Strategic Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Strategic Marketing - Case Study Example It is a democratic country which ensures that the tourism industry enjoys stability and hence the hotel industry will also get benefitted. India has a specific ministry called tourism ministry which formulates strategies to enhance the tourism sector in India. Indian government charges huge amount of taxes from the luxury hotels which will have a huge impact as political scenario changes. The hotel industry in India gets good incentives and the respective state governments also supports development of such hotels and their growth. Though the terrorist attacks on Taj Hotels and Oberoi hotel have led to drop in foreign travellers, Indian government is taking steps to allay such fears (Kachwala and Mukherjee, 2009, p. 158). Economic Factors India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world with the GDP growing almost 4 to 5 % where the rest of the world economies are slowing down. Hence many business meetings and conferences are held in India and the hotel industry tries to cap italize on that. It is seen that many foreign tourist travellers are now willing to spend money to get their value for it. As economy of India is increasing at a good pace, it signifies investments in infrastructure, construction of new avenues for tourist, increase in promotional expenditure, beautification of the cities and towns etc. These give a boost to the hotel industry. With high growth in GDP and a sound financial system, the hotel industry has grabbed the chance of enhancing their profitability (Anand, 1976, p. 43). Socio-Cultural India being a diverse nation has diverse languages, traditions, cultures, cuisines; making it an ideal destination for cultural tourism. India has more 22 languages recognized by constitution and 1600 dialects. Hence cultural tourism in India will rise and so will the growth of the hotel industry. According to Indian culture they always treat guest as God. In Sanskrit there is a popular Shloka â€Å"ATHITHI DEVO BAHVAH†. It gestures the lo ve for their guest that exist in India. Foreigners love this concept and are pleased with the love they get in travelling to India. This also enhances the Hotel Industry (Briggs, 2001, p. 49). Technological In today’s globalised world Information technology plays a critical role in tourism planning and implementation. There are web based platform like makemytrip.com, yatra.com in India which provides tourist booking hotels online. Most of the luxury hotels are now Wi-Fi enabled. More technology means less manpower and chance of lesser complaints. This shows enhancement of the Hotel Industry In India transportation system is not as per the international standard. For any nation to be successful in tourism industry it must be equipped with efficient transportation system which is capable of carrying large volumes of people in a cost efficient way. India is lagging behind in this front. If this improves a foreigner can easily find such luxury hotels and travel there comfortably (Kannan, 2005, p. 39). Environmental In India the environmental forces supports the Hotel Industry in India. Environmental forces like growth of GDP, Political stability in India supports the Hotel industry in India. Legal Indian Legal system is very strong and it doesn’t support any flouting of rules like keeping emergency services ready, keeping the appropriate records of the foreign visitors, paying of appropriate taxes etc. Such

The collapse of HIH (Australian Insurance company) Essay

The collapse of HIH (Australian Insurance company) - Essay Example Moreover, analysts were concerned with the increase in the capital adequacy requirements in favor of the insurers. It was basically a proposal by Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) in 2000. (A Chronology of Key Events, n.d) This was followed by selling part of domestic business to German based Allianz at about $500 million. The same year also saw the tumbling of share prices reaching to the lowest ever. Markets blamed the Allianz deal. The following year saw the most heartening part of HIH as it estimated $800 million loss and enters into a position of provisional liquidation. Both Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) and Royal Commission after analyzing the documents finally forced the company to close down its operations which marked the collapse of one of the biggest corporate ruins in Australia. (Kehl, 2001) Many would opine the fact that the sudden demise of such a huge insurer firm is generally due to its aggressive business strategies. It has moved on to acquire FAI and within a year or two it has again made a move to sell off its part of business to Allianz. Also another most remarkable part of the story is regarding its subsidiaries. The company recorded to have more than 200 subsidiaries world-wide. This extensive creation of subsidiaries has affected the business as a whole. With such expansion policies and an average of 26% a year of growth, the company struggled hard to find its way through as the market was experiencing enough competition especially from its overseas operations in UK and US. (HIH Insurance, 2001) Even one of the prime liquidators of HIH, Mr. McGrath also opined that the FAI Insurances were of no value when HIH bided for $295 million. (Sexton, 2009) The main motive that is to be considered in acquiring FAI Insurance by HIH was to make a significant mark in the Australian insurance industry. Therefore in 1995 the

