Economy of Russia Essay

Russia as a country has transformed significantly since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The economy has changed from a globally-isolated, centrally-planned economy to a more globally-integrated market based economy. The economy of Russia has gone through fluctuations since then to emerge as the eight largest by its purchasing power parity (PPP) in 2009 estimates (CIA, 2010). The Russian economy is largely dependent on the export of raw materials and natural resources, specifically oil and gas. Other resources include precious minerals, fishing, and agriculture. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia has undergone two major economic crises. They are the 1998 Russian Financial Crisis and the 2008 Russian Financial Crisis which was a part of the 2008 Global Economic Crisis. This article will examine the performance of the Russian economy after the two crises. In addition, the article will evaluate the current performance of the economy of Russia. The 1998 Russian Economic Crisis After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia undertook major economic reforms to transform its economy closed centrally planned socialist economy into a capitalistic market economy. According to the CIA Factbook, the most notable economic reforms in the 1990s were the privatization of enterprises that belonged to the state and the removal of Soviet price controls. The CIA notes further that the rapid privatization of the state enterprises (except in defense and energy related sectors) essentially handed over the enterprises to a few politically connected individuals popularly referred to as ‘the Russian oligarchs’ making equity ownership concentrated to a few. It was during this time that Pinto, Gurvich, and Ulatov noted that the country was plagued with corruption, financial manipulations, and capital looting (capital flight). In 1997, the Asian Financial Crisis began and this led to the fall in commodity prices. As the crisis spread economies heavily dependent on exports were highly affected. Russia’s economy being heavily dependent on world prices was hit hard. Pinto et al point out that the exchange rate of the ruble against the foreign currency was artificially fixed and the subsequent fiscal deficit accelerated the crisis. During the Asian Financial Crisis, the demand for oil and minerals declined and this affected the foreign currency reserves for the country. Poor management of the situation such as Russia’s Central Bank maintenance of the Ruble within a narrow range in the middle of the crisis by using the available foreign reserves made the situation worse. The poor measures resulted in the investors pulling off and inflation rising to over 80 per cent. The bail out offered by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank did not help the situation. Several banks closed and the government debt increased considerably. The 2008 Russian Economic Crisis The Russian economic crisis of 2008 was an extension of the global economic crisis 2008-2009. A report prepared by the World Bank pointed out that although the Russian economy was better prepared to withstand the financial crisis, its dependence on export of limited commodities made it succumb to the crisis. According to the report, the crisis caused a decrease in capital flows as investors withdrew across the world markets, the credit crunch affected the banking system in Russia, the decrease in demand for oil eroded the fiscal and foreign reserves of the country, and the stock market suffered from the uncertainty of demand for oil (4). The International Monetary Fund noted that anti-crisis measures such as the states guarantee on loans to support the banking sector, the cutting of the interest rate by the Russian Central Bank, and the states support for the housing and car manufacturing helped in managing the crisis. Recession of the Russian economy slowed down and the economy has shown positive signs for recovery although slower than before the crisis. After going through the 1998 economic crisis, Russia undertook some policy and structural reforms with aim of cushioning the Russian economy against such a crisis as well as promoting economic growth and development. The structural reforms were necessary to create regulatory and institutional conditions for business and reduce the administrative risks. Some of the measures that were taken to counter the crisis, according to the World Bank (18- ) include devaluation of the ruble, cash infusion in to the market, tax reforms, privatization, and review of international trade policy. When the ruble was devalued, there was a sudden increase in the price of imported commodities but the move benefited the local industries and they were able to pay off their debts. The local enterprises also benefited from the cash infusion by the state, which in turn led to an increase in the demand for Russian commodities and services. The tax reforms were aimed at creating an enabling environment to stimulate the resumption of economic growth by reducing the tax burden. The reforms were aimed at corporate profit tax, VAT, and the removal of tax privileges that were not justified. The privatization process identified corporations that were to be privatized in 1999 and others in 2000. The international trade policy required reviewing to take into account the devalued ruble and the fluctuating price and demand for oil and raw materials. The Russian government also introduced the stabilization fund to hedge against the fluctuating international oil prices. The recovery from the crisis was however accelerated by the rise in international demand and price of oil. The Russian economy had fallen due to decrease in demand for oil and when the demand rose, the economy started to recover. 2008 Economic Crisis The government of Russia undertook intervention measures to manage the recent economic crisis and ensure that the country was on the way back to economic growth that had been achieved prior to the crisis. Some of the measures taken by the government were injecting funds and supporting the market. The government also offered bail outs for local corporations that relied heavily on foreign investment and hence highly susceptible to the changes in the global market. In addition, the government undertook further tax measures that saw the profit tax reduced to enable the corporations to remain operational. The government lifted import tariffs on industrial equipments to enable the rejuvenation of the affected companies. In a similar scenario to the 1998 crisis, the comeback of the Russian economy occurred after the increase in the international demand for oil. Current Russian Economic Status and Future Prospects According to the IMF, the economy of Russia has recovered from decline but is yet to recover to the levels that it had achieved prior to the crisis. The IMF projects that the Russian economy will 3. 6 per cent in 2010 up from a low of negative 7. 5 per cent. Russian economy is highly susceptible to economic crises due to its overdependence on the commodity markets. This has been evident from the two economic crises that have hit the country since the fall of the Soviet Union. Therefore, for the Russian economy to grow and cushion itself against the fluctuating international prices for commodities there is an urgent need to diversify the composition of the economy. The government of Russia has already taken measures such as investing in the information sector and has risen to become the world third largest software exporter as well as outsourcing. In addition, the government has encouraged the development of agriculture and manufacturing industry through technological and organizational modernization. The agriculture has improved with Russia becoming a net grain exporter rather than a net grain importer as was the case a few years ago. The economic reforms that have been undertaken by the Russian government have the ability to promote the development of a stable economy in the future. Russia is set to gain from the structural reforms that have been instituted and with the vast richness in natural resources and economic diversification, the Russian economy is set to grow and stabilize. References Pinto, B, Gurvich, E and Ulatov, S. â€Å"Lessons from the Russian Crisis of 1998 and Recovery† The World Bank. 2004 â€Å"Russia† CIA World Factbook. 28 April, 2010. 11 May, 2010. â€Å"Russian Federation† The International Monetary Fund. N. d 11 May 2010. < http://www. imf. org/external/country/rus/rr/> â€Å"Russian Federation† The World Bank. 2010. 11 May 2010. < http://web. worldbank. org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/RUSSIANFEDERATIONEXTN/0, menuPK: 305605~pagePK: 141159~piPK: 141110~theSitePK: 305600, 00. html>

