Influence of Christianity and Islam on Medieval Europe

CHIJIOKE MADUEWESI ID:9315 CHRISTIANITY In medieval Europe, significant effects from the fall of the roman realm despite everything exists today. One of these religion is Christianity, which has made a steadfast impact on medieval Europe. Christianity has been a significant practice in Europe since the principal century. It represented more than 76. 2% of the Europeans. Christianity presented catholic temples in medieval Europe. These places of worship set down important impacts, which has is as yet supporting European nations till date.These holy places in medieval Europe to some degree addressed individuals, that their spirits were considered in transgression, and furthermore, these corrupt spirits could be spared if just they atoned. This applied equitably to everybody with no special case, including the rulers and sovereigns. These holy places showed the European to be beneficent, a genuine model can be found in the â€Å"Story of woman Godiva†, where she was respected by the populace for her cause. The congregation additionally began schools in the west, an ideal model is the rulers school in Canterbury, that is as yet working today in spite of its Age (established in 596).The church, likewise Supplied emergency clinics for the debilitated, weak and harmed to be provided food for. These gathering of individuals, had their necessities gone to by the nuns and priests of the congregation. Once more, the congregation made accessible haven for the abused and criminals. Islam, a religion with a solid interest for greatness any place it discovers its self. They served â€Å"Allah†, they took supplications intense, imploring multiple times day by day, indicating their enthusiasm for honorableness and regard to â€Å"Allah†. Islam essentially were compelling in various territories in the early times of medieval Europe .They gave significant impacts in different part of Europe, as in, Art, design, innovation, language and numerous others. To beg in with, numerous words utilized in Europe were gotten from islam. These words are situated in significant sciences, for example, arithmetic, medication, material science and so on. A portion of these words incorporate; Algorithm got from â€Å"Al-khwarizmis†, Algebra from â€Å"Al-jabr† and so on . These words are as yet practical today, helping the mathematicians define conditions in Europe. Besides, Arabic schools were made in Europe, so as to help the muslims in Europe to peruse and write in Arabic.It likewise worked to instruct its language to individuals who are eager to change to an alternate religion. A few Arabic books, composed by incredible Islamic writers, helped significant improvements in medication and material science. Avicenna, an eminent muslim writer, well known for his book by the name â€Å"The group of medicine† which impacted European Medicine is as yet a standard clinical course reading in Europe. In this book, he raised the possibility o f irresistible/infectious maladies, that spread effectively from individual to individual through air-borne. This has helped specialists today to totally destroy or immunize explicit transporters in Europe.Also, Muhammad ibu Zakariye Razi, acclaimed for composing books (reference books), realeased his book by name â€Å"The far reaching Book of Medicine†, which has deliberately clarified the qualifications between specific ailments, for example, measles from chicken pox, subsequently, empowering the specialists to strikingly find the manifestations that cause them, additionally, keeps these specialists from blending both. In material science, another mainstream writer, Alhazer, composed the â€Å"Book of Optics† (Ibu al-ttaytham) it was exceptionally prominent for its turn of events and effect on the hypothesis of vision and light, which has rolled out significant improvements in the optic universe of physical science in medieval Europe.In medieval Europe, Islamic expr essions were profoundly evaluated and embellishing, in this way, its high importation into Europe. Its structures highlighted man chasing and carvings, which demonstrate antiquated renaissance workmanship, which has been extraordinarily recognized in Europe. Be that as it may, it is entrancing to realize that, home materials, for example, covers and bloom container were acquainted with Europe by islam. These rugs showed riches in Europe. They are still exchanged today, for the most part by the blue-bloods. In addition, medieval Europe received their thoughts of innovation from the Islamic world.These advances incorporate, cosmic gadgets, created and refined by the Islamic world, which Europe respected and got. Different models incorporate; outfitting in water timekeepers and harvests. Rome, probably the best domain known, regarded for its viciousness, armed force and rule. They impacted the medieval. They realized the appearance of cutting edge weaponry in Europe. The majority of th e European weapons were gathered from the universe of rome and changed into mass obliteration gadgets. The Europeans exploited this, and utilized them in wars.Today, Europe despite everything has a standard class of weapons, utilized for assurance in fights. Also, Roman human progress affected the way of life, language, engineering and the European government. As far as language, the Romans talked latin and latin is prevalently spoken in Europe. They were likewise a significant impact of traditional engineering. As far as religion, Constantine the extraordinary made Christianity a well known religion by confining the executing of Christians. Presently, Christianity is a significant perspective in Europe.Many of the urban communities directly in Europe were established by the romans and furthermore water framework works, for example, plumbing was presented by the romans in Europe. Numerous creative works were gotten from rome, likewise, images and logos, for example, falcon wings, en sign ordinarily on banners were gotten from Rome which European banners despite everything bear these days. At last, European guardians currently name their youngsters with latin names, for example, Paulus, Julius, maria and Julia and so forth. This was a significant commitment from in European nations today.

Imc Portfolio free essay sample

Social change and continually developing innovation has brought the IMC apparatuses in with the general mish-mash for effectively accomplishing development of an association (Belch, et al. 2012). The IMC apparatuses incorporate publicizing, direct showcasing, intelligent and web advertising, deals advancement, advertising, sponsorship and individual selling. In building up a successful IMC program, advertisers must choose which instruments could be utilized, either independently or as a mix. A few apparatuses have detriments that can be overwhelmed by the upsides of different instruments. This choice will help them in thinking about the most ideal approach to utilize/consolidate them to connect with the crowd and accomplish association goals (Belch, et al. 2012). 1. Table of Articles Article | Sourceâ | Next Generation Research †February 2013 | Bamp;T| Retailers need huge information aptitudes †March 2013| WARC News  | The social TV race †October 2012 | Bamp;T| 1. 2 Summary of Articles Article 1 Next Generation Research (Appendix 1) This article is about the IMC devices of web/intelligent promoting, customary showcasing and publicizing. The fracture of media channels in the course of the most recent five years has opened up immense expanses of information which both think-tanks and organizations are attempting to convert into significant bits of knowledge. Media discontinuity, thus, implies scientists must be more extensive with their information assortment. While the advanced move may give the greatest chances to brands, it additionally presents some significant obstacles. The article discusses the approach of online life and versatile directs in a major manner and how this expands the work that should be done to comprehend the intended interest group. Article 2 Retailers need huge information abilities (Appendix 2) This article is about the IMC devices of web/intuitive showcasing and promoting, and how it is important to adequately utilize information gathered from portable mediums. As per Brian Lent, a main industry figure, it is critical for retailers to create prescient models to get the greatest advantages from having versatile clients. They likewise contend that there is a need to add information researchers to the blend of conduct examiners in the event that they needed to profit by the excess measure of information accessible. Article 3 The social TV race (Appendix 3) This article is about the IMC instruments of web/intelligent showcasing and promoting through TV medium, and about how the two devices are being incorporated. The key factor that is discussed here is the expansion in utilization of in excess of a solitary screen to devour media. Which suggests obviously, that there must be a joining among devices and channels. 1. 3 Observations Observation| Comments| Challenges| The test with IMC apparatuses is picking the correct blend of instruments to contact the correct crowd. Particularly on account of new instruments like ocial media and versatile and tablets, it is essential to have an away from of the goal to utilize information gathered effectively. The client database is a goldmine, yet just whenever utili zed accurately and related to the IMC methodology plan. | Opportunities| The greatest open door for advertisers is the development of new media, for example, Facebook and Twitter, and the expanded screen space they can catch with the current double screeners. Advertisers are just starting to comprehend that the information created from these sources can be utilized with the impact of the brand from various perspectives. They are starting to apply this information to their IMC methodologies to incorporate use of IMC apparatuses †both existing and new †as flawlessly as could be expected under the circumstances. Adherences/deviations from IMC ideas and principles| Adherence: Marketers are coordinating new media with the customary IMC devices to help comprehend the purchasers and how they wish to cooperate with the brandDeviations: The apparatuses must be comprehended and tried to demonstrate that they are being utilized adequately to make the brands that buyers need, and not brands that the customers wish the shoppers to want| Trends amp; future repercussions/Likely results amp; affects| The articles show that there is a more extensive acknowledgment and reception of new media over conventional media on the grounds that the world is getting progressively advanced constantly. In spite of the fact that there is as yet the presence of conventional IMC apparatuses, the manner in which advertisers decide to speak with customers is inclining towards computerized, and they are all the more inviting to this change. | Impact on industry/brand| The utilization of more information mining and information researchers will help restricted down the crowd to a very explicit degree, in this manner guaranteeing less wastage for brands. Probability of development| With the rise of new media and consistent advancements in the manner correspondences happen, IMC devices will be additionally evolved to construct marks all the more successfully for the purchasers. This should be possible by really tuning in to shoppers and how they feel about the brands they interface with. | 1. 4 Conclusions The major guideline of IMC is getting the correct message to the correct crowd. Deciding the job of the IMC devices implies getting where and how each instrument fits into the IMC system. In choosing which instruments to utilize advertisers need to assess if the utilization of the device, or blend of devices, will create short - term money related returns while fabricating long haul brand and investor esteem (Belch, et al. 2012). The articles show a pattern towards on the web and intelligent apparatuses being utilized to all the more likely get buyers. The utilization of new media, for example, Facebook, Twitter and Social Gaming Platforms, is furnishing advertisers with new roads to utilize both existing IMC instruments (I. e. Publicizing) and rising apparatuses (I. e. Intuitive Marketing). The articles feature the utilization of information mining and the expanding need to utilize it so the shoppers and the customers get the full advantage of the real brand. 2. 0 Establishing Objectives and Budgeting for the IMC Program IMC requires the setting of destinations for some reasons, the key one being what should be done to take care of the showcasing correspondence issue. They manage the improvement of the IMC plan and furthermore set the benchmark for assessing the exhibition of the IMC program (Belch, et al. 2012). There are numerous strategies utilized for planning my advertisers †going from financial displaying to goal and assignment techniques. Planning is a significant issue zone in an IMC program. This is to a limited extent on the grounds that there is a hole in understanding the connection between the estimation of adequacy of spending assignment to correspondences/social goals. Promoting administrators need to comprehend the assortment of elements that add to the designation of the IMC spending plan (Belch, et al. 2012). 2. 1 Table of Articles Article | Sourceâ | Don’t overlook the goal is publicizing †December 2010| Bamp;T| Creating the future †August 2011| Adweek| Down, down costs are down †December 2011| Bamp;T| 2. 2 Summary of Articles Article 1 Don’t overlook the goal is publicizing (Appendix 4) This article is about how there is a need to comprehend that the targets being sought after by organizations are an inappropriate ones. The destinations being set by offices had less to do with clients’ business goals than they did with their capacity to quantify something. It is essential to quantify reactions, however not exclusively to do as such. As much as methods of drawing in with individuals has changed, their sense hasn’t. They need to be included and advertisement offices need to make that a prime target over some other. Article 2 Creating the future (Appendix 5) This article discusses the need to speak with the buyer to the exclusion of everything else, while setting destinations, when utilizing the IMC apparatus of PR with the device of web/intelligent promoting. Buyer want to draw in with the brand must be lighted if openings made through new media are seized. This article likewise specifies the significance of customer organization connections and how marks who recognize what they need are almost certain to accomplish their targets. Article 3 Down, down costs are down (Appendix 6) This article discusses the value cuts happening all around, inside industry and something else. The significance of utilizing the correct blends of media instruments despite spending cuts is worried on in this article. Organizations should be remunerated for their capacity to do this, as opposed to settle on simplicity of the battle execution. A colossal level of a customers media worth can be lost in zones, for example, poor preparation, off base target setting, incorrectly media decisions and uncommitted compensation models. 1. 3 Observations Observation| Comments| Challenges| The test with setting up targets isn't understanding which ones are the correct ones to follow, and which ones bode well at one point of time for offices and customers alike| Opportunities| The greatest open door for advertisers is the understanding that the shopper sense to be associated with the brand can be based on, presently like never before. As advertisers get this and attempt to innovatively seek after customers, customers comprehend the need to modify planning models and structures as well| Adherences/deviations from IMC ideas and principles| Adherence: Return of Investment is a key objective of customers and offices alikeDeviations: The way to deal with getting a ROI is unique, with the emphasis being more on pulling shoppers to the brand and keeping them, as opposed to guaranteeing one-off deals successes| Trends amp; future implications/Likely results amp; affects| The articles show an arrival of purchaser is lord in a major manner. In any case, they additionally show that buyers are enthusiastic about connecting with brands that tune in. This thusly assists brands with accomplishing their destinations, making it an integral framework. | Impact on industry/brand| Brands will have the option to comprehend their center objective crowd far superior to they ever could. Offices will have the option to channel their imagination into catching the correct buyers for the brands as well, and will be compensated based o

