Is College for Everyone Essay

Going to College is a choice that everyone has. I think that College is for everyone because everyone in this world has a right to a good education. I know that good education will improve my chances of having a good job and a higher wage. But on the other hand, College is not free and mostly it is expensive. We have to pay for every semester, for the books and for some student loans and some students do not want to carry big responsibilities like getting into dept or paying loans so instead of going to College they just seek help from a master craft man. A Master craft man gives you a job and share his knowledge to you straightly to the point and without consuming a lot of time. There is also a chance of being successful like a master craft man even if you don’t go to College especially if you have better learning at a trade. But even though College is not free and it cost a lot, but I think everyone should at least try going to college because everything that you spend for College will get back to you ‘cause College will afford us more opportunity to make money for the reason that most of the highest paying jobs require a college degree. And knowing you earn a degree will undoubtedly give a lifetime of pride to yourself and to the whole world. College will make you an expert at something which you can share with others. Many social service positions like Doctor, Lawyer, Teacher or Scientist require a College degree and being able to help others means you have to educate yourself first through higher education. If you have a College degree, you will be able to support your family with a larger salary. You will be able to help your children with their homework and can give them a better future as a result they will be more likely to attend College. Otherwise, if you think you already have skills and expertise and if you think it is not better to spend half of your life in school then College is not for you. You can just improve your skills and expertise by yourself or by the help of others and you can apply to a job that you are interested in and at the same time to a job that doesn’t require a College degree. Like me, I am good at working with people, I love helping them and socializing with them however, it doesn’t mean that my skills and expertise are enough. I also want to work at the field of medicine so I should go to a University because there, I can get a Doctorate degree and I believe that my skills and expertise are not enough to reach my goals in life. Going to College will more improve our ability, flexibility, skills and expertise and will expand our understanding of the world and what it has to offer. You have more chances and choices at getting a good job by going to college. You will have a better chance to stay employed longer if you have a degree. I believe that College education is extremely necessary in our modern society. Jobs now are becoming increasingly harder to get, and with the increase of the uneducated population, having a College education will allow you to get most any job you apply for. However, people can still earn money even if they won’t go to College through jobs that don’t require a College degree like Web Developer, Medical Secretary, Teacher’s Aide, Hair stylist or House painter. Also, if you join an apprentice program and you are offered full employment when you become a journeyman you will get a good pay or if you already have a secure job and you are contented in the salary, you can survive even if you don’t go to College. But if the reason of not going to College is you can’t afford it, there are solutions; you can get into College through scholarship and student loans, or if the reason is you already have a secure job, then you can go to College at night because they are open about 7 o’clock in the morning to ten o’clock in the evening and also if you lose your job, at lease you still have a choice because you go in College and you got a degree. In reality and in most cases the more education we have, the more careers and jobs we can choose from and the more money we can earn. College is a proven pathway to greater awareness socially and academically. College will expose you to things that you will not find anywhere else. You will meet new people and you get to do amazing and new activities. College will improve your socializing skills because every day you will be able to socialize with different people from different countries with different attitudes and point of views in life. College will help you to be aware in your life and in the surroundings. It will help you realize what kind of society we have in this generation. In our generation, we have a watchful and judgmental society and because of that, College will open up our eyes, it will make us conscious and will make us think what kind of life we want to have in the future with this society, in other words, College is encouraging us to have a good educational background . Yet, Colle e will give us a lot of problems like having many projects, sleeping late because of homework, and dealing with strict professors also, managing schedules but I strongly believe that those problems are helpful to us. Through the problems that we will encounter at College, surely it will make us firm, stronger and will let us stand in our own and at the next time that we will encounter problems, it would be easier for us and more likely we can handle it in a right way. W will also be able to help people to solve their problems with confidence and knowing that through our College experiences, we learned to stand up and don’t easily give up. College will greatly prepare you to create and take the jobs of the future. College prepares you for the career you’re interested at and also it prepares every student in their way of facing life. Your experiences in College education make you stronger and help you grow up maturely and your manner of working is very important because it reflects what kind of educational background you have. Higher Education will increase our knowledge which we can use it if we already got a job. College open doors of opportunity and expands our horizons. I truly believe that education is valuable because education is our passport to the good future and education is the key to success. Everything can be taken away from us but not our knowledge and skills acquire through experience and education and I strongly believe that by going to College we will reach our goals and we will be able to live in a comfortable life.

Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Essay

1) How have changes relating to management and organisational structural affected a global organisation of your choice, over the last 75 years. Relate your findings to growth, distribution, and various external influences and strategies. 2) Undertake a SWOT analysis and explain its relevance in relation to your company and/or its sector Word Count 1250. Harvard Style Referencing. Bibliography Required. Global organisation Laura Ashley Holdings Plc has suffered differing fortunes since Bernard and Laura Ashley founded it in the 1950s. It has been involved in the designing, manufacturing, distribution and selling of garments, accessories, perfume, gift items, fabric, wall coverings, bedding, lighting, and furniture. Famed for its floral prints, the chain was highly successful during the early and mid 1980s but things changed in the early 1990s when various management and structural problems as well as those relating to growth, distribution, and various external influences such as global recession surfaced Laura Ashley herself died in 1985. There is a notable difference in the organisation up to and after this year. Up to 1985, it was a simply structured, steadily expanding organisation operating in a non-complex environment (complexity arises when there are numerous complicated environmental influences [Johnson and Scholes, 1989]). In the months and years after, many changes took place. Laura Ashley went public in flotation, acquired other companies involved in areas such as knitwear and perfume, made heavier investments in manufacturing and information technology (IT), moved towards segmentation with Mother and Child shops, exclusively home furnishing shops and unit shops (franchise operations). The organisation moved gradually away from vertical integration (it had always manufactured and delivered all goods itself) – The Guardian reported that Laura Ashley was withdrawing from manufacturing by the end of the year in 1998. In order to facilitate growth, there was a shift from the simple functional organisational structure to a more complex divisional structure (which was  re-organised with every change of leadership). The most notable chief executives of Laura Ashley who were in place whilst and after problems developed were Jim Maxmin (1991-1994) and Ann Iverson (1995-1997). Each of these people were responsible for major overhauls within the organisation. Vora (1998) states, â€Å"Laura Ashley has undergone various restructuring strategies and umpteen management upheavals, all to no avail, and all of which have decimated shareholder value and abused the brand name†. As highlighted above, the major problems of Laura Ashley began to manifest in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first fall of profits were reported in the year to January 1989. It is important, then, to look at its success before this – from its beginnings in the 1950s to 1985. One area to naturally consider is the key success factors of the organisation for this period i.e. what specifically can its success is attributed to. Key success factors are what an organisation must do well in order to be successful, be an effective competitor and satisfy stakeholder requirements (Thompson, 1997). Bearing this in mind, the key success factors of Laura Ashley up to 1985 are identified as high quality production, innovative designs, good brand management (the ‘Laura Ashley’ name was and is strong), well placing of stores, creation of good atmospheres in stores, general design and creative competencies, staff training, creation of a vertically integrated structure and oper ation within a simplistic organisational structure in general. Also, the Group’s IT capabilities factored into the success as it was a source of competitive advantage e.g. they were an early adopter of electronic point of sale (Heath, 1996 as cited by Johnson and Scholes, 1999). These factors may also be interpreted as strategic excellence positions (SEP’s), which can be described as the capabilities, which allow an organisation to produce better than average results in comparison with competitors (PUmpin, 1987). Thompson (1997) presents a particularly useful model that can be helpful in explaining the success of Laura Ashley up to 1985. The EVR congruence model, by Thompson, considers if an organisation is being managed effectively with regards to strategy. It represents the matching of an organisation’s resources (for Laura Ashley these would include plants, vehicles, IT systems  and locations) to the key success factors dictated by the environment (external factors such as opportunities and threats, stakeholders, competition etc). A determinant in matching these is the values of the organisation (again, in the case of Laura Ashley, these would include the lifestyle they promote/project, shop designs and atmospheres, product designs, the brand, staff training policy and the ‘family’ culture). If the congruence (fit) between these three areas is great, then this indicates effective management of resources (Hamel and Prahalad [1993] comment that it is important for organ isations to manage resources well in order to achieve objectives), strategy formulation and all-round success. It can be argued that the success of Laura Ashley up to 1985 can be attributed to greater EVR congruence. That is such things as the number of shops and plants, distribution systems, stakeholders, threats (including competition), products, level of vertical integration and so on fit together well in relation to the size, structure, culture and speed of growth of the organisation then. The key success factors are also indicative of this congruence. So that they can be developed to help ensure both present and future success, it is important key success factors are recognised and understood. One particular way Laura Ashley could do this is through a SWOT analysis. This reviews an organisation’s internal strengths and weaknesses and opportunities and threats in the external environment (Cole, 1996). This may be done for a particular moment in time or as an overview encompassing the past and present. As made clear, Laura Ashley has faced much change during its existence. Opportunities and threats come about as a result of constant change and the SWOT analysis can help to identify these and internal strengths and weaknesses relevant when dealing with change (Johnson and Scholes, 1989). This SWOT analysis can be used in relation to analysing the problems faced by Laura Ashley in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. They can be greatly attributed to the weaknesses and threats identified. For example, fluctuations in the economy had a knock-on effect on the sale of property and hence on the sale of household furnishings. Also, high borrowing, wastage and forced discounting meant that, despite sales increases, shops were making a loss. The reorganisations in 1988, 1991 and twice in 1995 had their effect too – they were costly and highlighted inefficiency. Chandler (1977) states that structures are not adapted until pressure of inefficiency forces the change and that this change process is usually a painful one – often carried out by a different chief executive each time. Upon and after his appointment in 1991, Jim Maxmin found that the organisation lacked a core identity, clear strategies, empowered staff, thorough market research, efficient logistics , and many problems in the US such as limited growth, poor management and delivery problems. He responded with his ‘Simplify, Focus and Act’ programme. This included reorganisation, institution of a Global Operations Executive (GOE) and Global Collection Development (GCD) which aided globalisation and marketing, encouragement to empower staff, an alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics to improve delivery and distribution systems, sourcing half of the organisations manufacturing to  the Far East (rather than in-house in Britain) and management replacement in the US. Before leaving Laura Ashley in 1994, Jim Maxmin commented that â€Å"throughout the entire organisation, people has embraced the principles of the Simplify, Focus and Act programme and set about sorting out the operational problems which have plagued Laura Ashley† (Maxmin, 1993 as cited by Warnaby, 1994). Ann Iverson was appointed chief executive of Laura Ashley in 1995. She was to spearhead the rush into the US and revamp the product range (Teather, 1999). Her observations found various problems – all of which can again be attributed to identified weaknesses. It was found that the product range was too broad, there was no ‘unified’ look to match globalisation, the supply chain was inefficient and problems continued in the US. Ann Iverson’s response included strengthening the alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics, opening larger stores in the US and reviewing marketing and sales. These changes were considered to be good as Laura Ashley restored dividend payments in 1996 for the first time since 1989. Ann Iverson was dismissed in 1997, however, mainly due to continuing problems in the US and the organisation’s image (Keynotes, 1997). Each of the changes mentioned came about from the organisation’s particular strengths (as identified) at the time. For example, whilst such things as restructuring and shop closures were happening, the strong name of Laura Ashley and strong customer loyalty were greatly relied upon. Bowman and Asch (1987) comment that the strengths of an organisation are a if not the determinant in how it handles weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Opportunities open to the organisation in dealing with its various problems can be identified as the opportunities in the SWOT analysis. Opportunities change and differ over time. For example, the alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics resulted from available opportunities at the time. A possible opportunity in the early 1990s would have been a speedier move away from vertical integration for example. Laura Ashley became totally vertically integrated in the 1970s and continued  to be so though gradually moved away from this in the 1990s – completely in 1998. Vertical integration can be backwards e.g. manufacturer purchasing/owning supplier and forwards e.g. manufacturer purchasing/owning retailer – Laura Ashley was both backwardly and forwardly vertically integrated – everything from the supplying of materials and manufacturing to distribution and retail. The main benefits of this throughout the organisation’s development included greater control, greater ability to differentiate, the opportunity to achieve economies of scale (higher margins), assurance of supply and greater synergy. Despite this, there were numerous disadvantages particularly that it was costly and greatly increased operational leverage as well as the need to keep up with technological change. This tied up capital having long-term affects. It meant that there was not full concentration of key strengths (design and retail) on which key success factors are dependent (Thompson, 1997). Furthermore, vertical integration was inflexible (cheaper manufacturers could not be sourced) and sensitivity to decreases in sales increased. It was the cost aspect that had the greatest impact – particularly in the face of costly expansion (especially in the US). Warnaby (1994) comments that vertical integration was responsible for financial problems in the early 1990s. The costs of vertical integration had an impact on the organisation’s ability to successfully expand internationally. Perhaps with the exception of a distinctive product look and the adoption of a divisional structure, Laura Ashley did not expand internationally applying Treadgold’s keys/strategies – each was applied/introduced incrementally as problems arose to highlight the need e.g. it was not until 1995 when Ann Iverson felt the need for a unified product look. This is indicative that the organisation was not particularly capable of embarking on such ambitious international expansion as it did. This is highlighted by the numerous problems faced by the organisation e.g. poor marketing/marketing strategy, inefficient logistics and lack of direction and clear strategy. Additionally, the paternalistic management style was not suited to rapid expansion and this coupled with high finance demands from vertical integration, reorganisation and early acquisitions further indicate poor planning in terms of development Laura Ashley has faced so many problems throughout its existence. Problems owing to management, organisational structure, logistics and rapid international expansion continuously came and went. In 1998 bankruptcy looked imminent but an injection of ?44 million in equity capital by Malaysian businessman Dr Kay Peng Khoo (giving his MUI property company 47.5% share ownership whilst the Ashley family retained just 9% [Gibbs, 1999]). He installed Ng Kwan Cheong as chief executive who made changes including the disposal of the problematic North American franchise (retail operations were sold to a management buyout team for $1 at the end of July, 1999 [Gibbs, 1999]), targeting of younger markets and investment in e-commerce (Abdullah, 2000). However, all of these changes looked to have no major impact in the Group’s success with sales steadily decreasing from 1998. Whether or not Laura Ashley manages to achieve the sort of success it enjoyed in the early 1980s under its new management remains to be seen – as does its survival. Chief Executive Ng Kwan Cheong refrained from placing false hopes, commenting in March of 2000 – â€Å"We have a lot of things to do. All I can say is we are moving in the right direction and things are changing† (Cheong, 2000 as cited by Abdullah, 2000). REFERENCES Texts  · Bowman, C. and Asch, C. (1987). ‘Strategic Management’. Macmillan Education.  · Chandler, A.D. (1997). ‘The Visible Hand: The Managerial Revolution in American Business’. Harvard University Press.  · Cole, G.A. (1996). ‘Management Theory and Practice’ (5th Edition). Letts Educational.  · Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (1989). ‘Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases’. Prentice Hall.  · Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (1999). ‘Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases’ (5th Edition). Prentice Hall.  · PUmpin, C. (1987). ‘The Essence of Corporate Strategy’. Gower.  · Thompson, J.L. (1997). ‘Strategic Management: Awareness and Change’. International Thomson Business Press. Journals and Publications  · Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C.K. (1993). â€Å"Strategy as stretch and leverage†. Harvard Business Review, 71, March-April, pp75-84.  · Keynotes (1997), ‘Keynote Market Report – Clothing Retailing’, 1997 Reports, p23.  · Treadgold, A. (1991) ‘Dixons and Laura Ashley: Different Routes to International Growth’. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. Vol. 19(4), pp13-19.  · Warnaby, G. (1994). â€Å"Laura Ashley – An International Retail Brand†. Management Decision, Volume 32 (3). Other  · Abdullah, S.A. â€Å"Turning around Laura Ashley†. http://adtimes.nstp.com.my/archive/mar3.htm (09 December 2000).  · Gibbs, G. (1999) â€Å"Laura Ashley bids farewell† The Guardian Unlimited Archive. http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3904775,00.html (18 December 2000).  · Teather, D. (1999) â€Å"Banks push Laura Ashley to quit US† The Guardian Unlimited Archive. http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3855892,00.html (18 December 2000).  · Vora, K. (1998) â€Å"Lessons from Laura Ashley†. The Motley Fool: The Daily Fool, Evening Fool – Tuesday, 03 March 1998, (online) (cited 04 January 2001). http://www.fool.co.uk/DailyFool/1998/DailyFool980303.htm . BIBLIOGRAPHY Texts  · Cole, G.A. (1997). ‘Strategic Management’ (2nd Edition). Continuum.  · De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (1994) ‘Strategy Process, Content, Context: An International Perspective’. West Publishing.  · Hatch, M.J. (1997). ‘Organization Theory’. Oxford.  · Palmer, A. and Hartley, B. (1996). ‘The Business and Marketing Environment’ (2nd Edition). McGraw-Hill.  · Palmer, A. (2000). ‘Principles of Marketing’. Oxford.  · Porter, M.E. (1980) ‘Competitive Strategy – Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competition’. The Free Press.  · Porter, M.E. (1985) ‘Competitive Advantage – Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance’. The Free Press.  · Wild, R. (1994) ‘How to Manage’ (2nd Edition). BCA. Other  · Framed-Art Wholesale. â€Å"Laura Ashley – The History† http://www.framedartwholesale.com/aboutLA.htm (20 December 2000).  · Herzog, J. (1997) â€Å"Laura Ashley closure a strategic decision†. Daily Yale News Online – Friday, 12 September 1997, (online) (cited 20 December 2000). http://www.yale.edu/ydn/paper/9.12.97/I-1lauraashley.html .  · Hoover’s Online. â€Å"Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Company Capsule† Companies and Industries http://www.hoovers.co.uk/uk?capsule/5/0,3042,90245,00.html?referer= (20 December 2000).  · Wetfeet. â€Å"Laura Ashley Holdings Plc† Company Profiles. http://www.wetfeet.com/asp/companyprofiles.asp (18 December 2000).  · Wright Investor’s Service. â€Å"Research Report: Laura Ashley Holdings Plc† Corporate Information http://profiles.wisi.com/profiles/scripts/corpinfo2.asp?cusip=C826EG930 (18 December 2000).