Literature Review Of Greenhouse Farming Technology Environmental Sciences Essay

Literature Review Of Greenhouse Farming Technology Environmental Sciences Essay This chapter presents a review of the literature on the topic of challenges faced when introducing greenhouse farming technology for agriculture. The chapter is structured on the basis of the research questions: Awareness of the product and its advantages to the farmers, challenges faced by farmers, legal issues surrounding this new technology and challenges faced by the firm introducing this new technology. Information is the key to making sound decisions. Some farmers are unaware of the availability of a suitable machine, tool, or implement that could aid in their usually tedious work. They might be secluded from the technology by natural barriers and sociopolitical boundaries, Paras et al. (2005). He goes on further to say sadly enough, some farmers are even lackadaisical and seemingly uninterested in mechanization. According to Weiderhold (2007), Industry is rarely ready to accept an innovation when it first presented. There are many reasons for lack of acceptance: the two major ones he cites are: The innovation is not understood by industry because, as a byproduct of the innovation new terms have been defined. The innovation is understood or at least understandable, but there are no resources at that time to try to develop and market the innovation According to Hammond et al (2005) the major barriers to improving food and nutrition security include issues dealing with farming practices, farmers ignorance of sustainable actions to take, and variations in the weather. Over-cropping takes place, which leaves the land choked, degraded, and often infertile. Farmers often grow the wrong crops in the wrong places causing low rates of crop growth and problems with soil degradation. Droughts cause problems because virtually none of the small subsistence farms have other ways of irrigating crops other than the rain. Also, in some areas, nonstop rain drowns fields and farms. Erosion has carried away much of Kenyas fertile topsoil. Searles (2007) states that a subsistence farmer in Kenya, which is the main target market for the greenhouses, cannot produce crops on a large scale if he does not know how to do so. It is hard to prevent problems such as soil erosion and degradation without knowing what to do to stop it. One also cannot eat enough if they do not know how much enough is or other things such as what foods provide how much energy. Also, one cannot eat enough nutritious foods if one does not know what foods are high in certain needed nutrients. There is also the problem of sheer lack of enough food. If a family farm was educated on how to grow enough food to eat as well as sell they would have enough income in order to meet their needs by purchasing food and other things. She also stresses that there has been little effort towards education of the family farmers. In the cities there are resources available in order to educate a farmer but it is not accessible to many rural citizens. There has been no centralized effort to educate the majority of farmers on sustainable development issues. 2.2.2 Limited-Resource Farmers According to the UNDAF (2008) Poverty, especially income poverty, remains one of the most formidable challenges for Kenyans today. Over 45% of Kenyas population still lives in poverty, with some 12.6 million of the estimated 33 million population living below the poverty line of less than one dollar a day. Rural communities, especially those in ASAL (Arid and Semi Arid Lands) areas and those in informal urban settlements, are the most affected. Most of the rural poor in Kenya (75% of poor households) depend on agriculture for their livelihoods (United Nations Development Assistance Framework [UNDAF], 2008) Each farm is fairly small, producing enough food to feed the family and some to sell. There are main crops grown in larger fields while smaller fields exist to grow smaller amounts but larger varieties of foods for the family to eat. Only 17% of Kenyas consumed food is imported to the country and that is mostly for the upper class citizens. With 64% of the people living in rural areas, and 80% of these practicing subsistence farming or cattle herding, the situation of food insecurity is severe. The people living in the urban areas are those that raise the general standards per capita with wage income and calorie consumption. Those in the rural areas, in general, receive less than the average of the per capita measurements. This means that nearly 52% of the population does not earn enough money, eat a well-balanced diet, or receive enough calories. Each person in the country is falling about 115 calories short of the average requirement human beings each day. The average income of each person is very low on the global scale and does not provide for many needed or very helpful supplies in the home or food wise. The poor in Kenya also receive less protein and other nutrients needed for good health. 2.2.3 Reluctance, Resistance to Change and Risk Aversion Experience indicates that Kenyan farmers are generally reluctant to changes in their farming activities for this is their way of life. They have the wait-and-see attitude. Although many farmers are very much open to new ideas and technology, there are more farmers who would first want to see a working model or system before they follow the lead states the Kenya-Advisor (2009). Like any new technology, greenhouse technology faces some of the same market problems as other innovations where few people would be willing to try out a new product. We can use the Rogers adoption model to better understand this concept. According to Popelka, Terryn, et al. (2004) the technology adoption lifecycle model describes the adoption or acceptance of a new product or innovation, according to the demographic and psychological characteristics of defined adopter groups. The process of adoption over time is typically illustrated as a classical normal distribution or bell curve. The model indicates that the first group of people to use a new product is called innovators, followed by early adopters. Next come the early and late majority, and the last group to eventually adopt a product are called laggards. According to Knowler, B. Bradshaw (2007) we can see from the model that most people (68%), fall under early majority or late majority, meaning that most people would be unwilling to try out new innovative products such as greenhouse farming because they are uncertain of its success. Diagram according to Knowler, B. Bradshaw (2007). 2.2.4 Lack of Training from Extension Personnel Extension is the battlefront of technology transfer. The people involved in extension must not only be technically updated but must also possess good management and interpersonal skills. With so much on their shoulders, most of them might be lacking the capability to integrate the greenhouse technology into the total farming system. According to Wilson, T.A., (2005) Efforts have been made in Kenya to improve on the policy framework for extension services. In this regard a National Agricultural Sector Extension Policy (NASEP) has been formulated and aims at giving extension a sector-wide dimension and representation to take over from the current National Agriculture Extension Policy (NAEP). It is also to guide and regulate the provision of agricultural extension service in the country. Currently, the NASEP implementation framework is being prepared. 2.2.5 Lack of Education According to the nation encyclopedia (2009) Seventy-four percent of children in Kenya attend primary school, but only 24% move on to secondary school. Kenya has an 82% literacy rate. Children of impoverished subsistence farms often do not attend school due to the necessity of their help on the farms. The more money a family has the higher likelihood the children will attend school. There are public schools in both urban and rural areas for the children to attend. There are fewer schools in rural areas than in urban and many in the rural areas are not the highest quality. 64% of the population is located in rural areas. Rural poor are at a great disadvantage to receiving education. They have little money to find needed resources for knowledge and live far from cities where that knowledge would be available. Urban poor are at a disadvantage, but much less than rural, because they are near the information. The poor also cannot afford to spread the knowledge to other farmers and cannot afford to attend college which would give adequate information on sustainable development. Even some in urban areas may have no access to information about sustainable practices because there are no libraries or institutions of higher learning in the cities. There is more education for subsistence farmers occurring in Kenya, but not on a large scale. According to John Makeni (2009) Kenyans have been offered education on expansion of horticulture and access to credit and business services by USAID, which has led to a small increase in rural incomes. USAID has also trained 6,350 teachers in the Northeastern and Coast Provinces in order to educate children in public schools in those areas, which will give the young a base of information to draw from. This may help with sustainable development in the future. USAID is helping communities manage their resources in more sustainable ways. The program set up by USAID focuses on community-based wildlife management, forestry and environmental management, and coastal zone management. 770,000 hectares of land are being put under improved management, $652,000 U.S. dollars in revenues from nature-based businesses has been earned, and 1,200 new jobs have been created to deal with the many issues. Parliament has enacted an environmental bill and is working on a land policy review process and fore stry and wildlife bill. 2.3 Government The greenhouse farming technology for agriculture is relatively new in Kenya and there is very little if any legislation available. This section of the paper will therefore review legislation from countries that have laws on greenhouses and their impact on the adoption of the greenhouse technology in those countries. 2.3.1 Role of Government in Agricultural Technology transfer Agricultural technologies and knowledge have, until recently, largely been created and disseminated by public institutions. But over the past two decades, biotechnology for agricultural production has developed rapidly, and the world economy has become more globalised and liberalised. This has boosted private investment in agricultural research and technology, exposing agriculture in developing countries to international markets and the influence of multinational corporations. But the public sector still has a role to play, particularly in managing the new knowledge, supporting research to fill any remaining gaps, promoting and regulating private companies, and ensuring their effects on the environment are adequately assessed. According to P. Marenya, C. Barret (2007) Since the end of World War II, the public sector of developed countries has helped transfer agricultural technologies to developing countries. During this period, most developing countries in Latin America and Africa, as well as some countries in Asia (like India and Thailand), have depended heavily on agricultural production to support their economies. So general development activities were often aimed at modernising the agricultural sector. Still P. Marenya (2007) continues that, since the late 1970s, all this has changed. Technologies have become embodied in physical products, like farm machinery or agrochemicals. Exponential growth in such industries has led to a rapid expansion of private firms that create, manufacture and sell technology. Private firms have also seen opportunities to profit by using complex seed improvement research to create and then distribute new crop hybrids. And so, the role of the public sector has also had to change. 2.3.2 Early technology transfer in agriculture: a public sector activity According to C. Doss (2006) After World War II, the United States began a number of initiatives to build up agricultural science in developing countries and help transfer technology. US universities offered training programmes, for example through scholarships for international students, managed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA, the US Agency for International Development and some of the major US foundations, like Ford and Rockefeller, also supported university libraries in developing countries to help scientists access new research. Many of these activities had enormous effects in the developing world. For example, a Ford Foundation programme in Argentina supported close to 40 PhD students, creating a cadre of professionals in the country and consolidating agricultural economic analysis in local institutions like the National Institute for Agricultural Technology. According to J. Oehmke, E. Crawford (1993) In the early 1960s, the International Rice Research Institute and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) were formed in the Philippines and Mexico respectively. These two centres evolved into a network of independent research institutions in Columbia, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, Peru, Syria and the United States. In 1971, the association of donors that supported the research centres became the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and the 15 institutions that exist today are known as the Future Harvest Agricultural Research Centres. Piniero (2005) states that, developing countries created National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) to do applied research. In Latin America, all countries, with the exception of El Salvador and Paraguay, have such an organisation. There are also similar organisations in Kenya and Uganda in Africa, and India and Pakistan in Asia. Evenson and Gollin (2003) International research centres developed technologies for major global food crops such as rice, wheat, corn, cassava, potatoes, millets and beans. National research institutes used applied research to adjust these technologies to fit relevant ecological and production conditions. The national and international centres worked closely together, sharing training and frequently involving scientists from both sides in visits and seminars. National centres then provided advice and counselling to local farmers, diffusing the new knowledge into the countrys production system. This system worked especially well for disseminating improved crops and new production techniques. For example, plant breeding work at CIMMYT developed a new family of wheat varieties in the early 1970s that were being used by more than 80 per cent of all wheat areas by the late 1990s, Evenson and Gollin (2003). And the research institutes set up during the 1960s and 1970s in the developing world were largely responsible for substantially increasing yields. For example, global cereal yields doubled between 1960 and 1985, Conway (1997). Technology is still transferred to developing countries this way, but recently, public funding for agricultural research has diminished, and science has grown more complex. 2.3.3 A changing role for the public sector According to I. Tzouramani, K Mattas (2004) Over the last two decades, advances in sciences like molecular genetics have enabled rapid development of biotechnology for agricultural production. Meanwhile, economic globalisation and trade liberalisation has increasingly exposed agriculture in developing countries to international markets and multinational corporations. Technologies that exist as marketable products, like seeds, agrochemicals and agricultural machinery, have grown quickly. James (2004) noted that this in turn, fuelled private investment in agricultural research and technology, particularly by international corporations that benefit from economies of scale, and have access to world markets. But research activities in the private sector have limited scope. For example, private research into seed improvement concentrates on just a few crops, like corn and soybeans, that are grown in temperate regions. Such specialisation is even greater in biotechnology, where over 70 per cent of the land planted with transgenic breeds grows just four crops soybeans, corn, canola and cotton, James (2004). Because of this narrow focus, the private sector usually disseminates its advances to developing countries that practise commercial agriculture in temperate climates and have relatively large markets. Small-scale farmers in developing countries still largely rely on the public sector for technology transfer, especially if they cultivate crops that dont interest private f irms. According to H. Zavale (2006) Public institutions are slowly adapting to these new circumstances by redefining their positions and priorities. CGIAR has emphasised its role in developing and transferring technologies that are adapted to small and poorer farms. The organisation is also beginning to consider work on non-food crops. Similarly, national research institutions, like the National Institute for Agricultural Technology in Argentina and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, are concentrating on crops and ecological conditions relevant to small farms. They also research techniques that complement private sector developments, for example by developing production systems and conservation methods that make using new technological products (such as agrochemicals, farm machinery and improved crops) more efficient. 2.3.4 A new way to approach technology transfer According to Thirtle. Et al (2003), The new economic and scientific context requires a new, more complex, model for transferring technology. The evolving model has four main components: knowledge management, gap filling research, promotion and regulation of the private sector, and environmental impact analysis (see Figure 1). Figure 1. A multidimensional model of agricultural technology transfer for the public sector 2.3.4.1 Knowledge management According to D. Scharfstein, C.F. Manski, J. Anthony (2004), The public sector continues to be largely responsible for knowledge management that is, articulating national needs, matching them to scientific opportunities, mobilising available technology, and adjusting them to farmers needs. NARIs and universities undertake this role in many developing countries. They help develop both new and orphan crops, promote successful agriculture in poor ecological conditions and tackle small-scale technological problems, none of which greatly interest the private sector. Such work accounts for much of the research done by local institutions, and needs to be strengthened. Local institutions should provide incentives for their staff to collaborate with international researchers and seek synergies with research done elsewhere. In many ways the CGIAR centres are important in helping integrate local efforts with the knowledge available worldwide. 2.3.4.2 Gap-filling research According to R. Deheija, S. Wahba (2002), National public research institutions also have a major responsibility for research in areas ignored by the private sector. This gap filling research is particularly relevant to technologies that are not embodied in physical products for example, forage management, animal health, soil management and conservation and irrigation practices. Elbehri, A. and S. Macdonald (2004) further support this point stating that Public research into agriculture in developing countries represents about a quarter of worldwide expenditure in agricultural research. But it needs to be managed effectively if it is to produce high quality research to complement internationally available technologies and help developing countries acquire and use them. Some countries, like Brazil, China, India and Vietnam, have already taken action, using careful planning and working with research institutions in developed countries research institutions to help focus research. 2.3.4.3 Promoting and regulating the private sector According to Sankula (2006), The public sector should also both promote private investment and regulate private companies. Several policies can help encourage the private sector to invest in technologies that are relevant to farmers in developing countries. First, adequate intellectual property rights legislation can be put in place. This allows private companies to protect profits from their research, helping attract investors and promoting research. Second, tax and credit facilities can provide indirect economic incentives to investment. Third, setting up frameworks for turning new technologies, like seeds or agrochemicals, into commercial realities for example consistent biosafety regulations, royalty agreements, profit sharing and reinvestment can be used to encourage interactions between private firms and public institutions, supporting joint activities and, thereby, encouraging technology transfer. 2.3.4.4 Environmental impact analyses According to Young, B. G (2006), policymakers must consider the environmental consequences of agricultural research. New agricultural technologies often use natural resources intensively, potentially damaging the environment, for example through land degradation or water contamination. This is especially true if the new technology is imported without being tested in local conditions. According to Wilson, T.A., M.E.. Rice, et al. (2005) Genetically modified crops are a good example. Developing countries like Argentina largely rely on industrialised nations to provide genetically modified breeds. Close to 90 per cent of Argentinas soybean crop is transgenic, and this has proved highly profitable in the past ten years. But the full environmental effects of expanding to marginal areas, displacing other crops and livestock, and using crop rotations are still unknown. Policymakers can help by developing regulatory measures, like mandatory environmental impact assessments, to minimise potential environmental damage and to protect consumers. 2.3.5 Protection of Patents and other Rights The issue of Farmers rights has brought concerns within the seed industry, farmer communities and policy makers especially in Africa. Organisations such as The African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) recognize the contribution of farmer communities to the conservation and the improvement of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. They balance the important role of the African seed industry in maintaining and improving crop yields through continuous crop breeding to create superior varieties, which benefit farmers and to which they have access stated Bouis, H.E., B.M. Chassy et al. (2003). They support access to genetic resources for breeding purposes by all breeders i.e. farmers themselves, public research institutes and seed companies and is not in favor of any regulations that prevent them from sustainably exploiting available plant genetic resources to add value to their crops. According to UPOV articles (1991), In addition, breeders need to get a reasonable return on their investment in plant breeding so that they can continue developing novel products. Free use of farm-saved seed undermines this principle and would lead to less breeding efforts and eventually prevent the release of new varieties to the detriment of farmers and agricultural development as a whole.In Africa, lack of public and private investment in plant breeding has led to a shortage of improved varieties limiting the choice of farmers. To give incentives to breeders, there is need to protect new varieties using intellectual property rights as provided for under the UPOV 1991 Convention. This Convention gives adequate protection against inappropriate use of protected varieties while having provisions for free access and use for further breeding purposes i.e. breeders exemption and the compulsory exception of acts done privately for non-commercial purposes (Article 15 (1) of UPOV 1991 Convention) allowing African subsistence farmers to save and use seed from their own harvests, specifically for their own use. As stipulated in article 9 (3) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (IT PGRFA), this right is subject to the national law in force in a given country where such acts may be prohibited or subject to specific requirements and/or limitations i.e. the right is not unconditional for farmers and the Article 9 does not intend to limit any rights granted to them at national level. Under the UPOV 1991 Convention, national laws may allow farmers to replant on their own farm the seed produced on that same farm without the consent of the breeder of the protected variety. This exception however must remain within reasonable limits and is subject to the safeguarding of the legitimate interests of the breeder (Article 15(2) of UPOV 1991 Convention). This optional exception to Plant Breeders Rights should be limited to food and feed crops where farm-saved seed has been used traditionally and subject to the obligation that farmers provide information concerning the use to the breeder and to the payment of an equitable remuneration. However, this UPOV Convention has a provision that allows the free use of farm-saved seed of a protected variety for non commercial purposes by African subsistence farmers. It is very important that governments and all seed stakeholders make efforts in Africa to promote the development of more improved varieties with a view to addressing the needs of the diversified agro-ecological zones of the continent, which is widely ignored by the rest of the world, through effective protection of new plant varieties with clear mechanism of royalty collection for the breeders. 2.4 Firm Introducing the Technology 2.4.1 Training for Farmers Provision of training to small scale farmers is especially difficult due to their low levels of education. 2.4.2 Appropriate distribution channels Kenya has a wide geographical area where farming is done and so it is therefore difficult for one firm to serve the needs of these customers all over Kenya. Appropriate distributors and distributor channels therefore need to be identified to ensure that the technology is available to farmers all over the country. According to Kotler (2000) Distribution (also known as the place variable in the marketing mix, or the 4 Ps) involves getting the product from the manufacturer to the ultimate consumer. Distribution is often a much underestimated factor in marketing. The problem is that retailers may not be willing to devote shelf-space to new products. Retailers would often rather use that shelf-space for existing products have that proven records of selling. This would therefore be a disadvantage to the firm introducing the greenhouse technology since it is new and untested in the Kenyan market. 2.4.2.1 Manufacturer Distribution Preferences According to Savadogo, Reardon and Pietol (1998), Most manufacturers would prefer to have their products distributed widelythat is, for the products to be available in as many stores as possible. This is especially the case for convenience products where the customer has little motivation to go to a less convenient retail outlet to get his or her preferred brand. Soft drinks would be an extreme example here. The vast majority of people would settle for their less preferred brand in a vending machine rather than going elsewhere to get their top choice. This is one reason why being a small share brand in certain 2.4.3 Sample Farms The firm may need to create sample farms since farmers have a way of convincing other farmers to adopt a technology that they have successfully and profitably utilized. This is the basis for the model farmer, model farm strategy. However, this is double-edged; a bad experience by a farmer regarding a certain technology could spread like wildfire and could create reluctance rather than acceptance. However, a sustainable working system being used by a farmer cooperator would enhance receptivity to the greenhouse technology. 2.4.4 Revitalizing Government Policies According to Paras et al, (2005), Reviewing the policies on tax regarding the importation of agricultural machinery and parts (engines, pumps, sprayers, etc.), and all other materials and equipment for the manufacture of agricultural machinery would have a large effect on mechanization. At the same time, the government should try to make arrangements for companies to manufacture the greenhouse materials and parts locally. This in effect would also bring down the cost of greenhouses in the market. 2.4.5 Inability of Farmers to pay for Products As stated earlier, many of the small scale farmers in Kenya are unable to adopt this new method of farming due to the high initial cost of installation. This means that companies that sell these products do not have enough clients to sell their products to. However, some companies such as Amiran in Kenya are now entering into partnerships with financial institutions such as Equity bank to bridge this gap. A copy of the agreement is attached in the appendix. 2.5 Chapter Summary This chapter aims to review the relevant literature in relation to the research questions presented in this study. It identifies the barriers that exist in introducing the greenhouse farming technology from the farmers point of view, the governments role and from the view of the firm introducing this product. Subsequent chapters will try to provide the challenges from a Kenyan perspective from actual farmers and business people.

