 2014 2015 Current Ratio 3.4 3.3 Quick Ratio 0.3 0.4 Interest Coverage Ratio 6.9 10.5 The liquid ratios indicate good liquidity of the company in terms of current ratio. The current ratio is more than 2 for both the years. However, since most of the current assets are in the form of inventory, the quick ratio falls below 1. This shows the actual liquidity of the company is low i.e. if the company were to pay for all its current obligations, it would not be able to do so since inventory is not easily convertible. However, the low quick ratio is justified by the nature of the industry in which Barratt Development operates i.e. the construction industry. The process of building homes may take months together and thus place a lot of WIP and also a lot of funds is tied in already built homes as one home is of high value. Even if one house/product is sold, it reduces the inventory by a great extent. Another liquidity ratio i.e. the interest coverage ratio has increased to 10.5 from 6.9 in 2014. This is on account of reduction in debts as the company has repaid all of its sh ort term debts in 2015, thus reducing the interest expense of the company. The company can easily pay all its fixed charges from its operating income, thus making it a liquid company. Efficiency Ratios Ratios 2014 2015 Asset Turnover 0.61 0.64 Inventory Turnover 0.75 0.73 Inventory Turnover days 487.4 500.3 Receivables Turnover 30.6 24.6 Receivables Turnover days 11.9 14.9 The total assets turnover ratio measures the efficiency of a company to utilize its assets in generating sales. The turnover has remained the same for the company in both the years. Even though the revenue has increased by approx 20%, still the asset turnover has not changed much as the total assets have also increased by the same proportion. The asset turnover ratio for a construction industry is said to be 0.8 on an average, but the turnover ratio is poor in that comparison. The company should work towards better utilization of its assets. The inventory turnover for construction industry is more than 1; however, Barratt has a lesser inventory turnover. The turnover has not varied in both the years. There was an increase in inventory in 2015 but so was an increase in the sales also. Hence we can say that the company is managing its inventory well and the number of days of inventory turnover has also remained more or less the same. There is a decrease in the receivables turnover in 2 015. This is due to an increase in the receivables which is more than the increase in sales. The industry standard for a receivables turnover is 15, since Barratt has a turnover more than 15 in both the years, hence it can be said to have an efficient receivables management. Receivable turnover days has increased from 12 days to 15 days which means the company is able to recover its payments in 15 days, though there is an increase but the increase is not significant enough. Hence we can say that the company has an efficient inventory and receivables management systems, it only needs to strengthen its assets utilization. Financial Stability Ratios Ratios 2014 2015 Debt Equity Ratio 0.06 0.05 As compared to its equity, the company has very low debt. This means that the company finances its operation expenses as well as growth and expansion through internal sources of funds i.e. retained earnings and equity. The company has only 6% debt in its total capital structure in 2014 and the same has further reduced to 5% in 2015 as the company has repaid part of its short term debt in 2015 and also issued share capital amounting to 1 million. Both reduction in debt and increase in equity have led to a fall in debt equity ratio, making the company highly stable as it does not have fixed obligations like interest payment etc. Investment Ratio Ratios 2014 2015 Dividend Yield 1.5% 2.2% Dividend Payout Ratio 0.18 0.26 The dividend yield has improved in 2015 as compared to 2014. This is due to an increase in the market price of shares of Barratt Developments. The dividends paid has also increased significantly in 2015, it has been almost double of what was paid in 2014. The dividend paid is more than the increase in market value of the shares. This is good news for potential investors looking for a stable cash returns on their investment. However, it may be said that the company is not reinvesting its profits in the business to fuel growth and expansion and hence capital gains to the investors will be less. The dividend payout ratio has also increased owning to an increase in dividends paid. The increase in dividends paid is higher than the increase in profits. Recommendation and Conclusion From the above analysis, it is advisable to buy the shares of the company. This is looking at the financial performance in the years 2014 and 2015 and also since the housing market seems strong in Britain and the company is equipped with all necessary policies to carry out its business efficiently and thus make the most of the growing demand for houses, thus it is expected that the market value of the shares of Barratt Developments will further rise in the future. The profitability, liquidity, efficiency, financial stability and the investment ratios all show a positive result and hence gives the investors all the more reason to invest in the company. The managers of the company would be happy with the analysis as it shows increasing profits, it should only try to work on its efficiency ratio and also look at paying less dividends and rather reinvesting the profits to increase capital gains for the investors. References Morningstar, Barratt Developments Plc Financials, https://financials.morningstar.com/ratios/r.html?t=BDEVregion=gbrculture=en-US, 2015, (accessed 15th March, 2016) CSImarket, Construction Services Industry: Efficiency Information and Trends, https://csimarket.com/Industry/industry_Efficiency.php?ind=205, 2016, (accessed 15th March, 2016) FRC, Lab Project Report: Operating and Investing Cash Flows, the Financial Reporting Council Limited, 2012 Barratt Developments Plc, Barratt Development Plc Annual Report and Accounts, 2015, 2015 Ive, G., Murray, A., Trade Credits in the UK Construction Industry: An Empirical Analysis of Construction Contractor Financial Positioning and Performance, BIS Research paper no. 118, Department of Business Innovation and Skills, 2013 FRC, Disclosure of Dividends policy and practice, The Financial Reporting Council Limited, 2015 FRC, Lab Project Report: Reporting of Pay and Performance, The Financial Reporting Council Limited, 2013 Yahoo finance, Barratt Developments Plc, Historical Prices https://in.finance.yahoo.com/q/hp?s=BDEV.La=05b=30c=2014d=05e=30f=2015g=m, 2016, (accessed 15th March, 2016)

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

William Shakespeares Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