How to Report to Google DMCA for Copied Content Removal Request

How to Report to Google DMCA for Copied Content Removal Request In Blogging career you would see many people or newbie just copy your blog content and republish it on their own Blog. But many Blog users ignore this and they think copied content wont affect on ranking. As a result they lose their ranking and traffic from search engine. Suppose you have just published a content in your Blog and within 5 minutes your content copied by other blogger and republished on their own Blog so search engine will give priority to both because both content has published on same day. Consequently you will see traffic flow in your content may be less than copied Blog. So this is really harmful for your Blog. It takes longer time to produce a unique content but due to copy by other your hard work will be treat as wastage. So we must report to Google DMCA thus they remove the content from search engine as well as from Blog. However if any user using other blogging platform like WordPress, Tumbler and dont comply with copied content removal request then dont worry Google will remove that content from their search engine as a result they wont receive any traffic. On the other hand, if Google receive several copyright infringements report against copied Blog then Google will banned that Blog from search engine. Special note that dont make any fake claim or complain, because if you do then your Blog will be penalize by Google for fake complain. So in this tutorial I will show you about reporting to Google DMCA for Copied Content Removal Request. For example purpose I am showing your about my another Blog BDArena.com whose all content has copied by other Blog. Just follow the below steps- Step 1 Go to https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/dmca-dashboard link and sign in with your Google Account. Step 2 Now click on Create a new notice link and copyright removal page will open. Step 3 Now under Contact Information write your name, Blog name, Email address and your Country or region. Step 4 This is the time to go through main thing. You have to fill YOUR COPYRIGHTED WORK field by up describing about your content. You can write few lines like below and your Content title- Dear Sir/Madam Greetings from BDArena March 2015 I have started my New Blog www.bdarena.com about Phone review, New and Specification in Blogger Platform. All of my content has written by me about Phone review, news and specifications and I have published those contents only for my Blog readers. All of my content highly copyright protected but copied by another Blog. My copyright work given below- Sony Xperia E4 Dual SIM Review, Price and Specification Step 5 Now under where can we see an authorized example of the work? Mention your content link. If your multiple content copied then add one link or URL per line. You can add maximum 1000 URL under one group. Step 6 Now you have to add the copied link from copyright violator Blog. So under Location of infringing material add link one by one. If you have multiple copyright infringement request then Click on Add a new group link from the bottom of the page. Step 7 After that you have to put tick on SWORN STATEMENTS. This is just for confirmation that you have provided accurate information. Step 8 Finally under SIGNATURE section write the current date of complain and in Signature field write your name similar to Contact information. And after writing Captcha click on Submit button. A confirmation message will appear like and now go to removal dashboard to see your removal request to Google DMCA. It will take certain period of time to remove that content and if Google receive complain then Google AdSense maybe disable within shortest period of time and after receiving 3 times complain Google will delete that Blog. Thanks you.

What Teachers Should Wear in The Classroom

Teachers, like most other working professionals, dont have the luxury of dressing however they would like. Outer appearances tend to make strong impressions and teachers are not immune to being judged based on their looks. Teachers work with administrators, students, families, and other teachers on a daily basis and need to make sure to put their best foot forward for all of them. Dressing the part is a great place to start. Above all else, professionalism, practicality, and comfort should control a teachers wardrobe choices. Dress codes can vary considerably by school but there are a handful of universal rules. Dress for success by adhering to these general guidelines and suggestions. Avoid Tight, Sheer, or Revealing Clothing Avoid overly-clingy tops and slacks no matter what your body type and never show up to school wearing anything see-through or excessively low cut/short—this is basically true of all professional fields. There is no shame in wanting to look and feel your best but avoid anything objectively inappropriate or that could be construed as distracting or unduly sexy. Bear in mind that your clothes do not need to be loose-fitting or otherwise unflattering to be school appropriate. Stay Age-Appropriate Cultivate a professional persona by opting for age-appropriate clothing. It is not your job to dress for parents and families but know that you will probably be at least partially judged by your clothing. Think of how you would like to be perceived and dress accordingly—this goes for makeup too. That could mean keeping up on the latest trends, sticking with the classics, or something in between. When in doubt, go for an approximation of business casual and avoid grey areas. If youre not sure of a school rule, play it safe. As long as you present yourself as the qualified professional that you are, dont wear anything that your students arent allowed to wear, and maintain authority, your clothing can be as fashionable and contemporary as you want it to be. Stock up on Wardrobe Essentials Many teachers find that a reliable collection of clothing staples makes their life easier. You may want to simplify your daily choices by selecting a few neutral go-tos and a rotation of your favorite shades to mix and match as you please. Teacher clothes can be just as fun and colorful as any others and you shouldnt feel the need to shy away from interesting patterns or hues but a handful of basic slacks, skirts, dresses, tops, and blouses could save you time and money. Choose Shoes for Comfort Avoid any shoe that will be hard on your feet after an eight or more hour workday. Teachers spend most of their days standing, weaving between desks, and even squatting and kneeling. High stiletto heels and toe-pinching loafers are not kind to your heels and arches for long periods of time. Stay away from overly casual tennis shoes and sandals except during days where you are outside a lot such as field trips or walk-a-thons. Other than that, any comfortable shoe that is sensible and easy to walk in is perfectly fine. Layer Up A school can go from frigid to balmy in the time it takes students to line up. Be prepared for inevitable fluctuations by dressing in layers during every season. Jackets, sweaters, suit coats, and cardigans are simple to put on even in the middle of a lesson. Some teachers choose to leave a few pieces of warmer clothes at school so that they are there when unexpected temperatures strike. Leave Expensive Jewelry and Accessories at Home It probably doesnt need to be said that teaching is a hands-on job. Dont chance an accident or put meaningful, expensive jewelry or watches at risk. When working with very young students, you might also want to avoid anything that can be grabbed. Accessorize as desired without wearing anything that you would miss if damaged or lost.

The Personal Finance Class Through Dame Ramsey s...

Whew, where to start? The personal finance class through Dame Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance textbook and video series really had a lot of useful information, and it is hard to pick out the most impactful chapters and topics. However, I think the most important stuff for me was his five foundations for financial success, which were reinforced throughout the course. I am not downplaying the other important stuff in the course, including learning about the history of credit, budgeting, consumer awareness, investing, insurance, and taxes, but I think that mastering the fundamentals is important, which is why I am choosing to highlight them in this paper. The first foundation (at least for us teenagers) is to establish a $500 emergency fund. For adults, the recommended amount is 3-6 months of expenses, but the principle remains the same. The emergency fund allows you to always have money to cover surprise expenses, avoiding having to go into debt during an emergency situ ation. To do this, you simply create a bank account separate from your regular checking or savings accounts, put money in, and only bring money out of it in the most dire of circumstances. It may be tempting to use that money for some kind of fancy pecuniary investment, but you should think of it as more of an insurance than an investment. As for how I am applying this to my life, I have set aside $600 in the bank (away from my regular account) that I will not touch until there is a large enoughShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesOrganizational Behavior This page intentionally left blank Organizational Behavior EDITION 15 Stephen P. Robbins —San Diego State University Timothy A. Judge —University of Notre Dame i3iEi35Bj! Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo Editorial Director: Sally Yagan Director of Editorial Services:

