The Principles Of Teamwork, Leadership Practices, And How...

Once known for quality automobiles, Volkswagen is now perceived as a global corporation that deliberately deceived the U.S. government and defrauded customers. In this paper our team investigated the principles of teamwork, leadership practices, and how these influenced business outcomes. Research indicated that Volkswagen’s corporate culture has not always been the best. Dictatorial executive leadership and a culture where â€Å"success at all costs† outweighed ethics created an environment hostile to team input and management evading personal responsibility for decisions. Our research illustrated that the leadership in Volkswagen displayed a lack of honesty, morals, and personal integrity that in turn undermined the corporate culture, this lead to the unethical decision by teams to devise a strategy to bypass environmental regulations. This behavior was known to management, was covered up, resulted in losses of exceeding eighteen billion dollars, and forced the resign ation of the CEO. Our analysis shows Volkswagen displayed effective leadership in solving the problem of meeting diesel emission test compliance; unfortunately the solution was an unethical approach to circumvent the test. Leadership both influenced the approach and supported obfuscating the fraudulent behavior before the government and public. Leading to our conclusions that the organization suffered short-term impacts included an executive shake up in the organization, multiple legal actions, and a decline inShow MoreRelatedbusiness Assignment1024 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Higher National Diploma in Business Management (Part-time) BEHAVIOUR AT WORK Unit 3: Organisations and Behaviour Outcome 1: Understand the relationship between organisational structure and culture Outcome 2: Understand different approaches to management and leadership Outcome 3: Understand ways of using motivational theories in organisations Outcome 4: Understand mechanisms for developing effective teamwork in organisations SCENARIO AccordingRead MoreOrganizational Behavior 4415: Managing in Virtual Organizations2812 Words   |  11 Pagescommunication have alleviated the cultural, social and political differences amongst the populations not only on national level but also on a universal platform. 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This paper will look at four interdependent strategies; team member roles must be clearly defined and articulated, there must be an understanding and respect for each other’s roles, there must be an appreciation of each other’s scope of practice, and a willingness to learn about and how other members’ roles compliment your own. Although theseRead MoreManagement Is A Wide Field2214 Words   |  9 Pagesoperations. Many people have carried out their own research to find out about principles of managerial work and try to define what managers actually do. This essay will contain various reviews about these researches (like Mintzberg, Sims, Walter) and will indicate their strengths and weaknesses with congruous examples. Moreover, the second part of this essay will also include an explanation about increasing force of team work and how it can change future researches of managerial work. 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1A. The Phases That Jeannine Skipped Are 1. The Systems

1a. The phases that Jeannine skipped are 1. The systems analysis and requirements phase 2. The systems design phase 3. The implementation phase and 4. Operations and Maintenance phase (Systems support and security). 1b. When Jeannine skipped the system analysis phase, she failed to analyze the needs of the end user and whether the system she came up with would meet her final requirements. Although Jeannine incorrectly believes she knows what is required she is unaware that the financial comptroller has been reevaluating the manner in which the company invests money. Skipping the systems analysis phase ensures Jeannine has no logical model of the system that she designs and disregards company policies and the change in progress. By†¦show more content†¦Had Jeannine followed the proper planning process she would have been able to resolve most of the issues that she encountered before they were a problem. 2a. Steven failed to do several things as a Project Manager. He failed to deliver the product on time and within budget, as well as managing expectations. His failures were a result of poor planning, prompt or advance requesting of resources, and a failure to communicate with his team, management and the end user. Steve’s job as the PM is to monitor progress, ensure key stakeholders keep their people focused on the task and prevent delays, or if delays occur communicate those issues to management. Managing stake holders and keeping them focused on requirements and due dates goes a long way towards preventing problems. Steve seems to have failed at this. 2b. Using the creeping requirements as an excuse seems to be a mistake as it implies project mismanagement. If the project had been properly monitored scope creep could have been detected early and managed. 2c. As the PM, Steven should have been aware of what was occurring in the project always. Burying problems prevents them from being brought into the light, analyzed and solved quickly. The adage that Problems don’t get better with time rings true here. Giving problems their due attention ensures that they can be fixed promptly andShow MoreRelated____________________________________ .. W E B S T E Ru1246 Words   |  5 PagesMID-TERM EXAM Chapters 1-6 Student Name: David McNamee__ Open Book Exam 1a. The phases that Jeannine skipped are 1. The systems analysis and requirements phase 2. The systems design phase 3. The implementation phase and 4. Operations and Maintenance phase (Systems support and security). 1b. When Jeannine skipped the system analysis phase, she failed to analyze the needs of the end user and whether the system she came up with would meet her final requirements. Although Jeannine incorrectly believes