When discussing William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, one is to keep in mind the major themes of the play. First of all, it should be pointed out that one of the most common themes the tragedy represents seems to be the issue of revenge. Other important aspects are related to religion, fortune, fate, corruption, appearance vs. reality, providence, impossibility of certainty, mortality and complexity of action (Tinkham 2004, p. 2).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Generally, the main idea of the play is considered to be the impact of people’s actions on their future. †The ghost of Hamlet’s father does urge him to action† (Fredson 1966, p. 1). In other words, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is recognized to be one of the most required readings, as it discloses the issue of revenge and its consequences. On the other hand, the author wants his readers to be familiar with the effect of people’s thoughts. â€Å"Reducing all human concerns to sex and status leaves out all positive sociality, eliminating the interplay between impulses of dominance and impulses of affiliative, cooperative sociality† (Carroll 2010, p. 236). William Shakespeare’s tragedy is not easy to understand, as there are serious issues, which the author discusses. For instance, Shakespeare’s reflection of death and incest, gives us an opportunity to suppose that the play should not be studied by a young audience. It is obvious that â€Å"In Hamlet, the image of death is introduced from the very beginning† (Galita 2008, p. 29). Moreover, the language of an English playwright’s work is rather complicated; so, one can still fail to understand the essence of the author’s speech. On the other hand, it should be pointed out that the tragedy gives young readers an opportunity to develop critical thinking, â€Å"being able to better understand Shakespeare’s language, and hopefully coming to at least appreciate some of his other works because of the knowledge gained from this unit† (Waldo 2008, p. 10). Unfortunately, most of Shakespeare’s works are associated with negative connotations, as students cannot define the point of the plays.Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When speaking about a critical interpretation of Act four, scene five of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, it is necessary to define the major points of the part. So, scene five reflects Ophelia’s â€Å"madness†, Laertes, who â€Å"storms† the castle, and Ophelia and Laertes. The relationship between the main character Hamlet and Ophelia are rather unusual. For instance, at first sight, Hamlet’s feeling about Ophelia seems to be quite shallow. Thus, â€Å"he rejected her while she was alive; his behavior contributed to her madness, and it is upon her death, that he finally announces his undying love for her† (Compare Ophelia’s madness with Hamlet’s madness or feigned madness n. d., para. 3). The main character understands what real love means; however, his signs of consciousness are late. So, Hamlet says: Ham. I lov’d Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers Could not (with all their quantity of love) Make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her? (William Shakespeare: Hamlet 2005, p. 100). In my opinion, a deeper understanding of Hamlet’s feelings seems to be the effect of the so-called canonical pieces the tragedy includes. Ophelia’s affection reflects her position of a woman, who belongs to the noble class. Taking into account her conversation with the queen and the king, one can understand her inner nature. She is honest, and innocent. Her womanly character is reflected in all the phrases she says:Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Oph. (Sings) Larded all with sweet flowers; Which bewept to the grave did not go With true-love showers (William Shakespeare: Hamlet 2005, p. 79). Ophelia’s worldview is reflected in the language she speaks. There is a need to state that Ophelia’s descriptions have a symbolic meaning. Thus, she seems to represent an opposite side of a patriarchic community, and she is opposed to other characters who possess power. To my mind, Ophelia’s loss of identity is considered to be the key issue of the fourth Act. In Reading Ophelia’s Madness, the author writes, â€Å"Motherless and completely circumscribed by the men around her, Ophelia has been shaped to conform to external demands, to reflect others’ desires† (Dane 1998, p. 406). When reading the fo urth Act, it becomes obvious that Ophelia is accepted by the readers in different ways. However, I suppose that it was the desire of the playwright to leave the circumstances of her death unsure and inconsistent. Maybe the author â€Å"gives Gertrude this less than typical messenger performance (her only extended monologue in the play) and then provides for its immediate discrediting by the gravediggers. There is an epistemological gap in the text that cannot be filled in† (Peterson 1998, p. 257).Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While analyzing the fifth scene, it becomes evident that Ophelia is mostly associated with â€Å"the green girl of pastoral, the virginal Rose of May and the sexually explicit madwoman who, in giving away her wild flowers and herbs, is symbolically deflowering herself† (Showalter 2011, para. 1). Generally, the meaning of the fourth Act is really important, as this part gives the readers an opportunity to predict the future of the main characters on the basis of their actions. The fourth Act is one of the conclusive parts of the tragedy. The play is mostly based on the characters’ actions, but not the emotions as some readers think. References Carroll, J 2010, ‘Intentional Meaning in Hamlet: An Evolutionary Perspective,’ University of Missouri–St. Louis, pp. 230-260, http://www.engl.niu.edu/ojs/index.php/style/article/viewFile/114/64. ‘Compare Ophelia’s madness with Hamlet’s madness or feigned madness’, n. d., Unc. edu, ht tp://www.unc.edu/~holta/J50/drama/Holt–Drama15–blackboard- revision.doc. Dane, G 1998, ‘Reading Ophelia’s Madness’, Exemplaria: A Journal of Theory in Medieval and Renaissance Studies, pp. 405-23. Fredson, B 1966, ‘Elizabethan Revenge Tragedy 1587-1642’, Princeton: Princeton UP, pp. 1-2. Galita, R 2008, ‘Imagery of Death in Hamlet’, Galati University Press, pp. 29-37, http://ub- ro.academia.edu/RalucaGalita/Papers/251030/IMAGERY_OF_DEATH_IN_H AMLET. Peterson, K 1998, ‘Framing Ophelia: Representation and the Pictorial Tradition’, Shakespearean Criticism, pp. 255-62. Showalter, E 2011, ‘Commentary/Scholarly Articles on Ophelia’, Pittsburg State University – Pittsburg, Kansas, http://faculty.pittstate.edu/~knichols/ophelia.html. Tinkham, A 2004, ‘William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark,’ http://www.u.arizona.edu/~atinkham/Hamlet.ppt. Waldo, L 2008, ‘Revenge in Hamlet’, Uga.edu, pp. 2-38, http://www.coe.uga.edu/~smago/VirtualLibrary/Waldo_2008.pdf. ‘William Shakespeare: Hamlet’, 2005, Renascence Editions, pp. 1-112, https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/820/hamlet.p df. This essay on William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark was written and submitted by user Mariah Kline to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Impact of Technology on an Organization

