Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Macroeconomics - Essay Example According to Hayek, â€Å"the price mechanism of the free market serves to convey information about supply and demand that is dispersed among many consumers and producers and which cannot be assembled or coordinated efficiently in any other way†. And seriously â€Å"doubts whether a socialist economy is capable of solving the problems of rational allocation of its resources (Hayek, 1982)†. Keynes on the other hand favored government intervention through its fiscal and monetary policy to assuage the impact of recession and depression or financial crisis like the one United States recently had in 2009. Keynes believe that it is not only the market that can make an economy work at a maximum efficiency but such can also be raised to the that level by the intervention of the government. In contrast to Hayek, Keynes advocated collectivism through international coordination of fiscal and monetary stimulus to deflect and mitigate any downturn in economic cycle. He is also the s ponsor of deficit spending to lift an economy from depression in contrast to Hayek’s proposal that it solely market the (free) market that can achieve utmost efficiency in an economy.

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 17

Leadership - Essay Example His simple formula is Humility + Will = Level 5. ‘Level 5 leaders are a study in duality’, notes Collins, ‘modest and wilful, shy and fearless’ (Management – Issues, 2011, par. 3). As indicated in the scenario, Executive A â€Å"shies away from the attention and often gives credit for the company’s success to other leaders in the organization. Executive A is quick to accept responsibility for mistakes and poor results and takes pride in developing strong leaders within the company† (Case Scenario). The ability of Executive A to elevate the organization from poor financial performance to a highly productive one within a short span of time during his governance was an exemplary feat supporting the â€Å"level 5† leadership style. Leader B exhibits the transactional leadership style as it was revealed that he focuses on goals setting and guide personnel towards achieving these defined objectives through specific tasks and roles, consistent with the transactional style, as described by Robbins & Judge (2007). Further, Leader B applies both rewards and punishments, depending on performance and on delegated tasks. This practice is likewise parallel with the transactional style as revealed: â€Å"when the Transactional Leader allocates work to a subordinate, they are considered to be fully responsible for it, whether or not they have the resources or capability to carry it out. When things go wrong, then the subordinate is considered to be personally at fault, and is punished for their failure (just as they are rewarded for succeeding)† (Changing Minds, 2011, par.7). The transformational leadership style is used and applied by Leader C was seen to be manifested through providing inspiration (â€Å"believes that people can achieve great success when they are inspired† (case facts); shows idealized influence (â€Å"values the missions and goals established by Executive A† (case facts); provides

Reflective Account Of Diversity And Team Performance Nursing Essay

Reflective Account Of Diversity And Team Performance Nursing Essay This reflective account concerns my experiences of participating in a diverse team of people from different nationalities, which was formed for the achievement of specific outcomes over a specific period. The opportunity to work in this team arose in the course of an assignment for syndicate group work. The importance of management of team performance is steadily gaining recognition in the area of modern day organisational behaviour. With modern organisations and operations becoming increasingly complex and dynamic, organisational performance is being driven by specialised employees who are organised into and work as teams. Salas, et al, (1992 p 4) defines a team as a distinguishable set of two or more people who interact dynamically, interdependently, and adaptively toward a common and valued goal/objective/mission, who have each been assigned specific roles or functions to perform Organisational experts have for long been intrigued by the fact that whilst team work is now an accepted tool for improvement of organisational efficiency, many firms that arrange their operations around teams with such expectations find, much to their disappointment, that (a) use of teams has little impact on productivity, and (b) such use of teams can furthermore lead to reduction of productivity (Bolin, et al, 2006, p 2). It is also frequently seen that teams with high performing individuals fail, even as teams with far less impressive members greatly exceed expectations. The performance of the Detroit Pistons basketball team in 2004 and 2005, when they won back to back NBA championships with a roster of unimpressive players illustrates the team performance paradox (Bolin, et al, 2006, p 2). The continued performance of the Ferrari racing team would not have been possible without the efforts of its back up staff (Robbins, et al, 2010, p 3). Such team performance paradoxes are evid ent across the world, with innovative start up teams with networking capabilities humbling huge established corporations with far superior technology and resources (Bolin, et al, 2006, p 2). Understanding the mechanisms of team work is an integral component of modern day learning in organisational behaviour. I was required to participate in a team of members from different nations with different academic, cultural and social backgrounds in the course of syndicated group activity for a period of 6 weeks. The experience gave me the opportunity to participate in an actual team environment, even as I was increasing my academic knowledge of team dynamics and processes. This reflective account details my learning experiences during the process of my participation in a diverse multi cultural team that was required to perform specific tasks and achieve particular objectives and outcomes over a specific timeframe. The essay is structured into sequential sections that take up the functioning of teams in its different aspects, the use of the IPO model for assessment of team effectiveness and the working, evolution and outcomes of our team over a specific 6 week period. Whilst academic theory on teams and assessment of team effectiveness is taken up in some detail, greater emphasis is placed upon my practical experience of participating in an interesting and enriching team environment. The essay ends with a concluding section that attempts to sum up my learning experience and details the ways in which I have gained from this experience in team work. Team Work Modern texts on organisational behaviour identify specific characteristics of teams that differentiate them from general groups (Buchanan Huczynski, 2004, p 7). These characteristics include (a) joint sharing of aims and objectives, (b) mutual dependency and trust, (c) overt expression of emotions, feelings and disagreement, (d) consensual decision making, (e) coordination, cooperation and cohesion, (f) management of trust feelings and conflict between team members, and (g) the creation of a collective and synergistic impact (Buchanan Huczynski, 2004, p 7). Hackman (2002, p 11), states that teams also have very clear boundaries for membership, relatively stable memberships and defined authority to manage their activities and processes. Team performance by and large represents the extent to which teams achieve their specific objectives (Hayes, 2002, p 43-46). Whilst such indicators of team performance are important for organisations because they assist in assessment of the extent of achievement of team goals, many teams, more particularly in business situations do not have targets that are clear and quantifiable (Hayes, 2002, p 43-46). Even where such targets are available, team members and managers can improve their performance in future if they are provided with a richer picture of the ways in which teams function (Senior, 1997, p 32-36). Teams, to be truly effective should thus have some understanding, not just of team outputs, but of the ways and means in which team members work together (Senior, 1997, p 32-36). The Input-Process-Output (IPO) model provides an approach to the understanding of team work and team performance. Inputs, in the IPO model, are seen in terms of issues concerned with group composition like leadership, size, term and diversity, along with factors like autonomy, training and resources that are provided to teams (Ilgen, et al, 2005, p 517-522). Internal team processes comprise of factors like the motivation and commitment of team members, the cooperation and communication between them and their skills of leadership, conflict resolution, decision making and problem solving (Ilgen, et al, 2005, p 517-522). Outputs on the other hand are largely depicted as team objectives or the larger concept of team effectiveness that includes a range of interrelated outcomes in areas of attitudes, behaviours and performance. Such outcomes can occur at the level of individuals, teams and organisations (Ilgen, et al, 2005, p 517-522). The theoretical paradigm behind much of research on team effectiveness comes from the application of the open systems theory, which states that team inputs (skills and abilities) are transformed into team outputs (the quality and quantity of team outcomes) through various interaction processes like utilisation of skills, effort and past strategy. The basic IPO model is flexible enough to be applied to a range of team settings and is illustrated in the figure provided below. A general set of factors for assessment of team work in the context of the above discussion thus needs to include (a) the attitudes, behaviours, thinking, roles and skills of individual team members, (b) team objectives and purposes, which include the setting, clarity, commitment and achievement of goals, (c) team processes like generation of ideas, making of decisions, management of controversy and conflict, communication style, allocation of responsibilities, planning of action and leadership style and (d) the organisational context with regard to structure, culture and associated issues. Working and Evolution of our Team Our experience of team work came about on account of participation in group syndicate activity for a period of 6 weeks. Our team was made up of six members and we were required to work together to (a) generate slogans for organisational use, and (b) achieve improvements in team working in areas of attitudes, behaviours and performance. I aim to assess different aspects of the working and functioning of our team, in terms of the IPO model, and deal sequentially with inputs, processes, and outputs. Inputs Our team consisted of six members, A- myself, B, C, D, E and F. As the oldest and most experienced member of the group, I was the automatic choice for its leader. The chart provided below gives basic details and personality types of group members. The personality ratings have been determined by organisational tests conducted on individual members. Member A B C D E F Nationality British Chinese Cyprus Indian Pakistan Nigerian Sex Male Female Female Male Female Female Education BA Hons History International Business And Management Business and Management Bachelor of Technology Graduate in BA BSC Logistics Profession leading public and private businesses Software Engineer Extraversion 3.8 1.9 3.8 3.9 3.7 3.5 Agreeableness 4.6 3.5 4.0 4.1 4.1 4.3 Conscientiousness 4.1 3.9 2.4 3.9 4.3 2.9 Neuroticism 2.7 3.4 3.1 2.4 3.2 4.1 Openness to Experience 4.5 2.8 3.5 3.8 3.9 2.3 As evident, our team was diverse with respect to nationality, gender, education, and work experience and personality types. Contemporary academic literature on organisational behaviour agrees on the advantages of diverse teams in various areas of organisational work. Diversity in teams, organisational experts feel, results in the availability of a range of perspectives and skills, which, if harnessed properly, can result in greater creativity in generation of ideas, alternatives and solutions than with homogenous teams and lead to better performance. Whilst diverse teams by and large have wider and better range of skills and abilities, it is often challenging to make them function in a coordinated and collaborative manner, in comparison with homogeneous teams. Such challenges to collaborative and coordinated working can arise because of differences in language, attitudes and perceptions of team members. The members of our teams came from different parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. Th eir academic backgrounds ranged from disciplines in the liberal arts to applied sciences, technology and management. Two of us, F and I had some working experience, even as the other four were fresh from college. Whilst the personality types of individual group members are different, all of us scored high on the agreeableness index and were happy to work and bond with each other. As the oldest and most experienced member of the group, its leadership automatically devolved upon my shoulders. This development occurred, without my asking for it, because the other group members looked towards me for advice, suggestions and direction on the functioning of the group. We were at the time of formation of the group provided with specific tasks requiring the generation of a number of slogans for ultimate organisational use. Apart from have to deliver such specific services, we were informed that we would be judged twice, once half way during the course, i.e. after three weeks and finally at the end of six weeks; on completion of the group activity. Various group factors like (a) innovative climate, (b) participation, (c) clarity of objectives, (d) reflexivity, (e) interdependence, (f) autonomy, (g) boundedness, (h) role clarity, (i) task conflict, (j) relationship conflict and (k) team satisfaction would be taken up for assessment during these occasions. We were inform ed to us that our progress would be made available to us at the middle and at the end of the syndicate activity in order to help us in organising our activities and improving our processes. Processes Leadership style is an important component of team work processes in the IPO model. Most texts on organisational behaviour stress on the importance of leadership in the efficient successful functioning of teams, even as the majority of both team successes and team failures are attributed to leadership decisions (Robbins, 2005, p 17-21). Fiedlers theory on leadership states that the adoption of leadership styles is often contingent upon situational circumstances and effective leaders alter their styles in line with situations, attributes and skills of team members, and team objectives (Fiedler, 1967, p 4-8).Leaders are otherwise expected to provide clarity regarding roles to members, communicate effectively, and generate feeling of inclusiveness by asking for comment and by expressing appreciation for contributions of team members (Stacey, 2003, p 15-19). Contemporary research on organisational behaviour also indicates that whilst leaders set the tone for definition of group activitie s, their subsequent responses are distinctly affected by their ongoing interaction and communication with team members (Stacey, 2003, p 15-19). Whilst the role of leadership devolved upon me without my asking for it, I did not ignore my responsibilities and worked towards the development of a committed, clear and collaborative team. I allocated responsibilities to each member and made constant efforts to improve and ensure communication with members on various issues associated with our team objectives as well as other areas of common interest. Although my efforts to communicate with group members were made easier by their general agreeableness, I often found B, the Chinese member to be reticent in her communication with the rest of us. She was not just very shy but also disinclined to explore new opportunities and experiences. These difficulties were however greatly made up by her conscientiousness towards her work. Our group activity and objectives required extensive discussions between member, generation and bouncing off of ideas, and long hours of brainstorming. Many of such sessions resulted in small and big disagreements, some of which ended with members refusing to talk to each other for some time. F, the lady from Nigeria whilst otherwise friendly and agreeable, was prone to excessive argumentativeness, and even hysteria, if her views were not supported by others. Conflicts between her and other members also arouse because of her lack of dedication towards group work and occasional proneness to shirk her responsibilities. We were fortunate that conflicts among group members were restricted and did not erupt frequently. Whilst friendly disagreements over work continued to happen, serious conflicts arose only on three occasions, all of them involving F. I felt conflict resolution to be one of my major responsibilities and was constantly looking for signs of disagreement and trouble. Whilst I would let constructive discussions and disagreements continue and sometimes even encourage them further, I took pains to ensure that personal bitterness between members did not set in and they refrained from making offensive statements towards each other. I am happy with the fact that all members, including F started bonding with each other by the end of the fourth week, started respecting each others point of view, and developed a healthy regard for their team mates. Output All our team members were delighted to find out that our group ended the activity practically at the top of the class, both in the number of generated slogans and in the originality of the two selected slogans. The result proved once more that a diverse team can do very well at creative work in an environment of transparency coordination and communication. We were otherwise pleased to know that we had made good progress in all activity areas, except for boundedness, team and relationship conflict and team satisfaction. I feel that our problems in these areas essentially relate to the inability of our team to manage the disputes and disagreements that often surfaced around F. As the leader I take responsibility for such failures and do feel that I should have tried to use my position as leader to communicate more successfully with F and quell her various mental insecurities in working with people who were possibly more hardworking and gifted than she was. Such an approach would have improved group communication, collaboration and outcomes. Conclusions This reflective account deals with my experiences in a diverse team of 6 persons that was formed for the achievement of specific objectives over a particular timeframe. The significance of team performance is progressively increasing in the discipline of organisational behaviour. With contemporary organisations becoming increasingly complex, organisational performance is now ever more driven by specially formed teams. Team performance normally represents the degree to which teams attain their particular objectives. Whilst such gauges of performance are necessary because they help in assessment of attainment of team goals, teams should also achieve some understanding of the ways in which team members work together. The Input-Process-Output (IPO) model represents an approach to understanding team work and has been used by me to assess the functioning of our team. Our team was diverse in many respects. Diversity, it is felt, leads to greater and to better performance. As the oldest and most experienced team, I became the team leader without asking for the position. I tried to live up to my responsibilities and worked towards the development of an effective team. We were fortunate that conflicts among members were limited and I tried to ensure that personal bitterness between members did not set in. Our team ended the activity at the top of the class with regard to set objectives. We also made good progress in all areas except in team relationships and satisfaction, where our progress was average or even less. I feel that such problems arose from our inability to manage disputes and disagreements. I take responsibility for such failures and feel that I should have tried to communicate more successfully with certain members. My experience of team work has however helped me immensely in maturing as an individual and as a professional and I am grateful for the experience.