The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty Free Essays

string(39) " just kind of want to be a part of it\." IAN WOKE ME THE NEXT MORNING with a super-early phone call. At first, I thought maybe he hoped to sneak in before the other Alchemists woke up, but it turned out he just wanted to get breakfast beforehand. Seeing as he’d managed to get me access, I couldn’t very well refuse. We will write a custom essay sample on The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty or any similar topic only for you Order Now He’d originally wanted to go to the facility in the late morning, but I talked him into going closer to noon. It meant lingering longer over breakfast, but it was worth the sacrifice. However, I was strictly back to khakis and a linen top. Espionage aside, cocktail dresses and breakfast buffets just didn’t mix. As a concession, however, I unbuttoned two buttons at the top of my shirt. Openly wearing that into the facility was practically R-rated, and Ian seemed thrilled by the â€Å"scandalous† act. Sunday at the facility was much quieter than the previous night. Although Alchemists never really got a break from their duties, most of the center worked normal weekday business hours. I had no difficulties checking in through the main reception again, but as predicted, we had a small delay in getting to the secure area. The guy on duty wasn’t the friend who owed Ian a favor. We had to wait for him to come out from the back room, and even then, it took Ian a bit of cajoling to convince his colleague to let me in. I think it was obvious to both of them that Ian was just trying to impress me, and finally, the first guy relented to what seemed like a harmless errand. After all, I was a fellow Alchemist, and I was only going on a tour of a library. What could possibly go wrong? They searched my purse and made me walk through a metal detector. I had two spells in mind that I could perform without physical components, so at least I didn’t have to explain any crystals or herbs. The trickiest part was a thumb drive I’d hidden in my bra. They might not have questioned me carrying one in my purse, but I hadn’t wanted to risk it being called out. That being said, if the thumb drive did show up on the scan, I was going to have a much more difficult time explaining why I was hiding it. I tensed as I stepped under the scanner, bracing myself to either run or attempt a Wolfe move. But, as hoped, it was too small to find, and we were waved through. That was one obstacle down, though it didn’t make me any less tense. â€Å"Did you end up trading this for the money he owed you?† I asked once Ian and I were descending toward the archives. â€Å"Yeah.† He made a face. â€Å"I tried to just swap it out for half of what he owed, but it was all or nothing for him.† â€Å"So how much is this trip costing you?† â€Å"Fifty dollars. It’s worth it, though,† he added quickly. Dinner had cost about the same. This was turning into an expensive weekend for Ian, particularly since I was the only one truly reaping the rewards. I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty and had to remind myself again and again that this was for an important cause. I would’ve offered to pay him back for it all, but something told me that would counteract everything I’d been working to achieve with my â€Å"womanly charms.† The archives were sealed with electronic locks that opened when Ian scanned his card key. As we stepped inside, I nearly forgot that coming in here was just a cover for the larger plan. Books and books and books surrounded me as well as scrolls and documents written on parchment. Old and delicate items were sealed under glass, with notes and signs against a far wall on how to access digital copies of them on computers. A couple of Alchemists, young like us, worked at tables and were transcribing old books into their laptops. One of them looked excited about her job; the other guy looked bored. He seemed to welcome the distraction of us entering. I must have worn an appropriately awed expression because when I turned to Ian, he was watching me with pride. â€Å"Pretty cool, huh?† Apparently being a glorified librarian had just become a much more exciting job for him. â€Å"Follow me.† He didn’t have to tell me twice. We began by exploring the full extent of the archives room, which stretched back much farther than I initially realized. The Alchemists prized knowledge, and it was obvious from this collection, which dated back centuries. I lingered at the shelves, wanting to read every title. They came in different languages and covered a full range of topics useful to our trade: chemistry, history, mythology, the supernatural . . . it was dizzying. â€Å"How do you organize it?† I asked. â€Å"How can you find anything?† Ian pointed to small placards on the shelves that I hadn’t noticed. They bore alphanumeric codes that were part of no filing system I recognized. â€Å"These catalog it all. And here’s the directory.† He led me to a touch screen panel embedded in the wall. I pressed it and was presented with a menu of options: AUTHOR, TIME PERIOD, SUBJECT, LANGUAGE. I touched SUBJECT and was led through a series of more and more specific topics until I finally realized I’d been searching for â€Å"Magic† in the supernatural section. It gave me a list of titles, each with its own code in the organizational system. To my surprise, there were actually a number of books on magic, and I burned with curiosity. Did the Alchemists have records of witches? Or was it all speculation? Most likely these were moral books preaching the wrongness of humans even considering such feats. â€Å"Can I browse some of the books?† I asked him. â€Å"I mean, I know I can’t sit and read all afternoon, but there’s so much history . . . I just kind of want to be a part of it. You read "The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty" in category "Essay examples" I’d be so, so grateful.† I really didn’t think that would work twice, but it did. â€Å"Okay.† He pointed toward a small office in the back. â€Å"I need to catch up on a few things. Do you want to meet back here in an hour?† I thanked him profusely and then returned to the touch screen. I yearned to investigate the magic books but had to remind myself why I was here. As long as I was in the archives, I might as well do some research that would help our cause. I flipped through the menus until I located the section on the Alchemists’ early history. I’d hoped to find a reference to vampire hunters in general or the Warriors specifically. No luck. The best I could do was follow the codes to shelves and shelves detailing our group’s formation. Most of the books were dense and written in an antiquated style. The really old ones weren’t even in English. I skimmed a few and soon realized a task like this would take longer than an hour. The newer books had no mention of the Warriors, which didn’t surprise me, seeing as that information was now covered up. If I was going to locate any references to vampire hunters, it would be in the oldest books. They didn’t have much in the way of tables of contents or indices, and there was no way I could do a full read. Remembering my real mission here, I put the books away after about ten minutes and sought out Ian. That earlier tension returned, and I began to sweat. â€Å"Hey, is there a restroom in here?† I prayed there wasn’t. I’d seen one down the hall when we’d come to this level. Part of my plan depended on getting out of the archives. â€Å"Down the hall, by the stairs,† he said. Some work issue had required his attention, and if my luck held, it would keep his eyes off the clock. â€Å"Knock on the door when you get back. I’ll tell the scribes to let you in.† I’d had a knot of anxiety in my stomach all day that I’d been trying to ignore. Now there was no getting around it. It was time for the unthinkable. Subtlety had no role in Alchemist security. The hallway contained cameras at each end. They faced each other, providing a long, continuous shot of the corridor. The restrooms were located at one end of the hall, almost directly under a camera. I went inside the ladies’ room and verified there were no other people – or cameras – within. At least the Alchemists allowed some privacy. Casting the invisibility spell was easy. Getting out was a little more difficult. The cameras’ position made me think the restroom door was too flush with the wall for either camera to really get a good look at it. The door opened inward, so I was able to slip out and feel confident no camera had picked up a ghostly door opening. The door to the stairs was the real beast. It was in the range of one of the cameras. Ms. Terwilliger had told me the invisibility spell would protect me from video and film. So, I had no fear of being spotted. I simply had to take the risk of the camera recording the door opening by itself. Although I knew security guards watched live feeds of the cameras, there were too many for them to scrutinize every second. If no sudden movement appeared on this one, I doubted any guard would notice. And if things stayed tame on this level, no one would have any reason to review the footage. But the operations level . . . well, if everything went according to plan, this sleepy Sunday was about to get a lot more exciting there. I slipped in and out of the stairwell, opening the door with absolutely as little space as possible. The operations level was even more secure than the archives, with heavy, industrial-looking doors that required both key cards and codes. I had no illusions about cracking any of it. Entry into the security office, much like the rest of this task, relied on an odd mix of logic and luck. The one thing you could count on with Alchemists was reliability. I knew how schedules tended to work. Lunch breaks were taken on the hour at typical lunch times: eleven, twelve, and one. This was why I’d asked Ian to schedule our visit to this time, when I could be relatively certain workers would be moving in and out of the room. Noon was five minutes away, and I crossed my fingers someone would exit soon. As it turned out, someone entered. A man came whistling down the hall. When he reached the door, the smell of fast-food hamburgers gave away his lunch choice. I held my breath as he scanned his card and punched in the numbers. The lock clicked, and he pushed the door open. I scurried in behind him and cleared the door without having to catch it or open it farther. Unfortunately, he came to a halt sooner than I expected, and I brushed against him. I immediately shrank away, and he scanned around, startled. Please don’t think there’s an invisible person here. How terrible would that be to have made it this far, only to be detected now? Fortunately, magical subterfuge wasn’t the first thing Alchemists turned to as a reason for anything. After a few more puzzled moments, he shrugged and called a greeting to one of his coworkers. Wade had described the room perfectly. Monitors covered one wall, flipping back and forth between different camera views. A couple of guards kept an eye on the footage, while others worked away at computers. Wade had also told me which workstation contained the files I needed. I approached it – careful to avoid any other contact mishaps. A woman was already seated at the station. â€Å"I was thinking of Thai carryout,† she told one of her coworkers. â€Å"I’ve just got to finish this report.† No! She was about to take her lunch break. For my plan to work, that couldn’t happen. If she left, she would lock her computer. I needed it accessible for this plan to work. She was running late on her lunch, which meant I had to act now. This room wasn’t exempt from surveillance. Even the watchers had watchers. Fortunately, there was only one camera. I selected an empty computer with a screen facing the camera and stood behind it. Wires and cords snaked out of the computer’s panel, and the fans whirred steadily inside. I rested my hand on the panel and did one more quick assessment. The computer’s back was out of the camera’s view, but it would do no good if it was in the middle of someone else’s line of vision. Everyone seemed preoccupied, though. It was time to act. I created a fireball – a small one. I kept it in the palm of my hand and rested it right next to the panel. Despite its size, I summoned as much heat as I could. Not quite blue, but getting there. It took effect quickly, and within seconds, the cords and panel began to melt. The scent of burnt plastic rolled over me, and smoke drifted upward. It was enough. I let the fireball fade, and then I sprinted away from the computer just in time. Everyone had now noticed the burning computer. An alarm went off. There were cries of surprise, and someone yelled for a fire extinguisher. They all rose from their chairs to hurry over and look – including the woman who’d been at the computer I needed. There was no time to waste. I sat immediately in her chair and plugged in the thumb drive. With gloved hands, I grabbed hold of the mouse and began clicking through directories. Wade hadn’t been able to help much at this point. We’d just hoped finding the files would be intuitive. All the while, I was conscious of the time – and that someone might notice a mouse moving by itself. Even after they put out the fire, the Alchemists hovered around the smoking computer, trying to figure out what had happened. Overheating wasn’t uncommon, but a fire happening that quickly definitely was. And these were computers that contained highly sensitive information. I felt like there were a million directories. I checked a few likely candidates, only to hit a dead end. Each time I hit a dead end, I would silently swear at the wasted time. The other Alchemists weren’t going to stay away forever! Finally, after more stressful searching, I found a directory of old surveillance footage. It contained folders linked to every camera in the building – including one marked MAIN CHECKPOINT. I clicked it open and found files named by date. Wade had told me that eventually these files were cleared and moved to archives, but the day I needed was still here. The cameras recorded one frame every second. Multiplied by twenty-four hours, that made for a huge file – but not nearly the size continuous filming would create. The file would fit on my thumb drive, and I began copying it over. The connection was fast, but it was still a big transfer. The screen told me it had ten seconds to go. Ten seconds. The computer’s owner could be back by then. I allowed myself another peek at the Alchemists. They were all still puzzling out the mystery. The thing about scientists like us was that a technological failure like this was fascinating. Also, it never occurred to any of them to look for a supernatural explanation. They tossed around theories with each other and started to take the melted computer apart. My file finished copying, and I sprang out of the chair, just as the woman began walking back toward it. I’d been fully prepared to risk another â€Å"ghost door† while they were distracted, but the fire alarm had summoned others in the hallway. People moved in and out with such frequency that I had no trouble holding the door open just long enough for me to sneak through. I practically ran back to the archives level and had to calm myself when I reentered the restroom. I uncast the invisibility spell and waited for my breathing to slow. The thumb drive was back in my bra, the gloves back in my purse. Studying myself in the mirror, I decided that I looked innocent enough to return to the archives. One of the scribes let me in. It was the engrossed girl, and she gave me a look that said opening the door was a waste of her time. Ian still appeared to be engulfed with work in the back, which was a relief. I’d been gone far longer than a bathroom trip would require and had worried he’d wonder where I was at. Things could’ve gone badly if he’d sent the girl to find me, both because I wasn’t in the restroom and because she’d be really annoyed at the interruption. Over in the history section, I sat on the floor with a book picked at random, which I only pretended to read. I was too anxious and keyed up to parse the words, no matter how many times I tried to reassure myself. There was no reason for the Alchemists to suspect me of causing the fire. There was no reason for them to think I’d stolen data. There was no reason for them to think I was connected to any of this. Ian found me when the hour was up, and I feigned disappointment at having to leave. In reality, I couldn’t get out of this building fast enough. He drove me to the airport and chattered nonstop about the next time we’d get to see each other. I smiled and nodded appropriately but reminded him our work had to come first and that my post was particularly consuming. He was obviously disappointed but couldn’t deny the logic. The Alchemist greater good came first. Even better, he didn’t try one of those awful kisses again – though he did suggest we set up some times for video chatting. I told him to email me, secretly vowing I’d never open up any message from him. I didn’t relax until the plane took off, when the potential for an Alchemist raid seemed pretty low. The most paranoid part of me worried there could be a party waiting for me at the Palm Springs airport, but for now I had a few hours of peace. I’d just assumed I’d deliver the drive to Marcus and leave it at that. But now, with it in my possession, my curiosity got the better of me. I had to get to the bottom of this mystery. Was the Z. J. who’d visited the Alchemists really Master Jameson? With fresh coffee in hand, I opened the file on my laptop and began to watch. Even with one frame per second, the footage went on forever. Most of it was nothing but a quiet checkpoint, with the most exciting parts being when the guards changed position or took breaks. Plenty of Alchemists passed in and out, but relative to the overall time span, they were few and far between. Ian actually showed up once, off to start his shift. I wasn’t even halfway through when the plane began its descent. Disheartened, I resigned myself to an evening of more of the same when I got back to the dorm. At least I’d be able to make some decent coffee to get me through. I was almost tempted just to push the file off on Marcus tomorrow and let him deal with reviewing it . . . but that nagging voice urging me to find out for myself won. It wasn’t just because of my curiosity either. I didn’t really think Marcus would fabricate anything, but if I could see for sure that – There he was on the screen. He wasn’t in those over-the-top robes, but there was no mistaking Master Jameson’s old-fashioned beard. He wore business casual clothing and seemed to be smiling at something a man beside him was saying. The man had a lily on his cheek but was no one I knew. Master Jameson. With the Alchemists. Marcus and his Merry Men’s conspiracy had panned out. A suspicious part of me wanted to believe this was a setup, that maybe they’d altered and planted this. But, no. I’d taken it myself, off an Alchemist server. It was possible Marcus had more insiders running errands for him, but this hadn’t been easy for me, even with magical assistance. Besides, why would Marcus go to so much trouble to make me believe this? If it was some twisted way to get me to join him, there were a million other ways he could have attempted it, with evidence much easier to fake. Something in my gut told me this was real. I hadn’t forgotten the similarities in our rituals or how the Warriors had wanted our groups to merge. Maybe the Alchemists and the Warriors weren’t best friends yet, but someone had at least humored Master Jameson with a meeting. The question was, what had happened at that meeting? Had the Alchemist in the footage sent Jameson packing? Were the two of them together right now? Regardless of the outcome, this was undeniable proof that the Alchemists and Warriors were still in contact. Stanton had told me we merely kept an eye on them and had no interest in hearing them out. Once again, I had been lied to. How to cite The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty, Essay examples