Impact of Technology on an Organization Introduction Technology continues to play a pivotal part in the modern business world. Technological advancement steadily continues to become an integral part of the operations any company. Companies continue to adopt new technologies in enhancing their performance. The impacts of these technological adoptions, however, continue to be felt in numerous aspects of the company.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Impact of Technology on an Organization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The impacts form an internal and external influence to the business of the company. It becomes necessary to analyze the internal and external impacts of any technological adaptation in order to provide room for improvement. This analysis can also enable informed decision making by the board of a company. The Organization The coca-cola company is a multinational company supplying soft drink across globally. The company’s headquarter s lie in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States of America. Over the years, the company continues to create leadership in the manufacturing of non-alcoholic beverages globally. Though it began in 1886 with a single brand of soft drink, that situation has changed over the years. The company run over 500 globally recognized brands across the world. The company has effectively utilized franchise marketing, across the globe, to reach out to its customers in rural settings within third world countries (Dent, 2011). As a global leader within the industry, it employs the use of various technologies for maximizing sales across the world. Listing of the company in the New York stock exchange means that it operates as a limited liability company. The company defines its mission as striving to refresh the world. This, the company seeks to achieve through creating value and making a difference. The company continues to live up to its mission globally. The number of servings delivered daily is es timated at 1.7 billion across over 200 countries. The company utilizes franchised distribution for the distribution of its products worldwide. The company has employed this structure of distributing since 1889. The distributors get an allocation of the territory where they supply coca-cola products. This structure continues to ease the distribution burden on the company as the subcontracted organizations manage the distribution logistics. The company only distributes its products up to the bottlers’ level. The rest of the distribution channel is left to subcontracted companies and individuals. The company contains numerous subsidiaries running the operations of coca-cola in various countries.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The chairman of the company also acts at the chief executive for the company. The headquarters of the company are in Atlanta. All t he company operations run from that central place. The rest of the services are controlled through subsidiaries of coca-cola. Many of these subsidiaries operate as independent companies although few fall under the ownership of coca-cola. From the inception up to now, the company continues to adopt new technologies in delivering services and products. These technologies come in all operations of the company, from production to distribution. One of the notable technological advancement by coca-cola continues to be the use of vending machines. The impact of these machines on the organization cannot be ignored. The machines continue to play a crucial role in the operations of the coca-cola company. History of the vending machine A vending machine can be described as any machine dispensing items, to customers, automatically upon inserting currency. These machines had been in use since the 19th century when they were first employed commercially. The growing demand for coca-cola products c an be attributed to the integration of the vending machines into the selling system of the company. With a global rise in the demand for products, especially in the populated areas, there came a need for an invention to cater for those numbers. The demand for coca-cola products in office blocks seemed to be rising as days progressed. The mode of selling using sales men could not efficiently cater for the desires of the growing number of customers. This led to the use of automated machines to dispense products to customers. The machines had been used in other industries in dispensing products. Post offices extensively utilized these machines in the sale of postage stamps. Introduction of these machines can be traced to the years after the First World War. Before this time, the company used service packs as a way of catering to large numbers of people in highly populated place. The vending machines allow for a reduced number of employees while supplying the products to a wide range of people (Philippine de TSerclaes, 2007). The technology vending machines were installed in the regions where there was a substantial demand for the products. The employees of coca-cola would only need to check that the levels of the products do not drop. The company first installed the machines in the American region. They were initially installed to enable the company sell to many people and not for convenience. The burden on the employees conducting selling activities was also eased with the adoption of the vending machines. The technology continued to be distributed to other regions of the world following the same criterion of installation. Other competing companies in the industry accelerated the trend. It became common for each soft drinks beverage company to provide an automated vending machine at various selling points across the world.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Impact of Technology on an Organization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since the setting in of competition for technology, companies install their vending machines in proximity to competitors. This continues to help companies within the beverage industry achieve improved sales in new regions. In the modern times, these machines are placed in every soft drink outlet in leading cities of the world. The maturity of this technology came with the recognition and the extensive use of technology in almost all industries. In the food industry, the technology of vending machines continues to be used even in the portioning of food. Better control can be achieved when machines are utilized as opposed to the employment of human capital. The technology has allowed for a full time supply of soft drinks in places where this was not possible. The acceptance of this technology by many countries played a significant role in the maturity of the technology. This has seen the machines offering selective services. The soft drink vending machines of the earlier days could only sell a specified brand of drink. The modern machines offer a variety of up to five different brands of soft drinks. The