History of False Teeth :: Dentures Dental

False teeth, which are known today as â€Å"dentures†, are bony plates which are installed into a patient’s mouth by means of adhesion to the fleshy mandibular or maxillary arch. Although these are now relatively inexpensive and their requirement is often taken for granted, they have not always been so easy to come by. A look at the history of false teeth shows a pain-staking and quirky evolution: Though it is assumed that primitive versions of false teeth have been around since the 700s B.C., the first concrete evidence of false teeth emerges from the 15th century. These were carved of bone or ivory, or they were made from random assortments of teeth that had been dug up from graveyards. However, these had no self-contained method of attachment, but rather were fastened to any remaining teeth by means of metallic or silk thread. This attachment was visible to the observer, resulting in a smile that was not only extremely uncomfortable, but also unattractive. Thus, false teeth were originally intended to serve the sole purpose of aid in eating, not aesthetic purposes. The biggest shortcoming of these archaic appliances was the fact that they were subject to decay in the wearer’s mouth. Thus, installed false teeth would have to be replaced on a regular basis, resulting in a very costly procedure. However, this problem was rectified in 1774 by Duchateau and Dubois de Chemant with their invention of the first full set of dentures that would not rot. This was due to their porcelain composition – a material that was much more conducive to the everyday wear and tear of one’s teeth. Although an incredible improvement, even the porcelain version had its difficulties. Unable to produce anything less than a full set of teeth (the surrounding porcelain was required to keep each tooth in place), patients who were missing only one or two teeth were out of luck, unless they were willing to have the rest of their teeth removed as well. And yet, in 1808, Giuseppangelo Fonzi developed the first individual appliance – a single porc elain tooth that could be held in place by a pin drilled into the jawbone. Finally, in 1845, Claudius Ash, known as the official â€Å"inventor of dentures†, produced the porcelain version that is now used today. His contributions included a suction method of adhesion for a full set of dentures, so that no form of attachment could be seen by an onlooker. History of False Teeth :: Dentures Dental False teeth, which are known today as â€Å"dentures†, are bony plates which are installed into a patient’s mouth by means of adhesion to the fleshy mandibular or maxillary arch. Although these are now relatively inexpensive and their requirement is often taken for granted, they have not always been so easy to come by. A look at the history of false teeth shows a pain-staking and quirky evolution: Though it is assumed that primitive versions of false teeth have been around since the 700s B.C., the first concrete evidence of false teeth emerges from the 15th century. These were carved of bone or ivory, or they were made from random assortments of teeth that had been dug up from graveyards. However, these had no self-contained method of attachment, but rather were fastened to any remaining teeth by means of metallic or silk thread. This attachment was visible to the observer, resulting in a smile that was not only extremely uncomfortable, but also unattractive. Thus, false teeth were originally intended to serve the sole purpose of aid in eating, not aesthetic purposes. The biggest shortcoming of these archaic appliances was the fact that they were subject to decay in the wearer’s mouth. Thus, installed false teeth would have to be replaced on a regular basis, resulting in a very costly procedure. However, this problem was rectified in 1774 by Duchateau and Dubois de Chemant with their invention of the first full set of dentures that would not rot. This was due to their porcelain composition – a material that was much more conducive to the everyday wear and tear of one’s teeth. Although an incredible improvement, even the porcelain version had its difficulties. Unable to produce anything less than a full set of teeth (the surrounding porcelain was required to keep each tooth in place), patients who were missing only one or two teeth were out of luck, unless they were willing to have the rest of their teeth removed as well. And yet, in 1808, Giuseppangelo Fonzi developed the first individual appliance – a single porc elain tooth that could be held in place by a pin drilled into the jawbone. Finally, in 1845, Claudius Ash, known as the official â€Å"inventor of dentures†, produced the porcelain version that is now used today. His contributions included a suction method of adhesion for a full set of dentures, so that no form of attachment could be seen by an onlooker.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Essay