The Presence of Stress in 12 Angry Men And What Ca Essay Example For Students

The Presence of Stress in 12 Angry Men And What Ca Essay used It The Presence of Stress in 12 Angry Men And What Ca Essayused It All human beings encounter stress at one point or another in their life. Stress can trigger other emotions that do not necessarily help one in their current situation. Dealing with it can also cause more problems, perhaps even more stress. In the movie 12 Angry Men, 12 jurors are placed in a small, sultry room where they have to come up with a unanimous verdict. After hours of contemplation the men emerge sweaty, stressed out, emotionally drained, and tired from dealing with the stress of the situation. The stress that they felt was a normal reactive response to be present after being put in that situation. The jurors knew that they had an important job to do. Their decision could save or take the life of a man. The situation is an approach-avoidance situation because they could save the life of an innocent man or they could let a guilty man go depending on the decision, which led to the initial stress. For a long amount of time, Juror #8 was trying to convince the other jurors that the boy was not guilty, leading to extreme frustration towards Juror #8 and each other. Some jurors (specifically Juror #3) began to threaten the other jurors. When the Jurors first entered the Jury Room, they felt that they would be in and out after the first vote. When Juror #8 voted not guilty they all became alarmed, they realized that this might take longer than previously thought. At first, as Juror #8 tried to convince them of the chance of probable doubt, they resisted all his attempts. Gradually, one by one, the men became exhausted of fighting against Juror #8 and changed their vote to not guilty, showing their general adaptation system working in the three stages of alarm, resistance and exhaustion. The 12 jurors sat in the room, beginning to analyze every piece of information given to them. Certain jurors had to get over former stereotypes that they possessed before the trial. For example, Juror #3 believes that children have no respect for their parents anymore because they do not address them as sir or madam. Juror #4 made a false declaration about children who come from slummy neighborhoods. He believed that they all will forever be menaces to society and that they will never become a good person. He was flabbergasted when Juror #5 stated that he used to live in the worst of all slums, but today he is a good man. The use of groupthink helped them make a decision on the verdict. They are all part of an organized group that is trying to highlight agreement in this crucial decision. The men cooperated and achieved the goal that they were after, reaching a unanimous verdict of not guilty on probable cause. Even though the men were extremely stressed out about the decision, they were eventually able to rationally make that decision. Stress can slow a person down but it will not shut that person down. When faced with a heavily weighted decision people tend to become stressed out. They spend more time worrying about making the wrong choice than the time they spend wondering what the right choice is. Stress is a normal human feeling that cannot be avoided and will always be present to a certain extent. The jurors were faced with a difficult choice to make , their decision could either save a young mans life or put him to death. Cognitive Psychology focuses on information processing, problem solving and decision-making. The jurors were give an immense amount of information that they had to take in and decide whether the young man was guilty or not. Juror #8 analyzed the information, finding loopholes that no one else did. After sharing all of that information with the other jurors, more loopholes were found by other jurors. The remaining 11 jurors change their charge to not guilty. .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae , .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae .postImageUrl , .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae , .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae:hover , .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae:visited , .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae:active { border:0!important; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae:active , .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf00a4f2d56ff2ccd5550966e33f09dae:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Macbeth – Downfall of Macbeth Essay Thesis While in the Jury Room the 12 men all became extremely restless with one another. The amygdala is a structure in the limbic system, which is responsible for emotion and aggression. Juror #3 showed the .

Bowling Essays - Bowling, Ten-pin Bowling, , Term Papers

Bowling Picture this scene: The best athletes in your community are gathered for the annual high school varsity letter awards banquet. Halfback Henry and Jumpshot Jenny already have received accolades from the Master of Ceremonies for their accomplishments, but the attention is now focused on Susan Strike, Central High's varsity bowling superstar. Bowling is Central High's newest varsity letter sport," he proclaims, "and we're extremely proud to announce Susan Strike has not only earned All-Conference honors for leading the Little Nine with a 206 average, but she led Central High to its first state bowling championship." A standing ovation follows. You beam because Susan is a product of your youth league program. She is the first of a new generation of Varsity Bowling letter winners and she'll serve as an inspiration for hundreds of young bowlers in your community. This scene may sound like a dream to you, but it's a reality in some areas of the United States where a handful of dedicated proprietors have laid the groundwork to launch the nation-wide Varsity Bowling program during the 1998-99 bowling season. Varsity Bowling is going to be a two-pronged attack: 1. From the Top Down - Five states have been selected to participate in a targeted Varsity Bowling program during the 1998-99 with a focused effort to secure state high school athletic association approval for the sport. 2. From the Bottom Up - Every local/regional proprietor group in any area of the United States is invited to "test" the Varsity Bowling waters on their own. A comprehensive organizational kit, including detailed manual, videotape and support materials, is available today from the Young American Bowling Alliance and the Bowling Proprietors Association of America to help your proprietor group and local association volunteers get a headstart in organizing a "high school club conference" to demonstrate the program's feasibility. Varsity Bowling is a program that cannot succeed without the commitment and dedication of the proprietors. You own the arenas, you have the expertise and it's your youth bowlers who will benefit the most. Varsity Bowling is one of the most comprehensive step-by-step organizational programs ever developed in bowling (or any sport). It is based upon 10 years of experience and research in Northern Illinois and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, culminating in resounding success. Be Part of Bowling's Biggest Success Story in Decades Varsity Bowling will become our sport's most significant success story in decades, with your help. Mark these figures down and watch them grow: In 1996-97, only 728 of America's more than 16,000 high schools offered any kind of bowling program. Out of 6.1 million high school students who participated in athletics in 1996-97, only 15,600 were able to bowl for their schools. Only seven of America's 50 states had as many as 30 high schools offering bowling as an extracurricular activity. Bowling has nearly 500,000 young people participating in Young American Bowling Alliance leagues and tournaments. They know and love bowling, and most of them are denied the opportunity to experience the thrill and excitement of bowling for a letter for their high school teams. American Sports Data states interest in bowling is at an all-time high among young people, with a 15% increase in interest among pre-teens and 17% growth in interest among high schoolers. As a proprietor, you will never experience any program as rewarding as you'll discover by becoming a part of the Varsity Bowling team. Send for your comprehensive Varsity Bowling organizational kit, including detailed manual, videotape and support materials, today! order your kit now or Send for your comprehensive Varsity Bowling organizational kit, including detailed manual, videotape and support materials, today! To order your Varsity Bowling kit, please send an email to Jennifer Williamson or call her at the Young American Bowling Alliance (414 423-3398. Smart Program The Scholarship Management and Accounting Reports for Tenpins (SMART) program will help locate and secure existing bowling scholarships for YABA's membership. SMART will also help any organization start and manage a new bowling scholarship program while relieving new and existing bowling scholarship providers from the burden of administering their scholarship funds. YABA has developed two service levels to accomplish this mission: LEVEL ONE Level one is SMART's information and assistance level. This SMART level can be contacted in one of three ways - telephone, mail or email. SMART Level One will provide the following services: Information on how to start a bowling scholarship league, tournament or written application. Information on how to manage the scholarship dollars collected. Advise, assist and support organizations regarding any problem encountered in conducting or administering their scholarship programs. A booklet