President Trump Once Said, “I Like Thinking Big. If You’Re

President Trump once said, â€Å"I like thinking big. If you’re going to be thinking anything, why not think big?†1 President Trump shares the mindset that many Americans had after the war of 1812. The United States citizens of the early 1800s felt an obligation to push the boundaries of the United States to the Pacific Ocean. John O’Sullivan was the first person to use the term â€Å"manifest destiny† in 1845 in an edition of the United States Magazine and Democratic Review. He said, â€Å"Our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.†2 He could not have been anymore correct as Americans everywhere accepted that this was what the country was destined to be as it moved†¦show more content†¦Only fifty eight percent of eligible voters participated in the 2016 election. The main thing people of the time were interested in was economic development. Two major political moves were enacted to stimulate the economy. The first one was â€Å"granting corporate charters to private businesses to promote private investment in roads, bridges, canals, railroads, banks, iron mining, etc.†3 The second was â€Å"using private corporations for public purposes by promoting economic development thought to be for the good of all.†3 Westward expansions grew, along with the economy. The United States took lands in the southwest to bring development and enlightenment to that area. The removal of Native Americans brought up the question of the morals the American people had. Some said it was because the wild Indians did not fit into eastern society. Some said driving them to new lands was so they could continue their barbaric lifestyles elsewhere. These statements contained much hypocrisy. Not all of the Natives were civilized, but many Native American tribes had literacy rates higher than white southerners. A large amount of tribes in the sout h were successful farmers, but they were still forced west. The Natives in the north found much success in trade, but they were still forced west. By the late 1800s, the United States border was ranging from coast to coast. The United States had become a prominent world power in aShow MoreRelatedFast Fashion On Fast Food Industry2279 Words   |  10 Pagesmiddleman for people to recycle and reconnect with goods that have been passed along. Shopping at places like Goodwill are cheaper then buying new and friendlier to the environment, a shopper of the store said about the clothes, â€Å"It was owned by someone living somewhere at some point and it already had a life and I m here to give it maybe a second or third life† (4B). Wearing used clothing was once an indicator of poverty, but it has been rebranded as â€Å"vintage† and gives a nod to sustainability becauseRead MoreNike Football: World Cup 2010 South Africa12246 Words   |  49 Pagesexperiences. Creating deep consumer connections during the World Cup would be vital for fueling continued growth for Nike football in the years ahead. Football and the FIFA World Cup Some people believe football is a matter of life and death . . . I assure you, it is much more serious than that. — Bill Shankly, Scottish footballer and legendary Liverpool Manager1 Football was a game played between two teams of 11 players each, 10 field players and a goalkeeper per team. The game lasted 90 minutesRead MoreInnovators Dna84615 Words   |  339 PagesInnovator’s DNA is the ‘how to’ manual to innovation, and to the fresh thinking that is the root of innovation. It has dozens of simple tricks that any person and any team can use today to discover the new ideas that solve the important problems. Buy it now and read it tonight. Tomorrow you will learn more, create more, inspire more.† Chairman of the Executive Committee, Intuit Inc. â€Å" e Innovator’s DNA sheds new light on the once-mysterious art of innovation by showing that successful innovatorsRead MoreFounder-Ceo Succession at Wily Technology9042 Words   |  37 Pagesjob as Wily’s CEO, Williams Wanted Cirne to also give up the chairman position that Cirne had held since Wily’s founding. As he stared out the window, Cirne wondered how he should react: Just how much am I going to have to give up to make this thing a success? When is it too much? Is this step i going over the line?† As he thought back through Wily’s history, he also wondered what he could have done differently to avoid having to step down so soon as Wily’s CEO. ä ½â€ Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¯ ¼Å'ç ¶â€œÃ© Å½Ã¤ ¸Å Ã¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¨ ¼ ªÃ§Å¡â€žÃ¨Å¾ Ã¨ ³â€¡Ã¯ ¼Å'Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¨â‚¬ Ã¨ ¬â‚¬Ã¦ · ±Ã§ ®â€"çš„é  ËœÃ¥â€¦Ë†Ã© ¢ ¨Ã©Å¡ ªÃ¦Å â€¢Ã¨ ³â€¡Ã¥ ® ¶Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¦Å½Ë†Ã¦â€ž Ã¤ ¸â€¹Ã¯ ¼Å'CiRead MoreEssay on 16 Day Coursebook BOWS27896 Words   |  112 PagesEverything Else Scanning 101 Journaling Brokers News Sources/ Blogs Using Our Platforms Additional Charts Chapter 1 – Introduction I started trading in my first year of college. After placing my first trade in Exodus Communications, I was hooked. It was all I thought about and wanted to study. As I was learning my craft I had many ups and downs. I had times where I had large amounts of money in the bank and then days later it could all be gone. Such is the life of a 19 year old trader who has noRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesLibrary of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Robbins, Stephen P. Organizational behavior / Stephen P. Robbins, Timothy A. Judge. — 15th ed. p. cm. Includes indexes. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-283487-2 ISBN-10: 0-13-283487-1 1. Organizational behavior. I. Judge, Tim. II. Title. HD58.7.R62 2012 658.3—dc23 2011038674 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN 10: 0-13-283487-1 ISBN 13: 978-0-13-283487-2 Brief Contents Preface xxii 1 2 Introduction 1 What Is Organizational Behavior? 3 The Individual Read MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 PagesELEVENTH EDITION MARKETING MISTAKES AND SUCCESSES 30TH ANNIVERSARY Robert F. Hartley Cleveland State University JOHN WILEY SONS, INC. VICE PRESIDENT PUBLISHER EXECUTIVE EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITOR PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE MARKETING MANAGER ASSISTANT MARKETING MANAGER MARKETING ASSISTANT DESIGN DIRECTOR SENIOR DESIGNER SENIOR MEDIA EDITOR George Hoffman Lise Johnson Carissa Doshi Dorothy Sinclair Matt Winslow Amy Scholz Carly DeCandia Read MoreCrossing the Chasm76808 Words   |  308 Pages0-06-018987-8 The original hardcover edition of this book was published in 1991 by HarperBusiness, a division of HarperCollins Publishers. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To Marie Contents PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION FOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGMENTS PART I Discovering the Chasm INTRODUCTION If Bill Gates Can Be a Billionaire 1 High-Tech Marketing Illusion 2 High-Tech Marketing Enlightenment PART II Crossing the Chasm 3 The D-Day Analogy v vi Contents 4 Target the Point ofRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagesso-called ‘Second Summer of Love’, strongly associated with recreational drugs. By the early 1990s, drug-dealing in its most ugly sense had become part of the dance culture. Palumbo recalled: When I came into this business, with my bonuses and my nice City suits, I was completely naà ¯ve. Just a joke. I found that every Friday and Saturday night my door was taking  £30,000 and the security team was making  £40,000 on Ecstasy. It happens everywhere in the UK leisure business. There are all these fatRead MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 Pagesinformation science text series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978–1–59158–408–7 (alk. paper) ISBN 978–1–59158–406–3 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Library administration—United States. 2. Information services— United States—Management. I. Moran, Barbara B. II. Title. Z678.S799 2007 025.1—dc22 2007007922 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright  © 2007 by Robert D. Stueart and Barbara B. Moran All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced

Calgary Oil Shale Technologies Inc

Question: Write a report about the "Calgary Oil Shale Technologies Inc". Answer: Introduction This is a report which is based on some of the skills that are necessary to run a business smoothly. The smooth functioning of a firm not only requires a robust and stable workforce but also it requires something more. A firm should have a strong management team who can guide the workers and can generate a smooth workflow in the business. The report highlights some of the most important management qualities that Mr. Carlos Debrito has that helps to resolve some of the issues among the employees. Calgary Oil Shale Technologies Inc (COST) is an oil refinery firm. Martin Bouchard was appointed as the president and CEO of the company. The firm was facing issues with the productivity. There were issues of dispute among the employees of the company. As the president and CEO of the company, Martin wished to resolve all these disputes and to increase the productivity of the firm. The company faced problems in its operation site at Alberta. The firm COST specializes in data management activities, and it supplies technologies to be used for refining and optimizing oil from the oil shales in Alberta. The technologies that the firm COST uses are capable of distinguishing rocks that bear oil. In this way, the firm helps companies working with energy sources to gain high productivity and profit from the production of oil shale. The company COST has a workforce that is blessed with high-skilled professionals such as engineers, geophysicist, and geologists who are capable of handling sophis ticated technology. The company uses semiskilled and skilled laborers to run the operations on the field. These two groups of workers, the technical group and the field operators, regularly opposed each other on some issue or the other (Northouse 2015). Debritos leadership techniques To resolve the conflicts between the two groups of workers of the firm, COST hired Ms. Algoma Howard, who was supposed to develop a program to foster teamwork and hence increase productivity. In the Alberta location, an experienced employee named Carlos Debrito was present to assist Howard to accomplish her task. Having worked in different departments in COST for over a span of twenty-six years, Debrito had a clear knowledge of the problems and conflicts that the workers at different levels were facing. Hence, Debrito agreed to guide Howard to accomplish her task. The three groups of workers that worked in the Alberta oil field included the workers who maintained and operated the logging operations, the group consisting of geophysicists, geologists and engineers and a group of workers who maintained the drilling equipment. To bring these groups of workers together Howard and Debrito planned to arrange a meeting of the workers on the fireside. The main objective to organize such meetings was to improve the interpersonal relationships among the workers. In these meetings the organizers probed the workers to open up to each other in a tension free environment. The organizers arranged for free food for the people who turned up in the meeting (Dubrin 2015). The next step which Howard and Debrito adopted was forming the "problem busting teams". These teams were temporary, and it consists of members from different hierarchical levels and of the different operations team. The managers wanted the leaders of these teams to address the issues which the workers were facing that were discussed in the fireplace meeting. They wanted the problem busting team to resolve these issues raised in the meeting. The fireside team evolved at the initial stage of team development, whereas the problem busting team evolved at the final team development stage. Techniques to be followed by Howard in Colorado The author would like to advice Howard to closely follow the steps of Carlos Debrito. Debrito played a very important role as a team leader to resolve conflicts among the workers of the company and to increase the productivity of the firm. His role would inspire Howard to work in a similar manner in the oilfields of Colorado to solve the issues. The formation of the teams that gathered in the fireside chat and also the problem busting teams helped to improve the interpersonal relationships among the workers in the Alberta site. Hence, the workers openly talked to each other about their problems, and this helped to increase the productivity of the company. Following a similar method would prove to be useful in the Colorado site.In his leadership, Debrito adopted the conflict resolving approach. Debrito has a better understanding of the problems of the workers following this approach. Secondly, the cohesion between the groups of the workers increased under the leadership of Debrito. Th e role of Debrito reflected the contingency quality of his leadership. Howard is of the view that if she got the guidance of Debrito in the Colorado project, the project would have succeeded. The author also feels the same as Howard. The leadership qualities which Debrito has in his character prove to be very fruitful in drawing the laborers to work. Though Howard implemented the same techniques as developed in the sites of Alberta, it did not work well in the sites of Colorado. Debrito had a better understanding of the psychology of the workers. Hence, he had a better knowledge of the techniques that would generate the result from the workers (Avolio and Yammarino 2013). The author would like to advise Algoma Howard that she should closely follow the steps shown by Debrito to manage the whole process. The Colorado site also faced similar problems as that faced in the Alberta site. Hence, employing the similar techniques with a better understanding of the situation would generate fruitful results. Howard can improve the involvement of her workers among each other by talking to them in a friendly manner and gathering them in some meeting in an informal environment. The management can reduce the cost of production if there exist a smooth workflow in the process. The management can only achieve this by improving the environment of work in the site. If the workers do their job in a peaceful manner maintaining a steady pace of workflow the company can easily meet the goals which are set regarding production (Mendenhall and Osland 2012). Conclusion The article depicts the work environment of the Calgary Oil Shale Technologies Inc. It describes the efficiency of Debrito in handling the issues which the workers at different levels of the company are facing. The efficient leadership and team management qualities of Debrito had lead to the resolve of all the conflicts among the workers and fostered a smooth flow of work in the company. This resulted in increased productivity and lowered the cost of production of oils by the firm. Research work The title of the journal that describes the leadership qualities required to maintain peace is "Embedding the peace process: the role of leadership, change and government in implementing key reforms in policing and local government in Northern Ireland". The Journal says that ethical leadership can give rise to many outcomes in the society that brings positive results (Rozand Joanne 2016) . Another journal that describes the leadership traits required in business is titled as leadership theory and research in the new millennium: current theoretical trends and changing perspective. The article talks about the rise in the research done by scientists regarding new theories of leadership in business. The article says that there are a vast number of theories on leadership that are evolving in the new millennium which needs to be taken care of, as leadership quality is one of the most important traits in making a mark in the world of business (Jessica et al. 2016). Another journal talking about leadership qualities is "advances in leader and leadership development: a review of 25 years of research and theory". The Journal says that almost all business organizations focus on the development of efficient leaders and effective leadership behaviour (David 2016). Another article on educational leadership titled Educational leadership and leadership development in Africa: Building the knowledge base talks about early childhood leadership qualities. It says that a person should have sound problem solving skills since childhood to become a good leader when the person grows up (Tony 2016). Reference: Avolio, B.J. and Yammarino, F.J. eds., 2013.Transformational and charismatic leadership: The road ahead. Dubrin, A., 2015.Leadership: Research findings, practice, and skills. Nelson Education. Jessica E. Dinha, Robert G. Lordb. William L. Mendenhall, M.E. and Osland, J., 2012.Global leadership: Research, practice, and development. Routledge. Northouse, P.G., 2015.Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.