A Comparative Study of Professional and Traditional College Students Perception Towards Two Wheeler Brands

A RESEARCH REPORT ON â€Å"A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL AND TRADITIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS PERCEPTION TOWARDS TWO WHEELER BRANDS† CONTENTS 1. HISTORY OF BAJAJ ? Profile ? Key Person ? Bajaj Introduction ? Company History ? Timeline Of New Release 2. HISTORY OF HERO HONDA ? Board Of Directors ? Company Profile 3. HISTORY OF TVS 4. OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH 5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ? Data Source ? Research Approach ? Sampling Unit ? Data Completion And Analysis ? Scope 6. LIMITATION OF RESEARCH STUDY 7. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 8. FINDINGS 9. CONCLUSION 10. RECOMMENDATION 11. BIBLIOGRAPHY 12. QUETIONNAIRE Bajaj Auto limited is one of the largest two wheeler manufacturing company in India apart from producing two wheelers they also manufacture three wheelers. The company had started way back in 1945. Initially it used to import the two wheelers from outside, but from 1959 it started manufacturing of two wheelers in the country. By the year 1970 Bajaj Auto had rolled out their 100,000th vehicle. Bajaj scooters and motor cycles have become an integral part of the Indian milieu and over the years have come to represent the aspirations of modern India. Bajaj Auto also has a technical tie up with Kawasaki heavy industries of Japan to produce the latest motorcycles in India which are of world class quality The Bajaj Kawasaki eliminator has emerged straight out of the drawing board of Kawasaki heavy industries. The core brand values of Bajaj Auto limited includes Learning, Innovation, Perfection, Speed and Transparency. Bajaj Auto has three manufacturing units in the country at Akurdi, Waluj and Chakan in Maharashtra, western India, which produced 2,314,787 vehicles in 2005-06. The sales are backed by a network of after sales service and maintenance work Shops all over the country. Bajaj Auto has products which cater to every segment of the Indian two wheeler market Bajaj CT 100 Dlx offers a great value for money at the entry level. Similarly Bajaj Discover 125 offers the consumer a great performance without making a big hole in the pocket. Bajaj Auto is a major Indian automobile manufacturer. It is Indias largest and the worlds 4th largest two- and three-wheeler maker. It is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Waluj near Aurangabad, Akurdi and Chakan, near Pune. Bajaj Auto makers motor scooters, motorcycles and the auto rickshaw. COMPANYS HISTORY Bajaj Auto came into existence on November 29, 1945 as M/s Bachraj Trading Corporation Private Limited. It started off by selling imported two- and three-wheelers in India. In 1959, it obtained license from the Government of India to manufacture two- and three-wheelers and it went public in 1960. In 1970, it rolled out its 100,000th vehicle. In 1977, it managed to produce and sell 100,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1985, it started producing at Waluj in Aurangabad. In 1986, it managed to produce and sell 500,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1995, it rolled out its ten millionth vehicles and produced and sold 1 million vehicles in a year. Timeline of new releases ? 1971 three-wheeler goods carrier ? 1972 Bajaj Chetak ? 1976 Bajaj Super ? 1977 Rear engine Autorickshaw ? 1981 Bajaj M-50 ? 1986 Bajaj M-80, Kawasaki Bajaj KB100 ? 1990 Bajaj Sunny ? 1994 Bajaj Classic ? 1995 Bajaj Super Excel ? 1997 Kawasaki Bajaj Boxer, Rear Engine Diesel Autorickshaw ? 1998 Kawasaki Bajaj Caliber, Legend(Indias first four-stroke scooter) ? 2000 Bajaj Saffire ? 2001 Eliminator, Pulsar 2003 Caliber115, Bajaj Wind 125, Bajaj Pulsar ? 2004 Bajaj CT 100, New Bajaj Chetak 4-stroke with Wonder Gear, Bajaj Discover DTS-i ? 2005 Bajaj Wave, Bajaj Avenger, Bajaj Discover ? 2006 Bajaj Platina ? 2007 Bajaj Pulsar-200 Scooters ? Bajaj Sunny ? Bajaj Chetak ? Bajaj Cub ? Bajaj Super ? Bajaj Wave ? Bajaj Legend Motorcycles ? Kawasaki Eliminator ? Bajaj Pulsar ? Bajaj Kawasaki Wind 125 ? Bajaj Boxer ? Bajaj CT 100 ? Bajaj Platina ? Baja j Caliber ? Bajaj Discover ? Bajaj Avenger ? Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi Upcoming Models Bajaj Krystal ? Bajaj Blade ? Bajaj Sonic ? Bajaj XCD String New Image The company, over the last decade has successfully changed its image from a scooter manufacturer to a two wheeler manufacturer, product range ranging from Scooterettes to Scooters to Motorcycle. Its real growth in numbers has come in the last 4 years after successful introduction of a few models in the motorcycle segment. The company is headed by Rahul Bajaj who is worth more than US$1. 5 billion. India has the largest number of two wheelers in the world with 41. 6 million vehicles. India has a mix of 30 percent automobiles and 70 percent two wheelers in the country. India was the second largest two wheeler manufacturer in the world starting in the 1950’s with the birth of Automobile Products of India (API) that manufactured scooters. API manufactured the Lambrettas but, another company, Bajaj Auto Ltd. surpassed API and remained through the turn of the century from its association with Piaggio of Italy (manufacturer of Vespa). The license raj that existed between the1940s to1980s in India, did not allow foreign companies to enter the market and imports were tightly controlled. This regulatory maze, before the economic liberalization, made business easier for local players to have a seller’s market. Customers in India were forced to wait 12 years to buy a scooter from Bajaj. The CEO of Bajaj commented that he did not need a marketing department, only a dispatch department. By the year 1990, Bajaj had a waiting list that was twenty-six times its annual output for scooters. The motorcycle segment had the same long wait times with three manufacturers; Royal Enfield, Ideal Jawa, and Escorts. Royal Enfield made a 350cc Bullet with the only four-stroke engine at that time and took the higher end of the market but, there was little competition for their customers. Ideal Jawa and Escorts took the middle and lower end of the market respectively. In the mid-1980s, the Indian government regulations changed and permitted foreign companies to enter the Indian market through minority joint ventures. The two-wheeler market changed with four Indo-Japanese joint ventures: Hero Honda, TVS Suzuki, Bajaj Kawasaki and Kinetic Honda. The entry of these foreign companies changed the Indian arket dynamics from the supply side to the demand side. With a larger selection of two-wheelers on the Indian market, consumers started to gain influence over the products they bought and raised higher customer expectations. The industry produced more models, styling options, prices, and different fuel efficiencies. The foreign companies new technologies helped make the products more reliable and with be tter quality. Indian companies had to change to keep up with their global counterparts. Hero Honda Motorcycles Limited is an Indian manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters. Hero Honda is a joint venture that began in 1984 between the Hero group of India and Honda from Japan. It has been the worlds biggest manufacturer of 2-wheeled motorized vehicles since 2001, when it produced 1. 3 million motorbikes in a single year. Hero Hondas Splendor is the worlds largest selling motorcycle. Its 2 plants are in Dharuhera and Gurgaon, both in Haryana, India. It specializes in dual use motorcycles that are low powered but very fuel efficient. [Models] Bikes ? Hero Honda Splendor Plus ? Hero Honda Passion Plus ? Hero Honda Karizma ? Hero Honda CBZ ? Hero Honda Super Splendor Hero Honda CD Dawn ? Hero Honda CD Deluxe ? Hero Honda Achiever ? Hero Honda Glamour ? Hero Honda Ambition Hero Honda Splendor Model COMPANY PROFILE â€Å"Hero†, is the brand name used by the Munjal brothers in the year 1956 with the flagship company Hero Cycles. The two-wheeler manufacturing business of bicycle components had originally started in the 1940’s and turned into the wor ld’s largest bicycle manufacturer today. Hero, is a name synonymous with two-wheelers in India today. The Munjals roll their own steel, make free wheel bicycle critical components and have diversified into different ventures like product design. The Hero Group philosophy is: â€Å"To provide excellent transportation to the common man at easily affordable prices and to provide total satisfaction in all its spheres of activity†. The Hero group vision is to build long lasting relationships with everyone (customers, workers, dealers and vendors). The Hero Group has a passion for setting higher standards and â€Å"Engineering Satisfaction† is the prime motivation, way of life and work culture of the Group. In the year 1984, Mr. Brijmohan Lal Munjal, the Chairman and Managing Director of Hero Honda Motors (HHM), headed an alliance between the Munjal family and Honda Motor Company Ltd. HMC). HHM Mission Statement is: â€Å"We, at Hero Honda, are continuously striving for synergy between technology, systems, and human resources to provide products and services that meet the quality, performance, and price aspirations of our customers. While doing so, we maintain the highest standards of ethics and societal responsibil ities, constantly innovate products and processes, and develop teams that keep the momentum going to take the company to excellence in the new millennium†. This alliance became one of the most successful joint ventures in India, until the year 1999 when HMC had announced a 100% subsidiary, Honda Motorcycle Scooter India (HMSI). This announcement caused the HHM stock price to decrease by 30 percent that same day. Munjal had to come up with some new strategic decisions as, HMSI and other foreign new entry companies were causing increased intensity of rivalry for HHM. GROWTH The business growth of Hero Honda has been phenomenal throughout its early days. The Munjal family started a modest business of bicycle components. Hero Group expanded so big that by 2002 they had sold 86 million bicycles producing 16000 bicycles a day. Today Hero Honda has an assembly line of 9 different models of motorcycles available. It holds the record for most popular bike in the world by sales for Its Splendor model. Hero Honda Motors Limited was established in joint venture with Honda Motors of Japan in 1984, to manufacture motorcycles. It is currently the largest producer of Two Wheelers in the world. It sold 3 million bikes in the year 2005-2006. Recently it has also entered in scooter manufacturing, with its model PLEASURE mainly aimed at girls. The Hero Group has done business differently right from the start and that is what has helped them to achieve break-through in the competitive two-wheeler market. The Groups low key, but focused, style of management has earned the company plaudits amidst investors, employees, vendors and dealers, as also worldwide recognition. The growth of the Group through the years has been influenced by a number of factors: Just-in-Time The Hero Group through the Hero Cycles Division was the first to introduce the concept of just-in-time inventory. The Group boasts of superb operational efficiencies. Every assembly line worker operates two machines simultaneously to save time and improve productivity. The fact that most of the machines are either developed or fabricated in-house, has resulted in low inventory levels. In Hero Cycles Limited, the just-in-time inventory principle has been working since the beginning of production in the unit and is functional even till date.. This is the Japanese style of production and in India; Hero is probably the only company to have mastered the art of the just-in-time inventory principle. Ancillarisation An integral part of the Group strategy of doing business differently was providing support to ancillary units. There are over 300 ancillary units today, whose production is dedicated to Heros requirements and also a large number of other vendors, which include some of the better known companies in the automotive segment. Employee Policy: Another Striking feature within the Hero Group is the commitment and dedication of its workers. There is no organized labor union and family members of employees find ready employment within Hero. The philosophy with regard to labor management is Hero is growing, grow with Hero. When it comes to workers benefits, the Hero Group is known for providing facilities, further ahead of the industry norms. Long before other companies did so, Hero was giving its employees a uniform allowance, as well as House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Leave Travel Allowance (LTA). Extra benefits took the form of medical check-ups, not just for workers, but also for the immediate family members. Dealer Network The relationship of Hero Group with their dealers is unique in its closeness. The dealers are considered a part of the Hero family. A nation-wide dealer network comprising of over 5,000 outlets, and have a formidable distribution system in place. Sales agents from Hero travels to all the corners of the country, visiting dealers and send back daily postcards with information on the stock position that day, turnover, fresh purchases, anticipated demand and also competitor action in the region. The manufacturing units have a separate department to handle dealer complaints and problems and the first response is always given in 24 hours. Financial Planning The Hero Group benefits from the Group Chairmans financial acumen and his grasp on technology, manufacturing and marketing. Group Company, Hero Cycles Limited has one of the highest labor productivity rates in the world. In Hero Honda Motors Limited, the focus is on financial and raw material management and a low employee turnover. Quality Quality at Hero is attained not just by modern plants and equipment and through latest technology, but by enforcing a strict discipline. At the Group factories, attaining quality standards is an everyday practice a strictly pursued discipline. It comes from an amalgamation of the latest technology with deep-rooted experience derived from nearly four decades of hard labor. It is an attitude that masters the challenge of growth and change change in consumers perceptions about products and new aspirations arising from a new generation of buyers. Constant technology up gradation ensures that the Group stays in the global mainstream and maintains its competitive edge. With each of its foreign collaborations, the Group goes onto strengthen its quality measures as per the book. The Group also employs the services of independent experts from around the world to assist in new design and production processes. Diversification Throughout the years of enormous growth, the Group Chairman, Mr. Lall has actively looked at diversification. A considerable level of backward integration in its manufacturing activities has been ample in the Groups growth and led to the establishment of the Hero Cycles Cold Rolling Division, Munjal and Sunbeam Castings, Munjal Auto Components and Munjal Showa Limited amongst other component-manufacturing units. Then there were the expansion into the automotive segment with the setting up of Majestic Auto Limited, where the first indigenously designed moped, Hero Majestic, went into commercial production in 1978. Then came Hero Motors which introduced Hero Puch, in collaboration with global technology leader Steyr Daimler Puch of Austria. Hero Honda Motors was established in 1984 to manufacture 100 cc motorcycles. The Hero Group also took a venture into other segments like exports, financial services, information technology, which includes customer response services and software development. Further expansion is expected in the areas of Insurance and Telecommunication. The Hero Groups phenomenal growth is the result of constant innovations, a close watch on costs and the dynamic leadership of the Group Chairman, characterized by a culture of entrepreneurship, of right attitudes and building stronger relationships with investors, partners, vendors and dealers and customers TVS MOTOR COMPANY The TVS group was established in 1911 by Shri. T. V. Sundaram Iyengar. As one of India’s largest industrial entities it epitomizes Trust, Value and Service. It all began way back in 1984 when Sundaram Clayton Limited (A TVS Group company) introduced its 50 CC mopeds in the arena of road racing, notching up unbelievable speeds of 105 kmph. Since then, there has been no looking back for TVS Motor Company. TVS Racing was established in 1987 with the objective of improving the performance of its bikes. Over the years it has provided valuable data, design inputs, development of reliable motorcycle models, excellent vehicle dynamics handling etc. The true evidence of it is seen in todays TVS Victor and TVS Fiero. Today, there are over thirty companies in the TVS Group, employing more than 40,000 people worldwide and with a turnover in excess of USD 2. 