Teen deaths for any reason are tragic losses of life and potential. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five teenagers in the U.S. seriously considers suicide annually, and approximately 1,700 die by suicide each year. Both the CDC and the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) point out that suicide rates for teens have tripled since 1960 — making it the third leading cause of adolescent death and the second cause among college students. Yet, according to the American Psychological Association, teen suicide is preventable, and they identify possible warning signs. They also note that more than 90 percent of suicide deaths are from mental illness and substance-abuse disorders. Not letting facts stand in their way, activist groups continue to claim, based on a flawed 1989 study that has been completely discredited, that 30 percent of all teens who attempt suicide are homosexuals. Instead, teen suicide reports from the major psychological and pediatric associations either do not even mention sexual identity or mention it near the bottom of a long list of other risk factors associated with teen suicide. Other teen suicide factors — family breakup through divorce, alcohol or drug abuse, and family dysfunction — are mentioned in all the major health organization publications as main factors in teen suicide. Research from Columbia University Medical Center, published in APAM, cites different reasons for girls’ and boys’ suicides. The researchers collected data from over 8,000 students in New York City high schools in 2005. For females, recent dating violence is a primary cause of attempted suicide. For teen males, a lifetime history of sexual assault is associated with suicide attempts. Dr. Elyse Olshen, lead researcher for the study, reported that girls who have been physically abused by a boyfriend are 60 percent more likely to attempt suicide than those who have not. For boys, sexual abuse over an extended period of time is more likely to be the determining factor for male teen suicide. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) identified the strong risk factors for teen suicide as depression, alcohol, or drug abuse and aggressive, disruptive behaviors. They also mentioned family loss, instability, and unplanned pregnancy. Suicidal teens, they reported, feel alone, hope less, and rejected and are especially vulnerable when they have experienced a loss, humiliation, or trauma, such as poor grades, breakup with boyfriend or  girlfriend, argument with parents, parental discord, separation, or divorce. The APA declared that 53 percent of young people who commit suicide are substance abusers. NMHA identifies feelings of anger and resentment and the inability to see beyond a temporary situation as the main factors in teen suicide attempts. KidsHealth quotes Dr. David Sheslow, a pediatric psychologist, who identifies drugs and alcohol as leading causes of suicide in teens. Further, KidsHealth reports, â€Å"A teen with an adequate support network of friends, family, religious affiliations, peer groups or extracurricular activities may have an outlet to deal with his everyday frustrations. A teen without an adequate support network may feel disconnected and isolated from his family and peer groups. It’s these teens who are at increased risk for suicide.† Other problems identified by KidsHealth are divorce, alcoholism of a family member, domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse, repeated failures at school, substance abuse, and self-destructive behavior. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry publishes a fact sheet about teen suicide. Causes they list? Stress, confusion, self-doubt, pressure to succeed, financial uncertainty, fears about growing up, divorce, formation of a new family with step-parents and step-siblings, and moving to a new community. They clearly identify suicide feelings as a â€Å"mental disorder.† The American Academy of Pediatrics, in their publication about preventing teen suicide, identifies the â€Å"long term impact of child abuse† as the leading cause of attempted suicides among women. They emphasize the greater pressures of modern life, competition for grades and college admissions, and increased violence in the media as contributing factors. They also cite the lack of parental involvement because of divorce, parents’ work schedules, and limited family life. One study reported that 90 percent of suicidal teenagers believed that their families do not understand them. Viewing teen suicide through the distorted, single-vision lens of the homosexual activists puts large numbers of teens at risk. Those who insist that the problem of teen suicide is primarily among teens who struggle over their sexual identity overlook the vast majority of potential teen suicide victims — those who have other emotional or psychological issues, those who abuse drugs and other substances, and especially those who have suffered sexual violence and abuse. The problems of emotionally and physically battered teens must be  faced and their minds and bodies healed; otherwise, the rate of teen suicides will continue to rise. Janice Shaw Crouse, Ph.D. is executive director and senior fellow of Concerned Women for America’s Beverly LaHaye Institute.

Graphing a Wave Essay

Name: A vibration is a wiggle in time; a wave is a wiggle in space and time. In this exercise, you will explore that connection by transferring the motion of the second hand of a clock (a vibration, even if a slow one), to a wave. Print out the image of a clock and open the spreadsheet called Grapher. You will find both of them in the same item where you found these instructions. Use a metric ruler to measure the displacement of the tip of the second hand every five seconds. That’s the distance above or below the center line that connects the 3 and the 9. Count the number as positive if the tip is above the line (towards the 12) and negative if below (towards the six). Enter each value in the tinted boxes in the Grapher tool and it will immediately plot them for you. Then answer the questions based on your graph. 1) What is the period of this wave, that is, the time for one complete cycle, in seconds? The period of the wave is .02 seconds 2) What is the amplitude of the wave? The amplitude is .01 3) If we had started from some other initial position – say, when the second hand was on the 3 – would the period still be the same? no yes X 4) Again, if we had started when the second hand was on the 3, would the amplitude still be the same? no yes X 5) So – again, if we had started when the second hand was on the 3, what would be different? Though we are starting from a later point, the period would still be the same distance, and amplitude is reliant on the period so if the period is the same then so is the amplitude. Simply the seconds from which we start measuring would be one notch behind, so the arch of each wave would be 5 seconds earlier. 6) Using the period from question 1, find the frequency of the wave. That frequency is of course way too low for us to hear. Please round you answer to three digits, not counting the starting zero; that is, round it to four decimal places total. The frequency is .0125 Hz 7) If you had used the same picture of the same clock but had graphed the minute hand instead, what would change about the graph? Nothing would change at all. The frequency would change. The amplitude would change. X 8) If you had plotted the motion of the second hand on your watch instead of the clock that you printed out, what would change about the graph? Nothing would change at all. The frequency would change. X The amplitude would change. 9) Since you are plotting displacement on the y-axis and time on the x-axis, this is an example of a _____ graph. Snapshot X frog-on-a-post 10) Are you old enough to remember the 90’s television series Home Improvement, starring Tim Allen? He was always saying â€Å"more power† and blowing up one electric tool or appliance after another by trying to make it  work faster. Suppose that he was able to make a clock run so fast that the second hand made one full lap in only one-tenth of a second (0.10 s), and suppose that it tapped a water surface each time it reached the bottom of its motion. If the waves it produced were 4.0 cm apart, at what speed (in cm/s) would they travel? The Waves would travel 40cm/s

Juvenile Justice Reform Essays - Legal Procedure, Criminal Procedure

Juvenile Justice Reform Essays - Legal Procedure, Criminal Procedure Juvenile Justice Reform Law Juvenile Justice Reform Massachusetts Juvenile Justice Reform: A Step in the Wrong Direction Juvenile Justice THESIS STATEMENT: The Great and General Court of Massachusetts has erred in reforming the juvenile justice system by implementing policies and procedures that will harm juveniles and place society at risk. On July 23, 1995, an intruder brutally attacked and stabbed Janet Downing approximately 100 times in her Somerville home. The revolting Downing murder and ensuing arrest of Edward O'Brien Jr., a 15-year-old juvenile whom prosecutors say committed the heinous crime, sent shockwaves through the state. When Somerville District Court Judge Paul P. Hefferman ruled that the Commonwealth try Mr. O'Brien as a juvenile, those shockwaves grew in intensity, and the citizens of Massachusetts, fed up with increasing youth violence and perceptions of an ineffective juvenile justice system, demanded the enactment of tough new laws to deal with repeat and violent juvenile offenders. The Great and General Court of Massachusetts headed these demands for reform of the juvenile justice system and enacted legislation that, among other things, abolishes the trial de novo system in the juvenile courts, requires the trial of juveniles charged with murder, manslaughter, aggravated rape, forcible rape of a child, kidnaping, assault with intent to rob or murder and armed burglary in adult court and permits prosecutors to open to the public juvenile proceedings when they seek an adult sentence. Although proponents tout these measures as a sagacious solution for the vexatious problem of juvenile delinquency, abolishing the trial de novo system, providing for automatic adult trials and opening juvenile proceedings to the public when prosecutors seek an adult sentence works to the detriment, not the benefit, of juveniles and society. Therefore, the policy makers of Massachusetts should repeal most sections of the Juvenile Justice Reform Act and develop other policies to deal with the rising problem of juvenile crime. I. A SINGLE TRIAL SYSTEM PREVENTS COURTS FROM PROVIDING RAPID ASSISTANCE TO JUVENILES IN NEED, DOES LITTLE TO SERVE JUDICIAL ECONOMY AND PLACES A SIMILAR BURDEN AS THE DE NOVO SYSTEM ON VICTIMS AND WITNESSES. Proponents of a single trial system for juveniles argue that the trial de novo system wastes judicial resources by giving defendants a second bite at the apple and traumatizes victims and witnesses by forcing them to testify at two proceedings. However, these proponents fail to acknowledge that the de novo system allows judges to quickly provide juveniles with the rehabilitative help they need. The proponents, unsurprisingly, also fail to acknowledge that a single trial system may place a greater burden on judicial resources and a similar burden on victims and witnesses. The de novo system benefits juveniles by encouraging bench trials, which frequently result in the swift administration of rehabilitative help. For many juveniles, delinquency is a reaction to a variety of situational stressors. Statistics indicate that the vast majority of juvenile delinquents are exposed to abuse and neglect, harsh or erratic parenting, and socioeconomic deprivation. Experts believe that if the juvenile justice system is to rehabilitate juveniles and make them productive members of our society, it must address these problems as swiftly as possible. A de novo system encourages juveniles, many of whom want judicial help, to request a bench trial. Likewise, under a de novo system, defense attorneys are encouraged to recommend an initial bench trial because the court's decision does not bind clients if it is not in their interest. On the other hand, a single trial system discourages juveniles and defense attorneys from requesting a bench trial. Because jury trials are more lengthy than bench trials and may drag out for over a year, the current policy of encouraging juveniles to seek an initial jury trial denies them the rehabilitative help they need for a significant period of time. Therefore, the de novo system is the preferred choice when dealing with juveniles because it encourages bench trials and, concomitantly, the swift administration of rehabilitative help. As noted earlier, one of the primary arguments for doing away with the de novo system is that it wastes judicial resources. However, upon closer examination one realizes that the de novo system actually furthers judicial economy. Under a de novo system, procedural safeguards can be done away with or relaxed at bench trials without fear of violating rights of defendants. Courts have found the elimination of procedural safeguards at bench trials in a de novo system to be constitutional because the judiciary will extend all safeguards to the defendant at a new jury trial if he/she so chooses. Although no statistics could be found which indicate the number of defendants appealing de novo bench trial decision, a court