Environments Shape Organizations

Environments Shape Organizations Introduction Organizations’ performance largely depends on the environment under which they operate. Here, environment can mean either internal or external factors that directly or indirectly affect how an organization operates towards achieving its set goals.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Environments Shape Organizations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These factors are known for causing either positive or negative impacts that consequently influencing how that organization works. In most cases, environments dictate how organization operates, and the more stable an environment is, the more successful it will be. At times, organizations can change their way of operation or structural body in order to match with the environmental conditions. Environment also has a contribution towards the strategic plan of the organization. This is important because it provides means in which set goals and objective s are achieved. For an organization to perform best, it must have competitive advantage in that, it must be in a position to offer different goods and services in a different manner with the immediate organizations or of the same goods and services but in a different way that is most likely to satisfy the customer. Other factors in the surrounding that are likely to have an impact on an organization include; the market in which it operates, availability of skilled labor, availability of required resources and raw materials, accessibility, availability of potential customers and their level of demand for the products. The internal factors may include; management, organizational structure, availability of funds and synergy aspects in the organization (Draft, Marcic, 2010). In some cases, organizations can change the environment under which they operate; this is due to the objectives, goals, vision and mission of the organization. Due to the services delivered, organizations can affect its surrounding either negatively or positively. The type of environment available is bound to determine how an organization will operate either for the better or worst.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More How environment shape organizations The ability of an organization to succeed depends with the ease with which it adapts to the new environment. This is due to the fact that environment has the capability of affecting how resources are utilized and how products are received by the customers. In most cases, organizations are affected internally by factors such as regulation measures for safety and other services such like packaging and advertising. Work processes and organizational structure is also affected (Harrison, 2005). Environmental factors that are bound to affect an organization are divided into two categories, that is; PEST and SWOT. Under pest, po litical, economic, social and technological (PEST) aspects are considered. On the other hand, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) are considered. These factors are determined through analysis that is PEST and SWOT analysis respectively. PEST analysis and at times referred to STEP analysis can be defined as macroeconomic factors that are capable of influencing strategic planning in an environmental scan. In the United Kingdom, environmental and legal factors have been chipped in amounting these acronyms to PESTEL or PESTLE. Today, ethics and demographic factors have been included to make the acronyms STEEPLED. PEST analysis is important as it helps an organization know some of the factors that have to be put in mind for a successful operation. Usually, it enables an organization understand its current position, its potentials, performances of its market and how to continue in its field of operation without much hindrances. The earlier mentioned macroeconomic facto rs do not directly affect an organization but do affect demand and supply of goods and services eventually affecting its performances. PEST analysis is vital especially when a company wants to join a new market as it helps identify the available opportunities (What is PEST analysis? , n.d) Main aspects of PEST analysis Economic Factors considered here include; changes in various rates such as inflation, exchange and interest. Economic growth in a country is inclusive; this factor is core for any business progress as it determines it’s easy or difficult of succeeding. This is so because it affects demand and available capital plus its cost.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Environments Shape Organizations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In cases where capital is readily available due to its cheap cost, organization can be in a position to invest easily with hopes of making profits. It is also apparent that demand of some goods and services grows with the positive growth of a country’s economy. Chances for successful exploitation of a certain strategy is also determined by the economic conditions at the very time, it is possible for an organization to perform well during economic recession while another can only succeed during economic rise depending on the services or goods being provided. It is therefore possible for the latter one quitting the market making a way for the former to get into the market. Many organizations leave the market during times of economic crisis. Exchange rates are also known to determine hoe cheap or how expensive imported goods are, this suggest the price at which goods and services offered by the organization will be sold or bought at. Inflation rates have a great influence on a company’s progress because with a continued increase in good’s prices over time, demand decreases and this affects sales in a company leading to its colla pse. Variations in rates of interests can have adverse effect on organizations during loan repayment or any other payment. This is in the sense that, repayment is made b use of the agreed rate regardless of the rise or drop in rates at the time of payment. If for example, during time of crediting the rates are high then they drop during payment, the company is likely to gain in terms of monetary value and vice verse. All these rates are interrelated and they have an impact on how an organization operates. Political The government has an influence on a country’s economy through; tax policy, political stability, employment rules, environmental laws, tariffs and trade restrictions. In most case the government have the mandate to determine the goods to import or export and those ones not to. Also, it can decide on the countries to trade or not trade with. These decisions affect organizations either positively or negatively.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Interest rates are influenced by inflation rates which greatly depend on the banks restrictions outlined by the government’s priority. The government has a big role in the determination of how organizations are funded. Political stability has also a direct effect on how a company can perform. During political crisis, many companies are unable to operate leading to their low performances, as compared to the times when there is peace in a country. Qualified labor is required for best performance which ii only possible through training that is directly influenced by the government. A country’s infrastructure and health are also under the control of the government and they have an impact on the companies’ progress in terms of goods and services delivery and adequate labor respectively. Social Demography, age distribution, health issues, safety concerns and profession stance are some of the factors under this. A company’s performance and its products demand ar e dictated by social aspects. For example, young people have vigor and are more willing to work as compared to the aging employees, this has a direct effect on how a company operates and if young labor is to be incorporated, labor value increases. Demand of a company’s products depends on age distribution and the number of people working. It is therefore important for a company to recognize how demand changes with fashion in order to operate to an optimal customer satisfaction. Technology Technology is comprised of automation, technological advancements, research and development (R and D activity). These factors have influences such as lowering entry barriers into the market, maintaining economic level quantity (EOQ) and decisions outsourcing. Technology leads to innovations and creation of new industries. Technology offers a company competitive advantage thus creating threats to the existing ones. It has a hand in improving an organization’s services and products thou gh this can be an additional cost due to the required training before it is being implemented. Environmental Specific industries are prone of environmental and ecological factors such as weather and climate change. Such organizations include; insurance, tourism and agriculture. Knowledge of these factors influence companies’ performance and how they deliver creating. This paves way for new market and demolition of the ones in operation. Legal These factors include laws such as antitrust, employment, consumer, discrimination, security and health. All these laws affects ways in which an organization works and the rate of its product’s demand. PEST analysis is an appropriate and effective tool of creating a clear image of the environment under which organizations work. Threats and opportunities of a given organization are determined through this analysis hence supporting strategic planning that helps in attainment of the set goals in a more sufficient manner compared to i ts surrounding competitors. Together with PEST analysis, SWOT analysis can be used in order to determine environments of barriers involved include revenge from already industry players, capital required, accessibility to distribution routes and scale economies. Availability of product’ substitutes A threat to an organization’s products and services is experienced when there exists new and equal substitutes. These encourage customers to switch to these alternatives thus affecting an organization’s performance. Apart from a customer’s readiness to go for substitute, other threats that result from this are; how the new substitutes work in the market and their cost, also how much it costs to switch to this alternatives. Customer’s/ buyer’s bargaining power Bargaining power for buyers is high when there are many suppliers and more distribution channels for a product. This is a threat to an organization as there will be no constant customers as th ey will always have a variety means of the required products at a price that is friendly to them. Profits are cut down tremendously when there exists such a threat. Suppliers’ bargaining power Suppliers have a key role in the determination of a company’s profitability. This is because they supply material such as raw materials, labor and expertise. When the bargaining power for suppliers is high, then the profits made will be lower. This is possible when a firm is not the only customer to the supplier or when a supplier is the only one serving the firm. In such cases, a supplier can be reluctant to work with a firm or hike the supply cost and this has a great effect on an organization. Intensity of competition from rivalry Rivalry to an organization is brought about by various aspects such as availability of competitors whereby if there are equal organizations in mode of their structure, then competition will be high as compared to when there are rare industries of the same size. Others may include industries’ costs, product differentiation level, exit and entry costs and strategic objectives (Strategy- analyzing competitive industry structure 2004). Conclusion It is evident that an organization’s shape is determined by the environment in which it operates. Factors affecting an organization can be either external or internal. In business these factors can be evaluated by use of analysis strategies such as the SWOT, PEST and porter’s competitive models. Usually, the identified micro and macro environment are known to influence an organization’s performance in the market either positively or negatively. Therefore, an organization’s ability to achieve its set goals heavily depends on these environmental factors. Environment is also capable of determining how organizations enter new markets or exit. Environments are therefore very important as it can help organization know what products to deal with or how to attain a competitive advantage over its rivalries. References List Draft, R. Marcic, Dorothy. (2010). Understanding Management. Wodsworth: Cengage Learning. Five competitive forces model porter. (2011). Retrieved from valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_porter_five forces.html. Harrison, M. (2005). Diagnosing organizations: methods, models and processes. London: Sage Strategic management. (n.d). Retrieved from quickmba.com/strategy/pest/ Strategy- analyzing competitive industry structure. (2004). Retrieved from http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/porter_five_forces.htm SWOT analysis examples: Reports on different companies. ( n.d). Retrieved from marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-swot.html. SWOT analysis method and examples, with free SWOT template. ( n.d). Retrieved from businessballs.com/swotanalysisfreetemplate.htm. What is PEST analysis? (n.d). Web. Available from coursework4you.co.uk/essays-and-dissertations/pest-analysis.php.

Movie review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Movie Review Example Evolutionary anthropology tries to understand the past and present of the human experiences (Sevelius). Under the evolutionary perspective comes cultural anthropology, which can be explained using different scenarios from the chosen movie; it is basically the study of culture, in order to make sense of the behaviors within it, like words, concepts and symbols (Lynch). The movie is about a couple, Meredith and Everett, who visits Everett’s family, on Christmas. Here, the customs of family getting together on Christmas is shown; no matter where each member of the family works or lives, they find time to get together on a holiday. Meredith is quite different from the Stone family; however, she soon finds out that every member of the Stone family is different from one and another. Everett’s sister is a traditional mother, his father has a low key personality, his mother is the glue which holds the whole family together and his brother is gay. Everett has brought Meredith to meet his family, because he wants to propose her, with his grandmother’s ring which is also a family heirloom. This shows another behavior of human kind or custom that whenever the eldest son of the family wants to propose to a girl, he asks his mother for a family heirloom, to make the moment more special; it is also a sign of the mother’s approval. Meredith soon finds out that Everett’s mother, Sybil, is dying; this is the reason why Everett wants to propose to Meredith, so that his mother could see him married and happy, before she passes away. Even though, the movie shows how Everett falls in love with Meredith’s sister, because she is more outgoing and not uptight like Meredith, it shows the expectations of marrying and settling down, which has been part of the present and past of human kind. As Everett’s mother is dying, her wish would be to see her elder son settle down and have children of his own. Even though Everett

Financing Trade With Burma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financing Trade With Burma - Essay Example Political instability is a great challenge for investors in Burma. The investors also face risks from consumer boycotts. Therefore, Burma is not a favorable investment option for American companies. It becomes apparent that there is hesitation among investors to spend money on projects in Burma, which is the reason why there is a dearth of foreign investment in the country. For making investment in Burma, the companies should get approval from Burmese authorities. The foreign companies can do business only through joint venture with Burmese collaboration. Burma lacks strong economic policies to bring foreign investment. Therefore, it is really a threat for US firms to make investment in Burma. Moreover, the political instability and conflicts in the country are another problem. The country’s governance lies with its military and there no uniform or precise rules in the country to protect the investors. The poor infrastructure facilities are also a major handicap for companies investing the country. Thus, any person who intends to invest there will have to develop the basic facilities. This will entail additional costs to the investor. The fiscal policies in the country also do not favor investment there. Besides, Burmese government imposes huge taxes on foreign investors. â€Å"Foreign investment has risen dramatically over the past year, as international companies cooperate with Burma’s government to exploit the country’s natural resources† (Jared, 2011, para. 1). 2) Since a military government rules Burma, they impose many restrictions on foreign trade and most of their policies are arbitrary in nature. Thus, the country is not investment friendly for foreign investors. America has banned investing in Burma due to the military actions against the civilians. In Burma, government owns all major industries and they place many restrictions on foreign trade. The country has trade relations with Asian countries and they export agricultur al products and import manufactured goods. Burma’s trade with United States accounts only 5% of total foreign trade. Even though Burma has liberalized its economy, they still impose many restrictions on foreign trade. The major earnings in the country derive from oil and natural gas. Therefore, if an investor decides to invest in this country this industry is a better option. If US companies propose to start business in Burma, they will have to face several challenges there. Any person or firm can start business in the country only as a joint venture, in collaboration with a Burmese entity. Due to political instability the country’s fiscal and monetary policies are not good. The inflation rates are high, which will have a direct bearing on the cost of operating a business. Investors may also face problems form the government as they do not encourage foreign investment. The tax rates on foreign traders are also quite high. â€Å"In Burma, however, foreign trade and inv estment helps perpetuate the rule of a repressive, unelected junta. Full foreign ownership of companies operating in Burma is forbidden and almost all large investment in Burma is carried out through joint ventures with the military regime† (Burma: Country in Crisis, 2002, para. 1). 3) Every business involves some part of risk. It may also have to face uncertainty of earnings or risk of loss because of some unexpected developments in