Kant

IMMANUEL KANT’S THEORY Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) discussed many ethical systems and reasonings. Some were based on a belief that the reason is the final authority for morality. In Kant's eyes, reason is directly correlated with morals and ideals. Actions of any sort, he believed, must be undertaken from a sense of duty dictated by reason, and no action performed for appropriateness or solely in obedience to law or custom can be regarded as moral. A moral act is an act done for the â€Å"right† reasons. Kant would argue that to make a promise for the wrong reason is not moral you might as well not make the promise.You must follow a certain code in order to find truth behind your actions. Kant believed that you should treat everyone with value, dignity, and respect. Our reasoning ability will always allow us to know what our duty is. Kant described two types of common commands given by reason: the hypothetical imperative, which dictates a given course of action to reach a specific end; and the categorical imperative, which dictates a course of action that must be followed because of its rightness and necessity.The categorical imperative is the basis of morality and was stated by Kant in these words: â€Å"Act as if the maxim of your action were to become through your will and general natural law. † Therefore, before proceeding to act, we must decide what rule we need to follow if we were to act, whether we are willing for that rule to be followed by everyone all over. Kant believes that moral rules have no exceptions. It is wrong to kill in all situations, even those of self-defense. This belief comes from the Universal Law theory.Since we would never want murder to become a universal law, then it has to be not moral at all. Kant believes killing could never be universal, therefore it is wrong in each and every situation. There are never any extenuating circumstances, such as self-defense. I believe Kant is right in making certain moral and e thical codes exempt from being a universal law because there shouldn't be different rules for different laws. The rules and laws should apply to every situation. An act is either wrong or right, based on his universality law.For example, giving money to a homeless person just to get him/her to leave you alone would be judged not moral by Kant because it was done for the wrong reason. With Kants belief in mind; if the consequence of immoral behavior were dealt with in a legal structure, people would be prosecuted for â€Å"EVERYTHING† since there are no extenuating circumstances. Kant's categorical imperative is a tri-dynamic statement of philosophical thought:(1) â€Å"So act that the maxim of you could always hold at the same time as a principle establishing universal law. (2) â€Å"Act so as to treat humanity, whether in your own person in that of another, always as an end and never as a means only. ‘(3) â€Å"Act according to the maxims if a universally legislativ e member of a merely potential kingdom of ends. † In other words, Kant argues that particular action requires conscious thought of the rule governing the action. Whether if everyone should follow that rule, and if the rule is acceptable for universal action, it should be adopted. If the rule is unacceptable, then it should be rejected.In order to understand whether or not an action follows Kant's â€Å"categorical imperative,† we must prescribe those norms that we wish to be universal laws. We must make the judgment on whether or not universal ethics is possible. I believe that a bit of universality exists throughout the world; don't kill your neighbor, be kind to others, do not steal, etc. yet, individual perception of the world by people prevents the possibility of an all-encompassing universal code of ethics. I believe along with Kant that we should develop a friendship and code to help our fellow man.We all have a duty to treat others the way we want to be treated. The one thing I disagree with is that we should not be punished for doing good deeds to those even though we might find ourselves backed into a corner when dealing with these individual problems. Overall dealing with Kant's theory everyone should be truthful and abide by the universal code. We should follow his theory in treating everyone with value, dignity, and respect. Even though everyone should help others, I believe in some situations people have to be persuaded to help even though this goes against Kant's beliefs. Kant IMMANUEL KANT’S THEORY Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) discussed many ethical systems and reasonings. Some were based on a belief that the reason is the final authority for morality. In Kant's eyes, reason is directly correlated with morals and ideals. Actions of any sort, he believed, must be undertaken from a sense of duty dictated by reason, and no action performed for appropriateness or solely in obedience to law or custom can be regarded as moral. A moral act is an act done for the â€Å"right† reasons. Kant would argue that to make a promise for the wrong reason is not moral you might as well not make the promise.You must follow a certain code in order to find truth behind your actions. Kant believed that you should treat everyone with value, dignity, and respect. Our reasoning ability will always allow us to know what our duty is. Kant described two types of common commands given by reason: the hypothetical imperative, which dictates a given course of action to reach a specific end; and the categorical imperative, which dictates a course of action that must be followed because of its rightness and necessity.The categorical imperative is the basis of morality and was stated by Kant in these words: â€Å"Act as if the maxim of your action were to become through your will and general natural law. † Therefore, before proceeding to act, we must decide what rule we need to follow if we were to act, whether we are willing for that rule to be followed by everyone all over. Kant believes that moral rules have no exceptions. It is wrong to kill in all situations, even those of self-defense. This belief comes from the Universal Law theory.Since we would never want murder to become a universal law, then it has to be not moral at all. Kant believes killing could never be universal, therefore it is wrong in each and every situation. There are never any extenuating circumstances, such as self-defense. I believe Kant is right in making certain moral and e thical codes exempt from being a universal law because there shouldn't be different rules for different laws. The rules and laws should apply to every situation. An act is either wrong or right, based on his universality law.For example, giving money to a homeless person just to get him/her to leave you alone would be judged not moral by Kant because it was done for the wrong reason. With Kants belief in mind; if the consequence of immoral behavior were dealt with in a legal structure, people would be prosecuted for â€Å"EVERYTHING† since there are no extenuating circumstances. Kant's categorical imperative is a tri-dynamic statement of philosophical thought:(1) â€Å"So act that the maxim of you could always hold at the same time as a principle establishing universal law. (2) â€Å"Act so as to treat humanity, whether in your own person in that of another, always as an end and never as a means only. ‘(3) â€Å"Act according to the maxims if a universally legislativ e member of a merely potential kingdom of ends. † In other words, Kant argues that particular action requires conscious thought of the rule governing the action. Whether if everyone should follow that rule, and if the rule is acceptable for universal action, it should be adopted. If the rule is unacceptable, then it should be rejected.In order to understand whether or not an action follows Kant's â€Å"categorical imperative,† we must prescribe those norms that we wish to be universal laws. We must make the judgment on whether or not universal ethics is possible. I believe that a bit of universality exists throughout the world; don't kill your neighbor, be kind to others, do not steal, etc. yet, individual perception of the world by people prevents the possibility of an all-encompassing universal code of ethics. I believe along with Kant that we should develop a friendship and code to help our fellow man.We all have a duty to treat others the way we want to be treated. The one thing I disagree with is that we should not be punished for doing good deeds to those even though we might find ourselves backed into a corner when dealing with these individual problems. Overall dealing with Kant's theory everyone should be truthful and abide by the universal code. We should follow his theory in treating everyone with value, dignity, and respect. Even though everyone should help others, I believe in some situations people have to be persuaded to help even though this goes against Kant's beliefs.

Discuss the differing role of the therapeutic relationship in three Essay

Discuss the differing role of the therapeutic relationship in three different approaches to therapy - Essay Example g roles of the therapeutic relationship in three different approaches to therapy; namely, psychodynamic therapy, person-centered therapy, and systemic family therapy. Relevant theoretical concepts are included in the discussion, particularly how they are applied to practice. It also includes reflections on personal understanding of the topic as well as reaction to materials presented in the lectures. The psychodynamic therapy is a mainstream therapy that focuses on aspects of personality and is suited to problems that deal with personalities and current relationships (Holmes 2003). It is based on a multifaceted theory of human interaction and development and embraces all others of analytic nature. The approach undertaken in this therapy is one in which the therapist keeps his own personality out of the picture, which is considered a vital aspect, enabling him to play a â€Å"blank canvas† on whom clients can project deep feelings about themselves (ibid). The therapist is able to aid the client in understanding how personal disturbances affect him. The psychodynamic therapy is a long-term therapy that may go on for years since understanding what goes on inside the client takes a long period of time. In this paper, the role of psychodynamic therapy includes the following: Since psychodynamic therapy is a long-term therapy, the individual, through the help of the therapist, is able to view the things that affect his life and how largely it is affected. He helps in bringing to the surface an individual’s true feelings in order for a full understanding of the individual’s self. It is assumed that once one is aware of what really goes on in his mind; feelings about a painful experience will not come as painful. This is why the psychodynamic therapy’s role is to encourage patients unravel the real feelings playing up in their subconscious since through this unraveling, the client will be able to accept the painful experiences and their corresponding feelings. This

The strengths and weakness of the legal system in Somerville District Essay

The strengths and weakness of the legal system in Somerville District Court MA - Essay Example The district court is very active and deals with various cases on a normal working day. The courthouse is located somewhere between the Ten Hills neighborhood and Assembly Square. The District Court has looks a bit old with a few paint chippings on the side, a steeple and surrounding it is a few evergreen bushes. The court creates an avenue where cases are first directed in Somerville and Medford. Observations and opinion of Somerville District Court A visit at the Somerville District Court revealed some relevant facts about the courthouse and its daily routine and services. There were various facts that portrayed the court on the positive side and others that were a disadvantage or weakness to the operations and service of the district court. In an effort in relaying favorable and just services to the civilians of Somerville and Medford, the courthouse has put in place various departments and equipment that will assist in offering dependable services. Some of these necessary adjustm ents were identified as follows. First, one would notice that the courthouse is equipped with assisted listening devices that are available for use by civilians that have a special interest in specific cases. A court officer who is assigned to these devices and a telephone number is available for anyone to contact them through their lawyer to request for the equipment in case they need to utilize the devices during a court hearing. The courthouse has a direct an assigned civil case liaison manager whose office number is available for the public and can be contacted any time within the court working hours. The court also has an assigned criminal case liaising officer whose office can be reached anytime during the working hours of the week. One other important part of the courthouse, in terms of the physical setting is the accessibility-handicapped persons to the courthouse. All flours are handicap accessible and any person who seeks to have more information about handicap access can contact the assigned probation officer. One other important practice at the court is the schedule. The Somerville District court has an outlined schedule that outlines daily activities and type of hearings. It also outlines each event that the courthouse attends to on a weekly basis and when an interested party is allowed to come. For example on Wednesday the court attends to civil remand trials and motions, on Thursdays from nine in the morning the court is set to hear small claims, and on Thursday and Friday starting at nine in the morning the court attends to juvenile sessions. On a personal opinion, the courthouse was well equipped and laid out for a district court. The availability of office telephone numbers and assigned officers also allows smooth running of the courthouse. Accessibility is a key feature in a courthouse since it serves various people who have complications or needs that need assistance, hence the need for a handicap accessible courtroom. This also includes th e need to have the equipment required for assisted hearing. This a great improvement and advantageous to the court as they play a major role where the parties involved have specific hearing and communication difficulties. The courthouse also has its set of disadvantages that may cause poor service delivery at the courthouse. These setbacks include the following. To start with, Somerville District Courthouse does not have a childcare department. As a district court

Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs - Essay Example How the Drug Works Cognitive drugs enhance the mental functions of a person significantly. This works when a human brain’s neurotransmitter is stimulated causing a reaction. Dopamine is release in large quantities by neurons causing a human brain to be more active in remembering information, and attention and thinking is enhanced by the use of these drugs. Cognitive drugs were created for helping to cure mental disorders. A common example of such disorder is AHDH, which is a mental disorder common in infants. Cognitive drugs like Ritalin are used to prevent the babies from hurting themselves due to their condition. This drugs help in controlling hyperactivity among the infants. Harmful Effects Cognitive-enhancing drugs are harmful to the students and, therefore, the use of these drugs should be blocked. Appropriate actions should be set to help the society to understand the effects of these drugs by introducing amendments to regulate their use in University campuses. The presc ription drugs should only be used for their intended function and that is to cure mental disorders. The use of these drugs should be discouraged to safeguard the health of students and protected from the negative effects of potential abuse. Therefore, a policy restricting its use should be put in place, since the drugs are essential in the cure of mental diseases such as the ADHD in infants. They should not be totally banned, but enhancements to be available, at the same time managing the risks. There many risks that are associated with the abuse of cognitive enhancement drugs that students buy and sell in the United States. The Ritalin and Adderall drugs are prescribed for the treatment of the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). They have an effect on catecholamine systems by increasing cognitive functions of the patients; the normal people who are healthy, once they use these drugs, they improve their ability to focus their attention better, as well as manipulating the information into a working memory, and to control the responses in a flexible way. Student also use drugs such as Modalfinil, to enhance their cognitive abilities since it has shown the enhancement potential. Modalfinil treats fatigue, which is caused by sleep apnoea (Greely, 2008). The research has also shown that there are some other effects caused by the drug. Modalfinil enhances some aspects of the brain function that occurs in the rested adults who are healthy, mostly inhibitory control. Th e hazards of these drugs used by the students in the US affects not only their mental but also physical health. These drugs tend to alter the brain function of those who take them. A recently carried out research shows that, there are neural system changes, which are engendered by sleep and nutrition. There are some complex organs of the human beings which are also affected by use of such drugs. However, in children, an issue about the drug is raised in that it is related to some harmful effects on children’s brain. Benefits of Cognitive-enhancing drugs There are some benefits that are associated with the use of cognitive-enhancing drugs, mostly in schools and other organizations. In special cases, students and employers are supposed to be allowed to use the drugs so as to achieve pharmaceutical enhancement in cases of mental disorders. This enables the student to compete fairly with normal students