technological advancement has also increased the efficiency of the machines. Privately owned machines can sell not only different brands, but also brands from different companies. Independent machine companies continue to construct machines targeting other establishments like restaurants. The restaurants posses the rights to the machines and can sell a mixture of hot and cold drinks from a single dispensing machine. Owing to numerous regulations set in the 21st century, the technology of vending machines continues to advance in conformity to standards. Impact of vending machine on the organization The adoption of this technology continues to produce immense impact on the operations of the coca-cola company. The global marketing business receives a surmountable boost from the use of vending machines. The various aspects of the company showing significant impacts are discussed below. Customers The company established itself as a global leader in the manufacturing of non-alcoholic soft drinks long ago. Maintaining this position continues to be essential for the company. The use of this technology has impacted the way customers purchase coca-cola products. The vending machines continue to provide refreshments to customers around the globe in a similar manner.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Customers can access similar quality of drinks whenever they travel to across the entire world. The availability of these products continues to provide the desired satisfaction on the customers. The technology is unified in all countries it is used. This provides customers with a service they can identify from any country. With differing technological advancements around the globe, the use of standard vending machines continues to standardize the technology in different nations. This allows customers from third world countries, to use the machines in developed nations. Employees The coca-cola company contains an estimated 140,000 employee base in all countries where it operates (The Coca-Cola Company, 2011). The company has employed this technology across all regions equally. The employees continue to reap the benefits of the technology. To the employees, the technology allows them to conduct a lot of sales under minimum effort. An employee can singlehandedly sell to an entire offic e block without getting exhausted. The main chores involve replenishing the drinks and other disposable materials in the machine. This makes the selling aspect for the employees extremely easy. The area of coverage by an individual also increases through utilizing this technology. The general output of employees continues to increase as an impact of the adoption of the vending machine technology. The technology has helped create numerous jobs not related to the manufacturing of soft drinks. The company has integrated the services of engineers and programmers to operate the machines. The programmers’ work in the machines includes, adjusting prices when a change occurs. They also work to ensure the prices are maintained globally as the exchange rates for currencies keep on changing. Society The vending machines have also had an impact on society. The society has been transformed immensely through the use of vending machines. The machines have eliminated the salesmen who used to be positioned at strategic points selling coca-cola products. The crowding along the streets of cities across the world caused by these salesmen continues to reduce with the installation of vending machines. Cities continue to improve on the appearance as advertisements can be run on the machines. The machines occupy small spaces and can, therefore, be linked to the de-congesting of pedestrian footpaths in cities. The industry The machines have transformed how selling is conducted in the industry. The use of credit cards in the 21st century continues to be extensively utilized in many industries. Through these machines, the industry has adopted the use of credit cards in the purchase of soft drinks. Some machines have the capability to accept credit card payments for drinks dispensed. This has changed the way purchasing of soft drinks is conducted. The industry continues to experience new technological advancements through the vending machines. The industry has been able to operate many points of sale run directly by the company. While franchising is common as a mode of selling, it cuts the profits a company receives. Elimination of the franchising aspect has increased the level of profits realized by the companies in the industry. The vending machines also help the industry achieve product standardization in terms of packaging (Peter Martin, 2010). Since the machines can only accept cans of a certain size, the companies manufacture that size of cans. This standardization makes purchasing decisions easy to make for customers products based on other considerations apart from appearance. The machines can also be said to limit the design creativity for products. When a company wants to change its packaging design, the vending machine has to be changed. To avoid the expenses that may be incurred, the companies within the industry continue to restrict themselves to old packaging designs. Ramifications of the technology The company continues to encounter numerous c omplications relating to the application of the vending machine technology. Many of the issues of concern for the company are based on the environment and climate change. The material used in the packaging of products available in the machines continues to pollute the environment. Most of the products contained in the vending machines are packaged in plastic of metal. Since a majority of the people who purchase from the machines are on transit, this encourages littering with the packets. The disposal of the packaging material has been an issue of concern within the company. Though the company has adopted the use of recyclable materials, the challenge to curb littering continues to exist. These machines have been faulted as the origin a sizeable percentage of litter found on major cities’ streets. The vending machines have been identified as causing a considerable level of contribution towards gas emission. The United Nations summit on climate change in Copenhagen came up with a solution to reduce greenhouse gas effects. The company and its partners also agreed to use hydro fluorocarbon-free vending machines and coolers by 2015 (The Coca-Cola Company, 2011). This aims at ensuring the company plays a leading role in the conservation of the environment. The challenge to construct vending machines complying with the set rules has been identified by the company as its principal role going into the future. The company continues to urge other companies in the soft drink industry to follow suit in the adoption of hydro fluorocarbon-free coolers and vending machines. Recommendations The adoption of this technology has tremendously improved the operations of the coca-cola company. There can be several recommendations that the company can adopt