Indian dance Essay

Kathak is the one of eight forms of Indian classical dances perform by men and women, originated from northern indian, known as kathakars or storytellers. The styles of dance have its unique character from the rhythmic footwork with rhythms that he or she stomps out barefoot on the floor, accented with many bells worn around the ankles ( and from seeing the guest artist I can say there were more than 100 bells around her ankles making lots of noise to go with the beats of the drum), spectacular spins, and also every dance piece has a story behind it. A traditional kathak performance features a solo dancer on a stage, surrounded on all sides by the audience. The repertoire includes amad ,the dramatic entrance of the dancer on stage. Male dancers perform in Persian costume of wide skirts and round caps, while female dancers wear a traditional Indian garment called a sari. Back in the day women are the one who preserved this traditional dance more than the men. Kathak are typically performs by one dancer surrounded by a group of musicians. The solo dancer performs the parts of all the characters in the story. For example the guest artist were going back and forth rapidly from one of her dance piece between two characters. She did it without changing her positions on stage, changes in gestures and facial expressions signal instantly which character they take on at that moment. Before the guest artist started her dance so did a pronom giving thanks to all five elements or also known as the god, space, wind, fire, water and earth. Dance is on the earth, the eyes wherever the eyes are the mind, where the mind there are feelings. The way Antara gave thank to the god were a little different from what we normally did in class, with more steps and she also added some singing and harmony into the rituals. Based on what Antara told us, kathak is a very intimate dance where it is a three ways conversation, between dancers with musicians and dancers with the audience. The tempo for kathak consist of 16 beats. Dancers sometime precise the beats while dancing. With kathak you can play with the rhythms, there is no set rhythms. Kathak consisted of a lot of feet movement and with that the bells around Antara added a more prominent movements. Even though the focused on her foot because of all the bells, we can still see that she’s using her upper body. The arms movement were very smooth and elegant, her eyes moved according to her hands gestures. Antara played the Theka which looked and sound like the accordion, along with singing and dancing. The Theka did not stop Antara from doing her incredible spins and keeping the tempo while doing all these things at once. Stomping her foot very fast and loud on the floor seems to be away for her to keep her tempo. Even when she was stomping her foot her hands and head was still doing a lot of movement to help tell the story. During her performance she uses a lot of phrases in Indian and it was hard for me to understand or catch what she was saying. But she later on explained that it is just like how we counts beats in america instead of using numbers, in Indian dance they used the language of the drums. Her right foot always ended in the front to help her keep up with the beat and also so that her body can face the audience and interacted with them. Her dance move was not all fast but it was very precise and very professional. Antara dances very elegant and somehow I can see her personality throw the way she moved the way she carry herself on all the dance pieces. She is a great dancer and a great guest artist for the style, she makes me want to learn more about the style and actually go see her performance in San Francisco.

Problem Solution: Global Communications Essay

Global communication is an operating in the telecommunication industry which provides communication solutions to customers worldwide but currently it is under tremendous pressure and uncertainty as the company is facing challenges pertaining to the rights of its stakeholders and increasing competition in the industry that has left GC behind other companies. This company is getting adversely affected by the over all situations to this extent that the share value of GC fell from $28 to $11 which is a huge blow to the shareholders of GC. So it is high time that they need to take measures and some changes in the policies in order to counter the existing problems. This paper is going to discuss the aggressive approach that the management of GC plans to implement which the introduction of new services to the local and long distance customers, further more the company has planned out a strategy on developing cost cutting measures for the reduction of costs and improve profitability and growth and then do the marketing on a global scale in order to become a truly global firm. Situation Analysis Issue and Opportunity Identification There are a lot of reasons for Global Communications standing in the market today, some of them are due to the external forces, over which the company had no control that is the strengthening of the cable company, however the company did not analyze the future trends in the market and the possibilities of growth and competition which lead to an extreme pressure on the company while some reasons were internal which they could have avoided through strategic planning and strong organizational policies. Broadly defined some of the major issues that GC faced are as follows which require some immediate action by the management: 1) To much competition in the external environment especially because of the emergence of cable companies which came up with distinct solutions related to television, phones and computers increased the pressure on firms such as Global communications, due to which the market share of GC is decreased in the industry. 2) Global communications operates in an industry which requires flexibility and quick adoption of technology advancements and if you fail to do so then even survival becomes and issue. This is what happened with Global communication it was not being as innovative as the other companies which lead to these problems. 3) The company has to deal with the plunging stock price from $28 to $11. This was as a result of intense competition. Shareholders also got worried due to the 60% reduction in the stock value and investments opportunities decreased for the company. 4) Another issue is the lay off of the employees and salary cuts while relocating, when relocation decision took place then there are several other issues that need to be dealt with it these are the relocation of the workforce or hiring newer ones from the local environment and so on. 5) The internal communication of the company is not very effective which leads to other problems and challenges within the internal environment since they are facing problems in delivering the information to the employees. The communication process of the company has been one way in this major decision of relocating. This means that GC was not able to win the workers confidence and support. The company was divided among the different stakeholders and their interests. 6) The management did not involve the workers union in the decision making of relocation due to which they are threatening to take some legal action against the company. Not only this, this also leads to lack of motivation and dissatisfaction among the workers. 7) Employee morale is low because of the management’s way of working and dealing with their issues of interests and concern. This directly has an impact on the result and outcome of the firm. The company needs to address to all the issues in the best possible ways so that it has a positive impact on the organizational performance. Some of the opportunities that they have in hand are as follows: 1) The introduction of new services as addressed by the management of the company to cater to the consumer needs and small businesses , this is also beneficial from the growth perspective 2) Outsourcing of their call centers in places such as India and Ireland which are currently located in the United States will lead to lowering of costs 3) Growth in the international markets 4) Partnership with the wireless provider company this will provide connectivity and ease of access to the customers. 5) Develop and invest in the research and development Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas The negotiations between Global communication and the technologies Workers Union (TWU) is a proof that the company has learnt from its past experience and has decided to implement new ethical codes of decision making. The company plans on resolving them in the coming future and show that business ethics matter at all times. They need a team leader which they have in the form of Katrina who is the CEO; she will come up with relevant theories which will incline towards employee and the company’s benefit and protection. She is well learned individual who is capable of revamping the organization and make it accountable in front of the senior Board. She has the leadership skills and ability to lead the company and implement an effective appraisal system and establish goals and set standards for the work, further more the decisions made will be made under consideration of the ethics of decision making. The core values of the business will be ingrained in the system which will focus of integrity and honesty. All the stakeholders are going to use the theories of ethics as a basis of guidance and reference. Problem Statement Global communications wants to develop the business further into the global market share and stock value for the benefit of all the stakeholders of the company. Global communication is under similar situation like other telecommunication firms in the industry that is competition and pressure. Therefore they have to formulate adequate yet aggressive policies and plans in order to resolves key issues of the firm else even survival will become an issue for the company. However the management has come up with two broadly defined solutions to the company’s current situation that is relocation of the business and developing new services. Along with this there is a lot that needs to be done within the firm to make it strong and integrated. Until the organizational goals, management and the employees are not focused and unified towards one direction and consistent then the long term value of the company can not be increased. Organizational communication Organizational communication is a key to organizations sustainability and grooming. Communication is the exchange of information and ideas that lead to better understanding and implementation of plan which further leads to outcome, results and organizational performance. It can be in any form such as upward, downward or informal which is more like a casual communication way. The form of communication as organization is using depends on its culture and setup and varies from one place to another. However the idea is that the communication process should be clear, concise, and correct and the next person should understand its meaning and should be able to comprehend the message which can be checked after getting the appropriate feedback. Global communication has to work on its internal communication method because of its weaknesses and in ability to give results. It has to strengthen it immediately, and take corrective measures in order to connect everybody in the organization and all the different stakeholders. The company has to address the problem of grapevine, the barriers to communication, the work place structure and the gap between the employees and the management communication which is leading resentment and dissatisfaction among them. The company at the moment needs satisfied and motivated employees which can help the company together to work towards strengthening its position in the industry. The company can set benchmarks by setting the best practices of communication method whichever suits it but it should be a two way method. Benchmarking Benchmarking is the general principles set by the organization to address to key issues and is extremely valuable for the long term performance of the business. These are the points of orientation to which you can refer after completing a specific job area as it helps in analysis and measurement and also effective usage of resources. They set standards of performance. Global communication also needs to set benchmarks for themselves in each department and system procedure of the company. By adopting this into all areas of business the company can give itself room for improvement and efficiency and it will lead to better understanding; the employees need to be trained with the best practice so that the new system can be in built in the organization’s system. Impact of risks and ethics on decision making Business ethics and conduct is an essential part of decision making. But it depends that how much consideration is given by each firm on its importance. Research and study has shown that risk can have an influence on ethical decision making. The global business environment has got increased laws and regulations which can lead to organizational crisis. Unethical decisions can not damage the reputation of the company but also stop the people from consuming their products, the sales and profits go down. Therefore apart form the laws that govern the businesses to act in the company also have to do their job. The managers at GC have to see that the employees have a high moral ground; they are honest to their work, to the community and to the organization. The manager should be aware of the possible risks and the holistic understanding of the external environment and the company’s social responsibility. The job of the management and the leaders in the company is to see that how this is made part of the value system of the company. In this way the individual employee will be able to control their own decisions and conduct and they will not be dependent on the managers and co- workers. To integrate this into the organizational constant vigilance and training of employees is required. Managers also have a tough time in understanding the risks and business ethics. One way of doing this is to understand all the stakeholders who form the ethical issues and concerns and how is this important to the organizations decisions. Measures for performance evaluation The employees and the management of an organization are like partners, together they need to give their best for results and success. GC will set standards for the entire corporation and along with that an effective monitoring system, in the mean time there should be discussions regularly on the performance. The managers need to plan an alternate plan of action in case of failure of the appraisal. It is not a one time process; it’s an ongoing thing that will go on, on a regular basis. It requires proper planning where the company goals are set and the role of each employee is described in detail to them ad to what is expected from them, the performance metrics are set and the employees are given training based on that. There will be a two way communication in this where the employee and the management will meet on regular basis and discuss the issues related to work and performance. Feedback should be taken from the employees and their issues dealt with their involvement in it. The reason GC should invest so much time and effort in the performance evaluation is because it benefits the employees, the managers and the company as a whole. Employees know their contribution to the work and understand it and get the sense of responsibility since everything is so well explained to them so they know their job. Work is more organized and mangers spend more time in planning and managing rather than taking stress. The over all profitability of the company improves and so does the productivity. Research and development Since it is operating in the telecommunication industry here technology changes occur rapidly. Therefore Global communication need to invest in this extensively and allocate separate budget for this in order to stay ahead of the market and come up with better solutions and improved quality for its customers. End-State Vision Global communication wants to see itself grow in the telecommunication industry and gain back more than what it had in this market previously. In order to achieve this goal the company wants to 1. Set realistic, achievable and timely goals for the organization 2. Produce high quality solutions to the customers and service ands products that is way above their expectations 3. Produce a working environment that gives opportunities for continuous learning and growth. It wants to make Global communication as learning organization where innovations and best practices will be implemented and new methods of efficiency would be used and 4. Maximum utilization of company’s resources 5. Set standards for work and effective use of appraisal system 6. Individual Goals should be aligned with the organizational goals 7. Take ethical issues and conduct in considering while decision making 8. Develop relations with other service providers Alternative Solutions 1. Global communication needs to work on strengthening its internal weaknesses and make them the company’s strengths. The other option that it has is to improve its external relations with other companies and rather than working individually it can work with other firms; GC can merge or collaborate with other company’s in the telecommunication industry. In this way the competition will reduce. It will make the two firms more competitive and strong. Their market share will also increase when they join. When two firms merge they will be able to share the knowledge, expertise and technical facilities and capabilities of one another. This will help them in utilizing their resources in a combined and effective manner. The two firms can set organizational goals and work towards its accomplishment. 2. Another alternate the company has is to outsource the business to some other company in the industry however under global communications name. Analysis of Alternative Solutions The solution to merge with some other company has been given the maximum weight because it seems appropriate under the current scenario, however there are different kind of problems when it comes to merger, such as if the management of the two firms do not agree on common terms and conflict of interest, goals an ideas can lead to organizational crisis. The other option is given less weight relatively because if the outsourced company fails to produce results then the name and image of Global communication will get damaged. The share value can further depreciate of the company therefore there is high risk in both the scenarios and it only depends, it is on GC to se that whether they are merging with the right kind of company. For that proper investigation and study will take place, the company will have to find another company in the telecommunication industry that will be willing to merge with GC. Even while outsourcing the business the company will have to analyze whether they are giving it to reliable people and save hands, which would be able to do to justice to the deal. Optimal Solution The company will have to analyze its structure all over again. Starting from the core activities, organizational structure, the values, traditions and working environment, lines of communication and authority they will have to find the flaws in the system before starting up any new venture and plan. After the flaws are found then planning need to done to overcome them and make Global Communication a better working place. The company will redefine its goals and communicate it to the employees. There will be effective lines of communication, benchmarking with the best in the industry and later the employees in the GC should be trained according to that. The company will adopt an effective evaluation appraisal system and proper research and development department in order to stay innovative and competent. There will be monitoring system and the end results will be compared with the set goals. The corporate culture and decision making will be based on honesty, correctness, ethics and code of conduct. The new policies and strategies of the company will give special consideration to all the interests of all the stakeholders, employee’s welfare and involvement will be one of the priorities. It is very necessary to keep a satisfied workforce as this will be reflected in the performance. Apart from that the company will invest in developing new products and services for the customers. Quality will be of high standards and the business will relocate in a country where all the infrastructure, resources and facilities are available however whatever the decision the company will take the labor union and all the important stakeholders will be involved in order to avoid any legal action or resentment among them. Implementation Plan For the accomplishment of the long term objectives of the company there need to be an effective leadership which they have in the form of the CEO Katrina, she along with her co workers are going to make this plan successful. Katrina is going to lead them and each employee’s responsibility will be explained to them thoroughly. Every one will have to work as a team and view the organization as one unit where everyone should work for the company rather than indulge in fulfilling individual goals. This is going to be gradual procedure because integrating values and ethics and appraisal system and its results will take time. All this will be reflected in the performance of the company and the decisions made by the management. Things would start to work by themselves and the lost place of GC will be regained. Evaluation of Results If the planned solution set is applied affectively into GC then soon there will be evident positive changes in the company. There will be set targets for the sales and costs and those will be compared with the end results, thus the end results measurements for the effectiveness of the plan is going to be quantitative as well as qualitative. The quantitative ones will be to amylase the sales and costs results, the employee turnover rate, and the market share and so on where as the qualitative will be in the form of employee job satisfaction and the company’s image in the externally, the management system and the internal communication efficiency and so on. Conclusion Global communication has been facing challenges in the telecommunication industry due to which its stock value and market share was decreasing this lead the company to rethink its strategies and add something new into the company in order to make it compete with the other firms in the industry. The company has plans to expand in the international markets and relocate in India and Ireland and introduce new products however first it needs to overcome the weaknesses in its internal structure that is the relations and interests within the different groups of stakeholders. This problem solution helped me to analyze the interpersonal relationship of different stakeholders and their impact on the company’s decisions and performance, the importance of ethics in decision making and the different roles played by each individual within an organization. References Abbatangelo-Gray, J. , Cole, G. E. , & Kennedy, M. G. (Sep. 2008). Guidance for Evaluating Mass Communication Health Initiatives (AN 26389567). Evaluation & the Health Professions , 229-253. Breaking Cultural Communication Barriers. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 7, 2009, from www. essortment. com/all/culturalcommuni_raxq. htm Dasgupta, S. (2006). Is Globalization Causing A ‘Race To The Bottom’ In Environmental Standards? (Part 4 of a four part series). PREM Economic Policy Group and Development Economics Group , 2-4. Downsizing With Dignity. (2009). Retrieved May 9, 2009, from http://humanresources. about. com/od/layoffsdownsizing/a/downsizing. htm Employee Involvement. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 9, 2009, from Employee Empowerment: humanresources. about. com/od/involvementteams/Team_Building_Employee_Empowerment_Employee_Involvement. htm Globalisation and Environment. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 9, 2009, from http://www. blogspot. globalisation. com/14021 Najam, A. , Runnals, D. , & Halle, M. (2006). Environment and Globalization: Five Propositions. International Institute for Sustainable Development , 13-14. Pealy, J. (2001). Fundamentals of Communication. New York: Gale Research Company.