American Reaction to the French Revolution

American Reaction to the French Revolution The French Revolution began in 1789 with the storming of the Bastille on July 14th. From 1790 to 1794, the revolutionaries grew  increasingly radical. Americans were at first enthusiastic in support of the revolution. However, over time divisions of opinion became apparent between federalists and anti-federalists. Divide Between Federalists and Anti-Federalists The anti-federalists in America  led by figures such as Thomas Jefferson were in favor of supporting the revolutionaries in France. They thought the French were imitating the American colonists in their desire for freedom. There was a hope that the French  would win a greater degree of autonomy that resulted in the new Constitution and its strong federal government in the United States. Many anti-federalists rejoiced in every revolutionary victory as news of it reached America. Fashions changed to reflect republican dress in France. The Federalists were not sympathetic to the French Revolution, led by figures such as Alexander Hamilton.  The Hamiltonians  feared mob rule. They were  afraid of egalitarian ideas causing further upheaval at home. European Reaction In Europe, rulers were not necessarily that bothered by what was happening in France at first. However, as the gospel of democracy spread, Austria grew afraid. By 1792, France had declared war on Austria wanting to ensure that it would not try to invade. In addition, revolutionaries wanted to spread their own beliefs to other European countries. As France began to win victories beginning with the Battle of Valmy in September, England and Spain got concerned. Then on January 21, 1793, King Louis XVI was executed. France became emboldened and declared war on England. Thus American could no longer sit back but if they wanted to continue to trade with England and/or France. It had to claim sides or remain neutral. President George Washington chose the course of neutrality, but this would be a difficult tightrope for America to walk. Citizen  Genà ªt In 1792, the French appointed  Edmond-Charles Genà ªt, also known as Citizen  Genà ªt, as the Minister to the United States. There was some question on whether he should be formally received by the US  government. Jefferson felt that  America should support the Revolution which would mean publicly acknowledging  Genà ªt as the legitimate minister to France. Hamilton was against receiving him. Despite Washingtons ties to Hamilton and the Federalists, he decided to receive him. Washington eventually ordered that  Genà ªt be censured and later recalled by France when it was discovered that he had been commissioning privateers to fight for France in its war against Great Britain. Washington had to deal with their previously agreed upon Treaty of Alliance with France that had been signed during the American Revolution. Because of its own claims for neutrality, America could not close its ports to France without appearing to side with Britain. Therefore, even though France was taking advantage of the situation by using American ports to help fight its war against Britain, America was in a difficult place. The Supreme Court eventually helped provide a partial solution by preventing the French from arming privateers in American ports. After this proclamation, it was found that Citizen  Genà ªt had a French-sponsored warship armed and sail from Philadelphia. Washington demanded that he be recalled to France. However, this and other issues with the French fighting the British under the American flag led to increased issues and confrontations with the British. Washington sent John Jay to find a diplomatic solution to the issues with Great Britain. However, the resulting Jays Treaty was quite weak and widely derided. It required the British to abandon forts they still occupied on Americas western frontier. It also created a trading agreement between the two nations. However, it had to give up the idea of freedom of the seas. It also did nothing to stop impressment where the British could force American citizens on captured sailing vessels into service on their own ships. Aftermath In the end, the French Revolution brought the issues of neutrality and how America would deal with belligerent European countries. It also brought unresolved issues with Great Britain to the forefront. Finally, it showed a great divide in the way that federalists and anti-federalists felt about France and Great Britain.

Ever Since and Every Sense of the Word

Ever Since and Every Sense of the Word Ever Since and Every Sense of the Word Ever Since and Every Sense of the Word By Maeve Maddox Many misspellings are the result of mispronunciation. The first time I saw the expression â€Å"ever since† written as â€Å"ever sense,† I assumed that it had been written by the speaker of a regional dialect. For example, where I live, it’s often impossible to tell if someone is asking to borrow a pen or a pin. Since is an adverb. The expression â€Å"ever since† means, â€Å"from that time until now.† For example, â€Å"He was elected in 1983 and has served in the Senate ever since.† Sense is used as both noun and verb: The sense of sight is perhaps the most treasured of the five senses. (noun) Do you sense the excitement in the room? (verb) When I started searching the Web for examples of the â€Å"ever sense† error, I was surprised to find them all over the map. Of course, there’s no way to tell if a writer grew up in the American South, but I did find examples of sense for since on sites originating outside the South–in Utah, Michigan, and even in the United Kingdom. And not just on blogs or in forums, but on professional sites as well. Here are some of my gleanings: Ever sense the update, my iPhone 4S will randomly shut off at least once a day. Let’s assume for the sake of argument that this was the only bad thing [he’s] ever done in his life and he’s behaved perfectly ever sense. Ever sense the Maryland Senate elections, I’ve wondered He started mock elections in Payson and has been doing it ever sense. They have been talking about term limits ever sense term limits was made [a] word about 100 years ago. The resultant settlement has commanded broad consensual support ever sense. This example from a site offering research papers for sale uses the word since correctly in the same sentence as the error: .has been present since the 1950s and has only been growing ever sense. In the course of tracking this misuse of sense in the expression â€Å"ever since,† I encountered numerous examples of the misuse of ever in the idiom â€Å"in every sense of the word.† In â€Å"every sense of the word,† every is an adjective describing the noun sense. â€Å"In every sense of the word† means â€Å"in all the ways this word may be defined.† Ever is an adverb. The phrase â€Å"ever sense of the word† is meaningless, but that doesn’t stop it from being widely used: A real Palace in ever sense of the word Excellent in ever sense of the word! [The game] Ihan Crystal is flawed, in ever sense of the word. 2012 was a disaster in ever sense of the word. I mean big in ever sense of the word you can come up with. I am an optimist in ever sense of the word. Like the Elephant’s Child, I’m a little warm (in every sense of the word), but not at all astonished. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Masters Degree or Master's Degree?26 Feels of Insufficient Hyphenation

Juvenile Justice Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Juvenile Justice - Coursework Example The biggest achievement of the Child-savers was the establishment of the first ever juvenile court in Chicago in 1899. This court was created on the grounds that juveniles neither were neither ready to account for their actions nor were they completely developed. They could however be rehabilitated more easily. 2. Operation Of The Early Juvenile Courts The primary juvenile courts were designed in the United States in 1910 and they were functional in 32 states. By 1925, only 2 states did not have juvenile courts. Instead of meting out punishments to delinquent youngsters, these juvenile courts endeavored to reform them, in order that they transform into responsible, productive citizens. The laws governing the juvenile courts clearly stated that their objective was to help children in trouble. This resulted to rather significant differences between the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Over the path of the subsequent 50 years, most of the juvenile courts held jurisdiction over pra ctically all youngsters who were embroiled in the violations of criminal laws. It was only if a juvenile court withdrew or withheld its jurisdiction, were the young offenders transferred to criminal courts and tried as adults. The decision to transfer these children to criminal courts was based on individual case by case bases, and the best concern of the children was taken into account. The focus always remained on rehabilitation rather than punishment. 3. Supreme Court decision of Kent v. United States Kent v US 1966 is a well-known court case concerning juveniles and their rights. Petitioner was detained at the age of 16 in association with charges of housebreaking, theft and rape. As a juvenile, he was accused to the limited authority of the District of Columbia Juvenile Court except that court, after "complete investigation," ought to waive jurisdiction over him and forward him for assessment to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Requester’s a dvocate filed a movement in the Juvenile Court for a trial on the question of waiver, and for right of entry to the Juvenile Court's Social Service file which had been building up on requester through his try-out for a preceding offense. The decision and conclusion of the case incorporated the facts which are: there must at all times be a trial in the issue of waiver of jurisdiction; secondly there must always be support of counsel in a trial of waiver of jurisdiction and third the plaintiff's counsel must have right to view to all social records. If the adjudicator determines that a waiver of transfer is the precise answer there must be a declaration of facts based on a complete inquiry, counting a statement of the judge's grounds for the waiver. A waiver of jurisdiction is mainly the verdict to authorize a juvenile to be tried as an adult in criminal court. 4. Supreme Court decision of In Re Gault In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1 (1967), was a milestone U.S. Supreme Court verdict that held that juveniles charged of crimes in a criminal behavior happening must be afforded many of the equal due process rights as adults, such as the right to opportune notification of the charges, the right to deal with witnesses, the right adjacent to self-incrimination, and the right to advise. The U.S. Supreme Cou

Integrated STEM Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Integrated STEM Education - Essay Example For the K-12 learners, it is evident that they require approaches that will increase their interest in the subjects. Through the integrated approach, the National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council (2014) point out that the learners will be more motivated and encouraged to design their own knowledge of the environment around them. It is, therefore, arguable to conclude that integrated approaches learners are more motivated to learn the STEM subjects. Successful integration of STEM has also seen the teachers be conversant with their roles in the classroom setting. The educators, as seen in the research conducted by National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council (2014), have played the role of encouraging the learners to continually solve problems that emanate from the STEM fields. It is expected that these approaches, will undoubtedly see an integrated STEM