Home Computer Network :: essays research papers

Have you ever needed to have more than one home computer for you and your family? Do you have two or more computers, but need to copy and/or share files and/or programs between them, but you don’t know how? Do all of your computers need Internet access, but you don’t want to have a phone line installed for each of them? Well, you can do all of this. I know, because this is what I did at my home. After doing research I found that there are several advantages for having your own Home Computer Network. Following, are several reasons to do this in your house. First, by having an in-home computer network, and a file server, you can have a central location for storing all of your information. So, if you need more than one computer to access certain information, such as fonts, financial files, games, etc., you can do this through the network. This also eliminates the need for copying files to floppy diskettes, hand-carrying them to the other computers, and copying the files one-floppy-at-a-time to each, individual computer. This would be a very slow process, compared to a fast network speed. Additionally, if one computer on your network crashes, you can move to another computer and continue your work. So, if you use your network and file server effectively, you can have a high degree of reliability, security, and efficiency. Second, an in-home computer network can allow you to have only one Internet connection while giving Internet access to all computers on your network. This is very important if you only have one phone line. If you were to add an additional phone line for each computer you wanted to be connected to the Internet, well, let’s just say that this would be a costly alternative. By using your file server on your network, as a PROXY server, you can just use one phone line to connect to the Internet. All you have to do is install a small PROXY program that says, â€Å"I am the Internet connection for this network. Everybody aim their Internet browsing at me!† It’s really that simple. By doing this, it fools the other computers on your network into thinking that the file server IS the Internet. In addition to being connected via one phone line, and one computer, your file server can have what is called a â€Å"Firewall.† This eliminates outside intruders from invadin g your network.