RC design

This submission presents the method statement and corresponding temporary work design for the construction of low-rise building (LRB). Footing foundation will be chosen for the foundation of structure. Design calculation and drawing for the structure, Including beams, columns, foundations, walls, floor slabs will be shown in the following categories. Furthermore, formwork will be adopted for the construction of structure and timber formwork will be the first priority. . Summary of RC Structure Dimension Element Member Size (mm) Type of formwork Foundation Timber Slab 250 Beam 500 x 500 x 5000 ‘Ofs 150 Column 500 x 500 All concrete works shall conform to the General Specification as following: Elements Grade wall Blinding layer Reinforcement 35 260, 460 MPa 4. Competent Persons for Constructions of the Low-rise Building (LRB) Structure Construction Manager ; Engineer – He shall supervise all technical items of construction works of MPS 2 structure, but not limited to the following items: 1 .To handle the difficulties during the construction. 2. All required tests arrangement and Submission to the Engineer 3. Prepare the erticality monitoring records and submit to the Engineer 4. To prepare, manage and implement the documented system in compliance with statutory requirements. Construction Supervisor/ General Foremen – He shall be full time on site to supervise the following works. 1 . To supervise and arrange all the MPS 2 construction works. 2. To arrange and monitor all relevant tests to structural works. . To arrange all setting-out works for MPS 2 structure constructions. 4. To follow the approved method statement for construction Safety Officer – He/ She shall be full time on site. His/ Her major duties are carrying ut regular checking on the implementation of the safety measures adopted with reference to regulations. Safety Supervisor – He shall be full time on site. His major duties are assisting the Safety Officer to carr y out regular safety checking and supervise the construction works for the safety aspects.Environmental Officer – He shall be full time on site to oversee all the environmental and sanitary issue during the construction. Surveyor – He shall be full time on site. His major duties are carrying out the site setting-out and monitoring works including verticality checking, settlement of ground measurement until completion. Certified Workers – They must be at least 18 years old and be a holder of a certificate issued by a person whom the Treatment Plants. The contractor shall ensure the certified workers being physically and mentally suitable for construction works. 5.Plants Plants and equipments Lifting appliances Air Compressors Generator Water pumps Portable pneumatic breaker Welding Machine Hand tools Carpenter Rebar fixer Concretor General Labour According to the site condition and requirement of completion of each phase, the site operation will be arranged in st ages corresponding to different site logistic plans at ifferent time frame of construction. The overall sequence of construction is generally divided into following stages: Stage 1 (Excavation) 1. Carry out underground utilities detection 2. Excavate down to +4. 3mPD to 3. 1 mPD 3.Perform compaction Stage 2 (Foundation) A. Steel preparation 1 . According to the drawings, prepare the steels with appropriate length, bending angle and diameter. 2. According to the drawings, placing the steels in corresponding location and spacing. 3. Pack the steel together, extra steel bend inwards to prevent exposing outside the concrete. 4. Leaving some space for trimming bar B. Formwork 5. Ensure the working area is clean and clear, and with appropriate ligament. 6. According to the drawing, install the timber on the surrounding and fix tightly with nails and screw.Make sure there aren't any gaps. 7. Brush an oil layer on the inner face of timber. C. Concreting 8. Ensure the strength of concrete is with required slump 9. Placing blinding layer on the bottom of foundation. 10. Placing concrete evenly on the area. For separated injection, each layer should not exceed 450mm tall 11. Perform compaction with vibration tube. Note that ibration tube should not place next to the timber and not to control the flow of concrete. 12. Flatten the top of concrete when appropriate level of concrete is placed. 13.Timber can be removed after 16 hours and check whether there are cracks. 14. Perform curing by cover the concrete with plastic sheet and Floor Slab 1 . According to the drawings, prepare the steel with appropriate length, diameter, bending angle, shape. 2. According to the drawings, placing the steels in corresponding location, and spacing. 3. Pack the steel together, extra steel bend inwards to prevent exposing outside the concrete. . Leaving some space for trimming bar 9. Placing concrete evenly on the area. For separated injection, each layer should not exceed 450mm tall 10.Perfo rm compaction with vibration tube. Note that vibration tube should not place next to the timber and not to control the flow of concrete. 11 . Flatten the top of concrete when appropriate level of concrete is placed. 12. Timber can be removed after 16 hours and check whether there are cracks 13. Perform curing by cover the concrete with plastic sheet 8. Construction procedure 1 Excavation and Compaction 2 Construct foundation 2. 1 Reinforcement bar fixing . 2 Formwork elevation 2. 3 Concreting and curing 3 Construction of first floor 3. 1 Column 3. 1. Reinforcement bar fixing 3. 1. 2 Formwork elevation 3. 2 wall 3. 2. 1 Reinforcement bar fixing 3. 2. 2 Formwork elevation 3. 3 Bearn 3. 3. 1 Reinforcement bar fixing 3. 3. 2 Formwork elevation 3. 4 Floor Slab 3. 4. 1 Reinforcement bar fixing 3. 4. 2 Formwork elevation 3. 5 Concreting 4. Construction of second and third floor, same as construction of first floor temporarily. 10. Environmental Protection Measures Any spoil, debris or silt from construction works area shall be deposited at esignated area within the site as specified in the waste management plan.Such spoil, debris and silt shall be immediately removed and avoid falling into adjacent areas. Drip/ spill trays will be provided to all machines and the fuel storage tanks or drums. All power equipment shall have proper silencers. Construction plant will be kept in good condition and will be properly maintained. Construction activities will be limited to daytime hours as far as possible. All construction works will be carried out limited to the approved working hours subject to the approval of Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and Drainage Services department (DSD).Frequently cleaning and watering the site area to minimize dust emissions. Burning debris or any material shall be prohibited on site at all times. Air and noise pollution will be monitored on a regular basis in accordance with the Air Quality & Noise Management Plan. Noise permit shall be obtained from the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) prior to any construction work beyond normal working hours. Chemical waste discharge license shall be obtained before any chemical waste disposed offsite. Surface runoff water arising from the site shall be collected by temporary drainage system.Such temporary drainage system composed of sand bags and temporary channels along the site boundary. The collected surface runoff shall be de-silted at the sedimentation tanks before discharged to public drainage system. The temporary drainage management plan has been submitted separately. Wheel washing bays will be located at the entrances in order to keep a good housekeeping condition inside the site. 11 . Contingency Plan Lifting appliances such as mobile cranes can be deployed on site in order to speed p. Catch up the progress of works.In addition, some major heavily E&M equipment will be handled by the addition cranes on site. Material availability such as concrete, reinforcem ent and formwork can be delivered on site shortly. Normally, 1 – 2 days' advance ordering period is required for the processing from ordering to on site delivery. In view of the current market, no shortage of aforesaid material supply is found. Disposal of the material system has already been set-up. All disposal records and submissions are in order in compliance with statutory requirements.

Financial Reporting and Analysis IBM Assignment

Financial Reporting and Analysis IBM - Assignment Example The management of International Business Machines also decided to narrow down their advertising agencies to one. This minimized cost and maximized the resources of the company hence an effective advertisement which led to increase in sale of IBM products therefore increasing profits. The performance of the organization led to increase in price of shares which resulted to increase in return of equity and increase on number of investors (Garr, 2000). Revenue increased in the year nineteen ninety eight by four percent and declined in the following year by fifteen percent. Growth in revenue of a company indicates efficiency in marketing and advertisement strategies. It is also an indication of increase in market share of products of the firm (Hill & Jones, 2012). This can be caused by expansion in operations of the firm and diversification of its products. In the following year, there was a decline in revenue of the organization. The company reaching its maturity might have caused this and revenue started declining. In addition, the consumers of the company product might have changed preference for the product. This could be caused by an emergence of a similar product or reduction of price of the same product through rivals of the company. The decline in revenue could also be caused by changes in the economic conditions such as inflation. This would reduce sales which in turn force prices of goods up leading to decline in sales he nce decrease in revenue. Changes in technology could largely affect the revenue of the organization. The firm did not change to technology as expected by its customers hence led to decrease in revenue (Hill & Jones, 2012). Gross margins on the other hand are profits made after the company deducts all the costs or expenses made on sales which are referred to as gross sales. The gross margins have increased throughout the years for IBM Company as indicated in its

International Business Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Business Finance - Essay Example The different structures of currency (fixed, pegged, etc.) also influence the risk. Fluctuations in forex rates have a direct impact on the sales revenues, and thus the profits of importers and exporters. This impact can be at all the three levels; short-run, inter-mediate term, and the long run. There are 4 factors that influence the fluctuation of forex rates: It is defined as the elasticity of the real domestic currency value of Assets and Liabilities, appearing in the financial statements to unanticipated changes in exchange rates. This value serves as a standard to evaluate discounted cash-flow evaluation. It is used for income tax purposes and for legal obligation to combine financial statements. Accounting exposure cannot be managed. Selection of valuation technique is immaterial as the choice doesn't affect any real cash flow except for taxes; the only correct method is economic value anyway. For simplicity and a consistent method current rate method is used. It is defined as the elasticity of the real domestic currency value of Assets and Liabilities, when assets and liabilities are liquidated with respect to unexpected changes in exchange rates for exporting, importing, or import-substituting firms. As the name suggests, it is the exposure that rises due to trading of goods and services, borrowing and lending funds, etc. Forex transaction exposure can be dealt by with the usage of contractual, operating, and financial hedges. Contractual hedges employ the forward, futures, money and options market. Operating and financial hedges employ the use of risk-sharing agreements, some types of financial derivative, and other strategies. In this part, we focus on contractual hedges. Hedging implies replacement of an unlock future exchange risk with a presently known exchange rate where alternatives such as Forward/Future Market Hedge, Money Market Hedge, Risk shifting (price all products in home currency), Pricing Decisions, or Currency Risk Sha ring can be used. Operating Exposure: It is defined as the elasticity of the real domestic currency value of Assets and Liabilities, or future operating incomes to unforeseen changes in exchange rates. They are based on the extent to which the value of the firm - as measured by the present value of its expected cash flows. Scenario I: Closed Economy Internal costs and prices are unaffected by exchange rate changes, therefore no exports or imports. Scenario 2: Open Economy Small, open economy and an international price for all goods and factors increase by 45%. Then, except for contractual exposure effects. There are two widespread misunderstandings about forex as follows: a) Only organizations having international operations are exposed to it b) Quoting prices for trade in local currency would eliminate the exposure. The true assumption that can be concluded from the two concepts is the fact that the structure is fairly static; however, it is not so. Competition from a foreign firm or exports may eventually cause problems for

Audit Theory and Practice Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Audit Theory and Practice - Article Example This requires of the auditor to issue a 'statement of independence' containing a number of declarations such as: As per information derived from literature sources, the major criteria of a standard auditing process are: professional ethics, auditors' legal liability, audit risk, accepting the engagement and planning the audit, internal control over auditing process, audit sampling, designing substantive procedures, auditing different financial instruments and completing and reporting the audit (Cosserat, 2004, Eilifsen & Messier, 2006). Each of these core criteria will later be examined for strengthening our core argument that successful auditing can only ensue from a high degree of dissimilarity between auditors and the company being audited. The independence of auditors for various business activities has been ensured over a long period of time based on unsavoury corporate scandals such as Enron in 1997. At present, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) as part of its standard code of ethics (revised rules) has proposed the following structural changes in auditing activities: 1. 1. Taking a 'conceptual approach' to independence: This is an approach which reconciles any perceived threat to independence of auditors, accepts safeguards and takes appropriate steps (interventions) to eliminate threats (Liandu, 2002). 2. No one fixed set of rules: Under IFAC guidelines, it's no longer possible to allow just one set of rules for a given auditing scenario. This is because each specific scenario is now recognised for its own merit in order to generate a set of financial instruments for the auditing activity (Liandu, 2002). 3. The importance of assurance services: In addition to company data, auditors are now encouraged to increasingly rely on secondary data such as performance indicators, statistical information, market and media reports, systems and processes and compliance with regulatory guidelines (Liandu, 2002). The purpose of assurance services is to enhance the credibility of overall information at the disposal of the auditor. 4. Safeguards mechanism: The general principle is that any kind of self-interest, self-review, advocacy, familiarity and intimidation can threaten auditing independence (Liandu, 2002). A number of safeguards are hence, proposed. Regulatory enforcement of independence requirements, external review of a firm's quality control service, keeping technical data up-to-date, a corporate governance structure which provides oversight to services provided by a firm, communications about independence, rotating senior personnel and performing annual review of the auditing exercise (Liandu, 2002). With regard to Cosserat (2004) core criteria of auditing