Article Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Article Analysis - Essay Example However, the restrictions have provoked a major reaction from a number of lawmakers and cruise industry players. They argue that the new measure will increase costs for vacationers and the Alaska people who rely on sea vessels for their livelihood (Eliperin, 2012). For many years, huge ships have combusted heavy fuels ( fuels which contain 2,000 times or more sulfur as the diesel utilized by locomotives, trucks, small marine vessels, and construction equipment). The new regulation dictates that large ships reduce the sulfur content of their fuel to 1 percent in August 2012 from the present 2.7%. They arealsorequired to reduce they sullphure content in their fuel to 0.1% by 2015 (Eliperin, 2012; Walker, 2012). The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) indicates that the new regulation will prevent between 12,000 every year and at least 31,000 deaths by 2030, with the benefits offsetting the costs by 95 to 1. In other words, the new standards will reduce emissions from ships and assist in safeguarding the cities and port communities hundreds of miles away from the coast (Eliperin, 2012). The vehicle and the container shipping industries have agreed to meet the new standards but several firms have indicated that the fuel costs may rise by 25 percent. It is important to note that the playersin these industries do not spend as much time as the cruise industry players within the 200-mile zone. It is hard to estimate how much the cleaner fuel will cost because its availability is not certain. It is estimated by EPA that when fully implemented, the program will come with additional costs to shipping (about $18 for every 20-foot container) and passenger cruise tickets (an additional $7 per day). On the other hand, cruise analysts suggest that it can add as much as $19.46 per day to the passenger cruise ticket. The costs of goods in Alaska are set to increase and thuswill affect the economy Alaska.

Policing functions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Policing functions - Essay Example The local agencies are thereby encouraged to relate well with the people in their society. A better communication will lead to understanding among the people and the policing agencies. Most of their work includes stopping the planned happenings and attacks to which might affect the government like bomb attack and they are also involved in investigating on certain happening from the base. The state agency work in hand with the local agency and are used to handle state criminal investigations and also the state highways traffic laws. It provides law enforcement in regions that do not have the county representation. The Federal agency is used for private investigation and has agencies oversees includes the Federal bureau of Investigation, Bureau of prisons among others and they are also not considered as the national police force. These are mainly used for investigative purposes like finding the allegations of Terrorist attacks and also used in maintaining law and order. The Community p olicing The community policing put in place in the development of the community regarding their issues. This was not adopted well as some thought that it was put in order for people to put up their personal issues. The community policing main impact is to assist each person in the different units. Its impact would be able to solve the community’s problems at a fundamental level making it easier for everyone instead of it being complicated at the higher level. The police were to interact with the community in which theorists and practitioners stated about the six big stakeholders the media being inclusive (International Association of Fire Chiefs, 2010). The citizens had complaints on the police practices in which the community wanted the police to be open and also be more transparent. They wanted transparency in accessing public entities like in the healthcare and education among others. This led to the formation of accrediting agencies like the Commission on Accreditation fo r law Enforcement Agencies which enabled the media to take part in the effective, ethical communications in the public and can be seen to lead to a better coordination among the people in the society. The Changing Media Media is one way of making everything being transparent and by the media being involved in the administrative works that is by the local, state and also federal, there will be a flow of activities and also crimes will be minimized. Corruption is experienced in different fields making it difficult for the laws to be reinforced from the fundamental units. This is because the administration units have a hierarchy from the local place where they are headed by the Sheriffs to the higher positions in the system. Law Enforcement in the Organizational culture Each and every place has a unique culture in its place of work depending on different law enforcement organizations. Some places are very strict in implementing law and order while other places the police administration is reluctant as their administrative power is not keen or is ignorant. From this we see that incidents like terrorists attack can be hard to change as it depends with different people with their own culture. It is difficult for people to adopting other cultures from what they used to and this policy will take time before it can be implemented fully by everyone. This can be seen by the federal law responded slowly to the methamphetamine epidemic as they had not experienced this

Compare and Contrast Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Compare and Contrast Research Methods - Essay Example To begin with, the prime reason for the development of increasingly complex research methods is to enhance their effectiveness regarding to their ability to predict human attitudes and behaviors (Malhotra, 2008). In order to establish the comparison between various research techniques, it is mandatory to define the key terms. Management Style Guide online (2008) explains Projective Techniques  as the methods of investigation developed by psychologists, which are unstructured and indirect. The aim is to uncover the projection of the subjects regarding the underlying motives of the researcher. It provides information about the intentions of participants which cannot be obtained by direct questioning owing to certain limitations e.g. inability of participants to figure out the issue themselves, resistance to reveal, etc. It is in fact a disguised-unstructured qualitative technique in which aim of the researcher is kept veiled from the subjects from which information is obtained (Steinman, 2009). Due to the same reasons, attitude surveys nowadays use the help of projective surveys and so do motivational studies and researches. Examples: Projective techniques are applicable in various fields of life, ranging from psychological and social all the way to business and marketing researches. Will et al (1996) as cited by Steinman (2009) demonstrates some of the uses of projective techniques when it comes to opening discussions are extremely useful in opening discussions or in socially sensitive issues which might not be successfully elucidated owing to social and cultural norms and to avoid embarrassment on part of the subject. In social research, these may include; In the field of business and consumer research, an example can be taken from the work of Donoghue (1998) who demonstrated the use of projective techniques with the purpose of revealing consumers’ hidden attitudes, feelings, beliefs and motives that are intimately associated

How does the Rule of St. Benedict schedule reflect the medieval world Essay

How does the Rule of St. Benedict schedule reflect the medieval world - Essay Example The medieval worldview revolved around a sense of community rather than individualism. Society was divided into three divisions: those who pray, those who work, and those who fight. These different groups of people had to work together to meet the community’s needs. The values of the medieval world reflected a focus on eternity rather than mortality, an economic structure that privileged land and traditions, and a focus on the community rather than the individual. Monasticism (from Greek ÃŽ ¼ÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ±Ãâ€¡ÃÅ'Ï‚, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone) is a religious way of life characterized by the practice of renouncing worldly pursuits to fully devote oneself to spiritual work (Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia). Monks would live in communities and live a life characterized by celibacy, poverty, and obedience. Monks would move into secluded areas, separating themselves from society in order to live as monks under the authority of an abbot. A monk’s daily life was divided into three parts: holy work, holy study, and holy prayer. Monks followed a very strict and rigorous schedule and were expected to do exactly as they were told without any hesitation, delay, grumbling, or complaint (St. Benedict of Nursia 3-4). Everyone living within the community would work together for one common purpose and goal. They all would do holy work, holy prayer, and holy study. Each individual in the monastery had to fulfill his orders and be obedient to make sure the community needs were met. The main value emphasized by monasticism was the priority of the community before the individual. All members of the community must work together to meet a common purpose as heirs of the kingdom of heaven. Monasticism deemphasizes the individual. All members of the religion share the common goal of dwelling in the tabernacle, so they must grow in religious life and faith. They shall learn to follow God’s commandments

Compare and Contrast Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Compare and Contrast Research Methods - Essay Example To begin with, the prime reason for the development of increasingly complex research methods is to enhance their effectiveness regarding to their ability to predict human attitudes and behaviors (Malhotra, 2008). In order to establish the comparison between various research techniques, it is mandatory to define the key terms. Management Style Guide online (2008) explains Projective Techniques  as the methods of investigation developed by psychologists, which are unstructured and indirect. The aim is to uncover the projection of the subjects regarding the underlying motives of the researcher. It provides information about the intentions of participants which cannot be obtained by direct questioning owing to certain limitations e.g. inability of participants to figure out the issue themselves, resistance to reveal, etc. It is in fact a disguised-unstructured qualitative technique in which aim of the researcher is kept veiled from the subjects from which information is obtained (Steinman, 2009). Due to the same reasons, attitude surveys nowadays use the help of projective surveys and so do motivational studies and researches. Examples: Projective techniques are applicable in various fields of life, ranging from psychological and social all the way to business and marketing researches. Will et al (1996) as cited by Steinman (2009) demonstrates some of the uses of projective techniques when it comes to opening discussions are extremely useful in opening discussions or in socially sensitive issues which might not be successfully elucidated owing to social and cultural norms and to avoid embarrassment on part of the subject. In social research, these may include; In the field of business and consumer research, an example can be taken from the work of Donoghue (1998) who demonstrated the use of projective techniques with the purpose of revealing consumers’ hidden attitudes, feelings, beliefs and motives that are intimately associated

Aam Road Safety Campaign Essay Example for Free

Aam Road Safety Campaign Essay In effort to decrease the number of road accidents during festive seasons, The National Road Safety Council (MKJR), launched its annual National Road Safety Campaign 2013 which was held on 4 February 2013 at the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS), Kuala Lumpur. In-conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration this year, the event was implemented by the Road Safety Department (JKJR) in partnership with huge names deriving from government agencies and key players of the automotive industry. YB Dato’ Seri Kong Cho Ha, Minister of Transportation, graced the event as the Guest-of-Honour to launch the campaign in a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The launching of the event campaign was also attended by the Chairman of the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM), YM Tunku Datuk Mudzaffar Tunku Mustapha, Treasurer of MKJR cum committee member of AAM, En. Ahmad Ismail Bin Haji Amin together with the AAM Chief Executive Officer, Madam Melinda Ngew. See more:Â  Perseverance essay The annual campaign aims to highlight the consequences of dangerous driving by creating awareness of safe driving habits, to ultimately reduce the number of accidents and casualties on the road and develop a safe driving culture. The Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) also played a vital role in making this annual road safety campaign a success by promoting road safety through the sponsoring of the AAM child-seat for the flag-off ceremony. Apart from the campaign launching ceremony, participating agencies and companies were also invited to set up their own booths and conduct their road safety campaign activities and promotions. AAM also took the chance to promote road safety, through road safety services products (AAM 3-in-1 torchlight the AAM compact fire-extinguisher). As a follow-up to make success the road safety campaign, several state level road safety campaigns were also held. The National Road Safety of Kuala Lumpur (MKJR WPKL), co-joint by the Road Safety Council of Kuala Lumpur (JKJR WPKL) extended the effort by organizing the Kuala Lumpur Road Safety Campaign 2013 at the Plaza Sg. Besi Toll, which also involved government agencies and huge automotive companies. Inspections were done by the Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalanraya (JPJ) to motorcyclists, which involves license checking and replacing new helmets for motorcyclists wearing old helmets, fully-sponsored by the Road Safety Department of Kuala Lumpur (JKJR WPKL) The Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM), also took part in the event campaign through the involvement of the committee member, En. Ahmad Ismail B. Haji Amin who also helped at giving away brand new helmets for the motorcyclists.