to deal with the challenges facing the technology. The company should seek to partner with the other players in the industry to come up with environmentally friendly vending machines. This would reduce the costs incurred by the company in the construction and installation of such machines. While reducing costs, this partnership would also allow exchange of technology between the various employees for the companies. The company should seek to work in close relationship with the local authorities within areas where the vending machines are installed. This partnership with the local authorities would enable the company to come up with an innovative way of controlling littering. This would play a crucial role in improving the image of the company in association with clean environments. The company can also sponsor garbage collection companies collecting garbage in areas where littering from coca-cola products seems extensive. The company can be able to play a part in the cleaning of the environment through such a project. The company would be well placed using machines accepting only credit cards and no cash. As the company heads into the future, such machines would eliminate the problem of cash collectio n. Numerous incidents have been reported of employees being attacked after collecting money from machines. This would also reduce the losses incurred by the company when a machine is attacked. Losses in such scenarios would only be of the unsold drinks. In the current system, successful burglary of a machine results in the loss of the unsold drinks and the sales. Using electronic payments, the company can secure the sales in the event of a burglary act. Such machines can also ensure profitability as the pricing can be set using a single currency. This would ease the problem of converting sales affected by fluctuating rates of different currencies across the world. The company should seek to partner with distributors to provide security in machines located within an area allocated to the distributor. This shall immensely improve reduce cases of burglary of the machines. The machines can also be partly owned by the distributors to ensure the distribution of the risk between the compan y and the distributor. This shall reduce the amount of losses incurred on the company as parts shall be transferred to the distributor. Partnering with distributors can also ensure that the company locates the machines in convenient, strategic locations. The company can utilize the distributor knowledge of the area to identify the strategic positions to place the machines. Conclusion The coca cola company has adopted the use of vending machines to ease the supply of their products. The company continues to advance the technology by improving the machine to comply with modern technology (Peter Martin, 2010). The impacts of the machines on the company have both been negative and positive. With significant advancements and rectifications on the existing machines, the company can improve the profitability of the venture significantly. This would in turn increase the total returns for the company. References Dent, J. (2011). Distribution Channels: Understanding and Managing Channels to M arket (2nd Ed.). London: Kogan Page ltd. Peter Martin, G. H. (2010). Automation Made Easy: Everything You Wanted to Know about Automation and need to ask. New York: International Society of Automation. Philippine de TSerclaes, N. J. (2007). Mind the gap: quantifying principal-agent problems in energy efficiency. Paris: International Enegy Agency. The Coca-Cola Company. (2011). Goals Performance. Web.

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Health Care Reform - Essay Example Public policy addresses a wide range of issues ranging from crime to education to health, and social welfare. Many policies are similar in countries with similar structure of governments and ideals. Creation of public policy is a long well checked and all- inclusive process that ensures that only the best policies are formulated. Some scholars have simply defined public policy as the action, laws measures of regulation, and funding priorities covering a given topic put into action by a government or its proxies. Public policy is in many cases enshrined "in constitutions, acts of parliament, and judicial decisions. Public policy is divided into domestic and foreign policy. Domestic policy Domestic policy is the area of public policy concerned with government programs, laws, and administrative decisions that cover the happenings within a country’s borders and that attempt at bettering the lives of the citizens within the country. Health care Health care is an important sector th at affects the whole population and which governments ought to give due weight when formulating policies on the same. It is the duty of every government to ensure that the general populace is in good health. This ensures not only people having faith in the government, but also maximum productivity in all other sectors. In formulating policy, the government must consider accessibility to health care where all citizens need to be in a position to physically access health facilities. The government must also consider the affordability of the same and ensure health care is not too costly for the general populace. The government must also ensure that the quality of care for its citizenry. Recent times have seen many governments attempt to reform their health sector. Among the reforms that have been attempted most is broadenings section of the population that accesses health and medical care coverage through use of either public sector or private sector insurance programs or companies res pectively. The governments have also put in place measures to expand the choice of health care providers such that consumers have the opportunity to choose. Efforts to improve quality of health care through use of up-to-date equipment and proper training of Health care providers have been put in place. Various attempts have also been put in place to ensure reduced costs of health care. The United States is one of the countries that have put in place innumerable measures to ensure that its citizens get high quality, easily accessible and affordable health care. Health care in the United States. There are a wide range of health care providers in the United States. The United States domestic policy makers place a great emphasis on the country’s health care systems. The United States government is ranked fourth in the world in the per capita spending on health at $3,426 behind. The only countries ahead of the US in this respect are Monaco, Norway and Luxembourg, all of which have a higher GDP per capita than the US. However the efforts have not had enough effect as the country is ranked 50th in the world life expectancy at 78.49. This falls behind the life expectancies of most developed and some developing countries. Life expectancy is one of the biggest indices of health care quality. The country has higher infant mortality rates than most developed countries.