PEST Analysis on Deodorant market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PEST Analysis on Deodorant market - Essay Example This in turn influences the prices they are to be charged in the market. For example if the import duty imposed on the deodorant is high, this means they will be charged at high prices hence their demand will be low. On the other hand, if the custom taxed charged on them is low, it means that they will be charged less in the market hence they demand will be high thereby increase the sales. 1 On the other hand, economic factors greatly influence deodorant market in that during inflation deodorants are charged more in the market hence they become unpopular to the consumers. At this time, the purchasing power of the consumers is greatly affect and the only money they have, they spend it to buy necessities and not things like deodorants. This in turn affects the deodorant sales. 2 Unemployment is another factor that affects deodorant market. The whole world today is greatly affected by unemployment and there as so many young energetic people in the world that ought to be working and there are no employment opportunities for them. For this case, they are not salaried; hence they have nothing to spend to buy anything like cosmetics. Due to this, the sales of deodorant go down since those people who ought to be buying these deodorants have no purchasing power at all. 3 Deodorant market is also affected by socio cultural environmental factors that greatly affect their demand in

Australia And The Global Financial Crisis Economics Essay

Australia And The Global Financial Crisis Economics Essay The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) was caused by various factors which impacted the Western worlds economies. It resulted from providing too many loans to people who could not afford to repay the loan and the packaging up of loans to on-sell (securitisation in the USA). The greed of consumers, bad investments, rising property prices, the wide spread distribution of income, and the overall poor regulation of monies also contributed. The Australian government takes credit for avoiding this recession by implementing Keynesian theory of fiscal and monetary stimulus by intervening early and a willingness to stimulate the economy. This stimulus was aimed to stimulate aggregate demand through increased consumption and investment expenditure the minority of this stimulus being monetary policy and the majority being fiscal stimulus. However this stimulus when compared to other contributions to change in GDP expenditure was not the major contributor to avoiding the recession. Net exports were t he most significant contributor during the GFC. This means that the stimulus did not save Australia from the recession. The net exports contributed greatly but when a consideration is made of all the National Income Measures (NIM) not just the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Australia did have a mild recession. It is clear that the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) has created a recession not only all over the western world, but in Australia as well and the main contributor to its mildness was Australias net exports. The Australian government has used fiscal policies to smooth out the economic fluctuations caused by the GFC and to reduce its impact on consumers. Fiscal policy uses changes in government spending and/or reduces taxes to influence the level of aggregate demand to impact the general direction of the economy. When Australia was threatened by the global financial crisis, the government took the action of implementing the largest fiscal stimulus in the world (Makin 2010:5). The government spending was used for infrastructure projects for the purpose of stimulating the workforce during the GFC recession especially when the construction industry is particularly depressed. In addition, the government is spending on transfer payments to people under the Employment Insurance and Welfare programs increase during a recession and thereby providing more support to the level of aggregated demand. These stimulus packages (Government spending) include the Economic Security Strategy,  the Nation B uilding Economic Stimulus, the Nation Building and Jobs Plan and a Nation Building Infrastructure measures which have reached a more than $55.6 billion (Makin 2010:5). Most of this funding was targeted to support local jobs throughout Australia by building new projects and facilities that will have lasting benefits across the nation including (ALP 2011). Australia went through the GFC economically with the strongest growth of any advanced economy through 2009 (ALP 2011).  With the government stimulating the economy resulting in a multiplier effect, the planned aggregated expenditure increases. The Australian government also stimulated the economy with the aid of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to increase the planned aggregated expenditure by the use of monetary policy. The RBA sets the interest rate on overnight loans in the money market which affects other interest rates in the economy to varying degrees, so that the behaviour of borrowers and lenders in the financial markets are affected by monetary policy (though not only by monetary policy). This can be seen in the figure 1below as the supply curve shifts to the right which meant that the RBAs influence could be used to reduce the burden of the GFC. This could be done by three measures; the first measure was to provide extended opportunities for the banks to borrow from the RBA. This provided sufficient liquidity for banks to support them through the GFC. The second measure was to provide loans or make direct purchases to support certain markets. This allowed for mortgage-securities to be bought back and provide s hort-term stabilities. The third measure was the use of guarantees to stabilise markets, support banks in raising debt and to avoid a run on the banking system. This helped to increase the willingness to lend, since lenders were only willing to lend at short maturities. The ability to modify rates at any time provided the RBA with the flexibility to stimulate the economy in a downturn and prevent an overheating boom. Thus in the GFC the decrease in interest rates reduces the cost in borrowing resulting in increased planned aggIt regate expenditure. Figure 1: A Monetary Injection and How It Will Affect the Supply and Demand of Money. The Australian government increased government spending to increase private and public consumption by the use of monetary and fiscal policy to counter the negative contributions from public and private investment. The recorded contribution from direct Australian government consumption to a change in GDP(E) in the December 2008 quarter was  actually negative  (-0.1 per cent), followed by nil contribution in the March quarter. These were offset by negligible positive contributions from State and Local consumption spending. This was due to the result of administrative delays in implementing infrastructure spending causing the total public spending not to increase until the end of 2009, but only after the worst of the GFC had passed. During the time of the GFC from the September 2008 to the March 2009 quarters, the main contributors to expenditure were not private and public consumption but net exports which detracted from real expenditure growth in quarters before and after the GFC struck. The strong net export result can be explained by a sustained real exchange-rate depreciation of over 25 per cent in trade-weighted terms during the December 2008 and March 2009 quarters, which made exports substantially cheaper for foreign buyers and imports more expensive for domestic buyers. There was also sustained demand for commodities from key Asian trading partners, including China, over this time. The Australian strong economy can be credited to its net exports rather than government spending, to maintain a positive GDP during the GFC. Table 2: Contributions to GDP Growth (percentage points per quarter, seasonally adjusted) Federal Government Consumption State and Local Govt Consumption Federal  Government  Investment State and Local Govt Investment Statistical Discrepancy Real GDP Jun-2008 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.3 -0.1 0.2 Sep-2008 0.1 0.1 -0.2 -0.1 -0.1 0.4 Dec-2008 -0.1 0.1 -0.2 -0.1 0.0 -0.7 Mar-2009 0.0 0.1 -0.1 0.0 -0.9 0.7 Jun-2009 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 -0.3 0.5 Sep-2009 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.2 -0.1 0.3 Dec-2009 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.0 1.0 Source: Makin, A 2010, Did Australias Fiscal Stimulus Counter Recession?: Evidence from National Accounts, pg. 10, A Journal of Policy Analysis and Reform, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2010. A recession can be determined when there are two consecutive negative quarters of GDP and also when there is a 1.5% rise in unemployment within 12 months. The nominal GDP fell in the March 2009 and June 2009 quarters implying there was a contraction in national income. The reason the average volume measure of GDP remained positive in the March quarter, while the current price value measure shrank, is that there was a sharp fall in the implicit price deflator (or overall price level), due in no small part to heavy retail discounting of goods for sale at this time. Meanwhile, real GDP per head, the single most important indicator of recession, fell successively over three quarters by a total of 1.3 per cent. The real GDP (E) measure in Table 1 is the only conventional GDP series that did not record at least two consecutive negative outcomes. Average real GDP was not negative for two successive quarters because the GDP (E) measures were sufficiently positive to make GDP (A) positive. He nce, the claim that fiscal stimulus enabled Australia to avoid recession according to the media definition of recession, in the end depends on the nature and robustness of the real GDP(E) measure for the March 2009 quarter. But Australia did have over 1.5% rise in unemployment, 1.1 per cent in the September 2008 and 1.5 per cent in the June 2009, meaning unemployment had a 1.5% rise in unemployment within 12 months meaning Australia had a recession. Table 1: Conventional Measures of Gross Domestic Product (percentage growth per quarter, trend basis) Real GDP-Expenditure Real GDP-Income Real GDP -Production Real GDP-Average Real GDP per capita Nominal GDP Jun-2008 0.3 0.3 0.7 0.4 0.1 2.8 Sep-2008 0.1 -0.2 0.2 0.0 -0.5 2.1 Dec-2008 0.4 -0.2 -0.2 0.0 -0.5 0.6 Mar-2009 0.7 0.2 -0.2 0.2 -0.3 -0.8 Jun-2009 0.9 0.5 0.1 0.5 0.0 -0.7 Sep-2009 0.9 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.2 0.7 Dec-2009 0.8 0.6 0.9 0.8 0.3 2.2 Source: Makin, A 2010, Did Australias Fiscal Stimulus Counter Recession?: Evidence from National Accounts, pg. 8, A Journal of Policy Analysis and Reform, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2010. The claim that Australia avoided a recession rests on the definition of recession as two consecutive quarters of falling GDP. This definition is popular with media commentators and market economists and is tacitly approved by the Australian Treasury and the Reserve Bank of Australia. However, it lacks support from academic economists and policymakers abroad because it is too narrow. If a consideration is made to all the National Income Measures (NIM) not just the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) indicators of macroeconomic activity can broaden the margin for error that is always subjected to the economy-wide data especially in the face of a major shock such as the GFC, as evidenced by large statistical discrepancies in the national accounts. As shown above in Table 1, two successive quarters of negative growth  were  recorded in nominal GDP, the real production and income-based measures of GDP, and real GDP per head. The real GDP (E) measure was the only series that did not fall over two successive quarters. Alternative national income series for Australia gleaned from the most recent set of national accounts are included in Table 3, all of which reveal at least two successive negative quarterly outcomes. Though routinely ignored in economic commentary, the real gross and net domestic and national income series are especially important measures of Australias international macroeconomic performance because they reflect the impact of the terms of trade (or ratio of prices received for exports to prices paid for imports) on the economy. Derived by adjusting the volume measure of GDP for changes in the international purchasing power of national income which, in Australias case, occurs due to fluctuating export commodity prices, these series are broader measures of national economic wellbeing than the standard real GDP measure used in the media definition of recession, which can assist in a more accurate decision whether Australia is in a recession or not.   Table 3: Other National Income Measures (percentage growth per quarter, trend basis) Real Net Domestic Product Real Gross Domestic Income Real Gross National Income Real Net National Disposable Income Real Net National Disposable Income per Capita Jun-2008 0.3 2.2 2.5 2.7 2.2 Sep-2008 -0.3 1.2 1.6 1.5 1.0 Dec-2008 -0.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.5 -1.1 Mar-2009 -0.1 -1.2 -1.2 -1.8 -2.3 Jun-2009 0.4 -0.5 -0.6 -1.0 -1.5 Sep-2009 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.1 -0.3 Dec-2009 0.4 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.2 Source: Makin, A 2010, Did Australias Fiscal Stimulus Counter Recession?: Evidence from National Accounts, pg. 13, A Journal of Policy Analysis and Reform, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2010. Fiscal policy uses changes in government spending and/or reduces taxes to influence the level of aggregate demand to impact the general direction of the economy. This resulted in a multiplier effect which increased the planned aggregated expenditure that monetary policy also contributed too. But the main contributors to expenditure were not private and public consumption but net exports which detracted from real expenditure growth in quarters before and after the GFC struck. A recession can be determined when there are two consecutive negative quarters of GDP and also when there is a 1.5% rise in unemployment within 12 months. Average real GDP was not negative for two successive quarters because the GDP (E) measures were sufficiently positive to make GDP (A) positive. Hence, the claim that fiscal stimulus enabled Australia to avoid recession according to the media definition of recession. If a consideration is made to all the National Income Measures (NIM) not just the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) indicators of macroeconomic activity, all of which reveal at least two successive negative quarterly outcomes, Australia did have a recession. It than becomes clear that the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) has created a recession not only all over the western world, but in Australia as well. Thereby in the short-run, increases in households discretionary income and increase in spending results in a sudden increase of disposable income to help fight the downturn. The Australian strong economy can be credited to its net exports rather than government spending but government spending did help maintain investment and consuming confidence that help to maintain the flow of monies.