The Four Noble Truths in Buddhism

There are many things that can be found in a religion. The idea of a religion is to give hope for life after death and to give peace of mind during life and a reason to live in a morally â€Å"right† way. There are so many religions in the world and so many questions that are answered within each religion. Buddha was born a prince but he continuously looked at many things that were going on outside of the palace and the lives that the commoners lived. While doing this he decided to start changing how he lived his own life.During this time he began practicing meditation in an attempt to find a reason for his behaviors. Later he changed his name to Buddha and then he began to minister and speak to the people. Buddha spoke about a continual peace and interconnection with those who were around them (Palmer, Cooper, and Corcoran 2001, pp 1-4). One of the main foundations in the religion of Buddhism is the idea of the four noble truths. There are four noble truths in the practice of Buddhism. The four noble truths are the qualification of life.These truths are that there is life that is â€Å"qualified by suffering, that suffering has a cause, that there is a state beyond suffering, and that there is a path to the state† (Lopez 2001, p. 15). In the Dali Lama’s teachings on the four noble truths he talks about the general desire for all to have happiness and for them to not have suffering. He also talks about how these truths are â€Å"all encompassing† (1981 p. 1). The first noble truth is the truth that there will be suffering in life.In his talks on the noble truths, the Dali Lama states that all people experience various types of suffering. He also divides suffering into three categories. These categories are â€Å"the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change, and the all-pervasive suffering. † The suffering of suffering can be described as something like a headache. Some type of thing that inflicts suffering on someone an d that there is no reason for the suffering and there is nothing to come from the suffering so the suffering is purely suffering.This type of suffering is not only experienced in humans but also in animals and this type of suffering is also troublesome in animals as it is in humans and they too wish to be freed from this type of suffering. Since there is a fear of these types of suffering and a desire to eliminate the suffering there is a strong desire to find ways to end this suffering and there are many different ways that individuals can choose to end this type of suffering. This type of suffering can also be described in the types of suffering that occurs when people are found to be living in poverty or having to suffer in this way.The Dali Lama reminds that everyone is able to tell that this type of suffering is suffering and that a relief of some sort is needed (1981, p. 1). The second type of suffering can only be described s the suffering of change. This type of suffering is something that is experienced when someone becomes â€Å"restless† and wants some type of change. There are so many things that can occur as well. The way that the Dali Lama describes this type of suffering is that â€Å"we are sitting comfortably relaxed and at first, everything seems all right, but after a while we lose that feeling and get restless and uncomfortable.† Unlike the suffering of suffering when someone experiences the suffering of change it can ultimately come in the form of something that could have previously been thought of as great or wonderful. For instance if someone is able to begin earning money and seemingly get out of the situation of poverty as described in the previous paragraph then they might believe that life is going to be better. The disappointment that money is unable to buy happiness through things that could now be owned is what could be known as the disappointment of change (1981, p. 1). The third type of suffering is all pervasive suffering.This type of suffering is the basis of the first two types of suffering. The Dali Lama speaks about this type of suffering as the type of suffering that contains the main principles of things like karma. This type of suffering is that there is simply suffering in life because there is suffering in human life. This is the type of suffering that causes some people to take their own lives and commit suicide and is the all pervasive suffering that these people do not feel they will ever be able to escape from. This is also what is behind the â€Å"disturbing minds† that are part of the human existence.With this type of suffering there are many things that the follower of Buddhism can learn and learning about this type of suffering can only cause there to be a more intense and better life. The Dali Lama encourages that â€Å"killing yourself isn’t going to solve your problems† and therefore works with the followers and those for whom he is speaking to be ab le to better manage their feelings and not feel that the act of suicide is necessary. This is the final type of suffering for which the Dali Lama speaks about and the final type of suffering in the first noble truth which is the truth of suffering (1981, pp.1-2). The second of the noble truths is the truth of the cause of suffering. The Dali Lama first talks about how the true Buddhists believe that â€Å"there is no external creator and that even though a Buddha is the highest being, even the Buddha does not have the power to create new life. † Through Buddhism it is taught that the â€Å"ultimate cause† for most suffering is the mind. This is meaning that the mind has the power to control the thought process and many of the feelings that occur which are negative. These negative feelings can include many different and various forms of negative thought.The idea behind this truth is that if one has the power to control their mind then they are able to control their thou ght process and by thinking fewer negative thoughts then the benefit to the person will be that they will be more enlightened and feel better overall. The Dali Lama states that one should work hard to not try to â€Å"grasp a true existence† and this is what is behind many of the negative thoughts. With the negative thoughts and the negative karma that is used. It is also thought that the negative actions that are there involved are also what is behind all negative actions.This is the reason for which the middle way is encouraged (1981, pp. 2-3). The third of the four noble truths are that there is the truth of the cessation of suffering. The Dali Lama speaks about how there are many things that are grasped by the mind and how to train the mind to not grasp certain things will help the mind to be able to manage certain feelings and issues through this if one is able to end the â€Å"disturbing negative minds, the cause of all suffering, then we will end the suffering as well .† This is important as it proposes that each person is in charge of ending their own suffering through being able to rid themselves of all of the negative things that are available. This truth is further taught when practicing the middle way and that by practicing the middle way one is able to end his/her suffering (1981, p. 3). The fourth of the four noble truths is the truth to the path of cessation. This is that the path to being able to find the middle way is a journey that each must take. The Dali Lama speaks of the thirty seven things that are needed to reach enlightenment.This is the path that those who are motivated to liberate themselves from suffering. These thirty seven factors to enlightenment are through the five paths. The five paths being the â€Å"four close placements of mindfulness, the four miraculous powers, the four pure abandonments, the five powers and the five forces, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold path. † The other way th at one is to travel through the paths of the cessation of suffering was through the six â€Å"transcendent perfections. † This way is through practicing both the methods and wisdom.Through these types of journeys it is said that one can end all suffering and find his/her way to enlightenment (1981, p. 4). The middle way is what the Buddha taught as the end to all suffering. This middle way is the belief that there is good neither through extreme indulgence or through depravation. The middle way is the belief that there is a great way for things to be thought of for the middle of life. This is that one should live in the middle realms of things and that each person should attempt to work on how they can find the perfect â€Å"middle† life for themselves (Lopez 2001, pp.28-29). The Eightfold Path is thought to be another way to end all suffering in the practice of Buddhism. The Eightfold Path is the overall ways that Buddha taught that one could reach enlightenment. The beginning of the Eightfold Path is understanding. There is having a knowledge and understanding of the four noble truths. The way that is described in the fourth noble truth is in itself the way of the Eightfold Path. These also include that there is a â€Å"Truth of Change† and the â€Å"Truth of No Self. † The Eightfold Path is uses the understanding and acceptance.The understanding is that one is able to do. The acceptance is that there is an overall acceptance that there are things that we could not change (MacPhillamy 2001, pp. 1-3). The Eightfold Path also teaches that there needs to be a place of thought. This place of thought is where one is able to introvert into his/her mind and is able to therefore create and control the thoughts that he/she has. In his article on the Eightfold Path, MacPhillamy is talking about the things that can keep one from being able to reach enlightenment.These things being that there are â€Å"little lies, deceptions and fantasies t hat we tell ourselves inside our heads all day long. † Thus meaning that the things that one might tell him/herself in order to be able to manage their feelings are really one of the biggest things that will keep them from enlightenment (2001, p. 3). The next three parts of the Eightfold Path are speech, action and livelihood and they form their own group. With these things it is overall the process of changing them to where their main focus is on inner peace.By acting right and in the moral manner for these things can change the overall issues. There are also â€Å"Three Treasures Precepts. † These are that â€Å"I take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the Dharma. I take refuge in the Sangha. † These are all things that are a part of the unified way of life that includes these three things if they are not all included then it is impossible for one to be able to stand on the issues within him/herself. There are also the â€Å"Three Pure Precepts. † T hese are that â€Å"I will cease from evil. I will do only good. I will do good for others.† The idea behind these three things is that if we continue to do these three things then our lives will be easier and there can be a reassurance and knowledge that all is well through these things (MacPhillamy 2001, pp. 3-6). The next part of the Eightfold Path are the â€Å"Ten Great Precepts. † These precepts are: â€Å"I will refrain from killing. I will refrain from stealing. I will refrain from abusing sexuality. I will refrain from speaking untruthfully. I will refrain from selling the wine of delusion. I will refrain from speaking against others.I will refrain from being proud of myself and belittling others. I will refrain from holding back in giving either Dharma or wealth. I will refrain from indulging anger. I will refrain from defaming the Three Treasures. † There are also the forty eight less grave precepts that should be followed however the top ones have be en listed. The next parts of the Eightfold Path are the ideas of effort, mindfulness, and mediation. With the idea of mindfulness there are some things to keep in mind. With mindfulness it is necessary to â€Å"Do one thing at a time. Pay full attention to what you are doing.When your mind wanders to something else, bring it back. Repeat step number three a few hundred thousand times. And, when your mind keeps wandering to the same thing over and over again, stop for a minute and pay ‘attention’ to the distraction ‘: maybe it is trying to tell you something. † Pure meditation is required in being able to maintain ones beliefs and the issues of one being able to manage his/her overall journey through the Eightfold Path (MacPhillamy 2001, pp. 6-15). Also when studying the four noble truths it is essential to study the overall experience and belief in Nirvana.The idea of Nirvana is the idea of â€Å"absolute truth† (Lebiniz 1999, p. 4). Nirvana can also be described as the overall goal for one who is practicing the four noble truths as the idea of Nirvana is a place where there is an end to all suffering and end of all other types of frustration and other problems (Buddhism†¦ p. 1). Being able to know that Nirvana is achievable and being able to believe in that is the faith that many Buddhists need in order to be able to manage how things are going and to be able to encourage appropriate actions from others and within themselves.Being able to reach a state where there is no pain and no suffering is a dream come true to many. This is in the end the way that happiness can be achieved. In studying the four noble truths of Buddhism many different parts of the religions and beliefs of Buddhism need to be followed and understood and in the end reaching the point of Nirvana or the end of all suffering will help others to be able to be more motivated.These overall steps to reaching enlightenment were formed by the Buddha from his own experiences in â€Å"awakening† what he was to become (Eckel 89). References Buddhism: The Search for Enlightenmentl, Retrieved on 26 April 2009 from http://plaza. ufl. edu/cp9470r/project2/beliefs. html Dali Lama 1981, The Four Noble Truths, Retrieved on 27 April 2009 from http://www. lamayeshe. com/index. php? sect=article&id=380 Eckel, MD 2002, Buddhism, 1st ed, Oxford University Press, New York, NY. Lebiniz 1999. Buddha-Buddhism Religion, Retrieved on 26 April from