2 billion. With steady growth, expansion and diversification, TVS commands a strong presence in manufacturing of two-wheelers, auto components and computer peripherals. We also have vibrant businesses in the distribution of heavy commercial vehicles passenger cars, finance and insurance. TVS Motor Company Limited, the flagship company of the USD 2. billion TVS Group, is the third largest two-wheeler manufacturer in India and among the top ten in the world, with an annual turnover of over USD 650 million. The year 1980 is one to be remembered for the Indian two-wheeler industry, with the roll out of TVS 50, Indias first two-seater moped that ushered in an era of affordable personal transportation. For the Indian Automobile sector, it was a breakthrough to be etched in history. TV S Motor Company is the first two-wheeler manufacturer in the world to be honoured with the hallmark of Japanese Quality – The Deming Prize for Total Quality Management. OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH 1. To analyze the customer satisfaction. 2. To analyze the customer preference. 3. To know which manufacturer is providing better services. 4. To analyze after sales services of bikes. 5. To study the behavioral factors of consumers in motor bikes. 6. To suggest various factors to improve sales. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY It is well known fact that the most important step in marketing research process is to define the problem. Choose for investigation because a problem well defined is half solved. That was the reason that at most care was taken while defining various parameters of the problem. After giving through brain storming session, objectives were selected and the set on the base of these objectives. A questionnaire was designed major emphasis of which was gathering new ideas or insight so as to determine and bind out solution to the problems. DATA SOURCE Research included gathering both Primary and Secondary data. Primary data is the first hand data, which are selected a fresh and thus happen to be original in character. Primary Data was crucial to know various customers and past consumer views about bikes and to calculate the market share of this brand in regards to other brands. Secondary data are those which has been collected by some one else and which already have been passed through statistical process. Secondary data has been taken from internet, newspaper, magazines and companies web sites. RESEARCH APPROACH The research approach was used survey method which is a widely used method for data collection and best suited for descriptive type of research survey includes research instrument like questionnaire which can be structured and unstructured. Target population is well identified and various methods like personal interviews and telephone interviews are employed. SAMPLING UNIT It gives the target population that will be sampled. This research was carried in Indore (Distt. Indore). These were 90 respondents. DATA COMPLETION AND ANALYSIS After the data has been collected, it was tabulated and findings of the project were presented followed by analysis and interpretation to reach certain conclusions. SCOPE My project was based on the A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL AND TRADITIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS PERCEPTION TOWARDS TWO WHEELER BRANDS and data was taken in the City Indore only. LIMITATION 1. Research work was carried out in one Distt of U. P. (INDORE) only the finding may not be applicable to the other parts of the country because of social and cultural differences. 2. The sample was collected using connivance-sampling techniques. As such result may not give an exact representation of the population. 3. Shortage of time is also reason for incomprehensiveness. 4. The views of the people are biased therefore it doesn’t reflect true picture. Q1) Which bike do you have? Hero Honda |30 | | | | |Bajaj |30 | | | | |Any other |30 | | | | INTERPRETATION: Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 30 customers are of Hero Honda, 30 are of Bajaj and 30 customers of TVS bikes are taken into consideration. |Q2) Which Model do you Have? | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda | |Bajaj | |TVS | | | | | | | | | |Splender |13 |CT 100 |5 |Flame |4 | | | | | | | | |Passion |5 |Discover |11 |Star City |9 | | | | | | | | |Karizma |2 |Pulsar |10 |Apache |7 | | | | | | | | |Any othe r |10 |Any other |4 |Any other |10 | | | | | | | | HERO HONDA INTERPRETATION: In Hero Honda mostly the customers are having splendor while the ratio of the customers using Passion, Karizma and other bikes are comparatively low. BAJAJ INTERPRETATION: In Bajaj the customers are giving more preference to Discover and Pulsar models. TVS INTERPRETATION:- In TVS Bikes the customers are givig more preference to the other models rather than Flame,Starcityand Apache. |Q3) In which family Income level do you Fall? | | | |100000-200000 |22 | | | | |200000-300000 |45 | | | | |300000-400000 |23 | | | | |above 400000 |10 | | | | INTERPRETATION: The maximum numbers of customers that are using these bikes fall in the income group of 200000-300000. While this ratio is minimum in case of customers whose income level fall between 300000-400000. |Q4) For how long do you own a bike? | | | | | |0-1 year |34 | | | | | |1-2 year | |29 | | | | | |2-3 year | |26 | | | | | |above 3 year | |11 | | | | | INTERPRETATION: It is observed that mostly the customers are having new bikes. | |Q5) For what purpose do you use your Motor Bike? | | | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda | |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | | | | |Office Purpose |13 | |42 |38 | | | | | | | | | | | |Personal purpose |17 | |15 |27 | | | | | | | | | | | |Joy Purpose |10 | |18 |10 | | | | | | | | | | | |Other |40 | |15 |15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | INTERPRETATION:- The customers are using their bikes mostly for official and personal purpose. | |Q6) How do you come to know about this Motor Bike? | | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | | | | |Newspaper |28 |33 |22 | | | | | | | | | | |Television |22 |28 |18 | | | | | | | | | | |Magazine |8 |16 |28 | | | | | | | | | | |Friends Relative |37 |13 |22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | INTERPRETATION: It is observed that the awareness of Hero Honda bikes mostly comes from friends while of Bajaj and TVS the awareness comes from newspapers and televisions. Q7) Does Advertisement Influence your decision in choosing a Motor Bike? Yes |65 | | | | |No |15 | | | | |Can’t say |10 | | | | INTERPRETATION: Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 65 customers agrees with the fact that advertisements play a very significant role in influencing their behavior to choose the bike. On the other hand 15 customers do not agree to this fact. While remaining 10 customers are not sure about it. Q8 Are you satisfied with the performance of the bike that you are currently havin? Yes |55 | | | | |No |28 | | | | |Can’t say |7 | | | | INTERPRETATION:- Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 55 customers says that they are satisfied with the performance of their bikes. On the other hand 28 customers are not satisfied with the performance of the bikes that they are having. While the remaining 10 customers are unable to say anything. |Q9) Do you have full knowledge about Bikes before buying? | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | |Yes | 42 |34 |37 | | | | | | |No |37 |27 |22 | | | | | | |Can’t Say |11 |29 |31 | | | | | | INTERPRETATION:- It is observed that most of the customers are having full knowledge of the bike before purchasing. |Q10) Which Factor below Influence your decision? | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda | |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | |Price |17 | |22 |28 | | | | | | | |Mileage |28 | |15 |15 | | | | | | |Quality |11 | |20 |16 | | | | | | | |Resale Value |12 | |14 |17 | | | | | | | |Status symbol |32 | |19 |14 | | | | | | | HERO HONDA INTERPRETATION:- In Hero Honda bikes the mileage of the bike and the value that it adds to the status symbol of the customers influences the decision criteria of most of the customers. BAJAJ INTERPRETATION:- In Bajaj bikes customers gets more influenced by the price and quality of the bike and also they think that it adds value to their prestige. TVS INTERPRETATION: In TVS bike the economic price of the bikes influences the buying behavior of the customers. |Q11) How would you rate the following factors of Bikes with respect to different | |company? | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj TVS | | | | | | |Mileage |74% |72% |68% | | | | | | |Price |68% |65% |47% | | | | | | |Pick up |70% |80% |62% | | | | | | |Maintenance |58% |62% |74% | | | | | | |Look Shape |85% |80% |72% | | | | | | |Brand Image |53% |55% |69% | | | | | | INTERPRETATION: It is observed that in rating of different features of different bikes people give maximum rating to the look and shape of the bike. At the second level they give their rating to the pick up. At the third level they rate mileage. And at the fourth level they give points to maintenance. At last they rate price and brand image. |Q12) If new Bike with good features comes in, then would you like to change your bike? | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | |Yes |10 |16 |14 | | | | | | | | |No |16 |11 |11 | | | | | | | | |Can’t say |4 |3 |5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | INTERPRETATION:- It is observed that the customers of Hero Honda bikes are not ready to change their bikes even if a new bike comes in with good features. While majority of the customers of Bajaj and TVS are ready to change their bikes if new bike provides some good features to them. FINDINGS During this research project I came in to contact with many customers who are having bikes. It has been found that in Hero Honda mostly the customers are having splendor while the ratio of the customers using Passion, Karizma and other bikes are comparatively low. In Bajaj the customers are giving more preference to Discover and Pulsar models and in case of TVS Bikes the customers are givig more preference to the other models rather than Flame,Starcityand Apache. The maximum numbers of customers that are using these bikes fall in the income group of 200000-300000. It has been observed that the customers are using their bikes mostly for official and personal purpose. It is observed that the awareness of Hero Honda bikes mostly comes from friends while of Bajaj and TVS the awareness comes from newspapers and televisions. Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 65 customers agree with the fact that advertisements play a very significant role in influencing their behavior to choose the bike. On the other hand 15 customers do not agree to this fact. While remaining 10 customers are not sure about it. When the customers are asked that are they satisfied with the performance of their bikes then most of them agrees to the fact. Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 55 customers says that they are satisfied with the performance of their bikes. On the other hand 28 customers are not satisfied with the performance of the bikes that they are having. While the remaining 10 customers are unable to say anything. It is observed that most of the customers are having full knowledge of the bike before purchasing. It has been seen that In Hero Honda bikes the mileage of the bike and the value that it adds to the status symbol of the customers influences the decision criteria of most of the customers. In Bajaj bikes customers gets more influenced by the price and quality of the bike and also they think that it adds value to their prestige. While in case of TVS bike the economic price of the bikes influences the buying behavior of the customers. It is observed that in rating of different features of different bikes people give maximum rating to the look and shape of the bike. At the second level they give their rating to the pick up. At the third level they rate mileage. And at the fourth level they give points to maintenance. At last they rate price and brand image. It is observed that the customers of Hero Honda bikes are not ready to change their bikes even if a new bike comes in with good features. While majority of the customers of Bajaj and TVS are ready to change their bikes if new bike provides some good features to them. Conclusion 1. Most of the Flame, Apache, Pulsar, CBZ Karizma are purchased by young generation 18 to 30 years because they prefer stylish looks and rest of the models of Hero Honda, TVS and Bajaj are purchased more by daily users who needs more average of bikes than looks. 2. Hero Honda is considered to be most fuel-efficient bike on Indian roads. 3. Service Spare parts are available throughout India in local markets also. 4. While buying a motorcycle, economy is the main consideration in form of maintenance cost, fuel efficiency. 5. Majority of the respondent had bought their motorcycle more than 3 years. RECOMONDATION 1. Bajaj should introduce some more models having more engine power. 2. Hero Honda should think about fuel efficiency in case of upper segment bikes. 3. More service centers should be opened. 4. Maintenance cost and the availability of the spare parts should also be given due importance. 5. They also introduce some good finance/discount schemes for students. 6. The price should be economic. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. www. herohonda. com 2. www. google. com 3. www. bajaj. com 4. www. twowheeler. com 5. www. extrememachines. com QUESTIONNAIRE |NAME: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ | | | |CONTACT No. .†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. | | | | | | | |20-25 | | |AGE:- | | |15-20 | | | | | | | | | | |Above 30 | | | | | | |25-30 | | | | | | | | |Employee | | |OCCUPATION:- | | | |Businessman | | | | | | | | | | |Other | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Student | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q1) |Which Bike do you have? | | | | | | | | | | | | | |TVS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q2) |Which Model do you have? | | | | | | | | | |Passion | | |Hero Honda: | | |Splendor | | | | | | | | | | |Other | | | | | | | | | | |Bajaj: | | |CT 100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |TVS:- | | |Flame | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |200000-300000 | | | | | | | | | | |1-2 year | | | | | | | | | | | |Personal Purpose | | | | | | | | | | | |Television | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q7) |Are you satisfied with the performance of the bike that you are currently having? | | | | | | | | | |Can’t say | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Can’t say | | | | | |Yes | |No | | | | | |Q9) |Do you have full knowledge about Bikes before buying? | | | | | | | | | |Can’t say | | | | | |Yes | | |No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q10). Which factor below influence your decision? | | | | | | | | |Quality | | | | | | | | | |Price | | | | | |Resale Value | | | | | | Q11) How would you rate the following factors of bikes with respect to different companies? Hero Honda |Bajaj | | |Mileage | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Price | | | | | | | | | | | |Pick up | | | | | | | | | | | |Maintenance | | | | | | | | | | | |Look/Shape | | | | | | | | | | | |Brand Image | | | | | Q12) If new bike with good feature comes in, then would you like to change your bikes? |Yes | | | |Can’t say | | | | |No | | | | | | | | | | Q13) Any Suggestions for Company †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦

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HUMAN RESOURCES IN ACTION - Assignment Example Jobseekers would evaluate the requirements of particular jobs before engaging in the application process of such jobs. This paper analyses the websites of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and DoubleTree by Hilton, henceforth referred to as Fairmont and DoubleTree respectively, to determine how their effectiveness in meeting the needs of jobseekers. Overview of the Chosen Companies Fairmont operates luxury hotels and resorts in nineteen countries around the world. Founded in 1907, its headquarters is in Canada (http://www.fairmont.com/). Founded in 1969, DoubleTree is a hotel global brand with presence in over 325 locations in five continents (http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/index.html). Its headquarters is in Virginia, US. These companies have incorporated the capabilities of information technology into their human resources functions, both leveraging on their website capabilities. Interestingly, both hotels have Taleo as their website developer. Being in the hospitality industry, the ho mepage of each of the websites provide convenient navigation for customers seeking to make bookings or to directly contact the companies, each displaying not only their traditional telephone numbers and postal addresses but also the addresses of their various social network subscriptions. Important to this task would be the careers tab which appears on both websites enabling the companies get in touch with potential employees. Evaluation of the Careers Tabs on the Websites It would be noted that the careers tab on each of the websites appear in small font and would not be easy to note as compared to other tabs such as those on about the companies and the offers available. This could be interpreted as the companies’ greater interest in attracting customers as opposed to interest in attracting others players in its distribution chain, including potential employees. Since the tab appears at the bottom of the homepage in each website, the jobseeker would be required to scroll dow n the webpage, making it a difficult to navigate to this webpage. The careers tab leads to web pages that give descriptions on the careers available in each of the companies. Fairmont headlines this webpage as ‘an extraordinary company; an extraordinary career’ with the ‘extraordinary’ emphasized by bolding. This could be a strategy to assure jobseekers of their prowess in the industry. To further attract the best pool of skills, the company encourages one to click on their ‘search position’ tab to identify exciting job opportunities. DoubleTree’s strategy for capturing the best skills in the market involves wording, introducing itself as the â€Å"most recognizable hotel brand in virtually every region of the world.† Fairmont’s website career tab has minimal information on job opportunities. It prompts one to search for available opportunities. Therefore, unless one is searching for a specific vacancy, no general informati on on career opportunities would be available, as filled in positions would return no meaningful results. It would be interesting to however note that the website has an option of one creating a profile based on which email alerts would be delivered every time an opportunity that matches such a profile arises. DoubleTree on the other hand provides much more information based on what the job seeker is looking for. It categorizes its careers into regions and level of professional qualification. Therefore, depending on what a job seeker is loo