College of Policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

College of Policing - Essay Example If the College of Policing exploits its mandate and optimally committed to the realization of various roles as stipulated in the policy framework forming it, then there are so much to expect in terms of realizing the police professionalization and modernization agenda in policing. According to the Home Office, the governmental department in charge of policing and policing reforms is the College of Policing which will ensure that it safeguards public interest develops policing standards and also establish evidence of best policing practices (Home Office, 2012). It is from these duties that emphasis is seen to be in service delivery and a customer-centred approach to service delivery is to be adopted. These are the pillars of modernized policing. The need to step up best policing practices is quite prominent in these specified roles. It is important to note that the negative perception and lack of confidence in the police and by extension its systems in the UK have had the very little optimism of ever being redeemed. This tarnished image goes back decades and improving the image will require â€Å"less talk and more actions†. The institution has suffered from numerous allegations, ranging from lawlessness and its disregard for human rights to several other adverse claims. Take for instance the 1989 Hillsborough disaster where the police have been accused of not conducting themselves properly. It is alleged that testimonies were altered and reports indicate that quite a good number of those who died could have been saved. Compare this with the recent allegations made by the police watchdog that

Population control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Population control - Essay Example Theological reasons are also given birth control. But birth control is extremely necessary for sustainable long term growth of the world. It is not possible for the world to absorb great population pressure. The resources available are limited and they will deplete sooner or later. Also it is evident from highly populated countries what problems population increase can cause. In this essay we will give arguments in favor of population control. Arguments presented by the other side will also be put under scrutiny. After a thorough analysis it will be established that population control is essential for survival and prosperity. Population Control is Must The most obvious reason why population control should be advocated is that the natural resources of this world are limited. Water, land and minerals will not continue to serve this world for eternity. These resources and limited and increase in population will put more and more pressure on these natural reserves. We should fear the day when these reserves will end. What the world do that day? It is also important to understand that growth should be sustainable and should not be at the expense of nature (Tan, Wu-Meng, 2000). Also human made things like schools and hospitals are not growing at a great pace. With an upward population pressure these institutions will soon be not enough for the population. This will be the case all over the world if population control is opposed globally. The problems of population are evident in highly populated countries like India where poverty is very high (Tully, M. 2004). Children do not get education and food just because there are too many children. Parents cannot bear the burden of these children. These problems accompany when there is an increase in population. Another reason why population control is essential is that increasing demand hikes the prices up and then only some factions of population are able to afford goods. This can be seen in oil and food products. A decreas e in population will cause prices of these valuable commodities to go down. These commodities will also be then available for everyone. Population increase is directly responsible for increase in poverty. People who lack knowledge have a large number of kids and then they cannot support them with their income. Then their children also grow up and do the same. In this way generations and generations fall into the pitfalls of poverty and hunger. Education is not ubiquitous in developing countries and this is why population is increasing rapidly. Small families are also easy to manage. Parents can give time to their children when they have a small family. Children require attention and their up brining is mostly in the hand of parents. A lot of children can therefore reduce the time each child gets from parents. This is another reason why small families are advisable. In such a fast moving world time is valuable and parents will only be able to give sufficient time to their children if and only if they have small families. Population control can also increase the participation of women in workforce. Fewer children will mean that women will have more time to work and in this way productivity of the economy can be increased. More children will mean more time and energy on the part of mother and this will directly result in reduction of her productivity. Productivity of women should be increased because it will allow the economies of countries to expand. This can be achieved by

Internet Firewall Security Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Internet Firewall Security - Term Paper Example Considering all these cons, one must ensure that a good firewall is in place to keep the hackers at an arm’s length, keeping them at bay is an arduous task. This paper will shed light upon internet firewall security and how a good firewall can protect a person from malware, Trojan horses and other undesirable viruses. Firewall Basics: â€Å"The term "fire wall" originally meant, and still means, a fireproof wall intended to prevent the spread of fire from one room or area of a building to another. The Internet is a volatile and unsafe environment when viewed from a computer-security perspective, therefore "firewall" is an excellent metaphor for network security.† (What is a firewall?) Firewall is not something general, it means several specific things and it is supposed to do several important things to ensure that a user is safeguarded against attacks. Packet filtering is perhaps the most important job of a regular firewall. All the internet activities like downloads, chats and so on are done in packets, and these packets contain information. Firewall must ensure that these packets are either allowed or disallowed based on the source of the internet protocol address known as the IP address. The destination port of these packets is also very important, the firewall is supposed to allow or disallow these packets purely on the basis of their destination port. Firewall must follow a protocol and allow or disallow packets or information based on the set protocol. This method of packet filtering is highly effective against malware and other dangerous attacks but this is not a foolproof plan. All traffic can be blocked by a firewall which does not make much sense; it should allow certain packets which are safe for the user to receive. It has its weaknesses like it becomes very difficult for a basic firewall to detect spoofing which means the information contained in the packets is falsified. Allowed packets may contain a bug which can retrieve a passwor d and cause unwanted actions, a basic firewall is vulnerable to these dangers. Circuit relay is another type of firewall which provides enhanced security, application level gateway is perhaps the most advanced of all and provides even better security. Static Packet Filtering: â€Å"Static packet filtering is a firewall and routing capability that provides network packet filtering based only on packet information in the current packet and administrator rules.† (Statistic Packet Filtering) Static packet filtering is based on the following important things: The administrator defines rules. The allowed ports and IP addresses are set by the administrator and only the allowed ports are allowed to send and receive packets. The transport layer contents, the network and the packet contents are all determined by the administrator. Better level of security is provided by the dynamic packet filtering. Static packet filtering does not look at the contents closely, on the contrary dynamic packet filtering screens contents very closely, previous connection states are also considered by dynamic packet filtering which static packet filtering fails to do. The packet headers are very important under static packet filtering, the information stored in the headers determines whether packets should be allowed or dropped. These headers are compared against the control policy which is set by the administrator. Below is an illustration which presents the same concept very comprehensively. (Static Packet

Income elasticity of demand Essay Example for Free

Income elasticity of demand Essay World trade for wheat is greater than for all other crops combined and is cultivated in 128 counties. A farming company specializing in wheat and barley production (Silo Pty Ltd), one of many producers in the international market, is greatly affected by storms in the U.S and South America. These storms have reduced the global wheat yield by 50 per cent. Wheat continues to be the most important food grain resource as it is used in a large majority of foods around the world. Its production leads other crops such as rice, maize and potatoes. Despite wheat’s great importance in the food industry, it would still be regarded as being price ‘elastic’ and have a positive income elasticity, as there are many competitive suppliers around the world, which could possibly lead to fluctuations in prices and prevent large shortages. Price elasticity of demand arises due to the responsiveness of the quantity demanded of a good to change its price, when all other influences on buyers’ plans stay the same. Income elasticity of demand is the responsiveness of demand due to a change in income. Factors that generally affect the supply of goods or services include, the price of factors of production, the prices of related goods produced, expected future prices, the number of suppliers, technology and the state of nature. Demand is also effected by such factors as, the prices of related goods, expected future prices, income, expected future income and credit, population and preferences. If ever there were a shortage of wheat due to bad weather or storms, such that has happened to Silo Pty Ltd, other crops such as barley or maize could be used as an alternative resource, thus the supply would decrease and eventually the demand would decrease slightly as well as there are alternative resources at possibly cheaper prices. This would result in wheat being considered as a normal good in western society as for which demand increases as income increases. Graph 1 shows the situation before the storms hit and the effects after the storms. The demand curve is D and the original supply curve is labelled S0. After the storms hit, the supply curve shifted left to S1. This represents the supply decreasing, further increasing the price. Graph 2 shows the effects of the expected future price rise. Demand increases, shifting from D0 to D1, supply decreases shifting the supply curve from S1 to S2.