Topical Issues

Abortion â€Å"Unsafe abortions kill 200 women a day according to IPAS, a non-governmental organisation based in the US. IPAS claims that much more needs to be done to make abortion safe and accessible†. * The Bible teaches that human life is different from other types of life, because human beings are made in the very image of God. * The Bible teaches that children are a blessing. * The Bible teaches that the child in the womb is truly a human child, who even has a relationship with the Lord. * Scripture repeatedly condemns the killing of the innocent. * The Bible teaches that God is a God of justice. Scripture teaches people to love. * Life is victorious over death. My conscience tells me abortion is wrong because * All life is sacred-all life on Earth was created by almighty God above, and  it is  therefore morally wrong to deprive an unborn child. * No one except God can take away life- all life on Earth was created by almighty God above and so it follows that only He can take it away. No one have this right. * Abortion is an anagram of iron boat- I pointing out that abortion is an anagram of Iron boat because, like abortions, iron boats are bad!They sink straight to the bottom, killing everyone on board. Exactly like what abortive mothers do. Roman Catholic and protestant both have same belief. This is what they believe- * Life begins at conception – the foetus is a human being with human rights. * All Bible teaching on human life also applied to the foetus- especially the commandment â€Å"Thou shall not kill†. * If a mother can’t support her baby then it should be adopted. * Life is sacred because it is given by God. * They described abortion as a great evil.

Civilization Term Paper Topics

Civilization Term Paper Topics If you are enrolled in a course of civilization of any kind – then comes a time when you are asked to write a paper on a civilization term paper topic. In this case – you have to write a splendid paper which will cover all the material which you discussed in class, and express your personal opinion. These days, not every student knows how to write a good term paper on any of the civilization term paper topics. In order to succeed in this activity – a student needs to know the theory of writing term papers, as well as possess some knowledge on the civilization topic. The first thing you need to figure out for yourself is the topic of your term paper. There are various civilization term paper topics where you can apply yourself, but you need to choose only one, which will show your knowledge on all other civilization term paper topics. The possible civilization term paper topics are: America in the 18th century England before 1700 France before 1700 European history term paper topic The culture of Europe in the 17th-19th centuries Mixed and controversial issues of western civilization All these civilization term paper topics are good to write about and discuss, but all of them are tricky. Not every student knows that if you want to get a good grade – you need to show your knowledge on several civilization term paper topics, and that is when comparison comes in handy. If you are writing about France before 1700 – you have to compare France to England, and many other countries. This way you will show your professor, that even though you chose France as the main topic of your discussion, you still are proficient in other countrys history. Always stay focused on your topic. As soon as you start writing something – your mind will want to bounce from topic to topic, and discuss everything you want to, but you need to control yourself and stay focused on something specific. When you have chosen a topic – you need to come up with a smart hypothesis. You need one string idea or an argument, to lead you through the whole civilization term paper. It could be something of your own observation. If you do that – you will need a bunch of supportive arguments to prove your point. This is the whole point of a quality civilization term paper – and if you follow these simple instructions – you will definitely succeed in writing your paper on any civilization term paper topic. If you feel that writing on your civilization term paper topic is too complicated – you can ask CustomWritings.com for help and quality term paper assistance. We are here to help striving students get over with their civilization term papers and help them get high grades for their paper. Our professional writers will share their experience and expertise in any civilization term paper topic and will show you how a great civilization term paper is done. All our papers on civilization topics are written from scratch and 100% plagiarism free. We always control the quality of every custom written civilization term paper. Our writers always follow the instructions that come with the order. We have very strict policies towards this. SO be sure that you will be pleasantly surprised with your custom written civilization term paper. Heres a list of the most popular civilization term paper topics: 1. The Inca Civilization 2. Symbols of Civilization 3. Civilization Deteriorates to Savagery 4. Ancient Civilization 5. The Brilliant Maya Civilization 6. Lord of the Flies: Civilization and Savagery 7. The Birth of Civilization 8. Early Western Civilizations 9. Egypt Civilization 10. Monks Saved Western Civilization 11. Contributions to Western Civilization from Ancient Greeks 12. Geography: Its Influence on the Development of Civilizations 13. Three Major Contributions to Civilization 14. The Ancient African Civilization Aksum 15. Freud in Civilization 16. Use of Civilization in Grendel 17. Destruction of Civilization 18. Egyptian and Sumerian Civilizations 19. Ethics in Western Civilization 20. History of Western Civilization: Industrial Revolution 21. Indian Civilization

Making a Dissertation in Finance and Accounting

Making a Dissertation in Finance and Accounting Throughout your stay in college, you have faced different writing tasks and we suggest you managed to cope with them, but it is imperative for you to know that writing a dissertation is an entirely different task. Sorry to burst your bubble, dissertations are hard due to numerous facts which include: the necessity to write 100% for original, the use of extensive research and eliminating all fluff from your writing. Therefore, to help simplify your task, some important tips will be included here to reduce your workload. Dissertations are Original Pieces of Work The average dissertation is a lengthy, formal document that is written to argue a particular thesis or a subject. Its length connotes that you must make use of substantial information to discuss or defend the original thoughts related to your dissertation topic. Therefore, the essence of a dissertation is to judge your critical thinking abilities and your ability to state lessons learned not just an outpouring of facts in your paper. Ideas and Analysis must be backed with Facts Data or organized information provide the backbone for facts, and every dissertation topic must be illuminated with the use of supporting facts making your topic well-argued or providing a discussion through your thought patterns and the conclusion they lead to. Therefore, it is of great importance to do the needed work which may be scientific research or in finance and accounting, statistical research to come up with the facts needed to lend credibility to your work. Lastly, it is important to note that every statement in a dissertation must be backed-up with supporting data. Organize your Work Excellent dissertations are categorized by the amount of work you put into structuring the information you include into the final draft. Regardless of how good your research results are, if they are not presented in such a manner that enhances the readability of your dissertation, your results are automatically undermined. So creating an initial template for drafting your dissertation or using the assigned template provided by your school will go a long way in helping you organize the entire dissertation regardless of its word count. Grammatical Correctness is Key A dissertation is the crowning jewel of everything you have gone   through during the course of a school year or the entire pursuit of your degree. Therefore, you cannot afford being lackadaisical with your use of English when writing the most important piece of your college career. The key to staying on the right side of grammatical correctness  is to constantly edit your work as well as take advantage of the talents of an experienced writer by asking for help in editing your dissertation. In conclusion, the work you are expected to put in when writing a dissertation is a far cry from what you have previously done in your essay writing class. So, a little planning, perseverance and diligence wouldn’t go amiss if achieving the best score possible is your personal goal. To support the information provided here, extra reading materials such as 10 facts for a dissertation in finance and accounting should also be consulted. Finally, if you are having some challenges with coming up with a topic, the article 20 topics for a dissertation in finance and accounting will surely direct you.