The Business Environment And Strategic Analysis Marketing Essay

The Business Environment And Strategic Analysis Marketing Essay ITC is one of Indias foremost private sector companies with a market capitalization of nearly US $ 19 billion and a turnover of over US $ 5 billion.* ITC is rated among the Worlds Best Big Companies, Asias Fab 50 and the Worlds Most Reputable Companies by Forbes magazine, among Indias Most Respected Companies by Business World and among Indias Most Valuable Companies by Business Today. ITC ranks among Indias `10 Most Valuable (Company) Brands. SWOT is an acronym used to describe the particular Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats that are strategic factors for a specific company. SWOT analysis should not only result in the identification of a companys distinctive competencies, the particular capabilities and resources that a firm possess but also in the identification of opportunities that the firm is currently able to take advantage of due to lack of appropriate resources. SWOT analysis is an analytical technique used in strategic management BCG MATRIX The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) reflects the companys portfolio of investments. Each of the companys product lines are plotted in a matrix according to its growth rate of the industry and its relative market share The BCG matrix results in four types of decisions they are Question marks, Stars, Cash Cows and Dogs. PEST ANALYSIS Pest term is used to describe macro environmental factors namely political (legal), economic, social and technological. It helps the firm in understanding market growth or decline, its market position, its potential and its direction PORTERS 5 FORCES MODEL Michael Porters famous Five Forces of Competitive Position model provides a simple perspective for assessing and analyzing the competitive strength and position of a corporation or business organization ITC- INTRODUCTION ITC is one of Indias foremost private sector companies with a market capitalization of over US $ 19 billion and a turnover of US $ 5 billion. Rated among the Worlds Best Big Companies, Asias Fab 50 and the Worlds Most Reputable Companies by Forbes magazine, among Indias Most Respected Companies by Business World and among Indias Most Valuable Companies by Business Today, ITC ranks third in pre-tax profit among Indias private sector corporations. As one of Indias most valuable and respected corporations, ITC is widely perceived to be dedicatedly nation-oriented. Chairman Y.C. Deveshwar calls this source of inspiration a commitment beyond the market. In his own words: ITC believes that its aspiration to create enduring value for the nation provides the motive force to sustain growing shareholder value. ITC practices this philosophy by not only driving each of its businesses towards international competitiveness but by also consciously contributing to enhancing the competitiveness of the larger value chain of which it is a part. HISTORY EVOLUTION The story of the Imperial Tobacco Company of India Ltd. extraordinarily though it may sound, starts long before the company was established, or even thought of. It starts not in India, but in the US. It was started by James Buchaman Duke in 1881. W. Duke Sons Company was doing a flourishing business around 1889 merged with other four players in the market and set up the American Tobacco Company ( ATC ). ATC looked at the British market along with Imperial Tobacco Company Ltd. floated a new company, the British American Tobacco Company Ltd.( BAT ) which was to handle trade outside USA and Britain. With India having centuries old tradition of tobacco, BAT looked into this market. ITC was incorporated on August 24, 1910 under the name of Imperial Tobacco Company of India Limited. Its beginnings were humble. A leased office on Radha Bazar Lane, Kolkata, was the centre of the Companys existence. The Company celebrated its 16th birthday on August 24, 1926, by purchasing the plot of land situated at 37, Chowringhee, (now renamed J.L. Nehru Road) Kolkata, for the sum of Rs 310,000. This decision of the Company was historic in more ways than one. It was to mark the beginning of a long and eventful journey into Indias future. The Companys headquarter building, Virginia House, which came up on that plot of land two years later, has become Kolkatas most venerated landmarks. The Companys ownership progressively indianised, and the name of the Company was changed to I.T.C. Limited in 1974. In recognition of the Companys multi-business portfolio encompassing a wide range of businesses Cigarettes Tobacco, Hotels, Information Technology, Packaging, Paperboards Specialty Papers, Agri-Exports, Foods, Lifestyle Retailing and Greeting Gifting Stationery the full stops in the Companys name were removed effective September 18, 2001. The Company now stands rechristened ITC Limited. ITC- MISSION STATEMENT An organizations mission is the purpose or reason for the organizations existence. it tells what the company is providing for the society. A well conceived mission statement defines the fundamental, unique purpose that sets the company apart from other firms of its type and identifies the scope of the companys operations in terms of product, services offered and market served. SUSTAIN ITCS AS ONE OF INDIAS MOST VALUABLE CORPORATIONS THROUGH WORLD CLASS PERFOMANCE, CREATING GROWING VALUE FOR THE INDIAN ECONOMY AND THE COMPANYS STAKEHOLDERS ITC-VISION A vision statement describes wat the organization would like to become in the future. It helps in creating a sense of direction for the company and its employees and leads them towards attaining the goals. TO ENHANCE THE WEALYH GENERATING CAPABILITY OF THE ENTERPRISE IN A GLOBALISING ENVIRONMENT DELIVERING SUPERIOR AND SUSTAINABLE STAKEHOLDER VALUE ITC LEADERSHIP- CORPORATE GOVERNANCE The governance framework determines whom the organization is there to serve and how the purposes and priorities of the organization should be decided. It is concerned with both the functioning of the organization and the distribution of power among different stake holders. Governance chain- the governance chain identifies all those groups that have a legitimate influence on the organizations purposes. There are likely to be several conflicts of interest both between different stake holder groups and for individual managers of directors as they try to balance these various interests. The role of the governing bodies- the primary statutory responsibility of the governing body of an organization is to ensure that the organization actually fulfills the wishes and purposes of the owners. THE ITC WAY ITC defines Corporate Governance as a systemic process by which companies are directed and controlled to enhance their wealth generating capacity. Since large corporations employ vast quantum of societal resources, ITC believes that the governance process should ensure that these companies are managed in a manner that meets stakeholders aspirations and societal expectations. ITC has won the National Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance 2006 from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. Leadership within ITC is exercised at three levels. The board of directors Corporate management committee Divisional management committee The Board of Directors at the apex, as trustee of shareholders, carries the responsibility for strategic supervision of the Company. The strategic management of the Company rests with the Corporate Management Committee comprising the whole time Directors and members drawn from senior management. The executive management of each business division is vested with the Divisional Management Committee (DMC), headed by the Chief Executive. Each DMC is responsible for and totally focused on the management of its assigned business. This three-tiered interlinked leadership process creates a wholesome balance between the need for focus and executive freedom, and the need for supervision and control. Since the commencement of the liberalization process, Indias economic scenario has begun to alter radically. Globalization will not only significantly heighten business risks, but will also compel Indian companies to adopt international norms of transparency and good governance. Equally, in the resu ltant competitive context, freedom of executive management and its ability to respond to the dynamics of a fast changing business environment will be the new success factors. ITCs governance policy recognizes the challenge of this new business reality in India. CORE PRINCIPLES ITCs Corporate Governance initiative is based on two core principles: Management must have the executive freedom to drive the enterprise forward without undue restraints This freedom of management should be exercised within a framework of effective accountability ITC believes that any meaningful policy on Corporate Governance must provide empowerment to the executive management of the Company, and simultaneously create a mechanism of checks and balances which ensures that the decision making powers vested in the executive management is not only not misused, but is used with care and responsibility to meet stakeholder aspirations and societal expectations. CORNERSTONES From the above definition and core principles of Corporate Governance emerge the cornerstones of ITCs governance philosophy, namely trusteeship, transparency, empowerment and accountability, control and ethical corporate citizenship. ITC believes that the practice of each of these leads to the creation of the right corporate culture in which the company is managed in a manner that fulfils the purpose of Corporate Governance. The governance structure of ITC, Strategic supervision by Board of Directors Strategic management by Corporate Management Committee Executive management by the Divisional Chief Executive assisted by the Divisional Management Committee The 3-tier governance structure thus ensures that: Strategic supervision (on behalf of the shareholders), being free from involvement in the task of strategic management of the Company, can be conducted by the Board with objectivity, thereby sharpening accountability of management. Strategic management of the Company, uncluttered by the day-to-day tasks of executive management, remains focused and energized. Executive management of the divisional business, free from collective strategic responsibilities for ITC as a whole, gets focused on enhancing the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of its business. CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Corporate social responsibility is the detailed issues on which an organization exceeds its minimum required obligations to stake holders. It has been noted that companies increased their awareness of and level of activity in some aspects of social responsibility but they seemed to limit their involvement to a relatively narrow range of issues. It was also indicated that most organizations failed to seek out best practice elsewhere and this they suggested, indicated that social responsibility considerations were not pursued as keenly as commercial activities. ITC believes that an effective growth strategy for our nation must address the needs of rural India, home to 75% of our poor. It is imperative to ensure that Indias economic growth is inclusive, embracing its villages, so as to free millions of our disadvantaged citizens from the indignity of poverty. It is ITCs belief that Indias rural transformation cannot be brought about by the government alone. Nor can the efforts of a few enterprises make a decisive difference. Only an inspired public-private partnership can transform lives and landscapes in rural India. ITCs humble endeavors have demonstrated that it is possible to create and sustain a model that can harmonize the need for shareholder value creation with making a substantial contribution to society. For ITC, these are expressions of a commitment beyond the market. Of a conviction that country must come before corporation of a true pride in being Citizen First. E-CHOUPAL The e-Choupal model has been specifically designed to tackle the challenges posed by the unique features of Indian agriculture, characterized by fragmented farms, weak infrastructure and the involvement of numerous intermediaries, among others. E-Choupal, launched in June 2000 unshackles the potential of Indian farmer who has been trapped in a vicious cycle of , Low risk taking ability Low investment Low productivity Weak market orientation Low value addition Low margin Low risk taking ability This made Indian farmers and Indian agribusiness sector globally uncompetitive, despiterich abundant natural resources. The Model in Action: Appreciating the imperative of intermediaries in the Indian context, e-Choupal leverages Information Technology to virtually cluster all the value chain participants, delivering the same benefits as vertical integration does in mature agricultural economies like the USA. With a judicious blend of click mortar capabilities, village internet kiosks managed by farmers called sanchalaks themselves, enable the agricultural community access ready information in their local language on the weather market prices, disseminate knowledge on scientific farm practices risk management, facilitate the sale of farm inputs (now with embedded knowledge) and purchase farm produce from the farmers doorsteps (decision making is now information-based). Real-time information and customized knowledge provided by e-Choupal enhance the ability of farmers to take decisions and align their farm output with market demand and secure quality productivity. The aggregation of the demand for farm inputs from individual farmers gives them access to high quality inputs from established and reputed manufacturers at fair prices. As a direct marketing channel, virtually linked to the mandi system for price discovery, e-Choupal eliminates wasteful intermediation and multiple handling. Thereby it significantly reduces transaction costs. e-Choupal ensures world-class quality in delivering all these goods services through several product / service specific partnerships with the leaders in the respective fields, in addition to ITCs own expertise. While the farmers benefit through enhanced farm productivity and higher farm gate prices, ITC benefits from the lower net cost of procurement (despite offering better prices to the farmer) having eliminated costs in the supply chain that do not add value. ITC has taken care to involve farmers in the designing and management of the entire e- Choupal initiative. The active participation of farmers in this rural initiative has created a sense of ownership in the project among the farmers. They see the e-Choupal as the new age cooperative for all practical purposes. This enthusiastic response from farmers has encouraged ITC to plan for the extension of the e-Choupal initiative to altogether 15 states across India over the next few years. On the anvil are plans to channelise other services related to micro-credit, health and education through the same e-Choupal infrastructure. CAUSE OF UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN ITC launched its notebooks brand Classmates, deliberately pricing itself 10-15 per cent higher than the competition, between Rs 10 and Rs 40. This ensured that it created an affordable-yet-aspirational image and also send a hidden message of being a superior product (60 gsm paper, bleached without using chlorine). Then, ITC focused on the design elements of notebooks: each Classmate notebook has a theme on the cover and