2 Million Minutes Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

2 Million Minutes - Movie Review Example Directed by Robert Compton, Adam Raney and Chad Heeter; 2 million minutes is a documentary film which raises stark questions on the competitiveness and efficiency of education system of America.Taking examples of students from three major competing nations ought to become superpowers- America, India and China, the film addresses issues of schooling, establishing balance between education and extra-curricular activities and overall power of these nations in supplying innovative and intelligent minds (Harvard Educational Review 2011). The movie revolves around 6 students- two each from America, India and China. While American students get themselves more involved in friends and extra-curricular activities; students of India and China not only develop long term goals in fields of Science and Math, but also maintain a balance between other activities. All in all, schooling system in India and China exposes its youth to more comprehensive education and extra-curricular experience than do American system. This is why Indian and Chinese students aspire to become scientists, engineers and doctors, while American kids are dazzled by football players, actors and sports persons. Issues raised in the film The film highlights numerous issues which the American economy is exposed to. Dealing with education system and its contribution in making a nation competitive and self-sufficient; the movie revolves around seeking answers to how American system has lost its motivation of developing entrepreneurs and inventors and how parents are setting deviated priorities for their children. Lack of motivation and unclear priorities Aspirations of students take shape by prominent inventions and research work going on in the nation. America was once the land of space research, math and science geniuses which molded student aspirations to become scientists, engineers and researchers. Now when students see football players, sports persons and actors steal the show, their motivation level a nd direction has changed. This is seriously going to hurt the American economy in the long run as the latter category of careers do not make a nation self-sufficient and competitive in the fight of global reliance. Responsibility of parents In India and China, most of the poor parents want their children to be educated and independent as they themselves have been living in miserable plights. As such, both the parents and children have their goals clear and focused upon. This is not the case with American parents who have been living affluently and whose children do not understand what poverty is. Thus, American education system suffers from confusion between what parents think and what children want. Another point revealed from this discussion is the level of involvement and responsibility sharing by parents in making their children competitive globally. In India and China, parents are equally responsible for how their children fare in their exams and career. They invest time, effor t and obviously money in their child’s endeavor to fly with bright colors. American parents, however, do not take this much of their child’s academic responsibility as they prefer sports and athletics to academics. This is something which raises brows on how students are supported in their goal formation, planning and execution in America, India and China because after school or college, children learn from their home and parents. Stress taking Many experts opine that Indian parents put unnecessary pressure on their children. Students get stressed by subjects and are also not allowed to play or socialize much. To some extent, this is true. But on close observation, it is actually the need of the hour. The world has already been grappled with economic crisis, employment levels have plummeted and careers are not secure. In such circumstances, students need to be accustomed of functioning under stress conditions; otherwise hardships and challenges of life could not be fac ed. This is what Indian

Intravenous Paracetamol to manage pain Research Proposal

Intravenous Paracetamol to manage pain - Research Proposal Example Patients are bound to experience pain after the effect of anaesthesia given before surgery is finally gone. White et al (2010) had reported a result of surveys in Europe and the USA, stating the need to improve the quality of managing pain after surgeries. The practice then was to use opioids which have multiple adverse effects (AEs): constipation, urinary retention, vomiting/nausea, allergic reactions, confusion, sedation, respiratory depression, and hypotension. These AEs increased the cost of hospitalization and delayed the recovery of patients. A better way of managing pain was then under clinical trials for 15 years. It involved the use of analgesics that require less opioids. There was no FDA approved Intravenous Acetaminophen at that time. Cadence Pharmaceuticals Inc. patented the first I.V. Paracetamol in July 8, 2011 (US SEC 2011) and produced Ofirmev which, until the present, does not have a competitor worldwide due to the recognized protection for intellectual property. Th is gathered evidence about the efficacy and safety of using Ofirmev (the only available US FDA approved Intravenous Acetaminophen in the market), how it benefits patients, and actually improved the quality of pain management. There were evidences based on actual clinical trials with patients that proved the efficacy and safety of Intravenous Paracetamol to neonates, infants, children, adolescents, adults, and even the elderly with age 65 years old and above, for mild, moderate, and severe cases of pain, especially postoperative pain. Introduction Focus is given to the extent of actual benefits observed in many clinical trials, limitations, and clarifications pertaining to the use of I.V. Paracetamol use for postoperative pain management. As a background, over a year after the introduction of the US FDA approved injectable pain reliever under the brand name Ofirmev, doctors have pursued further clinical trials in Europe and the USA covering thousands of patients. One of the reference s of this paper took the effort to search for registered clinical trials in order to learn more about efficacy, safety, proportion of patients who responded favourably or not, to mostly postoperative cases. It would be interesting to know under what conditions I.V. Acetaminophen should be administered to patients. What procedures were followed? Why? There are very young to very old patients who encounter the need for surgery. How should it be given? In actual experiences, was it safe to administer the use of this analgesic to any of such patients? What are the chances of having a satisfied postoperative patient after using Ofirmev? For one thing, doctors excluded patients with symptoms pointing to contraindications against the use of Intravenous Acetaminophen. These are situations wherein patients have severe liver disease, hepatic impairment and active hepatic disease, allergic to acetaminophen, chronic malnutrition, severe renal impairment, and to patients with history of being al coholic. The US FDA (2012a) announced that the limitation per dosage of acetaminophen should be 325 mg. while the total maximum dosage per day must not exceed 4 grams. For infants, the recommended dose of the US FDA for acetaminophen in vial is only 50 mL per child weighing less than 33 kg. (US FDA 2012b, p.12) There were cases of acetaminophen over dosages in infants and adults in the past. For adults, from 1998 to 2003, a total of 131 people experienced â€Å"acute liver failure in the United States† due to acetaminophen overdose (US FDA 2012a). Nonetheless, the medical practice has changed from using mostly opioids like morphine and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to the preferred use of Intravenous Acetaminophen in combination with less opioids only when needed, for reasons that will be disclosed in this paper. Problem and Purpose Quality management of postoperative pain requires provisions for the comfortable recovery of patients right after surgery. Unfor tunately, the use of opioids to

Capacity Planning and Performance Modeling HW Research Paper

Capacity Planning and Performance Modeling HW - Research Paper Example The information environment makes sure that the changing demands are being met properly and that there are no hindrances in getting the message across to the relevant domains and quarters. Under the aegis of the production department, the information works to good effect as it underlines the need for aligning the requirements of the stakeholders as well as how the organization finds its feasible to invest in different areas and zones. The information environment tackles the quandaries which the organization faces in terms of the capacity planning ranks whereby different activities and tasks are streamlined in a quick and hassle-free way. The capacity denotes the maximum amount of work that can be done within an organization as it is capable of accomplishing within a set time frame and the information realms always make sure that these capacity domains are utilized to full potential without any hindrances coming to the fore (Author Unknown 2011). The people involved in different capac ity planning stages are in touch with each other to tackle the problems which might arise at any given time and thus settle the major issues which are proactively being monitored by the information environment that has thus been created. 2. Outline the major issues in capacity planning and modeling.