Promote Your Writing On Facebook

Promote Your Writing On Facebook Promote Your Writing On Facebook Promote Your Writing On Facebook By Guest Author This is a guest post by Lela Davidson. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. Love it, hate it, or tolerate it, Facebook is here, maybe not to stay- because nothing is changing faster than media- but it’s here now. Facebook is an important way to reach readers and network with clients, fellow writers, and editors. I use Facebook every day to engage readers (and potential readers), and to network with those who can help me reach more readers. Through significant daily interactions, ‘branded’ messages, and posting links to my work, I hope to build that all important ‘platform’ we someday-to-be-bestsellers need. A Short History of a Reluctant Facebook Junkie I opened my Facebook account under duress. A client required links from a Facebook profile to the blog posts I’d written. I’d already tried (and given up on) social bookmarking sites like Digg and Stumble and I resented the extra time it took to pimp my posts. I wanted to be a writer, not waste time working the system of you-click-my-link-I’ll-click-yours. However, in the short time the assignment lasted, I got hooked on Facebook. Interacting With Readers and Others Chatting up old friends on Facebook was training for how I use it now, which is more strategic, but not too different. I’ve branched out from my ‘real’ friends, embracing the concept of â€Å"Facebook Friends,† who may or may not be people I actually know IRL (in real life- do the kids still say that?). The decision about what to share and with whom is the biggest challenge for writers wanting to use Facebook for professional networking. For me it has been a seamless transition from my friends, to their friends, and beyond because most of what I write is personal. If I’m writing about the hair balls in my bathroom for a magazine essay, I don’t mind telling you about them in my status bar. Facebook allows me to engage readers and convert would-be readers, by giving them a preview of my longer writing. Keeping Your Distance If you don’t want to get too personal with readers you set up a Page, which is different from a Profile. Readers can become fans of your page and this fan status shows up in the information section of their profiles. Interaction from a page is limited, but it’s better than nothing. In addition to frequent status updates, it’s also extremely important to comment on your Facebook Friends’ status and links. This is interactive media. If all you do is talk about yourself, eventually no one will listen. Developing a Platform Both established and aspiring writers need a platform in order to sell their work. In Get Known Before the Book Deal, author Christina Katz defines platform as: . . . all the ways you are visible and appealing to your future, potential, or actual readership. Katz emphasizes that platform development is important not only for authors, but also for aspiring and soon-to-be authors. Interaction with your Facebook Friends builds the foundation of your relationship so that when you post a link, they may read it or pass it along via the Share function of Facebook. This lets every one of their Facebook Friends know that 1) it exists, and 2) they think it’s cool enough to be associated with. And Finally, Posting Those Links Wherever you are in your writing career, you have a core fan base of people who like what you write because they like you- family, friends, neighbors. Even my ‘real’ friends who aren’t interested in my writing are still interested in me. Maybe their friends and family might like what I’m writing. Facebook is the easiest way for them to share my stuff. The more I interact with them the more they are likely to find something they like. When that happens, the spread can be viral. I hope. It’s important to note that links are different from status updates. They don’t show up in your status bar, and unless they get a lot of Likes (thumbs up) or comments, they may not show up in your Facebook Friends’ news feeds either. I don’t feel like I’m pestering people with my links if I occasionally post more than one in a day. Also, when I’m commenting on someone else’s status, sometimes it’s natural to include a link. For example, I write a lot on family topics so whenever someone posts a status about their kid losing a tooth, I’ll comment with a link to an essay I wrote about the inflation of Tooth Fairy payouts. Friending Editors and Fanning Magazines As my essays have started to get picked up in more print magazines, I try to Friend the editors and become a Fan of the magazine’s website. (Sorry, fellow DWT guest author, but Friending and Fanning are verbs.) A lot of print magazines publish online versions. When the piece runs, I post a link, as well as thanking and tagging the editor in my status update. Before an editor has bought something of mine, we can connect as Facebook Friends. Though we may never meet in person, Facebook savvy gives me an edge over the hundreds of other writers hitting the inbox. Many of those editors use the same email on Facebook as they do for submissions, so I use Facebook’s automated ‘Find Friends’ utility to identify them. When it comes to social media there are no experts. So jump in- from wherever you are- and play. That’s what I did. Facebook has expanded my reach, helped build my ‘platform’, and put me in direct contact with readers, clients, and editors. It can do the same for you. Lela Davidson’s award-winning column, After the Bubbly, appears regularly in Peekaboo magazine, and periodically in other magazines throughout the country. She is the parenting columnist on HubPages and a regular contributor to ParentingSquad. Find out more on her wildly entertaining blog. Or just Google her. She loves to be Googled.    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 Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Using "a" and "an" Before WordsHow Long Should a Paragraph Be?Mankind vs. Humankind

How Germany's Hospitality Has Changed During the Olympic Games in 1936 Essay

How Germany's Hospitality Has Changed During the Olympic Games in 1936 Compared To the WM In 2006 - Essay Example World War 2 is considered to be a black mark in the history of the mankind. This was the war which changed the geo-political scenario of the world. Even today in some or the other form we still face the repercussions of this war. Germany bid for the 1936 XI Olympics in 1931, year in which Hitler had not surfaced so strongly. There were only two countries which bid for the hosting of the Olympic Games, Spain and Germany, out of which Germany won the bid with good voting margin. It is interesting to note that there were only two countries who bid for the games. The year 1931 was extremely depressing for the world. The crash of 1929 affected almost all the countries in a real adverse way. Germany was no different. Economic crisis is a phenomenon in which the society crumbles faster and deteriorates more than any other calamity. We have to understand this background to understand the extreme nationalism that rose to the surface. Adolf Hitler came to power 2 years prior to the Olympic Games in Germany. The racial and anti-Semitic policies adopted by him were becoming well known. Due to treaty of Versailles the size of the German military was restricted. The pretext of athletic training was used for military training. All these areas were banned for the Jews to participate in. It was not difficult for any political party for that matter to ignite the already inflammable conditions. In the third edition of his textbook (with E. Baur and E. Fischer), professor Fritz Lenz writes: "We must of course deplore the one-sided anti-Semitism of National Socialism. Unfortunately, it seems that the masses need such anti feelings... we cannot doubt that National Socialism is honestly striving for a healthier race. The question of the quality of our hereditary endowment is a hundred times more important than the dispute over capitalism or socialism, and a thousand times more important

Value Stock Versus Growth Stock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Value Stock Versus Growth Stock - Essay Example In real world, there are more risks involved than just one of type of risk. Market sensitivity is an important risk but that cannot alone be used in order to compute the intrinsic value of stocks and hence by relying on only this type of risk, we are actually making the things more simple than they really are and not accounting for important risk elements which lead to faulty analysis and intrinsic value determination of stocks. This can lead to poor decision making and by relying just on Capital Asset Pricing model, investors stand a chance of losing their hard earned money because they are not account for all types of risk that should be included in their investment. All of this debate shows that investors should not just pick the blue chip stock but also first try to classify stocks into value or growth stocks and then create a portfolio on the basis of a strategy called â€Å"Dogs of the Dow† and keep on making structural changes to their portfolios based on the results an nounce. This way they are not only diversifying, but also upgrading the return on their investments. 2) There are several factors that account for Risk and Returns according French and Fama. Risks are basically of three types. The first type of risk is beta or market volatility. The second type of risk is investing in small versus big stocks, and the final type of risk is investing in growth versus value stocks. The reason why these factors are considered is because these are three main alternatives investment strategies that an investor can choose. Investor can invest either in stocks which have high beta or low beta. However, this decision will be made according to the expectation of the investor. If the investor is expecting the market to fall then negative correlation with market in a stock would be preferred. However, if the investor thinks that the market is going to climb upwards then it is better for the investor to invest in stock having a positive correlation with the mark et. In either case, the investor is speculating market to perform either way. If the investor chooses to invest in large company, then there are chances that the growth of these stocks would be much less than a new aggressive company. Hence, the investor would not be able to make quick capital gain in these stocks, but stream of income in the form of dividends would be quite high if the investor chooses to invest in a stock of a large company. Similarly, if the investor chooses to invest in the value stock there are chances that the investor would earn high returns, but there are also chances that the investor would not be able to earn any return on these stock. This is in line with Warren Buffets’s and EMH investment theories which state â€Å"Buy the sells and sell the buys† . The fundamental behind this theory is the fact that stocks which have never performed in the past will perform in the future whereas stocks which have performed well in the past will not be per forming as brilliantly as they have done before. Hence, it is better to buy stocks of companies which are relatively lagging behind the blue chip stocks. In other words it is better to buy the dogs of today than stars of the past. 3) Capital Assets pricing model is based on just one facet of the risk return model. This risk is represented by beta and can be explained as stock

Financial planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial planning - Essay Example The purchase of own residence would require one time down payment for the property. The salaries and the income of the household are mostly spent in the expenses for livelihood and therefore the source of funds is an issue for the couple to purchase the property. The couple is also worried about Vincent’s health as he is prone to heart attack as a hereditary symptom for which the family needs idle funds during emergency. The third on the priority list is to plan for a holiday tour in Europe which is desired by the client. Educational Planning Vincent and Linda are concerned about the high school education of their child Julie who is about 3 years old at present. The couple want to save for their child’s education in about 9 years time for which they wanted to start saving. The issues related to the education planning of their child is that Vincent may lose his job of an accountant due to strategic take-over of his employer by another bigger player in the industry. Also Vincent and Linda are not expecting any further increase in their salaries in the recent years. Thus the financial constraints in financing their child’s education could be serious issue for Vincent and Linda. Investment planning The investment planning of Linda is the next issue that is being faced. While Linda and Vincent are concerned about streamlining her investments, they also have the obligation to meet their monthly instalments payments of various liabilities. This requires sorting out of Linda’s superannuation funds which is currently distributed into three different schemes into one scheme so that the payments and receipts could be properly tracked. Risk Management Vincent and Linda should take into account the risk of repayment of new credit card debt that they have acquired recently. This requires a payment of $5000 on a monthly basis while the actual surplus of the family is $3000 after meeting all expenditures. Thus the client faces the issue of defaultin g on the payment of credit card debt. Financial planner’s assistance to the client The various ways in which the client could be assisted through financial planning in order to address the identified needs are given as follows. Assistance: Home and Health needs In order to address the first three needs against which specific issues have been identified as above, the client should be advised to undertake loans from the banks as well as undertake investment strategies to increase their wealth in order to meet the needs within a period of five years. In order to buy the home, the client could be advised to undertake a loan from the bank for purchase of property. By showing their employment proofs, the client would be able to get the loans. The savings of rental payments which were happening before could be used to accumulate funds for meeting medical emergencies like heart attacks. The accumulated savings could also be used to finance holiday plans as per the priority of the cli ent (Cordell, 1999, p.57). Assistance: Educational needs The educational need of their child is ranked fourth in the priority list of Vincent and Linda’