How can US Small business survive in a Global Economy Research Proposal

How can US Small business survive in a Global Economy - Research Proposal Example However, there are substantial uncertainties regarding the level of management within this sector, with US policy-makers indicating that there are specific flaws in innovation (Katz & Green, 2011), lack of economic insight, entrepreneurial talent, practical understanding, and human resource management. According to Johnson and Turner (2010), the early phases are of significant value for the small business as these a very high failure rate. Keeping in view this high failure rate in the small business sector, it seems essential to examine the aspects, characteristics, or management skills that are necessary to facilitate the small business to survive and progress in global economy. ... ituational Analysis It is understandable that as the global economy goes on towards more and more integration due to progress of communications approaches, growth in developing nations, and decline in barriers for cross-country business, a few of the best prospects for small businesses will draw by operating within the global market. Within the developed as well as developing nations around the globe, US policy makers at all levels have accepted the fact that small businesses are turning out to be more and more essential with respect to employment, creation of wealth and the improvement in innovation. Alternatively, there are significant reservations regarding the excellence of management within this sector, with policy makers telling that there are specific weak spots in improvement, dire need of economic insight, advertising, entrepreneurial talent, understanding of market, and human resource management (Gupta, 2008). Therefore, a number of small businesses do not get to their comp lete potential and fail to survive, causing lost employments and capital for their area in which they are situated. Earlier research proved that there are four decisive phases within the life of a small business where the phases are decided by the time-span the business has been functioning. The estimated duration of every phase is as follows: first phase is the commencing point and is approximately three years in length. Subsequently, second phase is the development period and is four to six years in length; third phase is the established part and it is somewhere between six to eight years in length; and fourth phase is the constancy period having more than nine years of duration. Linked with all of these phases is a special set of business traits, tests, decision-making aptitude, and

Labor Supply and Demand Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Labor Supply and Demand Scenario - Essay Example The latter sector constituted by men and women without reference to age and educational attainment, as long as they possess high quality of English proficiency and/or other foreign languages, depending on the destination countries. This happens due to the decision of industrialized countries to concentrate on advanced technologies and thereby setting aside the communications side of their companies. Since the latter eats up much of the investment of companies, and considering further that citizens of these countries demand high salaries, international companies opted to shift this demand for labor to countries where salaries are relatively lower. Since outsourcing requires a fixed cost for communications, it is on salaries that companies limit on the cost. If the communication cost is below than the critical level, outsourcing would increase the aggregate output of business service. Trade in business services increases the productivity of semi-skilled labor in the consumer service if the number of business partners is greater than the percentage increase on the fixed cost. This scenario led to the increase of salary scale of the semi-sk

Business Planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Planning - Assignment Example However, the thoroughness in the preparation of the idea as presented in a final draft of a business plan is determinant of the research and the viability of the idea in the industry selected. While some of the business ideas appear excellent on paper, implementing them could be a problem. Thus, a viable business plan has the qualities of being excellent on paper and practical applicability. Such determine the similarities and differences in the components of a business plan. This paper analyses the strengths and weaknesses of two business plans, Singles Bar Business Plan for Colloquy Grog Shop and Nightclub Business Plan for The Spot club. A Brief Description of the Spot Business Plan The Spot bar, is a club targeting the students of state university, with a student population exceeding 22,000 students and has a projected growth of 15% per year. The location of the business is one block away from the main campus, in an area where three bars have thrived in the past ten years. After staring its operations, The Spot boosts of exceptional management team that automatically translates business into profitability. Since all members of the management team have had previous experience in the club industry, their expertise and skills are essential in transforming the club into a success. In its mission statement, The Spot promises fun to its customers, by creating an environment that satisfies the changing tastes and exceptions of the college-age women. The Spot takes the assumption that once women visit the club, men will have no choice but follow them there. If the plan succeeds, the club hopes to exceed $ 1 million in its third year of operation, and maintaining its average costs at 25%. Ownership of the company is a three partnership by Robert Shaw, Jill Morse, and Sheila Thompson. All the shareholders are experienced business people. The main products offered by the club targets women, attracting them to the bar, and hoping that men tag along. Among the products on sale will be an assortment of wines, different makes of liquor and wines. Three of the most significant elements giving the club a competitive edge over other businesses in the same locality are a larger ladies room area, floor design and music (â€Å"Nightclub Business Plan†, 2013). A Brief Description of the Colloquy Grog Shop Business Plan Colloquy Grog Shop aims at providing an environment conducive enough where singles can meet and have an opportunity to have a good communication. Offering coffee and tapas, the shop will also offer a unique service allowing for structured communication. Singles, especially those between 25-45 years of age have a problem of meeting each other. As such, the shop aims at providing these people with an opportunity to meet and have an effective communication. By the end of the second year in operation, the shop hopes to reach the profitability threshold, and hopes to achieve comfortable profits by the third year. The key success of the sho p is addressing the needs of the customers. The shop’s location, an upcoming industrial area of NW Portland has registered a rapid growth of night stops and due to its targeted demographics. In an effort to reduce the operation costs of the joint, an old warehouse will serve as the main building, thus reducing rental expenses. Products offered to the customers include, eight  microbrew beers on draft and

Management accounting assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management accounting assessment - Assignment Example Activity based coating recovers these additional costs far much better than the traditional methods. Activity based costing (ABC) is an alternative method that allows overheads that cause analysis in groups that are influence the same activity. The group is cost pool while the activity is the cost driver. ABC produces a more accurate cost assignment. Doing this special job because the recovery methods used by the traditional overhead absorption method are volume based which is erroneous since a majority of the overhead costs is fixed and they are not affected by volume. A change in volume in the traditional method results to a change in activity level meaning that there is presence of under and over developed overheads due to the change in volume. Most companies use the variable costing method and they achieve their set objectives. It is offers the management with the options of providing better decisions for the company. In the absorption method, the cost of the product consists of all the variable cost plus the fixed manufacturing costs. Fixed costs are not included in the costing of the product. 2(b) I agree that Cost Volume Profit analysis is simple as takes the assumption that output is the only cost and revenue driver, which have a linear relationship. The assumptions in this case are simplistic in finding the decision to problems relating to fixed costs and variable costs. The assumptions can be used to facilitate the CVP analysis to give insight that is useful. Cost is relevant when, it is future oriented. It means the cash flows must arise in the future, be incremental, and have to be cash flows. In the context of capital investment appraisal, a relevant cost is a cost incurred because of the appraisal process and it may include new costs such as the cost of hiring machinery to construct a factory or additional costs in acquiring new material. Irrelevant costs are

Demon Lover Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Demon Lover - Essay Example The aura of this story is psychological because the mysterious letter is a physical element with mental and emotional implications. We all have demons; the skeletons in Mrs. Drover’s closet in this story happen to be real. The man Mrs. Drover was intended to marry, before he was sent to war told her he did not know how long he would be gone, but she had nothing to do to await his return. Months after his departure he is reported missing, presumably killed. For years she goes unnoticed and un-admired by men. When her mother and sister fear she is past all hope, at 32 she secures the affections of William Drover. They marry and have three children. Her fiancà © is the incarnate ghost of her past which has been haunting her since she attempted to her live her life after his disappearance. She struggles with the fact that she doesn’t know why she agreed to marry a man who was not kind to her. She still sees it as a suspension she was in and was not able to get out of. Something that still haunts her and makes her think of him, whether as a threat or as a person she left or could not wait for. She may feel guilt but it may be at her own actions. Guilt of feeling emotion for a man who did not treat her the way she wanted to be treated. When Mrs. Drover is described in her house, a house boarded-up and damaged by war, it’s painting for the reader an image of her life as affected by her long-lost fiancà ©; like her house, she’s damaged though emotionally, and boarded up and abandoned. She also described as living in the country-side, away from the house and with her new family. If one were to see the story this way, we could also see her in the house presently to clean out the remnants of her feelings for her fiance, or to begin the final battle to get him out of her mind. This is supported by the description of the weather as we’re introduced to the deserted house: overcast, as if preparing to storm and later, we hear rain. This description has nothing to do on her doubts of her fiance’s disappearance; it just helps describe her journey in a clear way, though on her, a physical sign of her war is seen through a nervous twitch of her mouth. We should realize the fact that psychological st ories such as this one are made for the reader, so we need to pay attention to the fact that Elizabeth Bowen is trying to direct our minds down certain path, especially when introducing us to the house. She is trying to set a mood that is bleak, sinister and warning of something darker being imminent. The neighborhood being described as war-torn makes the area seem tormented, â€Å"Against the next batch of clouds, already piling up ink-dark, broken chimneys and parapets stood out† (Bowen, 1). This mood is also set by the weather in the beginning of the story where Bowen is trying to build an atmosphere of tension. This story is psychological because Mrs. Drover’s evils are either a figment of her imagination, or they’re products of her ex-fiance’s threats, which are both physical and emotional. The letter she finds in her house is the first example of a physical threat, whether it is from him or not, she perceives the letter to be a threat in the way tha t the writer makes this whole story affect the reader: through controlled vagueness which causes the imagination of the recipient run wild and cause damage. The other physical reminder of her lover is the scar on her hand from