Religion and advertising :: essays research papers

Advertising and Religion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anyone who seems to be in the business of promoting themselves or their product is turning to religion to gain a larger audience. Take the religion of Kaballah for instance, five years ago many of us would openly admit that we had never heard of the religion before. But now, thanks to the media many of us know Kaballah is the religion practiced by such celebrities as Madonna and Britney Spears. In all actuality Kaballah is a more spiritual branch of the Jewish religion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many religions are now branching out and using the media to market their religion and sparking serious debates in the process. Many feel that it is slightly immoral for churches to use the media to market themselves in the mainstream. Some believe the religions should simply sell themselves, but not literally. As Americans we now see television commercials for churches and services on regular broadcast channels. Another fairly recent trend that we see are churches in strip malls or plazas. Next to our favorite outlet cigarette shop, local retail store, Bingo hall, or fast food chain there are churches.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Much of the advertising we see for religions is on a smaller scale and not so mainstream. The religion of Jehovah’s Witness often sends its members door-to-door to spread their word, give out information, in hope to maintain new members. Those of us who have been privileged with a visit know that they are early risers and like to travel in pairs, so as to take turns overwhelming us with spoken word and pamphlets. One of the largest trends of advertising that we have seen is the wearing of a cross. What used to be a symbol of ones’ beliefs and values has become a mere fashion accessory. In the world of celebrities and â€Å"bling-bling,† a word associated with the amount of visible jewelry shown, a platinum cross medallion adorned with diamonds and/or jewels is a sign of wealth and defines your degree of celebrity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However not everyone is into advertising religion in the mainstream. In January 2005 an article was published in USA Today about a conflict between Rolling Stone Magazine and Zondervan Bible, one of the largest Bible publishers over an ad targeted at â€Å"spiritually intrigued,† 18-to-34-year-olds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rolling Stone, which rejected the ad just weeks before its scheduled run date, cited an unwritten policy against accepting ads that contain religious messages. Executives for Zondervan say Rolling Stone was a key part of its $1 million campaign targeted at young adults.