Discrimination Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Discrimination Worksheet Essay †¢ What is discrimination? How is discrimination different from prejudice and stereotyping? Racial and Ethics Group 13th Edition by Richard T. Schafer defines discrimination as the denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals and groups because of prejudice or for other arbitrary reasons. Discrimination is different from prejudice and stereotyping because discrimination is the act of excluding a group from some right, privilege, or service which is based upon some form of prejudice or stereotyping. Stereotyping is a generalization of a group of people from a certain race which is usually negative and a prejudice is a first impression of a person which is usually based off a stereotype. Discrimination is actual positive or negative actions towards a person or group based solely on their differences. An example would be an employer not hiring Hispanics because he does not like them. †¢ What are the causes of discrimination? Discrimination is caused by race, religion, gender, ethnicity; this can affect promotions, or even getting the job to begin with. Discrimination is often based on ignorance, fear and stereotypical viewpoints. There are many causes for discrimination. One of which is learned from behavior. If you grew up seeing discrimination practiced by your parents, you will probably follow the same mind-set and this will be passing on through generations and generations of families. Racism is the major cause of Discrimination. It creates a big gap between people the hate for minority groups and the action to oppress them. For example to deny a Hispanic family living in an all-White community. †¢ How is discrimination faced by one identity group (race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability) the same as discrimination faced by another? How are they different? Discrimination at times is something one person cannot control such as age, race or even one’s disability. The similarities are that they are all suffering at the hands of insensitive and ignorant people. To be honest I really do not think there is an actual difference at all in the discrimination faced by one group versus another group. To me discrimination is discrimination. I do not see a difference with discrimination from one person to another person; the only difference is that person’s ethnicity. Someone may not like blacks over Hispanics but when it comes down to it and they had to choose let’s say for example an employment opportunity that person might go along with the black person. That one person might have just picked the black male over the Hispanic male because he does not like Mexicans and now that one person may think all Hispanics are Mexican.

The American Dream Essay Example for Free

The American Dream Essay â€Å"The American Dream† has a few interpretations, but one of the most popular is â€Å"Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness† which is the dream that most Americans strive for. In simpler terms, The American Dream is the opportunity of the pursuit of freedom, opportunity, and satisfaction of needs and wants. As Thomas Wolfe said, â€Å" to every man, regardless of his birth, his shining, golden opportunity the right to live, to work, to be himself, and to become whatever thing his manhood and his vision can combine to make him† (Wolfe2). This quote explains how everyone in the United States gets the right to fulfill this American Dream: to function as a member of modern day society and to pursue his or her hopes and dreams. If you come to America underprivileged or destitute, then you have the chance to turn that around through hard work and determination. As the explanation of the term states, everyone has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream, depending on how much effort they put in or how fortunate they are. In other words, some people will be able to work hard, achieve their dreams, while others will work hard, and not end up being fortunate enough to complete their goals. In most case, everyone’s American dream is not the same some people have different careers in which they would want to follow. Over time, the American Dream has changed more it is not any more talk about freedom it is more about their personal belonging and etc†¦ stuff that people would need to make their American dream come true. Four years have passed during this shot and the Depression has taken its toll. Braddock has lost his savings, can scarcely get $30 a bout and then has his license taken away after fighting with a broken hand. Work is short on the New Jersey docks and arbitrarily assigned and Jim is threatened with his starving children being handed over by their devoted mother to relatives that are more prosperous. The ultimate humiliation comes when he goes cap in hand to the gathering place of fight promoters, begging for the money to pay his utility bills. Then, in 1934, his old manager, Joe Gould, also facing penury but desperately keeping up middle-class appearances, gets him a one-off fight at the Garden, filling in after a last-minute cancellation. He is expected to lose to a promising newcomer, but he scores a surprise knockout. Because the fight is on the lower half of a card the night Max Baer humiliated world champion Primo Carnera, his performance attracts attention. Gould persuades a cynical promoter to exploit the publicity generated by this underdog and two fights later Braddock is an unlikely contender for the world title now held by Baer, the strongest puncher of his generation, a man who had killed two opponents. As we know, Braddock won. The long-standing appeal of A Raisin in the Sun lies in the fact that the familys dreams and aspirations for a better life are not confined to their race, but can be identified with by people of all backgrounds. Even though what that better life may look like is different for each character, the underlying motivation is universal. The central conflict of the play lies in Walters notion of this American dream. Walter buys into the middle-class ideology of materialism. The notion of the self-made man who starts with nothing and achieves great wealth through hard work seems innocuous enough, but the idea can become pernicious if it evolves into an idolization of wealth and power. In the beginning, Hansberry shows how Walter envies Charlie Atkins dry-cleaning business because it grosses $100,000 a year. He ignores Ruths objection to his potential business partners questionable character and dismisses his mothers moral objection to achieving his goals by running a liquor store. The liquor store is a means to an end, and Walter is desperate for his dreams to come to fruition. That same Machiavellian ethic is demonstrated when Walter plans to accept Mr. Lindners offer. Walter is not concerned with the degrading implications of the business deal. It is simply a way to recover some of the lost money. However, Hansberry challenges Walters crude interpretation of the American dream by forcing him to actually carry out the transaction in front of his son. Walters inability to deal with Mr. Lindner marks a significant revision of his interpretation of the American dream, a dream that inherently prioritizes justice and equality over money.