A brief description Essay Example

A brief description Essay This concept paper has several objectives: A brief description of the country’s nature of poverty, poverty reduction policies and programs, and an analysis facing the challenges and recommendations for a sustainable poverty reduction in Malaysia. Keywords: Malaysia, poverty, policy, challenges 1. Introduction Defining poverty conceptually is easier as opposed to operational definition. Poverty is perceived as an amalgamation of various aspects which exceeds the argument on lack of income and not confined to a single-faceted phenomenon. The term poverty refers to different adverse social and psychological repercussions namely domestic violence, crime, perceived inadequacy of social investments and problems in expansion of human capital, unfair service delivery and feeble political participation. Hence, the definition of poverty is ultimately country specific. Universally, poverty is normally referred to failed income â€Å"dollar-a-day† by World Bank. However, for country specific purposes it is standard recommended practice to use national poverty lines where there exist. Most countries adopted this practice in the 2005 Millennium Development Goal report (United Nations, 2011). Malaysia developed its own poverty line in the 1970s when the government’s national policy gave a high priority for poverty eradication. The government utilized this poverty line on assessments of the minimum consumption requirements of an average sized household for food, shelter, clothing and other non-food needs. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Malaysia contracted to US$156. 53 billion in 2007 and US$278. 7 billion in 201, and the GDP growth was 5. 7% and 4. 7% respectively. The GDP per capita in Malaysia was last reported at US$7. 760 in 2007 and US$5,364. 5 in 2011. We will write a custom essay sample on A brief description specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A brief description specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A brief description specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Gross Domestic Product (PPP) in Malaysia was reported at US$13,740. 93 in 2007 and US$14,730. 93 in 2011. The unemployment rate in Malaysia was 3. 2% in 2007 and 3% in 2011 (Department of Statistics in Malaysia, 2011). 2. Definition of Poverty in Malaysia Adjustments were made to the poverty line in its earliest form, for differences in mean household size and cost of living among the three main regions of Malaysia-Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. No adjustments were made for rural or urban location. This resulted in three regional poverty lines (besides the national one). These poverty lines, with adjustments for inflation and changing mean household sizes, were in use from their adoption in 1976 to 2004. Although the poverty line was defined by consumption, poverty status was determined with reference to gross household income rather than expenditure. Thus, households with income below the poverty line were defined as living in poverty, and those with incomes below half the poverty line as living in â€Å"hard-core† or extreme poverty. In 2004, a revision was done to the poverty line. The revised poverty line now defined for each household and 48 Accepted: February 6, 2013 Online Published: March 8, 2013 URL: http://dx. doi. org/10. 5539/ach. v5n2p48 www. ccsenet. org/ach Asian Culture and History Vol. 5, No. 2; 2013 averaged to each state and rural or urban location, taking into account relative costs of living, household composition and size. This new poverty line also defines extreme deprivation or hard-core poverty as household with incomes below their food poverty line or households unable to meet their minimum food needs. In 2009, the mean national poverty line translated to an unadjusted RM6. 50 per capita a day (equivalent to US$3. 00 a day, PPP). Currently there are revised and separate Poverty Line Income (PLI) for each state in the country. The revised version takes into account different household size, a separate classification based on the urban and rural areas. Basic characteristics of each household considered for measuring the PLI, which includes number of occupants and its locality and demographic aspects. To characterize the poverty line income of Malaysia, presently, the level of minimum expenditure that is essential to lead a reasonable life is taken into consideration and Consumer Price Index (CPI) is utilized to update PLI every year. To reveal the disparity of cost of living and size of household between the Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, two different PLIs were adopted. Tables 1 and 2 showed that PLI was decided for Peninsular Malaysia to be 4. 1 at RM763 (US$254) and Sabah and Sarawak to be 4. 9 at RM912 (US$304) per month, respectively, as per 9th Malaysia Plan. The half of the PLI was set as the absolute hardcore poverty line (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2010). Table 1. Poverty line in Malaysia Poverty Line Peninsular Malaysia 2. 0 102. 2 2010 Sabah and Labuan 19. 2 99. 1 Sarawak Malaysia 3. 8 228. 4 800 (US$266) 198 (US$64) Incidence of Poverty1 (%) 5. 3 No of Poor Households 27. 1 (`000) Mean PLI (RM monthly) 763 (US$254) 1,048 (US$349) 912 (US$304) Mean Per Capita PLI 2 194 (US$64) 225 (US$75) 208 (US$70) (RM monthly) Source: Economic Planning Unit and Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2010. Note: 1 Refers to households with mean monthly gross income below its mean PLI. Note: 2 Due to varying household sizes, the per capita PLI will be used by implementing agencies to identify the target groups. Table 2. Poverty line in Malaysia by mean household size 2010 Poverty Line Peninsular Malaysia Sabah and Labuan Sarawak National 4. 1 4. 9 4. Urban 4. 0 4. 8 4. 6 Rural 4. 4 5. 0 4. 5 Poor 6. 4 6. 5 6. 2 Source: Economic Planning Unit and Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2010. Malaysia 4. 2 4. 1 4. 5 6. 4 Malaysia tremendously succeeded in combat against poverty. As of 1970, the poverty level was 49. 3% and it was lessened to 8. 1 in 1999. In the year of 2000, it was optimally reduced as 5. 5%. The strategy which was employed for reducing poverty led to accommodate an effective poverty reduction enclosure and fast economic growth with a constant improvement of its micro economy (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2011). Hardcore poverty was reduced from 1. % in 2004 to 0. 7% in 2009 and the incidence of overall poverty fell from 5. 7% in 2004 to 3. 8% in 2009. The overall poverty rate is 3. 7% in Malaysia (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2011). Table 3 showed that between these two regions a disparity was observed in the incident of poverty. Compared to Sabah and Sarawak, in Peninsular Malaysia, IOP was lower to some extent. In 1976, it was reportedly at 58. 3% and 56. 5%, respectively. This condition could be a positive outcome of rapid development initiatives implemented in Peninsular Malaysia. Yet, programs had robustly been executed in Sabah and Sarawak to combat poverty. The IOP that was reported as 51. 2% and 51. 7% in 1976 was minimized to 16. 0% and 5. 8% respectively in 2002. 49 www. ccsenet. org/ach Asian Culture and History Vol. 5, No. 2; 2013 The New Economic Policy and the National Development Plan have emphasized only the Bumiputera (Sons of the Soil) communities in Sabah. Part of the problem lies with the tendency of policy makers to classify Bumiputera as homogenous resulting in government policies that are not neutral rather than targeted. However, the programs did not have the same impact on all Bumiputera groups irrespective of their ethnic background for poverty reduction. This effect is most evident in official statistics where the economically disadvantaged Bumiputera communities are classified as Bumiputera together with the more economically advanced Malays. Past government’s policies aimed at eradicating poverty, restructuring employment and equity have produced limited impact on the Bumiputera communities. The development of human capital in Sabah is still in lacking, as seen from the large untrained population especially those from the rural districts, and much needed good governance. Due to a country wide steady decline of IOP, a proactive development was unrealistic and poverty remained relatively moderate in Kedah, Kelantan and Perlis. The IOP was found to be intensive in Kelantan and in 1976; this was acknowledged as the highest rate of IOP (67. 1%) in Malaysia. This disparity remained to be constant as 10. 6% in 2004 and 4. 8% in 2009. The occurrence of poverty in Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan states was comparatively low and had been reportedly lower than 10. 0% since 1984 (Mat Zin, 2011). Table 3. Poverty incident in Malaysia by state from 1970-2009 (in percentage) State 1970 Johor 45. 7 Kedah 63. Kelantan 76. 1 Melaka 44. 9 N. Sembilan 44. 8 Pahang 43. 2 Perak 48. 6 Perlis 73. 9 Palau Pinang 43. 7 Selangor 29. 2 Terengganu 68. 9 Sabah Sarawak W. P. KL W. P Labuan Malaysia 49. 3 Source: Mat Zain, 2011 1976 29. 0 61. 6 67. 1 32. 4 33. 0 38. 9 43. 0 59. 8 32. 4 22. 9 60. 3 58. 3 56. 5 9. 0 1985 12. 2 36. 6 39. 2 15. 8 13. 0 15. 7 20. 3 33. 7 13. 4 8. 6 28. 9 33. 1 31. 9 4. 9 20. 7 1990 9. 8 29. 9 29. 6 12. 4 9. 1 10. 0 19. 2 17. 4 8. 7 7. 6 31. 3 34. 3 21. 0 3. 7 16. 5 1997 1. 6 11. 5 19. 2 3. 5 4. 7 4. 4 4. 5 10. 7 1. 7 1. 3 17. 3 16. 5 7. 3 0. 1 6. 1 1999 2. 5 13. 5 18. 5 5. 7 2. 5 5. 5 9. 5 13. 3 2. 7 2. 0 14. 9 20. 1 6. 7 2. 7. 5 2002 1. 8 10. 7 12. 4 2. 7 2. 2 3. 8 7. 9 10. 1 1. 4 1. 1 10. 7 16. 0 5. 8 0. 5 5. 1 2004 2. 0 7. 0 10. 6 1. 8 1. 4 4. 0 4. 9 6. 3 0. 3 1. 0 15. 4 24. 2 7. 5 1. 5 2. 7 5. 7 2007 1. 5 3. 1 7. 2 1. 8 1. 3 1. 7 3. 4 7. 0 1. 4 0. 7 6. 5 16. 4 4. 2 1. 5 4. 2 3. 6 2009 1. 3 5. 3 4. 8 0. 5 0. 7 2. 1 3. 5 6. 0 1. 2 0. 7 4. 0 19. 7 5. 3 0. 7 3. 8 3. 8 3. Poverty Reduction Programs in Malaysia Despite the successes in reducing poverty (less than 4%), there are vulnerable sections of the population remain unchanged due to several disadvantaged circumstances. In the effort to develop a more inclusive approach, the economic development model is eing pursued. Capacity building in Malaysia in the context of alleviation of socio-economic inequalities is being implemented by expanding the economy, and at the same time giving subsidies to the needy. In pursuing inclusiveness, the approach is anchored on two objectives: i) Enabling equitable opportunities for all, and ii) Providing a social safety net for the disadvantaged groups. For the second objective, equitable access to health, education and basic infrastructure are being emphasized. Mechanisms for targeted income support will be enhanced as general subsidies are being phased out. Two features of social policy that distinguish Malaysia from other countries are: a. Social policies have had an orderly and incremental development owing to a supportive environment within a lengthy and continuous period of stability, which is unlike the experience of many developing countries, and A succession of strong governments and a public sector committed to improve the welfare and well-being of all Malaysians. b. The evolution of the social policy and welfare regime and its significance for poverty eradication in the 50-year span from 1957 to the present may be analyzed according to four different phases, namely, 1957-1980, the 50 ww. ccsenet. org/ach Asian Culture and History Vol. 5, No. 2; 2013 Mahathir regime of 1981-1997, financial crisis period of 1998-2002, and the post-2003 regime under Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi. A summary of the evolution is shown in Table 4. Table 4. Evolution of Welfare Regime Since 1957 1957-1980 Narrow ‘welfare-state’ style poli cies Public health programmes Free education Unemployment benefit State pension / EPF NEP (1970) Income support Broader ‘welfare-state’ style policies Land reforms FELDA, FELCRA, IADP Poverty eradication (rural) 1981-1997 Rigorous social policies 998-2002 Financial Crisis: Effects 2003-present ‘National Social Welfare Combat poverty Target Hardcore poor NGOs Involvement Microcredit AIM Private Involvement Zero-poverty target Privatisation Moderate government expenditure Impact on the poor Inadequate plans social protection Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Agriculture Productivity Source: Mohd, 2012 The strategies devised in Malaysia to mitigate poverty took on several important fronts. A combination of continued welfarism and a new drive towards independent living were incorporated in the strategy. Hence, improved capacity building was enhanced and new programs were introduced in order to take care of the vulnerable or the so called bottom million of society. The following sectors were given high priority: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Advancing agricultural sector Strengthening small medium enterprises Improving welfare of student Strengthening pre-school education Improving literacy and numeracy Creating quality school Increasing home ownership Expanding public health facilities Enhancing social safety nets Improving retirement scheme Microfinance . Challenges for Poverty Reduction in Malaysia Although the country has done a commendable job in eradicating poverty, nevertheless, there are significant challenges in the era of globalization. The following are important issues which need attention as the country faces a new category of new poor. 4. 1 Migrants Workers’ Issues The current development policies of Malaysia are highly influenced by globalisation and liberalization, and this leads to direct and indirect implications on activities in relation to poverty. Contraction in employment opportunities drastically affects the urban poor, the near poor, migrant workers. A high prevalence of unemployment and retrenchment are also acknowledged by relevant authorities. There is a huge demand for knowledgeable and skilled human resources in capital intensive and high value added activities, since Malaysia restructuring its economy. 51 www. ccsenet. org/ach Asian Culture and History Vol. 5, No. 2; 2013 An increased influx of overseas employees also aggravated the IOP in the post world repercussion of 2008. This phenomenon induced a deliberate discussion in relation to the foreign labor policy for various reasons. The contribution of overseas employees for local economy, remittance for their country origin, perceived competition in the local labor market between local and migrant workers and the potential arrival of appalling amount of overseas labors attributed to severe unrest all turned pressing concerns. Nair (2010) is also concerned about this issue and stated â€Å"the increased invasion of (20%) of foreign labour force makes an impact on poverty issues and human resource development†. . 2 Ethnic Issues The educational achievements of Bumiputera and rural students in disciplines which are very much fundamental to the economy was considerably lower than the urban and non Bumiputera students. This led to an academic lacuna between these two sectors. If the policy makers are turned a blind eye to the injustices and refuse to create promising arrangements, fragmentations, facti ons would be unavoidable and turmoil between ethnic groups would become worse. Hence, the perceived gap between poor and non poor will be widened. The Malays are dominant in the rural poverty and this initiated policy makers to figure out the national level conceptualisation of poverty. The National Economic Plan 2010 (NEP) poverty eradication mainly focussed on Malay rural population, and the policies and initiatives turned ethnically motivated. 4. 3 Rural and Urban Poor Since, more than half of the family units in the rural area being categorized as poor, rural and urban poor poverty have constantly been identified as a problem confined to rural. However, the consequences of poverty are devastating among urban communities as a vast proportion of new poor family units are settled in urban settings (Nair, 2010). Innovative policies and strategies should be implemented with strong commitment in programs planning and inner city development expenditure allocation are required (Nair, 2010). Rural and urban migration combined with the influx of foreign regulated and unregulated migrants dramatically increased the urban poverty (Economic Planning Unit, Malaysia, 2010). 