Saturday, February 8, 2020

The Ethnic Groups in Southeast Asia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Ethnic Groups in Southeast Asia - Essay Example But there are oral accounts in the form of folk tales, out of which some suggest that Burma is indeed their original home, but there are some folk tales which point towards their origin being China. The Karens have script of their own as well, which is often termed as 'chicken scratch script' because the script resembles the scratches made by the movement of a chicken when it moves on sand or soft soil. Smith (2003) stated that, "until the annexation of Burma in the nineteenth century, the Karens were largely a hill of forest-dwelling people without a written literature.as a result, the Karens appear as an ethnic group very much on the fringes of the recorded history." Myanmar has at least 15 major ethnic groups with Burman (Bamar) comprising about half the population. The population of Karen is the next highest with 6-7 million people. The last comprehensive census with ethnicity count was held in the year 1931, under the British Colonial government. Thereafter the Burmese government avoided the questions about separate ethnic identity (Bowles, 2000). Basically, the Karen tribe is known to be agriculturists, with Buddhism being the predominant religion amongst the tribe. A belief amongst the Karen tribe is that historically they have come from a place called "Thibi Kawbi". This is termed as their representation of Tibet and southern Gobi desert. As time passed, gradually during the 18th century, Karen began to move down south towards Thai Payap (old northern kingdom of Siam)1. The Karen tribe have been demanding an independent identity and land for them since early 1880s, with the formation of Karen National Association. At that time, Burma was under the colonial rule of Britain. After independence of Burma in January 1948, they tried to have a peaceful existence under the banner of Karen National Union (KNU), with some important posts in the government offered to Karen people. Situation started changing after the Military junta took over the country in 1960s. Subsequently, the demand for a separate land for Karen became more voc al. The military junta started adopting oppressive measures after it took over. As a result, a large number of Karen people were forced to leave their homes and fled into bordering Thailand with the result that many thousands of Karen are now living in Thailand, Australia and elsewhere as refugees. The strength of Karen fighters depleted with Burmese army declaring a full scale war against them in early 1990s and by 1995 the KNU headquarters at Manerplaw fell to Burmese army. Culture and Religion The brass rings around the necks of Karen tribe people are stated to be because of a number of reasons2. Some say it is done to prevent tigers from biting them; appears to be a credible defense, because the tiger prefers to pull the life out of a human being with a firm grip around the neck. Another version is that it is practiced to make women less attractive, so that there is less likelihood of them being captured by the slave traders. But, there is still another version which finds that this is being practiced to make women for attractive, so that they are able to attract a better husband. Besides the neck ring, large sized ear-rings also make an important component of the beauty products of the womenfolk. As the age of young girls increases the size

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Women’s Rights in Tunisia Essay Example for Free

Women’s Rights in Tunisia Essay During a Conference held in 2002, members of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women commended Tunisia today for its great strides forward in promoting equality between men and women, and urged it to withdraw its reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. [Acting in their personal capacity, the Committees 23 experts from around the world monitor compliance with the Convention, which requires States parties to eliminate discrimination against women in enjoyment of all civil, political, economic and cultural rights. Tunisia ratified that human rights instrument in 1980, with reservations to several articles of the Convention, including article 9 on nationality, article 15 on womens choice of residence and domicile, and article 16 on womens equality in marriage and divorce. The countrys first and second reports were considered by the Committee in 1995.] As the Committee discussed Tunisias third and fourth reports during two meetings , experts commended the Governments strong political will to implement the Convention through numerous amendments to national legislation and measures to improve de facto gender equality. Besides many institutions and programmes for gender equality, the experts noted Tunisias efforts to integrate women in development and reduce illiteracy, maternal mortality and womens health problems. It was encouraging to see the countrys efforts to harmonize the provisions of Islam with the human rights approach, which integrated law and policy in a holistic way, speakers said. To improve the situation of women in the family, the country had done away with polygamy and introduced the concept of partnership in marriage under its personal code. Warning the country against complacency and resting on its laurels, however, experts pointed out that despite impressive achievements, patriarchal stereotypes still hindered progress in Tunisia in many respects. A large portion of the countrys female population was still illiterate and unaware of its rights. To rectify the situation, it was important to educate the people and raise womens awareness of their human rights. Addressing concerns about Tunisias reservations to the Convention, members of the delegation said the country would consider withdrawing its reservations in the future, but, for the time being, its main goal was to develop means of implementing womens rights and giving them a higher profile. At present, the country was doing everything in its power to implement the Convention. Above and beyond legislation, institutional machinery had been established to make equal rights a practical reality for all Tunisian women. A set of initiatives was under way to implement the national strategy on gender issues. [According to the countrys responses to questions by the Committees pre-session working group (document CEDAW/PSWG/2002/II/CRP.2/Add.2), in line with article 9, paragraph 2, of the Convention regarding equal rights in transferring nationality, Tunisias nationality code had been amended as far as acquisition of Tunisian nationality by a child born abroad of a Tunisian mother and an alien father was concerned. In connection with article 15 of the Convention, the document explains that freedom of choice of residence is guaranteed under the Constitution, but to ensure stability and cohesion of families, the law provided for a conjugal duty of cohabitation, incumbent on both spouses. With respect to Tunisias numerous reservations in connection with article 16 of the Convention on womens equal rights during marriage and upon its dissolution, Tunisia explains that a major development in that respect has been the abolition of the wifes duty to obey her husband. With respect to divorce, the countrys personal code now allows the wife to request and obtain a divorce under the same terms as her husband. By further amendments to the personal code, the country has protected the wife against attempts to manipulate