Management of the Cash Position Essay Example for Free

Management of the Cash Position Essay Not only do these managers often have difficulty in comprehending sophisticated forecasting techniques, but the cash flows of their companies are usually dependent upon fewer customers and a smaller number of product lines than those of their larger competitors. Thus the cash flow pattern of the small firm is typically too unstable over time and the available data describing it too limited for reliable forecasting. The small business is subject to still other constraints, apart from those applicable to all firms, which tend to restrict the use of even relatively simple cash management techniques. Small firms, for example, are normally unable to afford the division of talent available to larger companies in the form of highly educated financial managers. Many small firms, struggling hard just to remain solvent and earn a fair return, suffer further from lack of recognition that a cash management problem even exists. Once a problem is discovered the manager may lack knowledge of the methods available for a viable solution. A solution which requires more manpower or expenditures than can be covered out of normal cash flow is Dr. Grablowsky is assistant professor and rhairman of the Department of Finance at Oid Dominion University. He has published articles in the JSBM, the Journal of Financial Education, and the Journal of Behavioral Economics. Prior to his entry into education. Dr. Grablowsky was with the Department of Cost, Planning, Systems, and Analysis at the Monsanto Co., World Head, quarters, St. Louis.  typically rejected by the small business. This article will present the results of a survey of small-business cashmanagement practices and compare these methods with techniques commonly employed by larger corporations. Small businesses are defined in this study as firms with annual sales under $5 million. Data for this study were collected by means of a mail questionnaire distributed to two hundred firms selected randomly, within the various business classifications, from classified advertisements appearing in the telephone directories of the Greater Norfolk-Portsmouth SMSA and the  Hampton-Newport News SMSA. The firms were selected in five different distribution levels, with annual sales varying from under $50,000 up to $5 million. The firms in the survey operated at from one to thirteen locations and employed up to three hundred persons, although more than half had fewer than ten employees. Of the two hundred businesses selected for study, 66, or 30 percent, responded. A breakdown of the respondent firms by industry and size is given in Table 1. The Cash Budget It was hypothesized that few of the firms with sales under a million dollars would prepare cash budgets; in fact, only 30 percent of all firms in the sample did so. Several interesting relationships were noted in this regard. One was that the newer firms 1 For an example of this situation see B. J. Grablowsky, Management of Accounts Receivable by Small Businesses, Journal of Small Business Management, Vol. 14, No. 4, October, 1976, pp. 26-27. 5 According to E. Donaldson, J. Pfahl, and P. MuUins, Corporate Finance (New York: The Ronald Press Co., 1975), pp. 22-23, this would include, based on average sales per company, over 86 percent of all firms in the U,S. budgets, the larger ones updated their budgets more frequently than the others. One of the reasons for the more frequent update was that none of the largest firms made more than a thirtyday cash forecast while the smaller ones normally made budgets for up to a year. This last finding is in agreement with the results of other studies showing that few firms with  sales under $3 million make sales forecasts, whereas virtually all firms with sales over $10 million prepare one or more projections for various planning periods. As the firm grows, cash budgeting becomes more essential. Of the firms that prepared cash budgets, an annual planning period was the most common, although some also used weekly, monthly and quarterly budgets. No company made a cash budget for more than one year. The frequency of updating the budgets was well distributed over weekly, semimonthly, monthly, quarterly, and annual intervals. Another question asked whether or not the firms cash balances were being handled in the most effective and efficient manner. Of the 67 firms sampled, forty-eight replied that they felt they were efficiently utilizing their cash balances, but, of these, only eleven regularly prepared cash budgets. The assumption by the 37 firms that did not prepare cash budgets that they were efficient in the use of their cash balances is certainly made in ignorance. Conversely, of the remaining 56 firms that did not preoare cash budgets twenty-three replied, and probably rightly so, that they were not using their cash balances in the most 3 See Orgler. Cash Management, pp. 4-13, for a discusFion of factors affecting the time horizon for cash budgets. Aso see: Keith Smith. Management of Working Capital (St. Paul, Minn.: West Publishing Co., 1974), pp. 35-49, for a survey of the practices of large businesses. Soldofsky and Olive, Financial Management, p. 559. were more likely to prepare budgets than t heir longer-established competitors. A possible explanation lies in the higher educational attainments of the owner-managers of the newer firms. This characteristic, together with the attitudes of the owners toward budgeting, is believed to be a major determinant of the efficiency with which financial planning is handled in the small firm. The d^ta also showed that, somewhat contrary to expectations, in the size categories which included the largest and the smallest firms (i.e., those with less than $50,000 and those with between $1  million and $5 million in sales) a smaller percentage prepared cash budgets than in the other groups. This result was expected for the smallest firms but quite unexpected for large ones. On the other hand, of the firms that prepared cash  effective manner. This realization alone should have provided impetus to the managements concerned to investigate the need and advantages for cash budgeting—yet they still failed to prepare the budgets which could have improved their cash flow performance. The managers of these firms recognized that they had a problem—the need for more efficient cash management—yet they failed to take the proper steps to solve it. These same firms tended to take fewer of their allowed trade discounts than others, suggesting that because they did not forecast cash flows they found it necessary to resort to expensive sources of financing such as foregoing discounts. Cash Collection  actions that they could take themselves. Although only about half of the respondents had even heard of lock boxes or concentration banking, more than one-third did use one or both of these methods for reducing float time. Generally, the respondents reasoned that they could not justify expending the time and money required to reduce float, because such action would not (in their opinion) materially improve the cash position or the profits of the firm. As with many other decisions confronting small businesses, this one was usually made with inadequate information or investigation. The principal reason, again, was the lack of human resources and expertise available to the small firm. Wholesalers, because of the regional or national nature of their sales, were the most frequent users of these techniques. Businesses with a local sales orientation, such as service establishments and retail stores, were much less likely to use any method to improve cash collections.