4. Poverty Line Income Issues Poverty Line Income Issues are constantly discussed by absolute and relative terms with an idea that poverty alleviation initiatives to be more goals directed and challenges that intensified poverty had to be optimally tackled. It’s also observed that views on relative poverty have been changing over time. While in the past the bottom 40% of the population was defined to be in relative poverty, it is the bottom 30% of the populatio n under the current plan. However, there is an ambiguity behind the redefinition of relative poverty from the bottom 40% of the population to 30%. This kind of temporary adjustment of definition on relative poverty makes comparisons difficult. The selection criterion for financial assistance has been set as of RM1200 that is 2. 3 times more than the PLI of Peninsular Malaysia (Nair, 2010). Even though a financial support is being provided with the selected households, it seems more support is needed to be given in order to promote their living standard. Therefore, the efficacy of the current PLIs which is used to differentiate the poor households from the non-poor should be revisited. Conversely, it is not clear as to which income level is to be used to define the inclusion criteria of the households to be selected for the provision of financial and other forms of support. ? According the government of Malaysia, if a household earn of (four persons) RM900 (US$300), RM1, 000 (US$333. 34) or even RM1500 (US$500) a month, they cannot be considered as poor. Therefore, the families and more media reports complaining that they cannot meet their basic needs even they earn RM2, 000(US$666. 67). Here, the government how will calculate the poverty line. The World Bank standard recommends that medium-income countries should calculate PLI based on US$2 (RM6. 20) per individual per day. Meaning one person would need US$2 per day in order to meet both food and non-food necessities if that figure is used for Malaysia a theoretical household of 4. 4 people will need RM858 a month to not be declared poor. Here PLI is not correct. In Australia and Britain, median income of households is applied to define PLIs. The median income of a country is calculated by dividing its income into half. The PLI is two-thirds of the median income. Using the Malaysian median income which is RM2,830 (US$944), the PLI would be set as RM1,886(US$629) ? ? ? 52 www. ccsenet. org/ach Asian Culture and History Vol. 5, No. 2; 2013 ? The government considers a household as comprising an average of 4. 4 members (Total number of households divided by total population = 4. 4). The PLI of monthly RM763 (US$254), therefore, is translated into a daily income of RM25. 45 (US$8. 50) that a household needs to meet the eight components such as food, rent, clothing and fuel and so on. Therefore, it is impossible to meet basic needs by this small amount of money. . 5 Climate Change Issues Climate change is a global issue with significant implications for Malaysia. Carbon dioxide (CO2) from fuel combustion and deforestation activities contributes to global warming and has caused a shift in the climate system. Malaysia will have to adopt a dual strategy in addressing climate change impacts: Firstly, adaptation strategies to protect economic growth an d development factors from the impact of climate change; and secondly, mitigation strategies to reduce emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) (Economic Planning Unit, Malaysia, 2010). . Analysis Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has successfully transformed itself from a poor country to a middle-income country. The incidence of poverty has been drastically reduced from 49. 3% in 1970 to only 3. 8% in 2010, with hardcore poverty nearly eradicated, declining to 0. 7% in 2009 (Abidin Rasiah, 2009). Malaysia’s real GDP has grown by an average of 5. 8% per annum from 1991 to 2010. This growth rate has helped improve the quality of life for Malaysians and supported widespread advances in education, health, infrastructure, housing and public amenities. Though the growth momentum has recently slowed down due to the global economic and financial crisis, public spending through the two economic stimulus packages and accommodative monetary policy have helped the nation recover. Malaysia can effectively declare victory in its fight against poverty. Nevertheless, pockets of poverty remain both in terms of specific geographies and particular communities. The government remains committed to transmitting assistance and welfare to the poor and vulnerable. Special programs are being undertaken to address poverty on a sustainable basis, especially in terms of providing income generating opportunities, such as through agro projects. Since the face of poverty is no longer purely a rural phenomenon, specific interventions will also be targeted towards the urban poor, such as through micro credit schemes. The authorities have to expand programs involving practical on-the-job training (vocational and internship) that are relevant to the market. Internships, soft-skill training and job placement initiatives will be targeted towards unemployed graduates. The premise behind lifelong learning programs must be the expansion of distance learning, e-learning, retraining and skills-upgrading offered by various institutions. At the local level, community colleges assumed a greater role in implementing retraining and skills-upgrading programmes (Abidin Rasiah, 2009). With the labor force increasing by 1. 7% per annum during the period of 2006 to 2009, the unemployment rate increased slightly from 3. 5% in 2005 to 3. % in 2009. Despite this slight increase in unemployment, Malaysia remains in full employment position. The unemployment rate improved marginally to 3. 6% in 2010. The quality of life for Malaysians improved through better access to healthcare, public transport, electricity and water. Measures were also taken to create a caring society and promote community well-being. Economic development was based on sustainability prin ciples to ensure that the environment and natural resources are preserved so that growth will not come at a cost to future generations. Even though poverty is effectively managed, the current income of the country is considerably low and 40% of households still struggle with a monthly income which is less than RM2, 300 (US$766. 66). The perceived disparity in income levels and economic status between Sabah and Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia should be addressed effectively. Additionally, an effective strategy should be adopted to minimize the disparity of economic status between rural and urban areas. In order to cater the issues emerging between different geographical areas and Communities, the New Economic Model and the Tenth Malaysia Plan were devised to focus on inclusive growth and aspire to provide equal opportunities to all Malaysians. Malaysia’s success in reducing poverty was due to the policy of poverty eradication being made an integral part of the National Economic Plan (NEP). Poverty eradication programs were implemented alongside development plans and financial allocations for them were made in all the Malaysia Plans. When evaluating the impact that anti-poverty policies may, this study concludes that much caution is in order. Despite the ostensible official concern about poverty over the last thirty years, and the remarkable lifespan of new economic policy-inspired policymaking, a number of problematic issues remain. For instance, there is still relatively little detailed 53 www. ccsenet. org/ach Asian Culture and History Vol. 5, No. 2; 2013 information about the characteristics of the poor that could help ascertain the reasons for their poverty and thus identify what the appropriate and effective measures and to overcome poverty might be. Detailed, analytically grounded, poverty profiles are particularly necessary in view of the increasingly recognized phenomenon of ‘hard-core poverty which is often remarked as being relatively unaffected by existing poverty eradication measures. Furthermore, a great deal of expenditure on what is officially categorized as poverty eradication, actually refers to expenditure on rural and agricultural development, much of which does not directly help to raise the poor out of poverty. Given the concerns raised, it is crucial that detailed information on the use of anti-poverty funds be provided in order to ascertain to what extent such expenditure actually benefited the poor. Such information is also crucial in order to minimize the budgetary abuses that seem to have been made in the name of poverty eradication. 6. Recommendation The study has suggested some recommendations that will enhance economic development and poverty reduction in Malaysia. The young people from the rural areas should be given the technical and vocational training as they form the back bone of work force. Promoting the development of concentrated industrial clusters and supporting ecosystem towards enabling specialisation and economies of scale; increasingly targeting investment promotion towards investment quality (as opposed to just quantity), which support higher value add activities and diffusion of technology; and increasing public investment into the enablers of innovation, and venture capital funding. Skills training should be given special emphasis to develop the necessary human capital to meet industry’s requirements and drive productivity improvements to move up the value chain. Technical education and vocational training should be mainstreamed, with a focus towards raising the quality of qualifications. This is a key towards providing a viable alternative to enable individuals to realise their full potential, according to their own inclination and talent. This principle necessitates a renewed focus on championing the interests of each and every community, ensuring no group is left behind or marginalised in the course of the nation’s development. Social justice should be required taking into consideration the respective levels of achievement of each community. The distributional policies of the government will therefore be focused towards ensuring equality of opportunities for all. The well-being of the urban bottom 40% households will have to be addressed through capacity building programs to improve their income and overall quality of life. Programs to increase the incomes of rural households will focus on upgrading their skills, linking them to employers in nearby clusters and cities as well as providing support for self employment, micro-businesses and small scale industries. Efforts will also have to be focussed to increase the productivity and sustainability of agro-based activities through the adoption of modern agricultural technology and expansion of contract farming. Improved human capital productivity within rural agriculture and agro-based industries has to be reinvigorated. Additionally, skills training are needed in areas such as carpentry, tailoring, baking, hospitality, handicrafts, motor mechanism and food processing to support self-employment. The delivery of these training programmes will be tailored to the specific opportunities of target localities. The country needs to improve its balance of workforce and tertiary education. Malaysia’s current workforce with tertiary education stands at 23%, whereas the average for Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries is nearly 28%. Furthermore, of the graduating students who were employed, 29% in 2006 and 33% in 2009 earned less than RM1, 500 (US$500) per month. Employers and industry associations state that lack of soft skills such as positive work ethics, communications, teamwork, decision making and leadership skills. For students graduating from local higher education institutions in 2009, 27% remained unemployed six months after completion of their hampering employability of many Malaysian graduates. As there is still a sizeable gap between the competency levels of graduates and comparable international standards, the issue of graduate competency needs to be addressed to ensure that Malaysia has a skilled, well-rounded and employable graduate pool to enter the workforce. Even though Malaysia is highly successful in reducing poverty and expects to materialize seven crucial recommendations in relation to the MGDs by 2015, the country is experiencing disparities in many ways among the local communities. These disparities should be attended by local friendly and area specific intervention strategies bridge the persisting gaps between communities living in different geographical areas with much dissimilarity. Therefore, an increased attention should be directed on the most vulnerable population groups in order to bring an apparel improvement in their lives. 54 www. ccsenet. rg/ach Asian Culture and History Vol. 5, No. 2; 2013 Malaysia is a multi-racial or non-homogenous nation with wide and entrenched disparities of economic opportunities and incomes, the government has or may have to intervene in the market place and maintain affirmative action type programs to ensure a fairer distribution of opportunities and incomes among all racial and social groups. The avoidance or reluctance to undertake such initiatives and to succeed in achieving them, may lead to social unrest and violence. The affirmative action program only on the Bumiputeras is no longer sustainable. An effective environmental policy came into existence to make certain the Malaysian environmental sustainability. On the other hand, promises should be delivered to the global community and to itself–as specified by environmental strategies, by legislation and policies on various aspects such as environmental and resource management, green energy, physical planning and climate change. Malaysia should also develop suitable incentives for states and the private sector to implement initiatives and to comply with national policies and objectives. A suitable and comprehensive strategy should be created to motivate state governments and private entities to execute the policies and achieve the goals. Rising temperature is associated with volatile weather changes, shifts in rainfall patterns and climate zones and a rise in sea levels. Due to its climate and location, Malaysia is among the many economies that are likely to feel the force of climate events sooner, rather than later–in the form of coastal and inland flooding, rise in vector borne diseases, or drops in agricultural yields due to continuous occurrence of droughts. These events not only have the potential to destroy lives and communities, but also pose a significant economic risk. The government has to review the value at risk for communities to develop a clear understanding of the cost-benefit trade-offs involved in averting or reducing the impact of such climate-related hazards. 7. Conclusion Protective measures should be in place to combat any potential repercussions inflicted upon poor communities those are fragile to globalization and liberalization. All ethnic groups, regardless of their diversity, should be provided with an opportunity to access to broad proficiencies required for the economy. Actions should be triggered at policy levels to address the potential roots of poverty and perceived inattention on the issues of sidelined communities as to assure the inclusion of marginalized. Self sustained programs that promote the poor‘s involvement in activities to increase their level of income and plans for empowerment of poor also should be in place. Actions should be taken to deal with negative attitudes regarding to poor’s status. A priority should be given to empower the community and encourage mutual support and attentiveness among its members. The complex dynamics of poverty to be triumphed with a multi-disciplinary approach and poverty alleviation tasks should be focused on the enhancement of human skills, innovativeness and knowledge of the poor. References Abidin, M. Z. , Rasiah, R. (2009). The global financial crisis and the Malaysian economy: Impact and responses. UNDP. Retrieved from http://www. undp. org. my Department of Statistics Malaysia. http://www. tatistics. gov. my Departments of Statistics Malaysia. http://www. statistics. gov. my (2010). (2011). Monthly Monthly statistical statistical bulletin. bulletin. Retrieved Retrieved from from Economic Planning Unit. (2009). Database, economic planning unit, Ministry of Finances Malaysia. Retrieved from http://www. treasury. gov. my Mahani, Z. A. (2009). New model needed to spur economy. The Star, 3 April, 2009. Retrieved from http://www. star . com . my Ma