Future of software engineering Essay

The term â€Å"Software Engineering† implies a literal meaning of the mechanics and the engineering aspects of building and deploying a software or program. However, the topic of this paper is to justify and explain the future support that organizational goals can get in the organization’s workings. The paper will be presenting the aspects of software engineering as a tool for helping organization’s fulfilling their goals. The area selected for this paper is â€Å"Decision Support Systems† i. e. the importance and suitability of such systems will be discussed as the future of software engineering. Decision support systems (DSS) will be defined in greater detail in the accompanying sections and their advantages and disadvantages will be highlighted in the final chapter. It is important to note that DSS’s are under-used in the world in terms of quantity as well as efficiency. There are very few organizations in the world that house a fully up-and-working DSS and use it extensively for the purpose of analyzing and summarizing data. The logical details of a DSS are also laid down in this paper that can lead to the relation of such systems with our topic and justify their future uses in achieving organizational goals and objectives. The level where DSS operate is also well-differentiated and the general misconceptions held about these systems are also explained to avoid confusions and expose their real job and workings. CHAPTER 2 Decision Support Systems are those systems that give an organization the edge in making decisions and understanding data by making it meaningful in a presentable and summarized output. These systems assist in the general decision making; they do not make or propose the decisions, as is the general misconception about them. Their job is to gather data, process it in pre-defined formats, accompany related information and present in an easy-to-read and user-friendly format. These systems basically cater to the needs of the executives who do not possess enough time to read all source data and need the top view of figures or data in order to shape up decisions. Thus, DSS organize data and fulfill management needs by using modeling software and/or simulation to produce reports and ad hoc queries consuming up data and raw facts and churning out meaningful information and figures. There is no restriction on the organization level on which a DSS can be installed and similarly a DSS can cater to a variety of organizational needs and objectives from all levels within the organization (Marakas, 2002). DSS are systems that take in raw facts and figures, process them, analyze and summarize those figures providing the top view or the analysis of that entire data set. Now it should be understood that the data taken by a DSS for analyzing purpose is not the basic data contained in organizational tables and files. In fact, this data is partially processed: it is the output from a Management Reporting System (MRS). An MRS is used to generate grouped reports at the Operational level (Marakas, 1998). An example would include the hours worked by each employee during a particular month. It should be understood that there is no bias or conditional filter used in disseminating the data produced by an MRS. Hence, the DSS is fortunate enough to lay its hands on data that is predominantly raw and organized. This leads to significant time saves in terms of organizing data by understanding its relevance and scope. An MRS produced report has a narrow scope (Marakas, 1998). However, DSS reports and documents are more long-lasting and can be used for future referencing. In fact, a DSS is used to produce summaries of work over time periods defined by the management or automatically set. These reports are then archived and are useful in personal analysis of trends and performance. DSS assist management in doing Trend-Analysis, forecasting and taking decisions based on the analyzed results (Holsapple and Whinston, 1996). It should be stressed again that the primary purpose of these systems is to gather data, organize it and produce analytical views that management can use in fuelling their decisional justifications. The main idea of a DSS being installed is that it can get its data from a variety of sources and still produce one summary useful for the decision. This means that managers no longer need to look at three or four different reports and spend hours trying to make sense out of them. A single composite report created by an intelligent system such as a DSS can help save time, productivity and make decision making timely and effective. This is the main aim and function of a DSS: to provide summarized and timely data for analytical purposes grouped into well-defined areas for inference (Marakas, 2002). The reporting format of a DSS is highly flexible. It can be structured or unstructured depending on the scenario, the person being reported to and the situation where the reporting is to be carried out. Although the question about the type of report is a secondary issue, the primary concern is the type of decision that can be taken using a DSS. Here again, no restrictions or barricades on the of decision, which can be anything between structured and unstructured, including a hybrid (semi-structured). DSS possess the capability to analyze data in four distinctive ways (Marakas, 2002): 1. What-If Analysis: Changing a variable and analyzing its effects on other dependent variables in the same time or work domain. 2. Sensitivity Analysis: Keeping all variables constant, except one, and noting down its individualistic effects on the output. 3. Goal-seeking Analysis: Opposite of What-If. It is done by setting the goal and looking at what changes need to be done to reach that goal. 4. Optimization Analysis: Using constraints defined by the management, it seeks for a possible set of solutions or optimizations DSS are intelligent data processors, not data creators. Without input data, DSS cannot perform any inferential tasks. Just like a car is useless without fuel, irregardless of the model and functions, a DSS, however much efficient and strong, is useless without input data and raw facts that are impediment for the decision-making and analysis purposes. CHAPTER 3 A Decision Support System is primarily for the tactical level in an organization, nevertheless it can well adapt to the other levels. It can be even be used in a hybrid of levels gathering data from one level, analyzing it and reporting it to another level. In this way, a DSS can contribute towards organizational objectives very aptly (Thompson, 1999). The fully functional DSSs in The world are a strong reflection of the fact that a DSS can really help a company to overcome its Information Reporting problems and become a leading firm in is business on the basis of the jobs performed by a DSS enabling workforce efficiency and effectiveness. The DSS works on the principle of arranging data so that inferences can be made as quickly and as easily as possible. Imagine the future corporate world without a DSS. A weary manager leading a bored, monotonous workforce that is dilapidated with the over burdening of compiling data from every nook and corner and making it meaningful and presentable to their bosses (Thompson, 1999). A DSS allows for the generation of routine reports as easy as it is to click on the Print button. The fact that a DSS allows for repeatable, routine and scheduled reports to be produced without the interference of any person makes its usage and relevance even more pronounced. The application of a DSS transforms greatly the way in which an organization works to achieve its organizational goals. Take the example of 4 workers divided in a hierarchical manner striving for the collection of data and organizing it. After this organizing, this data is given to another 2 workers who then process it and present it to the management. With a DSS in place, the job definitions change: only 1 worker from the upper hierarchy is required to monitor formats and give commands timely. Another worker is needed to key in the data, as it is automatically organized. This reduces the job for 3 lower workers and 1 upper worker. You might say, bad. But looking on the brighter side, these 4 employees’ forces and skills can be polished on another branch: say, the marketing department (Marakas, 2002). Now that brings the organization more closely and quicker to fulfilling its short-term goals, which are just a break-down of the overall long-term goals. DSS allow for Business Process Re-engineering. This means that a DSS can be implemented for a key strategy or technical change in the methodologies and the system specifications f the current work methods and practices. This may sound too subjective to be understood in a practical corporate environment. How do several firms manage a turnaround in their sales and efficiency by keeping the same bunch of employees, the same size of plants, marketing strategies and same old buyers? The answer is Business Process Re-engineering (Marakas, 1998). This means changing the old ways or trading them with new ones that are according to the practices required by the DSS implementation. A classic example is the retailer who did not have any inventory control and alarm system and was often low in certain inventory when it was high and demand and had excess of another when its season was off. After the implementation of a DSS, it was able to act an alarm system that gave beeps when certain inventory levels receded; no this conception is false. It was actually a reporting system that could use sales data and produce individualistic item reports. It simply meant that the retailer could now generate reports on the sales of his individual items on his list and compare it with what he expected each item to spend in his store. After looking at a couple or more reports, he can, ideally, identify the general time each type of grocery took to be sold and the time periods when certain inventory was needed and what was the best time to hold up more inventories considering the future aspects. One might argue as to the effectiveness of such a DSS as described above and point out the costs involved in setting up a DSS. But, believe me, in the long run, there will be a point where the decisions made using the information churned out by the DSS will result in significant cost savings and greater sales for the retailer since the retailer will now be having a fairer idea of each type of inventory and the time it took for it to be converted into sales. It is worth noting, that there was no change of inventory, marketing, employees or shop; only the DSS was implemented and BPR was carried out that lead to the retailer creeping more steadily towards his personal goals. Competition is the key for survival in today’s world, be it any industry. Globalization has meted out a strong barrier to entry for smaller firms into the global market and the existing big fishes are also finding it hard to compete with global giants. Here, comes the need and advantage of a DSS. A DSS makes it possible for an organization to keep its maintain its grip on the market as well as blesses new entrants with the opportunity to seize the market share from big giants on the basis of the reporting system they use. What do all companies have in common? Reporting that leads to Decision making. And what is the basic job of a DSS? Information organization and Reporting. So why not combine something needy with something that can fulfill the formers needs. Common sense and simple logic make it more than evident that a DSS is best suited for the achieving of organizational goals and objectives. This logic can be derived from the fact that quicker and more effective decisions fuelled by organized information will lead to strategic edges in competition and success (Marakas, 2002). History has borne testimony to the fact that often big giants in the market look to buying up small ventures in the market owing to them posing serious threats to their future goals and survival. Now the question that lies here is: what makes these small ventures so important in the eyes of big companies in that they regard them as threats, given the difference in their sizes and market shares? It must be the technology: specifically DSS and Expert Systems. While discussing the latter is beyond the scope and requirement of this paper, I would like to reinstate the use of DSS in the meeting of organizational goals and objectives. As a final bow, I would like to re-emphasize the fact that the tried-and-tested formula of the implementation of a DSS to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in company goal achieving capabilities has never been proved wrong in any major investment and changeover. Thus, we can safely assert that a DSS is essentially a valuable contributor and facilitator towards the achievement of organizational goals and objectives in a timely and successful manner (Marakas, 1998). CHAPTER 4 In compendium, I would like to end my discussion with the futuristic advantages as well as the disadvantages a DSS holds. Generally speaking, there are more visible advantages of a DSS than disadvantages owing to their easy-to-use nature and the variety of jobs they can perform. The most important advantage of a DSS is the use of data and producing a timely report that can be used to justify and influence organizational decisions. On a futuristic outlook, time will become more and more scarcer and decisions will have to me made more quickly if they are to have any impact. If managers are left doodling over 300 files to understand a trend and then make a decision then it is highly likely that at the end of the day, the company will be losing out to businesses using DSS’s (Holsapple and Whinston, 1996). This is due to the high level of automatic dissemination and organization of data done by a DSS that enables it to cater to the format and the needs of specific informational roles and managerial positions. The flexibility of a DSS will allow its extensive future use for organizational goals. A DSS does not mean a system that only produces analytical reports and stops. There is more to it. The DSS also records the decisions made and stores results of decisions and retrieves such data for future decision making purposes. An example would be when a manager was in a problem to decide on price cuts in order to remain competitive. The manager did not cut the price, and soon enough, there was a 65% sales cut. Instantly, the management decided to cut the prices but were still only able to recover just 60% of the lost sales. Slowly, they progressed, lucky enough not to go out of business. In the future, when a similar situation persists, the DSS will show the past decision along with the outcome. It is important to note here also, that in line with our past definitions of a DSS being a decision facilitator, not a decision maker, the DSS will just provide the course of action taken previously, and will not propose the manager to take the step of cutting prices as it had lead to a worsening period for the company. The decision still lies at the hands of the manager who can again decide to retain prices owing to a difference of situation or other factors. The variety of data that a DSS can handle is commendable (Holsapple and Whinston, 1996). It can be configured to use several data sources easing down managerial work. Time, efficiency and ease of work all lead directly to a guarantee of achieving organizational goals, since if decisions are made on time, with good hindsight and information, they are bound to be successful and contribute towards standards set to be met by the organization. Futuristic advantages of a DSS include giving one company a strategic edge over another through the effective use of a DSS which enables them to gather information from wide sources and work with them quickly in order to produce meaningful results that can be used to trigger well-timed decisions. DSS makes Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) a possibility, a process where the core activities and components of an organizational work flow or department are re-designed to improve their effectiveness towards organizational goal achieving. A possible disadvantage of a DSS might be their stagnancy with newer data types and the need to define reporting formats and the types of reports it can produce. A coffee maker knows how to make coffee. Similarly, a DSS cannot be programmed to work with data types as they come. It has to be informed, which is done in the designing phase, and once its made, there is no automatic way in which it can align itself to a data type without it having been configured earlier. So there is the need for redefinitions. On the positive outlook, a DSS is a well-oiled machine that is a very important part in running the organizational motors nonchalantly and stopping errors and inefficiency becoming an impediment to organizational goals and objectives (Thompson, 1999). The future is not happening without the use of a DSS, for sure. It is imperative that DSS be taken on into the future since it is an efficient part required to keep the wheels of efficiency and effective time management ticking on. REFERENCE: 1. Brooks Jr. , F. P. (1987). No silver bullet: essence and accidents of software engineering, IEEE Computer, 20(4), pp.10-19. 2. Marakas, George M. (2002). Decision Support Systems(2nd Edition) 3. Marakas, George M. (1998). Decision Support Systems in the 21st Century. 4. Holsapple, Clyde W. and Whinston, Andrew B. (1996). Decision Support Systems: A Knowledge Based Approach. 5. Thompson, J. Barrie (1999). Here, There and Everywhere: The Future of Software Engineering Education. Twenty-Third Annual International Computer Software and Applications Conference, from http://csdl2. computer. org/persagen/DLAbsToc. jsp? resourcePath=/dl/proceedings/&toc=comp/proceedings/compsac/1999/0368/00/0368toc. xml&DOI=10. 1109/CMPSAC. 1999. 812708

An Analysis of the Urban Issue of Tuberculosisin the Bourough of Newham The WritePass Journal