Grey Country, Ontario: Impact of Geography on Humans

Grey Country, Ontario: Impact of Geography on Humans Located in southern Ontario on the south-most shores of Georgian Bay, Grey  County has often been identified as a popular tourist destination because of its endless geological landmarks, ideal climate and ample bodies of water. The area encompassed by Grey County (as seen in Figure 1.1) has been found to have a population of 92,568 and covered 4513.21 km2 of land in 2011 (#### statscan). The county was established in 1852 with its headquarters at Owen Sound (Marsh, 1931), and quicly became a major trade hub due to its plentiful natural resources which included forests, fish, fur, and minerals, leading to the establishment of sawmills, furniture factories, quarry’s and apple orchards (grey web####). In recent years, the physical-geographic landmarks have had a great influence on tourism in Grey County. In 2008 the County hosted over 1.779 million visitors, brought in over 331 million dollars in expenditures, supported over 3200 jobs and contributed 9.9 million dollars to muni cipal taxes (Action plan, ####). The study was aimed to analyze, understand and provide evidence of the relationship between the physical geography and human activity within Grey County. An analysis of how geomorphology, hydrology and climatology impacted human activity in the County was completed and an understanding of their importance was established. Due to the specificity of the topic researched throughout this study, the difficulty of acquiring credible and peer-reviewed resources was of high magnitude. The main method of research was using the key word approach on websites to maximize efficiency when searching for scholarly documents. Terms such as â€Å"Formation, Niagara Escarpment† were used on scholarly databases to yield specific details about the origins of the Niagara Escarpment. Other terms such as â€Å"Grey County, Tourism†, â€Å"Grey County, Climate, Hydrology, Geomorphology† and â€Å"Grey County, Conservation Areas† yielded sufficient information and reports on the geographical and anthropological aspects of Grey County. Lastly, the use of Statistics Canada, The Niagara Escarpment Commission and County of Grey websites provided statistical, political and historical data about the topic researched. Based on the information compiled by the key word approach it was possible to establish a relationship between the physical geography of the area and its human activity. The unique geological landscapes of Grey County, which are explained through the science of geomorphology, have been a crucial factor in attracting human activity to the area. Christopherson and Byrne have defined geomorphology as â€Å"the science that analyzes and describes the origin, evolution, form, classification, and spatial distribution of landforms† (Christopherson Byrne, 2009, G.6). The County was found to be located atop a portion of the Niagara Escarpment; recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve, with its origins dating back 430 million years and found to span over 725 km throughout Ontario (NEC, n.d). This particular landscape formation can be associated with an age-old sea that once covered the area and overtime eroded adjacent mountains depositing sediments onto the sea floor (Kreuger, n.d). As a result of lithification, these sediments were transformed into shale, slate, sandstone, dolostone and other sedimentary rocks over millions of years which we re then warped and bent by the earths forces, forming the Niagara Escarpment along the rim of the Michigan basin (Kreuger, n.d). The Niagara Escarpment was further shaped through differential erosion by a process called sapping (see Figure 1.2), where the sub-lying soft rock eroded much faster then the dolostone cap rock, leading to mass wasting and the formation of cliff slopes (talus slopes) such as the Blue Mountains (Kreuger, n.d). These mountainous regions of Grey County have promoted the establishment of recreational businesses attracting millions of tourists due to its diversified landscape and limitless year-round recreational activities. Although the steep slopes of the Niagara Escarpment within Grey County have been found unsuitable for agricultural purposes, they have attracted humans who for decades have been using them for their recreational abilities. The geography of Grey County has allowed for summer activities ranging from rock climbing, caving, camping, golfing, fi shing, biking, as well as hiking parts of the Bruce trail to winter attractions including skiing, skating, snow shoeing, dog sledding, horse back riding and snowmobiling (Grey County Tourism, n.d a). These human interactions with the geographic landscape have helped establish the importance and understanding of how geomorphology promotes the interaction of humans with their surrounding landscapes. Grey County has often been associated with mild winters and warm summers which have influenced both recreational activity and the apple growing industry in the area. As defined by Christopherson and Byrne, climatology â€Å"is the scientific study of climate and climate patterns and the consistent behavior of weather, including its variability and extremes, over time in one place or region† (Christopherson Byrne, 2009, G.3). Located in proximity to both Lake Ontario and Lake Huron, the area has been found to experience a humid continental climate with moderate temperatures, cold dry air from the Arctic, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and dry winds from the Pacific (Brown McKay, 1974). The area of study was found to have an average temperature and snowfall during winter months of -4.50  °C and 49.7 cm respectively (see Figure 1.3 1.5), an average temperature of 18.40 °C during the summer months (see Figure 1.3) and a yearly precipitation average of 62.8 mm (see Figure 1.4) (The Weather Network, n.d). The geographic location of Grey County and its climate influenced the apple growing industry during the 1840’s when farmers realized that the large bodies of water; Lake Huron and Lake Ontario, reduced the chances of late spring and early autumn frosts while the surrounding Niagara Escarpment and Beaver Valley acted as a barrier confining warm lake air, creating a climate suitable for apple growing and making it one of the biggest industries in the area (Almond, 1985). The ideal winter and summer climates as well as the geographical landscapes of Grey County have not only attracted apple farmers, but also tourists and new residents because of the vast amount of recreational activities offered during all four seasons of the year. During the winter, residents and tourists have been able to enjoy activities such as skiing, snowshoeing, skating, ice fishing, snowmobiling and hiking due to the cold climates and mass snowfalls combined with the rol ling landscapes of the Niagara Escarpment and Beaver Valley. People have also been able to partake in various recreational activities during the spring, summer and fall seasons which included biking, fishing, camping, cave exploring, hunting, swimming and rock climbing (Grey County Tourism, n.d a). The climate within the area of study has promoted settlement for several decades and continues to be a strong factor, in parallel with the geographic landscape, in attracting the human population to Grey County. The hydrologic activity within the County has been a critical resource in providing clean drinking water and promoting recreational activity but has also been known to cause flood damage during extreme runoff events. Christopherson and Byrne have defined hydrology as â€Å"the science of water, its global circulation, distribution, and properties, specifically water at and below the earths surface† (Christopherson Byrne, 2009, G.7). The area of study has been found to contain a large amount of lakes and rivers, which in conjunction with the hills and valleys have formed the areas three major watersheds: Grey Sauble, Nottawasaga and Saugeen Valley Conservation Areas (see Figure 1.6) (Grey County Tourism, n.d b). As a result, the surrounding lands have provided valuable resources in the form of underground aquifers, which have been used as a main source of clean drinking water for the people of Grey County (Waterloo Hydrogeologic, 2003). The area of Grey County has also been kn ow to experience flooding in the spring months due to the large volume of runoff from winter snowmelt. In late April of 2013, it was found that the combined event of snowmelt and precipitation in the Grey County area was larger then a 100 year summer storm of duration greater than 14 hours, leading to large armounts of flooding, damage and road closures due to unsafe driving conditions (Greenland International Consulting Ltd., 2014). Despite the previously stated risks, humans are still attracted to Grey County because of its vast amounts of lakefront properties, plentiful supply of self sustaining groundwater and hydrology influenced recreational activities. Tourists and residents have been able to take part in various activities such as canoeing the rivers of the County, boating on the Nottawasaga Bay, and fishing both during winter and summer months. This research has proved that humans will seek areas of natural beauty and plentiful resources despite it being prone to substantia l flooding, further solidifying how the physical-geographic environment has influenced human population in Grey County. Grey County has been found to attract human activity do to its geological landmarks, ideal climate and ample bodies of water. Its wide range of hills and valleys shaped by geomorphology, moderate continental climate with cool winters and warm summers as well as the abundance of hydrologic related resources have made Grey County a popular tourist destination for millions of humans annually due the various recreational businesses promoted by these qualities. It is evident by the information provided within this study that human activity within Grey County has been heavily influenced by the presence of its unique physical-geographic phenomena. Figure 1.1: County Of Grey Unknown (n.d), County of Grey, Municipalities and Townships, Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://www.grey.ca/services/local-municipalities/?i=7365 Figure 1.2: Differential Erosion, Sapping Process Walter Tovell (1955), The Sapping Process, [Diagram], Retrieved November 14, 2014, Niagara Escarpment Commission http://www.escarpment.org/about/geology/weathering/index.php Figure 1.3: Average Annual Temperature Data for Owen Sound, Ontario. The Weather Network (n.d), Temperature Data, Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.theweathernetwork.com/forecasts/statistics/summary/cl6116132/caon0515 Figure 1.4: Average Monthly Rainfall for Owen Sound, Ontario. The Weather Network (n.d), Monthly Rainfall, Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.theweathernetwork.com/forecasts/statistics/summary/cl6116132/caon0515 Figure 1.5: Average Monthly Snowfall for Owen Sound, Ontario. The Weather Network (n.d), Monthly Snowfall, Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.theweathernetwork.com/forecasts/statistics/summary/cl6116132/caon0515 Figure 1.6: Watersheds of Southern Ontario. Conservation Ontario (2014), Conservation Authority Watersheds, Retrieved November 17, 2014, from http://www.conservation-ontario.on.ca/what-we-do/watershed-stewardship/aquatic-species-at-risk Almond, B. (1985) History of the Meaford and Area Apple Industry. Unpublished history available at the Meaford Museum and Meaford Public Library. Brown, D., McKay, G. (1974). The Climate of Southern Ontario (2nd ed.). Toronto: Environment Canada, Atmospheric Environment. Christopherson, R., Byrne, M. (2009). Geosystems: An introduction to Physical Geography (2nd Canadian ed.). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall. Conservation Ontario (2014), Conservation Authority Watersheds, Retrieved November 17, 2014, from http://www.conservation-ontario.on.ca/what-we-do/watershed-stewardship/aquatic-species-at-risk Greenland International Consulting Ltd. (2014). Climate Change Adaptation A Four Season Approach to Drainage Infrastructure Guidelines. Study, Blue Mountains. Grey County Tourism. (n.d a). Travel Experiences, Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.visitgrey.ca/travel-experiences/ Grey County Tourism. (n.d b). Conservation Areas, Retrieved November 17, 2014, from http://www.visitgrey.ca/travel-experiences/beautiful-naturally/conservation-areas/ Krueger, R. (n.d.). The Blue Mountains. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://www.watershedtrust.ca/index.php/home/a-brief-natural-history Marsh, E. (1931). A history of the County of Grey, (p. 217). Owen Sound, Ontario: Fleming Pub. Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC), (n.d.). Geological Timeline, Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://www.escarpment.org/about/geology/timeline/index.php The Weather Network (n.d), Temperature Data, Monthly Rainfall, Monthly Snowfall, Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.theweathernetwork.com/forecasts/statistics/summary/cl6116132/caon0515 Unknown (n.d), County of Grey, Municipalities and Townships, Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://www.grey.ca/services/local-municipalities/?i=7365 Waterloo Hydrogeologic . (2003). Grey and Bruce Counties Groundwater Study. Company Study, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Walter Tovell (1955), The Sapping Process, [Diagram], Retrieved November 14, 2014, Niagara Escarpment Commission http://www.escarpment.org/about/geology/weathering/index.php