related information inside. Then, the last two pages of the notebook have trivia and the back cover highlights the corporate social responsibility initiatives of the company Re 1 from each notebook sold is set aside for the cause of underprivileged children ITC supports 60,000 children in rural India. Providing uniforms and books, improving school buildings, adding electricity connections, lights and fans and running over 674 Supplementary Learning Centers, helping rural children aspire to a better tomorrow. This is one of the many ways in which ITC expresses its belief that country must come before corporation. WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS The need of the hour is to diversify rural livelihoods. Towards this end, ITC has forged an empowering partnership with rural women the most effective development workers. ITCs intervention leverages micro-credit and skills training to generate alternate employment opportunities. Increased income in the hands of rural women means better nutrition, health care and education for their children. Working with NGOs, ITC has organized village women into micro-credit groups. Group members make monthly contributions to create a savings corpus. The corpus is used to extend soft loans to group members, thereby eliminating the stranglehold of the moneylender. ITC provides training to group members to handle bank accounts and understand the nuances of government development programs. Empowered groups function autonomously and take their own decisions, including sanction of loans to fellow-members and collection of repayments. Well-managed micro- credit groups with no default records receive further support from ITC in the form of seed money for self-employment activities. Venture funds provided by ITC have already spawned hundreds of women entrepreneurs. Their earnings, ranging from Rs 70 to Rs 150 per day, not only supplement household incomes but also significantly enhance their self-esteem. ITC also conducts skills training to enhance employability. Pickle-making, fish- processing, vermicomposting, spice processing and agarbatti-rolling in rural areas and chikankari, garment-sewing, driving and computer-aided secretarial training in semi- urban areas are some of the examples. ITC goes a step further to help find employment for these trained women in areas related to its operations. This program is helping women across Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Through its various initiatives, ITC touches the lives of 4 million villagers and has proved that it is socially responsible ITC STRATEGIES ITCs diversified status originates from its corporate strategy aimed at creating multiple drivers of growth, anchored on its above mentioned time-tested core competencies. Over time, the strategic forays into new businesses are expected to garner a significant share of these emerging high-growth markets in India. CONGLOMERATE DIVERSIFICATION When the management feels that the firms outstanding capabilities or skills can be better utilized and transferred into other industries, though unrelated to the current one, the firm then adopts conglomerate diversification strategy. ITC has adopted Conglomerate (Unrelated) Diversification strategy and accordingly has entered into an array of business apart from its traditional tobacco industry that includes stationery, FMCG, branded apparel, agri-business and packaging and paperboards. STRATEGIC BUSINESS UNIT It is that part of the organization which is a cruicial unit for implementing its strategies. It is also that part which fetches largest revenues. In ITC, tobacco industry is its SBU, as it fetches largest revenue and is its first business which has given the conglomerate a national identity. Also it has empowered ITC with an excellent distribution network which is vital for its success. This network is shared by all other business units of ITC. BACKWARD INTEGRATION ITCs Packaging Printing Business Division was set up in 1925 as a strategic backward integration for ITCs Cigarettes business. It is today Indias most sophisticated packaging house. State-of-the-art technology, world-class quality and a highly skilled and dedicated team have combined to position ITC as the first-choice supplier of high value added packaging. ITCs Packaging Printing Business is the countrys largest convertor of paperboard into packaging. It converts over 35,000 tonnes of paper and paperboard per annum into a variety of value-added packaging solutions for the food beverage, personal products, cigarette, liquor, cellular phone and IT packaging industries. It has also entered the Flexibles and Corrugated Cartons business. The Division supplies value-added packaging to the Companys Cigarettes business. Its client list includes several well-known national and international companies like British American Tobacco, Surya Nepal Private Limited, VST Industries, , UB Group, Shaw Wallace, Seagrams, Allied Domecq, Whyte Mackay, Hindustan Lever, Tata Tetley and Nestle, Reckitt Benkiser India Limited, etc. STRATEGIC BUSINESS UNIT It is that part of the organization which is a cruicial unit for implementing its strategies. It is also that part which fetches largest revenues. In ITC, tobacco industry is its SBU, as it fetches largest revenue and is its first business which has given the conglomerate a national identity. Also it has empowered ITC with an excellent distribution network which is vital for its success. This network is shared by all other business units of ITC. FORWARD INTEGRATION ITC Limited, the tobacco-cum-hotels major which has been fast transforming itself into a FMCG company, is targeting students by customizing notebooks for schools under the Classmate brand name and this is a part of the companys diversification plans to foray into the other sectors. Classmate notebooks, a sub-brand of Expressions has been customized for schools and is available at retail stores across the country. For this purpose, ITC has entered into arrangements with 150 renowned ICSE schools across the country. A portion of the money coming from the sale of the notebooks would be contributed to some social. The division is targeting the revenue of 100 crore. The business division of ITC is primarily a forward integration of the companys paper manufacturing activity. With ITC having a state of the art paper manufacturing plant at Bhadrachalam in Andhra Pradesh the division has been using the high quality ECF paper for its notebook to make it more eco friendly. MARKETING STRATEGY The marketing logic by which business unit hopes to achieve its marketing objectives. PROMOTION STRATEGY Promotion strategy is the strategy used to communicate the merits of the products and to persuade the target customers to buy it. Wills Lifestyle offers a complete lifestyle wardrobe for the premium consumers incorporating the latest fashion trends. Their clothing is not only the latest in fashion but they also come out with clothing for different seasons. They are very active in promoting their products by conducting fashion shows in national and international levels and sponsoring many fashion shows like India Fashion Week etc. PUSH STRATEGY THE MYSTERY SHOPPER A push strategy involves pushing the product through distribution channels to the final consumer. The firm directs its marketing activities (primarily personal selling and trade promotions) towards channel members to induce them to carry the product and to promote it to final consumers. Companies spend a large amount of money on trade promotion in order to gain or hold shelf space in retail outlets. Trade promotion includes discounts, in-store special offers designed to push products through the distribution system. As a part of its promotional strategy, ITC put up posters in the kiranas and used the concept of mystery shopping in case of the tobacco industry. Promoters were sent to the kiranas in town to inform the kirana owners of the mystery shopper, who will visit them at any time, any day and ask for a cigarette. The shop owner has to offer him only an ITC brand cigarette first, even if he requests for another brand. If he insists on another brand, then the shop owner can give h im the requested brand. If he does so, he will be rewarded with gifts like lighters. He will then be qualified to enter into a lucky draw and if he becomes lucky will get a fan or radio set. Also a bumper prize comprising of a trip to Mumbai or Singapore was offered. ITC adopted this strategy to increase its sales and awareness and to gain favoritism from the kirana owners. In anticipation of the mystery shopper, the kirana owners kept offering ITC cigarettes to all customers first and only upon a request or insistence they sold the requested brand. This increased the awareness and sales, while the prizes gathered the favoritism of mystery shoppers. PULL STRATEGY The Pull strategy is where the producer directs its marketing activities (primarily advertising and consumer promotion) towards final consumers to induce them to buy the product. If the pull strategy is effective, consumers will then demand the product from channel members, who will in turn demand it from producers. Thus under a pull strategy, consumer demand pulls the product through the channels. The sunfeast Ready to Eat Pasta came into the market recently. They have been able to establish its presence with 6 per cent in volumes of the branded noodles market and they come number two behind MTR foods in the ready-to-eat market. This has been achieved by excessive advertising which pulls the products through the distribution channels. The strategy adopted is to spend more money on consumer advertising designed to build brand awareness so that shoppers will ask for the products. COMPETITIVE TACTICS PIONEER FIRST MOVER Timing tactic- The first company to manufacture and sell a new product or service is called first mover or pioneer. The advantage of being a first mover is that the company is able to establish a reputation as industry leader, gain cost leadership, and achieve high profits from buyers. The first mover can also set standards for all subsequent products. The first mover has sufficient resources to both exploit the new markets and defend its position against its late rivals. ITC-Welcomgroup pioneered a holistic concept of branded accommodation in the hospitality industry. It was the first to launch the powerful idea of a Hotel within a Hotel by segmenting and branding the hotel services. It created exclusives hotels and executive clubs each catering to the needs of the global business traveler with unmatched quality and a range of services. ITC-Welcomgroup was also the first to brand its cuisine. The Bukhara, the Dakshin and the Dum Pukht are today powerful cuisine brands, which delight connoisseurs in restaurants in several ITC-Welcomgroup hotels. LATE MOVER Late Movers are those who are able to imitate the technological advance of others, keep risks down by waiting until a new market is established and take advantage of the first movers inclination to ignore market segments. ITC entered the biscuit business very late when the two major players Britannia and Parle were busy biting of chunks of the national market among themselves, with a host of smaller brands in various regions. The strategy that the company followed was to find loopholes in the industry into which they can tap. Therefore before entering the segment, ITC dug into market research. Research revealed that the category had gaps which ITC could settle into. Findings revealed that consumers wished to taste new and innovative products. That was precisely what the competition had not done in a big way. ITC launched Sunfeast with six ranges. But it was a calculated risk. ITC stuck to category favorites like Glucose, Marie and Bourbon cream. Along with that, it also launched innovations such as orange-flavored Marie, Marie light and butterscotch-flavored cream biscuits. Sunfeast followed this up with the launch of Sunfeast Milky Magic. More recently, it also has launched the Sunfeast Snacky and Su nfeast In August 2003, a month after its launch, the company undertook a major sampling exercise to promote the product. For two years then, the brand did all the usual rounds riding behind buses, blocking television spots, booking that corner space in your favorite newspaper and so on. Well differentiated advertisements, some which showed a complete cream world with cream rivers, cream mountains and cream trees, were targeted at kids watching cartoon channels. At the same time, on general entertainment channels, mothers received information on the importance of glucose, the wholeness of wheat and so on. Also, the company tied up with Bey Blades, the popular television series that was a rage among children, to promote itself. PRICING MODEL TWO PRONGED STRATEGY The biscuits industry is very competitive and the players fight for market shares. One way of gaining market share is by pricing the products attractively. The industry now has two clear models. Parle products play the low price game at all varieties of biscuits from glucose to cream. Sunfeast looks at a two-pronged strategy where it looks for high margins in cream variants and volumes from the Marie and Glucose segments. It does this as it cannot expect volumes of sales in the cream variant business and so they have a higher margin of profit. In the marie and glucose segment there is heavy competition and the biscuits hardly have any differentiation like the cream biscuit market and the consumers dont pay extra if there is no innovation in the product, so they look for having a lower margin of profit and more volume of sales. The strategy adopted by them is very profitable for the company. FUNCTIONAL STRATEGY Outsourcing is purchasing from someone else a product or service instead of provided it internally. The key to outsourcing is to purchase from outside only those activities that are key to the companys distinctive competencies. ITCs agarbatti SBU and Cottage Industries, Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, which makes the Spriha brand of handmade incense sticks have a strategic tie-up The agarbatti SBU, which recently launched the Mangal Deep range of agarbattis through 100 per cent outsourcing from the small, medium and cottage sector, has launched an assorted Spriha gift pack product. The gift packs, designed and developed in-house by ITC and specially created (with handpicked materials) by Cottage Industries, Aurobindo Ashram, will be in two sizes, and will contain items like high quality incense sticks in two fragrances, a perfumed designer candle, a collection of choice dhoops and a handy ceramic agarbatti/dhoop holder (all hand-made) in a compact box pack. Priced at Rs 100 and Rs 150 (two sizes), the gift packs have been launched in Bangalore as part of a test marketing exercise through outlets stocking ITCs Greetings Cards (Expressions). Planned as a stand-alone gift item, especially for festive occasions, the plan is to utilize the available in-house greeting cards distribution channel to position the product, and gradually scale up visibility at various gift shops through a national roll-out. Cottage Industries, Pondicherry, produces half-a-million packs of handmade Spriha agarbattis per month for ITC under a contractual agreement. ITC follows strict quality parameters in all its sectors and in this sector has expressly stated that it will buy from any cottage industry that agrees to adhere to their quality standards. GROWTH STRATEGIES Growth strategies are defined to achieve growth in sales, assets profits or