The Control of Female Sexuality

The Control of Female Sexuality The sexual revolution opened the way for greater expression and practise of female sexuality, at least in Western cultures. However, society has historically and still does exert control over female sexuality. This control, in fact, underlies mens general control of women in society. Such control is accomplished through gender definition and social pressure, and economic and political oppression. First, women are conditioned to certain, often oppressive, gender roles by hegemonically male society. Connell (1995) first introduced the term ‘hegemonic masculinity’ as a description of the most valued definition of manhood in a given society. He held that whilst in any society there are many possible types of masculinity, only a few will be the most valued or ideal (Connell, 1995). Society then provides power and benefit to males fitting in this hegemonic definition, establishing their dominance in relation to what is considered feminine and in relation to other, less ideal masculinities. As such, hegemonic masculinity becomes justification for both the hegemonically masculine man’s domination of women and over other men (Cohn and Weber, 1999). For example, Butler (1990) found that most women are trained from early childhood that caring for a home and family are appropriate womens activities. She describes how little girls are given dolls and encouraged to nurture, versus little boys who are given blocks and encouraged to build things. Certain behaviours are also considered acceptable for girls but not boys, and vice versa. Girls are allowed to cry and be more emotionally expressive in their gender roles. Boys are allowed to be more aggressive and assertive (Butler, 1990). In terms of female sexuality, girls are often taught to be little ladies, who do not spread their legs whilst wearing a dress or express their sexuality. Female sexuality is presented as something to be guarded, and young women are encouraged to be good girls. Such gender roles are reinforced by various authority figures, such as teachers and parents. Barnes (2003) finds social workers, for example, will often assume a â€Å"disciplinary gaze† to c ommunicate their understandings of appropriate behaviour for women, typically reinforcing traditional gender roles (149). Gender roles tend to be more strongly reinforced and womens sexuality typically more constrained when opportunities for women outside the home expand. For example, during World War II, when many women occupied jobs traditionally held by men, there is strong reference in the media regarding chaste women as patriotic (Hegarty, 1998). Promiscious female sexuality became a prime target during wartime (Hegarty 1998, 115). Acceptable male behaviour of the same period, however, included drinking, gambling, fighting, and picking up women (Hegarty, 1998, 121). Hegarty (1998) describes in society how the virtuous wife / mother and virginial daughter, devoted to domestic pursuits in their place the home is often presented as a symbolic measure of social stability (113). Sexually open women, in contrast, are considered deviant and refered to by negative language such as slut, whore, and prostitute. There are few negative words in the English language that refer to a sexually open man. Male virgins are often a subject of ridicule in movies and television, whilst promiscious women have historically been portrayed in the media and in culture as destructive to individuals and society, and as spreaders of venereal disease (Hegarty, 1998). These gender roles, embedded in Western society and reinforced through family, authority figures, and the media, create social pressures that exert control over womens sexual activity. Whilst there has certainly been a relaxation of attitudes towards sex in recent decades, women are still expected to exert more restraint and control than men regarding their sexuality and sexual practices, and are more likely to be judged or condemned for sexual openness. Economic and political oppression is another way that female sexuality is controlled. In some cultures and countries, this is through political legislation or religious rules. For example, women in many Arab countries, such as Saudia Arabia, are not legally allowed to vote, drive cars, or own property (Berk, 1985). Religious restrictions in some Muslim countries even prevent women from wearing anything but a very loose garment or from uncovering their heads in public, lest they entice a man. This strongly portrays such reaction from men to womens appearance as the womans fault. Such practice occurs in Western society to a lesser extent, although not regluated by legislation. Victims of rape, for example, are often portrayed as enticingly dressed or loose in their sexual expressions as justification for such crimes (Butler, 1990). A number of countries with strong religious foundations for their governments also directly legislate birth control and abortions, thereby exerting political control over female sexuality. Many countries with Muslim or Catholic foundations to their government restrict the use of birth control and do not allow abortions for any reason (Butler, 1990). As such, these governments control female sexuality, as women must then be concerned regarding unwanted pregnancy, often curtailing their sexual activity. Men obviously do not face such issues, and are therefore less curtailed by such laws (Butler, 1990). Economically, unequal vocational opportunities and a social responsibility for housework place many women in a dependent state on the men in their lives. A woman with small children and little work experience, for example, is in a much more difficult economic condition to leave her husband or make decisions contrary to his wishes (Berk, 1985). Baxter (2001), in review of multiple studies on gender and housework , concludes â€Å"women do a much larger proportion of child care and routine indoor housework tasks than men, regardless of marital status,† educational attainment, or vocational duties (19). Such duties leave them in an economically dependent state, where their sexual wishes are often subverted to accomodate the men on whom they depend (Oakley, 1974). Acceptable expression of sexuality, therefore, becomes one that is either controlled by or designed to serve men (Butler, 1990). For example, pictures of attractive women provacatively dressed in popular magazines serve as both a reinforcement to women that their attractiveness to men is of prime importance, and provide men with stimulating pictures. Hawkesworth (1997) contends that many men would be happy to look at such pictures, but not for their wives or daughters to dress or portray themselves as such in public. As such, women are constrained to dress or behave a certain way at the bidding of men, not as a direct expression of their own wants or desires (Hawkesworth, 1997) Such social pressure, political and economic oppression allow not only control of womens sexuality, but of a more general control of women by men in society. As social systems were typically designed by men and with their best interests in mind (such as the wife staying home to serve her husband, whilst he participates in career and other interests and even equally employed women retaining responsiblity for many hours of unpaid household labour each week), the control of women and keeping of them in their place becomes a need in regard to stability (Oakely, 1974, Hegarty, 1998). Expressions of women that conflict with such traditional power relationships, including that of female sexuality, therefore threaten both the fabric of society and the power position of men within it. REFERENCES Barnes, A. 2003. Social Work, Young Women, and Femininity. Affilia, Vol. 18, No. 2, Summer 2003, pp. 148-164. Baxter, J. 2001. Marital status and the division of household labour. Family Matters, Vol. 58, Autumn 2001, pp. 16-21. Berk, S. F. 1985. The Gender Factory. Plenum: New York. Butler, J. 1990. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Routledge: London. Cohn, C., Weber, C. 1999. Missions, Men and Masculinities. International Feminist Journal of Politics, 1999, pp. 460-475. Connell, R. 1995. Masculinities. Polity Press: Cambridge. Hawkesworth, M. 1997. Confounding Gender. Signs, Vol. 22, No. 3, Spring 1997, pp. 649-685. Hegarty, M. 1998. Patriot or prostitute? Sexual discourses, print media, and American women during World War II. Journal of Womens History, Vol. 10, No. 2, Summer 1998, pp. 112-36. Oakley, A. 1974. Housewife. Pantheon: London.