Dissertation critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dissertation critique - Essay Example The research methodology is also not included in the introduction chapter to inform the reader about the approach adapted by the author to address the issue. The research study and findings have been included in the dissertation in the form of three main chapters. Each chapter revolves around one important factor of study; namely economical, political and cultural impacts. The hypotheses involving these three factors are stated in their respective chapters instead of discussing them in the ‘Introduction’ chapter. The first study involves the economic impacts of the integration of computer technology in out societies. The summary of the hypothesis that have been developed for the study on the basis of the economic factors are as follows; - Information and communication technologies (ICT) have a direct relationship with the foreign investments in the region; this hypothesis has been proved by the aid of some relevant literature and the reader gets convinced that there exists a direct casual relationship between the two factors. - The second hypothesis attempts to deduce a direct causal relationship between the different forms of government with the integration level of ICT. The author includes literature regarding the relationship between the form of government and the number of foreign investments in this hypothesis but does not address the relationship between the integration of ICT and the form of government in the society. This hypothesis is more related to politics than economics therefore it does not seem suitable for the analysis of economic impacts. The research methodology consisted of identification of the sample set of three high income countries. The research about the chosen sample countries’ GDP over the time period of 2001-2005 has been exhaustive. However, the research approach has not been specified i.e. the author does not mention if a deductive approach is

David Suzuki Foundation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

David Suzuki Foundation - Assignment Example y, protection of the climate, habitat and endangered species protection, future projects on energy and sustainability of healthy oceans and seafood among others. The David Suzuki Foundation is very strict when it comes to uploading ethics. Some of the ways it does this is by not accepting funding or donations from individuals or organizations that have a hidden agenda in mind. They care about their integrity and reputation so much so that it declines such gifts or funding despite their value. This is the reason it does not accept direct funding from the government as this will mean they are indebted or at the mercy of the government and hence will lose its ethical conduct. The only funding from the government it takes is that provided through the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. On environmental values, the foundation strives to uphold the human rights of people when still safeguarding the environment. They are guided by the United Nations Declarations on Rights of Indigenous People formulated in 2010 and which protects the indigenous people who rely on the environment for their survival. In their aim to protect the environment therefore, they avoid clashing with the Aboriginals and they always respect them. They even at times use them to safeguard their other environmental policies as these people have indigenous knowledge of the environment and have vested interests in the environment being safeguarded. Its environmental values are also upheld through having their offices heated and cooled by geothermal system, recycling of its products, planting native species in the roof, having automatic timers to shut off their electrical appliances to save energy, employees commuting to work through biking or walking and using teleconferencing to reduce air travel. Their suppliers are also green suppliers using organic and non-toxic biodegradable among others all aimed at protecting the environment. Its code of conduct demands that its

Analysing enterprise operations(individual case study report) Essay - 1

Analysing enterprise operations(individual case study report) - Essay Example This report analyses the flow of operations or processes using flow chart of an individual that is planning to go for vacations to Athens from Birmingham. In addition to this, the report identifies the key issues that could influence the trip of the individual as well as identifying bottlenecks that could influence the process. At the end of the report, recommendations have been given. This report is used to show how flow chart can be helpful in every day to day operations and decisions that an individual makes. As the report has been prepared using a case of an individual going for vacations from Birmingham to Athens therefore the main aims and objectives of the report are: Issues in any processes can halt the speed and successful accomplishment of that process. Therefore identification of key issues is important to make sure that the objective is achieved. The key issues that have been identified are: There are certain processes in different things whatever an individual or any organisation do which can pause the overall process and until this process or step is not solved, the operations cannot continue. These steps or blockages are called the ‘Bottlenecks’ (Schonberger, & Knod, 1991). The bottlenecks can stop or halt the process or operations and therefore it is important for anyone using flow chart to identify bottlenecks and try to reduce the impact of these bottlenecks so that the flow of the operations is fine. Bottlenecks are basically the blockages that can hurt the flow and therefore can increase the overall time of the operations than estimated (Schemenner, 1984). Bottlenecks in the process of vacation to Athens are finding the right time to go for vacations as this could halt the overall process. For instance, if the individual is an employee then he would need to get the approval of the employer for holidays and then finalise the dates of the trip. Similarly, other bottleneck of the process is of

David Suzuki Foundation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

David Suzuki Foundation - Assignment Example y, protection of the climate, habitat and endangered species protection, future projects on energy and sustainability of healthy oceans and seafood among others. The David Suzuki Foundation is very strict when it comes to uploading ethics. Some of the ways it does this is by not accepting funding or donations from individuals or organizations that have a hidden agenda in mind. They care about their integrity and reputation so much so that it declines such gifts or funding despite their value. This is the reason it does not accept direct funding from the government as this will mean they are indebted or at the mercy of the government and hence will lose its ethical conduct. The only funding from the government it takes is that provided through the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. On environmental values, the foundation strives to uphold the human rights of people when still safeguarding the environment. They are guided by the United Nations Declarations on Rights of Indigenous People formulated in 2010 and which protects the indigenous people who rely on the environment for their survival. In their aim to protect the environment therefore, they avoid clashing with the Aboriginals and they always respect them. They even at times use them to safeguard their other environmental policies as these people have indigenous knowledge of the environment and have vested interests in the environment being safeguarded. Its environmental values are also upheld through having their offices heated and cooled by geothermal system, recycling of its products, planting native species in the roof, having automatic timers to shut off their electrical appliances to save energy, employees commuting to work through biking or walking and using teleconferencing to reduce air travel. Their suppliers are also green suppliers using organic and non-toxic biodegradable among others all aimed at protecting the environment. Its code of conduct demands that its

Individual Critical Thinking and Society Exercise Essay Example for Free

Individual Critical Thinking and Society Exercise Essay Describe a situation in which critical and creative thought could have been used for a better outcome. Describe why it is important to think critically and creatively in similar situations. Define free will, truth, knowledge, and opinion. Explain how we use them to form thoughts. Identify three hindrances to the critical thinking process. Determine methods for overcoming these hindrances. Identify a time in which you experienced a hindrance in critical thinking. Describe a method you could use to overcome the hindrances. Identify a message in advertising. Describe how you perceive the message of the advertisement. Try to determine the reality of the advertisement. Distinguish between your perception and the reality of the message. General Questions General General Questions Write 150- to 200 words on each of the following topics: Describe a situation in which critical and creative thought could have been used for a better outcome. Describe why it is important to think critically and creatively in similar situations. Define free will, truth, knowledge, and opinion. Explain how we use them to form thoughts. Identify three hindrances to the critical thinking process. Determine methods for overcoming these hindrances. Identify a time in which you experienced a hindrance in critical thinking. Describe a method you could use to overcome the hindrances. Identify a message in advertising. Describe how you perceive the message of the advertisement. Try to determine the reality of the advertisement. Distinguish between your perception and the reality of the message. Avoid using your financial aid funds to go on a shopping spree at your cam To get this material Click this link https://bitly.com/12CdK9X Avoid using your financial aid funds to go on a shopping spree at your campus bookstore. This is common, especially among first-year students. When you learn that you have financial aid credit at the bookstore, it is tempting to buy things you dont really need. Avoid this impulse and your pocketbook will thank you later. General Questions General General Questions Write 150- to 200 words on each of the following topics: Describe a situation in which critical and creative thought could have been used for a better outcome. Describe why it is important to think critically and creatively in similar situations. Define free will, truth, knowledge, and opinion. Explain how we use them to form thoughts. Identify three hindrances to the critical thinking process. Determine methods for overcoming these hindrances. Identify a time in which you experienced a hindrance in critical thinking. Describe a method you could use to overcome the hindrances. Identify a message in advertising. Describe how you perceive the message of the advertisement. Try to determine the reality of the advertisement.