An Analysis of the Urban Issue of Tuberculosisin the Bourough of Newham 1.Introduction An Analysis of the Urban Issue of Tuberculosisin the Bourough of Newham ). Newham has a population of 308,000 with a population density of 85.1 per hectare as compared to 31 in central London (UK Census, 2012). These figures suggest that even in the populated city of London, Newham is an area of urbanisation, with a large number of people concentrated into a relatively small area. The increase of tuberculosis has been described as a ‘penalty for high density urban living’ (Dye 2010, p.859), likely due to the increased potential for transmission in overcrowding, and the increased rates of immigration to inner-city areas. Bhunu and Mushavabasa (2012) propose that tuberculosis thrives in conditions of overcrowding and poverty, issues that are common in urban areas. The high rates of tuberculosis in cities such as London, and areas of urbanization such as Newham, suggest that the incidence of tuberculosis is indeed an urban issue. Newham fulfills the criteria of high immigration rates and being an area of deprivation.. Newham has a diverse ethnic population, with 61% of the people being non-white (Farrar Manson 2013, p. 54). The population of ethnic minorities continues to grow along with the increasing numbers of refugees and asylum seekers in greater London. Another aspect of urbanisation illustrated in the borough of Newham is that of deprivation and overcrowding. Farrar Manson (2013, p. 16) claim that Newham ranks as the third most deprived borough in inner London. Most of the people here live in tower housing and overcrowded conditions that are the perfect condition for the spread of tuberculosis. There is a positive correlation between poor housing and poverty and the prevalence of tuberculosis, which is very clear in Newham as evidenced by the findings of 108 and 116 cases per 100,000 people (Vassal, 2009; Anderson et al., 2001). The aetiology of the issue of tuberculosis is highlighted when considering the distribution of the disease across Newham. The occurrence of disease is not evenly spread across the borough, with 70% of cases coming from Manor Park, Green Street and East Ham. These boroughs represent areas of population increase, overcrowding and higher levels of those living in poverty. Manor Park and Green Street also show differing dynamics of tuberculosis incidence, representing an overall increase of 40% since 2006 whilst all other areas of Newham either remained static or showed slight decrease (Malone et al 2009, p. 23). It can be seen that tuberculosis presents a significant urban issue, especially when comparing incidence in an urban area such as Newham to those less urbanised areas. Bromley has a population of 309,000 and a population density of 20 per hectare, in comparison to Newham’s population density of 80 per hectare (UK Census, 2012). Tuberculosis incidence in Bromley is between 0-19 per 100,000 compared to that of Newham, which is five times greater at 80-100 per 100,000 (Anderson et al., 2006). It is for this reason that necessary intervention strategies need to be formulated and implemented to help reduce the rates of tuberculosis among individuals living in Newham. 3. The Influence of Urbanisation on Tuberculosis Incidence While the global rates of tuberculosis are declining, the disease is showing steady increase in the United Kingdom. In 2012, 8751 new cases of the disease were identified in the country with 39% coming from London (Fullman and Strachan 2013, p. 43). Indeed London has the highest rates of the disease in Western Europe with Newham borough having the highest rates in the UK. Jindal (2011, p. 55) claims that the rate of tuberculosis in some London boroughs is more than twice higher than the threshold used by the world health organisation to define high rates. These higher incidences support the notion of a sick city hypothesis where there are greater levels of ill health than in rural areas, and may be due to the presence of factors in an urban environment that contribute to ill health (an urban health penalty). One factor that may contribute to the urban health penalty is that of immigration. Cities are easier to access than rural areas, provide areas of congregation and provide more facilities for immigrating families and individuals. The majority of individuals suffering from tuberculosis are people born outside the United Kingdom, with 75% of cases in 2003 being born abroad (Anderson et al., 2006). A reason for the high incidence in those born abroad but now living in the UK is exacerbated by the nature of tuberculosis. On initial infection, tuberculosis is confined by the immune system with only around 5% of cases experiencing symptoms within the first two years of infection (Narasimhan et al., 2013). The remainder of cases harbour a latent infection which may reactivate later in life, with about 10-15% of those infected going on to develop an active disease (Narasimhan et al., 2013). This insidious nature combined with the later activation of the disease explains why many people do not get the disease until later in life. It is likely that it is contracted in their country of birth, however then manifests much later once they have moved to the UK. Statistics indicate that over 90% of the residents in Newham diagnosed with the disease in 2011 were born outside the United Kingdom (Fullman and Strachan, 2013, p. 33). Among these, 50% arrived in the country in the last five years. In the same year tuberculosis diagnosis increased by 25% compared to 2010 (Fullman and Strachan, 2013), possibly as a reflection of the increased immigration. Additionally to a high immigrant population bringing significant disease burden from their countries of birth, London and Newham both represent many of the other issues of urbanisation and urban health penalty that can contribute to the high incidence of tuberculosis. Studies have shown that low vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk of developing tuberculosis (Campbell and Spector, 2012; Chan, 1999). This is an important association in urban populations, as the living and working conditions foster less access to sunlight (the major source of vitamin D). Additionally, Asian immigrants present a problem of low vitamin D due to vegetarian diets, and a tendency to cover up their skin, not allowing to take advantage of the small amount of sunlight available (Chan, 1999). As previously mentioned, Newham is an area of both high urbanisation and with a large immigrant population, and 38.6% of the population being of Asian descent (London Borough of Newham, 2010). The immigrant population of urban areas such as Newham also present a non-vaccinated proportion of society. Whilst the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis was introduced in the UK in the 1950s and was shown to provide a reduction in risk of contracting tuberculosis (Colditz et al., 1994), those immigrating were less likely to receive this vaccination on moving to the UK. London also represents cases of tuberculosis that are socially and medically complex. As a hugely populated area, London includes those with HIV infection and presents other risk factors such as onward transmission and poor treatment. HIV is one of the most powerful risk factors for tuberculosis, with a incidence rate of 20 times higher in those that are HIV positive (Dye and Williams, 2010). People’s attitudes towards and access to healthcare also present a complex mix of factors which contribute to an increased incidence of many health problems, including that of tuberculosis. Those in impoverished areas have reduced access to healthcare, which may stem from many reasons such as complex needs, chaotic lifestyles, location of services, user ignorance, and language and literacy barriers (Szczepura, 2005). These can affect the disease process of tuberculosis from prevention, treatment of active disease, adherence to treatment and prevention of the health consequences. Especially problematic are misconceptions and a lack of understanding of the disease, leading to late presentation and delayed access to treatment (Figuera-Munoz and Ramon-Pardo, 2008) With the close living quarters in areas such as Newham, the spread of tuberculosis is facilitated. With poverty, poor housing and overcrowding, these areas concentrate several risk factors and lead to a greater spread of tuberculosis (Bates et al., 2004). These determinants therefore suggest that the incidence of tuberculosis in urban areas is a complex issue. Controlling and preventing tuberculosis in London requires effective social and economic tools that must be incorporated in the development of policies of control in treatment initiation. 4. Consequences and implications of tuberculosis on the general population Tuberculosis ranks with HIV/ AIDS and Malaria as one of the three main health challenges currently facing the world. The Commonwealth Health Ministers Update 2009 (2009, p. 41) indicates that 8 million new cases are reported globally each year. As previously mentioned, when combined with HIV, tuberculosis can prove lethal as the two diseases enhance the progress of each other. It is for this reason that tuberculosis is the major cause of death among HIV patients with the rate standing at 11% globally. The World Health Organization (2009, p. 27) indicates that tuberculosis is responsible for more deaths today than ever before, with approximately 2 million lives claimed by the disease annually. As well as the significant mortality contributed by tuberculosis, the morbidity of the disease can be extremely detrimental both socially and economically. Those with the active disease that are not receiving treatment have been shown to go on to infect 10-15 others every year (WHO, 1998). Those who do receive treatment face a long (up to six months) and complex treatment regime involving several medication side effects. This can affect adherence to the treatment regime, and lead to the disease developing a resistance to the treatment, with this drug resistant tuberculosis contributing to greater mortality and increased expense to treat (Ahlburg, 2000). As well as the significant morbidity and mortality, it is important to consider the economic impact of tuberculosis. The World Health Organisation estimated the cost to treat tuberculosis in 2000 as $250,000 US dollars ( £150,000) in developed countries (Ahlburg, 2000). This presents a significant burden to the UK NHS, not to mention the time lost through not working which can dent the economy. London is a global world trade centre whose economy is shaped by global forces, particularly in terms of trade, labour and capital. As a gateway to both the UK and other parts of Europe and the rest of the world, London records a very large number of tourists and immigrant populations. This high number of people accelerates the spread of the disease as people carry it to the country from other parts of the world is indicated by the new infection patterns and is highlighted by the prevalence in immigrant populations. 5. Strategies and intervention for addressing tuberculosis Current UK guidelines for tuberculosis intervention were made by NICE in 2006 (updated 2011). The recommendations propose strategies for identifying those with latent (non-active) tuberculosis to prevent spread or reactivation and also specify criteria for treatment (NICE, 2011). Those recommended for screening for latent tuberculosis include close contacts of infected individuals, immigrants from high incidence countries, immunocompromised individuals, and healthcare workers. Whilst this strategy targets prevention of the spread of tuberculosis, they are only targeting specific groups, and it is likely in high incidence areas such as Newham, people will slip through the net. These guidelines have only changed minimally since 2006, and since then tuberculosis incidence has been on the increase in areas such as Newham, suggesting that changes may need to be made. High incidence areas of the UK such as Newham could learn from New York experience and copy the strategy it used in dealing with the disease. With the implementation of broadened initial treatment regimes, direct observed therapy, and improved guidelines for hospital control and disease prevention, the city managed to halt the progression of an epidemic (Frieden et al., 1995). As mentioned in the previous chapter, adherence to the lengthy treatment regime as well as a lack of understanding may contribute to the spread of tuberculosis. Directly observed therapy (DOT) involves observing the patient take each dose of their medication, with outreach workers travelling to their homes. Evidence from New York showed that through DOT, only 3% of patients in therapy were infectious, compared to a proposed 20% if not receiving DOT (Frieden et al., 1995). Current UK guidelines (NICE, 2006) do not recommend DOT, although they do state that it may be used in cases of patients with previous issues with adherence or at high risk. Although an expensive and time consuming process, if DOT can reduce infectious cases, this would also work as a preventative measure. There could be one allocated outreach nurse for the borough of Newham and other high-risk areas. Another method implemented in New York was the downsizing of large shelters for the homeless. These were breeding grounds for tuberculosis, and the subsequent reduction in overcrowding led to a decrease in transmission of the disease (Frieden et al., 1995). Whilst it is not possible to split people up from living with their families in crowded homes in terms of Newham, education about keeping those with tuberculosis from interacting with too many others in crowded conditions may be of benefit. The model should also borrow from those used by other cities like Paris and the rest of Europe in controlling tuberculosis with intervention at the level of the agent, individual and community levels. In Paris, Rieder (2002) suggested that prophylactic treatment could be used to prevent the disease occurring in those at risk, for example those in the household of an identified case of tuberculosis. Additionally, Rieder (2002) proposed that early or neonate vaccination be used especially in those in areas where tuberculosis is frequent, rarely diagnosed, and adequate contact examinations rarely feasible. It may be possible that in cases where lots of people are vaccinated that they may infer herd immunity and thus protect unvaccinated individuals from the disease. Once the populations have been protected and the incidence (number of new cases) of tuberculosis has been reduced, this allows for a reduction in the prevalence of tuberculosis (number of ongoing cases at any one point in time) with preventative chemotherapy that can treat sub-clinical, latent tuberculosis in the population. This preventative chemotherapy is likely to be extremely relevant to Newham due to the large immig rant population likely harbouring latent tuberculosis. On a country- or city-wide scale, these recommendations from New York and Paris provide excellent models for preventing the increase of tuberculosis any further. It is also important, however, to consider the individual communities in Newham, and to promote health awareness and an attitude towards taking responsibility for their health. Their needs to be an encouragement at the level of primary care where immigrant populations feel that they can approach healthcare, and education to encourage tuberculosis prevention and adherence to treatment. The strategy should be all-inclusive in order to encourage people to not only go for testing but also start and finish the treatment process. 6. Recommendations and conclusion Tuberculosis presents an important urban issue in the area of Newham. Incidence is greater than other areas of the UK, and is over half that of India. There are several factors contributing to this including a large immigrant population, crowding and overpopulation, access to healthcare and comorbid health problems such as vitamin D deficiency and HIV. The disease has considerable effect on morbidity and is responsible for high levels of mortality. Further consequences of the disease manifest as economic problems such as cost of treatment and loss of work. London and the UK already have policies and structures for controlling tuberculosis in place; however the implementation process is patchy across the city, and often dependent upon budget. In high-risk areas such as Newham, there is poor access of healthcare due to inaccurate beliefs on the disease, language and cultural barriers, and complex needs of the population. In the case of tuberculosis, these contribute to poor disease prevention, delayed diagnosis and poor treatment adherence. All of which lead to an increase in transmission and health consequences. The area of Newham would benefit greatly from further education into tuberculosis, how to look for signs and how to get treatment. Encouraging good relationship with healthcare professionals and promoting access to healthcare through outreach programmes and targeting pharmacies may be helpful. 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