Health Promotion Proposal Reducing Obesity Health And Social Care Essay

Health Promotion Proposal Reducing Obesity Health And Social Care Essay The increase in obesity has been identified as a major public health threat. It has been predicated by the Government Office for Science Foresight that without taking action nearly 60% of the UK population will be obese by 2050, which would have serious financial consequences for the NHS and the economy.1 The causes are complex and related to behavioural, social and environmental factors therefore to tackle obesity a range of agencies and communities need to work together to: Change the obesogenic nature of the local environment. Develop opportunities to make healthy choices easier. Help those already obese or at high risk of becoming obese. This strategy provides a framework for local action and seeks to: Provide an understanding of the extent of the problem in the local population and sets goals. Provide leadership by bringing together a multi agency group. Choose interventions that evidence has shown to be effective. Enable monitoring and evaluation. Build up local capacity via training. There is a focus on childhood overweight and obesity in line with government recommendations. This two year evidence based strategy will require funding, the costs and resources required are provided in the action plan. 2.0 The organisation 2.1 The geographical area and population To make up the target population for this strategy, 90% of Prestons population and 15% of South Ribble were chosen, this is a population of approximately 150,000. Prestons health profile3 shows there are inequalities with nearly 40% of the residents living in the most deprived quintile. The percentage of children classified as obese is similar to the England average. South Ribbles health profile4 shows less than 5% of residents living in the most deprived quintile, child poverty and deprivation rates are low, the percentage of children classified as obese is better than the England average. Preston has a Black Minority Ethnic (BME) population of 15.5% which is greater than the England average, the largest majority being Asian (Indian the majority) or Asian British.3 South Ribble has a BME population of less than 5%.4 To ensure the population had a range of social classes, age groups and ethnic groups, two of the most deprived wards of Preston (Ribbleton [GL] and Fishwick [GB]) total population 12,720 were replaced with 3 less deprived wards of South Ribble (Broad Oak [GC], Kingsfold [GL] and Middleforth [GU]) total population 12,430, see Figure 1. This ensured the target population for the purpose of this strategy was approx 150000 with mixed class, age and ethnicity. The geographical area for the purposes of this strategy is called Preston Ribble Council. Figure 1: Wards of Preston (A) and South Ribble (B) 5 (A) (B) KEY: Source: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk 2.2 Health Improvement As part of Preston Ribble Council, the Health Improvement Team delivers a range of services and health campaigns designed to improve the health and wellbeing of the population of Preston Ribble. The health improvement team includes public health consultants and practitioners who work with the NHS, other organisations, the voluntary sector and local business to provide education and training services to empower residents of Preston Ribble to make healthy lifestyle choices. Health improvement and tackling inequalities is an integral part of Preston Ribble Councils Culture. All policies that support health improvement are evidence based. Partnership working is a necessity to deliver the health improvement agenda. 3.0 Obesity strategy development Obesity is a multi-faceted problem and therefore requires a multi-agency solution. A multi-agency Obesity Strategy Group was set up with key partners from the Local Authority, NHS and the voluntary sector to develop this strategy. The group was lead by the Health Improvement teams consultant in public health. It sets out how partners and communities will work together to reduce obesity by taking into account the specific needs of the local population. This strategy will link in with other strategic plans to ensure tackling obesity is high on the political agenda of Preston Ribble Council. 4.0 Background 4.1 Defining overweight and obesity Overweight and obesity are terms used to describe excess body fatness which can lead to adverse effects on health and wellbeing.2 Overweight and obesity occurs when energy intake from food and drink is greater than energy expenditure i.e. what is used by the body. The causes however are more complex and related to behavioural, social and environmental factors.2 The calculation of BMI body mass index (BMI=weight/(height)2) > 30 kg/m2.is a widely accepted definition obesity. The World Health Organisation produced a classification of overweight adults based on BMI, see Table 1. Table 1 Classification of overweight adults.6 Classification BMI (Kg/m2) Risk of co-morbidities Underweight Clinical problems increased) Normal weight 18.5 24.9 Average Overweight > 25 Pre-obese 25 29.9 Increased Obese class I 30.0 34.9 Moderate Obese class II 35.0 39.9 Severe Obese class II > 40.0 Very severe Source: Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO Consultation. Geneva. World Health Organisation, 2000 (WHO Technical Report Series, No 894) Guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence now recommends the use of waist circumference in conjunction with BMI as the method of measuring overweight and obesity and determining health risks.7 Because a childs BMI varies with age and sex, the BMI score for children is related to the UK 1990 BMI growth reference charts.8 4.2 Obesity and Health Life expectancy is reduced in obesity cases by an average of three years, and in severe obesity cases (BMI >40) life expectancy is reduced by eight to ten years.9 It has been estimated that the cost to the UK economy from overweight and obesity was  £15.8 billion per year in 2007,  £4.2 billion of which were costs to the NHS.9 Childhood obesity Short term risks mostly include emotional and psychological affects associated with being overweight through being teased by peers, resulting in low self esteem and depression. There are longer term consequences as obese children are more likely to become obese adults, there are however some obesity related conditions such as type 2 diabetes which have increased in overweight children.9 Adult obesity Evidence has shown that adult obesity is associated with a range of health problems including those related to; the musculoskeletal system because of the extra strain on joints; circulatory system e.g. coronary heart disease and stroke; metabolic and endocrine system e.g. type 2 diabetes; cancers such as breast and colon; reproductive problems; gastrointestinal and liver disease and psychological and social problems.9 5.0 The scale of the problem in the UK Within the last 25 years, the prevalence of obesity in the UK has more than doubled.1 The latest Health Survey for England (HSE) in 2009 showed that the proportion of obese men increased from 13% in 1993 to 22% in 2009 and from 16% of women in 1993 to 24% in 2009 i.e. more women are obese than men, there were however more overweight men (44%) than women (33%).10 The 2007 Foresight Report predicted that if no action were taken, by 2025 47% of men and 36% of women will be obese and Britain could be a mainly obese society by 2050, adding  £5.5 billion annual cost to the NHS.1 The rise in obesity among 2-10 year olds from 1 in 10 in 1995 to 1 in 7 in 2008 appears to be flattening out.10 There are however, still 1 in 5 children that are overweight or obese by the age of 3 years.11 Rates of obesity are higher among some Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities and also in lower socioeconomic groups.12 The latest Health Survey for England in 2009 also showed the link between obesity and deprivation, women in the lower income quintiles had a higher BMI and greater prevalence of obesity than those women in higher income quintiles, there was no apparent pattern in men,10 see Figure 2. Figure 2 Age-standardised prevalence of overweight and obesity by equivalised household income and sex.10 6.0 The scale of the problem in Preston Ribble Council. Using the NICE costing tool13 the selected population obesity and overweight prevalence and numbers were calculated, see Appendix 1. The extent of the problem is summarised in Figure 3. There are an estimated 4511 children and young people who are classified as obese (BMI over 30), and a further 4580 who are classified as overweight (BMI between 25 and 30). There are an estimated 31993 adults who are classified as obese and a further 51821 who are classified as overweight. 22.9% of adult females and 26.8% adult males are obese. Figure 3 the extent of the problem in Preston Ribble Obese Overweight Normal weight Adults BMI > 40 n=2105* BMI 30-39 n=29888* BMI 25-30 n=51821* Children Young people BMI >40 n=69* BMI 30-39 n=4442* BMI 25-30 n=4580* *NICE costing tool The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) introduced in 2005 aims to monitor the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children in Reception Year and Year 6. The table below presents the results for the local authorities of Preston and South Ribble compared to the North West and national averages. Table 2 Local prevalence of overweight and obesity among children for the Local Authorities of Preston and S.Ribble and for England 2009/10 and 2008/09 14 Reception Year 6 Overweight Obese Overweight Obese 2008/09 Preston 10.9 8.5 13.1 17.3 S.Ribble 11.5 6.8 15.6 16.3 NW 13.5 9.6 14.1 18.9 England 13.2 9.6 14.3 18.3 2009/10 Preston 12.5 9.1 12.9 17.0 S.Ribble 15.3 8.5 14.0 18.0 NW 13.7 9.9 14.8 19.3 England 13.3 9.8 14.6 18.7 Source: http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/obesity The table above shows an increase from 2008/09 to 2009/10 in Reception Year in the numbers of overweight and obese children in both Preston and S.Ribble. In Year 6 there was just an increase in obese children in S.Ribble. The targeted population for this strategy is Preston Ribble, as the population is 90% Preston and 15% South Ribble these increases are clearly a concern. A report by Intelligence for Healthy Lancashire (Joint Strategic Needs Assessment) on childhood obesity in Lancashire showed that measurements of year 6 pupils from the 08/09 NCMP dataset highlighted that across Lancashire there could be found extremes of weight (underweight and obese) in the most deprived areas and there was a link between higher levels of overweight and lower levels of deprivation.15 6.1 The local cost of obesity Using the NICE costing tool for the target population of Preston Ribble, the estimated savings from implementing NICE guidance is approximately  £43,000 savings on prescriptions and  £127,000 in GP contacts, see appendix 1. That is the current local cost to the NHS of not implementing NICE guidance for tackling obesity is approximately  £170,000. There would be however additional costs with disease associated with overweight and obesity plus costs on the economy from days off work due to obesity and associated diseases and conditions. 7.0 National Drivers and Guidance Reducing obesity is a national priority for government as highlighted in the recently published white paper Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our Strategy for public health in England.16 In January 2008, the government published the national obesity strategy Healthy Weight Healthy Lives.17 It highlighted the need for a long term approach and set out a new Public Service Agreement target for England: Our ambition is to be the first major nation to reverse the rising tide of obesity and overweight in the population by ensuring that everyone is able to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Our initial focus will be on children: by 2020, we aim to reduce the proportion of overweight and obese children to 2000 levels.17 In 2006 Nice Guidance on Obesity was issued, this set out guidance on prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children in England and Wales.7 In addition to the NHS the guidance was also aimed at non-NHS settings for example, local authorities, schools early years and workplaces and sets out recommendations aimed at these various settings. It was also highlighted that obesity cannot simply be addressed through behavioural change at individual level; population based interventions are needed to change the obesogenic environment of modern industrialised nations.7 The Foresight Report, Tackling Obesity: Future Choices (2007) highlighted that obesity is determined by a complex multifaceted system of determinants and that in the 20th century the pace if technological revolution outstrips human evolution which has left an obesogenic environment.1 To tackle the complexities of obesity the report advocated using a multi agency or whole system approach. The report concluded that Preventing obesity requires changes in the environment and organisational behaviour, as well as changes in group, family and individual behaviour.1 8.0 Effective interventions Research highlighted in the Foresight report1 found that the top five policy responses which they assessed as having the greatest average impact on obesity levels were: â‚ ¬Ã‚  increasing walkability/cyclability of the built environment targeting health interventions for those at increased risk controlling the availability of/exposure to obesogenic foods and drinks increasing the responsibility of organisations for the health of their employees â‚ ¬Ã‚  early life interventions at birth or in infancy. 