Americas Capitalistic Government essays

Americas Capitalistic Government essays "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." (Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence) When Thomas Jefferson wrote these words, he wrote them with the intent of establishing a new government that would not give anyone favoritism over others. After 224 years, this idea is still believed in by the citizens of America, but not practiced by their government. As the years passed, the values of America have slowly altered to materialism. The people trusted our government to make the best decisions for the entire country, but some decisions seem to favor the wealthiest citizens rather than all of the citizens. Not to say that the government is completely corrupt, but their priorities seem to have a monetary value, and they must pay for it some how. As a country with a capitalist government, one that has the main focus of making profit through free markets, money has an unfortunately big influence on policies that are made by the government. According to the public, which was based on middle-class adults in the US, business editors and college students, the general consensus came out to be that they believed that "capitalism must be altered before any significant improvements in human welfare can be realized." This can be seen throughout history in the positions taken by the government about free markets, unionization, and . ...

Juvenile Crime in the USA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Juvenile Crime in the USA - Research Paper Example Its really sad to see youthful members of the society adopting violent behaviors and getting involved in criminal activities. There are many factors generate this problem; for examples: Media, Friends, and violent Video Game. However, many people agree that its start from home. Single Parenthood, Domestic violent and Child abuse, and bad parenting are some of major causes of juvenile crime and violence. "It is the tasks connected with the home that are the fundamental tasks of humanity ... if the mother does not do her duty, there will either be no next generation, or a next generation that is worse than none at all." (The 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt) Mother plays a crucial role in her child’s life. Mothers play the most part in raising the kids. Her role can be three quarters of parenting. Nevertheless, the role they play prior the birth. Nobody can substitute her. She bonded with her kids from the early days of pregnancy to a very late age. She teaches her kids the norms and right behaviors. Fathers role is complement to mothers role and yet very important. Father is the person whom the child admired and looks up to as an ideal. Fathers company gives the profound feeling of protection. Father is the one whom the son needs in life-school. From life experience, fathers usually want their sons and daughters to live better life than his. This research gives an overview of the history of family and home constrictions development in the last three centuries. It also includes statistics about the juvenile crime in the United States. This paper discusses how the violent behavior starts from home and the affects of Single parenthood, Domestic violent and child abuse, and Bad parenting. This research includes a survey among Miami Police Officers about this problem. Finally it concluded with some suggestions on how to prevent and protect the teens. Juvenile crimes started to catch the attention of the

Exectuive Branch Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Exectuive Branch - Research Paper Example The decision-making branch of the state level is headed by heads of states. All bureaucrats in the state executive level are answerable to the president, but in other cases, the executive level in different states are headed by governors The president in any state level has his own directives to carry out like being the commander in chief of the armed forces. This implies that the head of state is the only individual who can command the military wing of the forces. Secondly, the president has authority to select individuals or ministers to oversee the daily running of public institutions, like ministries and embassies (Ferguson, 2006). Functions of the State Executive Level The executive level has various functions to perform. They include overseeing and put into practice the work of their juniors, since they are mandated to see the overall running, and implementations of the laws. Secondly, the executive level makes sure that laws are followed to uphold their constitution and protec t their interest. It applies rules and orders in insuring that enactments are strictly followed. The laws enforced into enactment by the executive level involve the constitution laws signed and acknowledged by the executive head. Thirdly they have the responsibility to appoint the judicial officers like lawyers and state judges. Lastly, the executive has the mandate to appoint officials in a state subsection. The arm is in-charge of the of all key policy-making positions in state or government (Thorburn, 2008). The Authorizing Legislation of the State Executive Level Authorizing legislation can be used to describe the management process, and the instructions used to institute information sharing in any set of an institution. The legislation offers a structure for the enactment of laws and ideas in any set of a system. The executive, state level is guided by rules on the appointments of their officials. The authorizing legislation in any state government is the president or the gover nor. An excellent authorizing legislation has to meet the set standards like being timely in fulfilling vacancies in any state office. All the officials in the state institutions are appropriately expected to use the legislation act in occupying vacant positions inside an institute. Secondly the authorizing legislation should be considerate of an institution when making decisions pertaining to the appointments of officials in an institution. The authorizing legislation should entail the opus and qualifications for individuals who are to be appointed to occupy key positions in a state institution. Thirdly, the legislation act should plainly state the duties of the commission is selecting to aid in its operations. Lastly, the act should clearly state powers and limits of state officials in the handling of issues. The powers awarded to an individual are stated to avoid abuse (Thorburn, 2008). Structure of the Executive Federal Level The executive federal, level entails distribution of power among the state governments and other institutions like the national administration. The level is collected the office of the president, the managerial departments, the first lady and the independent agencies and committees (Ferguson, 2006). 1 The office of the president is regarded to be the uppermost bureau in the structure. It is composed of the president, the first lady, the vice president and the cabinet. The president