SABMiller PESTLE and SWOT Analysis

SABMiller PESTLE and SWOT Analysis INTRODUCTION: SABMiller is an international brewing company which not only relates with brewing business but also deal with hotels and gaming world. SABMiller Company comes from the organization SAB (The South African Breweries Limited) which was founded in 1895 and the position of SABMiller in todays market is they are having 98% share of the beer market. The main objective of an organization is to achieve commercial success in beer and other beverages by gaining customer satisfaction over quality and services as well as by fulfilling stakeholders expectation. For achieving this objective organization fulfill their goals of business growth and maximized long term shareholder value. SABMiller plays an important role in the South African soft drink market by holding 74% interest in Amalgamated Beverage Industry Ltd, the worlds largest bottling company of Coco-Cola products with an ownership of Appletiser South Africa Private Ltd. At the end of 31 M arch 2009, SABMiller is listed on the London and J ohannesburg stock exchanges, the group reported US$3,405 million in adjusted as pretax profit and group revenue of US$25,302 million. http://www.sabmiller.com/index.asp?pageid=180 (Accessed: 17/12/2009) HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT: BECOMING A GLOBAL BREWER HISTORY OF SAB: The South African Breweries Limited (SAB) was founded in 1895 and today SABMiller holds 98 percent share of the beer market. Jones, Adam (2003). In 1895 The South African Breweries Limited (SAB) is incorporated in London. SAB gain an ownership of Castle Brewery in Johannesburg, South Africa. In the same year company got a listing on London stock exchange, a brand new product Castle Larger got launched from a new commissioned lager brewery having capacity of 50,000 barrels per annum. In 1897 SAB got a position in Johannesburg Stock Exchange, SAB was the first industrial company which got listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and got first industrial share. In 1898SAB started producing Castle lager, which becomes a phenomenal success. In 1911 SAB started importing seeds free of charges and reduced to buy crop at market prices which results in stimulation in local market. In 1925 by buying a stake in the Schweppes Company, SAB diversifies into soft drinks. In 1950 SAB moved head office from London to Johannesburg. In 1956 SAB purchased Ohlssons Cape Breweries and Chandlers Union Breweries take, resulting union of three largest South African brewing companies and SAB gained 90 percent of the domestic market.. In 1994 by gaining joint venture with China Resources Enterprise Limited, SAB accessed in the Chinese beer market. In 1999 SAB reestablished headquarters in London. SABs divestment program reduces interests in beer, soft drinks, wines and spirits, and hotel and gaming. In 2000 SAB gain an accessed in Indian market by acquiring Narang Breweries and purchased its first brewery plant. http://www.sabmiller.com/index.asp?pageid=27 (Accessed: 17/12/2009) ESTABLISHMENT OF SABMILLER: In 2002 Company changes its name to SABMiller as SAB acquired number two U.S beer maker Miller Brewing Company for $3.48 billion in stock. In 2003Company purchased 60% stocks of Birra Peroni, Italys number two brewer. This was the first major investment SABMiller did in Western Europe. In 2005 Company merge with a Grupo Empresarial Bavaria, South Americas second largest brewer In 2008 SABMiller got control over Grolsch by acquisition and announced the construction of a new beverage plant in Juba, Southern Sudan. http://www.sabmiller.com/index.asp?pageid=27 (Accessed: 18/12/2009) STRATEGIC POSITION OF SAB IN 2007: According to many authors, Strategy plays an important role in organization for achieving objective and getting exposure in the corporate market, for example according to Andrews (1980) strategy can define various factors of an organization such as company policies, its range of business, its human and economic organization and its contribution to stakeholder. Johnson and Scholes (1999) cited strategy as a scope and direction of an organization over the long term period. To meet the proper need of markets and to fulfill stakeholder expectations, organisazation must utilize proper configuration of resources within a flexible environment to gain advantage. According to Grant (1995) corporate strategy deals with the ways in which a corporation manages a set of business together. By understanding the concepts of these authors and to identify the Strategic position of SAB it is must to analyze factors like business environment, core competencies, capabilities and stakeholder expectation, and these factors will be analyze by using PESTEL analysis and SWOT analysis. SABMiller is a operating throughout the world and its networking is globalized if we compare its position in year 2007. It is having a good developed and mature market in many countries throughout the world, such as South Africa (Local market), Rest of Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe, USA and Western Europe, Latin America. Let us discuss different markets of SABMiller throughout the world. SABMiller is having a well known and traditional market in South Africa. SABMiller monopolized different industries. Sales show that the growth potential is very low but profit factor is still there as customers are trading up to the segments. AIDS is a huge threat for the company in terms of availability of work force and this will play a negative impact on the disposable income of the population which will affect SABMiller. The market in South Africa is under threat. The market in Rest of Africa is highly potential having volatile political landscape. Business in Rest of Africa is explore and presence in Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Angola and many on and still continue to grow, which is helped by clear segmentation strategy and by border distribution. These markets trade in soft currencies which is a very risky factor as seen in Botswana. By analyzing these markets in SABMiller portfolio the risk factor might lose confidence from stakeholders, as many core competences of SABMiller were developed in these markets. Markets in Asia and Eastern Europe show different characteristics like highly fragments, increasing disposable income and Due to these characteristics SABMiller gain an easy access to enter into these markets. While penetrating in Indian and Chinese market, SABMiller faced different problems like regulations and high competition but they are still exploring and expanding themselves in the markets like Vietnam. The markets in Western Europe and USA are very different to the once that SABMiller used to operate, as these are highly saturated and concentrated. Due to the perception made by stakeholders they traded too much using soft currencies. Miller started losing market quickly and SAB took an advantage over it and bring its own performance rating System to monitor employee. SABMiller perform very well in Latin American market. They were constantly doing their best in Latin American market. SABMiller put great efforts to take over Grupo Empresarial Bavaria and they have done it. PESTEL ANALYSIS: (P)OLITICAL: While dealing with government a great political sensitivity is needed. SABMiller faced problems in Regulation and Quality laws (e.g. Countries like India and China) for producing beer in large quantity and to gain economy of scale. Productivity got affected due to the political stability in certain countries like Botswana. (E)CONOMIC: SABMiller got really hurt because of devaluation of soft currencies. Markets in India and China gave very low profit margin. A highly rising cost of energy and aluminum affects the profitability. Latin market of SABMiller increased from 25.2 to 52.1 % which make harder to get out money from the market. Development of Fragmented market facilitate easer takeover. (S)OCIAL: SABMiller got adversely affected by new trends like wines and Spirits. Lifestyles in emerging markets have changed and beer consumption got increased due to the increase in the availability of disposable income. A devastating effect (T)ECHNOLOGICAL: Due to modern machinery, new packing can be easily introduced as evidenced in Czech. Easier to manage the ever broadening distribution network. A variation of beer got introduced in to the market. (E)NVIRONMENTAL: SABMillers profitability adversely got affected due to weather condition in Latin American market in 2006. (L)EGAL: Due to the local law, takeover attempts may generate problems. SWOT ANALYSIS: (S)TRENGTHS: Very strong in local market. Excellent portfolio and a large brand. High operational productivity. Different skills to succeed in developing markets. Economy scale is very high due to large market shares in some markets. Strong distribution channels and global networking. (W)EAKNESSES: Tendency of acquisitions. Dependability over the Soft currency. Expertise limited to the brewing industry only. Government acts as a key player, as main market are in highly volatile areas like Africa and Asia. (O)PPORTUNITY: Strongly growth of emerging markets. It is easy for SABMiller to buy in to a market with the help of highly fragmented developing mark (T)HREATS: AIDS problem in South Africa. Constantly rising cost of energy and aluminium affects the SABMiller profitability. Strong competition in countries India and China. SABMiller got affected adversely due to the new trends like wines and spirits. STRATEGIC IMPLIMENTATION IN FUTURE: A current strategic position of SABMillers has provided information about opportunities and challenges which it face in its business environment but it does not match with stake holder expectations, core competences and market reality because of which a dilemma got generated for SABMiller. To get proper strategy implementation in future for SABMiller a tool Ansoff Matrix is used. There are different choices available to SABMiller. CONSOLIDATION: By holding firms in the developing market this strategy will focus on reducing market risk like Western Europe, USA and Africa. This does not give any importance to competences developed by the company by initiating risky moves. As the company is highly efficient it is easily feasible. But the main issue is acceptance of this strategy as stake holders would not be really happy with this choice. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: This is very flexible and aggressive strategy where by company can respond by developing new products to the market. Premium beer segment is rapidly growing, as company will get a good product opportunity. For most parts, this strategy will be a usual business strategy and will build on what company has been doing throughout the year. But the growth of future is balance without any guaranty as customers (Drinkers) can be fiercely loyal to their existing brand. Stake holders will surely accept this strategy as it is certainly feasible. MARKET DEVELOPMENT: A new market segment is called as market development. SABMiller is having an excellent reputation in the brewing industry and by using this strategy SABMiller can easily tap out its competitors. African market is having a high potential for expansion of SABMiller. But small factors like AIDS, political instability and soft currencies are worrying the stakeholders if SABMiller decided to expand in Africa. This strategy will give highly profitable in markets like Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America, as Miller gain success in Russian market by using this strategy. The problem which may occur will be of stakeholders expectation and which totally depends on market condition. JOINT VENTURE: This is the strategy which will be useful for the SABMiller in USA and Western European market. A joint venture with a major western brewer can bring to the table what SABMiller lacks (Penetration into competitive and saturated market). But the problem is of risk factor. As it is very risky business, opening up the developing markets to high profile competitor. DIVERSIFICATION: It is the least attractive strategy which SABMiller can use as an option. SABMiller is one of those companies which are having a true portfolio management. The implementation of synergy portfolio logic will be interested to see as it can work in favor of SABMiller by adding business to its portfolio which gives compliment and support to its core brewery business. ANSOFF MATRIX ANALYSIS: MARKET PENETRATION: Introduction of SABMillers premium brands in the USA and Western European market. MARKET DEVELOPMENT: Global expansion, particularly in developed and saturated market. New breweries in countries like Indian, Chinese and Vietnam. Development in border distribution channels in Africa. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: Rapid growth of premium segment offers product development opportunity to SABMiller. DIVERSIFICATION: SABMiller is already having true portfolio of hotels, gambling centers and a match factory. CONCLUSION: From the past history SABMiller has shown a core competency in developing strategies and environmental scanning. The failure of penetrating in the saturated market and to defend its market from emerging competitors must be a challenging task for SABMiller. In future SABMiller have to face tough competition from its rivals. The key to SABMillers success will be a proper implementation of strategy and its brand portfolio. REFERENCES:  · Andrews, K.R. (1965), The concept of corporate strategy, New York: Dow Jones-Irwin.  · Grant, R.M (1995) Contemporary Strategy Analysis, 2nd edition, Basil Blackwell: Oxford  · Johnson, G and Scholes, K (1999) Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and cause (5th edn). Harlow: Person Education.  · www.sabmiller.com http://www.sabmiller.com/index.asp?pageid=180 (Accessed: 17/12/2009)  · http://www.sabmiller.com/index.asp?pageid=27 (Accessed: 17/12/2009) BIBLOGRAPHY:  · Anderson, Robert, and John Willman, SAB Buys Czech Republics Largest Brewer,Financial Times,October 8, 1999, p. 23.  · Andrews, K.R. (1965), The concept of corporate strategy  · Ansoff, H.I. (1965), Corporate strategy: an analytic approach to business policy for growth and expansion, London: McGraw-Hill.  · Bobinski, Christopher, and Roderick Oram, South African Breweries in Polish Acquisition,Financial Times, 1996.  · Grant, R.M (1995) Contemporary Strategy Analysis, 2nd edition, Basil Blackwell: Oxford  · Johnson, G and Scholes, K (1999) Exploring Corporate Strategy.  · Martin, Peter, Selling Old Beer in New Bottles,Financial Times, 2002.  · Pringle, David, Miller Deal Brings Stability to SAB,Wall Street Journal, 2002.  · Simon, Bernard, An Old School Brewer for Miller,New York Times, 2003.  · â€Å"Trouble Brewing for the ANC,Economist, 1994.  · Willman, John, and Robert Anderson, SAB Is Prepared for More Beer and Scuffles,Financial Times, 1999.  · www.sabmiller.com.