1 9.0 The Local Approach Healthy weight, healthy lives: a cross government strategy for England17 and the accompanying Healthy weight, healthy lives: a toolkit for developing local strategies2 have been utilized to develop this strategy for Preston Ribble. It supports the governments recommended approach of focusing on five key themes: Children: Healthy growth and healthy weight. The stages of pre-conception, breast feeding, infant nutrition through to early years can shape outcomes and choices made in adulthood.18 Promoting healthier food choices. Supporting the governments recommendation for promotion of a healthy, balanced diet. Building physical activity into our lives. Supporting the governments recommendation of promoting active living throughout the life course. Creating incentives for better health. Promoting action for maintaining a healthy weight in the workplace through promotion of healthy eating choices and more opportunities for physical activity within the workplace. Personalised support for overweight and obese individuals. Providing clinical care pathways to assess and manage overweight and obesity through effective weight management services. A life course approach has been used to assess the various stages of peoples lives where evidence has shown targeting interventions can be successful in preventing or treating overweight and obesity. This strategy uses universal population preventative approaches in addition to targeted interventions for those already obese or at high risk of developing. As evidence suggests peoples lives are shaped from very early years11,18 this strategy focuses on childrens health. To help people overcome barriers to maintaining a healthier lifestyle and changing their behaviour, this strategy takes a combined approach as recommended in the Foresight Report1 that is using types of interventions that focus on the determinants of behaviour such as the environment and education, the second type of intervention focuses on the behaviour itself in those at risk.1 The strategy uses all 5 different approaches to health promotion, i.e. medical, behaviour change, education, empowerment and social change to tackle both the determinants and the behaviour itself. 10.0 The Obesity Strategy Aim and Objectives The overall aim of the strategy is to reduce obesity levels in the local population of Preston Ribble. The strategy has three strategic themes with objectives: Change the obesogenic nature of the local environment. Develop opportunities to make healthy choices easier. Help those already obese or at high risk of becoming obese. 10.1 Change the obesogenic nature of the local environment Objectives: Influence public policy Influence businesses to become healthy workplaces Work with communities to make active lifestyles easier As planning and transportation policy development can have huge effects on opportunities for activity within the local built environment, it is important that health issues such as obesity are considered in policy decisions, Health Impact Assessment (HIA) should form part of policy development. As part of this strategys action plan HIA training will be rolled out to planning and transportation teams within the council. . Foresight report1 found that one of the five policy responses which they assessed as having the greatest average impact on obesity was increasing the walkability/cyclability of the built environment. The report highlighted that residents of highly walkable neighbourhoods are more active and have slightly lower body weights than their counterparts in less walkable neighbourhoods, it was also highlighted how perceptions of social nuisances may increase the risks of obesity.1 Therefore key actions of this plan include interaction between Environmental Health, Housing, Police and communities to tackle social nuisances, set up community action teams and working with communities to empower and reassure residents. Community food growing initiatives have been recognised as providing benefits to help tackle obesity, they can offer physical activity, increase food knowledge and give a better appreciation of food that helps them make healthier food choices, in addition they help create cohesive communities and social inclusion thereby reducing health inequality.19 Because of the potential health gain this strategy aims to set up several community horticultural projects targeting the most deprived areas likely to have high risk individuals. The influence of the workplace on health of employees is well recognised and the Foresight report1 found increasing the responsibility of organisations for the health of their employees was one of the five policy responses which had the greatest impact on obesity. As part of this strategy the importance of this has been recognised and therefore a newly created health wellbeing workplace officer will be recruited to promote and facilitate the development of healthy active workplaces promoting the national Workwell campaign20 a health and wellbeing workplace award scheme will be launched. 10.2 Develop opportunities to make healthy choices easier. Objectives: Enable young children to eat a healthy diet Enable adults and families to eat a healthy varied diet The stages of pre-conception, breast feeding, infant nutrition through to early years can shape outcomes and choices made in adulthood.18 In Tackling obesity through the healthy child programme, a framework for action evidence is presented which strengthens the argument for focusing interventions in the very early years, it is highlighted that epidemiological studies have shown once obesity is established in a child it can continue into adulthood.11 The Foresight report1 found that one of the five policy responses which they assessed as having the greatest average impact on obesity was early life interventions at birth or in infancy. Therefore this strategy focuses on early years as they have been identified as critical opportunities for interventions in the life course, see figure 4. Figure 4 Critical opportunities for intervention in the life course of an individual 1 Source: Government Office for Science (2007) Tackling Obesity: Future Choices, Foresight Report. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/foresight/docs/obesity/17.pdf Breastfeeding can provide protection against obesity and related health problems in later life22 and that by breastfeeding mothers are more likely to return to their pre-pregnancy weight.23 It has been recommended by the WHO and the Department of Health that breastfeeding should be encouraged for the first 6 months of life.24 This strategy includes actions to increase uptake of breastfeeding. Both parents and childcare providers have a role in ensuring children have healthy balanced diets. This strategy includes actions to help ensure healthy eating at childcare premises. A healthy eating award scheme for childcare will be launched to encourage and provide recognition to childcare providers. NICE guidance recommends a whole school approach to tackling overweight and obesity.7 Healthy weight healthy lives highlights the importance of schools in ensuring opportunities are provided for children to develop healthy eating habits. This strategy therefore supports Healthy Schools25 and also increasing the take-up of school meals. National qualitative research commissioned by the Department of Health for the change 4 life campaign included segmentation of the population into 6 clusters, it was identified that 3 cluster types that were more at risk of obesity, Clusters 1 and 2 also had low income, these clusters each require specific key messages.26 See Figure 5. People on low incomes (Cluster 1 and 2 ) will be targeted as the Food Standards Agency low income and diet survey highlighted they had poorer diets due to several factors including a lack of cooking skills and knowledge.27 Figure 5 Department of Health Segmentation analysis 26 Taking an educational approach to promote healthy food choices in the home this strategy will implement a package of workshops designed for these high risk clusters to provide knowledge, practical skills and confidence to prepare healthy affordable food. As BME communities have also been identified as high risk of obesity, they will also be targeted for healthy eating workshops. As suggested in Healthy Weight Healthy Lives a toolkit for developing local strategies 2 to effectively engage BME communities, interventions will be culturally appropriate and group workshops will include sharing ideas how to make traditional meals healthy. The availability of affordable fresh food in deprived areas will also be address by this strategy, by introducing initiatives such as fruit and vegetable box schemes and food co-operatives which will promote local sustainable suppliers. 10.3 Help those already obese or at high risk of becoming obese Objectives: Identify early those at high risk of overweight or obesity and direct towards appropriate intervention Ensure provision of and equal access to weight management services for those who want to loose weight. As the numbers of obese individuals is forecast to rise1 it is paramount that services are in place to meet their needs and help individuals reduce and maintain a healthy weight. For those individuals already burdened with obesity or are at high risk of becoming, comprehensive care pathways for both adults and children will be developed using NICE guidance7,28 to ensure they are evidenced based. It was recommended in Healthy Weight Healthy Lives a toolkit for developing local strategies that more weight management services should be commissioned.2 Counterweight is an evidence based weight management programme that has been shown to be highly cost effective.29 This strategy will therefore utilize this cost effective service to ensure weight management services are available for those who want to loose weight. Weight management schemes designed specifically for children will also be assed and introduced on securing funding e.g. MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it).30 The full Obesity Strategy Action Plan is shown in Table 4. 11.0 Monitoring and evaluation The implementation and monitoring of this strategy will be overseen by the Obesity Strategy Group for Preston Ribble. To measure success of the overall aim of reducing obesity levels in the population, overarching strategy indicators are shown in Table 3. Table 3 Overarching strategy indicators. Indicator Source Timing 1 % children in Reception who are obese NCMP Annually Feb 2 % children in Reception who are overweight or obese NCMP Annually Feb 3 % children in Yr 6 who are obese NCMP Annually Feb 4 % children in Yr 6 who are overweight or obese NCMP Annually Feb 5 Prevalence of BMI > or equal to 30 in adults over age of 16 in previous 15 months in GP registers QoF Annually The Obesity Strategy Action Plan shown in Table 4 includes an evaluation framework. For each action, the outcome and performance measure is indicated. The highlighted lead will be responsible for ensuring the specified outcomes and performance indicators are measured and reported back to the Strategic Obesity Group at the specified time. Table 4 Obesity Strategy Action Plan Strategic Theme 1: Change the obesogenic nature of the local environment Objectives and key actions Approach to health promotion indicated: (medical / behaviour change / educational / empowerment / social change) Timescale Resources Lead responsibility and partners Performance Measure / Outcome (Social Change) Objective: Influence public policy Ensure HIA part of policy development Roll out HIA training to planning and transportation teams within the council. Within 6 months IMPACT 5 day HIA training course for team leaders ( £700 pp) In house HIA awareness 1 day course delivered by trained HIA champions. Council Training providers All team leaders completed 5 day HIA course 1 day in house HIA awareness training attended by 90% of officers Increase availability of active transport Planning and transportation to map existing cycling and walking routes around the district and undertake a gap analysis of opportunities for more routes. Within 6 months Planning Officer time Planning Parks and Leisure Transport Existing cycling walking routes mapped. Results of gap analysis reported. Restrict access to unhealthy food. Work with planning to restrict permission of fast food outlets within 500 metres of schools Ongoing Planning Officer time Planning PCT Health Promotion No applications granted after 1 year. Improve walkability of neighbourhoods. Improve timely interaction between Environmental Health, Housing, Police to tackle social nuisances. Monitor community satisfaction via questionnaires / community meetings every year. Ongoing Procedural development time by all partners. Environmental Health Housing Department Housing Associations Police Community Groups Community group and resident feedback of significant improvement. Establish new food growing sites to improve the health and well being of residents. Identify land available for food growing projects. Within 6 months Planning Officer time Planning Sustain Land Owners 4 new growing sites to be established. Objective: Influence businesses to become healthy workplaces Organise an area forum and develop website for representatives of local businesses to raise awareness in employers of production benefits in promoting healthy lifestyles. Promote business in the community workwell campaign, case studies of good practice. Within 6 months Health and wellbeing workplace officer (in Environmental Health)  £30K Environmental Health, PCT Health Promotion, Occupational Health, IT Existing Area Business and Commerce Forums Forum website developed. Influence roll-out of workplace policies to tackle obesity via newly appointed health and wellbeing workplace officer employed to promote and facilitate the development of healthy active workplaces. 1 2 years Health and wellbeing workplace officer Environmental Health, PCT Health Promotion, Occupational Health, Existing Area Business and Commerce Forums Feedback from forum of increase in healthy policies. (website survey monkey at 1 and 2 years) Critically assess workplace practices in NHS and the Local Authority and introduce policies that encourage physical activity and healthy eating. Promote implementation of NICE Guidance 43. 1 2 years Health and wellbeing workplace officer Environmental Health PCT Health Promotion, Human Resources teams, Occupational Health, Catering services All NHS and LA workplaces assessed after 2 years. Launch a workplace health and wellbeing award scheme to encourage employers to recognise the influence that they can have on their employees health. 6 12 months Health and wellbeing workplace officer time, LA communications team Environmental Health, Council Comms, PCT Health Promotion, Occupational Health, Existing Area Business and Commerce Forums Award scheme launched after 12 months. (Empowerment) Objective: Work with communities to make active lifestyles easier Work with communities to identify perceived needs for cycling and walking routes. 6 12 months Planning Officer time Planning Parks Leisure Community Groups Health walk Leaders