divorce proceedings against her interests. The countrys law now stipulates that both parents should cooperate in managing the familys affairs, including childrens education, travel and financial transactions. Yet another amendment has given a say in the childs affairs to the father, guardian and mother.] Among other issues highlighted in the debate were problems associated with prostitution, the age and conditions of marriage, the situation of women prisoners, Tunisian inheritance laws, matrimonial property, and the countrys achievements in education. Background The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women met to consider the combined third and fourth reports of Tunisia (document CEDAW/C/TUN/3-4), submitted in compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. Tunisia ratified the Convention in 1980. The report notes that womens rights in Tunisia have been strengthened, their roles diversified and their image enhanced. It details various measures taken to advance the status of women through the countrys Personal Status Code, several international conventions on womens rights, and internal reform. Such measures ban discrimination in political parties, lay down principles for cooperation between spouses, establish the rights of women as individuals as well as daughters, wives and mothers, and bring in more balanced individual and civil rights. A major amendment to the Personal Status Code aims to eliminate the link between women and submission, which represents a break from the former treatment of women as inferior beings. Another major innovation obliges women to contribute to the familys expenses, recognizing the economic role of women. Under the Code, however, the husband remains head of the family, albeit in an economic rather than domineering role, as the provider for his wife and children. The report states that Tunisia has attempted to combat sexist stereotypes through the celebration of National Womens Day on 13 August, through an exhibition called Women through the Ages, through revision of school textbooks to remove inferior images of women and through the media. Several mechanisms have been set up to improve the medias portrayal of women, including the Commission for Monitoring the Image of Women in the Media, an observatory within the Centre for Research, Documentation and Information on Women that monitors the image of women, and the Tahar Haddad Prize for a balanced image of women in the media. In addition, the Ministry for Women and Family Affairs is developing a communications strategy to change attitudes towards women and also ensure that human rights become part of family life, using radio, television and the press as well as intermediaries working in the family environment. Efforts have also been made to combat violence within the family, the report continues. For example, an article of the Penal Code which granted attenuating circumstances to husbands who had murdered adulterous wives has been repealed. Husbands who murder their wives now face life imprisonment, and those who practice marital violence are subject to two-year prison terms as well as a fine. According to 1998 statistics, 3,600 women representing 0.21 per cent of families instituted legal proceedings against their husbands. The countrys Child Protection Code now shields children from any form of violence, and a body of regional child protection officers takes preventive action when the health or physical and mental integrity of a child is threatened. Officers may take measures to eliminate the source of the threat or temporarily place the child with a foster family or social institution. The report notes that prostitution has declined as Tunisian women have become more emancipated, and several establishments have closed. In 1998, the number of authorized prostitutes came to 422 in a total of 15 establishments. The remaining brothels are subject to strict medical and health controls by the Ministry of Public Health. The report states, however, that Tunisian society is tolerant of prostitution, and the practice can be only gradually reduced as relationships between men and women based on equality and reciprocity are strengthened. Regarding political and public life, the report states that the number of women in the Chamber of Deputies increased from 1.12 per cent in 1957 to 11.5 per cent in 1999, or 21 women out of a total 182 deputies. In 1998, the Higher Magistracy Council comprised 28 members, including two women. Since 1983, two women have also held ministerial office, as Minister of Public Health and Minister for Women and Family Affairs. In the late 1990s, women accounted for over one quarter of civil servants, 34.4 per cent of the banking sector and 48 per cent of the health sector. The role of women has also increased in ministerial departments, the economy, entrepreneurship, social and educational care facilities and in public life. Tunisian women have become increasingly active as international representatives, accounting for 14.3 per cent of the diplomatic corps in 1999, as compared to 9.1 per cent in 1993, as well as in international forums, intergovernmental and NGOs (non-governmental organizations). In the field of education, gaps between girls and boys at all levels are quickly closing, the report states. Promotion rates for both sexes have increased at an almost identical pace, but girls are now ahead. In higher education, the proportion of women rose from 37.2 per cent in 1988 to 50.4 per cent in 2000. Despite those figures, female illiteracy remains high at 36.3 per cent, compared to 17.7 per cent among men in the same age groups. A national programme to combat illiteracy has been set up to eliminate illiteracy among the 15-44 age group, narrow the difference in illiteracy between males and females, and prevent any backslide into illiteracy. Regarding employment, some 65.6 per cent of Tunisians are employed in the urban areas and 34.4 per cent in rural regions. Women hold 24.6 per cent of jobs in urban areas and only 20 per cent in rural areas, although the latter figure has climbed from 17.6 per cent in 1989. Tunisias legal system has gradually shifted towards integrating women in employment on the basis of equal skills, equal pay, and the demand for female employment grew consistently between 1993 and 1997. A priority objective under the countrys Ninth Development Plan is to more effectively integrate women into economic activity by giving them access to new technologies, improving their professional qualifications, achieving equal opportunities in training and retraining, and promoting equal opportunities in investment. Tunisia has also made gains in the field of womens health, which has been specifically recognized as a main component of the countrys overall health system, the report states. Currently, 90.6 per cent of basic health centres offer maternal and child health services. Due to improved living conditions and national programmes for women and children, including those providing immunization, fighting diarrheal diseases and enhancing prenatal follow-up and delivery, child mortality declined from 150 per 1,000 live births in 1966 to 45 in 1990. The adoption in the 1990s of a risk-free maternity approach reduced the child mortality rate to 27.2 per 1,000 by 1997. The mortality rate for women of childbearing age (15-49) fell from 1.6 per 1,000 live births in 1985 to 0.66 per 1,000 in 1994. Contraceptive use rose from 49.8 per cent in 1984 to 65.6 per cent in 1998 in Tunisia. In addition, abortion is now part and parcel of human