Nursing Theorist Grid Essay Example for Free

Nursing Theorist Grid Essay Madeleine Leininger’s theory is call The Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality. Because Leininger had degrees in nursing and anthropology, her theory had a combination of derivatives of both disciplines (Bibb, 2006). While working as a nurse in the 1950s, Leininger became disturbed by nurses who could not understand nor respect the culture variations. She then set out to bridge the knowledge gap between nursing and cultures. Leininger became the authority on cultural diversity in healthcare. The key points of her theory include honoring a state of holistic well-being that is culturally defined, valued, and practical. Cultures include technology, religion, philosophy, kinships, socioeconomics, politics, and education. Term Definition Applied to Nursing Practice Applied to Nursing Education Applied to Nursing Research Person Culture-dependent and holistic and sometimes includes families, groups, and communities Nurses can establish individualized care plans and care by respecting and honoring the diversity of the patients. Nurses are continually educated on transcultural nursing. In nursing school and in the workplace, cultural diversity is taught. Continued research to increase the knowledge of the nurses to assess the â€Å"person† in different cultures. Health A state of well-being that is culturally defined, valued, and practiced After appropriate nursing education has been done, nurses have to assess and respect the individual’s decisions on health. Everyone will not accept smoke cessation and weight loss as a part of health. As we learn cultural health  preferences, it is imperative that nurses pass this information on to other nurses. Employee in-services are important to pass on these diversities. Continued research to increase the knowledge of the nurses to assess the idea of health in different cultures. Nursing A transcultural, humanistic, and scientific care discipline and profession with the central purpose to serve humans worldwide Care is still essential in the nursing process. Care is now individualized and culturally congruent by respecting preferences of diverse cultures. We continue to learn through formal education and staff development how to care for persons of different cultures. We honor the research on different groups. This is also used to educate nurses on cultural diversity. Environment A combination of physical, ecological, socioeconomical, and cultural settings. We learn to respect a person’s space even if it is very different from what we are accustomed to. Especially important in home health settings. Be careful of facial grimaces and nonverbal actions. Important to learn and teach others that our impression of a livable and decent environment are not the same as others. Research empowers and teaches nurses how to respect and interact in the patients’ personal environment. From the old adage, â€Å"When in Rome, do what the Romans do†. Research helps to dissect what the Romans actually do. Bibb, S. C. G. (2006). Leiningers theory of culture care diversity and universality. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

On The Road Not Taken Essay -- Robert Frost Road Not Taken Poem

On "The Road Not Taken" Most people believe that "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost was written to inspire people to be different, and to not follow the majority. However, the poem was actually written to gently tease one of Frost's good friends, and fellow poet, Edward Thomas. Frost and Thomas would take walks in the woods together, and Thomas would take Frost down one path and later regret not choosing a different path. This would lead one to believe that Frost is actually ridiculing the action of regretting decisions. Considering this pert nit background information, the poem's meaning can be quite contrary to popular belief. It guides the reader from the idea that Frost wants you to differentiate yourself, to a concept of perseverance and self confidence. Upon further analysis of the poem, more irony is unveiled in both the title and the poem itself Initially "The Road Not Taken" is quite stereotypical and inspirational in manner. At first glance the poem radiates a feeling that it's alright to take the road less traveled, and that good fortune may follow from making seemingly unorthodox decisions. Frost illustrates an idea of individualism in the last two lines, "I took the one less traveled by/ and that has made all the difference" (19-20). In the last stanza of the poem, the speaker explains that many years later he will tell the story of how taking the road less traveled has changed his life. Viewed from an analytical standpoint many examples of subtle irony can be found. Frost's choice of words in the title is very peculiar. It seems as though Frost purposely chose the word "taken". If the poem was meant to be inspirational, "chosen" would be a better fit for the title. The word "chosen" would clar... ...the poem "The Road Not Taken", one would come across an idea that is quite different, but still in good faith. The poem has two sides; a noble side and a mischievous side. The noble side focuses on making decisions and following through with them, showing perseverance, and self confidence. On the other hand, the mischievous side is focused more on being different and creating a path through life in which one forges with self-righteous decisions. In teasing a good friend, Frost shows the importance of having faith in the decisions one makes, and realizing that it doesn't matter what path someone "takes" or "chooses", if they have a strong will and good faith anything can happen. Works Cited Lauter, Paul. The Heath Anthology of American Literature: Concise Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2004. Wikipedia. 2004. Wikipedia online. 24 Mar. 2007