Data Collection and Individual Privacy :: Expository Exemplification Essays

Data Collection and Individual Privacy In deliberation of the topic of the use of individual information, the moral issue of importance is whether public or private sector entities have the right to create individual profiles of consumers and their obligation in protecting the consumer's privacy is in question. The exponential growth of the information age in particular the personal computer has created a situation where economies of the public and private sector are at odds with the privacy of the consumer or citizen. Should data collection agencies use or sell information collected about individuals? In my deliberation of this topic, I feel the consumer/citizen should possess the right of determining whom and in what form can data collection be allowed. I will look at the positions of proponents and advocates alike in making my ethical decision. The reasoning for this decision would be that, by allowing the individual the right to decide public and private sector entities would be acting in the best interest of society in a whole. This decision will be examined using the Utilitarian school of thought in ethics. John Stuart Mills defined the theory of Utilitarianism as "the happiness which forms the utilitarian standard of what is right in conduct, is not the agent's own happiness, but that of all concerned. As between his own happiness and that of others, utilitarianism requires him/her to be as strictly impartial as a disinterested and benevolent spectator. (Rachels 107)." In summation, the theory can be said to mean actions are to be deemed good or bad judgements based on their consequence. This consequence must provide the society or all individual involved the greatest amount of benefit. In turn this benefit must be the majority's benefit over the minorities. In viewing the issue of should data collection agencies use or sell information collected about individuals, the majorities I believe in this issue is the consumer/citizen and the minorities are public and private section entities. The influence of data collection or data profiling impacts the consumer citizen by far in comparison of the benefits of the public or private entity. The values to be considered are the values of health, discrimination, truth, and economics.