rights for women, which makes Tunisia the first Muslim country to permit it. However, a significant gap remains between urban and rural areas in attitudes towards abortion, and there are pockets of resistance in the south and central west of the country. The report notes that the State has made considerable efforts to ensure access to basic health care as well as to maternal and reproductive health care. Attention is devoted to the health of women at various stages of their lives. But persistent gaps remain in some areas between the medical means employed and the results recorded. The Ninth Development Plan has rightly emphasized the need for better supervision of womens health in particular, including mental health, by stepping up prevention. In the financial field, womens access to home loans and income-generating credit has been increasingly encouraged by public authorities to strengthen the role of women in development. The creation of new finance mechanisms as well as a new system of micro-credit should open up new and promising horizons for women who have difficulty accessing traditional forms of bank credit. Diversification of micro credit sources will help strengthen both average and vulnerable social groups, the report states, favouring an increasingly active role for women undertaking small projects in the informal sector. According to the report, rural women have benefited from technical and financial support in the fields of agriculture and handicrafts. It highlights efforts to improve education, literacy, access to health services, and employment, to assist women farmers and craftswomen, and set up anti-poverty and other governmental programmes to assist agriculture and urban development. The quality of rural life had improved considerably, due to a combination of regional development policy, overall sectoral policies and efforts of the National Solidarity Fund and the Tunisian Solidarity Bank. New mechanisms and the launch of regional plans of action for rural women should open up real prospects for self-development and better living conditions, and the access of women to various services, including employment and production support. Tunisian women have also gained in the legal area, the report states. Women now have the right to conclude contracts in their own name, dispose of property, serve as administrators of estates and institute proceedings before any court. Other legal rights include access to judicial office, the right to choose their home, equality and partnership within the family, possession of their dowries, mutual respect between spouses, and the right of women to own, acquire, retain and dispose of property. A new era had been marked in the further strengthening of womens rights in Tunisia, as enshrined in the countrys Constitution of 1959. That Constitution promulgated equal political, economic and social rights and duties for men and women. Since the formation of the new Government in 1987, Tunisia has witnessed an important quantitative jump forward in the promotion and consolidation of womens status within the family and society as a whole, as well as a strengthening of their role in the development of the country. In this respect, Tunisia has implemented a comprehensive strategy to develop womens capacities and protect them against all forms of discrimination. The approach adopted was one in which democracy and development were closely related and solidarity and tolerance were complementary.   Since August 1992 Tunisia has fostered partnerships between women and men in the management of family affairs and of children, as well as in the areas of employment, social security and other fields related to civil and economic relations. She said that since the 1990s, Tunisia has been active in the development of a comprehensive system of mechanisms and programmes, such as the Committee on Women and Development, a planning methodology based on social gender. Tunisia had responded positively to the recommendations and working methodologies flowing from discussion of the countrys first and second reports in 1995. Various actions and decisions have been taken moves considered as breakthroughs in the consolidation of the status of Tunisian women. Among them were establishment of a committee on the image of women in the media and a national committee for the promotion of rural women. Tunisias determination to enhance the status of women by developing its legislative system is one of the options pursued in line with societys developing needs. Since 1995, Tunisia has passed legislation introducing a joint ownership scheme for couples; granting women the right to give their own family name to children born of unknown fathers and the opportunity for gene testing to prove parenthood; giving Tunisian women married to non-Tunisians the right to confer Tunisian citizenship on children born outside the country. This could be done by making a mere declaration when the father was dead, legally incapacitated or missing. Tunisia is proud of its success in achieving equal rights between men and women in most sectors. The eradication of illiteracy was another of the objectives of the comprehensive development schemes adopted by Tunisia. Female illiteracy rates has dropped from 80.4 per cent in 1966 to 36.2 per cent in 1999. Tunisia has also initiated a national adult literacy programme in April 2000 to reinforce the programme already in place. These programmes sought to reduce illiteracy rates to 20 per cent by 2004.Promoting the economic capacity of women, facilitating their access to appropriate vocational training, and encouraging them to set up small- and medium-sized enterprises were some of the highest priorities in the strategy for the promotion of Tunisias women. The ratio of girls benefiting from vocational training had increased from 27 per cent in 1996 to 35 per cent in 2000. The number of women benefiting from micro-project mechanisms had similarly increased, with the proportion of women granted loans rising to as high as 35 per cent in 2001 from 10 per cent in 1997. Tunisian women have gained access to all fields of employment and public life, their participation rate reaching 25 per cent in 2000. Today, women accounted for one out of two teachers, one out of three doctors, one out of four magistrates, 25.2 per cent of all journalists, and 14 per cent of all executive positions in public administration. Tunisia had not excluded anyone from its development plan, adding that women in both rural and urban areas had actively benefited from adequate care, allowing them to participate in economic and social programmes. There has been a dramatic increase in decision-making positions for women. Their presence in Parliament has increased from 7 per cent in 1995 to 11.5 per cent today. Women accounted for 9.3 per cent of government positions; such achievements would not have been accomplished were it not for the staunch political determination and firmly-rooted belief that democracy could not be achieved. Tunisia is unwavering its determination to safeguard all the gains so far made and to continue its efforts to eradicate all forms of discrimination against women.   Associations play a major part in the countrys development effort. As womens rights come centre-stage within the universal system of human rights, and as the number of worldwide initiatives to consolidate the status of women increases, Tunisia is determined to further develop its programmes and form forces with other countries and regions as well as international institutions and bodies.