Causes And Effects Of Food Insecurity Environmental Sciences Essay

Causes And Effects Of Food Insecurity Environmental Sciences Essay State reconstruction is primarily aimed at restoring peace and stability. One of the key factors that threaten peace and stability is food insecurity. This paper focuses on the key challenge of improving food security in protracted crises as well as during post conflict times. The goal of achieving  food security often becomes a daunting challenge, especially when emergencies persist for years or even decades as evidenced in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Somalia. The paper begins with a brief overview of what food security entails, structural factors hindering food security as well as the effects of food insecurity. This will be followed by a glimpse into the protracted situation in the DRC as well as suitable frameworks for analyzing and responding to protracted crises. It concludes with recommendations on how to improve food security in protracted crises. The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security to be existing when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to enough safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle. Food security means that: Food is available The amount and quality of food available globally, nationally and locally can be affected temporarily or for long periods by many factors including climate, disasters, war, civil unrest, population size and growth, agricultural practices, environment, social status and trade. Food is affordable When there is a shortage of food prices increase and while richer people will likely still be able to feed themselves, poorer people may have difficulty obtaining sufficient safe and nutritious food without assistance. Food is utilised At the household level, sufficient and varied food needs to be prepared safely so that people can grow and develop normally, meet their energy needs and avoid disease. Food security is considered a complex sustainable development issue, linked to health through malnutrition, but also to sustainable economic development, environment, and trade. There is debate around food security with some arguing that: There is enough food in the world to feed everyone adequately; the problem is distribution. Future food needs can or cannot be met by current levels of production. National food security is essential or no longer necessary because of global trade. Globalization may or may not lead to the persistence of food insecurity and poverty in rural communities. Issues such as whether households get enough food, how it is distributed within the household and whether that food fulfils the nutrition needs of all members of the household show that food security is clearly linked to health. Agriculture remains the largest employment sector in most developing countries and international agriculture agreements are crucial to a countrys food security. Some critics argue that trade liberalization may reduce a countrys food security by reducing agricultural employment levels. 3. Structural Factors Institutional failure, non-existent or weak public and informal institutions are arguably the primary source of protracted crises and food insecurity. This is due to the fact that basic public services such as health, education and protection are inadequately and ineffectively provided if at all. Poor governance of land use and access fuels disputes over land in these crisis situations and impacts negatively on food security in that agricultural production is hampered and investments to increase food production decrease when access to land becomes insecure. Unequal access of land is common in protracted situations of the DRC, Somalia and Sudan and a typical example is when the powerful politico-military rewards their supporters with extra land in an effort to secure their support base. This results in the majority of land being the property of a small number of landowners and the rest of small farmers being marginalized. State reconstruction became hindered when the economy of the DR C collapsed due to the powerful elite exploiting the countrys economic resources. Informal and cultural institutions also play a role in easing the burden of conflicts and can prove to be more effective than weak or collapsed formal institutions. A perfect example in this regard is the local council in the DRC known as chambres de paix that comprised of community elders who investigated and settled land disputes between farmers on the basis of compromise. ¹ This form of justice system became the most trusted mechanism for providing protection to farmers and as a result, farmers no longer trusted the formal corrupt justice system and local courts which traditionally failed to afford them legal protection and justice. However, protracted crises have had a bad effect on informal institutions and thus deprived them of mitigating against the crises. For instance, in Sudan traditional elder authorities were eradicated by military forces. ² 4. Causes and Effects of Food Insecurity Poverty Poor people lack access to sufficient resources to produce or buy quality food. Poor farmers may have very small farms, use less effective farming techniques, and/or be unable to afford fertilisers and labour-saving equipment, all of which limit food production. They often find it difficult to grow enough food for themselves, let alone generate income by selling excess to others. Without economic resources and a political voice, poor farmers may be forced on to less productive land possibly causing further environmental deterioration. Addressing poverty is critical to ensuring that all people have sufficient food. Health Without sufficient calories and nutrients, the body slows down, making it difficult to undertake the work needed to produce food. Without good health, the body is also less able to make use of the food that is available. A hungry mother will give birth to an underweight baby, who then faces a future of stunted growth, frequent illness, learning disabilities and reduced resistance to disease. Contaminated food and water can cause illness, nutrient loss and often death in children. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has reduced food production in many affected countries as productive adults become ill or die. Lacking the labour, resources and know-how to grow staples and commercial crops, many households have shifted to cultivating survival foods or even leaving their fields, further reducing the food supply. Addressing health issues will improve utilisation and availability of food. Water and the environment Food production requires massive amounts of water. Producing sufficient food is directly related to having sufficient water. Irrigation can ensure an adequate and reliable supply of water which increases yields of most crops. Where water is scarce, achieving food security may depend on importing food from countries with an abundance of water. This may be a more efficient use of a scarce resource. Gender equity Women play a vital role in providing food and nutrition for their families through their roles as food producers, processors, traders and income earners. Yet womens lower social and economic status limits their access to education, training, land ownership, decision making and credit and their ability to improve their access to and use of food. Food utilisation can be enhanced by improving womens knowledge of nutrition and food safety and the prevention of illnesses. Increasing womens involvement in decision making and their access to land and credit will in turn improve food security as women invest in fertilisers and better seeds, labour-saving tools, irrigation and land care. Disasters and conflicts Droughts, floods, cyclones and pests can quickly wipe out large quantities of food as it grows or when it is in storage for later use. Seeds can also be destroyed by such environmental dangers. Conflict can also reduce or destroy food in production or storage as farmers flee to safety or become involved in the fighting. Previously productive land may be contaminated with explosive debris and need to be cleared before it can again be used for food production. Stored food, seeds and breeding livestock may be eaten or destroyed by soldiers, leading to long-term food shortages. Government spending needs to prioritise food security after conflicts. Population and urbanisation Population growth increases the demand for food. With most productive land already in use, there is pressure for this land to become more productive. Poor harvests and higher costs lead many poor farmers to migrate to cities to look for work. Expanding cities spread out across productive land, pushing food production further and further away from consumers. This increases the cost of all the activities associated with producing and transporting food, and decreases the food security of the poor in cities. Trade Many poor countries can produce staples more cheaply than rich nations but barriers to trade, such as distance from markets, regulations and tariffs make it difficult for them to compete in export markets against highly subsidised farmers in rich countries. This deprives poor farmers of income and entire countries of the agricultural base they need to develop other sectors of the economy. Trade imbalances prevent poor countries from importing agricultural products that could enhance their food security. The negative effects of food insecurity include impaired physical and cognitive abilities of children. Generally, food insecurity and hunger amounts to poor health status, making children sick more often, with higher rates of iron deficiency anemia, and also results in children being frequently hospitalized. In Somalia, for example, 20 percent of children die before the age of five. The nutritional status of women is also a major concern. They are mainly farmers and are usually carers of their families. It has been reported that two-thirds of women in the Horn of Africa suffer from anaemia, which is partly attributed to the high levels of maternal mortality. 5. Protracted Crises The term is defined as conflict situations characterized by the prolonged and often violent struggle by communal groups for such basic needs as security, recognition, acceptance, fair access to political institutions, and economic participation. ³ 5.1 DRC Democratic Republic of Congo is listed as one of the worst humanitarian crises. Its five-year war ended in 2003. The country is rich with gold, diamonds and minerals, yet millions of its people suffer from a lethal combination of disease and hunger caused by ongoing conflict and displacement. 5.4 million people were declared dead since 1998 from war-related violence, hunger and disease. The devastating effects of pre-war land policies on the rural people of DRC have intensified since the war. Land is at center stage of conflict, especially in the regions such as Ituri and Masisi. It has also become an important resource to warring factions because through their control over land, they have reinforced their political position to the disadvantage of small farmers. A study undertaken by FAO concluded that food insecurity in the DRC can be tackled through interventions that focus on land access and that possible interventions include the strengthening of the legal position of rural populations and the strengthening of the role of community representatives in land issues. The study also focused on the structural impact of the protracted crisis on local food systems and the effects and limits of food security interventions. 6. Frameworks for Analysis and Response In protracted crises, food security interventions tend to be based on a standardized set of responses that do not consider the dynamic nature of protracted crises. Such interventions usually focus on food production and neglect other dimensions of food security. Responses to these situations are of a humanitarian/emergency nature. They contribute to saving lives and to protecting livelihoods but are inadequate for addressing the complex root causes of these crises. Stated differently, traditional humanitarian and development approaches are often not suitable for guiding analysis and response. Organizations that intervene in these situations tend to concentrate on one side of the humanitarian/development divide and plan their response accordingly. The studies show that assistance is often externally driven and very few donors commit to longer term development once the acute phase of a crisis passes and thus disregard the root causes of the crisis unresolved. In the DRC and Sudan, analytical tools that were employed wrongly suggested that food insecurity in those countries were livelihoods crises at the household level caused by external factors. As a result, contextual analysis was not undertaken. Alinovi et al therefore suggest that a new operational framework for food security in protracted crises should: †¢ have an overarching livelihoods-based framework to represent various processes at the global level and the effects of those processes at the household level; †¢ highlight appropriate food security responses policies and programmes; †¢ identify institutions that play a positive (or negative) role in strengthening the resilience of food systems; and †¢ identify institutions that are necessary for implementing food security response. Conclusion It is necessary to address both the short and long term dimensions of protracted crises in order to have an impact on increasing food security and thus prevent and/or mitigate the adverse effects of food insecurity, especially in protracted crises. The current aid architecture also needs to be reformed so that it is flexible enough to link short and longer term response. Response must be based on adequate analysis, including institutional analysis of these complex situations. Acting without adequate analysis may reduce the effectiveness of response and, in the worst cases, make the situation even worse. The eradication of hunger and food insecurity must be considered a long-term development goal. Food insecurity cannot be addressed in isolation. Progress needs to be made also with relation to goals set in other pressing areas, including poverty alleviation; education and literacy; reductions in infant, child and maternal mortality; improved reproductive health; and environmental protection. The countries in protracted crises should establish their own regional and national targets as well as associated indicators. These goals should be achieved within the framework of human rights. This rights-based approach acknowledges the responsibility of national governments and their international partners in fulfilling peoples fundamental rights, including freedom from hunger. Community participation should also be encouraged to ensure that beneficiaries participate in all decisions affecting their lives. Women should also have an equal voice in decision-making.

Alzheimers Disease Essay -- essays research papers fc

Alzheimer 1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is inevitable that eventually each of us will grow old and begin to face more and more health problems as our age rises. Elderly people are challenged by many illnesses and diseases that unfortunately, are incurable. One disease that becomes more common as people age is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s a common cause and a form of dementia and can severely damage a patient’s cognitive functions and can ultimately cause death. Living with Alzheimer’s disease can be saddening for both the sufferer and the family. Family and friends will find it very hard to cope when a loved one begins slipping away and losing memory of who they are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alzheimer’s disease comes from the last name of a neuro-psychiatrist from Germany, Alois Alzheimer. The disease was first diagnosed when a woman in her early fifties began experience memory problems. â€Å"Alzheimer recounted the now famous case of ‘Auguste D.’ a 51-year-old housewife who had been failing mentally for several years. As a result she had been admitted to his care in the Asylum for the Insane and Epileptic†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Maurer and Maurer 1). After her death, he continued to examine her brain to find causes and explanations for her behavior. He discovered â€Å"†¦classic neuro-pathological signs of plaques and tangles† (Maurer and Maurer 1). â€Å"Plaques are chains of amino acids that are pieces of the amyloid precursor protein†¦tangles are aggregates of the protein tau† (Secko 1). As plaques develop they produce tangles and â€Å"these two abnormalities ultimately lead to loss of cognitive function† (Secko 1) Alois Alzheimer’s research has allowed many specialist to conclude that the apolipoproetein E gene may contribute to the disease. Alzheimer 2 The occurrence and deposits of these proteins in the brain and in the body may ultimately lead to whether or not someone will be susceptible and diagnosed with Alzheimer disease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alzheimer’s disease is rising at a very high rate. â€Å"The number of new cases per year is estimated at 360,000 equating to 980 new cases per day or 40 new cases every hour† (Cummings and Cole 1) This evidence shows that an increasing number of people will discover the effects of a cognitive impairment that will most likely be due to Alzheimer’s disease. As people age, their risk of being diagnosed with this disease increases ... ...† (Cummings and Cole 1). This astounding figure should encourage people to become aware of the disease and its signs and symptoms so that they are able to seek help and medical treatment in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease in attempt to live and cope with this condition. Works Cited Cummings, Jeffrey L., Cole, Greg. â€Å"Alzheimer Disease.† Journal of the American   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Medical Association. May 2002: 287-18. Health Source. EBSCOhost. Utica   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  College Lib. 15 Apr 2005. . Maurer, K., and Maurer, U. â€Å"Alzheimer: The Life of a Physician and the Career of a   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Disease.† Journal of the American Medical Association. February 2005: 293-6.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Health Source. EBSCOhost. Utica College Lib. 15 Apr 2005. . Santacruz, K. S., and Swagerty, D. â€Å"Early Diagnosis of Dementia.† American Family   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Physician. February 2001: 63-4. Health Source. EBSCOhost. Utica College Lib.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15 Apr 2005. . Secko, David. â€Å"Alzheimer’s Disease: Genetic Variables and Risk.† Canadian Medical   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Association Journal. March 2005: 172-5.