College Admissions Essay: My Summer in Europe :: College Admissions Essays

My summer in Europe    I spent six weeks in Florence, studying renaissance art and art history. After this, I traveled across Europe for three weeks and experienced the many beautiful countries and cultures that exist on this continent.    Studying renaissance art in Florence, the place of it's birth, was literally a moving experience. To see works that I thought only existed in books and also to live in the same city that housed the masters, was amazing. I took a drawing class as well in Florence. This proved to be a challenging and beneficial class. Drawing street scenes, landscapes, figures, or anything for that matter, is always a challenge. However to do this in a city where there are masterpieces lining churches and museums all around you, made the action a bit more challenging. It was a wonderful and astounding resource to be able to refer to a Michelangelo sculpture or a Botticelli painting. The museums in Florence proved to be my most favorite pastime and the greatest tool for any artist. The Uffizi and Pitti Palace house some of the most famous and also not so famous (but just as wonderful) works.    Living in Florence for six weeks was such a wonderful learning experience. Each day was an adventure. By buying food and asking for directions, I slowly learned enough Italian to get by. Sadly, I found that like many places in Europe, Florence has also become Americanized. English was just as prevalent as Italian. Honestly, it was convenient to know that my waiter would be able to converse with me in English. Yet, at the same time, I felt a little guilty in knowing that through tourism, Italy has lost a small part of its culture and history.    After my stay in Florence, I had the chance to see more of Europe. I went to Salzburg, Prague, Lucerne, the Italian and French Riviera, and Paris. Three weeks of trains, hostels, new places and people proved to be an exciting and tiring time! I saw the Alps, the Mediterranean, the historic neighborhoods of Prague, and then Paris. Each day I woke up with excitement, ready to go and explore the new place we were in. And each night I fell asleep, and dreamt of what tomorrow would bring. It was a beautiful and simple three weeks. My only job was just to experience and see all that I could of a place.

Ancient Greece: A Time Of Great Cities And Lives :: Ancient Greece Essays

Ancient Greece: A Time Of Great Cities And Lives Ancient Greece was an interesting time and place with huge markets in which people could sell items of every kind. Strict laws with even stricter penalties if broken, a place where women were did not have as many rights as they do today, and along with the most outstanding army in their time. A quote that goes along with this time is; "I have killed one I have killed two -- the vampire who said he was youo." - Sylvia Platts. Likewise in the Ancient Greeks so called modern civilization, which has often been compared with the Nazi Germanies ethics of male domination. very cruel and yet enticing time to be alive. "Get your pots and pans..." Compared to today Ancient Greece was a city far ahead of its time and possibly the time in which people now live. Down in the streets of there was always someone willing to buy, trade or sell anything that you had or desired. With Ancient Greeks booming economy it's no wonder that it attracted almost one quarter of the worlds businesses and various smiths. These included bronze smiths, tanners and potters. It is no wonder that Ancient Greece was in its time considered the beginning of the of a new era that would be recognised as the centre of the worlds economy and was to be home to more than twice as many shops and people than the city already held. Although women in the world today are always talking about women and their rights and how they deserve to be equal in everything that they do and receive, it was not a problem to Greeks in their society which has been described as a place where women's freedom was restricted and their lives were restricted to that of a slave in some cases but was really no different than a women's freedom in today's society. In Greece it was a mans world in which a man could do what he pleased to a certain extent of the law. Which is better than today due to women's rights movements and decency laws that have been implemented in the past years. It also would have been interesting to see how the women really were treated instead of from books and and assignments. Along with all of the amazing feats that Greeks accomplished it is of no surprise that they had one of the strongest and most feared armies in all of the world in its time. Of all the battles and wars that the Ancient Greeks army had Ancient Greece: A Time Of Great Cities And Lives :: Ancient Greece Essays Ancient Greece: A Time Of Great Cities And Lives Ancient Greece was an interesting time and place with huge markets in which people could sell items of every kind. Strict laws with even stricter penalties if broken, a place where women were did not have as many rights as they do today, and along with the most outstanding army in their time. A quote that goes along with this time is; "I have killed one I have killed two -- the vampire who said he was youo." - Sylvia Platts. Likewise in the Ancient Greeks so called modern civilization, which has often been compared with the Nazi Germanies ethics of male domination. very cruel and yet enticing time to be alive. "Get your pots and pans..." Compared to today Ancient Greece was a city far ahead of its time and possibly the time in which people now live. Down in the streets of there was always someone willing to buy, trade or sell anything that you had or desired. With Ancient Greeks booming economy it's no wonder that it attracted almost one quarter of the worlds businesses and various smiths. These included bronze smiths, tanners and potters. It is no wonder that Ancient Greece was in its time considered the beginning of the of a new era that would be recognised as the centre of the worlds economy and was to be home to more than twice as many shops and people than the city already held. Although women in the world today are always talking about women and their rights and how they deserve to be equal in everything that they do and receive, it was not a problem to Greeks in their society which has been described as a place where women's freedom was restricted and their lives were restricted to that of a slave in some cases but was really no different than a women's freedom in today's society. In Greece it was a mans world in which a man could do what he pleased to a certain extent of the law. Which is better than today due to women's rights movements and decency laws that have been implemented in the past years. It also would have been interesting to see how the women really were treated instead of from books and and assignments. Along with all of the amazing feats that Greeks accomplished it is of no surprise that they had one of the strongest and most feared armies in all of the world in its time. Of all the battles and wars that the Ancient Greeks army had

Good Advice Essay -- Advice Philosophical Papers

Good Advice When we first started to talk about good advice, I didn't fully understand what makes good advice, well, good. "Advice is advice." I said to myself, walking home from class trying to think of where to start. As the subject grew in class, everybody started to get deeper into the subject until we all had a well-based understanding on what good advice is. Everyone had a little different perspective than everybody else, which made the subject very interesting. I realized that there are many requirements for good advice. Looking back on my paper, I realized that I made one point about good advice, which was the only point that I really looked at. This point was how I viewed good advice at that time. I think advice is good when it lets me approach something by myself, so that I, as an individual, can grow with what I learn from it. As apposed to forcing some orders upon me. By ordering me around, the advisor can’t get me to think about what is right for me. This way, I will never learn and it will do me more harm than good in the long run. I still stand by my original opinion, but since then I have learned much more about good advice. Then I heard about the second part of the paper and I was interested in taking notes on people's papers because that day in class, I realized that I could get much more deep into this subject. When I took the notes, I was amazed by how different the advisors were from paper to paper. The advice came from teachers, parents, friends, experts, mentors, and even themselves. This made me realize that advice can’t always be expected or unexpected because I will never know where it will come from. John also made me realize that personal advice is best when it comes from somebody that knows ... ...dvice. The biggest connection with good advice and writing isn't within the phonics or the way it is written. The biggest connection is within the total thought process of both of them. If I want to write a good paper, I should sit and think about it. I should ask myself, "Who is the reader, and what should I do to get the desired effect from them?" This is the same with advice. In writing, I should take the time to think personally about what I want to write about. I’ll analyze the situation like I am giving very important advice. There has to be a connection between the reader and I. The second connection is where I shouldn’t jumble up advice, otherwise it won't be good. The same goes with writing. Size doesn't matter, but I should get to the points I want to reach, otherwise I’ll lose the reader's attention. If I follow this advice, I will become a better writer.

Friend Classification

Friend Classification Having friends is an important part of life. It is friends that I share everything with. There are many types of people in the world and many types of friends. Knowing that, it becomes all the more important to select the right people so that I might have the correct friends. A friend is somebody that will always be there for me. I always have a great bunch of friends but sometimes some people are more of a friend then others. I have my general acquaintance friends and then I have my best friends. What is the difference between a best friend and a general acquaintances friend? A best friend is a person that I know well and regard with affection and trust. My best friend knows me better than anyone, definitely better than my parents, and sometimes better than I know myself. For best friends there is a feeling, and an emotion for every event shared together: a feeling of love, a feeling of happiness and a feeling of remorse; a feeling of laughter, and a feeling of tears. My best friend has seen me at my worst, and helped me be my best. My best friend will always tell me that I look good, even on my worst days. My best friend is someone with whom I've shared my most intimate secrets with, and laughed the loudest. I've already made plans to name one of my children after her, in hopes that my next of one is a girl. And although we may grow apart and not talk to each other as much, it is safe to say that true best friends are the ones you have for life. My best friend always understands me, or at least pretends to, and she is always willing to listen to my opinions and never criticizes them, even if they are a little weird. We have a secret language with special codes that no one would ever be able to crack. She was with me and held my hand when I got my belly button pierced and she was there with me when my dad threatened to rip it out. She comes to all my family functions like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter and makes fun of my strange great-aunts with me. When we go through these emotions together, we learn and grow from them and become closer than ever before. A general acquaintance friend is just simply an acquaintance. This means that I basically only know their name. I might not even remember what they look like if I go away for a short vacation. Usually, I meet these types of friends in school, at work, on the bus, in the gym, or anywhere else I might be. I normally would not mind having a cup of coffee with them, but if anything else came up, I usually would have no problem parting company. I normally don’t miss them when they are elsewhere. It is also this type of friends who give me the most amount of aggravation. Since most of the time I am placed in a position where you have to act friendly, such as school or work, I would not normally tell an acquaintance when he or she is doing something aggravating, such as tapping the fingers a table or chewing gum loudly. This is why I call them â€Å"pest friends. A general acquaintance friend is not someone I would ever really consider hanging out with a lot or getting to know more than I have to. Human survival is based on some kind of friendship. From the highest authority to the lowest bums living on the streets all of us have experienced in some way or the other one of these different kinds of friendships. I take this friendship for granted because it is something that exists naturally in society and I never really have to actually go out into the world looking for a friend. My personal realization came when I had to start life in a new city, in different surroundings. The feeling of loneliness I had was enough to drive a person to near madness. So in conclusion what I’m trying to say is that we cannot thrive successfully as individuals or as a society without having some form of friendship with other individuals rather it be general acquaintance friends or best friends.