Analysis Of Ethical Egoism Philosophy Essay

Analysis Of Ethical Egoism Philosophy Essay Moral standards inform our actions, behaviours, and thoughts. The foundation of these standards stem from our cultural heritage passed on through generations. Introducing morals into the ego bears the philosophy of ethical egoism, which is a normative theory, based on the promotion of ones own good in accordance with morality (Moseley). Shaver avers that based on the ethical egoism theory it is necessary and sufficient for an action to be morally right and that it maximizes own good. The promotion and pursuance of ones self-interest underscores the normative theory. It prescribes the motivation of ones thought, behaviour, and action. To understand the ethical egoism theory we must first know certain principles behind it. Ethical egoism is a normative theory, which means it prescribes how we should think, behave, and act. Shaver presents three features of ethical egoism as individual, personal and universal. He states that individual ethical egoism is notion that all persons should serve self-interest. Personal ethical egoism is the belief that one should act from the motive of self-interest (Shaver). Universal ethical egoism is the doctrine that all persons should pursue their own interests exclusively (Shaver). The foundation of a coherent theory of ethics is in truth, consistency, and completeness. In truth means that a statement of action is either true or false and not both. Consistency means that there should be no contradictions or incompatible statements. Completeness means that there should be no moral truth, which is not provable from the basic moral principles of the theory (Moseley). Shavers argument (qtd. in Rachels) in favour of the theory is that we are better position to know what is good for us. He further argues that since to seek out the good of others is to interfere, we should mind our own business. His point is that all of our commonplace practices from corporate social responsibility to a welfare system are borne of self-preservation and interest. Shavers other submission (qtd. in Rand) in favour of the theory is that a form of egoism was one of the thrust the American Revolution. He further argues that capitalism a 19th Century business model of the American history helped in rapid economic and cultural development that the nation also experienced. In opposition to the theory, Moseley (qtd. in Bayer) believes that it fails to provide the moral and arbitration framework to resolve conflicts. He holds that it is contradictory that pursuit of self-interest can be right and wrong. Moseley states that a successful pursuance of self-interest can be a deterrent if it prevents others from seeking their interest though perceived as a moral triumph. Finally, opponents say that ethical egoism is prejudicial because it divides people into two groups and discriminates against one group based on some subjective difference. Critics have touted this as best objection to the theory, for it provides the soundest reason why the interests of others ought to concern the interests of the self. The theory fails to answer certain fundamental questions of criteria of categorization, like the difference between self and others that justifies placing self in a special category. This makes the theory an arbitrary doctrine, in the same way that racism is arbitrary (Moseley). Some strengths of the theory are that, sometimes acting in ones self-interest often benefits others .e.g. going to college is in your self-interest, and it will help keep you off welfare, crime. In pursuing your self-interest, you will get a job, which will benefit others, or you start a business to make money, but you must have satisfied employees and a competitive product thereby helping others. In choosing your own interest, you must have the personal freedom to choose. Hence, as an egoist you must allow everyone to pursue his own personal interest (universal ethical egoism); consequently, egoism leads into a right-based theory where each individual has certain inalienable rights or a rule-based theory where certain rules of conduct are in the interest of everyone to observe. That is we are all better off if everyone obeys the law for we have to give up some good to achieve our maximum possible good. (Moseley). Notable weaknesses of the theory include the fact that it cannot be generalized or recommended to others because such a recommendation would be against ones self-interest; there is no way to justify the belief since it applies to just one person. Another problem is that it is difficult to figure out what own interests means. It cannot be ascertained whether the phrase mean short-term or long-term benefit, pleasure, happiness, preference, or something else, for what gives you pleasure might not be a benefit or in your interest. (Moseley). One thing is certain about all the arguments presented, that the theory is controversial, inconsistent, and incongruous and cannot therefore be used as a basis to guide and direct our actions, habits, and beliefs. It is imperative to state that a theory is but an opinion or point of view if not grounded in truth, consistency, and completeness.

University Food Service Menu Needs Revision Essay -- Argumentative Per

University Food Service Menu Needs Revision THE PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT The purpose of this report is to show the need to examine the current meal program services offered by University and to prove a need for a substantial revision of the menus and meals to accommodate the nutritional needs of all the students. The students, in particular, on which this report will focus is those students who are vegetarian (or those who do not eat any animal flesh), or vegan (those who do not eat any products that come from animals, such as milk, eggs, meat, and fat). THE CURRENT MEALS AND MENUES The current food service offers three meals per day, and these include some, but relatively few, vegetarian options for students with special dietary needs. In the average daily menu there is usually a choice that either doesn’t contain red meat or has a vegetable base in the ingredients. On the menus these meal choices are marked by a symbol of a carrot (see menus at http://www.iastate.edu/~residence_info/dining/dining.htm). Meals The morning meal consists of several hot dishes and toast, cereal, canned fruit, sometimes one fresh fruit option, and milk or juice. Students also have the option of having a waffle they make themselves. (Waffles are available for any of the meals). For the noon-time meal, students have the option of having a cold sandwich, or one of usually three hot meal items. There is always a salad bar and two choices of cereal. The evening meal is much like the noon-time meal. It also includes a salad bar and usually three hot main-courses and side dishes, but does not include the cold sandwich option. Menus Copies of food service menus have been included in the Appendix of this paper and give random examp... ...inning halls. I feel my nutritional needs are met by the food provided by the food service. I feel I am given an adequate number of meal choices when I eat in the dinning halls. I believe that there need to be no changes made to the dinning hall food service. I see room for improvement in the dinning hall food service. I am happy with the meal services provided by ISU. Please rate the your overall satisfaction with the dinning hall food service on a scale of one to ten (1-10), ten being very satisfied, and one being very dissatisfied, in the space below. Information and data gathered from: ISU department of residence dining services The ISU vegetarian club (Interviews of some members) Dorothy Franke (a member of the ISU vegetarian club) Survey created by Mariah Kimball, Oct. 29th 1999 (information gathered form 50 ISU students only)

Technology and Individualization in Education Essay -- Technological I

Technology and Individualization in Education Technology is a major influential factor in the progression of education. Technology has allowed for many positive advances in education, allowing for more efficient, more individualized learning. The introduction of computers in education has provided countless benefits to students, and enhanced learning greatly. Students now have a much broader wealth of information in which they can get knowledge from, and more specialized learning. Education will continue to be benefited by technology as progression continues. Individualization in education should be an ultimate goal, and this can only be achieved through technology. Technology should continue to be an influential factor in education. Computers have been the most influential form of technology to affect education. Many experts are critical of computers in the classroom. Dennis Gooler suggests that computers institute a gender gap, and that serious questions need to be addressed before computers are allowed in classrooms. He says that boys are much more inclined to use computers, and that girls will be left behind in the technology craze. I think that the way to solve this problem is to have computers in schools and promote their use by both genders. Computers allow for students to learn individually, and to gain access to a plethora of knowledge that has recently become accessible. There are many ways that computers have benefited learning. Studies have proven that computers in the classroom cause students to get better grades, because their learning is based on personal learning styles. Before computers were invented, all papers had to b e typed out in typewriters. Computers have made typing papers much easie... ...ucation. Our society is in a constant state of progression through technology, and it is only right that education is included. Education is positively effected by technology in many ways, and will continue to be benefited, until individualized education is achieved. Advancement occurs all throughout the Bible, and the importance of education is stressed. I believe that God is pleased when the two come together for an advantageous outcome. Works Cited 1) Gooler, Dennis D. â€Å"Computers in the Classroom: What is the effect on the Gender Gap?† Stanford March 1998: 1-10. www.Google.com. 9 November 2001.

A well run business Essay

J. B. Priestley ‘An Inspector Calls’ is a play set in 1912 in the Birling’s family dining room. It was written in 1945 and set in Brumley. It features a typical affluent upper class family who own a well run business. The play starts with a small family celebration in which the daughter, Sheila Birling, is getting engaged to Gerald (a business man of the same class). The head of the family, a very prominent opinionated man, makes several toasts to the couple and lectures them about his knowledge of the world. Everything is going cosily until an unexpected visitor turns up on the Birling family’s doorstep. It’s a very sleek, mysterious inspector. The Inspector brings news of a young girl’s suicide. The Birling Family and Gerald first deny all connections with the suicide until the inspector rigorously questions each one of them and their shameful secrets are revealed. One of the reasons why J. B. Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’ has remained popular is because there is some hope for the younger generation. During most of the play the atmosphere is depressing, drab and sad. The play is based on the inspector accusing each member of helping with the suicide of the young girl. The family all concentrate on how it’s not their fault. They try to blame it on each other and remain in a haze of selfishness. Towards the end of the play the younger generation, mostly Sheila, rise above this haze and look at the consequences. Sheila says ‘But you’re forgetting one thing; everything we said had really happened and if it didn’t end with the girl’s suicide, then lucky for us. But it might have done. ‘ Sheila rises above the dilemma and tries to turn the investigation of the inspector from a depressing and pointless conversation to a well learned lesson. During this Mr and Mrs Birling seem not to care about their harsh involvement with the girl. The younger generation care more and are deeply affected with their participation of the suicide. During ‘An Inspector Calls’ both the children argue with their parents. Eric accuses Mr Birling as ‘Not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble. ‘ Mr Birling disagrees sternly with Eric and makes a point that he has treated him more than fairly. Mr Birling argues back with ‘Your trouble is that you have been spoilt. ‘