International Marketing Essay -- Cosmetics Make-up Business Essays

International Marketing The Cosmetics Industry Estee Lauder vs. Shiseido Cosmetics Introduction  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The cosmetics business is a billion dollar industry. Every year, women are responsible for consuming millions of cosmetic products. The cosmetics industry is so large because of several factors. The media is a huge contributor to the intense pressure to look a certain way. The idea that â€Å"sex sells† is evident in gossip magazines, movies, advertisements, music, and more subtly- in the business world. People first notice what race someone is, how beautiful or ugly they are and what clothes they are wearing. Beauty is skin deep; however, first impressions are usually what others use to base their personal judgments. In the business world, people are expected to dress appropriately and carry themselves appropriately. Studies reveal that better looking people on average earn more than their peers. Obese applicants are discriminated against because of their larger appearance. Sadly, how one dresses and appears is often the determinant of the amount of respec t one receives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cosmetics can pessimistically be seen as a group of products which feeds on either people’s insecurities or egos. Optimistically, cosmetics can be a product which helps us bring our best face forward. The desire to look beautiful, young, and sexy does not only apply to women, but men as well. Cosmetic companies are highly competitive with one another. To remain competitive, companies feel the pressure to come out with innovative products. In the past few years, cosmetic companies are expanding their product lines to include products for men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition to music, beauty is also the universal language. The popularity of cosmetics in China is growing with the economy. The government’s change towards a more market-based economy has opened flood gates of opportunities for its people and foreign companies. Cosmetic companies in the industry have seen an overall growth. Personal Experience   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My travels in China resulted in an increased awareness of the similarities and differences that I have from mainland Chinese women. In my observations, I can confidently say that most women in China do not wear makeup on a daily basis compared to women from America. I believe this has to do with cultural differences and economic differences. In America, having sex a... ...emographics and current cultural trends. If Shiseido or Estee Lauder wishes to expand their men’s product line in China, they should set up a few kiosks in the larger cities. Price   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Estee Lauder and Shiseido’s pricing are about the same as one another. Shiseido creates value by understanding their customers and offering a high quality product at a deserving price. Shiseido keeps their customers in mind and aims to create products that fit their needs. The factors which affect the final prices of the product are the raw material costs, research and development expenses, distribution fees, and any tariffs charged during international trade.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the current prices, it is not yet affordable for the most Chinese women or men to buy cosmetics from Shiseido or Estee Lauder. Americans on average are in more of a position to afford these cosmetics. However, there is much anticipation and expectation for businesses to grow with China’s expanding economy. Works Cited Estee Lauder Corporation. Esteelauder.com. 29 Jun. 2005 . MarketResearch.Com. 1 Jul. 2005. â€Å"Cosmetics & Toiletries in China: A Market Analysis.† . Shiseido Corporation. Shiseido USA. 29 Jun. 2005 .

Promotional Strategy Essay

There are various ways to communicate with potential customers. Promotional strategy includes a mix of advertising, publicity, sales promotions, personal selling, and public relations. Each component of the promotional mix plays a role in your effort to have potential customers learn about your business and buy your goods or services. Your promotional strategy must address the who, what, when, where, and how much money to spend. The â€Å"Who† of Your Promotional Strategy No business can be all things to all people, and no business has an unlimited amount of money to spend on its promotions. You will need to be sure you direct your effort and money to your target market. The better you can identify who is in your target market, where they live, what magazines and newspapers they read, what television stations they watch, and what radio stations they listen to, the higher the probability that you will be able to get their attention and influence their behavior. If you can identify your target market’s demographics, then you can check the listenership, viewership, and readership profiles for various media, including local radio stations, newspapers, magazines, and television stations. For example, if you are opening a clothing store and the primary target market is teenage girls, then you should review the rating of radio listenership in your geographic area. Most radio stations have a copy of the ratings. You will be able to determine which radio station has the highest listenership in that age category. The A. C. Nielsen rating service does the same for television viewership. The â€Å"What† of Your Promotional Strategy The â€Å"what† involves determining the message you should communicate to your target market. Your promotional strategy is intended to take people who may have varying degrees of interest in your type of goods and services and get them to become your customers. You will need to know who they are, who they are currently buying from, why they are buying the goods and services, and to what extent they are still â€Å"customers in search of a business.† Your promotional strategy is intended to get the people in your target market to modify their behavior. The â€Å"message† you send to the people in your target market must be tailored to their mental frameworks. Your message must also provide the incentive for them to do business with you. Your promotional strategy should be based on: (1) Who do you want to influence? (2) What do you have to offer them that is better than the competition? and (3) What do I need to communicate to them to get them to become my customers? Your promotional strategy should emphasize your competitive advantage(s). Successful promotional strategies are based on the concept, â€Å"If everyone is offering a steak, then you must sell your sizzle!† You must know what your target market values. Your strategy should highlight your business’s â€Å"unique selling points/propositions.† The â€Å"When† of Your Promotional Strategy There are four major intervals for promoting your business. The first is preening promotion. It is very important for a new business to generate customer interest before your business opens its doors. You want your target market to be anxious for your business to open. Some businesses do â€Å"teaser† advertising. A teaser ad may be, â€Å"the countdown has begun; there are only 60 days until Company of Miami opens.† This business may do teaser advertising by erecting a sign where the business will be located. Your business will also need to provide ongoing promotions. Your existing customers will need to be kept informed about developments in your business. You will also need to let potential customers learn about your business and its sizzle. Most new businesses tend to have a token grand opening promotion and do little after that. You need to develop an ongoing promotional program that will keep your business in your target market’s minds. If the world doesn’t know about your mousetrap’s advantages and the market doesn’t know where your door is, then you will not sell a single mousetrap. The â€Å"Where† of Your Promotional Strategy Your promotional strategy will only be effective if its message gets to your target audience at the appropriate time. The â€Å"where† of promotional strategy involves the media you use to communicate with your target market. There are numerous avenues or media available for promoting your business. The key is to know which media will produce the best results. The media to be used will depend on to whom you want to direct your message, the nature of the message, and when it needs to be presented. Each type of media has advantages and disadvantages. Television offers color, movement, sound, and broad geographic coverage. Radio offers a means to get to a large number of people at various times of the day and night. Newspapers offer daily coverage to a large percentage of an area’s households. Direct mail permits you to send your message to a specific group of people. Billboards take advantage of a captive audience while people are in their automobiles. There is no one best medium for all businesses. There is no one best medium for every type of message. When asked which medium is the best, the answer can only be, â€Å"The one that does the best job of attracting customers per dollar cost.† Your promotion budget also influences media selection. You want to get the best return per dollar invested in promotion. One medium may cost less than another, but you need to determine which one will do the most effective job of getting your message to your target market. businesses frequently evaluate media in terms of the cost of reaching each 1000 potential customers. The â€Å"How Much† to Spend Part of Your Promotional Strategy The question of how much money to spend on promoting your business is very difficult to answer. Some businesses spend a certain percentage of projected sales on promotion-related activities. If, for example, you are trying to generate sales of $ 100,000 for the first year, then you may want to review trade data on your type of business to learn what percentage of sales you should spend on advertising. Bank of America reports that the average ad expenses for apparel stores is 2 to 3 percent of sales; for bookstores, 1.5 to 2.5 percent of sales; and for gift stores, 1.5 to 2.5 percent of sales. These figures reflect annual budgets for existing businesses. Your first year’s promotional budget will need to be a larger percentage of sales because your business will be unknown and you will be trying to divert customers from other businesses. The percentage-of-sales method may provide a general idea of how much to spend, but spending a certain percentage of sales on promotion does no t guarantee that you will generate that level of sales. The best way to determine your promotional budget is to identify what you want to accomplish. This is known as the â€Å"target† approach. If you want to have 8 people come to you each week, then you need to determine what type and amount of promotion you will need to do to achieve that goal. You may find it will take 3 primetime radio spots per day on two different radio stations; a two column, 3inch ad in the local newspaper on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; 2 billboards located on two major thoroughfares; and 1000 direct mail promotions per month to achieve your goal. The target approach recognizes that you must reach a â€Å"critical mass† before your promotions will have an effect on the market. The percentage-of-sales approach indicates what businesses spent. The target approach determines what you think it will take to achieve your sales goal. The target approach is particularly appropriate for a new venture. There are two other approaches businesses may use to determine their promotional budgets. Some businesses simply try to match their competition. They monitor the number of radio spots aired and the amount of ad space in the newspaper. The businesses then match their major competitor’s promotional program. This approach has two flaws. First, it assumes that your competitors are doing the right type and amount of advertising. Second, if you don’t do a better job of promoting your business than your competition, why should your target market do business with you? The other approach to developing a promotional budget is based on how much you can afford to spend. This may be the least effective approach. It assumes that you have allocated money to all of the other aspects of your business. Any money that is left is what you can spend on promoting your business. You must recognize that you need to do promotions to generate sales. If you hope to have enough sales to leave you with enough money to do promotions, then you have things backwards. It is interesting to note that most people are reluctant to spend much money promoting their business. This reluctance is quite natural. Money spent on promotions offers no assurance that it will bring in enough customers to justify the expense. One of the sayings about advertising is, â€Å"Only one-half of advertising works. The problem is that you don’t know in advance which half it will be!† However, promotions should be viewed as an investment that is necessary to generate the level of sales needed to produce your targeted level of profit. The Promotional Mix Most of the discussion of promotional strategy has been focused on advertising. Promotion also includes the name you choose for your business, its sign, personal selling techniques, point-of-purchase displays, special sales promotions, public relations, and publicity. Publicity may be particularly important for a new business. Publicity is defined as media coverage for which you don’t pay. Many radio stations, newspapers, and television stations do features on new businesses when they open. If your business is the first of its kind in your area or if it has some special â€Å"sizzle,† you may be able to get the media to do a special feature on it. You should make every effort to get in touch with the media before your business opens. Publicity can be equivalent to thousands of dollars of free advertising. Publicity is also valuable because potential customers tend to pay more attention to features than to advertisements.