Fast Food and Vending Machines Aren’t the Problem Essay

There has been an ongoing debate as to whether schools should be allowed to subsidize and sell fast food in the cafeterias as well as the use of vending machines in schools. I believe that it is when people who prepared the food started to lose sight of proper nutrition and portioning that made the problem. In some schools, vending machines are also part of the money-making machine that helps fund a schools various academic and day to day activities. At the Old Orchard Beach School, it has been reported that: The team implemented Tulane University’s CATCH nutrition education curriculum and wrote school vending policies that led to the removal of sodas and junk foods, and replaced them with water, 100% fruit juices, and healthier snack options. The vending machine signage was changed to advertise water instead of soda pop. The vendors were very cooperative in making the changes, and vending revenues have remained the same. Students have also taken an active role by writing their own nutrition policies, such as policies regarding foods served for classroom parties. At the Vista High school, Enid Hohn is the Director of Child Nutrition Services for Vista School District. He has learned to use the â€Å"necessary evil† to the benefit of his students and the school system. In 2005, with the support of the School Superintendent, he converted the junk vending machine at the Vista High School into a healthy, popular, moneymaking machine for the school. He relates the success story of his pilot project this way: The Principal was not very enthusiastic about this change. He indicated that he had been receiving $600. 00 per month ($7,200. 00 per year) in vending commission and was not interested in losing it. CNS gave him a $10,000. 00 signing bonus to offset his fears. We had difficulty getting students interested in signing up to try all the free food and beverages so we set up sample tables in a room close to the eating area and coerced students to come in and help us. We conducted food testing for three days and involved about 100 students. Once that was done it was important to set up focus groups with various students. Once school started we determined there was a need for additional machines due to the popularity of the Healthy Alternative Vending Program and the volume of items students were purchasing. (qtd. in Healthy Vending: The Vending Challenge paragraph 16) I am arguing that school vending machines should be allowed to sell fast food that fall under specified criteria controlled by the Child Nutrition Services of each school district based on the above information. The school earns the funding they need while staying within the guidelines of proper health and nutrition, while the children nutritious food without knowing it. Certain school districts argue that selling junk food and sodas in vending machines which are easily accessible to students in between classes since these are mostly located in the lobby cause deterioration in the student’s over all performance. It makes him sluggish, gives him a shorter attention span and prevents him from concentrating. Jeffrey Koplan, vice president of for academic health affairs of Emory University has stated that: Obesity may be a personal issue, but at the same time, families, communities, and corporations all are adversely affected by obesity and all bear responsibility for changing social norms to better promote healthier lifestyles. We recognize that several of our recommendations challenge entrenched aspects of American life and business, but if we are not willing to make some fundamental shifts in our attitudes and actions, obesity’s toll on our nation’s health and well-being will only worsen. (qtd. in National Effort Urgently Needed to Combat Childhood Obesity; Actions Required by Schools, Families, Communities, Industry, and Government paragraph 2. ) In addition, the National Effort Urgently Needed to Combat Childhood Obesity; Actions Required by Schools, Families, Communities, Industry, and Government, report also warned parents and schools alike that: By the time they are 14 years old, 52 percent of boys and 32 percent of girls are drinking three or more eight-ounce servings of soda a day. It would help for us to remember that vending machines don’t stock themselves, we do. This whole argument will prove to be a farce if the parents of the children can’t or won’t supervise the children or serve a nutritionally balanced meal at home. I refer you once again to the opinion of the National Effort Urgently Needed to Combat Childhood Obesity; Actions Required by Schools, Families, Communities, Industry, and Government report: Parents can exert a profound influence on their children by promoting healthy foods and an active lifestyle from an early age and serving as role models. Parents can encourage their children to develop a healthy, varied diet by introducing new foods in a persistent but non-coercive fashion. Studies show that repeated exposure is most critical during the early years of life and that it can take five to 10 exposures to a new food before a child will accept it. (qtd. in National Effort Urgently Needed to Combat Childhood Obesity; Actions Required by Schools, Families, Communities, Industry, and Government paragraph 5 I therefore, would like to reiterate that, there is no real reason with which to ban junk food and vending machines in schools. Instead, schools should learn to package â€Å"healthy† junk food. Learn how to use these things in order to promote good health and proper nutrition. The students will certainly be much more receptive of this approach. Works Cited: 1. Enid Hohn, R. D. , Director of Child Nutrition Services. Healthy Vending: The Vending Challenge. November 2006. November 13, 2006 2. National Effort Urgently Needed to Combat Childhood Obesity; Actions Required by Schools, Families, Communities, Industry, and Government. September 30, 2004. November 13, 2006. 3. Schools and School Districts That Have Improved School Food and Beverages and Not Lost Revenue. November 2006. November 13, 2006. 4. Bruce Buchanan. Getting to Wellness. October 2005. November 13, 2006.

Tattoos and Piercings

A tattoo is a permanent mark or design made on your skin with pigments inserted through pricks into the skin’s top layer. During the procedure, a needle that’s connected to a small machine with tubes containing dye pierces the skin repeatedly (Mayo Clinic Staff). Tattoos are considered cosmetic and that is why tattoos are not regulated by the Federal Food and Drug Administration but local health departments. Even though tattoos and body piercing parlors are regulated by local health departments, there are risks involved due to unsanitary conditions that can cause disease. These risks are relatively uncommon even though tattoos and body piercing are very popular. Tattooing has been around for years and there are several reasons why people decide to get tattoos. Some people decide to get a tattoo that might reflect a loved ones name. They may want to pay tribute to a lost loved one or just might want to display their children’s names. Other people decide to get tattoos because they are a part of a gang and want to display their gang affiliation. Another reason could be to display religious beliefs, for example displaying Jesus or a Cross. Even though there are reasons people decide to get tattoos there are still risks involved. The next risk would be allergic reactions. Sometimes there are bumps that may appear around the tattooed area called Granulomas. These are especially common if you have used red dye in the tattoo. The Granulomas typically appear around an area of the body that perceives, such as particles of skin pigment. People may even have an allergic reaction years after receiving the tattoo. The last risk associated with tattooing and body piercing is infection. You can get Staphylococcus Aurcus â€Å"Staph† bacteria infection. Tattoos that are received at facilities that are not regulated by the local health department will also prevent you from being a blood or plasma donor for up to twelve months because of the risk of spreading infection. The most common problem associated with tattooing is dissatisfaction. Although tattooing and body piercing are popular now, in a few years they may be out of style. The tattoo or body piercing may have faded or became embarrassing. Even people who have received tattoos for cosmetic reasons have had trouble with the dye fading after a few years. The only way to correct the problem is to have the tattoo redone or to have it removed. Tattoo removal is very expensive and can be very painful. Not only that, but it can be hard to remove the tattoo completely. The idea of getting a tattoo or body piercing is very exciting. The risks and the facility the tattoo is being done needs to be researched. There are so many things that can go wrong although many of them are rare they can happen. Most people that have tattoos have multiple tattoos. The same goes for piercings. However, it is recommended one does research prior to getting them and is very aware of the procedure and about the tattoo parlor one chose. If these things are a concern there are temporary tattoos. These tattoos are not regulated by the Federal Food and Drug Administration or you local Health Department. If you are unsure if a tattoo is what you want then this may be the way to go. They can usually design anything you would want just like a tattoo artist would. These tattoos do wear off after a couple of days so you can test the tattoo to see if it is wanted permanently. These tattoos are performed at same the facilities that permanent tattoos are done. Temporary tattoos can be done almost anywhere even on a street corner because they are not regulated. There has been no research done on the side effects of temporary tattoos so they are done at the consumers own risk. Body piercings may be removed simply by removing the item used in the piercing. If the item is removed the hole will still be there but it is not visible. However, because the tongue is the quickest healing part of our bodies a tongue piercing does grow back quickly if the tongue ring is removed and left out. With body piercing it is very common to get infections at the piercing site. With body piercing the site has to be kept clean at all times especially in the tongue. There are a lot of bacteria in a person’s mouth due to all the things we eat and drink so it is important that this area is kept clean. There are people that really like tattoos and have their whole bodies covered as well as people in prisons that are in gangs. These people have decided that tattoos will be apart of their life forever. Men and Women in prison who are apart of a gang may not be able to make an informed decision but may have to get a tattoos to survive. People in gangs are the most likely to get a tattoo to show their gang affiliation. It is usually a matter of life or death. They get these tattoos for protection from other gangs in prison as well as on the streets. Please make an informed decision before taking part in either tattooing or body piercing because they can have a lasting effect on ones life. Tattooing and body piercing are very popular right now. There a lot of people doing it because it is a fad. This fad will eventually fade just like all of the other fads have. These tattoos are permanent and can effect ones future in the job industry. Works Cited http://mayoclinic.com/health/tattoos-and-piercings/MC00020