Target Costing

Robin Cooper and Regine Slagmulder Editors’ Note: This article is an updated synthesis of in-depth explorations contained in Target Costing and Value Engineering, by Robin Cooper and Regine Slagmulder (Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press, 1997). Part two of the series discusses product-level target costing; part three, to be featured in an upcoming issue, will address component-level target costing. omers. Consequently, the objective of product-level target costing is to increase the allowable cost of the product to a level that can reasonably be expected to be achievable, given the capabilities of the firm and its suppliers (see Exhibit 1). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY†¢ Product-level target costing works to increase the allowable cost of the product to a level that is both reasonable and achievable given the capabilities of the firm and its suppliers. Step one establishes the target cost by incorporating the capability of the firm and its suppliers into the allowable cost so that an achievable product-level target cost is established. †¢ Step two uses value engineering to identify ways to design the product so that it can be manufactured at its target cost. †¢ Step three applies the disciplining mechanisms to help ensure that the product-level target cost is achieved. The target costing process contains three major sections: market-driven costing, product-level target costing, and component-level target costing.In part two of a three part series, this article discusses how product-level target costing works to increase the allowable cost of the product to a level that is both reasonable and achievable given the capabilities of the firm and its suppliers, in a three step process. Step one establishes the target cost by incorporating the capability of the firm and its suppliers into the allowable cost so that an achievable product-level target cost is established.Step two uses value engineering to identify ways to design the product so that it can b e manufactured at its target cost. Step three applies the disciplining mechanisms to help ensure that the product-level target cost is achieved. PRODUCT-LEVEL TARGET COSTING The objective of product-level target costing is to establish aggressive but achievable product-level target costs. These target costs should place considerable pressure on the firm’s product engineers to find creative ways to reduce the manufacturing costs of the products that they are designing.Target costs differ from allowable costs, because they incorporate the capabilities of the firm and its suppliers into the target costing process. In practice, it is not always possible for the designers to find ways to achieve the allowable cost and still satisfy the firm’s cus1 Product-level target costing can be broken into three steps (see Exhibit 2). In the first step, the product-level target cost is established. This step consists of incorporating the capability of the firm and its suppliers into th e allowable cost so that an achievable product-level target cost is established.The second step consists of using value engineering (and other similar techniques) to identify ways to design the product so that it can be manufactured at its target cost. In the third step, the disciplining mechanisms of target costing are applied to help ensure that the product-level target cost is achieved. The disciplining mecha- Article 32. TARGET COSTING FOR NEW-PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: PRODUCT-LEVEL TARGET COSTING thereof require that the firm must reduce costs if it is to maintain its desired level of profitability.The degree of cost reduction required to achieve the allowable cost is called the cost-reduction objective and is derived by subtracting the allowable cost from the current product cost: Cost-Reduction Objective = Current Cost–Allowable Cost The current cost is the cost of a new product if it were manufactured today using existing components or variants thereof. No cost-reduction a ctivities are assumed in computing the current cost of the product. For the current cost to be meaningful, the components used in its estimation must be very similar to those that eventually will be used in the new product.If the existing model uses a 1. 8-liter engine and the new model uses a 2. 0-liter one, for example, current cost would be estimated using the cost of the most similar 2. 0-liter engine currently produced by the firm. Because the allowable cost is derived from external conditions without consideration of the firm’s internal design and production capabilities, there is a risk that the allowable cost will not be achievable. In this case, to maintain the discipline of target costing, the firm must identify the achievable and unachievable parts of the cost-reduction objective.Analyzing the ability of the product designers and suppliers to remove costs from the product (see Exhibit 3) derives the achievable or target cost-reduction objective. The process by whic h costs are removed from the product is called value engineering, and it depends heavily on an interactive relationship with the suppliers. The purpose of this relationship is to allow the suppliers to provide early estimates of the selling prices of their products and, when possible, insights into alternative design possibilities that would enable the firm to deliver the desired level of functionality and quality at reduced cost.The unachievable part of the cost-reduction objective (referred to in Exhibit 2) is called the strategic cost-reduction challenge. It identifies the profit shortfall that will occur when the designers are unable to achieve the allowable cost—a signal that the firm falls short of the capabilities demanded by competitive conditions. Typically, in a firm with a well-established target costing system, the strategic cost-reduction challenge will be small or nonexistent, and intense pressure will be brought on the design team to reduce it to zero.For the m ost capable firms, the achievable cost reduction for a product might exceed the cost-reduction objective. Such firms do not face a strategic cost-reduction challenge. They can take advantage of their superior capabilities by reducing the selling price of the product to increase market share, by increasing product functionality while maintaining the targeted selling price, or by keeping both price and functionality at their targeted levels to earn higher profits. To maintain the discipline of target costing, the size of the strategic cost-reduction challenge must be managed carefully.A strategic cost-reduction challenge should reflect the true inability of the firm to match competitor capabilities. To ensure that the strategic cost-reduction challenge meets this requirement, the target cost-reduction objective must be set so that it is 2 nisms include progress monitoring and validation and the application of the cardinal rule of target costing: products whose manufacturing costs are above their target costs should not be launched. The monitoring and validation process helps ensure that the savings identified through value engineering are actually achieved.The application of the cardinal rule ensures that the discipline of target costing is maintained. When designers know that target cost violations lead to serious consequences, they are subjected to a real pressure to achieve the target costs. SETTING THE PRODUCT-LEVEL TARGET COST In highly competitive markets, customers expect each generation of products to have higher value than that of their predecessors. Value can be increased by improving the quality or functionality of the firm’s products or by reducing their selling prices. Any of these improvements or some combinationANNUAL EDITIONS cost-reduction challenge, which creates a powerful pressure on the design team of the next generation of the product to be even more aggressive about cost reduction. In this way, the failure to achieve the allowable c ost this time around is turned into a challenge for the future, not a permanent defeat. Second, allowable cost avoids weakening the cardinal rule, which applies only to target costs, not allowable costs. The process by which the strategic cost-reduction challenge is established must be highly disciplined.Otherwise it becomes a mechanism to reduce the effectiveness of target costing by setting target costs that are too easy to achieve. In most firms, top management approves the strategic cost-reduction challenge before the product-level target cost can be set. Technically, the target cost of a product is the target selling price less the target profit margin plus the strategic cost-reduction challenge. Many firms blur the distinction between the allowable cost and the target cost, however, by stating that the target cost is determined by subtracting the target profit margin from the target selling price.This simplification makes it easier for people to understand the spirit of target costing as being price driven. Obviously, if the strategic cost-reduction challenge is zero, the allowable and target costs are identical. At some firms, even when the allowable cost is considered achievable, it is not referred to as a target cost until the process has reached the stage at which the major component target costs are established. The retention of the term â€Å"allowable costs† shows that top management is not willing to invoke the cardinal rule until it is convinced that the target cost is indeed achievable. chievable only if the entire organization makes a significant effort to reach it. Consistently setting the target cost-reduction objective too high can lead to workforce burnout and, ultimately, the discipline of target costing will be lost. Conversely, if the target cost-reduction objective is consistently set too low, the firm will lose competitiveness, because new products will have excessively high target costs. Again referring to Exhibit 2, the produ ct-level target cost is determined by subtracting the proposed product target costreduction objective from its current cost.That is: Product-Level Target Cost = Current Cost–Target Cost-Reduction Objective The strategic cost-reduction challenge is determined by subtracting the allowable cost from the target cost: Strategic Cost-Reduction Challenge = Target Cost –Allowable Cost The value of differentiating between the allowable cost and the target cost in this manner lies in the discipline that it creates. In most firms, the allowable cost will sometimes be too low to achieve, given the relative capabilities of the firm and its suppliers compared to competitors and their suppliers.Target costing systems derive their strength from the application of the cardinal rule, â€Å"The target cost must never be exceeded. † If a firm continuously sets over-aggressive target costs, violations of the cardinal rule would be common and the discipline of the target costing proc ess would be lost. Even worse, if the allowable cost is known to be unachievable, the design team might give up even trying to achieve it, and effective cost reduction during product design would cease. To avoid this motivation problem, firms frequently set target costs higher than the allowable costs.These target costs are designed to be achievable but only with considerable effort. They allow the cardinal rule to be maintained for almost every product. Consequently, the distinction between allowable and productlevel target costs plays two roles. First, it identifies the strategic 3 ACHIEVING THE PRODUCT-LEVEL TARGET COST Once planners have identified the target cost-reduction objective, the second stage of product-level target costing begins— achieving it (see Exhibit 4). Several engineering techniques can help product designers find ways to reduce the costs of products.They include value engineering, design for manufacture and assembly, and quality function deployment. Val ue engineering, the most important of the three techniques, has the primary objective of maximizing customer value—it tries to increase functionality and quality while at the same time reducing cost. In contrast, DFMA focuses on reducing costs by making products easier to assemble or manufacture, while holding functionality at specified levels. Finally, QFD provides a structured approach to ensure that customer requirements are not compromised during the design process.Target costing and value engineering can be viewed as concurrent activities, as can kaizen costing and VA. The application of value engineering begins with the conceptualization of the product and continues through the design process until the product is released to manufacturing. Even then the process continues, but under the name value analysis (VA). Article 32. TARGET COSTING FOR NEW-PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: PRODUCT-LEVEL TARGET COSTING The difference between VA and VE is not in the approach taken or the tools u sed but the point at which they occur in the life cycle of the product.VE is used during the product design and development stages, and VA is used for the manufacturing stage and for purchasing parts. For this reason, target costing and value engineering can be viewed as concurrent activities, as can kaizen costing and VA. It would be wrong to view VE as just another cost-reduction program. VE is primarily about product functions and only secondarily about cost. The motivating force behind VE is to ensure that the product achieves its basic function in a way that satisfies the customer at an acceptable cost.Consequently, VE programs are the domain of the product engineer, not the accountant. bility of the existing functions. Second-look VE is applied during the last half of the planning stage and the first half of the development and product preparation stage. The objective of second-look VE, unlike that of zero- and first-look VE, is to improve the value and functionality of existi ng components, not create new ones. Consequently, the scale of changes is much smaller than for zero- and first-look VE. Comparative applications of VE consist of tearing down other products to identify new ways to reduce costs.We define tear down as â€Å"a comparative VE method through visual observation of disassembled equipment, parts, and data arranged in a manner convenient for such observation. † Numerous approaches to tear down exist. The six dominant techniques are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Dynamic. Cost. Material. Static. Process. Matrix tear down. VE Techniques The VE techniques can be broken into three major categories: 1. Direct application of VE principles to the product. 2. Tear down approaches using comparative VE. 3. Miscellaneous VE. VE can be applied directly to proposed products at different stages of the product design process.These different approaches are known as â€Å"looks. † Zero-look VE is the application of VE principles at the concept proposal st age, the earliest stage in the design process. Its objective is to introduce new forms of functionality that did not previously exist. First-look VE focuses on the major elements of the product design and is defined as developing new products from concepts. The objective is to enhance functionality of the product by improving the capa4 The first three methods are designed to reduce a product’s direct manufacturing costs.The next three are intended to reduce the investment required to manufacture the product through increased productivity. There are at least four miscellaneous cost-reduction techniques: 1. 2. 3. 4. The checklist method. The one-day cost-reduction meeting. Mini VE. The VE reliability program. ANNUAL EDITIONS Checklists The checklist method is used to identify a product’s cost factors and to suggest ways to reduce costs. The checklist consists of a number of questions designed to guide the firm’s cost-reduction activities by discovering cost-reduct ion opportunities.Checklists help ensure exploration of all possible avenues for cost reduction. One-day cost-reduction meetings are designed to improve the efficiency of the entire cost-reduction process, including VE and tear down methods. Participants from engineering, production, cost, and sales are expected to come up with ideas for new costreduction possibilities. The meetings are a way to overcome limitations in the approval process used for most cost-reduction proposals. The approval process entails circulating written proposals to all involved parties, who indicate acceptance by signing off on them.Unfortunately, this approach severely reduces the exchange of information and modification of ideas. At the oneday meetings, presentation of the results of various tear-down programs helps initiate discussions. production/sales-preparation stage, and the production/salespreparation stage. DISCIPLINING THE PRODUCT-LEVEL TARGET COSTING PROCESS Disciplining the product-level target costing process begins with monitoring and validating the progress of the design engineers toward reaching the cost-reduction objective.It is at this stage in the process that the cardinal rule of target costing is applied. Only when getting the product to market is so imperative that cost is of secondary consideration should the cardinal rule be violated. Finally, when the product is released for mass production and its actual cost of manufacturing can be measured, steps sometimes have to be taken to reduce those costs to the target level. Once the target cost-reduction objective has been established, the process of designing the product so that it can be manufactured at its target cost can commence.The discipline of target costing requires that the chief engineer and his or her superiors continuously monitor and validate that the progress the design engineers are making toward this objective. This monitoring ensures that corrective actions can be taken as easily as possible and th at the cardinal rule will not be broken. Some firms define an as-if cost at this point in the development process. The as-if cost reflects cost-reduction opportunities identified when the previous generation of the product was being designed or manufactured. In most cases, the as-if cost is above the target cost of the new product but below its current cost.The additional cost that must be achieved is defined as the difference between the target cost and as-if cost. As the design process proceeds and costs are removed from the major functions, the estimated manufacturing cost gradually 5 Mini VE and VE Reliability Mini VE is a simplified approach to second-look VE. It is applied to specific areas of a part or to very small, inexpensive parts. Mini VE is applied during the development and product preparation stages, the development and production-sales preparation stage, and the production-sales preparation stage.A VE reliability program is designed to ensure that the most appropriat e form of VE is applied to each problem. Essentially, it is a â€Å"quality of VE† program. If a completely new product design is required, for example, applying second-look VE is not appropriate. Like mini VE, the program is applied during the development and product-preparation stages, the development and Article 32. TARGET COSTING FOR NEW-PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: PRODUCT-LEVEL TARGET COSTING falls toward the target cost. Many firms call the updated estimate the drifting cost (see Exhibit 5).Thus, the product design process starts with an as-if cost higher than the target cost and across the design process reduces the expected or drifting cost until it reaches the target cost. At most firms, once the drifting cost equals the target cost, cost-reduction activities cease. There is no reward for achieving greater savings than those required to achieve the target cost. The engineers’ time is better spent on getting the drifting cost of other products to equal their target co sts. estrictive, because the product under review causes additional revenues to be generated beyond those generated by the product itself. Such products include flagship products that create high visibility for the firm, products that introduce the next generation of technology, or products that fill a critical gap in the product line. For such products, the target cost is often relaxed to allow for the â€Å"hidden† revenues. However typically, cost reduction pressures are still applied during the early stages of manufacturing until the target cost is achieved.For the products that feature a variety of options, the final fine-tuning of the target cost is often achieved by specifying the features that the standard product will contain. If the manufacturing cost is too high, for example, one or more â€Å"standard† features might be converted to â€Å"options† that the customer now has to pay an additional amount to obtain. Converting features to options both red uces the cost of manufacturing the standard product, allowing the target cost to be achieved, and increases the selling price of the originally specified product, allowing the target profit to be achieved.Obviously, the reduction in the functionality of the standard variant must be subjected to market analysis to ensure that it is acceptable in the eyes of the customer at the target selling price. An example might include the conversion of side air bags from a standard feature to an optional one. This reduction in functionality will be acceptable only if competitive offerings treat side air bags in the same way. This fine-tuning process gives firms more leeway to achieve target costs set several years earlier. Similarly, the actual selling price is not fixed until just before the product is launched.Delaying these two critical decisions significantly reduces the uncertainty that a firm, in a multiyear product development process, faces with respect to achieving target costs. At most firms, once the drifting cost equals the target cost, cost-reduction activities cease. The process of comparing the drifting cost to the target cost continues throughout the design process. Often when the product is ready to be released to production, for example, planners undertake a final review of the feasibility of the target cost.If the estimated production cost is too high, the design is subjected to additional analysis. Frequently, relatively minor changes in the product’s design are all that is needed to reduce the cost estimate to the target cost level. As long as these changes do not alter the product’s price point, the product’s functionality is reduced and the product is submitted for approval. If the design changes will reduce the price point, the product is typically returned to the research and development group for design.The cardinal rule of target costing plays an important role in maintaining the discipline of target costing. Great care is ta ken to ensure that the sum of the component target costs does not exceed the target cost of the product. Often, an increase in the cost of one component causes the engineers to explore ways to reduce the costs of other components by an equivalent amount. In addition, to help ensure enforcement of the cardinal rule, most firms have a policy against launching unprofitable or sub-profitable products.When the product design phase is over, the product moves to manufacturing. As part of this transition phase, the target cost is compared to the standard cost of production. If the standard cost is higher, usually the firm takes steps to reduce manufacturing costs to the target level. Often, if the standard cost is at or below the target cost, the design of the product is frozen for the rest of its life, and no further actions, other than general kaizen, are taken to reduce the cost of the new product.As with any rule, the cardinal rule occasionally is broken. It is violated when a broader a nalysis indicates that breaking it will be beneficial for the firm. Target costing, by its nature, takes a single-product orientation. Sometimes, this view is too NEXT STEPS One of the key constituents of the product-level target cost is the target costs of all of the outsourced components. These costs are the focus of the next step in the target costing process, component-level target costing.It is in this portion of the target costing process that the discipline of target costing is extended to the supplier base of the firm. Journal of Cost Management board member ROBIN COOPER is a professor in the practice of cost management at Roberto C. Goizueta Business School at Emory University and can be reached at (404) 7276679. REGINE SLAGMULDER is associate professor of accounting and control at INSEAD France. She can be reached at regine. slagmulder @insead. edu. From Journal of Cost Management, July/August 2002, pp. 5-12.  © 2002 by the Journal of Cost Management. 6