Meaning Of The Word Nigger Essay -- essays research papers

The Meaning of the Word â€Å"Nigger†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I can recall the first time I paid close attention to the word nigger. In junior high a school fight would occur about every week and of course the whole school would gather together and watch. Well this particular fight sticks out in my mind because it was between two boys of different races, Hispanic and black. During their conflict the Hispanic boy bluntly called the black boy a nigger, and that was when the rest of the black students became verbally involved. I remember screaming out â€Å" who do you think you are calling him that?† If the white, Hispanic, or any other race calls us a nigger, we as black people become hostile. Now that I have put more thought into that incident, I ask myself who do we think we are calling ea...

Hepatitis C Essay -- essays research papers fc

My uncle was not the only person to become infected with the hepatitis C virus, but in fact many people are presently struggling to keep it under control. Today four million Americans are infected with the hepatitis C virus and there are thirty thousand new cases of this virus found each year (Turkington 9). Hepatitis C takes ten thousand lives each year just in the United States, and without effective treatment the death rate is expected to triple in the next fifteen years (Turkington 9). Seventy-five percent of those infected with the virus will develop chronic hepatitis and half of those people will develop cirrhosis of the liver (Turkington 9). The hepatitis C virus is sometimes referred to as the â€Å"Hidden Epidemic† because an estimated four million people are infected with it and symptoms may not show until twenty years later (Grady). It is also the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States (Bushie). This virus affects so many people and we should a ll learn and study more about it to hasten its spread. Hepatitis is a rather new virus to the science world, but it has been around for a very long time. Before scientists knew about hepatitis C, they had discovered A and B types, so when they found C they called it non-A non-B (Turkington 5). The virus was discovered in 1987, but not until after 1990 was blood tested for hepatitis, causing many people to receive and contract the virus (Turkington 5). Hepatitis is thought to have originated in the Far East because of the diversity and number of people infected in that location (Turkington 6). Strains of hepatitis are found in Thailand, which has led researchers to believe it mutated in Asia to form all its genotypes (Turkington 6). There are five types of the hepatitis virus and they are A, B, C, D, and E (Hoofnagle). Hepatitis C is caused by a single-stranded virus with a core of ribonucleic acid (Turkington 10). Hepatitis C has so many genotypes that the virus cannot be detected by the immune system (Turkington 11). It has six separate genotypes and each genotype has three to four subtypes (Turkington 11). Every genotype of the virus is restricted to different regions of the world (Turkington 11). The most common genotypes of hepatitis C in North America are the 1a and 1b genotypes (Turkington 11). The genotype 1b is the most severe form of the hepatitis C virus because it is the most ag... ...rld Book Online. 1999. 10 April 2001 <<a href="http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/253280">http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/253280>. Grady, Denise. â€Å"Hepatitis C: How Widespread a Threat?† New York Times 15 December 1998: F1. New York Times Ondisk. CD-ROM. UMI-ProQuest. 1998-2001. Hoofnagle, Jay. â€Å"Hepatitis.† World Book Online. 1999. 10 April 2001 <<a href="http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/253280">http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/253280>. Lieber, Charles. â€Å"Diseases of the Liver.† World Book Online. 1998. 10 April 2001 <<a href="http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/327240">http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/327240>. McCarthy, Rose. Personal Interview. 16 April 2001. McCarthy Susan. Personal Interview. 16 April 2001. Pelis, Neal. â€Å"Interferon.† World Book Online. 2000. 10 April 2001 <<a href="http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/278440">http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/278440>. Turkington, Carol. Hepatitis C: The Silent Killer. Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1998.